Eagerly anticipating this week ... (17-24)

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (17-24)
Johnny Depp's Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness (2024)

10/12/2021

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) - Hollow 3D entertainment for the whole family

 

Strange characters lure on this colorful poster for Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon's Monsters vs. Aliens

A newly-wed woman, who is immediately disappointed gravely by her husband, becomes infected with an alien substance, which makes her a giant, and along with three other monsters she attempts to create harmony in the galaxy.

 

Monsters vs. Aliens is written by Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky (The Rocker (2008), both) and co-writer/co-director Rob Letterman (Shark Tale (2004)), who directed it with great Texan filmmaker Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2 (2004)).

The outline above is crudely put the premise of this lovely, loud 3D-focused animation, which undoubtedly won some when seen in 3D in a cinema. For in spite of the many talents involved, the story of Monsters vs. Aliens doesn't have the heart of a Toy Story (1995) or the humor of a Kung Fu Panda (2008).

One doesn't stop to get much out of the monster characters, inspired by 1950s and 60s monster movie creatures. Monsters vs. Aliens is fast forgotten but alright as harmless entertainment, - SPOILER right up until the point when the heroine finally throws her husband to the end of the world for being a douche! - That's one way to do it!

 

Related posts:

 

Rob Letterman: Goosebumps (2015) - Enthusiastic cast carry Letterman's CGI adventure 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Gulliver's Travels (2010) or, Gulliver's Travesty

Conrad Vernon: Sausage Party (2016) - One outrageous, funny, horny adult animation (co-director)

Shrek 2 (2004) - Fun and adventure reign supreme in tremendous family animation romp (co-writer/co-director) 

 



 

Watch a trailer for the film here


Cost: 175 mil. $

Box office: 381.5 mil. $ 

=  Flop (returned 2.18 times its cost)

[Monsters vs. Aliens premiered 9 March (Berlin, Germany) and runs 94 minutes. It is DreamWorks Animation's first film produced in stereoscopic 3D - rather than converting the film into 3D in post production - which added 15 mil. $ to its cost. The film opened #1 to a 59.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 5 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#3-#3-#4-X-#5), grossing 198.3 mil. $ (52 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 34.9 mil. $ (9.1 %) and Australia with 16.2 mil. $ (5.1 %). It was the 2nd highest-grossing animated movie of the year behind Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2.5/4 star review, translating to a notch higher than this one. Letterman returned with Gulliver's Travels (2010); Vernon with Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012). Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies (2017-19)), who voices Ginormica, returned in How Do You Know (2010). Monsters vs. Aliens is fresh at 73 % with a 6.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

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Eagerly anticipating this week ... (16-24)

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (16-24)
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