BergViews of Glory

I really didn’t have high expectations for Blades of Glory. I expected moments of fun surrounded by tediousness. And, i mean, how could it top the fun i had watching Farrell match wits against Sacha last summer? Well — it does. The film is nonstop AweJaw funny from start to finish. What sets it apart from the norm are the unexpected moments of bizzarity that come out of nowhere when you least expect. This is Heder’s best performance. Yes, better than Dynamite. Nick Swardson steals the show once again. And it’s my favorite Will Farrell film. Sports comedy or other. I can’t get the end out of my head. I’m going back again this week.

Remember all those uncredited rewrites and polishes Quentin used to do on screenplays? And when you saw the film you knew those exact scenes that he had his way with? That’s sort of how Meet the Robinsons feels on a John Lasseter level. This film was put into production back in the dark days when Disney shut down its 2D division and went all CGI. These were the days when Pixar’s future with the company was uncertain, and EvilEisner was readying his team of Pixar rivals-to-be with Chicken Little. So it is of little surprise that Meet the Robinsons has the left over feeling of a chaotic narrative mess. Now, what keeps it from being Chicken Little bad are those Lassetery moments. In the middle of hours of tedious and obnoxious storytelling we are occasionally rewarded with a scene or two that gives some warmth and depth to the characters. Although this polish is most welcome, it’s unfortunately not enough to save this Back to the Future rip-off from being an ultimate letdown. The one redeeming quality — the very awesome Elfman score. Also of note – Disney Digital 3D rules (especially at the Ziegfeld) — but also proves that, without story, no technical and visual awesomeness really matters. Save your money for multiple viewings of Ratatouille.