Michael A. Smith

21 May 2012

Director Hill, who previously combined live action and animation with the second "Garfield" film as well as "Alvin and the Chipmunks," has a way of telling a story seamlessly.

Philip Wing

21 May 2012

I Want CANDY

Visual effects will get Academy nominated, story borrows from thevarious Christmas movies, live action acting is OK, but the music isgreat. Never heard the Blind Boys of Alabama until yesterday, with E.B.as their stand in drummer. I Want Candy from Bow Wow Wow in a bignumber upstaging Fred's sister intentionally bad singing. Rockband drumset (not positive what piece they were playing).** SPOILER **Straight out of "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow" by MarshaSinetar (next on my reading list, borrowing my wife's unopened copy),Fred gets to do what he has loved to do since he was a young boy.(Obtuse spoiler, but for those who were *paying attention* to the moviemay catch it.) His position is mentioned in the front, but you onlyunderstand this at the end.Oh, and as I push my daughter to do, *stay to the end* (and I willleave it up to you to see what happens).

Jerome Hackl

18 May 2012

Definitely for Kids

The film's tagline "I want Candy" will deliver a craving for candy tokids who watch this. OK let's face it, the character E.B. is undeniablycute, when I was in the theater and when the movie showed severalclose-ups of E.B. literally every single person in the theater (Almosta full house the night I went on Apr. 17) went "AWWWWWWWW" I wanted tosay it too but I'm not a person who does instant reactions in theaters.But seriously that night would have been a first. OK so the wholeEaster event was literally merged with Christmas cause of the Sleighthey used for transportation (I think the rabbit hole would be a betteridea, it would have been more original) The way they delivered itduring the night, and Fred catching them in action keeping the onlypiece of evidence. I'm not disappointed or mad about how this was usedin an easter variation but it totally made me laugh cause I lovereferences. Everything else was excellent and would be good for anychild or possibly teens thanks to the inclusion of Drums. One morething, this movie Hop is toilet-humor free! and I'm glad about thatcause seriously what makes people think that toiler humor is ideal forkids?! Sure E.B. did do...something but as long as its not theunmentionables or "RAZZ-BERRY" I'm OK with that!

17 May 2012

The epitome of inequality

The reason I gave this film two stars and not one is because my six year old daughter enjoyed this film very much. However, I have decided to give this film critic from a parent point of view because I have felt that there has been a breach of divine law in this film. Beneath the mask of a great message lies the ugly intention of this film's makers: Greed. This film has been produced by wolves in sheep clothing; because the jungle law was manifested in this film every step of the way. The film starts with a candy factory. How do I explain my daughter that the world is divided to slaves and masters? (Inequality). The small slave chicks are equated with the second and third class citizens in American society. Owing to the character of Carlos the viewer cannot help thinking about all the Mexicans who toil so hard for low wages in American society. Carlos, the wrong villain, in the physical reality of America is an oppressed individual, with whom the viewer identifies, and here the film makers failed in the creation of the villain. Hop's Father is the real villain (oppressor), and the entire vain ceremony of Easter which is based on inequality is at fault, not the oppressed individual. From a European perspective I could not help asking myself the following questions: 1-Is it not enough that Mexicans in USA are exploited, discriminated, and humiliated on a daily basis that the makers of this film had also to antagonize and demonize them in a children film? Are the Mexican immigrants the enemies of American society? In my view the real enemies of American society are greed, exploitation, discrimination, injustice, and inequality. I was really sickened by the entire film mass brainwash of children in regard to the truth of the physical reality in USA. The entertainment of children here is basically used as a tool to brainwash the children to follow the jungle law and its chief principle of inequality. What a shame. What has the world turned into? A real jungle! American society thrives on the exploitation of the under-classed, but if it serves for the jungle law primal objective of making money, then even the mockery of the under-classed is legitimate. Let alone if it can entertain innocent children and encourage them to follow the same common goal of serving mammon and indulging upon material comfort (chocolate eggs and candy). Let the slaves make the eggs for us, we, the elite few, rule the spirit of mankind through economical power, so let Carlos and all the rest sweat for us. Is this the American dream? I asked as a viewer. Seem to me that this film is more likely depicting the Mexican nightmare in reality. It's just getting worse and worse. Instead of having quality films, we only get quantity films. We are all slaves of the film industry money makers when we fail to find the corruptions beneath the obvious. Unless we rebel against such corruption, the way Jerome David Salinger did, we are all part of it. This film serves inequality and therefore it has failed. It has been made out of corruption, thus the film makers here only succeeded to deceive themselves, for this film is a failure in regard to the true evolution of a child in the human spirit. Greed and inequality are not the way to lead a child to happiness. The dreams of the bunny and of the hero were used as a pretext and as ulterior motives. This film is simply disgraceful and contemptible.

kosmasp

17 May 2012

Bunny Power

Bunnies and chicks and someone else said in his summary line. And whilethis might mean something else with other movies, this family movie isaimed straight at the kids. James Marsden character is very onedimensional indeed and has almost no charisma at all (his father is waybetter, with a better actor playing that role of course).The animated stars over-shine their "real" counterparts, but overallthey do not shine as much as they could. The story is an old one(you've seen it and you know where it is heading, unless you are thetarget audience that is) and the jokes are hit and miss. The moral isanything but subtle and as an adult you won't really have many thingsyou can enjoy (something Pixar knows how to do ... combine the youthwith their parents or any other adult watching the movie). Still forthe young ones, there is much to enjoy!

Bert

16 May 2012

Just plain dumb

This was just a poorly done movie with a cutesy but ill-conceived main plot. The storyline was weak and choppy, even for a kids' movie. The interplay between the main characters was lacking any form of believability, even for a kids' movie. The visuals in the candy factory were pretty cool (who wouldn't want a jelly bean rainbow waterfall like that one?!), but not superlative by any means. Compared to other similar films, like "Alvin & the Chipmunks" (C- rating) or "Enchanted" (B+ rating), this movie didn't measure up. It isn't even worth waiting for on DVD.

11 May 2012

Nonsensical, even for a kids movie

This review is from: Hop (Amazon Instant Video) I was disappointed in this movie. This is one of those movies that is so sloppily done that it leaves nothing except randomly animated slapstick humor. Your kids may enjoy it well enough, but this isn't a movie that mom and dad and the kids will all get something out of.

10 May 2012

Cute Easter movie

I thought this was going to be solely an animated movie but its live action mixed with animation like Alvin & the Chipmunks. The movie was actually A LOT like Alvin & the Chipmunks, so if you liked that one, you'll definitely like this! Like other reviewers said, the beginning and middle of the movie are very entertaining, lots of comedy thanks to Russell Brand & the rising star, James Marsden, but the end is pretty cheesy and doesn't end with the fun feeling that the rest of the movie had. Also could have done without the bunny playing the drums.. a little too much like the chipmunks...or "the Hoff"... Overall, a very cute Easter movie!

TheLittleSongbird

04 May 2012

An Easter treat for the whole family

Hop was a film that I saw advertised earlier this week, and wasimmediately interested in seeing it. And I am glad I did, as for Easterthis is a treat for the whole family with a lot to like. As a familymovie, Hop is cute and funny entertainment for both kids and adults.Is it quite perfect? Not quite. I personally would have liked Hop tohave been longer by about three or four minutes, that way some of thehuman characters could have been developed a little more. Also, whilethe pace in general is fast and brisk, there is the odd occasion in thefilm where it could have slowed down a little to give the audience alittle more room to breathe.However, Hop is a perfect example of a film that ticks most of theright boxes when it comes to a family movie. In my mind, when it comesto part-animated/live-action comedies, Hop is one of the better ones,much better than the Garfield and Alvin and the Chipmunks moviesanyway. The animation is great, with vibrant colours and brightbackgrounds and the bunnies and chicks look absolutely adorable, andthe live-action sequences with its striking locations and crisp editingare equally lovingly rendered.Hop also benefits from a bright and breezy soundtrack, and a jauntyscore by Chris Lennertz that fit with the tone of the film very well.The writing is funny and smart, people might argue there aren't enoughpop-culture references to satisfy adults, maybe so but as an 18 yearold female the lack of emphasis on pop-culture references didn't botherme as I have seen some animated films and shows where it goes overboardwith references that are either dated or distract from the filmcompletely. If anything, to be light with that kind of humour was astrength as Hop wasn't really about that. Also the running gag aboutHugh Hefner and the altogether different kind of bunny didn't bother meat all, but I can see why some may find it questionable. The script hassome funny and witty lines too, with Carlos having the best and mostmemorable.I was also taken with the story. While not the most original story inthe world, it is a polished and fun one that is fast-paced andentertaining throughout and because of its sophistication it appeals toadults as well as kids. The characters are all likable and engaging,more the animated characters than the live-action charactersadmittedly, EB is a zany and endearing protagonist especially. TimHill's direction is above serviceable, and the acting is well done.James Marsden manages to be likable without being bland, and ElizabethPerkins is lovely to watch. Even seeing David Hasselhoff was fun. Andthere is also a lively vocal cast, headed by a very vivacious RussellBrand as EB and Hugh Laurie who is rock solid as always as his dad,while Hank Azaria is outstanding in a dual role particularly as Carlos.All in all, cute and funny seasonal entertainment for the family.Recommended. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Kevin Bruehl

03 May 2012

Charming? Yeah right....

This movie isn't charming at all, it's creepy. We have a rabbit wholusts over woman by smelling their hair. Wow, that is very kidfriendly....We have a pretentious person named Russell Brand who darescall himself an actor. Not only is this film terrible, it's promotingthat Russell Brand has talent, which clearly he never had to beginwith. The worst possible thing about the film, at Universal StudiosHollywood, there is a row of all the posters of all the famous andclassic films Universal has done, Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein,Dracula, The Invisible Man, Jaws, Apollo 13, Field of Dreams,Backdraft, Jurassic Park, Earthquake, Psycho....andHop....Wow.....Clearly this is evolution.....All of the classics, now amovie that no one will remember, an eyesore on that classic tram route,clearly cinema has gone from being an art form to being a popularitycontest. Clearly you have made Carl Leammle proud...

01 May 2012

DKS - Derivative Kiddie Schlock

(Written by the teenager in residence)Upon first hearing of Hop, I had high hopes for it. Although the premise - holiday figure gets injured in accident, everyman has to replace him - has been done before, one detail caught my eye - "From the people who brought you Despicable Me". Despicable Me is one of my favorite modern-day animated films, with interesting (and entertaining) characters, solid plotting, and a good dose of heart. Naturally, I expected this movie to be on the same level, or at least have some solid execution. It delivered in the entertainment value, but it left a lot to be desired. Story: 7/10 - As mentioned, the premise combines several cliches - kid has legacy, kid wants to be something else, kid runs away from home, is in danger of having his birthright or whatever stolen by some other guy if he doesn't make it back home before a certain date. It also has the standard everyman who can't hold a job, but has his life changed when he accidentally injures, maims, or even kills a holiday figure (in this case it's the former) and eventually finds his place in the world. It's been done a million times, and the fact that said holiday figure is a talking CGI animal and the humans are all in live-action draws parallels to Alvin and the Chipmunks.Depth: 4/10 - Now, a cliched premise is not a bad thing, and some works have managed to excel despite (or because of) their uses of cliches (like BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger), although mileage varies. A bungled execution, however, is certainly not good. The interactions between the human protagonist(Fred o'Hare) and the rabbit (E.B.) don't have much of an emotional impact - it's same old, same old. There are some interesting plot points that never get explored further - E.B. wants to be a drummer, rather than the Easter Bunny, but we're never really given a clear reason why (except for "touring the world", but his father (the incumbent Easter Bunny) points out that easter bunnies go all over the world, too). The Pink Berets, sent to bring E.B. back home, aren't developed, don't have a single line of dialogue, and are generally incompetent (they mistake a Butterball for a bunny by the end). And the fact that the easter bunnies live on Easter Island could have been used for some interesting, if far-fetched, plot points - maybe the Moai are actually sentient guardians of the factory where the Easter Bunnies make their candy? But no - all of these plots are wasted.Characters: 5/10 - Most of these characters are underdeveloped and underused throughout the movie. For example, Fred fits squarely into the archetype of "beleagured slacker with a good heart", and doesn't show much depth except for his desire to be the Easter Bunny. To his credit, he does show that he's willing to work for his goals, but that's really it. The main villain, Carlos, is an obvious bad guy with cliched motives, but he is the most sympathetic character - considering how big of a jerk the Easter Bunny is when Carlos tries to show that he can be competent, it's easy to understand why he's so ticked off. The sad thing, though, is that we never see that Carlos could be a good easter bunny - indeed, when he takes over, he almost ruins the holiday experience for non-birds. All of the human characters except for Fred and David Hasselhoff (don't ask) are underutilized as well - his older sister, Sam, is used to give him a job interview that E.B. fumbles for him and a lecture on responsibility, but doesn't really do anything else. His younger sister, Alex, acts like a jerk and hassles Fred during a family dinner, but ends up upstaged and humiliated by a "ventriloquism" act that comes across as disproportionate karma. The whole scene doesn't have that much of an impact on the main plot, either, except for straining Fred's realtionship with his family even further. And don't get me started on the Pink Berets - seriously, don't. Entertainment: 8/10 - Despite these glaring flaws, Hop proves to be entertaining on the first go-through regardless. It's only when examined with a keen eye that the fridge logic sets in. The jokes are relatively funny, the animation is fluid and avoids uncanny valley, and the soundtrack is decent, although not magnificent. The MST3K mantra - "It's only a movie, I should really relax" - applies in full here, but it still manages to be a nice diversion overall. Overall: 24/40 - Like I said, there are many flaws and cliches used in this movie. There are a lot of wasted plots and potential characterization gone down the drain, but it still manages to be a nice experience on the first go-through. My recommendation would be to see it once, laugh a lot, and don't think too much about it. For the kiddies, take them to see "Rango" - a vastly superior animated experience - or watch "Despicable Me" again before you go see this. It's a good time on the first go-through, but overall, it's just... meh.

Roz Laws

01 May 2012

You'll laugh a lot at this colourful Easter treat, so hop to it.

Steve Persall

30 April 2012

Hop is a cheap chocolate Easter bunny of a movie; completely hollow, well beyond its sell-by date, and after it's finished you're left feeling a bit ill.

Tom Long

29 April 2012

Hop is just too shrill, slick and sickly sweet for anybody's good. Watching it won't rot your teeth, but it could leave an ugly cavity in your brain.

28 April 2012

hop was a good easter flick

i took my son to see it for an easter present he lol we saw saw it on the big screen 3 times a good movie for kids & adults lol i thought it was a good movie the movie get 2 thumbs up from me &my son cant wait till it comes to dvd lol

MrTravisL

28 April 2012

My point of view as a 17 year old

I am 17 and went along with my family to see this. Being 17 (ateenager...) I was quite embarrassed of seeing an animation movie ratedPG with my family, but I went along with it.I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't the best. Being from the samecreators of Alvin and the Chipmunks, I prefer that over this beingthere squeaky voices help the comedy out. 1 thing I absolutely lovedabout this movie was the fact they made E.B. a drummer :D I am adrummer and I loved they finally made a movie with drumming in it.***THIS PART OF THE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***There was a few specific things I didn't like about it, along with somethings I liked about it.I did not like how they gave him a sleigh, made me think the writersgot a bit lazy and grabbed the closest thing they could think of (beingSanta Claus).I also didn't think there was to much comedy... When you watch thetrailer, you see a bunch of funny clips in it making the movie lookgreat and funny. But thats pretty much the only funny parts in it, allthe rest is eather arguing, running, or talking...The acting was good, and the graphics were awesome. I love how thesepeople made Alvin and now E.B. look so real. They make it look like heis actually there in every detail.Being a 17 year old, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone else my age. Iwould say to get a good laugh at it you would have to be younger than10. I don't regret seeing it, it was a cute show and a nice story (Iloved the pink berets, lol).

25 April 2012

meh

had some cute things going on... globes shaped like eggs, being on easter island.. stuff like that. failed to keep my attention tho. found myself tuning in and out.. found myself google-ing homemade granola recipes, my 6 year old was more into taking pictures with his 3ds, and my girlfriend fell asleep. my 2 year old however was enthralled by it..wait til u find it for a bargain says i

Daniel M. Kimmel

25 April 2012

Colorful and disposable entertainment for the kids. Adults will be intermittently amused but will spend more time checking their watches.

Gemma Ryan

25 April 2012

Hoptastic!

Let's describe Hop ... Fun, Entertaining & Suitable for all of thefamily.The story is about a bunny named E.B. who is supposed to become thenext easter bunny. Growing up, he loved the idea but then fell in lovewith playing the drums. After running away, he runs into Fred O'hairwho is failing at finding a decent job that he wants to do. The twomeet each other and E. B. ends up bunking with Fred. The adventurecontinues when E. B. meets David Hasselhoff, Freds sister, and escapesfrom the pink baraat.As soon as I heard of this film, Hop was on my list on 'What I Want ToSee' because I like rabbits, Russell Brand & James Marsden. The film was perfectly animated like the film Rango. And I really lovedthe bunnies & chicks too. I also thought that Russell Brand did really well playing the voice ofE.B. There was none of the raunchiness which is usually associated withhim like from Get Him To The Greek. Also, his distinctive laid-backcharm is still intact and fits his character perfectly.The only problem that I had with this film is that I thought that somescenes in the film that was more Christmas than Easter. I found itweird that there was a sleigh being used when really the film issupposed to an EASTER theme not Christmas.Apart from that, Hop is a fun family film, and I would definitelyrecommend this a lot!Hop gets a 7/10 from me.

Derek Malcolm

24 April 2012

It may be okay for kids under 10 but this anodyne movie will try the patience of the family audience for whom it strives mightily.