Dumbo
POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Friday, April 12, 2019 18:11
VIEWED: 4059
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(I forgot to place a SPOILERS marker here, mainly because I broke my own rule in providing part of the story instead of just an overall description).
I went to see it last week, but I had a strange week and couldn't get a chance to pass on my impressions. So, here it goes...
Dumbo was actually kind of good. Well, me and my date met and it began to rain and the closest indoor warm and cozy place was a movie theater. They were giving Dumbo and Hotel Mumbai. Guess which one we saw (spoilers)...lol.
Like I was saying, Dumbo, a remake by Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands), was pretty good and entertaining. They pretty much followed
the overall story from the cartoon, but with a few human changes. Two siblings, a brother and sister that were a part of the Medici Brothers Circus.
One problem, there's only one Medici brother, Danny De Vito (who was hilarious), throw in their dad returning from WWI (minus an arm) and you have
the typical circus family.
It managed to give the audience, expecting to get a blow-by-blow retelling of
the famed circus elephant, a curve ball to the story....something different.
I liked how they introduced the young kids who lived with their parents as
part of the circus troupe until the father went off to war,and sadly, the
mother passed away (I really don't remember from what), but it did present a
focus on something other than the baby elephant. It actually was a good idea,
especially when you think that this movie was meant for children and their
family. It set the tone for the movie, but then Dumbo came in and took over the movie.
Yes, it was CGI, but you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. It was
that flawless in it's presentation. Seamless to a fault. This is the second movie I've seen this year that had absolutely seamless CGI (the other was
Alita Battle Angel). The CGI was everything you could hope for. It gave the movie it's rich, colorful tone and added to the circus atmosphere. But what made the movie fun and emotional was Dumbo himself. He, the baby elephant, was
the hero of the movie. Somehow Burton and company wrote a script that had Dumbo saving the day. It played like an old-fashioned villain causes trouble
and hero saves the day. In this case, it was Dumbo. Just like an old-fashioned Disney movie straight from the 60s. Believe it or not, that was part of it's charm. An old fashioned rhythm and timing that, for me, was a welcome change to all the gloom and doom of movies today.
So yeah, I liked it. Take the family, even young 'uns from 5 years old and up.
All are welcome and all will have a good time. Just like old times.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
SGG
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So, it’s a CGI crapfest? I’d much rather they had used an actual flying elephant. Pass. 
My stepdaughter brought the grandkid to watch it, they loved it. Wifey and I will probably catch it when the disc comes out.
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The CGI was barely noticeable, the advancements that have been made in recent years (since Avatar) are quite realistic-looking.
You call it a "crapfest"...well, to each his own.
By the way, "real flying elephant" very funny!
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:
So, it’s a CGI crapfest? I’d much rather they had used an actual flying elephant. Pass.
My stepdaughter brought the grandkid to watch it, they loved it. Wifey and I will probably catch it when the disc comes out.
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CGFX aside, i think the story itself is dated. Circuses and circus animals in particular just don't register with kids of today. Between PETA & Fortnite , what kid is going to see this as something worthwhile?
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I couldn't sit through Dumbo as a kid in the 80's, and after I was 5 the circus was unbearably boring. That was long before 7th and 8th and 9th generation video game consoles, the internet, smartphones, youtube, super hero movies, etc. I think this movie was made for old people.
Do Right, Be Right. :)
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
The CGI was barely noticeable, the advancements that have been made in recent years (since Avatar) are quite realistic-looking.
You call it a "crapfest"...well, to each his own.
lol I was just kidding with that comment, hence the “
” and the “real flying elephant” comment.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
The CGI was barely noticeable, the advancements that have been made in recent years (since Avatar) are quite realistic-looking.
You call it a "crapfest"...well, to each his own.
lol I was just kidding with that comment, hence the “
I didn't notice the real flying elephant comment until SGG pointed it out.
Had to admit, that made me giggle.
Well done.
Do Right, Be Right. :)
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For the record, I think that CGI is incredible nowadays. It's at the point where I only notice it because it's something that's impossible, such as a flying elephant. And look at The Lion King trailer.
Wow.
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Oh I got it Moose...my comment was not meant to be critical.
I really did like the "real flying elephant" line...lol
I liked the "old fashioned" feel to this movie. I got the feeling it was trying hard to take "us" back to a "golden" time in cinema.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
The CGI was barely noticeable, the advancements that have been made in recent years (since Avatar) are quite realistic-looking.
You call it a "crapfest"...well, to each his own.
lol I was just kidding with that comment, hence the “
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I agree Moose. I first noticed in Avatar, followed up by Life of Pi (the tiger was so "real" in that movie)...fantastic!
It seems to me that cinema delivers art in various packages, and make no mistake it is art, and should be accepted as such. Movies ultimately tell a story, but I do understand that it takes some doing to surrender ourselves
to it, especially when comparing it to everyday norms.
My favorite stories are usually those exploring the universe, or sci-fi.
These movies, with amazing CGI, will become more acceptable as time moves on.
But, I dare say, it will be the norm for kids and teens much more quickly.
Alita: Battle Angel is the most recent example.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:
For the record, I think that CGI is incredible nowadays. It's at the point where I only notice it because it's something that's impossible, such as a flying elephant. And look at The Lion King trailer.
Wow.
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