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Curious George

Some kids movies should simply be made for kids. No underhanded innuendoes; no hidden agendas or throwing of the proverbial bone to the adults; just simply pure and innocent kid entertainment. After all, they will have the rest of their lives to be bombarded with foulness of every imaginable sort.

But not now if the cute little monkey with the quizzical features and talent for getting in trouble has anything to do with it. Curious George hits the
big screen this weekend and will land squarely in the heart of every child under the age of 8 and truth be told, maybe even a few adults as well. Most of us remember Curious George from the H.A. Rey books we read in school and not much has changed in the movie version. The man in the yellow hat (Will Ferrell) is there too. This time he must save a museum from financial ruin while saving George from well, everything else.

Along with Will Ferrell other well recognized voices, young and old, lend their talent to this animated antic. Drew Barrymore, Eugene Levy and Dick Van Dyke breath familiarity into characters that look better suited for colorful children's books than big screen productions.

Though nowhere near the look and feel of Madagascar, The Incredibles or the slew of other kid driven films, George looks more like the storybook
character he is. The animation and scenes are “Saturday morning cartoon” at best. But that is ok. It sort of keeps the nostalgia and simple ness that made the books so wonderful. And trust me, kids will love him and I bet you will too. Young tots will go for the singsong music that gives George his soundtrack for adventure. The depth and plot is replaced with light tunes and George doing what he does best. Being cute.

Curious George is rated G. Parents must be accompanied by children. It is sweet, safe and perfect for your newest movie going family members. I give it 5 out of 5 simply because I can.

The Mungle 2/8/06

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com"