Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Yogi Bear may send viewers into hibernation
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Email
Print
Reprints
Read
Murdered Alabama children were tortured: documents
09 Dec 2010
WikiLeaks rival Openleaks "coming soon": website
8:48am EST
Senate nears key vote on Obama tax package
8:41am EST
"Black Swan" leads Critics' Choice award nominees
6:05am EST
Armed man takes 15 children hostage at French nursery
4:39am EST
Discussed
167
Obama unveils tax deal with Republicans
87
WikiLeaks founder Assange arrested in Britain
69
Special Report: STD fears sparked case against WikiLeaks boss
Watched
Bejeweled bra exposed in NY
Thu, Oct 21 2010
Row over vote orgasm video
Fri, Nov 19 2010
Bill Clinton backs Obama tax plan
Fri, Dec 10 2010
"Yogi Bear" may send viewers into hibernation
Tweet This
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
By Kirk Honeycutt
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Poor Yogi Bear. At 52, he finally gets his first movie role and the film is likely to send viewers over the age of 10 into hibernation.
Yogi is still smarter than the average bear, but Yogi Bear...
Related News
"Deathly Hallows" conjures up holiday movie season
Mon, Nov 15 2010
Related Topics
Fashion »
Entertainment »
Zagat Power Lunches »
Film »
Cast member Dan Aykroyd poses at the Los Angeles premiere of the film ''Yogi Bear'' in Los Angeles, December 11, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Danny Moloshok
By Kirk Honeycutt
Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:30am EST
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Poor Yogi Bear. At 52, he finally gets his first movie role and the film is likely to send viewers over the age of 10 into hibernation.
Yogi is still smarter than the average bear, but Yogi Bear is much less smart than most of the year's kid-friendly cartoons. The only worse 2010 animated feature also came from Warner Bros., "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," which only confirms that Warners, home to the greatest cartoon characters of all time, has lost touch with its own heritage. The film opens Friday.
The perennial trickster Yogi and his Jellystone Park pal Boo Boo Bear are among the more popular characters from the Hanna-Barbera stable, although their antics have always appealed more to youngsters than adults. But as the considerable success of "Toy Story 3," "Megamind," "Despicable Me" and "Tangled" more than demonstrates, cartoons don't have to go all soft and gooey to win over a family audience.
The film certainly had some of the ingredients right. Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake nail the voices of Yogi and Boo Boo. Aykroyd perfectly captures the Art Carney-like vocal manner originated by Yogi's first voice, the late Daws Butler. And Timberlake loses himself in the more cautious yet easily swayed Boo Boo.
The idea of combining live action and cartoon characters in 3D works just fine too. The 3D sends popping popcorn and errant fireworks into the audience and adds excitement to bruin adventures involving a flying machine and whitewater rafting, all shot amid various natural wonders in verdant New Zealand.
Unfortunately, the story is so-o-o-o-o tired.
Jeffrey Ventimilia and Joshua Sternin's script, rewritten by Brad Copeland, runs in circles looking for jokes and slapstick while finding little. The best gags are traditional ones involving Yogi's ingenious schemes to steal picnic -- a word in which he magnificently contrives to find three syllables -- baskets.
The main problem, evident both in the script and Eric Brevig's direction, is that the humans are more cartoonish than Jellystone's wildlife. The human story sets up two pairs of comic teams: Yogi's long-running nemesis Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) and his overly ambitious deputy Ranger Jones (T.J. Miller) and a corrupt mayor (Andrew Daly) and his fawning deputy (Nate Corddry). Neither pairing registers on the comedy scale. The only semi-inspired byplay comes in the mayor's ineptitude at operating his limo's side window.
Then there's a lame romance between Ranger Smith and a documentary filmmaker played by, of all people, the very talented Anna Faris. What on earth made her agree to this role?
An illogical story has the spendthrift mayor conniving to sell Jellystone Park to pay off the city's staggering debts. Which doesn't explain how a huge national park can exist within a small town or how any mayor can sell a national park. Never mind. It may be a dumb way to put Yogi and Ranger Smith's way of life in jeopardy, but if there were any spark to the jokes or character relationships, few could care.
Perhaps, and it's only a guess, the film needed a veteran animator at the helm. Brevig, a visual-effects guy who directed Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, came aboard when Warner Bros. decided to make the film in 3D, but he has no real background in children's entertainment. Children love a little naughtiness, especially when a rascal like Yogi is the star. But Yogi Bear plays everything coy and cute when it needs rude and roguish.
Fashion
Entertainment
Zagat Power Lunches
Film
We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Monday, 13 December 2010 Afghan insurgents kill at least six foreign soldiers
Hundreds rally in Russia in support of Khodorkovsky
Berlusconi will lose confidence vote: Fini
Rough road ahead for new U.S. Mideast peace push
Gbagbo accuses foreign powers of wooing I.Coast army
Berlusconi's survival hopes finely balanced
|
UK rioters 'made contact' with duchess in fees protest
Sudan group in legal challenge to independence vote
Suicide bombing kills 6 NATO troops in Afghanistan
China says will be patient in pushing for North Korea talks
|
Car bomb kills 6 NATO troops in Afghanistan
Lee, Nehwal take titles in Hong Kong
Bangladesh shares suffer record fall
Dutch release man accused of cyber attacks
|
Microfinance pioneer Yunus criticises Indian lenders
Dubai movie fest opens with Firth film
Malaysia sees sharp FDI rebound in first nine months
China vows stable growth, inflation management
Jailed Afghan drug lord was CIA informant: report
German finance minister criticises bailout 'speculation'
US-TECH Summary
South Korean ship sinks off Antarctica, at least 5 dead
|
Sand, snow, thunderstorms wreak Mideast havoc
Liz Hurley confirms separation, Warne 'affair' revealed
Italy's Berlusconi tipped for defeat as supporters rally
Amazon websites outage was due to hardware failure
China releases long-serving dissident from jail: group
|
Cancun reignites climate talks flame
Dutch release man accused of cyber attacks
Russian spy named advisor for oil company Rosneft: report
|
Islamist website identifies Stockholm bomber
African health research has solutions but no support
Suicide bombing kills 6 NATO troops in Afghanistan
Forex market jumps thanks to electronic revolution: BIS
France's Le Pen under fire for Muslim 'occupation' claims
China's envoy: hopeful of free trade talks with India
|
Dutchman held over sexual abuse of up to 50 children
|
Japan ruling DPJ presses kingpin for ethics panel
|
Iran not a rogue state: Australia
|
Ambassadors urge trust in Haiti vote review
Australia fears Israeli strike on Iran: cables
COMMENTARY: India's higher courts in the dock
Oprah sails Sydney Harbour with Russell Crowe
Amazon websites outage was due to hardware failure
|
Uncertainty over South Korean economy: bank
Restorers put finishing touches to Leaning Tower of Pisa
Senior U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke critical after surgery
China defends its global rise
Judge dismisses Paul Allen firm's patent lawsuit
|
Pompeii collapse forces Italy into heritage debate
South Korea ship sinks off Antarctica
Ex-US intel chief foresees SKorea military action
New Jackson album: a thriller from beyond the grave?
Seoul shares end up 0.5 pct on techs, banks
China uncovers 2,400-year-old soup: state media
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Foreign moviegoers rescue ailing "Narnia"
Shanghai aims to launch 24-hour trading by 2020
China releases long-serving dissident from jail
Underdogs Amazon, Target take aim at iTunes, Walmart
|
L.A. film critics befriend "Social Network"
S.Korea regulator sees regulation scope widening
COMMENTARY: Strange outcome of Cancun conference
Narnia's subdued magic at American box office
22 presumed dead as S.Korea trawler sinks
South Korea T-bond futures slide as won weakens
Taiwan sells T$30 bln T-bills at 0.7 pct yield
Iran not a rogue state
Pakistan
Powerful 6.1 quake hits Papua New Guinea
Seoul shares open up modestly on banks
China's Wen to visit India amid disputes
NZ coal mine placed in receivership by shareholder
Glee throws lifeline to music industry
|
L.A. film critics befriend Social Network
|
Foreign moviegoers rescue ailing Narnia
|
Underdogs Amazon, Target take aim at iTunes, Walmart
|
IBM pitches "smart" cities as planet savers
Appy ever after: smartphone users find virtual girlfriend
Moody's says Spain banking outlook "negative"
Stockholm bomber aimed for major targets: prosecutor
|
2010 -- the year tablet computers came of age
British police join probe into Sweden blast
OECD warns eurozone on debt
Iranian president sacks foreign minister: report
|
Lenovo eyes rising margins on appreciating yuan
Pompeii collapse forces Italy into heritage debate
Israel welcomes shift in U.S. peace effort
Berlusconi warns of crisis ahead of crucial vote
|
Judge dismisses Paul Allen firm's patent lawsuit
Accidents linked to bad weather kill 18 in Egypt
Israel welcomes shift in U.S. peace effort
|
Artists, politicians write letter to free Iran's Ashtiani
Afghan MPs demand president form new parliament
|
Kurdish 'self-determination' call sparks Iraqi ire
French nursery hostage drama ends safely
|
US envoy Holbrooke remains in 'critical' condition
2010 -- the year tablet computers came of age
India protests U.S. frisking of top diplomats
|
Arrests in Afghan attack that killed 6 US troops
Kosovo PM claims victory, rivals refuse to concede
|
6 NATO troops killed by Afghan bomb were Americans
Blast hits school bus in Pakistan: police
|
Bangladesh garment protests spread after deaths
Suicide bomber kills 4, wounds 17 in Iraq
|
Malaysia, Brunei end spat over oil blocks
Hard-line Islamists break up church service in Indonesia
FEATURE: Building (digital) nationalism
Bomb hits school bus in Pakistan
Voice on Michael Jackson album far from finished article
ANALYSIS: Thailand's opposition party faces another test
"Black Swan" leads Critics' Choice award nominees
Hurley confirms separation amid 'Warne affair'
Foreign players add spice to Asean football
Decorator wins British X Factor as 20 mln tune in
"Yogi Bear" may send viewers into hibernation
Music labels reach fans with multiplatform apps
Get smart: Techie gifts for fitness fanatics
|
Thaksin's US hearing put off
HK media group condemns attack on reporters in China
WikiLeaks rival Openleaks coming soon: website
|
Music labels reach fans with multiplatform apps
|
Dell to buy Compellent for $960 million
|
Lenovo eyes rising margins on appreciating yuan
|
Nokia's Navteq buys traffic service Trapster
|
Embattled Indonesian Christians seek protection
Asia retail sales tipped to be double US by 2014
Voice on Michael Jackson album far from finished article
|
Pakistan c.bank raises 31 bln rupees from Islamic bond
Black Swan leads Critics' Choice award nominees
|
Yogi Bear may send viewers into hibernation
|
Music labels reach fans with multiplatform apps
|
Underdogs Amazon and Target take aim at iTunes and Walmart
"Glee" throws lifeline to music industry
Pakistani stocks end lower; rupee firms; o/n rates flat
Asian stocks jump on Wall Street gains, China optimism
Reckitt buys India's Paras Pharmaceuticals
Tokyo bourse, Hanoi exchange in cooperation deal
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights