Day 7: Megamind (2010)

I'm a Pixar fanboy. I assume most movie people are. However, I noticed this does effect my judgement of Dreamworks films, so much so, that 'Megamind' will be the first Dreamworks film I have seen in two years. Here's hoping it'll change my mind on what the studio is capable of.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill
Directed by: Tom McGrath (Who happens to have directed what I consider some of the worst Dreamworks movies to date.)

The Positives:

- Dammit, I love David Cross! I know he does shitty movies like 'Alvin and Chipmunks', but I'm glad he openly admits he does it for the pay check. If he'd just do more films like this I'm sure he'd get better offers and better roles should hold me over until that 'Arrested Development' movie comes out. One day…. I can dream.
- A J.K. Simmons cameo!
- It doesn't matter if he's an evil fashion designer or an animated blue alien, Will Ferrell always gets into character and you can tell he has a lot of fun doing what he does.
- Brad Pitt is also delightful.
- It pretty obvious the writers of this film were very familiar with 80's pop culture and super hero tropes.
- Subtle superhero references like the Marlon Brando 'Space dad' jokes really, really crack me up.
-Megamind has a pretty solid soundtrack and it makes the most out of it. Setting the final scene to Michael Jackson's "Bad" is too perfect to call hokey.
- Animated movies should be fun for both kids and adults. I must say, this film succeeded.


The Negatives:

- I love Will Ferrell. I do. But still, I'd loved to have seen what Robert Downey Jr. would've done with this character.
-I understand not every animated film can be a Pixar film, and I should really stop comparing films like this to 'Toy Story 3', but when I see films like this attempt to be emotional, it just emphasizes how effortlessly Pixar can do it. It tried though, I'll give it that.

Grade: B

I realize the irony of expressing my love of Pixar on the opening day of Cars 2, (Which currently has a 34 on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Pixar's lowest rated film by a considerable amount), and it may seem a bit hypocritical now by saying this film doesn't have the emotional impact that Pixar put's into their films, but 'Megamind' is quite a fun and entertaining film. Don't skip it by assuming it's just animated filler.