Sheep Movie Review: Walking With Dinosaurs

Walking With Dinosaurs 

Directed by: Neil Nightingale, Barry Cook

PG 

Staring: Justin Long, John Leguizamo and Karl Urban

Plot:

For the first time in movie history, audiences will truly see and feel what it was like when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. WALKING WITH DINOSAURS is the ultimate immersive, big screen adventure for families. Meet dinosaurs more real than you've ever seen as you take off on a thrilling prehistoric adventure, where Patchi, an underdog dinosaur, triumphs against all odds to become a hero for the ages. 

After watching the trailer for this film about a million times since the marketing was insane, I thought this would be a great movie to take my seven year old son to. He enjoyed it enough, but he also loves cartoons where farts are trapped inside characters' stomachs. True story, you can view that charming clip HERE.

So while a young boy may enjoy this film, parents will be wishing they waited to rent the DVD for a dollar. From the moment these dinos hatch, you're expecting an epic adventure to take place, a grand adventure filled with quirky moments. That never happens. At the very least, I thought we would get emotionally invested in the characters. That also never happened. This one falls into a shallow grave of emotionless nothing, backed with voice acting that was tedious to listen to at times. 

I paid for the 3D experience, which only added insult to injury. The visuals where fine, beautiful at times, but I really wished the folks writing the script had spent more time on this one. 

On the plus side, there was a good attempt to mix educational learning with a talking film. But we would have much rather gotten this experience at a dino museum, at least I would be getting more bang for the buck. 

Karl Urban does make a quick cameo in the beginning and end of the film and while I love him, I wish his voice would have been used in the film (as one of the dinosaurs). For whatever reason, only the main kid character dinos talked. No idea why. You're left with an annoying bird, bully big brother and gal who's pinning over the runt dino. 

Overall this one was a big let down. Nothing special at all. Save your money. 

Getting 1 Sheep

KD  

Going the Distance, meets me half way.

Going the Distance, directed by Nanette Burstein and staring Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate and Charlie Day is a cute romantic comedy about making a relationship work in undesirable circumstances.

Plot:

Garrett (Justin Long) has always had a problem with commitment and understanding what women want. He seems to be doing everything right until he learns the hard way that he cannot speak the female language when his girlfriend drops him. That night, his friends want to brighten up his spirits by taking him to a bar. He meets Erin (Drew Barrymore) playing a game and ends up buying her a beer, then winning at bar trivia, and having breakfast with her the next morning. Erin is only in New York City for the summer, and will be returning to grad school in San Francisco in six weeks. They start a no-strings-attached summer fling relationship that turns into a seriously meaningful love affair. They realized that they were meant for each other, but when Erin returns home, will their love survive the distance, between New York City and San Francisco?

Being from The Bay Area myself, I love love love when movies show some love to my area. Nor Cal! If you have never been to SF its a must see, plan a trip out this way asap. Sorry about the side track moment. Back to the movie itself.

The first few minutes made me a little leery of what the movie would be like; very bad acting in the beginning is usually a good sign that a movie is going to be a dud. After the awful opening, the movie picked up and started to take on life. I found myself enjoying the characters and the close friends and family Erin and Garret have in their lives. Roommates who provide a musical soundtrack? I mean come on, who wouldn't want to get a little freaky to the Top Gun soundtrack! lol Thats a classic!

Nothing is off limits with this couple--Kitchen tables beware! ;)

It's a fun romantic comedy that is enjoyable but it's not going to get raving reviews from me. Decent movie worth seeing.

KD