| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010 2:16 pm |
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Entertainment 
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'Planet 51': Alien-invasion tale goes from fun to dull A Spanish animation studio, Ilion, gets into the kid-film sweepstakes with “Planet 51,” an underwhelming alien-invasion comedy.The twist? The invading alien, in this case, is an American astronaut. Gung-ho Capt. Baker (voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) finds himself stranded on Planet 51, sorely in need of help from the green-skinned denizens of the place. Capt. Baker, however, isn't really the hero of the thing. In fact, the story is told from the perspective of the locals. The residents of Planet 51 seem to be living their version of the 1950s: white picket fences, backyard barbecues, a certain amount of societal repression. I guess they're supposed to be the “little green men” people talked about in the 1950s when alien invaders were imagined. You might also note a suspicious resemblance to the world of “Shrek,” but let's not point fingers. More alarmingly, although the females of Planet 51 wear modest dresses, the males of this planet wear no pants. Of course, the cartoon universe is like that. Our hero is Lem (Justin Long), a somewhat nerdy dude who can't work up the nerve to ask out Neera (Jessica Biel). All of which will be settled by Lem's role in dealing with the crash-landed astronaut. Other voices in the mix include Seann William Scott as Lem's goofy pal, Gary Oldman as a fearsome general and John Cleese as a brainiac professor. “Planet 51” gets off to a perfectly decent start, assuming you can adjust to the no-pants spectacle. But once Capt. Baker goes into hiding, it's basically one long chase. One long chase that seems much longer than it really is. I'm not sure why this movie is so tedious. It has a few cute jokes, the voice talent is fine, the animation is all right. But boy, it does get boring. Maybe the simplicity of the story will keep kids diverted, but compare it to something like “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” — no world beater, but a fun movie — and it really comes up short. There must have been a way to make the film's basic switcheroo fun: to swivel the alien-invasion movie and see it through the reverse lens. There must be a way, but this isn't it. “Planet 51” ½ Animated reversal on the old alien-invasion movie from the 1950s: It still looks like the '50s, but the heroes are the green people on Planet 51, and the invader is a U.S. astronaut (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) who needs to get away from the puzzled locals. This should have been a decent premise, but the film is weirdly tedious. Rated: PG for subject matter Showing: Alderwood Mall, Everett, Galaxy Monroe, Marysville, Stanwood, Meridian, Metro, Thornton Place, Woodinville, Cascade Mall |
- A revolutionary 747
- Fire breaks out at Everett car dealer
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last
- Boeing's 747-8 takes off after weather delay
- Plan for I-5 closures this week
- A new bowling alley for Monroe?
- Lake Stevens man homeless after fire
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged
- Vote on school levies by Tuesday
(11) - A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood (10)
- Everett police officers cleared in 2008 shooting death (5)
- 1949 travel aid shows how few places blacks were welcome in Washington (4)
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged (4)
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries (4)
- County archive software paid for but waiting for set-up (3)
- Three politicians who want Gregoire's job in 2012 (3)
- Toyota has powerful D.C. friends (3)
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last (3)
- Edmonds educator, famous announcer dies
- Mill Creek to appeal ruling on annexation
- Through the air, with the greatest of ease
- E-W thriving under new coach
- The path to citizenship
- EUUC puts on ‘Pants & Shoes’
- Wolfpack wins the ‘Battle'
- Lynnwood’s annexation plans OK’d
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
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