Conference bookie::movies

699.0. "We're Back -- A Dinosaur's Tale" by MDNITE::RIVERS (Whee!) Mon Nov 21 1994 10:28

    A cute little movie, marred only by an overly sappy speech near the end
    and a few too many "zoom in on the cute girl while she does that
    Disney-bat-your-eyes" thing.
    
    
    The story concerns a quartet of dinosaurs, given Brain Grain, a cereal
    which not only grants the consumer intelligence, but allows speech. 
    And cartoonifies you.  Perhaps an unintended side effect, but there you
    go.  
    
    Our quartet of dinos, Rex (a Trex, voiced by John Goodman), Elsa, a
    Pterodactyl, Dweeb, a duckbill kinda dinosaur and Woog, a Triceratops,
    are sent back to the 1990'ish timeframe to grant the wish made by a
    plethora of children -- "I wish dinosaurs were real!".  Well, sending
    our dino friends back as they were in prehistoric times would have
    meant a quick demise of the wishful children, so Professor Neweyes
    (Walter Cronkite), feeds our heroes Brain Grain, transports them back
    in time and voila!  Dinosaurs in New York City. 
    
    They meet up with Joey (I think), a typical New York tough kid, and
    adventure ensues.  Joey has run off to join the circus that is visiting
    Central Park -- not knowing that this Circus of the Eccentric is run by
    Professor Neweye's wakko brother, Professor Screweyes! (and yes, he has
    a screw for an eye).  On the way, they meet a lonely little rich girl
    (voiced by Yeardly Smith, who does Lisa in the Simpsons).  You can
    guess the plot from here.  If not, I don't wanna ruin it for you. :)
    
    This animated film was done by Steven Spielberg's animation folks, I
    think, and they have improved vastly since "An American Tail".  Lots of
    computer aided effects (zoom shots, reflections, special effects) and
    the animation is pretty fun to watch.  My biggest complaint -- the
    animators over-subscribed to what I call the Aladdin Eyebrow effect
    (see also Lion King).  Lots of eyebrow movement and face-making. In
    fact, if anything, the character's faces were over-animated, constantly
    changing expression even when it wasn't really called for.  Still,
    nicely done.
    
    And actually, save for the aforementioned overly sappy speech at the
    end, I rather enjoyed it.  Certainly worthwhile if you have kids.  Or
    just like animated movies.
    
    **.75  out of ****
    
    
    kim

    
    I have this tape, or should I say my 3 1/2 year old daughter has this
    tape. She loves dinosaurs and just loves this movie. It's got a real
    catchy/dancey tune right about in the middle of the movie that is cute.
    I like this movie even after a number of viewings.
    
    Patty