Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted took the number one spot in the box office charts this last weekend, taking in $60.3 million. Prometheus came in second, bringing in $51 million and Snow White and the Huntsman the number 3 spot (taking $23 million). Men In Black III ($13.8 million) took fourth place and Marvel’s The Avengers ($11.2 million) finally dropping to #5. Let’s see how they did and if they’re worth the money! [1]
Note: We only review films in wide release.
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted—PG
Alex (Ben Stiller), Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith), Marty (Chris Rock) and Melman (David Schwimmer) are back and are still trying to get back to New York! This time they’re in Europe with Animal Control after them. To escape they join a travelling circus and try to continue their journey without being discovered. Both critics and audiences (young and old) seem to love it, with the New York Times saying “Where “Madagascar 3” soars is in its visuals: A Monte Carlo chase is vertiginously madcap; a Cirque du Soleil-style spectacle dazzles with rich pastels; the 3-D effects have wit and invention. Kids will be stimulated. And, parents, you’ll enjoy the sights.” [2]
So is it worth the money? Yes!
- Box office rank: 1
- Film Critics Say: Metacritic- 59 (Positive)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 71% (Positive)
- Consumers Say: Metacritic- 5.7 (Positive)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (Positive)
What’s opening in theatres this weekend?
Rock of Ages (latest review results— 43% Film Critics, 68% Consumers. Rotten Tomatoes)
That’s My Boy (latest review results—19% Film Critics, 86% Consumers. Rotten Tomatoes)
[1] http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2012&wknd=23&p=.htm
[2] http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/06/08/movies/madagascar-3-europes-most-wanted.html?ref=movies
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LIH
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I took my kids to see Madagascar and they really enjoyed it. The hubs and I did too although at times it did seem a little long and could have ended. We didn’t see it in 3D, but I’m sure it looked great. 🙂
LB,
Are you ever going to see “Rock of Ages.” Based on past reviews I’m always curious about what you are going to say about movies with a heavy music (or dance) component to them. I heard Mr. Cruise actually sings.
The trailer is being played so much over here. I had the line “Wanted…Dead or alive” stuck in my head because of it (which was annoying)! So I had to check and see if it was Tom Cruise singing. Looks like he does!
CR I do want to! It is all a matter of getting a sitter. I’m hoping to do it this week as well. Hubs will be out of town, so I can see whatever I want!
OMG, I don’t know what to say.
I was going to go see it yesterday but I ended up seeing SWATH instead. Huge waste of money, IMO.
LB,
I eagerly await all your questions. 🙂
Did you find the plot hostile to men?
ok…here goes!!!
1) You said the visuals were great. What specifically was so great: scenery? special effects?
2) How was the cast? Who was strong, who was weak, who played themselves?
3) You said the script was weak. Were there gaping holes? did it not flow very well? Was the dialogue just dumb?
K, I will let you answer those before I proceed with more. 🙂
Yes, I thought the visuals were excellent. There were one eyed mushrooms and I liked the visuals in the place with the fairies. (Sorry, I forgot the name) I liked how turned CT into a bunch of ravens. That was pretty cool. It was more special effects that were cool.
On to question 2! 🙂 I think Chris Hemsworth was the strongest of the cast solely because that’s the type he fits into. Action. He also had a scottish accent which I thought was great. Charlize overacted at times I think because maybe she thought she needed to carry the film because of Kristen. Her British accent was not that great. It fell in many places.
Kristen played Kristen what can I say? I can’t give all the bad to her because its not solely her fault. However, given that the film itself was weak, I would not have put someone weaker in the lead. Hope that made sense.
Ok, then the director should have forced her to step out of her comfort zone and get rid of her typical quirks and facial expressions. I had a director who point out my quirks to me and then I became hyper aware and dropped them. But I guess it is also really up to the actor to take directors’ criticism and work with it.
I heard a rumor, so massive grain of salt, that the script had to be rewritten numerous times. I’m suspecting it had to do with Kristen since she doesn’t have much dialogue.
As for CT, I do like her and suppose she was overacting to compensate.
I heard that rumor too. Perhaps he just let her do what she wanted so he didn’t have to deal with her.
question 3: The script didn’t flow very well at all. I’m going to put some spoilers in so anyone who wants to see the film don’t read any farther.
The Hunstsman’s kiss is the one that wakes up SW. Its never explained if he stays with her at the end or if she goes with the prince.
The prince/SW storyline: Extremely weak. They get seperated in the beginning as children but he finds her and helps her fight. They don’t really have alot of screen time together for two people that are supposed to be in love.
Ravenna’s/Sw’s storyline: I’m sorry I don’t buy Kristen as SW. I’m not being mean but she’s honestly screen filler. It almost feels like someone just said stand here and then there and then do this. I didn’t believe that any of the motions she was going through she actually felt. There were parts of it that reminded me of NM. When she’s in the forest, she just lays there in one scene. I was thinking “Put a yellow jacket on her and there’s bella from NM.” It was the same position too.
CT overacted, as i’ve stated before. Maybe she was told to do that so Kristen wouldn’t look so bad compared to her, IDK.
one more thing i forgot to add was i think the writer tried to take parts of disney’s fairy tale and make it his own. For example, The dwarves sang and one danced with SW.
This beat it by miles
hahahahahaha!!!! Not at the video, but visualizing Kristen’s SW dancing with dwarves.That alone doesn’t seem to fit the dark tone of the movie.
No, it was awkward actually.
If you there was a way to improve the casting do you think any of these options would be equally bearable.
So then having a prince in the film was pointless? And why would the Huntsman kiss her? do you think they left it so their could be a sequel?
Oh you mean the NM scene where she sheds not one tear when the love of her life breaks up with her and she walks into the forrest, lays down, and doesn’t cry? Oh then I am not missing much.
What is the story with the queen and SW. I heard she’s like a step daughter or something? Was she banned from the castle? SW I mean?
They pretty much wrapped up SW’s storyline. I mean they could do one if they wanted but if its going to be like this don’t hire KS. I don’t see what angle they would it from though. The queen and SW are stepmother/daughter. She was kept prisoner in the castle for years because the Queen wants to kill her.
Yes, that scene in NM.
What was the music score like? I’ve heard it’s quite good.
Wow! I just looked at the BO#’s for SWATH and it’s fallen to #5 and has only earned in the mid 200 mill range? Its a PG-13 film and for the 3rd week its only @ 200? Gosh with all the over hype the P&A I’m sure was the same as the production budget. Look at Prometheus a R rated film in its second week its made 200 mill. Hmm, all the over hype and pressure on CT did not work.
SWATH never made it to the #1 spot in the UK (came 2nd instead)! It was a bad move to release it the day before Prometheus was released. I knew it wouldn’t get to the number one spot! It’s now in 3rd place so I see it moving steadily down the charts. MIB III is back at the #2 spot.
I saw SWATH last night. It was the longest film known to man or it felt like it anyway. One of the biggest turn offs was the fact it had a lot of male bashing in the film. Also, what was ironic and in bad taste they advertised trailers for Fathers Day. We saw the film yesterday so it still ran adds to celebrate Fathers Day. Then SWATH comes on and starts bashing men. I mean the entire seen with CT and Kristen fighting was like watching a lovers quarel. CT character hated men. I mean u don’t need to disrespect men to be a feminist. What message is that sending to young women? Two wrongs don’t make a right IMO!!
Regarding the film itself? I pretty much agree with everything Paris said about KS and CT. The film was a big special effects extravaganza which is what I expected. The director has a nice reel to show. The actors were used more like props for the special effects. The poor posture of KS??? Hmm! What can I say? She really needed to change her manerism so it reflects the period but come on!! The film was not about Snow White. The real title was Special Effects & The Huntsman. Poor Chris Hemsworth he shows up in a film that bashes men and the leading lady is more interested in fighting women then romancing men.