PetMoviestars » Bird Movies

Hoot

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:08:01 +0000

Jimmy Buffet makes his debut as a producer in this ecologically minded family film, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Hiaasen. New kid Roy Eberhardt (Logan Lerman) is not faring well at his new school in Coconut Grove, Florida. His family recently relocated from his beloved Montana, and immediately Roy has found himself on the bad side of school bullies Dana (Eric Phillips) and Beatrice “The Bear” (Brie Larson). But when he catches sight of a blonde wild boy running barefoot through the streets, Roy is drawn into some strange and unique events in his new home. There have been odd occurrences on the plot of land soon to be occupied by Mother Paula’s Pancake House. Someone is perpetrating just enough vandalism to interfere with the restaurant’s groundbreaking, while driving the foreman, Mr Muckle (Clark Gregg in a hilarious turn), crazy. After eventually winning Beatrice’s friendship, Roy meets the culprit: her stepbrother, Mullet Fingers (Cody Linley), who has taken it upon himself to stop the construction and save the rare burrowing owls that live on the premises. But as the three ecological vigilantes resort to ever more drastic measures to save the owls, Roy realizes their only hope lies in bringing the issue to the public’s attention. Charming, fun, and carrying an important message, HOOT overcomes its more incredible aspects through an irresistible good humor that audiences can’t help but be swept along by. Luke Wilson (BOTTLE ROCKET) steals the show as a bumbling man-child who somehow managed to become a police officer, while Buffet himself appears as a kindly, surf-bum marine biology teacher.

Animal Farm

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:38:37 +0000

production of George Orwell’s revolutionary novel, where animals (workers) take over their farm (means of production) and form a society. An esteemed cast of actors voice the convincing animatronic animals, which, BABE-style, were created by the Jim Henson Creature Shop. Director Stephenson is a former employee of the Henson-created effects company.

Chicken Run

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Facing imminent death while laying eggs at Tweedy’s English farm, a group of chickens, led by the determined Ginger (Julia Sawahla, BBC-TV’s ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS), plan to escape their prisonlike coop. The situation goes from bad to worse when the sinister Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) decides to stop selling eggs and use the hens as the main ingredient in chicken pot pies. However, some hope literally falls from the sky in the form of Rocky (Mel Gibson), an American rooster who promises to teach the chickens how to fly. As the hens begin their struggle to get airborne, the monstrous pie-making machine arrives, giving the chickens precious little time to make their great escape. Aardman Studios’ first full-length feature film is a stunning showcase of stop-motion animation. Utilizing the unique Plasticine designs of the acclaimed WALLACE & GROMIT and CREATURE COMFORT shorts, CHICKEN RUN features vibrant visuals and colorful characters that are immediately endearing. (The naive and constantly knitting Babs, voiced by Jane Horrocks, is particularly hilarious.) With its clever writing, witty film references, and pitch-perfect combination of comedy, drama, and romance, CHICKEN RUN is one of those rare movies that genuinely appeals to viewers of every age.

Chicken Little

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:00:33 +0000

Disney’s first venture into the realm of CGI animation (without Pixar) tells the tale of all-animal town Oakey Oaks’s most infamous resident, Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff), who causes town-wide panic when he claims the sky is falling. A year later he’s still shunned by everyone, including his dad (Gary Marshall), a single rooster with an incredibly wide tie. Determined to end his losing streak, the bespectacled Little joins the baseball team, even though he can barely lift the bat. Luckily his three equally outcast friends have faith in him: a pig with a yen for ’70s disco (Steve Zahn); a Harpo Marx-esque goldfish in a diving helmet; and Abby, a buck-toothed female duckling (Joan Cusak). According to her sources in magazines such as Modern Mallard, Abby is sure Chicken Little merely needs “closure” with dad over the sky incident. But when the sky really does start falling due to a full-on alien invasion, and only Chicken Little knows why, dad still doesn’t want to believe him. Kids are sure to understand Chick’s frustration in this matter, and parents will dig the sly riffs on films like VERTIGO (1958), THE BLOB (1959), INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996), and WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), as well as Disney’s own back catalog. In place of the usual musical numbers, CHICKEN LITTLE includes montages set to Barenaked Ladies songs and reinterpreted pop favorites (the old Art Garfunkel gut-wrencher, “All I Know,” is a standout), while celebrity voiceovers come from Harry Shearer, Wallace Shawn, Patrick Stewart, Adam West, and Don Knotts, with Amy Sedaris as the obnoxious “Foxy Loxy”.

Valiant

admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:54:11 +0000

From the producer of “Shrek” and “Shrek 2,” comes this high-flying computer-animated comedy-adventure tale of a brave-but-undersized pigeon named Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor), who dreams of joining the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service (RHPS), and serving crown and country during World War II. Despite his small stature, Valiant’s ambitions are enormous as he keeps a stiff upper beak and endures rigorous training in preparation for a dangerous mission to deliver vital messages to troops behind enemy lines. With a shortage of wingpower in the royal fleet due to increased attacks by a brigade of vicious enemy falcons (led by the ruthless General Von Talon), the mission falls to Valiant and the unlikely heroes of “Squad F” to try and save the day. With a wing and a prayer, Valiant and his fine feathered pals fly into harm’s way and prove that it’s not the size of the wingspan that counts, but the size of the spirit. Filled with adventure, comedy and memorable characters, “Valiant” delivers great entertainment for audiences of all ages. John Cleese, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, and an all-star vocal cast of British favorites also add to the fun and excitement of this imaginative feature. The film was inspired by the fact that pigeons saved thousands of lives during the war, and 31 of the 53 top honors given to animal heroes went to pigeons.