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Treasure Planet Disney Read-Along

Treasure Planet Disney Read-Along

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Good pirate romp!
Review: "Treasure Planet" stays true to the feel of the original "Treasure Island". The animation was wonderful, the pacing fantastic, and the voice acting superb. If you are looking for a good, action-filled, "high-seas" type of adventure suitable for adults and children alike, you'll like this movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surprise.
Review: Like anyone who has been to the movies at all the past year, I've seen lots of trailers for Disney's TREASURE PLANET. Until a couple weeks ago, I was planning on avoiding the film until it came out on video. However, a boring weekend with little to do and movie theatres that were only showing a few limited films, changed my mind. After seeing the movie, I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

Anyone who has read the classic novel by Stevenson, already has a basic idea of the plot of the movie (and for once Disney stays fairly close to source material). The major difference being that the setting has been changed from colonial seas to intergalatic space. The updated change of setting works surprisingly well (though it would have been nice to have a space battle worked in somehow). The movie moves fairly quick and if it wasn't for the fact that I had seen the late night showing of the film, I wouldn't have looked at my watch once. Kids will love this movie and if adults give it a chance, will find enough to keep them entertained as well.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Faithful, in a strange sort of way
Review: For fans of RLS's classic "Treasure Island" (and I don't mean the myriad of screen adaptations, but the actual novel), Treasure Planet might seem like the epitome of goofiness. I loved Treasure Island (although I liked Kidnapped more - but Treasure Island makes a better movie), and at first didn't relish the idea of swashbuckling through space. But putting prejudice aside, I went to the movie web site and surfed around a little bit, and became increasingly impressed with the truly astonishing, groundbreaking artistry of this movie. And when I heard that it was the first movie in history to be released simultaneously in regular and IMAX theaters, I decided to give it an honest whirl at the local IMAX.

While I think audiences will not really be missing much by seeing it on a regular screen, IMAX does have its advantages - some of the scenes were almost 3D and SHOCKINGLY eye-boggling (e.g., the space whales, which were unlike anything I've ever seen).

All in all, artistically it was as breathtaking as I expected it to be, and in every way superbly beautiful. However, I was most impressed with the faithfulness of the story to RLS's classic - certainly more faithful than most Disney efforts, despite the obvious differences. Every main character is present, although some are changed, and even small details from the book are present in the movie.

Jim Hawkins is a very likeable hero, and one that all viewers (especially teens and pre-teens) will relate to. He is much more human - that is, believable and realistic - than almost any other Disney character in my memory. Silver, despite the thick brogue that never sounded quite right to me (was it Irish?), is EXACTLY right. Although I miss the doctor from the book, I certainly did like Dr. Doppler - although to Frasier enthusiasts David Hyde Pierce's voice, though brilliantly done, is perhaps too familiar. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is really quite outstanding, and ANY movie with Emma Thompson enjoying herself so much is an excellent treat.

The action is non-stop, seat gripping, and sometimes dizzying, but somehow the characters are not sacrificed to the special effects. The comic relief of this really very intense film comes from Silver's non-parrot sidekick Morph, a little pink shape-shifting blob that is extremely cute (worth the price of admission), and B.E.N., voiced wonderfully by Martin Short, the forgetful, talktative, and rather huggy robot. There haven't been such genuinely likeable and funny comic reliefs since Lumiere and Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast.

One of extremely few films I've ever seen that was loudly applauded by the audience when it ended. And doesn't that just say it all?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a fantastic layout crew creates a new benchmark
Review: just saw an advance screening, one word, amazing. never before have such DYNAMIC camera moves been executed in an animated film.
the team responsable have really PUSHED the envelope of animated cinematography. Craig E. and fellow artist R. Moore have out done themselves. the audience will not be CHEATED by the experience of seeing this film on the big screen. can't wait to see it in IMAX

cheers

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Put down the cudgels, it's not bad at all.
Review: Unlike just about every 'review' I've read online for TP thus far, I have actually seen the film.
Like most animation lovers, I was trepidatious about TP after the muddled fiasco that was 'Atlantis', and believed that Disney was courting another disaster taking not not only another 'dramatic' film, but one based on a much-loved classic tale. Something they don't have a very good reputation for (Hercules, Hunchback, etc). Personally, I have little time for people who deride a film for DARING to stray even one WORD from its literary source. The entire film industry, not just Disney, have been doing this since the medium was invented. Film requires a different treatment of a story than printed word. And in this instance, I feel that Disney have done a very impressive job at reinterpreting RLS's classic story.
It's set in space, but a space where you are required to suspend disbelief no further than to accept that there is no vaccuum. In other words, no more than your middle-range 50's scifi flick. The design and art direction are superb. I have not read the book myself, but reports from those who have say that Disney has stuck quite closely to Treasure Island, in characters and in plot. Some things have been changed, yes, to conform with modern audience expectations: Captain Smollet is Captain Amelia in the Disney version, but she's no Token Female Character - she's tough and ably voiced by Emma Thompson. The climax has been oomphed up a bit, because let's face it, pirates getting drunk and offing each other makes pretty dull cinema. John Silver looks fantastically gnarled and pirate-y under Glen Keane's pencil. His much-touted CGI appendages are discretely and smoothly seamed with his 2D animation and aren't distracting. The story is a very simple one and the emotional beats are nicely paced, unlike the lurching mess that Atlantis was. Intimate scenes play out nicely without seeming to drag anything down.
However, I wouldn't be giving it 3 stars if it didn't have some faults: The sidekick/comedy relief characters ARE annoying - the parrot is replaced with an adorably cute pink shapeshifter called Morph. Ben Gunn is replaced with an android called B.E.N, who is voiced by Martin Short, and Jim should have switched him off within ten seconds of meeting him. I dare say some viewers will hate Jim's blandness in comparison to the other characters, but he has intelligence and Gen-X smarts to keep him from being another Bland Disney Hero. Other viewers will scorn with glee at the sometimes VERY obvious influence of Star Wars, Titan A.E, Aliens, Pepsi Max and the Goonies. But after Atlantis, I'd hardly blame the directors for playing it safe - it just goes to show just how hard it is to come up with an original family-oriented scifi story these days.
All in all, I'd give it 7 out of 10. I didn't get bored at all and even reached the edge of my seat once or twice. Some people, including Treasure Island lovers, will like it a lot. Many will probably hate it, just because...well, it's DISNEY, innit? But I urge everyone who would otherwise condemn this film on the idea alone to actually go and SEE it before you sharpen the Nasty Pen. It may surprise you. A most enjoyable film. Not an instant classic like 'Lilo and Stitch', but a very worthy addition to the Disney canon.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best animated movie yet!
Review: With a richness of characters locations and a classic story that still holds as much power as it always has this film is a sure hit. With talent like Brian K. behind a movie like this you cant go wrong.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Treasure planet search by-Brian K.
Review: A boy named Jim Hawkins gets a map to Treasure planet, home of the treasure of captain Flint. Dr. Dobbler rents a ship to Treasure planet. Jim befriends the cyborg cook, Long John Silver. Later, Jim finds out that Silver is a pirate.Along the jorney, Jim meets Morph, a blob that can change into scary creatures & B.E.N, a blabby robot. Jim, Morph, & B.E.N need to stop the cyborg from stealing the treasure.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie, good DVD extras
Review: As you know, the premise of "Treasure Planet" is a revamping of the old Robert Louis Stevenson tale "Treasure Island". Jim Hawkings (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has aspirations bigger than the modest inn his mother (played by Laurie Metcalf) owns and operates. His dreams come true when a dying pirate lands drops in front of him and asks him to keep his golden orb safe from a cyborg who's coming after him. With the aid of his mother's friend Dr. Doppler (David Hyde Pierce), Jim discovers the orb is actually a treasure map. He enlists the help of Captain Amelia (Emma Thompson) and her crew to track down this treasure. But the ships cook John Silver (Brian Murray), a cyborg, has other plans for their adventures...

This futuristic telling of a timeless tale is fun, and the animation is cool. I'll be honest- this film is best seen on the big screen (especially IMAX theater version), but the DVD is still pretty impressive. Extras feature alternate endings, deleted scenes, and a treasure hunt game that rewards you with a deleted scene that was cute, but in my opinion not worth the effort to see. Still, this DVD is worth the money and should be a Disney staple in your collection.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: OK, after watching this movie...
Review: Treasure Planet was a positive surprise, and I am a big Disney-fan! Fantastic animation, good story. The music, well, it was a treasure itself found to hear the voice of John Rzeznik, his two songs are superb! The rest of the soundtrack suits the movie as well. What an adventure!

Of course when you watch a Disney-movie you have got to keep in mind that it's a childrens' movie (basically that is) - so to the reviewers who claims Treasure Island to be unrealistic, sorry, but haven't you perhaps missed a great point here? (I mean: "What do they breathe?"!!)

People have, of course, a right not to find the movie amusing, but it must be considered that it's a fantasy-movie. Fish don't communicate the way they do in Finding Nemo either, in "Fantasyworld" everything is possible!

Another great classic from Disney!



Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My daughter loves it!
Review: I know that this movie was Disney's biggest financial loss but we don't care. I loved Treasure Island as a child and this remake with a sci-fi twist is intersting and visually stunning. Great music along with the spectacular animation and the remake of a classic story makes this a 5 star movie in our home.


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