You’re serious?
I made a list of all the movies watched in 2006… reviewed it by checking the boxofficemojo list of top-150 movies…
and completely missed it, it was that forgettable.
Different strokes, different folks…
On a minor note, on looking at that website, I’m surprised to learn that the movie was #41 for the US box office last year. Maybe low for a children’s movie, but still higher than I’d expected – higher, for example, than “Apocalypto,” “Blood Diamond,” “Snakes on a Plane,” or “Stranger Than Fiction,” all of which I’d thought were fairly successful (especially “Apocalypto”!). So maybe it’s not the flop I’d thought it was?
Based on the great reviews here, I just called several of my local Blockbuster video stores and none of the DVDs of Flushed Away were available for rent. So someone is watching it.
Just a “me too” post. I loved it and laughed my ass off. One of the DVD extras was a Meet The Cast thingy, and though I wasn’t too familiar with some of the names, I definitely knew all the faces. Very famous faces. I placed Jean Reno’s voice right away, and I thought “Jean Reno does comedy. Who knew?”
He’s probably done comedy before, I just haven’t seen it. He was a riot! And the cell phone Marcel thing had my ribs hurting.
You don’t even understand–maybe couldn’t understand–how much this slug meant to me. I mean… how much this movie meant to me. It was made with me in mind, certain of it.
One day I’m talking to my Aunt and she’s like, “Wow, Christy, you need to know about this.”
“Know about what, fair Auntie?”
“Um, there’s a movie here–clay animation, you know? I’m pretty sure I’m looking at clay animation slugs.”
“Did you say SLUGS??? In a movie!!!”
“I’ll send you more information as soon as I receive it.”
So I went, just to see the slugs–because I love slugs. They squish, and I love things that squish. They’re so great, I can’t describe it. Please don’t be afraid. I just love slugs, ever since I was a little girl and I used to kick over logs and poke at them (gently) with sticks. It’s just who I am.
But I got SO MUCH more than ‘‘just’’ singing slugs. It was a fine movie, and a great movie, with classic comic moments. I didn’t expect to be as taken with it as I was… what a great memory. Thanks for reminding me how much I enjoyed that.
I’m a big Aardman fan, and have seen everything Wallace & Gromit-related about a million times (we even recently got some Stinking Bishop cheese, just to see what it’s like!). I’ve seen Chicken Run maybe three or four dozen times. But Flushed Away, although it had a few good laughs, underwhelmed me. I really, really wanted to like it, but it “wasn’t all that,” sorry to say. Our boys, also big W&G fans, felt much the same. The plot was by the numbers, and the irritation-turned-eventual-affection between the male and female rodent leads was, of course, preordained. Just left me feeling… meh.
My kids liked it. The little guy, age 6 especially. I thought it was fairly good, nothing compared to any of the W&Gs but fairly good. Fun is the word I was groping for.
BTW, Wensleydale* is a truly excellent cheese with the bonus of both the W&G & Monty Python tie-in. How was the Stinking Bishop?
Jim
- Imported from Ford Farm by the local Delicious Orchards. Our top local place for cheese.
A hampter ate my post. Lets try again…
Did this movie flop??!!?? It is such a well made and funny film - I am stunned. It must be one of the best computer animated films ever. Maybe only pipped by Shrek I. Flushed Away is crammed with jokes for both kids and grown-ups and the characters are warm and endearing. Unlike anything by Pixar, which has cold, uninteresting characters. Cars has very impressive CGI, but the characters and story are thin and dull.
Any ideas as to why it flopped?
ref
I knew. Just stay away from the remake they did, where everyone speaks English. You’ll have to live with the subtitles viewing the French original, but it’s worth it, IMO. Especially seeing Reno attack a Citroën* wiht a sword.
*It might’ve been another French car. I just like typing Citroën.
Being as you love the slugs so much, you might want to pick up a copy of “Flushed Away” at Best Buy – you can get a free plush slug when you purchase a copy of the movie. So cute and so soft!
I have to agree with that. I didn’t notice anything that resembled talking poop; however, it did look very much like a children’s movie to me. That’s why I had no interest in watching.
Flipstrip, you just made my lifetime. Thank you SO much! going tomorrow
Haven’t tried it yet, actually. We’re waiting for a visit by my sister and her husband, who are also both big W&G fans. Since it’s such a smelly cheese, we might wait until the spring, when we can enjoy it outside. “Don’t forget the crackers!”
I got mine yesterday. They were down to the last three: pink, green, blue. I wanted the green one, you know, for reality’s sake, but he had a loose thread & was losing his mouth. So I have a pink screaming slug. He (she?) will go into my beanie cabinet.
My pleasure – hope they have a great selection!
Flipstrip (who has a screaming green slug)
olivesmarch4th, since you like slugs so much I’ve included two links, with differing mascot looks, of a school that might interest you.
Sigh. Too little, too late. I was gonna say see Les Visiteurs. And you’re right: Stick to the French version.
At least I discovered one thing when I was IMDbing the movie for a link. Jean Reno is Porco Rosso’s voice in the French version. Figures.
Bump. I just watched this on DVD with wife and kid to while away a rainy afternoon, to universal family acclaim. I was crying with laughter at some gags: the mime frog with the videophone is priceless, and the slug gags were brilliant - I loved the bit where the boat is going over the falls, and each slug is making a different “whoop whoop!” car alarm noise.
Much better than the lacklustre Cars, and better than the slightly disappointing Wallace And Gromit movie. A very British vibe to the humour, and I was really reminded of the anarchic glee of Dangermouse: the writers were Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, a well-known English comedy writing team who go years back. I have to watch it again now to catch all the little sight gags that I missed - and to revel in Jean Reno’s Le Frog.
Bump to say I finally got a chance to watch this, and I giggled all the way through. I was a little leery of gross-out humor, but it just didn’t go there (unlike the execrable Shrek).
I’m glad people on this board recommended it or I would never have seen it. Thank you!