From Deseret News archives:
Fly Me to the Moon
"Fly Me to the Moon" is the second animated film this summer to put some cartoon characters, in particular nonhuman life-forms, into space.
The first was "Space Chimps," which wasn't too hot, but at least it had chimps in it. This 3-D feature boasts anthropomorphic insects as its main characters, and they aren't particularly endearing or funny.
So, while technically "Fly Me" is state-of-the-art it shows how the 3-D format can be used as a storytelling tool instead of a gimmick the movie falls short in other crucial areas.
For one thing, the relatively short movie feels extremely padded, storywise (ironically, a truncated, 45-minute version is already showing in a few educational facilities around the country, including Salt Lake's Clark Planetarium.)
The movie looks at NASA's late-'60s Apollo 11 moon mission, but from a different perspective.
Three young flies Nat, I.Q. and Scooter (the voices of Trevor Gagnon, Philip Bolden and David Gore, respectively) are excited about space travel.
The one "adult" who's not too worried about the boys is Nat's grandfather (voiced by Christopher Lloyd), who claims to have been there for one of Amelia Earhart's daring flights.
Executive producer/director Ben Stassen should have had screenwriter Domonic Paris back for more rewrites. Jokes about the "Back to the Future" movies are too inside and aren't amusing even when that film's co-star, Lloyd, delivers them.
Frankly, you wonder what this might have been like if Stassen had jettisoned the insect material entirely and instead tried to re-create the Apollo mission in animated form.
"Fly Me to the Moon" is rated G, though it features some animated violent content (brawling and bullying) and vulgar scatological humor (a sight gag and references), as well as some toxic chemicals (bug spray). Running time: 84 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com
Comments
- Coaches decline to call BYU-Utah 8:37 p.m.
- Holiday could bring more H1N1 8:36 p.m.
- Man stabbed in road-rage incident 8:34 p.m.
- Utah firm offers writable disc 8:29 p.m.
- Family fun center is completed 8:26 p.m.
- Chambers make wager on Y.-U. game 8:25 p.m.
- Saab brand may go extinct 8:24 p.m.
- Facebook creates stock structure 8:24 p.m.
- Turkey-tip talkers set for onslaught 8:23 p.m.
- 3 airlines fined for roles in incident 8:23 p.m.
- Utah, BYU are top choices for bowls
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- Best prep football games of 2009
- KSL: Prostitution in Utah County
- Man trapped in own body for 23 yrs
- Kirilenko climbing blocks list
- Woman describes stabbing, killing
- Boys basketball rankings
- 'Dancing' will fill out finale
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
226 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
223 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
202 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
180 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
179 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
137 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
136 - BYU records with win
133 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
117 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
104
I think V is great. The finale was a real cliffhanger. I am holding out hope....
In soccer 3pts/win system there is a simple measure over the regular season....
To: Hammy Sammy [We can see in the last ten months, how Obama runs...
Garland fire department, not garfield
Hmmm, thought this was supposed to be a Christian news publication. You'd...
A lot of stupid comments here.
I love that fact that in your 4:16 post you talk about the Constitution being...
The ethics initiative has very little to do with ethics and a whole lot to do...
To Mike Richards: This is the fourteenth amendment to the constitution. It...
you would do if you see a loved one getting beat up? I doubt it you would...





You can be the first to comment on this story.