Astro Boy

[Wolf]

The trailer has arrived:

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en- ... cd2f1861ee

"I got machine gun...in my butt!?"

[estefan]

Looks pretty good. I like the voice-cast and the action scenes look like a lot of fun. It's also interesting how these later-year animated films (Astro Boy, Fantastic Mr Fox, 9) aren't getting a 3D release like the other animated films of this year have.

And am I the only person who gets a Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAm) vibe from this?

[Wolf]

Final Astro Boy poster:

http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/25/a ... ie-poster/

[Randall]

I like it! Astro has a look on his face that says he's having fun, and it's far from a vacant or vacuous look.

[Dacey]

That's actually a lot better than I thought it would be.

[Wolf]

Summit Entertainment has revealed an extended clip from Astro Boy that you can watch at Moviefone.

http://www.moviefone.com/hd-movie-trailers

[estefan]

Wow, I'm extremely impressed. Terrific visuals and the story looks like a lot of fun, too.

[GeorgeC]

More Astro Boy interviews --

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=22975


Kristen Bell and Freddie Highmore talk with Jonah Weiland, webmaster of Comic Book Resources, during Comic Con.

Bell's cute as a button and I'm surprised Astro Boy is being played by a British kid! (Or is he New Zealander or Aussie? Sometimes I can't tell...)

Bell likes cartoons, guys. Keep that in mind...

[Ben]

Freddie Highmore = Charlie in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Arthur in Arthur And The Invisibles, amongst others.

Yep...British.

[Bill1978]

If I didn't know Freddie Highmore was playing Astro Boy I would never have called it. Mainly because his voice has finished maturing I'm sure if I saw him in a live action movie, I'd be like 'Woah, his voice has changed'

I love the line about Astro discovering he has machine guns in his butt. As a kid of the 80s I always thought it was strange that he had guns in his butt. Especially since in the TV show, Astro was created to replace the scientists dead son. Guess The Scientist thought that his real son would never grow up to be a real man since he lacked a butt that could shoot people.

[GRUNT]

Hey guys, I just saw the film (I'm in Australia).

I've put my impressions with the 'hide' tag because it's got spoilers.

I felt that the first half of the film was the most enjoyable portion. Emotionally, I think that there was some good stuff to be had there.

To me, that bit with those soldiers with the symbols and text that would appear on their face screen thingies was cute the first couple times, but then got old really fast. By the time it got to the releasing of bodily fluids bit, I thought that was a little bit much.

Some of my favourite bits were when Astro Boy was first flying around and his rocket legs had inadvertent effects on people around him, like toasting somebody's steak, and giving a lady an instant tan. They did a little reprise of that sequence when Astro Boy was being chased by the military with those sticky green things of theirs, and I thought it was fun and whimsical to watch.

Even going into the second act, I found it quite enjoyable. I can't quite put my finger on the third act, but it felt like a bit of a mess. It doesn't help that the villain is one of those somewhat goofball villains, like Cobra Commander, who you just kinda laugh at because they're so incompetent. I know some people like those kinds of villains (or they wouldn't keep making them), but it's not really my cup of tea. Some of the threads in the story were also tied up too abruptly.

Oh, and even though this kind of ending is not entirely uncommon, The Incredibles were all I could think of just prior to the end credits .

It's not a bad film, but it's not a fantastic one, either. It does what it's supposed to do and is good, clean family fun.

[Randall]

Thanks for the review! I'm looking forward to seeing it.

BTW, for those interested in <i>Astro Boy</i> creator Tezuka Osamu, you should check out Kino's new DVD, reviewed here: http://animated-views.com/2009/the-asto ... uka-osamu/

[estefan]

Saw the film today and I thought it was pretty good. Not great, but a nice way to spend ninety minutes.

A fun and lively superhero origin story, based off the famous anime series (of which I have never seen a single episode), while the film is fairly predictable and un-original at times, director/co-writer David Bowers embues Astro Boy with so much energy, that it proves to be an entertaining family film. The animation is really great, particularly coming in full-force for the excellent action sequences that appear throughout. Astro Boy also proves to be a likable lead and Kristen Bell does some suitably nice voice-work as best friend Cora. Nathan Lane also proves strong as a character who pretty much looks exactly like him. Nicolas Cage, however, is poor and un-enthusiastic in his role as Astro's father, though it doesn't help that the character is actually quite un-likable. The script has its fair share of funny lines here and there, though a lot of points in the film brought images of Wall-E, The Iron Giant. Oliver Twist and Castle in the Sky. Nonetheless, this proves to be fun and enjoyable enough and Bowers' direction is definitely strong as are the action scenes, so it's definitely worth seeing.

[eddievalient]

Say goodbye to Imagi, folks. Astro Boy flopped, opening at #6 with only $7 million. If business doesn't pick up, I doubt Imagi will be able to find the funds to do Gatchaman or anything else, joining the pile of former animation studios. It's a shame, really, because I think they could have been great. If we're lucky, perhaps some studio (WB? Universal? Paramount?) will buy the company and allow them to continue working. Something to hope for, anyway.

[Randall]

That'd be too bad, but we do all know they were on shaky financial ground already. Gee, and I was looking forward to Gatchaman. Of course, if Astro Boy couldn't find an audience, imagine how Gatchaman would have fared.