Post by StevePulaski on Jul 15, 2010 21:52:28 GMT -5
I was flicking through the TV channels and saw that Rugrats in Paris: The Movie was on one afternoon. I had nothing better to do so I decided to watch it again for old times. About halfway through I started remembering how much of an impact the babies had on my childhood. I grew up in the late 90s which is said to be one of the last classics decades in the world, which is relatively true. So I thought it would be cool to rewatch all three Rugrats flicks and do a giant review on them. I have nothing else to do. So here is one of my first compilation reviews of The Rugrats Movie, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, and Rugrats Go Wild.
The Rugrats Movie (1998).
An Indiana Jones parody constantly plays in The Rugrats Movie.
Rating: 3/4 stars.
The Rugrats television series is almost twenty years old, which is surprising because when one watches the episodes of the TV series the color and overall look of the show looks like a 2000 television series. Enough with that, lets discuss the film. Its what every TV show movie adaptation is. Just an extended episode of the series. Though the sequel is something that is a step in the right direction to be different from the series. With this though, it's fitting to be a full length movie because to chop this down to a thirty minute film would be impossible. Though, this is a favorable TV show adaptation in many ways.
The plot is basic, but may be complex to a kid age five or six who this is targeted for. Parents may need to explain somethings about babies after the hospital scene. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil are our protagonists in this ride and Tommy's mother Didi is having a baby. When welcoming what was thought to be a baby girl, is now a baby boy. They go with the name Dillon Prescott Pickles and now Tommy has a baby brother.
Instead of being a nice companion he becomes a big nightmare for the whole Pickles family because Dil will not stop crying. Both parents Didi and Stu are too focused on Dil to pay attention to Tommy which is how every family gets when a new child is born. Phil, Lil, and Chuckie get tired of the crying and put Dil in the new "Reptarmobile" which Tommy's dad made in an effort to take him back to the hospital because he's "broked". Tommy does the adult thing of trying to resist, but after some odd results, the four wind up lost in the forest with no one to help them.
The movie gets heartbreaking in a few sequences and tends to squeeze a tear out of audiences. Some of the humor and references will possibly be way over young kids' heads which is basically how every kids' movie can be sometimes. Watching this for the first time in about eight years I pointed out a lot more and understood more and more of it. The question remains me for me which children's film do I like more; The Rugrats Movie or Hey Arnold: The Movie? I think Hey Arnold's film made a bit more sense than this, but still both are fine pieces of film.
This was too Nickelodeon's film film to win a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award which I think is pretty lame. I dont think the company's film deserved to win the company's award. Thats like me patting myself on the back and giving me $100,000 for my review and giving it a "best" award. But I guess on a certain level it makes the smallest amount of sense. Either way though, this film deserves it and is still widely enjoyed by audiences today.
Starring: Elizabeth Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Cheryl Chase, Cree Summer, Tara Strong, and Charlie Adler. Directed: Igor Kovalyov and Norton Virgien.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000).
Rating: 2½/4 stars.
After a successful, entertaining Rugrats film I was expecting this one to be an interesting sequel. Think about it, most TV shows that are adapted to films are basically, and more often than not, just longer episodes. Some films like The Simpsons Movie, when thought about, could just be half and hour episodes. With the first Rugrats film it would have been next to impossible to chop it down to a half hour episode. With this one though, I was excited because I thought now they're really changing it up. Way different, unexpected setting, a fine plot, this should be memorable and way more entertaining than the first. I was off.
The plot is recycled and just modified to fit the characters. Stu Pickles gets a late night call from Paris to go to EuroReptarland, a theme park, to fix the broken Reptar mechanical robot. He brings Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Angelica, the baby Dil, and all of their parents to have fun in Paris while Stu works. Soon and ironically, Coco LaBouche is looking to run EuroReptarland and must find someone with a "heart of a child". When Angellica overhears her talking about this, she comes up and tells her about Chuckie's lonely father, Chaz in exchange for her own princess float at EuroReptarland. So Coco is determined to win over Chaz.
Not a bad plot, but it's not really unique in anyway. Is that the best they could do? Its better than if they recycled the babies getting lost like they did in the first. But still, that plot might have worked in a big city like Paris. I must also note Grandpa Pickles doesn't make an appearance at all in this movie, unless I missed him. I didnt recall him appearing once in this entire movie. I was disappointed because he was one of my favorite characters.
In sequel terms, it's fine, but like 80% of the time it's a bit dull. The idea of the babies in Paris could've spawned numbers of ideas. The babies visiting the Eiffiel Tower, running rampid through the town, anything. But the idea they went with just didn't grab me in really at all. There were parts that the film felt original, fresh, and funny. But the comparison it has on the original film is small. Could Rugrats Go Wild be any better than this? Dont count on it.
Starring: Elizabeth Daily, Tara Strong, Cheryl Chase, Christine Cavanaugh, Dionne Quan, and Kath Soucie. Directed by: Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer.
Rugrats Go Wild (2003).
Rating: 1½/4 stars.
Rugrats Go Wild is a another stupid crossover film that is barely amusing and excruciating to watch. The crossover of two franchises is more of an appeal to younger kids seeing possibly two of their favorite shows coming together in one special/movie, but from what this is, no matter which angle it's at it sucks. The jokes, the characters, and the humor is all one dimensional and overall abysmal. Nothing is inspiring or even memorable about this failed attempt.
The todlers and the Tommy's family are on a boat going to an island Tommy's dad Stu rented in the South China Seas. After a massive rain storms destroys the boat they get into a life boat leading them to a deserted island where they meet the Thornberrys (from the show The Wild Thornberrys). The family starts bonding with the Thornberrys with each member of the Rugrats clinging to a member of the Thornberrys to which they are simlair too. The movie's appeal level is low, but the worse part stems from the jokes. The jokes in this film and gags that are supposed to be funny are the most cliche, laugh free, recycled jokes that pretty much ruin the movie.
"Odorama", only used in two movies I believe, maybe stupid to some, but to others its an interesting cult item first brought to attention in the 1981 John Waters movie Polyester. It was a unique thing at the time and really felt like you were in the movie. When used in Rugrats Go Wild, many complaints derived from the card being defective and not smelling like the said picture. So I guess it's one more thing another movie did better, have a working marketing item.
This movie is the last Rugrats film to be made to date which means probably no more will be made. Its sad that Rugrats, a show that defined many kids born in the 90s childhood, left off on a crappy note. If another movie was made about the "tots in diapers", I dont know how it would blow over. Its popularity has probably been lived to the final extent and new audiences probably wouldnt except it. So I think its best rather than to resurrect the series with another movie, just leave it where its at. Unlike some kid's franchises, this had one great film, one decent movie, and one crappy movie. Its been a checkered series, but it's still a franchise to remember.
Starring: E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Dionne Quan, Cheryl Chase, Michael Bell, Melanie Chartoff, Jack Riley, Julia Kato, Tim Curry, and Bruce Willis. Directed by: Norton Virgien and John Eng.
The Rugrats Movie (1998).
An Indiana Jones parody constantly plays in The Rugrats Movie.
Rating: 3/4 stars.
The Rugrats television series is almost twenty years old, which is surprising because when one watches the episodes of the TV series the color and overall look of the show looks like a 2000 television series. Enough with that, lets discuss the film. Its what every TV show movie adaptation is. Just an extended episode of the series. Though the sequel is something that is a step in the right direction to be different from the series. With this though, it's fitting to be a full length movie because to chop this down to a thirty minute film would be impossible. Though, this is a favorable TV show adaptation in many ways.
The plot is basic, but may be complex to a kid age five or six who this is targeted for. Parents may need to explain somethings about babies after the hospital scene. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil are our protagonists in this ride and Tommy's mother Didi is having a baby. When welcoming what was thought to be a baby girl, is now a baby boy. They go with the name Dillon Prescott Pickles and now Tommy has a baby brother.
Instead of being a nice companion he becomes a big nightmare for the whole Pickles family because Dil will not stop crying. Both parents Didi and Stu are too focused on Dil to pay attention to Tommy which is how every family gets when a new child is born. Phil, Lil, and Chuckie get tired of the crying and put Dil in the new "Reptarmobile" which Tommy's dad made in an effort to take him back to the hospital because he's "broked". Tommy does the adult thing of trying to resist, but after some odd results, the four wind up lost in the forest with no one to help them.
The movie gets heartbreaking in a few sequences and tends to squeeze a tear out of audiences. Some of the humor and references will possibly be way over young kids' heads which is basically how every kids' movie can be sometimes. Watching this for the first time in about eight years I pointed out a lot more and understood more and more of it. The question remains me for me which children's film do I like more; The Rugrats Movie or Hey Arnold: The Movie? I think Hey Arnold's film made a bit more sense than this, but still both are fine pieces of film.
This was too Nickelodeon's film film to win a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award which I think is pretty lame. I dont think the company's film deserved to win the company's award. Thats like me patting myself on the back and giving me $100,000 for my review and giving it a "best" award. But I guess on a certain level it makes the smallest amount of sense. Either way though, this film deserves it and is still widely enjoyed by audiences today.
Starring: Elizabeth Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Cheryl Chase, Cree Summer, Tara Strong, and Charlie Adler. Directed: Igor Kovalyov and Norton Virgien.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000).
Rating: 2½/4 stars.
After a successful, entertaining Rugrats film I was expecting this one to be an interesting sequel. Think about it, most TV shows that are adapted to films are basically, and more often than not, just longer episodes. Some films like The Simpsons Movie, when thought about, could just be half and hour episodes. With the first Rugrats film it would have been next to impossible to chop it down to a half hour episode. With this one though, I was excited because I thought now they're really changing it up. Way different, unexpected setting, a fine plot, this should be memorable and way more entertaining than the first. I was off.
The plot is recycled and just modified to fit the characters. Stu Pickles gets a late night call from Paris to go to EuroReptarland, a theme park, to fix the broken Reptar mechanical robot. He brings Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Angelica, the baby Dil, and all of their parents to have fun in Paris while Stu works. Soon and ironically, Coco LaBouche is looking to run EuroReptarland and must find someone with a "heart of a child". When Angellica overhears her talking about this, she comes up and tells her about Chuckie's lonely father, Chaz in exchange for her own princess float at EuroReptarland. So Coco is determined to win over Chaz.
Not a bad plot, but it's not really unique in anyway. Is that the best they could do? Its better than if they recycled the babies getting lost like they did in the first. But still, that plot might have worked in a big city like Paris. I must also note Grandpa Pickles doesn't make an appearance at all in this movie, unless I missed him. I didnt recall him appearing once in this entire movie. I was disappointed because he was one of my favorite characters.
In sequel terms, it's fine, but like 80% of the time it's a bit dull. The idea of the babies in Paris could've spawned numbers of ideas. The babies visiting the Eiffiel Tower, running rampid through the town, anything. But the idea they went with just didn't grab me in really at all. There were parts that the film felt original, fresh, and funny. But the comparison it has on the original film is small. Could Rugrats Go Wild be any better than this? Dont count on it.
Starring: Elizabeth Daily, Tara Strong, Cheryl Chase, Christine Cavanaugh, Dionne Quan, and Kath Soucie. Directed by: Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer.
Rugrats Go Wild (2003).
Rating: 1½/4 stars.
Rugrats Go Wild is a another stupid crossover film that is barely amusing and excruciating to watch. The crossover of two franchises is more of an appeal to younger kids seeing possibly two of their favorite shows coming together in one special/movie, but from what this is, no matter which angle it's at it sucks. The jokes, the characters, and the humor is all one dimensional and overall abysmal. Nothing is inspiring or even memorable about this failed attempt.
The todlers and the Tommy's family are on a boat going to an island Tommy's dad Stu rented in the South China Seas. After a massive rain storms destroys the boat they get into a life boat leading them to a deserted island where they meet the Thornberrys (from the show The Wild Thornberrys). The family starts bonding with the Thornberrys with each member of the Rugrats clinging to a member of the Thornberrys to which they are simlair too. The movie's appeal level is low, but the worse part stems from the jokes. The jokes in this film and gags that are supposed to be funny are the most cliche, laugh free, recycled jokes that pretty much ruin the movie.
"Odorama", only used in two movies I believe, maybe stupid to some, but to others its an interesting cult item first brought to attention in the 1981 John Waters movie Polyester. It was a unique thing at the time and really felt like you were in the movie. When used in Rugrats Go Wild, many complaints derived from the card being defective and not smelling like the said picture. So I guess it's one more thing another movie did better, have a working marketing item.
This movie is the last Rugrats film to be made to date which means probably no more will be made. Its sad that Rugrats, a show that defined many kids born in the 90s childhood, left off on a crappy note. If another movie was made about the "tots in diapers", I dont know how it would blow over. Its popularity has probably been lived to the final extent and new audiences probably wouldnt except it. So I think its best rather than to resurrect the series with another movie, just leave it where its at. Unlike some kid's franchises, this had one great film, one decent movie, and one crappy movie. Its been a checkered series, but it's still a franchise to remember.
Starring: E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Dionne Quan, Cheryl Chase, Michael Bell, Melanie Chartoff, Jack Riley, Julia Kato, Tim Curry, and Bruce Willis. Directed by: Norton Virgien and John Eng.