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Cool, Dude I have a lifelong love of good animation. This is why I consistently go to films like "Open Season", "Meet The Robinsons" and "Cars", always searching for that next great piece of animation. You know, the type that can rival "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast:" or "The Incredibles" and remain a classic for future generations. Because of this, I frequently read interviews and books on and about animation. In a recent biography of Walt Disney, he is quoted as being dissatisfied with his animator's ability to create water for his shorts and features. I have read on more than one occasion that other animators have felt the same way. Apparently, that problem no longer exists. In "Surf's Up", the newest offering from Sony Pictures Animation, the people who brought us the above average "Open Season", nails the animation of water, water of all kinds, waves, placid pools, half pipes, rain and more. This one aspect of the film is simply stunning to watch. It actually looks like the filmmakers photographed water and added the cute little penguins later. In fact, a lot of the animation looks so real that it might have been photographed. Will "Surf's Up" join the pantheon of classics? I don't think so, but it is a very entertaining film. It just lacks a little more sly humor, a little more zing to bring it to this level. But as it is, "Surf's" is the best non-Pixar/ non-Disney film I have seen in some time. The film is designed to resemble a documentary; the type that might be seen on ESPN. The filmmaker's interview Cody (Shia LaBeouf) at his home in Antarctica. Big Z, a surfing icon, went on a press tour after winning his ninth surfing championship. The tour included a stop in Antarctica, allowing a young Cody to meet his idol. His mother and brother have come to accept Cody's love for surfing, but the rest of their community can't understand why he won't help with their collective daily chores. And Cody doesn't understand what point there is to sorting fish, so there you have it. Then one day, Reggie Belafonte (James Woods), a sea otter with a Don King do, decides to send out a scouting expedition; he needs to find the best competition for his upcoming Surf Championship. His current champion, Tank (Diedrich Bader), the surfer who originally beat Big Z, is too good and the publicity level is down. So he sends Mikey (Mario Cantone), his assistant, a bird, out on the whale and they scour the penguin communities around the globe. When they arrive in Antarctica, Cody jumps at the chance and won't take no. Finally, Big Mike relents and they make their way back to Pengu Island for the big meet. Chicken Joe (Jon Heder) is also ready to compete. On the island, they meet Lani (Zooey Deschanel), a lifeguard. As soon as Tank meets Cody, their rivalry builds and they enter a surf-off. Cody is hit by a big wave and Lani takes him to meet the Geek (Jeff Bridges), a penguin who is living off the grid and doesn't like the intrusion. But Geek helps Cody and they soon challenge Tank during the big surf-off. "Surf's Up" is more than your average animated film for the simple reason the filmmakers are telling the story in a pseudo-documentary style. It is almost like we are watching a "Behind The Scenes" type of special made to coincide with the big championship. Because this style of filmmaking is established early on, it allows the filmmakers to move through the story quickly, interject some quick jokes, getting things moving fast. They are able to jump around without having to pay enormous attention to the conventions of narrative. We also learn about Cody very quickly. Through some brief interviews with his brother and mother, we learn about Cody's father and how the young penguin was deeply affected by the appearance of Big Z. This leads to a lifelong obsession with surfing, an activity many in his community don't understand. But the important thing is it makes him happy. And he simply can't understand the importance of the community's main activity, fish sorting. When Mike arrives, Cody doesn't make a good impression, but he won't take no and Mike realizes this. So Cody earns a spot. Shia LaBeouf, the new 'It" Kid in Hollywood (he's the star of the recent "Disturbia", he headlines the soon-to-be released "Transformers" and has been signed to play Indiana Jones' son in "Indiana Jones 4") does a good job with the voice of Cody. As a young man, he is able to give Cody that sort of unsure tremor in the voice of most teenagers. I'm not sure if this is acting, exactly, he seems to have the same timbre in his voice in most of his roles. But it works for this character. At times, Cody is suitably non-interested, excited, put off, you know, just about everything a typical teenager exhibits. It won't fit. Please read the full review at thornhillatthemovies.com email this review to a friend
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