OP_021518

®
28 | February 15, 2018 | The orland park prairie Life & Arts
opprairie.com
MPAA rating: PG | genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy | run time: 89 minutes
‘Early Man’ another enjoyable romp from Aardman, Nick Park
Bill Jones, Editor
It is somewhat astounding to be
sitting in a movie theater in 2018,
watching the screen slightly jitter
to the stop-motion animation of
Aardman Animations’ work. In the
age of digital recording and digital
effects and digital projection, to
be able to see — in a large format
— the (sometimes literal) personal
touches on the screen is a delight.
There is a special magic to it that
does not still exist in many films.
Director Nick Park (“Wallace
and Gromit,” “Chicken Run”)
and his talented team are responsible
for the magic found in “Early
Man,” an adventure comedy suitable
for the whole family. The story
tells the tale of prehistoric folks
trying to find their roots as soccer
people to take on a lord bringing
about the Bronze Age at their expense.
Sound silly? It is, but sometimes
not quite silly enough. Despite the
absurd premise (and a terrifying
giant duck with teeth, hell-bent on
eating our heroes), “Early Man”
focuses hard on its plot and resolution.
So much so that for all of the
goofiness that has become a hallmark
of Aardman, “Early Man”
does not seem like it truly mines its
premise for all it is worth.
The cast is strong, with Eddie
Redmayne taking on the lead role
of Dug, while Tom Hiddleston
voices the villain Lord Nooth (and
Park himself plays Hognob). But it
is understated performing on display
from the troupe. They embody
their characters well, but do not
necessarily put their own stamps
on the film.
The humor is often slapstick.
Characters run into things, have
other things dropped upon them,
otherwise suffer bodily harm in the
name of making children laugh.
And Aadrman does that brand of
humor particularly well.
But it is not until the final sequences
that “Early Man” truly
hits its stride, playing into the soccer
puns, finding some dark humor
and all-around embracing its goofy
potential.
That said, it is also perfectly enjoyable.
It may not be the best of
the Aardman creations, but it holds
its own just fine. That personal
touch helps to elevate it. There is
a cuteness, a humanity and much
more to be found in every frame.
More than anything, “Early
Man” is simply a delight to witness
unfold. And there’s nothing wrong
with a fun movie that looks this
great.
Have you seen a movie recently and
want to let everyone know about it?
The Orland Park Prairie is looking for
residents to review the latest new releases
for its Unscripted feature. The
best reviews will be published in The
Prairie and online at OPPrairie.com.
Keep reviews around 400 words or
fewer and try not to give away the key
moments of the movie. Submit your
review to bill@opprairie.com. Please
include your name and phone number
in the email.
Chapter Chatter
‘Creative Struggle’ offers some cool, animated accounts of masters who struggled
Bill Jones, Editor
Australian cartoonist Gavin
Aung Than is really onto something
with “Creative Struggle: Illustrated
Advice from Masters of
Creativity.” A spin-off from his
web-based Zen Pencils, which
features “cartoon quotes from inspirational
folks,” the book aims
to enable creative types by reassuring
them that some of the biggest
names in the world (from Albert
Einstein to Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie
to Vincent van Gogh) had problems,
too.
The cartoons also serve as a
great way to, well, illustrate those
struggles. Gavin uses quotes from
the historical figures to let them tell
their own stories, while the visuals
help to fill in some of the blanks of
a “story.” The style of the cartoons
also helps make these somewhat
untouchable names personable.
“Creative Struggle” is motivational
without coming across
as preachy. The success of these
folks gives them credibility, but
the faults are what make them relatable.
We see misunderstood genius,
the depression behind an artist,
a struggle with physical malady
and much more.
What makes it extra special is
the variety Gavin brings to the
table. People are sure to pick up
the book based on a few big names
they know and love, but will undoubtedly
learn a bit about others
they don’t know, as well. The mix
of disciplines (art, music, writing,
science) in the genius of the subjects
almost assures that.
Gavin also is so bold as to include
some personal stories. At
face value (and as he calls himself
on), there is a bit of audacity in
placing his work among the greats.
But that also is kind of the point.
“Creative Struggle” is about helping
people through their own struggles
by helping them understand
how with perseverance there might
be a light at the end of the tunnel —
and reassuring folks that everyone,
in some way, struggles.
It is a great message and a whole
bunch of good stories packed into a
small book. It is well worth the read.
Read a book and want to let everyone
in town know what you think about
it? The Orland Park Prairie is looking
for residents to review books for its
Chapter Chatter feature. The best reviews
will be published in The Prairie
and online at OPPrairie.com. Keep
reviews to 400 or fewer words and try
not to spoil any key moments in the
book. Submit your review to bill@op
prairie.com. Please include your name
and phone number in the email.
Advertise in our Legal Services Directory
For More Information or to place a listing
Call 708-326-9170
www.22ndcenturymedia.com
,LLC