The Lorax Premier - From The Orange Carpet

The sun was out and orange with a dash of yellow was the color of the day. We've seen red carpets, we've even seen green, but the bright orange one, signifying the color of the film, welcomed everyone at the entrance of Birmingham Cineworld who were hosting the premier of the new animation, Lorax, based on the ever famous Dr. Seuss book. The event was also the very first UK premier for a film outside of London.

The event was beautifully organized with gracious hosts and a sense of joy and laughter all around with the Lorax character dancing and mingling on the carpet along with balloon makers and face painters. My sources inside the theater, wife and daughter, informed me the ambience was that of fun and frolic with cupcakes, candy-floss, sweets, Lorax mustaches, along with other goodies, in abundance to keep the young and the young-at-heart pleasantly satisfied.

Emile Heskey, Danielle Lloyd, members of the American Olympic Team, and Joe Egan were among the celebrities who walked down the orange carpet. Joe Egan, who has acted in the Sherlock Holmes films along with a part in the Indian film Ra.One epitomizes the "big lovable" character especially when he said one of his dreams was to walk down the red carpet with his mum. Called "the toughest white man on the planet" by Mike Tyson he modestly talked about how he's enjoying and loving slowly but surely rising up in the entertainment business making a name and mark for himself and can be seen next in the film Crying Wolf.

As expected, the arrival of Danny DeVito was greeted with unanimous cheering from all the fans present around the carpet. A legendary actor, he met with his fans and members of the press with the same kind of excitement and enthusiasm only a newcomer promoting his first movie has. Visiting Birmingham for the first time he was quick to point out that the much needed sunshine probably had something to do with the "Lorax" being in town. Crediting the entire team of the movie including producers, writers, and animators, he spoke about doing the voice for the movie in Russian, German, Spanish, and Italian himself. On stage, he emphasized the message that Lorax gives and how it is important that "if you see somebody abusing something, stop 'em".

I do hope that having the first ever UK premier of a major movie outside of London starts a new trend. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all present especially the children. You can watch a video I made of my daughter about her experience on her return below. Both my wife and my daughter enjoyed the film and the orange Lorax 3D glasses for the children were a nice little addition to the goodie bag.

I would also like to thank the wonderful people at DDA PR and Prepared PR who organized my very first press pass which I will cherish forever.  

DR. SEUSS' THE LORAX

THE LORAX
Written by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul
Directed by Chris Renaud
Voices by Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift and Danny DeVito


The Lorax: A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean.

DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX is perhaps the most blatantly obvious attempt to speak down to people about the perils of industrialization on the environment since AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. Yes, I understand this is a children’s film, but the original work from 1971 was a brave warning of trouble to come, while director, Chris Renaud’s follow-up to DESPICABLE ME, is just a complete farce, unlikely to inspire any young people to care about the planet. Sadly, I don’t see it encouraging a lot of laughter and enjoyment in kids either. As is unfortunately too often the case, this is another Seuss adaptation that gets the imagination in the imagery right but doesn’t understand the roots of the story.

It didn’t take very long for me to stop enjoying THE LORAX. This stumpy, little orange thing (voiced by Danny DeVito), with a pretty well maintained mustache appears on screen to welcome us to the tale at the onset of the film. He’s certainly cute but the rhymes he drops sound somewhat watered down. And then before you know it, the entire thing turns into a giant musical number to introduce the good people of Thneedville that make up the story. It is awkward and uncomfortable to watch and while I’m sure Renaud imagined this opening as a grand and triumphant celebration of Dr. Seuss, it merely only serves to confirm that this will be a Seuss translation that doesn’t sustain its expansion into a feature length film. I’m no Seuss expert but I’m pretty sure he would never have used the phrase, “I know, right.”

Weak rhymes and unsuccessful modernization aside, THE LORAX is weighty and that is ultimately its undoing. Ted (Zac Efron) tries to impress a girl (Taylor Swift) by finding her a real tree in a world made entirely of plastic. In doing so, he meets The Once-ler (Ed Helms), who proceeds to tell him about how he chopped them all down long ago to pursue his own greedy needs. Let alone that the entire motivation of this story is about a girl and not really about the environment itself, the manner in which The Once-ler’s story’s is told is almost condemning. By the time he sings about how bad could he possibly be for pushing his own agenda at the expense of the planet, towering on screen and painted as this evil, destructive giant, I was done with it. It’s one thing to use media to scare adults into conforming but its a whole other level of wrong to use that same tactic on children. At least, the movie looks pretty.

My Christmas Time In Movies Part 2

Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas (1999) [NR] In my opinion, one of the most overlooked Christmas movies of the season. This theatrical worthy direct-to-DVD movie is made up of three short stories each with a Christmas theme and all staring the cast of major Disney animated characters. The first story is a take-off on the Groundhog Dog idea and Huey, Dewey, and Louie end up having to celebrate Christmas day over and over again. In the middle segment, Goofy tries to prove to his son Max that Santy Claus really does exist. And finally, Mickey and Minnie star in their own version of O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi.

While this movie is brief, clocking in at just around an hour, it is a beautifully animated film considering the direct-to-DVD budget this project must have had. The film does not have the obnoxious fast and furious pace that so many animated movies do. There are several moments in the film where the soundtrack is nothing more than the characters talking. And the characters are actually given some mature roles to carry. As dumb as this might sound...and adding to the fact that these cartoon characters are in their 70's...you actually come away from this picture feeling like you know these beloved characters a little better. The Goofy segment in particular is filled with some emotional moments that really humanize the Goofy character. I always enjoy when cartoon characters are treated in a mature manor, and Once Upon A Christmas does a good job of giving Mickey and the gang more to do than run around and get hit with pies.


Ernest Saves Christmas (1989) [PG] If I haven't already decided it before, I think it's official this year that Ernest Saves Christmas (the 2nd of 9 Ernest movies) is my absolute favorite Christmas movie. It's such a well done movie with so many great little touches and a heart warming Christmasey story that I can't think of a Christmas flick I love more!

In this comedy, Santa arrives in Orlando, Florida to find his replacement. Upon his arrival at the airport, Santa meets up with cab driver Ernest. Ernest ends up getting involved in helping Santa find the new guy for the job. As I've said on numerous occasions, and I'll say it again: When you mix Ernest P. Worrell with a holiday only good things can happen! This film has it's heart in such the right place that I don't know how anyone could watch it and not at least crack a smile. And the best part about it, as with all the Ernest films, there is absolutely nothing objectionable for the kids to see. It's a great family picture. I was excited to share it with my kids this year. At first they didn't know what to make of Ernest, and let's face it - most people don't, but before long they were laughing along with this fine holiday classic!

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) [PG] Oh...this movie is sooooo bad! This entire movie feels like such a giant poop on the grave of poor ol' Dr. Seuss. He would have hated this movie! The original animated television special of this story was the only filmed adaptation of Seuss' work that he liked - and that had to be, in part, that it stuck so closely to the book. But this live action offering adds so much unnecessary, boring, pointless shenanigans to the Grinch tale that it's just painful to watch. Jim Carey is funny as the Grinch, and he has a few really good moments but when you watch this film you gotta be wondering if everybody involved thought they were making a good movie. Seriously folks, given the choice between this movie and a sea-sick crocodile...I'd take the sea-sick crocodile!