Tag: Jon Hamm.

At last, the cruel, cold winter is giving way to a fast-approaching Spring (at least for most of the country). And what do many young men’s (and ladies’) fancies turn to, other than a amor? Why, going back to nature, naturally (see what I did there). Well, it just so happens that for their 30th (wow) feature film, those digital animation gurus at Pixar have fashioned a story about going back to nature in the most literal and fantastical way possible. Wth a bit of science fiction magic, this movie’s young heroine can comingle and even communicate (stop me before I launch into that catchy tune, “If I Could Talk to the Animals”) with the woodland critters that she’s watched from afar. Yes, that includes frogs, though they’re not the story’s main focus, nor are they the inspiration for this flick’s title, HOPPERS.

As this modern fable begins, we meet the aforementioned heroine, Mabel, in the Beaverton grade school system (she’s maybe eight or nine) as she embarks on her mission (and not the first attempt) to liberate the many “class animal pets” from their cages, aquariums, and other “jails”. She’s soon sent home with her mom, who, in turn, takes her to her adored grandmother Tanaka (voice of Karen Hule). To calm down the child, they sit on a big rock near a pond in the forest behind Granny’s home. Mabel is spellbound as she watches the water with a beaver dam at its center. Fast forward about ten years or so, as now 19-year-old Mabel (Piper Curda) still enjoys the tranquility of that sweet spot, even though Grandma” T has passed on. But the quiet is soon shattered by a noisy construction crew, determined to complete a big highway and pave over the place. It’s the dream project of Mabel’s constant nemesis, the affable Beavertown mayor, Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm). Since all the wildlife has left the pond, it’s fair game for the “improvement”. After failing to get enough signatures on a petition to stop them, Mabel heads over to the college (she’s a frequent “class-skipper”) to enlist the aid of Professor “Sam” Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), who explains that a single beaver could bring back all the animals. Mabel decides that she’ll try to lure and trap a beaver…and it works! One shows up, but he ignores the bait and scampers away to the Prof’s campus lab!

It turns out that, to observe the wildlife, Sam and her two aides have created a robotic beaver connected to a device (looks like one of those big “oldie” hair dryers) that can transfer(or the “hop”) the consciousness from a sleeping human subject to the “bot”. Oh, and the facimilile can talk with and understand all the critters. Of course, Mabel “borrows” the gizmo and literally “high-tails it” to the forest. There she learns of the woodland society, ruled (in a nice way) by the “king of the mammals”, a beaver named George (Bobby Moynihan). Mabel bonds with him and convinces George to unite with the other royal leaders (birds, bugs, fish, and reptiles) to stop the impending construction destruction. But when a decision is made to eliminate the “Human King,” Mabel must try to save her arch enemy, all while avoiding Sam and her staff’s attempts to retrieve their device, and wake up the sleeping real Mabel. Suddenly, there’s more at stake than saving that “watering hole”!

After hitting a major bump in their “original” film slate (yes, I don’t count the big sequels) last Summer with ELIO, Pixar comes roaring back with this truly “all ages” cartoon comedy classic. Oh yes, it brings the laughs, but they haven’t neglected the heart (Mabel and Granny’s super-strong bond), and even a message sneaks in (we’re never pummelled by the ecology themes). Again, the studio doesn’t showcase lots of “big name superstars” for the marquee and marketing value, instead opting for a solid cast at the microphone, though a certain “multiple-Oscar-winner” spreads her “wings” (hint, hint). Curda’s an energetic lead hero with lots of “spunk”, while Moynahn makes the most out of his good-natured charm that we saw during his stint on SNL (and he’s not the only “8H’ vet). Leading man Hamm flexes his comedic chops and continues to be a big audio asset (this is his fourth toon gig). I thoroughly enjoyed Najimy even as some of her Peggy Hill (TV’s “King of the Hill”) seeped in, especially as Sam is flummoxed by Mabel (“No! This is nothing like AVATAR!!”). And kudos for all the cartoon voice vets in the incidental animal extras. Oh, and speaking of “ear candy”, what a terrific bouncy score from kids’ TV icon (“Pee Wee’s Playhouse”) Mark Mothersbaugh!

So, which of the gifted minds in Emoryville concocted this bit of delirious entertainment? Hard to believe that this is the theatrical feature directing debut of Daniel Chong (creator of TV’s “We Bare Bears”), who co-wrote the screenplay with Jesse Andrews (ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL). Sure, there are some “lifted” elements, like the earlier-mentioned AVATAR mixed in with lots of DR. DOLITTLE (all incarnations), but they take the old trope conflict of nature versus commerce, and give it a refreshing spin (the bulldozing baddie is really a fairly nice fella). The script is truly lifted to the heights and beyond by the superior visuals that truly dazzle. The Pixar “pack” has really “upped” the level of sophisticated animation acting here. A third act sequence with Jerry being “taken over” has facial exaggeration and body movement that harkens to the works of “toon masters” like Bob Clampett and “Tex” Avery (I think it would work very well without the audio). I must mention the interesting “coding” of the critters. When Mabel is in the “device,” the animals have big eyes with lots of prominent white while gesturing wildly. But to those in “reality”, the wildlife isn’t nearly as wild, as they move with a slower pace, and the eyes are more or less dark brown dots. The design and some “takes” of the humans seem to be influenced by anime (much like what we saw in LUCA and TURNING RED). The overall look of all the characters is lots of fun (now I can call out the “eye candy”), and they mesh expertly with the lush backgrounds (that’s one beautiful forest). Again, this is “all ages” entertainment at its zenith, delivering a great original Pixar “fix” before another big sequel in a few months. I suppose I should end this by saying film fans should run, no walk briskly, rather than hop to the multiplex for HOPPERS.

3.5 Out of 4

HOPPERS is now playing in theatres everywhere.