I took my twins (age 5) to see this today and they were THRILLED to bits!! I disagree with the reviewer that says it's a "girls'" movie! My Hot Wheels/Bionicle loving sons, loved it and they didn't think it was girly one bit and neither did I!
I also did not think it was a Toy Story rip off as there have been a ton of movies featuring toys that come alive long before Toy Story anyway. Yes, garden gnomes and decorations come to life but that's were the similarity between the two ends.
I did not go in expecting to see a cartoon version of Romeo and Juliet so I was not disappointed one bit and thankfully, this story does not share the tragic end of the original tale. I did like the characters quite a bit, I LOVED how the gnomes were fragile, I loved the clay clinging sounds they made, how realistic the textures were.. it did not feel like a "dime a dozen" animation at all!! It was bright, it had a solid plot, and it was going somewhere (unlike let's say, Alpha and Omega or Happy Feet).
My boys were begging as soon as the titles rolled to watch it again so we just might be returning to the movie theater with some friends this weekend. I wouldn't mind seeing it myself and I was glad we did go see it because after I read the previous review, I had my doubts if it was going to be any good but it was!!! My boys "got it" much better than say, Shrek... so it will appeal to a younger crowd as well in my opinion...
I also did not think it was a Toy Story rip off as there have been a ton of movies featuring toys that come alive long before Toy Story anyway. Yes, garden gnomes and decorations come to life but that's were the similarity between the two ends.
I did not go in expecting to see a cartoon version of Romeo and Juliet so I was not disappointed one bit and thankfully, this story does not share the tragic end of the original tale. I did like the characters quite a bit, I LOVED how the gnomes were fragile, I loved the clay clinging sounds they made, how realistic the textures were.. it did not feel like a "dime a dozen" animation at all!! It was bright, it had a solid plot, and it was going somewhere (unlike let's say, Alpha and Omega or Happy Feet).
My boys were begging as soon as the titles rolled to watch it again so we just might be returning to the movie theater with some friends this weekend. I wouldn't mind seeing it myself and I was glad we did go see it because after I read the previous review, I had my doubts if it was going to be any good but it was!!! My boys "got it" much better than say, Shrek... so it will appeal to a younger crowd as well in my opinion...