netflixed some kiddie cartoon type stuff recently: "surf's up" and "open season". "surf's up" looked interesting enough from trailers that i wanted to see it but somehow seemed like just another penguin movie 'cos at the time there were already trailers of "happy feet". "open season" was a film i was never interested in but figured i should at least make a theme of it and watch several recent animated films.

"surf's up" was good and bad. it was good enough watching it but i can't imagine watching it more than once or twice. the story, the jokes, the animation, etc. i liked the pseudo-documentary style of the film. it made it more interesting than flat out telling the story. i liked some smaller details such as the various markings on the penguins was cool, making it seem like they had tattoos. everything wasn't bad and yet i can't point out exactly where the flaw is that makes it not worth repeated viewings. perhaps simply it is just not great.

a similar review for "open season" only worse. there were some very funny parts in the film but overall it was not a good movie. the main characters and storyline don't redeem the film to make it worth watching. all the funny bits are in the supporting cast such as the squirrels. martin lawrence voices the main character who is a bear but it's just not funny at all. i feel like he has hbo humor and any filtering of it, such as his tv show, is cleaned to the point where the humor is removed as well. the ability to act in person or in voice only won't even be addressed. i will give credit to one of the main characters though it has nothing to with the voice actor but the writers: the song the deer sings (improvises) is hilarious. "there once was a magical elf..." or at least at the time it was.