Review of Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) by Maksim B — 31 May 2012

The clever screenplay, co-written by director Kelly Asbury (who co-helmed "Shrek 2"), follows the DreamWorks template of combining pop culture references, sight gags and action for the kids, and more sophisticated humor for adults. If it's not an unerringly faithful adaptation of Shakespeare's play, it still manages enough wit and charm to come off. Every movie about cuddly dwarf statues in an English garden should have music this big. The voices are outstanding; the story demands British accents, and with such people as Caine and Smith providing them, so much the better. Kids will fall in love with it as a movie treat full of heart, laughs and fantastic songs, and it could have crossover appeal as a Valentine date night treat thanks to all its pointy-hatted romance. Terra-cotta gnomes, the sort that decorate people's lawns, are the characters of this bizarre feature animation, which lampoons the British obsession with gardening and upholds a long tradition of cartoons pitched to tots and stoners. There is some fun to be found in this goofy riff on Shakespeare.

VERDICT: "In The Zone" - [Mixed Reaction] These kinds of movies are usually movies that had some good things, but some bad things kept it from being amazing. This rating says buy an ex-rental or a cheap price of the DVD to own. If you consider cinema, ask for people's opinion on the film. (Films that are rated 2.5 or 3 stars).