Lynn Belvedere

FREE BIRDS

FREE BIRDS

FREE BIRDS is an American 3D computer-animated comedy movie film all about changing the American Thanksgiving Holiday with “TURKEYS that Time Travel”, directed by Jimmy Hayward and produced by Reel FX Creative Studios.

Pardoned by the President of the United States, Reggie (Owen Wilson) is a pardoned turkey, and lives a comfortable life at Camp David, enjoying pizza and watching television Jake (Woody Harrelson) is the president and the only member of the Turkeys Liberation Front. They team up and the adventure begins by hijacking a government time machine, and they travel back in time to just before the first Thanksgiving, to get all turkeys off the Thanksgiving menu forever.

In a macho contest, the leader of the pack Chief Broadbeak (Keith David) and Jake try to out do each other with hilarious outrageous laugh-out-loud moments.

Many animated films of recent years have been deliberately dumbed down, so as to be suitable only for children, and this cartoon movie is a welcome change, as it has those wonderful subtle gags to also keep the adults amused. Turkey Time Travellers, Jake (Woody Harrelson) and Reggie (Owen Wilson) together are surprisingly cute and funny in this Turkey buddy movie, with lots of slap stick humour but with some anti-farming propaganda. The movie has both vegetarian and animal rights messages, suitable for politically-correct parents.

There is an attempt to provide some romance at the end, Reggie decides to stay with Jenny (Amy Poeher) while Jake takes the time machine S.T.E.V.E. (George Takei) to look for new adventures. Jake suddenly returns moments immediately after leaving, and implies to both Reggie and Jenny that their antics have caused the future to be thrown out of whack, creating the need for a movie sequel.

Chicken Run was good, but turkeys just do it so much better and funnier.

FREE BIRDS is not a turkey of a film, and is a quality full-length animation, comedy with cohesion and purpose delivering simple and effective storytelling. Definitely worth watching with your kids. Some adults may choose to avoid because they might take this movie as being terribly racist. 91 minutes running time. OFLC rated PG.

Official Website:
http://www.freebirdsmovie.com/

Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -