What is it with content made for kids that so appeals to older folks?! Are we re-living our childhood or did we forget to grow up? Perhaps there is no single answer. We like books, movies, comics etc. all aimed at kids.
Although animated movies are made for kids, there are so
many of them that are enjoyed as much by adults. Interestingly, some of them
end up being all-time classics because they are enjoyed by people of all ages across
the world. The recent hype over the soon-to-be-released animated flick ‘Penguins
of Madagascar’ propelled me to tap my brain and come up with a list of 10
animated movies that I’ve loved over the years. You MUST visit JumpStart’s Penguins of Madagascar
page if you’re as much a fan of the adorable Penguins as much as I am –this time
they are revealed to lead a double life!
Madagascar
If the ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ movie can be my inspiration
to come up with this list, how can I not start it with ‘Madagascar’! Four animals, a
giraffe, a lion, a hippopotamus, and a zebra escape from the New York Central
Zoo, assisted by the Penguins, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private, with no
idea what wild life is really like outside the zoo. Their tryst with reality
outside the sheltered zoo life is worth watching and yes, a special mention for
the cheerful lemurs!
Whether the green ogre is engaging in amusing repartee with
Donkey or he’s playing the role of a gentle lover, you can’t help but fall in
love with him! The film sends out a strong message to its audiences that beauty
is skin deep. Princess Fiona finds herself in love with the gentle giant and
discovers that love is all about giving and not expecting.
Ice Age
After the Penguins of Madagascar managed to win our hearts,
it’s time for the sub-zero heroes, agitated mammoth, a saber-toothed
tiger, a clumsy sloth and a prehistoric squirrel to take us on another
adventure trip! The prehistoric characters can talk to and understand each
other and are voiced by a variety of famous actors bringing them to life. Though
the film is not exactly a lesson on history for the class, it does pack in a
few breathtakingly beautiful animated scenes from the Ice Age.
Puss in Boots
It’s a no-brainer why I hit the theater to
catch a show of ‘Puss in Boots’ – yes, Antonio Banderas’ mesmerizing voice drew me to the screen!
It’s a smart animated film that kids and adults have both enjoyed. Puss in
Boots – named so for saving a woman from a raging bull – is eventually thrown
out of the town on suspicion of bank robbery even though the real culprit was
his fiend Humpty Dumpty. However, Puss and Humpty reunite eventually to steal a
goose that lays golden eggs, joined by Kitty Softpaws, and that’s what the
movie is all about.
Despicable Me
For starters, I have minion puppets on my desk! Who doesn’t
love the minions and super villains from Despicable Me?! A wicked man named Gru, surrounded by an army
of yellow, little minions, hatches a plan to steal the moon with an arsenal of
weapons and war machines. He is all prepared to vanquish anybody who comes
across as a threat to his plan when he encounters the greatest of all
challenges – three adorable orphan girls who want to make him
their dad. And, we get to meet his softer side and he proves that super
villains can also make great dads!
It’s wonderful to retreat on the plush couch with a bowl of
buttery popcorn and soak in oodles of innocence from the Penguins of
Madagascar, a green ogre, a heroic cat, an army of minions, and a team of
prehistoric animals!
