New Wave of Animated Features Bring Laughs, Even for Adults

As I was taking my little brother to 'Ice Age 2' I must admit that I felt a little out of place being one of the few twenty-some year olds attending the movie. The majority of the audience consisted of children who had no doubtedly begged their parents until they could go see the movie (therefore the other half of the population was 30 to 40 year old parents). When I walked out of the theatre, though, I realized that I had enjoyed myself far more in that film than any other comedy targeted specifically at my age group.

Movies like 'Ice Age 2' and 'Over the Hedge' give even adults the simplistic plots and comedies to laugh their heads off. The truth is that during the 3-4 years it takes to produce a full-length animated movie, a lot of changes take place in the portrayal of the film. The time that it takes to produce these movies is actually quite evident in the end result of the film. 'Ice Age 2: The Meltdown' (which I believe to be stronger than the prequel) made seemingly ridiculous characters come alive through fears and instincts that we can all relate to. Manny the Mammoth has a fear of being the last Mammoth on the planet, Diego the Sabertooth Tiger has a fear of water. Both the characters overcome their fears through a hilarious series of circumstances. In 'Over the Hedge,' RJ the Racoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) finds himself in a difficult predicament and recruits the aid of several suburban-trapped animals to help him. He is manipulative in a way that is very similar to many people (some I even know).

From hilarious musical numbers in 'Ice Age 2: The Meltdown' to the stark realism of human's apparent obsession of food in 'Over the Hedge;' we ultimately find ourselves laughing at ourselves. The filmmakers have created a new form of humor that reveals life from a different perspective, in most cases the perspective of animals is used. We see our own lives from ground-level, and laugh at how true some of these things really are. RJ the racoon pokes fun at how we misuse SUV's and 'Ice Age 2' explores the territory of sibling's behavior in the herd.

No matter how much we think we have grown up and out of children's cartoons, there is no denying that there is something pleasurable about sitting in a theatre watching talking animals with a bunch of children laughing out loud. The greatest moment in all this is when you find yourselves laughing along. I will never be ashamed to walk into a children's movie again, because these films are not only for children, but also for adults, adolescents, the elderly and everyone else in between. Look for other great animated movies this year such as 'Open Season' and 'Flushed Away'. I guarantee you will not be too disappointed if you let yourself laugh.