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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

    ‘Surf’s Up’ rides penguin popularity into theaters

    Baby penguins from Surfs Up up the cute factor.
    Baby penguins from “”Surf’s Up”” up the cute factor.

    If you’re only going to watch one movie about computer-animated surfing penguins this year, this is the film for you! Although most of us may be wondering how “”Surf’s Up”” made it past conception, the even stranger mystery is how the filmmakers were able to pull it off.

    The mockumentary style computer-animation film is a unique take on the penguin-phenomena, which, between “”March of the Penguins”” and “”Happy Feet,”” should have never begun in the first place. “”Surf’s Up”” is able to better all of these movies, being it won’t lull you to sleep or deafen you with grating musical numbers. Plus the baby penguins in “”Surf’s Up”” are way cuter.

    However, for those of you seeking refuge from Shia LaBeouf, you’ve come to the wrong place.

    The up-and-coming actor, who seems to be everywhere between his starring roles in “”Disturbia”” and next month’s “”Transformers,”” also voices the main character in “”Surf’s Up.”” In addition, the movie features the voice talent of Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder (“”Napoleon Dynamite””), Jeff Bridges and Diedrich Bader (one of the not-so-funny guys from the “”Drew Carey”” show).

    “”Surf’s Up”” follows aspiring surfer, Cody Maverick (LaBeouf), as he works toward his dream of achieving penguin surfing greatness. Following in the footsteps of surfing legend Big-Z (Bridges), Cody winds up traveling from

    “”Surf’s Up””
    Rating: PG
    Length: 85 min.
    Sony Pictures Animation

    frigid Antarctica to the Penguin Surfing World Championships. Once there he must face off against surfing bad-boy Tank Evans (Bader) while looking after his friend, Chicken Joe (Heder), who he’s picked up along the way.

    Although “”Surf’s Up”” may be marketed to kids, the story is also spliced with subtle adult humor; the movie’s narcissistic villain is obsessed with “”polishing his trophies,”” one of the character’s non-existent genitals are blurred, and who can forget the scene that culminates with glowworm scat? Certainly not me! I guarantee you this movie probably has some obscene collection of hidden phalluses in it like “”The Little Mermaid.””

    Putting the realm of possible boners aside, “”Surf’s Up”” is enjoyably cute and genuinely funny at the same time. From the handful of CGI flicks featuring talking animals, “”Surf’s Up”” is one of a few that hit its mark. “”Surf’s Up”” is a film that is entertaining for everybody.

    Now, if they could only start making more live-action movies with real animals talking-that’s comedy.

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