Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
No Result
View All Result
Home Studios

DVD Review: ‘Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle’

AJ Howell by AJ Howell
June 23, 2015
in Studios
4 min read
2
DVD Review: ‘Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle’
1.8k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

985DD867-C5FE-472E-90B6-9AD0E02FC19D

When it comes to children’s book franchises, few are more enduring than Curious George. The inquisitive monkey, along with his yellow-hatted friend Ted, made his official debut in H.A. Rey’s 1941 book Curious George. The franchise hasn’t lost any steam since then; along with the books, George’s adventures have continued through animated TV series, animated shorts, the 2006 theatrical film, and a direct-to-video sequel.

Now, another installment is added to George’s exploits, and it’s a great one. I’m talking about Curious George 3: Back To The Jungle. The direct-to-video film is being released by Universal 1440 Entertainment on June 23, 2015 (that’s today!).

Now, we come to the question that all of you are probably asking: “Should I buy this DVD?” Sit back, friend, and I’ll tell you.

0

After a hectic kite chase in the park, George (Frank Welker) and Ted (Jeff Bennett) are approached by Mr. Houston (John Goodman), an official for a NASA-like space exploration institute. Houston offers George the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to space. George’s assignment is to take a piece of equipment off a defunct space satellite, go to a dam in Africa, and install the piece of equipment on an antenna on top of said dam. Once this piece of equipment is installed, the antenna will broadcast to other dams in the area, providing the vital link in the dam system’s operations. Houston tells George that, once the dams are functioning properly, they will regulate the flooding that’s devastated the surrounding jungle. Ted is initially reluctant to let George go on the mission but, after some begging from George, Ted agrees.

The first leg of the mission goes well; George retrieves the piece of equipment without trouble. However, during re-entry, George accidentally causes the space capsule systems to go haywire. George bails out of the capsule, which disappears into the African jungle with the piece of equipment still on board. Now, a whole host of problems open up: Houston and Ted must find George, they must find the piece of equipment, and they must install it on the antenna. Oh, and did I mention the huge storm bearing down on the area?

39553421970993450504There’s one thing that the filmmakers behind the Curious George movies have always been good at: crafting exciting, suspenseful plots that are still kid-friendly and warm. This new movie is no exception. I was totally engaged in the plot from beginning to end. The film moves from one exciting locale (space) to another (African jungle) smoothly, and it does so by keeping the chain of events moving swiftly. The story takes lots of unexpected turns, which helps keep the film interesting.

The wonderful plot is even more remarkable since the movie doesn’t have a typical villain. Each character in the film is likable and honest, and each wants to do what’s best for the people and animals around them. I guess, if you had to put your finger on a villain, it would be the storm bearing down on the area. It does make an effective antagonist; if left unchecked, it could ravage the jungle. The storm gives all the characters in the film something to rally against.

vlcsnap-2015-06-18-15h12m33s774This brings us to the look of the film. The animation is impeccable; each character is well designed and easy to look at. Personally, though, I was most impressed with the animators’ use of light and shadow. The film has a bright and airy look and, obviously, that look was achieved by the use of a lot of bright light. The film is also filled with realistic-looking shadows, but the film doesn’t look dark and grim as a result. This is definitely due to the animators’ careful attention.

Bright colors also help build the movie’s warm vibe. The backgrounds are filled with bright shades of green, red, blue, and yellow, which make the film feel open, airy, and easier to watch. The only time the movie gets dark is when the storm clouds roll in, but that’s only for a brief time and it actually works to push the plot forward. Things get darker just in time for the exciting final scenes to start, and the different look totally helped keep me interested in what happened.

The bonus features on the DVD… well, I’ll be honest. They’re a little sparse. They’re fun, though! The sole feature is a sing-along, which includes the four songs featured throughout the film. This might not sound like much but, trust me, you’ll want to sing along to these songs. Each one (particularly my personal favorite, “Ordinary Superman”) is catchy and fun to listen to. If you can listen to any of these songs without tapping your feet or snapping your fingers, you’re a stronger person than me!

So, with that, we come to the question we opened with: “Should I buy this DVD?” My answer is a resounding yes! Curious George 3: Back To The Jungle is a warm, uplifting, fun film. It’s definitely one you’ll want for your library!

Purchase

Curious George 3: Back To The Jungle: Amazon | iTunes

What do you think? Will you buy Curious George 3?

Edited by: Hannah Wilkes

Tags: curious georgecurious george 3Curious George 3: Return To The Jungle
Previous Post

Weekend Box Office: ‘Inside Out’ A Winner in Its Own Right

Next Post

Annecy 2015: ‘Zootopia’ is an “Old-School” Talking-Animal Movie

AJ Howell

AJ Howell

AJ's love of movies began when his mom took him to see The Lion King on a warm California day in 1994. He left the theater with his mind blown and with a strong desire to become a filmmaker. AJ's fascinated with films of all kinds, but animated films have always held a special place in his heart, particularly Disney animation, the work of Chuck Jones, and Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson's Peanuts specials. His favorite animated films include (but aren't limited to) Frozen, Beauty And The Beast, Surf's Up, The Bugs Bunny/RoadRunner Movie, and Toy Story 3. Along with films, AJ also loves pop and rock music, hiking, the beach, comic books, traveling, writing, acting, and baseball.

Related Posts

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?
Animated Movies

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

July 1, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon
Animation Addicts Podcast

Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

June 28, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs
Animation Addicts Podcast

Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs

June 21, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #253: Categorizing the Pixar Songs
Animation Addicts Podcast

Animation Addicts Podcast #253: Categorizing the Pixar Songs

May 31, 2022
Load More
Next Post
Here is Your First Look at the Characters from Disney’s “Zootopia”!

Annecy 2015: 'Zootopia' is an "Old-School" Talking-Animal Movie

Discussion about this post

Popular Posts

  • [REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More? 97 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon 78 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess 41 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There? 26 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs 21 views
  • 11k Fans
  • 12k Followers
  • 5.8k Followers
  • 5.3k Followers

Recently Added

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

July 1, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

June 28, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs

Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs

June 21, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There?

Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There?

June 14, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess

Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess

June 7, 2022
Rotoscopers

© 2019 Rotoscopers

Important Links

  • About
  • Support
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy
  • User Posts

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar

© 2019 Rotoscopers

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Posting....