Adam Madrid
Release Date: August 12, 2016
Running Time: 1 hour and 28 minutes
Rating: R
Grade: B
Directed by: Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan
WOW! I didn’t think I could be shocked anymore watching a movie. Going into this movie, I already had an idea. After watching the Red Band trailer, also knowing Seth Rogen and the crew behind the movie “This is the End” created this, I was expecting an over the top adult comedy with a Disney twist. It’s a movie with walking, talking food, condiments and everything else that humans see or hear. Mostly takes place at Shopwell’s, the supermarket where all the items there think the Gods (the humans) are taking them to the “Great Beyond” filled with hope and fun.
The movie starts off as a musical, that is composed by “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, and “The Little Mermaid” maestro Alan Menken. In the opening song “The Great Beyond”, the foods sing about wanting humans to take them to a better place. Then takes a turn to set the tone of the film. At this point, parents who brought their children to see this “R rated” movie will realize they messed up and took them to the wrong animated film.
The movie stars Seth Rogen (Frank, one of the hot dogs) as the unlikely hero to try to save the day and get the word out on what awful things the humans do to everything in the supermarket, once they leave after being told by Danny McBride as Honey Mustard, who was returned by human who got the wrong mustard that he witnessed what humans do them in the Great Beyond.
It’s a 4th of July sale and the humans are looking to get what they need. The hot dogs and buns are located front and center of the store. Kristen Wiig (Brenda, one of the hot dog buns) plays Frank’s love interest, tries to help along with a few other characters that join in on the ride, Edward Norton (Sammy Bagel Jr, of course a bagel) and David Krumholtz (Vash, a lavish).
They set out on the journey through the supermarket to find the truth. All while trying to avoid the villain, a jersey shore type of character voiced by Nick Kroll. Frank gets information from Bill Hader (Firewater) and his buddies, Craig Robinson (Mr. Grits) and Scott Underwood (Twink). They are known as the nonperishables. They inform Frank that humans eating the food make them stronger.
Michael Cera (Barry the hotdog) plays a wimpy, cowardly hotdog, which Frank always sticks up for. When they get separated, Barry is with the other hot dogs; they were selected to go the Great Beyond, only to realize humans are only interested in one thing, to eat the food they purchased. He sets on a mission to warn the others by trying to get back to the Supermarket.
The movie also stars Salma Hayek as Teresa (A Taco), Paul Rudd as the Supermarket Employee, James Franco as a Drug Addict, and Jonah Hill as Carl (one of the other hot dogs). Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon direct it. Tiernan is known for directing many Thomas and Friends movies while Vernon is known for directing Madagascar 3, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shrek 2, among others.
The movie is filled with several popular songs like Meatloaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and Spandau Ballet’s True, among others. Producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg said Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, where toys can walk and talk inspired them. The movie took eight years to make so you know it was a passion project for Rogen, Hill and Goldberg.
There are going to be people who will be disgusted by this movie. Watching people’s reaction in the theater made this movie even more enjoyable. Once again, make sure you know what kind of movie you’re going to and don’t be that parent that thinks it’s ok for their kids to view this. Even with the warnings, there is one scene that will have people talking that even I was shocked by so that’s why I say if you have a sense of humor, go see this movie, with caution because this is not the Toy Story type of movie I remember.
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