If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called "The Adventures of Tintin". I know I remember them. This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011.
After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present. With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries...
The story is really quite good. It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters. This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's. In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking. I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one exciting event to the next.
The characters, with some minor changes are still very much what I remembered from the old comic. They were all engaging, and likable. Even the villain was enjoyable. Smarmy and arrogant- but enjoyable none the less. There were no superfluous characters. Each served a purpose, and served it well as the story advanced. I eagerly followed them on their adventure.
The voice acting was phenomenal. Each performer brought a lot of depth and life to their roles. I was extremely pleased by them. Special recognition to Andy Serkis for his portrayal of Captain Haddock. The voice and performance was, in my opinion, flawless.
As you can see from the shot at the top, the computer animation was superb, and managed to escape the "uncanny valley" that makes CGI characters more creepy than human. When combined with the motion capture used, the animation ascended to the next level- especially during the motorbike chase scene in Bagghar. You need to watch it to believe just how well crafted, complex, and exciting it is. Just jaw droppingly amazing.
If you haven't already- watch "The Adventures of Tintin". You won't regret it. I don't regret seeing it, and I don't regret putting it in "The Good".
Totally agree with this! 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man' definitely sits in that 'comfort movie' zone for me too. It’s not groundbreaking, but there’s something about the characters and the setting that just works, especially when you’re in the mood for a laid-back action flick. I’ve always thought Marlboro’s rugged look in the movie was iconic—something about that shearling jacket just screams classic tough guy. I actually found a jacket inspired by it from here: https://safyd.com/product/tan-brown-faux-shearling-jacket/ a while back, and it’s been my go-to for colder days. Crazy how a movie like this can stick with you in ways you wouldn’t expect!
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