HORTON HEARS A WHO

RYAN: I am so thrilled and honored that you graced me with your presence at an animated film! It’s so rare.

CAROLINE: It’s not that rare. I accompanied you to several of them last year. I just didn’t go kicking and screaming this time.

RYAN: Well, I don’t expect you to come to them anymore, so I’m thrilled when you choose to.

CAROLINE: And the reason I did is twofold: 1) Steve 2) Carell. I also enjoy the Jim Carrey. And of all the animated films I’ve seen in the last couple years, this one was easily the best.

RYAN: Jim and Steve C. co-star in the latest Dr. Seuss film, “Horton Hears a Who,” and this to me is the best film incarnation of any Dr. Seuss book ever. It’s so much better than any version of the Grinch I’ve seen. The animation is outstanding, it’s cute, endearing and even funny – I think we both laughed out loud a few times. Carol Burnett is brilliant as the evil kangaroo.

CAROLINE: There are tons of voices you will recognize, including Amy Poehler from SNL, her husband Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Jamie Pressley, who I didn’t know was in the movie but I was able to identify her voice and I’m very proud of myself for that. And best of all, it’s not even 90 minutes long.

RYAN: It has the Dr. Seuss rhymes, and I loved how Horton’s imagination was in 2-D animation. It was like a throwback to the classic Dr. Seuss cartoons of yore.

CAROLINE: I didn’t remember this book that well, but I love that the Whos are in it because I love them in the Grinch animated movie. “Horton Hears a Who” is very cute though I must confess that I did allow myself to doze briefly.

RYAN: Really?

CAROLINE: Yeah. You didn’t catch that?

RYAN: [laughs’ I saw you looking down, but I didn’t know you were sleeping! I thought you were stretching your neck out or something.

CAROLINE: [laughs’ I love it. I was wondering why you didn’t bust me. But I really did enjoy this movie. There are several jokes for adults including a rousing rendition of REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling” at the end.

RYAN: I love any movie that ends in a musical number.

CAROLINE: Bottom line?

RYAN: I recommend this movie for all ages. Adults who enjoy animated films will love this. The animation is so good that it almost looks like Claymation in some scenes.

CAROLINE: There were a couple brief shots at the beginning where I thought the forest and the raindrops were actually real. It’s pretty amazing. As you know I don’t do animated movies, but this one is as cute as they come and it’s got a good message. There were a couple of tots at our screening and they were having a grand old time and clapping at the end. One particularly self-aware kid said aloud, “I’m scared of that eagle,” which was hilarious even though it was a vulture.

RYAN: Kids will absolutely eat this movie up. Take one with you and go see it immediately.