Warner Bros' Yogi Bear DVD release.

Eric Brevig has made better films than this, such as Lost Boys and Men in Black; but saying that this is true to the feel of the Hanna Barbera cartoon as one of the special features points out.

The setting is Jellystone park as usual (if you have never seen the original cartoon.).

The only place on the planet where there are two bears capable of speech, and one with the IQ that is higher than the average bear, (to paraphrase the original cartoon); Yogi, Dan Ackroyd (Blues Brothers 1&2) is fixated with acquiring the campers pick-a-nic baskets whilst Boo boo, Justin Timberlake (Shrek the Third) tries to reason logic to something that never listens.

There are many escapades and contraptions built by yogi for the acquiring of the aforementioned pick-a-nic baskets, only to find out that all his efforts are in vain as the corrupt Mayor Brown Andrew Daly (Semi Pro) has bankrupt the city and the only way to make money is to rezone the park thus selling it to loggers.

This is where Anna Faris, Rachel (Scary Movie 4) and Tom Cavanagh, Head Ranger Smith (Scrubs) try to come up with a plan to stop the sale of the park, whilst Ranger Jones T.J. Miller ( Gulliver Travels) works naively with the mayor.

For anyone under the age 12 this will be a romp in Jellystone Park. Older people will prefer the original cartoon because the ability to do something that has already been done is never the main attraction: All hail the space shuttle.

The CG is good but has been better applied in other films such as Shrek. The actors do a good enough job for the under teens, but there are a few points where I giggled but not from where I usually giggle from.

All in all this is a 4 star film which all the family will enjoy. Whether it is a classic that's up to you to decide.

Special features:

• Jellystone Park Jewel: Litter Bug. 1min 12secs of ranger Jones picking up litter.
• Jellystone Park Jewel: Yogi's secret hiding spot. 1min 40 secs of ranger Jones pulling camping equipment from the back of a tree.
• Yogi Bears Mashup. 3min 30secs of old and new footage showing the similarities between the old and the new.
• Feature 1hr 10 mins.

Available to by on DVD or Blu-ray now

Yogi gets a Gala Screening

Yesterday at Vue Leicester Square Yogi Bear got it's UK Gala Screening. The nice people over at Filmbeat were there to cover the event and have kindly released a video report about the event.

Live-Action/ CG Animated Adventure in 3D. Everyone's favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear makes his big-screen debut in the 3D family animated adventure "Yogi Bear." Jellystone Park has been losing business so greedy Mayor Brown decides to shut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors - and, even worse, Yogi, Boo Boo and all their forest friends will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the average bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smith to find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever.

Yogi Bear hits UK Cinemas February 11th, 2011
www.yogibearmovie.co.uk

More from your Not so Average Bear

Warner Bros as just released some new images for Yogi Bear to complement the ones released in early January. Also, I have managed to find the UK trailer.

Live-Action/ CG Animated Adventure in 3D. Everyone's favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear makes his big-screen debut in the 3D family animated adventure "Yogi Bear." Jellystone Park has been losing business so greedy Mayor Brown decides to shut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors - and, even worse, Yogi, Boo Boo and all their forest friends will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the average bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smith to find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever.

Yogi Bear hits UK Cinemas February 11th, 2011
www.yogibearmovie.co.uk
© Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved

Not Your Average Bear

Growing up watching the The Yogi Bear Show from Hanna-Barbera I was a little worried when I head about a film version. Warner Brothers have seemed to have done a reasonable job of transferring the characters to the big screen. However, I'm not sure about casting Justin Timberlake as Boo-Boo is a good idea. Dan Aykroyd as Yogi seems to be a good choice.

There is a US trailer below the poster and images so please scroll down and tell me what you think.

I'm not sure if there is a UK trailer available yet but here is the final, domestic, US trailer.

Live-Action/ CG Animated Adventure in 3D. Everyone's favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear makes his big-screen debut in the 3D family animated adventure "Yogi Bear." Jellystone Park has been losing business so greedy Mayor Brown decides to shut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors - and, even worse, Yogi, Boo Boo and all their forest friends will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the average bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smith to find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever.

Yogi Bear hits UK Cinemas February 11th, 2011
www.yogibearmovie.co.uk
© Warner Bros.