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A gusty morning at the country house leads George to experiment with aerodynamics/Gnocchi, the cat, is accused of scratching the booths in Chef Pisghetti's restaurant. To prove Gnocchi's innocence (and eat cannoli), George decides to mount an investigation.

George decides to make Compass, a homing pigeon that sometimes has trouble finding his way, a place to stay on their balcony/When George sees a very nice lady leaving packages behind wherever she goes, he figures she must be very forgetful. So he decides to be helpful by gathering all of the packages for her.

When George learns about the meaning and power of zero, he is ready to test out his knowledge./George spills grape juice on the new rug and needs to figure out a way to clean it up before The Man with the Yellow Hat returns!

George decides to build a new boat for Bill for the Model Boat Show after he discovers that Bill's old boat sinks!/Mr. and Mrs. Dulson ask George to wear roller skates in front of their store to attract customers.

After accidentally breaking Professor Wiseman's cuckoo clock, George decides to explore the inside of the BIG library clock to see how it works./In the country, George falls in love with neighbor Bill's new pet bunnies.

Following his nose, George sniffs his way to Chef Pisghetti's Ristorante where he finds Gnocchi the cat./After George's success helping Chef Pisghetti impress a restaurant critic, the Chef suggests that George help his friend Mr. Glass wash the windows of his skyscraper--The Glass Palace.

As lobby dog, it's Hundley's job to keep everything in order. But when George finds some intriguingly shaped packages, the lobby is soon filled with tennis, bowling, and golf balls and a ton of empty boxes!/'Feeding the ducks' turns into a trip down the river for George and Jumpy.

While trying to record different animal sounds in the country, George discovers some amazing things about the dynamics of sound./George really can't wait to see what's inside Professor Wiseman's birthday present. He really can't.

It's Dog Show Day! George and Professor Wiseman spend the day with all kinds of different dogs!/When Bill shows George how Jumpy Squirrel stores his food in the ground, George decides this is a pretty good idea and tries to store all the food in the country house in the ground too.

George is thrilled when Bill asks him to look after his tadpoles./Hundley and George get locked out of the building in the back alley. While trying to find their way back in, they get hopelessly lost.

After a big rain, George is ecstatic to discover ducks swimming in a big puddle next to the country house./On a mission to find magnets to hang his newest masterpiece on the refrigerator, George learns a lot about magnets.

When George accompanies The Man in the Yellow Hat to Dr. Baker's office for his annual check-up, he discovers that a stethoscope is a pretty handy thing to have around!/Mr. Glass is building a new skyscraper in the neighborhood, and George and Gnocchi think that his construction site is more fun than a playground.

George is so entranced by the new, adorable baby panda at the zoo that he stays through closing time and is accidentally locked inside!/Dog sitting Charkie is always a challenge but it's especially difficult today when George really wants to practice his soccer kicks.

The International Space Station's food supply has run out, and George is the only one who has the unique skills needed to fly the rocket and deliver supplies!/George and The Man with the Yellow Hat offer to pick up Bill when his train comes in and when he gets there, Flint Quint, the station master, shows George how he keeps the trains running smoothly!

George gets acquainted with a family of beavers when he notices the impact their dam has on his favorite pond./George can't understand why his high score of 257 isn't a winner when he plays his first game of mini-golf with Steve and Betsy.

The hardest part of counting all the stars in the sky is staying awake long enough, but George is determined./As a reward for helping him wash dishes at the restaurant, Chef Pisghetti gives George an ice cream sculpture in the shape of Gnocchi the cat.

To earn money for a new soccer ball, George decides to set up his own lemonade stand./A new traffic light is installed on the country road and George decides that it would really work a lot better with a few adjustments.

Eating candy is easy, but counting and storting it is much more difficult! George quickly learns this when he agrees to watch Cayley's candy counter for an afternoon!/George is inspired to become a volunteer with the fire department when they help him get his foot unstuck from a chair.

George accidentally loses a batch of Chef Pisghetti's newest creation: Giardino Burgers./Most of the time, George isn't afraid of the dark, but when he explores a mysterious cave, he decides that sometimes the dark can be scary!

The yellow hat comes back from the dry cleaners so beautiful and clean that George can't help wanting to show it off to Compass the pigeon!/While exploring the country, George meets up with a baby bear and a stinging bee.

It's Mr. Quint's birthday and everyone is helping with preparations for a surprise party!/The Man with the Yellow Hat just can't figure out why George refuses to take a bath.

The Man with the Yellow Hat and George are off to the airport to start their vacation. When they get there they discover all of the flights are delayed./George and Mr. Quint discover a freshwater eel in the waters of Lake Wanasink Lake.

When a blizzard covers the country house with a foot of snow, George can't wait to go outside and play./George really wants the toy oven he sees in the window at the toy store, but first he has to find a job to earn the money to buy it.

George loves Leslie the cow, but do she and her friends have to keep eating all those wildflowers that he wants to show The Man with the Yellow Hat?/When George discovers a bone buried in the ground, he's convinced it's got to be part of a dinosaur skeleton--but which one?

George loves his very first camping trip so much that he wants to go again as soon as possible./George isn't tall enough to ride the greatest roller coast of all time, The Turbo Python 3000.

George learns the hard way about bones when he falls and breaks his leg at the museum exploring a dinosaur skeleton./George loves his new bike, especially because it gives him the chance to help Bill with his paper route.

George recruits Charkie, Gnocchi, Hundley and Compass to play in a band inspired by the firefighters at Rescue Squad 86./George and The Man with the Yellow Hat have a sand castle building contest on the beach.

George hears a loud thumping sound coming from the ceiling of their apartment and becomes convinced that the new upstairs neighbor has an elephant as a pet./George gets tired of being a monkey and experiments with being a cat and a pigeon and a dog.

George and Steve borrow Betsy's wagon to pick up a package, but on the way they lose a wheel./George makes friends with a turtle down at Lake Wanasink Lake but worries because the turtle has no thumbs.

The Amazing Balancing Zucchinis come to town, and George realizes that there's nothing he wants more in life than to be an acrobat./Winter is closing in and George is miserable..how's he going to survive without all the fun summertime activities he loves?

Here I am, taking my 2 year old to a movie expecting to be bored stiff. Much to my surprise, my 8 year old also enjoyed it, and my 2 year old sat enraptured and watched the entire movie without a peep. And then talked non-stop about it for the next couple days. That is enough for a positive rating, but I also found myself enjoying this cute movie. Usually for that to happen the movie makers have to put in scenes just for the parents that the kids don't get at all, not here, I found myself chuckling at the same things my daughter did. Just simple innocent monkey business and a bumbling Will Ferrel, it needs no more. I even thought the additions by Jack Lullaby Johnson added to the movie, not just to put the parents asleep. We will definitely end up with this movie on our shelves for the kids, and even the parents can watch it one or 2 more times without going out of our minds with the typical substitute stupid for cute fare that usually passes for children movies.

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My eight-year-old son said to me on the way out 'Mom, that was the best movie I've ever seen'.
Myself? I had my jaw dropped, tears in my eyes, and my spirits were soaring.
Finally - a movie you can take your kids to see with no 'adult humor' that may or may not fly over your kids' heads. No farting or potty humor. A TRUE children's movie that does beautiful justice to the beloved books.
Outstanding traditional animation. Loved all the primary colors! Great soundtrack - just went out and bought it today. I am taking my kids to see this one in the theater again (a first for me), and we can't wait for it to come out on DVD.
Thanks Ron Howard - you have a winner here.

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This was just such an excellent movie. I saw it twice and believe it or not, I'm 17 years old. I work at the movie theater so it's free and all and I watched it one day work. The next day (Valentine's Day) I brought my little 8-year-old sister to see it with me. She loved it. There wasn't any high-complex comedy, just simple child's play, but done so well. Will Ferrell was great as the The Man In The Yellow Hat, his voice had a very friendly feel to it. I think the true magic is the way the artists made George look. Curiosity got the best of me when I asked 'How did they get him to look like the coolest monkey in the world?' Every shot he's in you just can't help but look at him and how goofy/funny/cute/touching he looks. I will admit, a few scenes had me in stomach-aching-laughter. Especially the King Kong take-off scene where George is walking through the city and when he paints the apartment. A cheerful story for every young child and any teenager or adult with an open mind. Pure family fun.

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I'll admit it: when I first saw the trailer for 'Curious George', it inspired in me little more than an eye-roll and a deep sigh of martyrdom. As of late, Hollywood has had a fascination with remaking children's stories from earlier decades, producing such atrocities as 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'The Cat in the Hat', and 'Bad News Bears' (to name just a few). Taking the misguided notion that people actually want to see modernized versions of these stories and combining it with the voice talents of perhaps the most overrated comedy star in Hollywood (Will Ferrell) seemed, at first glance, to be a recipe for certain disaster.
Forced by my little brother to see this and all children's fare, I sat in the darkened theatre of 'Curious George' with a level of anticipation dangerously approaching ennui, fully expecting to be more entertained by the ads promoting the hot buttery popcorn at the concession stand. Then the movie started, and I tried to rearrange the hood of my sweatshirt so that I could catch a few winks without my brother noticing. Begrudgingly, with the reluctance of some bizarre fictional creature being force fed green eggs and ham, I began to pay more and more attention to the film as I was captivated by a surprisingly strong performance by Ferrell and the understated (yet effective) animation. I was surprised to find that there were a few laughs for adults as well as kids, and was shocked to find the plot as one actually worth following.
The premise of the movie: The man in the yellow hat (named 'Ted' in the movie) has the responsibility of discovering an exhibit that will save his beloved museum from becoming a parking garage. He goes overseas, befriends George, and typical 'Curious George' mayhem ensues. George is cute without being cloyingly adorable (not an easy trick in animation), and the script is also faithful to the books in that he doesn't suddenly begin giving verbal discourse on 'War in Peace' (remember when suddenly Tom and Jerry could not only talk but SING in their disaster of a movie?). There are the occasional sight gags (a ship named the 'H.A. Rey' comes to mind) and witty dialogue that make the Pixar films so successful, and the conclusion is satisfying (although the ending scene definitely enters the realm of the deeply weird).
If you're unsure about this film, take it from the word of the deeply skeptical: chances are good that you will you not hate 'Curious George', and odds are that you'll even enjoy it. As 'Yellow Hat' Ted and George fly over the city clinging to a set of balloons (guess I'll have to mark the 'contains spoilers' box for this), he makes the ironic remark that 'This isn't so bad' after all.
We agree, Ted. We agree.

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Anymore animated movies are trying to appeal to adult audiences with crude humor, and double meanings. If I wanted to see an adult movie, I would get a babysitter. This is a movie FOR CHILDREN. I took my 2 and 3 year old girls to see it. It is a visually stunning rendering of the classic children's books. George is wholesome, endearing, and charming. The whimsical animation style breathes life to the character we remember fondly from our youth. He exudes youthful exuberance and energy and mischief.
It is a true G rated movie. I would say it reminds me of Classic Disney but even Cinderella had its wicked stepmother and Sleeping Beauty definitely had its scary moments. There is nothing here to frighten even the smallest children. Only delight them!

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Wow, what a rare treat. A children's animated movie the is completely and totally suitable for children of all ages. I am not easily offended by movies for adults, but as a parent I am simply amazed at how much children's entertainment is really NOT fit children. Cat in the Hat, also from Ron Howard and Imagine, was rude and crass. I am embarrassed when my six year old repeats lines from the movie like the whole dirty hoe thing and all that. This movie is a very gentle and kind movie. No double meanings, no sexually explicate or pop culture references to keep adults interested. A favorite children's book, that with any luck, will be a favorite children's movie. I have a feeling that this film may not be a box office success, yet I still think that it will have a very long life for many years to come on DVD and cable because it is such a great entertaining movie for kids. The Jack Johnson music is perfect. The animated style is wonderful. It is not the all-new and important CGI animation, but a traditionally animated film that uses the old styles that have all but been abandoned in feature films This is the best Disney animated movie that I have seen in the past decade. Well, of course this film isn't made by Disney, but this is the type of film that they should be making, even if only occasionally, as a reminder of what a CHILDREN'S animated movie is supposed to be like. In a way, the film is even sweeter than the stories from which it is based. I really can't find anything wrong with this film for children and as a parent, I was much happier to watch it than Garfield or Shark Tales (both of which I sleep through).

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My wife and I took our 9-year-old to see a sneak preview of 'CG' over the weekend. Going into it, I had reservations--I loved the books and illustrations when I was younger, but I thought my son wouldn't like it & that I would just zone out for 90 minutes. I WAS WRONG! The animation is very well done, probably more computerized than hand-drawn, George thankfully does NOT talk, and the characters are given enough depth & background to sustain a plot for a children's film. The film takes some of the most memorable scenes from the original books & melds them in with the story about a search for a lost idol. The film's humor is aimed squarely at kids & kids at heart. Unlike 'Shrek,' there are no jokes that pass over kid's heads to make the adults laugh--kids & adults alike were howling with laughter at the screening we saw, & my wife even teared up a little at one emotional point. The film has a bouncy background soundtrack made up of songs that sound like something Paul Simon would write. Thoroughly enjoyable, worth seeing, & nothing in it to offend anyone of any age.

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I took my two-year-old son to see this movie, his first in a theater, and we both had a great time. Curious George is a light-hearted, sweet movie that portrays our little monkey's mayhem without resorting to manic pacing, blaring music or wise-cracking.
In fact, the makers deliberately put very little into the movie that is aimed over the children's head and at the parents. So, unlike a Shrek or a Toy Story movie, there was never an instance of a joke that mommy and daddy laugh at and the kids miss. All the jokes are shared.
So, see this movie with a small one. It probably isn't 'slick' enough for anyone over 8. People without small children can take a pass. The most hard core Curious George fans can rent the DVD.

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First off I have to say that I am a huge Curious George fan and have been since I was a little girl. I have to admit that when I saw that they were making my beloved little monkey into a feature film, I was incredibly nervous that his legacy would be ruined. But the movie opened today and my boyfriend and I went to the first matinée at the theater and I LOVED it! I thought it was adorable and true to the style and story of the original book. I loved everything about it. The animation was great, it was nice to see something NOT computer animated for a change. Jack Johnson's music was a perfect fit and watching basically morphed me back 18 years into a 5 year old kid again. It brought me back to watching the old animated stories I watched with my little brother. I think this will be a great thing for getting kids to go and read the books as well. I was in a Borders later in the afternoon and saw two kids buying books and overheard a phone call asking about what books were carried there.
So whether you're 23 and fell in love with George as a kid or you have kids of your own, this is a must see. You'll forget your troubles for the length of the movie.

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From the very first moment that Curious George scampers onto the screen to begin his funny adventures, my heart was swept away with laughter. All my cares disappeared while my wife and I giggled with all the other kids, very young and very old, watching George do his best to do the right thing – only to get in more and more trouble from the adult animals all around. Soon George (a 'monkey' – actually a chimpanzee) finds better times with the animal children, whom he gathers around a chameleon that they light up like a rainbow disco strobe.
Sounds silly? It sure is, and more fun than an elephant with a smiley face painted by George on its butt! (Everyone screamed with laughter at that one.) Within less time than it takes George to settle down for the night, all alone, we're not watching a movie – we're living the adventure with him. For those who have read the Curious George books, you know (or soon remember) how the story goes. For those adults or kids who haven't read the books yet, let the story sweep you away.
For those interested in such curious things: this movie is animated, hand-drawn in vibrant primary colors with fun background music by Jack Johnson. It's faithful to the spirit and drawings of Margret and H.A. Rey who created the Curious George books. If you have any youth in your heart, you will be delightfully swept away by the good ship H.A. Rey into the antic-filled, lovely and gentle world of Curious George and his new family.
I had a gentle, fun good time seeing this movie with my wife (a grandma). So did the preview theater, full not only with kids of all ages with their parents & grandparents, but a couple in their 20's on a date! This is a really gentle, really good movie.

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Attended the world premiere yesterday for Curious George. The movie is true to the spirit of the original work of the Reys'. For a full-length animated feature that was under a tremendous production schedule (not counting the 14+ years of development), Imagine Entertainment really pulled it together quite well. The traditional 2-D animation, a collaboration of from animators in over 10 countries, is very good and a nice throwback and change from all the CGI animation more prevalent today. What really makes this film are the songs by Jack Johnson--the two fit together perfectly. Overall, this is a cute movie and a perfect way to spend an afternoon or evening with your young children. For those adults who grew up with Curious George, they too will not be disappointed in the film's light-hearted, warm approach to the original character.

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FINALLY someone has actually made a family movie. No sly innuendo, pop culture references or nonsense! My kids thoroughly loved it and its proof that these Hollywood people can stop trying to please the selfish segment of adult society that wants themselves to be entertained by Children's movies.Growe up! This movie, like all kids movies should be, is for kids.It was thoroughly entertaining and is the first kids movie in some time that seemed to actually have been made for kids. Let them be kids..not adults. .and enjoy this thoroughly entertaining movie!!!!It was well written, our kids enjoyed the music and laughed a lot. if they made more kids movies like this our family would go out to the movies far more often. Our kids loved the books and the film was fairly true to the books. They finally did a kids movie for kids with no hidden Hollywood agenda.

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I fell so in love with this movie. I didn't intend to see it, but my 3 year old niece sort of manipulated us into going. (How can you say no when they go 'pweeez?'
I recommend this for people without children as well. George is adorable. We laughed and were charmed completely by this movie. I cried (yes, it's true, I cried) when George got scared and reached for the man that he saw as his protector.
I left the theater smiling. Any time that I leave happier than when I went in, that makes it a 10 moment for me. Plus, it made me come home and hug my cat (who is very much like George!).
Pure innocence, I love seeing it.

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Curious George is a rare thing in Hollywood these days: a big budget feature ($50,000,000) that is specifically tailored to small children. Oh yes, they could have possibly made more of a profit had it been a straight to DVD release or put in less effort into the animation, but the studio decided to have some balls, take a risk, and go all out for this feature. I am so glad they did! This film avoids a lot of the pop culture references that one finds in most animated features and decides to focus on George's antics. That was a very good decision. Kids can identify with a curious monkey with seemingly limitless energy, an excitable innocence, and fun filled nature. The opening credits clearly establish the personality and good humor of George, and it just gets better from there. Jack Johnson was commissioned to write the music, and his whimsy is a perfect compliment to the mood of the movie. No, it is not a perfect film that transcends the genre of animated movies and there are plot holes. But in a film so fun loving and innocent, who cares about the small details. This film is appropriate from age 2 and up. Parents will enjoy seeing their kids laugh and having a good time. Simply put, if you want something safe for kids to watch, get this movie. Or better yet, read them the original Curious George stories.

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I remember reading the books as a CHILD, so i wasn't sure what i was in for when i took my son to see the movie.. well needless to say WE loved it. yes, i said WE! i enjoyed myself. and as we left the theater my son and I agreed this is one movie we will buy! :) it kept us laughing the whole time. and truly was unlike other children movies i have taken my son too.. this one actually had parents interested and laughing along with our children. Not often that happens. Movie was well made. I wish i knew when we could be expecting it to be released on DVD. the excitement is killing my son,. OK I will admit, I cant wait to own it and watch it again with my son! TWO thumbs up!!!

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Universal Studios and Imagine Entertainment have, in the past, co-conspired to produce two truly offensive cinematic travesties of iconic children's books: 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' and 'The Cat and the Hat'. With 'Curious George' I am delighted and relieved to say that in this instance tragedies do not come in threes. Simple, charming, attractively animated (by hand, with some 3D effects which blend in well), appropriate for kids, with no Seinfeldian self- consciousness or Adam Sandler-style gross-out humor, this film is near perfect.
I say near perfect because of Will Ferrell's vocal performance as The Man in the Yellow Hat (now named Ted) is a misfire. If he talked about 35% as much as he does in the film he would be just right. He's still better than in the god-awful 'Bewitched' pseudo-remake. But that's a small price to pay for one of the few genuinely appropriate-for-children children's movies since the Jim Henson-era Muppet movies.
'George' succeeds where every post-Lilo and Stitch, non-Pixar Disney film has failed. Yet the finger-licking' bad, sub-Dreamworks 'Chicken Little' made more money.

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My introduction to the world of 'Curious George' before seeing the movie adaptation was to read a couple of his books to my nephew a few weeks prior. During, it became pretty clear to me that I wish I'd been so introduced when I was little. I thought it was just so cool that there are still children's books that are highly revered for their ability to inspire kids to be curious and enthusiastic about their surroundings - as opposed to just the ones that inspire action through superstrength or superpowers (or at least to little kids, they're superhuman). Those books are fun too, without a doubt, but they just don't seem to make that great of a lasting impression at the outset.
'Curious George' is the first widely released feature film since 2004's 'Home on the Range' that is classically animated by hand instead of by computer. And what an awesome choice this was, because so many dimensions of George's personality could never have been rendered by a soul-less computer program. Nearly every time we see George, he has a gaping, ear-to-ear grin that is hard to mistake for anything other than sheer enthusiasm. We know he's enraptured with anything new he sees because he sees the potential for not only the fun he can have with it, but what it can teach him. Save for a couple noticeable flaws in animation (usually only when a character is moving or walking about), the overall animation and character design is very fluid and pleasing. George is a fun, cuddly, awe-inspiring furry little kid that the more humanesque little kids will (and did) absolutely love to watch.
The timing of George's unleashing to the country's silver screens couldn't be better for a couple reasons. First that there are hardly any so-called family movies that can really be classified as..family movies. Last year's 'Chicken Little' is barely qualifiable because of its excessive potty humor, which even the little kids of the audience didn't respond lightly to. 'Madagascar' doesn't have much slack to qualify, either. 'George' is the first family film in recent memory that is reliant on --get this-- NO POTTY HUMOR! NONE! It takes class these days to entertain through story and characters rather than punchlines and gags (more kinds than just one).
Second, though my initial impressions are that this won't kill the box office competition, I sure hope this stirs up people's memories of seeing magnificent classically animated films past. The Disney Dynasty is an easy victim here, having put out nearly all the animated 90's films that are considered 'new classics'. Point? I see 'George' as capable of stirring the stale pot of cloned cookie cutter family flicks around, and inspiring something creative and new, just like Disney did with their new classics. With the increasing amalgam of 3d-animated copycat 'Lion King meets the Great Escape' iterations, I for one would view future efforts of George's caliber as very welcome.
Really, it's about time a family film arrives that makes the oldest family members laugh just as hysterically as the youngest ones. Not only am I more, uh..curious to get familiar with the books, I'm stoked to buy the DVD release. 'Curious George' is an absolutely, unabashedly fun animated movie that inspires nearly everybody to take off their blinders every now and again to find out how much of life can be discovered by a fresh, new perspective and, dare I say, a little kid's ever curious perspective.
'Curious George' gets 9 of 10 stars

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We've all had times, when you go to a shoe store, just to look around, but then you find a perfect pair and end up absolutely loving them. Well, that's a lot like me and Curious George, the movie. I walked into this movie expecting to have a nice little relaxing afternoon with my three year old cousin. I, being thirteen, truly found humor in Curious George. I laughed at all the same times with my cousin, Beth, and that made me feel like we were both having a great time.
Jack Johnson's music is an absolute perfect fit. His soundtrack for the movie (which I ran out to get right after I saw the movie) has beautiful music and it worked great with the movie.
I'll agree with many others here, this movie was nothing like Shrek, which I personally find disturbing with all of the adult humor. A great kid's movie.. finally! Hopefully Curious George will inspire other movie makers to get back on track and learn to entertain kids! If you have not seen this movie, I would very highly recommend it! You'll be in for a real treat. Believe it or not, I'm persuading my eighth grade friends to come see it with me again. I end up dragging them in, and laughing with them out. I promise you'll enjoy it, no matter what age you are!

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First off, let me say that this is a movie for younger children. The sneak preview that I attended was filled with laughter from the children in the audience and my 4 year old wants to see it again. Those adults looking for a comedy in the vein of 'Shrek' or 'The Incredibles' will be disappointed. Those thinking along the lines of 'Clifford's Really Big Movie' will be pleasantly surprised. Those fearing the worst that this is another 'Garfield', breathe easy. Watching Curious George is a perfectly pleasant way to spend an hour and a half with your child. The 2D treatment was much more appropriate for bringing H.A. Rey's books to the screen than the computer generated style that is predominant it today's animated films. While Curious George won't be on my list of this year's favorites, it was a warm, endearing film that evoked warm memories of my childhood.

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A good deal of kid's movies these days are bitter and heartless, shoving the obligatory life lessons down the throats of the children and off-the-wall 'mature' humour down throats of the older audience members. They have insane budgets and flashy effects, but don't go anywhere. Curious George is a breath of fresh air from all of this.
It's simple in style, with that wholesome feeling within that only hand-drawn animation can bring. The movie uses a palette of nice and bright colours, is chock full of adorable character designs, has static backgrounds best described as 'pretty', and is breathtakingly beautiful in its modesty.
The plot is surprisingly good, and there are a lot of memorable moments and funny jokes. In the whole movie, maybe one fell flat- if that. I'm thirteen, an American in her early teens, the most discriminating of all moviegoers, and even through the inconceivable cuteness, I liked this. It wasn't too babyish, it was just cute. Cute, funny, and loads of fun that really captures the spirit of the original Curious George. It wasn't made as a ploy to sell Happy Meal toys, it was made as a good movie to go out and see with your family or a friend. It takes your soul back in time, back when everything was happy butterflies and Vegemite. Make time for this one.

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Being a traditional animator, I really want this film to succeed, and fortunately after a sneak preview yesterday, I can honestly say that it's a really great film. I highly recommend it. The review from my blog: The story is simple (which does not mean 'bad'): a curious monkey who gets into trouble in the jungle of Africa meets up with a man in a yellow hat (who, by the way is tricked into getting such a silly costume and ridiculed by his shipmates) who is exploring the jungle looking for an ancient idol. Ted (the man in the yellow hat) is a museum guide who is searching for the idol to bring back to the museum because they are bad off financially and hope that the idol (that is supposed to be huge) will bring them the notoriety to stay open. The museum owner sends Ted on the expedition, but his son, Jr. is jealous of Ted and sabotages the exploration by changing the map. In the jungle Ted finds what he thinks is the idol but really . . . something more. Suffice it to say that it looks just like the idol, but in miniature form. in a hilarious joke that I don't want to ruin, the museum owner gets word that the idol Ted has found is enormous and starts a huge press conference and ad campaign. As Ted is getting ready to leave the jungle his hat is snatched by the little monkey who believes it first to be a banana, then a hiding place. Ted plays with the monkey a bit, but has to leave back home to break the bad news. The monkey (who has not yet been named) is not done playing, however, and he follows Ted to the ship (complete with appropriate product placement) and thusly to New York where Ted lives. Fun adventures ensue while the fun story of misunderstandings between the museum continue. There's even some romance for Ted thrown in for good measure. Ted learns about friendship from the little guy that he eventually names George, and it's not such an easy path to a happy ending as you might think The films has some of the best animation seen in years. And this comes as no surprise considering the talent one finds in the credits. Dave Brewster, from Dreamworks (Young Moses and Older Ramases in 'Prince of Egypt'), Disney, Turner Animation, and just about every other animation company in America (and Canada) leads the animation of George. The style is not quite that from the books, but close enough, and Brewster brings the strong poses he brought to Danny in 'Cats Don't Dance' to the picture. John Pomeroy (Mrs. Brisby from 'Secret of NIMH' and John Smith from Pocahontas) animates Maggie (Ted's love interest) with all the graceful dimensionality one can expect. The lead animator of Ted (who I think was also David Brewster, but I will check on) never lets him turn into a 2 dimensional character which comes naturally when he spends a lot of time chasing George.
When I heard Will Ferrell was in this, I was not impressed. I was afraid the movie would become 'The Man With the Yellow Hat: the Movie.' And being the only one of the duo that speaks, Ferrell does have a lot of screen time and voice work, but he is fun and surprisingly, not nearly as over the top as he is in his live action films. Drew Barrymore is as good as she ever is in animated films- which is great! I think Drew has a very good voice for animation and is a good actress and voice-actress. She makes Maggie sweet and kind- she also is kinda the voice of reason for Ted. The real star of this film however, is Frank Welker who provides George's squeaks and grunts. This may seem easy, but that's only because Frank 'Man of 1000 voices' Welker makes it look easy. He brings such warmth and depth to George in the same way he did with Abu in Aladdin or any other of his animal voices in the over 500 titles that have his name to them. (Ironically, as of this writing, Welker is NOT listed on the IMDb page or the film, even though he is the first credited in the end titles).
George's silence (or, only monkey voices) was a stipulation of the estate of the creators (not that giving him a speaking voice would have made the film any better). So to fill time the creators did what many American animation producers do. They brought in a musician. In this case, unlike 'Toy Story' it works. Jack Johnson provides tunes to collaborate with George's on screen antics. Like any good song writer, Johnson has created songs that are totally serviceable to the film, but 'liftable' to be played outside the film's content, which means that hopefully these songs will also be on the radio to help promote the film. They'll certainly be in my CD player as soon as the soundtrack is released on Tuesday.
Beautiful looking, fun story and great songs make up a film that is a fantastic testament to what traditional animation can and should do for film. Let's hope audiences agree and Hollywood gets the message.

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I went and saw a screening for this at City Walk last week. The real secret to Curious George is that it is the Fantasia of 2006. There are some serious undertones going on here. In the beginning of the movie, George is distracted by serious munchies when he spots a 6 foot tall banana and has to follow it from the jungle to the US. Need I say more? There is a definite low-key vibe to the movie that is refreshing. Though I have read comments about the animation style, the bright primary colors really worked for me. Me and my girlfriend are big fans of Jack Johnson and his music complements the mellow groove of George very nicely. This monkey is highly recommended for a perfect stony Sunday for you, some refreshments, and some friends.

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I saw Curious George yesterday, and I pretty much knew from the previews that I would not be disappointed. I absolutely loved it! I think that they really captured the 'essence' of George. I have always been a huge fan, and even though George in the movie is just a little bit different looking than the original, he is SO CUTE none the less. I was one of the few adults in attendance without a child, but that did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying myself. Also, I am a huge Drew Barrymore fan, so her doing the voice of Maggie was an added bonus! The music was awesome, I would definitely recommend the soundtrack. What more can I say, other than when this movie comes out on DVD I will definitely be adding it to my collection. I waited 3 years to see this since first hearing about it..worth the wait, it was.

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I just got back from seeing this movie with my best guy friend and honestly, it was AMAZING! I was a little apprehensive about spending the 10.95 because frankly, I didn't know how good the movie would actually be. Usually the commercials show the best clips of the movie but the best parts of this movie were so subtle! My favorite part was when they were driving down the street, and George was creating quite a commotion and Ted looks back and yells 'I don't think it's humanly possible for me to do that!' or something of that nature. No little kids get it, but it's not so crude that parents would worry about their children hearing it. I love how the movie incorporates adult jokes and childish jokes.
The animation is spectacular, using 2D as well as 3D effects. The movement is flawless and it's just downright CUTE! And the music is wonderful. I wasn't a fan of Jack Johnson until I saw this movie.
Overall, one of the best movies I've seen. Ever.

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Watching 'Curious George' reminded me of what it is that takes me to the movies: an communal experience where the silver screen grabs you, bewitches you for 90 minutes with a well-told and executed story. There are segments in 'George' when you have to catch your breath because the screen is bursting with color, music, and magic. The use of primary colors, the simple, yet sweet and touching story pulls you forward with sure footing.
It has been a while since a children movie has not relied on just a plain good old-fashioned tale. 'George' doesn't have any clever and snide remarks, and it sure is not blatantly using the latest talent and/or placement of any brands to wink at its audience. Instead its central characters establish a strong bond that is easily communicated to the story. These are simple and vital emotions conveyed by the surprising strong vocal acting by Ferrell, the always reliable and enchanting Drew Barrymore, and solid support by David Cross and Dick Van Dyke.
'George' is fun, delicious, enjoyable, and a classic from beginning to end. The best part is that its main character does not utter a single word. Here full emotion is portrayed through old fashioned animation with realism that shatters any of the wonders of 3D-computerized advances. Go and enjoy.

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