Gnomeo & Julia

Gnomeo (James McAvoy) is a blue gnome, and Juliet (Emily Blunt) is a red gnome from next door. Neither side gets along including the human owners. One night, Gnomeo and Juliet meet and they fall in love before they realize they're on opposite sides. Now they must deal with their battling families.

It's an animated story of Romeo and Juliet produced by Elton John. It's notable for the many Elton John songs. However there isn't much truly funny moments. The comic relief lack real comedy. And the lead voices don't have anything special. They make the mistake of using their regular voices. They really need to develop their cartoon voices. The story is fair and watchable. It doesn't have the memorable characters needed.

I really like this movie. It was cute, fun and action packed. My family and I laughed a lot, and I loved all the music by Elton John especially the song "Crocodile Rock." We were dancing in our seats! This is the kid's version of the William Shakespeare classic love story "Romeo and Juliet," but made for kids. I think what makes this movie so cute is the majority of the characters are garden gnomes that come to life when the humans aren't looking. I enjoyed all the characters. I thought they all did a great job, but I do have my favorites. Gnomeo, voiced by James McAvoy, was very adventurous and ready to accept any challenge. Juliet, voiced by Emily Blunt she was an attractive, brave tough little cookie whose father, Lord Redbrick voiced by Michael Caine, is an over protective father. He reminds me of my father! Finally Nanette the frog, voiced by Ashley Jensen - I think she brought a lot of humor to this movie. I particularly liked her red lips and long eyes lashes. I rate this movie 5 out of 5 stars. I thought it was hilarious, and cute. I recommend this movie to kids 5 and up, because it does have a few violent scenes. So If you want to laugh and listen to good music at the same time. you must see this one! Reviewed by Ny'Asia Bell, age 7, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Okay, so I bought myself a pack of 10 movie-tickets from Hoyts and thought "what the heck" lets see a movie with the family. So, we went for Gnomeo and Juliet and we really, really enjoyed it. Yes, the movie is predictable from start to finish, but I say: "So what!" It's supposed to be a family/kids movie and we all know that this movie is not going to end like the real Romeo and Juliet. The characters are funny, the voices are great, the flamingo(s) even better. The Terrafirmanator is cool - I would like to order three and have them delivered within the next 5 minutes. Mixing in the music of good old Sir Elton John makes the movie even better - it becomes so English! Mmmm... the end-scene did remind me of Shrek a lot (just a lot softer, which makes sense them being a bunch of garden gnomes - they are quite fragile), but it's still very, very positive. Yeah, I believe Gnomeo and Juliet is a must see for the family - you won't regret it. Oh, please observe the sound when the gnomes happen to touch each other - I think the sound artists have done a fantastic job!

In the beautiful British town of Stratford-Upon-Avon there's a street where the owners of two neighbouring houses have no idea of the rich lives being led in their backyards. In these backyards there are two groups of garden gnomes - one garden is ruled by the blue hatted variety, the other is ruled by the red hatted variety. An age old feud - of which the reason has long since been forgotten - is keeping them apart, but unexpected events might just be enough to get them back together again.

Loosely based on the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo And Juliet this animation film keeps the middle line between tragicomedy and romance. Like many animation films being made these last years it combines fun things for kids with fun things for adults - without hurting either group (the innuendo that is fun for adults is not seen by kids whose innocence protects them from it, the deviation from the original tales to make it fun for kids is not so warped that it makes it unrecognisable for them parents).

The animation is great - the gnomes and the gardens are just lovely to watch. The setting with gnomes is flawless - the sounds, the implications of being a garden gnome - it works out really well.

If there would be one bit of negativity for this film it is that its trailer is a bit too biased towards an audience that wants to see romance instead of a bit of light comedy.

8 out of 10 midsummer night's dreams

This movie is simple and joyful. Starting with the story, taken from Shakespeare, which is much better that concocting an unsatisfying script just in order to be original. I like that the story is what it is, and a lot of the humour comes from playing with this idea of borrowed action and characters. Plus, the kids have a way of finding out about the original writer and play, if not by asking earlier, at least when Old Will's statue appears as a character. Then the gnomes, individualised in a successful and comic manner (honorable mention for the "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" gnome!).They are kitschy pieces of garden landscape, but still they can be nice, in a hip manner. They are mocked and sort of self-mocking themselves, as the plastic flamingo manages to do brilliantly.

And the music is absolutely super, it adds to the general atmosphere of fun. As much as I personally remain not interested in the Lady Gaga show, I could still appreciate her and Elton John's song - it sounded great.

It is a simple pleasure to watch the movie, even if in the end I wonder what made me become childish and sort of feel guilty to have liked so much a colourful and loud movie about garden gnomes. And the kids seem to love it, too.

I read a few comments that didn't do it any justice, almost avoided it because of them. But it's better that other animation of this year seen so far, for example the much praised Rio. And it's a happy movie! It's tiring that "sad streak" that maintained in the Disney movies and that was passed on to other American animations, why does anyone considers that movies for children need a tragic spot? This one plays a bit with the drama, but finally let everybody be happy.