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What is it with this sudden surge of penguin movies appearing? Or penguins appearing in movies? I've always found watching penguins on real life TV programmes to be very entertaining because they just seem, well there's no other word for it, cute. But just recently Hollywood has seemed to start to overuse them a tiny bit. March of the Penguins I suppose really kicked it all off. I can't see what all the fuss was about that documentary and quite why it was the success it was. But it was an interesting movie. Then came along Madagascar, while admittedly not completely about penguins the penguins that did feature were undoubtedly the best things in the entire movie. Since then penguin items, TV shows and penguins on our screens have been appearing like crazy. It reached its pinnacle in my eyes last year when Happy Feet arrived on our big screens. Now I really wanted to love Happy Feet, when I first watched it I actually did adore it. But after multiple viewings I realised something, it was actually pretty boring, and way too depressing at times for my liking. Its animations was beautiful, but it just didn't live up to its potential. When the first trailers for Surf's Up arrived I didn't know what to make of it. Dancing penguins is one things, surfing penguins is just plain ludicrous. I felt like Sony were merely cashing in on this penguin phenomenon. So what a pleasant surprise to find that Surf's Up is not only a movie that'll appeal to both kids and adults, but also the best animated movie of the year so far! The fact that its a surfing penguin movie didn't make it as good as it is, no the movie succeeds for daring to try something different. A mockumentary style movie somewhat reminiscent of Creature Comforts, trust me if you like Creature Comforts you will adore this movie. The script is well written, the voice cast absolutely brilliant, hell even the animation surprised me for being very well done. If it has one fault its that its obligatory sentimental streak felt a little bit too forced for my liking. Nevertheless this is a small fault in an otherwise enjoyable and very well made animated movie.

The voice cast of the movie are particularly brilliant. Shia Labeouf leads the cast as surfer wannabe Cody. Labeouf was until recently one of the few actors I could not stand to see on a screen. My past experiences with him on movies were usually films that cast him as the annoying kid. For this reason I couldn't stand him. However, then he starred in Transformers and changed my mind completely. He is actually a great actor, he can deliver a joke easily, he's easily likable and he just does everything in such a great way. This shines through again with his performance here, and because of his work in this movie I would be quite happy to see him lead another animated movie some time in the future. His character is always funny, he definitely gets some of the best lines and moments in the movie. Jeff Bridges is pretty good in his role, he works best in the funny moments of the films, when it comes to the sentimental stuff I just found his voice work to be not as good. Jon Heder almost runs off with the movie as Chicken Joe, who got the biggest laugh from the audience. Zooey Deschanel was average I suppose, her character deals more with the icky stuff towards the end than the great comedy stuff. James Woods seems to be having a great time as Reggie, he also gets some great comedy moments.

The actual comedy side of Surf's Up is perhaps the movie greatest success. The mockumentary style allows us to see a different way of making animated movies. The movie of course has to switch to a more movie-ish feel at some points, its in these moments the movie isn't at its best. Whenever they're doing the documentary style the movie is as perfect as you could hope for. Meeting Cody's family at the beginning is pretty hilarious, and meeting all the other supporting characters, especially Tank who has the best scene of the movie with his trophies, is definitely the movies highlights. If you are planning to see this I highly suggest you watch the characters in the background more so than the characters in the foreground, they made me laugh all the time to see them waving at the camera or pulling faces behind the other characters backs. Chicken Joe is definitely best comically, the best scene with him involves a hot tub and the natives, its pretty hilarious, a shame most of the joke is ruined in the trailers.

So what are the negatives of the movie then? Well I suppose if I look at this from a kids point of view then I realise that there are a lot of jokes that might leave the kids a bit cold. The kids will still be entertained for the majority of the movie, especially during the very cool looking surfing sequences, but some of the humour is more directly aimed at adults than anyone else. Also the sentimentality factor obviously starts to kick in towards the end. While its never sickly like a lot of other animated movies are, it still feels a tad forced. I wish for once we could have a kids movie without all the obligatory kiss and make up feel at the end of it. Why can't everyone just still hate each other or something like that? Anyway the sentimentality never makes the film bad at all, its still a great movie.

It's easy to roll your eyes when you see yet another animated movie starring talking animals, and what more, talking penguins. Guess you can credit the popularity of our feathered friends from down south to award winning films like the documentary which started it all, March of the Penguins, and the other animated movies Madagascar (where they were scene stealers) and Happy Feet. But before you actually decide to pass on this one, Surf's Up a surprisingly refreshing tale set in the bright sunny beaches with laid back "dude" attitude, which doesn't seem to try too hard to please, and comes up just about right.

One of the good things about the movie is the voice talent featured. Like Happy Feet, it contains some recognizable names, but just as a reminder to our Legend of the Sea friends, big names doesn't necessarily equate to good voice acting. Shia LeBeouf (a name which we will see quite frequently over the next few months with Transformers and Disturbia) gets the lead role of Cody Maverick, a surfer penguin wannabe who dreams of making it big in the surfing community. His idol is Big Z (Jeff Bridges), a world champion who had made an impression on a young Cody. However, Big Z is presumed missing in action during one competition, and the new world champion, Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader) looks set to retain his status for the umpteenth time.

The supporting characters too are a delight, with Zooey Deschanel as a Baywatch lifeguard babe and James Woods as a sports tzar, and Jon Heder continues his stereotype by playing Cody's new best friend Chicken Joe, a chilled out surfing chicken who finds himself at probably the wrong place each time and associating with the wrong species.

What made this movie work is that the filmmakers recognize they have to come up with a narrative style that is different in order to engage, and given that it's a sports type movie, they went for a sports entertainment channel style, complete with replicating camera techniques including details like less than perfect wireless camera transmissions (love those on-board cameras, nevermind if it doesn't make complete sense or is illogical), over the top channel transition sequences, and you just gotta love those faux pas interviews with just about every character. If you can't get enough of baby penguins, the filmmakers too are shrewd enough to include these crowd favourite characters in endearing scenes.

With Father's Day mood all round, this movie is apt too for the season, given its theme of family, and bonding with (surrogate) father types. The humour injected ranges wide, from subtle lines and references, to the more obvious physical slapstick moments. I can't resist but to again advise our Legend of the Sea friends, this is what computer animation is about, with its depiction of photo realistic quality of the sun, sand and the sea, with realistic surfer moves, a simple story yet packed with adequate thematic moments, with song and music that don't irritate, but serve to move the narrative along smartly.

Recommended animated movie, despite the overused penguin characters. Stay until after the end credits for a short scene (there's also one played during the credits, so don't walk out of the hall just yet).

With so many CGI animated feature films starring cute animals pouring in and out of theaters year after year, it can be tough to sort through them all and figure out which ones are actually worth taking a family to. "Surf's Up" belongs in the pile with the good ones. Written and animated similar to a Christopher Guest mocumentary film ("Best in Show," "Waiting for Guffman") there's a unique humor to "Surf's Up" that spins the same old underdog storyline into something unusual and fresh that everyone in the family can enjoy.

The focus of this "documentary" is Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf), a rock-hopper penguin from Shiverpool, Antarctica with a dream of getting away from the south pole and becoming a premiere surfer like his idol Big Z. Cody's prayers are eventually answered despite the fact that he has nothing but an icicle surfboard and some serious ambition. He ends up being spotted by a talent scout and makes his way to Pen-gu island just in time for the penguin world surfing championship

When Cody gets challenged before the tournament and fails against the world's best surfer, Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader), he meets some unlikely friends like Joe the chicken (Jon Heder), a love interest in Lani (Zooey Deschanel), and Geek (Jeff Bridges) who helps Cody learn the waves so he can live his dream and compete in the championship.

There are jokes for the whole family here, which is "Surf's Up"'s most admirable trait. There's enough for the adults without too much material going over kids' heads and there's plenty of physical humor that kids will enjoy. The mocumentary style also provides a fresh set of laughs, even though the movie falls in the milder realm on the humor scale. There's also plenty of good values that one would expect from an animated movie focused on a sport: never give up, winning isn't everything, the value of friendship in picking us up when we fall.

The animation is also strong, though much more cartoonish than the penguin movie "Happy Feet." Most interesting is the way that the animation is meant to reflect what it would look like if the movie were being shot like a live-action documentary. One scene follows Lani carrying Cody through the jungle and it looks like a crew with a camera and one main source of light are following her. So it's very cool in terms of film-making, not just mere concept. "Ratatouille" and Pixar's brilliance aside, this would have won the Oscar in 2008 for its ingenuity.

The best way to describe "Surf's Up" is cute. It's unique, sweet and fun to watch. The films in the bad animation pile try and do too much with the humor and in executing grandiose concepts. This movie keeps the plot simple but shows it in a new and amusing way.

10/10 for my friend Chicken Joe he was stoned af the whole movie

I loved this movie growing up, and would recommend it for anyone who is looking for a well animated feel good movie. With cheesy humor and a great cast with tons of chemistry, there is nothing about this film that warrants any negative feedback. That being said, there just isn't anything all that special about this movie. I mean sure there are tons of surfing penguins and some pretty good underlining themes but nothing that we've never seen before. The animation was solid and I am always baffled at the clear small waves they create but still just nothing revolutionary, However I must admit I did love the documentary style approach they took, this added a little extra depth to the story telling medium.

I am going to give this movie a 7/10 because despite being a feel good movie there is a tone of mediocracy that can not be overlooked.

If you haven't watched this movie yet do yourself a favour, drop everything, quit your job, divorce your wife if you must, JUST WATCH THE MOVIE. If you have watched this movie before and didn't like it please kindly insert your head back into the butthole it came from immediately. Also why can't I rate this 11 stars hell even 12? To be completely honest I made an account on this website just for the sake of this movie and my burning passion for it, deep in my loins. Besides the first transformers shia labeouf has done nothing great in his career besides this movie and maybe a few memes. Anyways I'm now going to watch this movie again, and again, and probably again. #makesurfsup2

It's not the funniest animated movie you've ever seen -- most of the jokes are amusing, rather than laugh-out-loud -- but it does the job.

Sometimes the humor just seems to be "it's penguins doing human things -- get it?"

But it's fast-moving, colorful, and the voice cast is good. (Fortunately, they didn't give Jon Heder too much to do, so he wasn't out of his depth.)

Shia LeBeouf was very good (esp. considering how young he is). Several of us thought it was Bruce Willis doing the character of Cody. Snappy and smart. I liked Mario Cantone as the snarky sandpiper.

The animation is so deft you can actually see subtle emotions play over the faces of these birds. The waves sometimes look real, not animation.

There's a lot of stuff about surfing. Seemed like one of those old surfing documentaries sometimes. I didn't know if the kids could follow all that -- but the 3 little girls sitting in front of me pronounced the movie "fantastic" afterwards, so I guess it did its job.

I have NO doubt that Shakespere, Beethoven, Da Vinci and many other great artists of the past would be amazed seeing the huge amount of wonderful artwork packed in this gracious, lovely movie.

No amount of praise would suffice to pay due honor to all those involved in the creation of Surf's Up. I can only thank you all for the superb inspiration, work, sensibility and craftsmanship.

Everything is in place. C.G., score, storyline, humor, mood. Lighting, colors - amazing colors, amazing score.

Surf's Up is truly a masterpiece, second to none.

That's the kind movie that really makes you feel joyous, that makes you realize that life is worth living, if not for anything else but for experiencing moments like those I experience whenever I watch this beautiful animation.

They both have penguins. Big Deal. Whoops...does that count as a comment? Anyway, "Surfs Up" is not a terribly original but fresh and new hilarious comedy just in time to kick off summer. Shot in a unique mocumentary style (that may possibly fly over the heads of youngsters), the visuals are flashy and the look of the film digests well. Water animation seems to be rapidly progressing. The sand forms foot prints. The palm fronds sway in the wind. The film looks great. The story is a cliché, and we know what will happen in the end. The point of the film isn't however to construct philosophical debate, have an amazing story or even create memorable characters. It's a fun comedy, and it's humor is more sophisticated then other past animated comedies such are "Shrek 3". It has a more subtle reflexive quality. We know the story, the characters, and we know the familiar plot (quite like last year's "Cars"), but it isn't the fact that they're penguins that makes the film funny. We only get a few moments were the penguins act "penguiny". They are what they are for pure aesthetic value. A bipedal animal (perfect for surfing) that usually dwells among ice makes for a more pleasing artistic scope. And we're bored with humans. The film succeeds with it's sense of wit. A character like tank, another reflexive villainous character like Peter La Fleur from "Dodgeball", is a hoot to watch. The same for main protagonist Cody Maverick, a familiar trophy craving teen who is easily out of place amongst the elders. The film will win no Oscars, but animated films need not be restricted to epic stories and exercises in perfection. However, it is rather uncomfortable that the genre in America is restricting itself to this type of humor. Or really, does all animation have to be humorous even? But, at least this film takes the convention one step further. The documentary style doesn't wear out its welcome or include any truly objectable material for a PG film, and with a sparing running time of 85 minutes, it's fun to see something different.

A really sweet, good-natured animated film about a surfing penguin that dares to posit that having fun is more important than winning. It's got an original (for animation) mockumentary approach that encourages an amiable improvisational feel to the whole thing, particularly the actors' voice recordings. Reportedly the cast really did record together in the studio, instead of in the usual isolation, just so there could be that kind of comic by-play.

On the other hand, it never really rises from the pleasant and witty to be deeply funny, or moving. And while some of the small story twists, and the structure is novel, the basic characters are pretty stock. Some people have called it a Christopher Guest film in animated form, but for me it lacks the complexity of characters that makes Guest's weird worlds so amazing. None-the-less, I'm glad I saw it, and there's certainly enough for a grown-up to enjoy. I just wished it had blown me away.

Truth be told.. After watching Happy Feet, I thought Surf's Up is just another run-of-the-mill movie with the same storyline, But I'm mistaken. This movie is a bit like Happy Feet, in that it has the same lovable penguin characters with nice animation, but there's where the similarities ends.

Surf's Up brings a new way of telling an animation story. The characters are being interviewed by the media, making it feels like we are watching a reality show.

The story revolves around Cody Maverick & the Surfing Competition being held at a seaside. Cody maverick is an ardent fan of Z, the legendary surfer who 'disappear' when he was being beaten in the competition against it's arch-enemy. I can tell you more but it'll only spoil the movie. =) The animation is superb, the characters are adorable & easy to be identified with, the voice over is amazing, & the storyline is simply refreshing !

Earlier this night I caught a showing of Surf's Up. To my very pleasant surprise, this was a clever children's comedy, that with, maybe 10-15 minute's more "footage" would be among the great sports movies. at least those that are animated... in the same way that the incredibles is among the great comic book (type) movies. I won't go into a summary, the comment right before me does a fine job at that. But this is a well told story with some funny characters, good character development, and an engaging, if not wholly original, story. Oh yeah, and the animation is beautiful. If you're looking for a good family movie with, you know, actual story telling and jeff bridges go see this. you should have no problem getting a ticket.

As an old surfer, and a lover of penguins, I was totally PUMPED for this movie! So I went out to see it last night, and I laughed several times. One of the most awesome things to me, was how Big Z encompassed the ideal of just having fun and letting everything go while you surf. You've got to watch it to see that, but really, this movie is spectacular. The animation is great, the characters develop nicely, and the "documentary" format adds to the humor aspect of it.

I don't know about the comparisons to Happy Feet, but it seems rather weird to get all upset because there's another penguin movie out on the market. Bottom line, for me, is that this movie was very fun to watch, and I thought it had some classic bits of humor. It may be a bit too much for some younger kids, but it was great for me. I loved this movie!

The film is clever, and has more than a few memorable moments. If you want summer fun you got it. If your expecting a new "Toy Story" it's almost, almost there.

I'm 37 and I took my 4 year old to see this movie. I loved the animation in this movie and the story line was the same regurgitated Hollywood "crap." Speaking of "crap", they used this word and others in this movie as well as your pee pee and poo poo jokes they throw in for the kids. Every time they said something like this I was hoping it was over her head. She liked it and was very entranced. I hated it and hoped I would be put out of my misery soon. Please understand that I've seen every CGI movie that comes along because I am a graphic artist. You'll love the animation, but if you're older than 35 you'll recognize this story as every "sports" movie you've ever seen. Maybe I'm getting picky in my old age, but if you're over 35, I'm sure you are too. So in other words, it's for 7-8 year olds and up to high school. It's a true PG movie for that age group.

What do you get when you blend boring characters, a overly-simple plot, and nice animation together? The answer is Surf's Up, an extreme disappointment of a movie that is not at all what it markets itself as. The trailer seemed to be targeting all ages (and genders, for that matter- a large penguin simulates sex with a surfboard!) by seeming to have a smart sense of humor and a "new" idea- surfing penguins. Now granted, movies starring penguins are nothing new or innovative, but that's not the problem here. There is far too much talking going on here, and most of it centers on useless "small talk" that isn't even relevant to the movie. The attempted jokes are a mess also, ranging from poop jokes to "the audience is dumb" jokes. Folks, there is nothing funny here.

The movie follows aspiring surfer Cody Maverick as he attempts to live up to the legacy of Big Z, a surfing legend who mysteriously disappeared. Many would think that a so-called surfing legend would be an entertaining guy, but Big Z is the exact opposite- boring, cliché, and unentertaining. To be quick, he is unintentionally over-the-hill. Cody's friend, Chicken Joe (Heder) is about as dumb as his name. He's unintelligent, he's a chicken…we get it. Every movie always has to have a brain-challenged side character, and Surf's Up is no exception. Eventually, young Cody starts acting all tough and challenges the current surfing champion to a competition. It is here that Cody meets a female lifeguard to whom he falls in love with. That's the story in a nutshell. I can't explain it any better without spoiling it. Yes, it is that cheesy.

I do not recommend seeing this movie.

Good) nice water effects Bad) stupidly realistic characters, simple-as-hell story, immature, not funny Disney/Pixar) An animated movie normally fails if not done by either of the these two kings

First off, I got the chance to watch the Hollywood premiere here in Hawaii with the cast being there to watch it too. Due to the recent release of penguin movies, a lot of people are turned off by them. Please do not judge it so. I admit, at first I was turned off by it being a penguin movie and I couldn't think of anything new. Although this type of story has been told before (what story hasn't?), it's always interesting to see how it will be presented. And I liked it. The characters and events keep you in the movie. Yes, you're gonna have to deal with penguins and their habitats, but it won't be for long. And besides, this is no happy feet, which I liked also. This movie has an amazing cast with enjoyable characters. So be ready to laugh your butt off because I pretty much was. Great family fun movie, or just a movie for you. Now I regret watching it so early (May 20, 2007) because now I have to wait until June 8 to watch it again. = (

The 2007 animated film Surf's Up from Sony Pictures Animation is an interesting example of combining a familiar sports story with a mockumentary format. This stylistic choice is the film's greatest strength because it allows the viewer-even if they have already seen many similar heroic and competitive stories-to feel a sense of freshness. The movie tells, in a lively and energetic tone, the coming-of-age journey of a teenage penguin who dreams of becoming a surfing champion, though in practice, his path leads him to discover his identity and embrace himself.

One of Surf's Up's main appeals is its playful, humorous tone. The characters speak directly to the camera in interviews, which creates a sense of intimacy and familiarity. The jokes are entertaining for children, while adults will appreciate the clever cultural references. For this reason, the film succeeds in going beyond a purely child-oriented product, attracting a wide range of viewers.

From a psychological perspective, Surf's Up offers several thought-provoking themes. The teenage hero is at a stage in life that psychologist Erik Erikson described as an "identity crisis," where an individual tries to understand who they really are and what their place in the world is. In the beginning, he defines his worth solely through victory and becoming like his idol. Over the course of the story, he learns that external success is not enough, and that an authentic identity depends on accepting failures and finding personal meaning. This message is positive for teenagers and easily relatable for adult audiences as well.

The supporting characters also have interesting psychological dimensions. For example, the optimistic, carefree surfing chicken character embodies the healthy use of humor as a defense mechanism. He deflects the stress and anxiety of the competitive environment through extreme positivity, which makes him both funny and inspiring. Despite the simplicity, these lighthearted moments hint at deeper themes of overcoming anxiety and embracing the present.

Nevertheless, the film has some clear weaknesses. Perhaps the biggest issue is that, despite its mockumentary format and strong visual design, the story ultimately repeats the well-worn structure of "the hero who must learn self-belief" without much nuance or originality. Because of this, experienced viewers or professional critics cannot regard it on the same level as animated films like Ratatouille or Happy Feet. In the second half, the story becomes somewhat predictable, and apart from the few main characters, there is limited psychological depth in the characterizations.

On the other hand, the film's technical quality is impressive. The design of the waves and the simulation of the water remain visually stunning even today, showing how much effort went into creating a vivid, believable world. The soundtrack-with its energetic songs-strengthens the film's vibrant, upbeat atmosphere. These technical qualities elevate the film's overall impact and help offset some of the narrative shortcomings.

In summary, Surf's Up is a well-made, funny, and instructive animated film that-with its mockumentary form, solid visuals, and gentle humor-achieves a place that is "above average" without reaching the level of a masterpiece. It can be an inspiring experience for teenagers, and it reminds adults that real heroism means accepting failure, discovering personal identity, and learning to love the journey itself rather than just reaching outward success.

These psychological aspects-from identity crisis and the need for belonging to a growth mindset and overcoming fear of failure-make Surf's Up more than just shallow entertainment. Despite all its narrative limitations, the film succeeds in offering viewers the reminder that sometimes "more important than winning is learning how to enjoy the ride." Considering all these factors, the 6 out of 10 rating you've given the film feels very fair, showing that Surf's Up is a respectable, enjoyable experience but not a work that will be remembered as a landmark in animated cinema.

I watched this movie expecting it to be something like cars or over the hedge. Something with a good plot. Boy, was I disappointed. It was the most boring movie ever. The whole movie is a documentary. There is way too much talking, and not nearly enough action. Without spoiling anything all I will say is that the Cody, who is the main guy, gets beaten and, after a adventure, he learns a lesson about life.(remind anyone of cars?) It's similar to Cars, but instead of racing, we have surfing penguins. The BIG difference between this and Cars, which was pretty good, is that this was filmed as a documentary. Waaaaaay too much talking and very little action.