We continue our Summer movie reviews with Dreamworks Animation's "Madagascar"

June 12, 2005 -- "Madagascar" is the latest computer animated movie from Dreamworks, the studio that produced the wildly popular 'Shrek' movies. It tells the story of four animals in the Central Park Zoo, who, through a series of unfortunate events, leave their comfortable confines, end up on the East African island of Madagascar.

The plot is simple enough, but the scenes move along briskly, with a very clever, and very funny subplot involving a group of penguins who plan to escape the zoo.

"Madagascar" stars zoo residents Alex the Lion, Melman the Giraffe, Marty the Zebra and Gloria the Hippo. Well, actually the movie stars stars Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, and Jada Pinkett-Smith who voice the animals respectively.

It's almost expected to have known movie and TV stars voicing an animated movie. Sometimes it really works. Robin Williams' verbal gymnastics as the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin" were a knock out, as was Antonio Bandares as Puss in Boots in 'Shrek 2.'.

In this movie, the voices are pretty good. Jada Pinkett-Smith as a hippo seems a bit odd. I understood when a heavier Kathy Najimy played a hippo in the animated "Cats Don't Dance" but here, knowing Pinkett-Smith's cute, pixie-like quality, it doesn't quite jive. But I digress.

Computer animation just keeps getting better. And the animators working on "Madagascar" seemed to be having a good time. They've employed a chunky, angular design, and bold, bright, electric colors in the palette that are really fun to look at.

They've also done a fantastic job of creating realistic looking water [ocean waves are flawless], textures [the brick on the zoo walls, the polished floor in Grand Central Station], and even seemingly simple things like sand - they're all done beautifully and seamlessly.

In an especially clever scene, all four animals are talking to each other locked in packing crates on board a ship. The animators use a split screen technique that is just perfect.

Overall, the characters are pretty good too. Alex the Lion is king of the zoo, and he moves from pose to pose with all the bravado of Burt Lahr's Cowardly Lion. Melman the hypochondriac giraffe is all legs and is constantly tripping over himself. On the island a colony of lemurs is ruled by a King Julian [Sacha Baron Cohen] who speaks in a broken English dialect that is a cross between Apu from The Simpsons, and Geoffey Holder in the old 7up commercials. He's really funny.

And then there's those penguins. Directors Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell seem to remember that movies are a visual medium - the script is not overwritten, and had me belly laughing at some of the sight gags. Well done.

"Madagascar" is a fun comedy for kids and adults. We recommend it.

I like it a lot. Animated features aren't really my favorite kind of movie. This one was really cute and clever and I liked the voice talents -- they surprised me. I thought Ben Stiller did a great job as the lion.

I even didn't mind the silly references to New York City and to "The Twilight Zone" and "Planet of the Apes.". They worked really well and seemed to fit with the overall style of this movie.

I really liked Madagascar. I like the way the island looks -- very colorful and fun. The scene where the penguins take over the ship was hilarious. A great scene is when the King Lemur starts singing "I Like To Move It" and his whole kingdom is dancing. Overall, I very much liked it.

I wouldn't put it on my all-time favorite animated films, but it's fun and easy to watch. The art direction is very, very good. I put this somewhere below "The Incredibles" and "Shrek2," but well above "Home on the Range."

These Walt Disney live action movies have not held up very well. After suffering through "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," we thought we'd give 'The Ugly Dachshund" a try.

"The Ugly Dachshund" features Dean Jones and a cute-as-a-button Suzanne Pleshette who play husband and wife Mark and Fran Garrison. No children of their own, Pleschette is the owner of a prized dachshund who, in the opening minutes of the movie, has a litter of puppies. While at the vet, Mark decides to adopt a Great Dane puppy.

Wild and wacky shenanigans ensue.

The dachshunds make a mess of Mark's studio, and Brutus, the Great Dane gets blamed. Fran and Mark host a dinner party and Brutus makes a mess of the party. Ladies scream, cakes fall into unsuspecting faces, and Mark ends up falling into the backyard pond. For as hard as everyone is working, it's surprisingly unfunny.

In the last 30 minutes of the movie, Mark enters Brutus into a local dog show -- unbeknownst to Fran, who is entering her dachshund -- Brutus wins Best in Show.

Maybe it's a sign of the times, but we found Pleshette / Jones relationship to be a bit hard to take. They live in this beautiful home, where Mark works from a home studio, Fran stays home, but she always has some smart alecky quip or a pout or an 'Oh Mark!' at every turn. Mark is always trying to do things in secret, so it's no surprise that he can't catch a break. They even sleep in separate beds. No wonder their both a little uptight.

It was fun to see the Walt Disney Animation studio standing in as a hospital in the opening minutes. As well as many shots of the old Disney Studio back lot neighborhoods.

But aside from a few cute shots of Brutus as a puppy, this one goes to the dogs.