ENTERTAINMENT
Faze Online MARS NEEDS MOMS 3D Review by Dana Marie Krook
Looking for a fun flick over the break? A bit younger than the films we're used to watching, but Mars Needs Moms is great movie to watch with younger brothers and sisters, or when you're looking for entertainment for the rugrats you babysit--mostly because you will be entertained too!
The 3-D-animated sci-fi film is based on the book by Berkeley Breated and follows youngster Milo (Seth Green, Austin Powers, voice by newcomer Seth Dusky) after his mom (Joan Cusack, My Sister's Keeper) is abducted by Martians. He gets trapped on the ship that steals her away and soon finds himself alone on the Red Planet. After discovering another rogue earthling, Gribble (Dan Fogler, Good Luck Chuck), who is a whiz with technology, Milo learns the truth about why the aliens took mommy dearest: they need her parenting memories for their Nanny-bots, who will in turn raise the next crop of Martian babies. So Milo sets out on a quest to save the mom he once thought he could do without.
A bit of stretch to believe the premise--hey, it's sci-fi--but the film, as a whole, is really well done. Tons of action, humour, even a bit of alien romance (strange, though, when you think about it).
But the coolest part of the film? The fact that it was done with motion capture (like with Avatar), so the real actors are suited with something to record all movements, which is then translated onto the animated screen. This makes it look super-realistic and brings out the hilarious physicality of funny-man Seth Green.
**NOTE: look for the credits, where they roll out behind-the-scenes of filming, so you can see exactly how they do everything.
CHECK IT OUT IF YOU ENJOY FILMS LIKE: The Hitchhker's Guide To The Galaxy, Avatar
