SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013 KookyReview ‘Free Birds’ fun, but flat very year about this time, millions of lacks the brains, but is equipped with the 1621, where they are welcomed by gun-toting destroy the colonists’ weapons. During the bat- turkeys are fattened up so American brawn, while the quick-witted Reggie colonists looking to feast. tle that follows, we are taken on another jour- Ehouseholds can chow them down. But in approaches things logically. Still, Jake manages The two escape just in time, saved by Jenny ney through time, which results in a big cheer- “Free Birds,” two brave turkeys make it their to coax Reggie into a large, egg-shaped time (Amy Poehler), a pretty young female turkey raising climax. mission to travel back in time and get their machine. But before they travel back through and the sassy daughter of the head of the local The first feature film from Reel FX, “Free breed off the Thanksgiving menu. In this amus- time, Jake leads Reggie in a victory dance and flock. The groundwork is thus laid for Reggie Birds” lacks the dazzling visuals of DreamWorks, ing but occasionally distasteful animated fea- the two lock feathers. The groove is a bit homo- and Jenny’s love story, with Jenny set up as a Pixar or Walt Disney animated films, and the use ture from visual effects studio Reel FX, turkeys erotic, which prompts Reggie to crassly brand strong female character for the little ladies in of 3-D may have given the budget a boost but Reggie (Owen Wilson) and Jake (Woody Jake “weird.” Once in the time machine, appro- the audience. After presenting their best argu- not the experience. Yet the turkeys in “Free Harrelson) strive for heroism and bank some priately voiced by “Star Trek” vet George Takei, ments to rile up the local flock and change the Birds,” with their immense eyes (especially notably kooky buddy comedy along the way. they’re off to Plymouth Colony, November course of history, Reggie and Jake successfully those of the cuddly baby birds), varying body We’re introduced to Reggie, a rather astute types and distinct mannerisms are impressive. turkey living on a farm with his lackadaisical Co-written and directed by Jimmy Hayward, flock. With Thanksgiving on the way, he whose credits include “Horton Hears a Who!” attempts to warn the other birds, with whom he and “Jonah Hex,” “Free Birds” is a solid premiere desperately wants to fit in, that they’ll soon be effort that shows Reel FX’s potential to produce dinner if they don’t wise up. As a result, his flock quality full-length animation. But the story-line, deems him the “anti-corn.” However, they soon with its hypothetical constituents, seems a little discover Reggie is right, then toss him out of desperate at times, even for a kiddie film. the coop to be slaughtered. To his luck, he is Yet children will get a kick out of the slap- scooped up by a peppy little redhead who con- stick humor - the jubilant fast-talking daughter vinces her father, the president of the United of the president is priceless - and adults should States (who sounds a lot like a Bill Clinton), that appreciate nods to films about time-travel from Reggie will be the year’s “pardoned turkey.” the 1980s, like “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” Off in a helicopter to Camp David, Reggie and “Back to the Future.” In the end, we are begins to settle into his new life filled with offered a junk food alternative to turkey that channel surfing and pizza when he’s abruptly will leave most kids satisfied. But it’s the film’s snatched by a fellow turkey, the buff and buoy- central motifs that should stick to the ribs: ant Jake. Jake believes it’s their destiny to find a Always believe in yourself and never give up. time machine for a trip back to the first Oh, and girls rock! “Free Birds,” a Relativity Thanksgiving to ensure turkeys don’t become Media release, is rated PG for “some action/peril the main dish. This image released by Relativity Media shows The President, voiced by Jimmy Hayward, left, and rude humor.” Running time: 91 minutes. Their dynamic is instantly amusing: Jake and Reggie, voiced by Owen Wilson in a scene from the animated film “Free Birds.”— AP Two stars out of four. — AP Harrison Ford back Happy Halloween! ‘Ghostbusters’ to star wars star Murray joins voice cast of ‘B.O.O.’ with new sci-fi film n news that will surely make everyone’s based on his own original idea. The film is pro- Halloween happier, DreamWorks Animation has duced by Maryann Garger (“Flushed Away”) and ore than 30 years after “Star Wars,” chise in 1977 — as Ford explained as he presented Iannounced on Twitter that “Ghostbusters” star the screenplay was written by Tom Wheeler (“Puss Harrison Ford has returned to inter-stellar his latest movie. Bill Murray is joining Seth Rogen and Melissa in Boots”). Gil Netter and Courtney Pledger are Mspace battles in big-budget sci-fi spectacu- “When we were making ‘Star Wars,’ they were McCarthy in “B.O.O: Bureau of Otherworldly executive producing. “Bill Murray is the perfect lar “Ender’s Game.” But the 71-year-old insists it’s putting together space ships out of plastic model Operations.” The supernatural action comedy fol- actor to bring this character to life - or should I say the human relations rather than hi-tech wizardry kits of cars and boats and trains and gluing them all lows two bumbling apparitions who find them- ‘after-life?” said Leondis. “Along with Jennifer and that drew him to the project, developed from a together, and then putting them on a stick and fly- selves in an extraordinary after-life adventure Octavia, this is a dream cast. I can’t imagine a team novel by Orson Scott Card and directed by South ing them past the camera. “And it worked. It was when they join the Bureau of Otherworldly more capable of packing a funnier punch to this African “X-Men” director Gavin Hood. “It doesn’t fine. Add a little music and you believed that big Operations (B.O.O.) - the ghost world’s elite count- broadly comedic ghost story.” matter to me whether I go back spaceship coming over your er-haunting unit - and ultimately must face off 20th Century Fox will release “B.O.O.” on June 5, into outer space or not,” he head,” he said. against the planet’s greatest haunter. 2015. Murray recently joined the cast of Cameron told reporters in Beverly Hills, Additionally, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer Crowe’s untitled Hawaii movie with Bradley ahead of the movie’s US Dismisses the label ‘icon’ (“The Help”) and Jennifer Coolidge (“American Pie”) Cooper and Emma Stone, and he’s also attached to release yesterday. “The job is Computer Generated Imagery have joined the cast as tough-as-nails Sr B.O.O. offi- star in Barry Levinson’s “Rock the Kasbah.” The the same and I don’t have any (CGI) can achieve incredible cer Captain Book and bubbly transitions-relations “Ghostbusters” icon will next be seen in George sort of genre preferences. effects, but the veteran officer Carol Sue, respectively. Murray will voice a Clooney’s “The Monuments Men,” “Wes Anderson’s “I’m just looking for a good Hollywood actor warns they villainous ghost named Addison Drake. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and Ted Melfi’s “St story, a good character, should not be abused. “Often in Tony Leonidis is directing the movie, which is Vincent de Van Nuys.” —Reuters whether Earth-bound or not.” those cases I feel you lose touch In a film which will resonate with the human characters and with “Star Wars” fans recalling what it is that they would feel and the young Luke Skywalker and how they might feel, and that’s the crusty Han Solo, Ford plays still the most important part. Into Colonel Graff, training a group his seventh decade, the actor is in of children and teenagers how fact busier than ever, with three to protect the Earth from an other films released this year: “42”, alien invasion. The best bet to “Paranoia” and “Anchorman 2: the save the world is Ender, played Legend Continues.” by Britain’s Asa Butterfield, But the legendary “Indiana who starred in Martin Jones” actor, while one of the Scorsese’s 2011 drama “Hugo.” This book cover image most famous actors in the world, Timid, but with an excep- released by Simon & Schuster dismisses the label of “icon.” “An tional gift for military strategy shows ‘Song of Spider-Man: icon means nothing to me. I don’t and tactics, he becomes the The Inside Story of the Most understand what it means to any- hero of a film in which inter- Controversial Musical in body actually. It seems like a word galactic battles are played out Broadway History,’ by Glen of convenience. “It seems to in space and in a simulated Berger. — AP attend to the huge success of cer- game world. It is almost Ford’s tain kinds of movies that I did, first sci-fi film since the last but... I don’t know what an icon “Star Wars” movie, apart from a role in 2011’s does, except stand in a corner quietly accepting “Cowboys and Aliens.” And science fiction has everyone’s attention,” he joked. The hit 1985 novel changed quite a bit since director George Lucas on which the film is based has a lot of violence, Bollywood film actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan celebrates her 40th birthday with the released the initial trilogy of the cult movie fran- which is instrinsic to its story.