"Everybody Needs a Thneed!"
Based upon the book by Dr. Seuss (whose name is officially part of the title), THE LORAX has been contemporized a bit making it accessible to not only super-environmental-types, but to those who were raised upon conservation and not environmentalism. In THE LORAX, Ted (Zac Efron) is a twelve-year-old boy who lives in the plasticized, walled city of Thneedville. Ted is in love with a teenage girl named Audrey (Taylor Swift). Audrey doesn't quite fit in Thneedville and paints the back of her house full of colorful trees which no longer exist. She longs to see a real tree and Ted becomes determined to find one for her. During dinner one night, Ted's Grammy Norma (Betty White) tells Ted that in order to find out what happened to the trees and if there's another one to be found, he needs to speak with the Once-ler (Ed Helms) who lives outside the city walls. Ted has never been outside the city, but sets out on a mission to meet the Once-ler and find a tree. He succeeds in finding the...
It's not about what it is. It's about what it can become.
In the age of Hollywood's seeming endless films aimed against greed, consumerism, and environmental destruction, "The Lorax" is not to be outdone. Unlike the other films with hidden messages, this one is very direct. The voice of Danny Devito and Betty White made the film very special as you can see them in those roles. The film incorporates some of the original Dr. Seuss poetry to convey the message, but doesn't bog down the film with it as to lose the target audience who may not enjoy it as much as we did when we read the original first edition hard covers in the third grade.
The story is about the Once-ler (what's in a name? Ed Helms) who cuts down all the trees and at times looking like Elton John playing the Pinball Wizard. He did this to make the Thneed (a versatile Huggie) that no one wanted until a pretty girl wore one. Ted Wiggins (Zac Efron) wants to obtain a tree because the pretty redhead Audry (Taylor Swift) wants one. Sort of like Brad Pitt suddenly caring...
Another in a short list of quality films based on a Dr. Seuss book
After numerous attempts at live-action films, have animators finally found their groove when depicting a tale by the late, legendary Dr. Seuss? Or are the majority of professional reviewers correct in their belief that the subject matter is not expansive enough for a full-length feature?
Ted (voiced by Zac Efron) is a twelve year-old boy in the perfectly plastic metropolis of Thneedville. Everything in Thneedville is artificial and air itself is only available to those who pay for it. Ted (Efron), more than anything, wants to impress Audrey. Audrey (voiced by Taylor Swift) wants to see a real tree, but all the ones in Thneedville are electric and powered by batteries. Some even come equipped with a disco function utilizing music and mirrored balls. Ted asks his family where he might find a tree and his grandmother (voiced by Betty White) says that if he wants to know about trees he'll have to venture outside of town and ask the Once-ler. The Once-ler (voiced by Ed Helms)...
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