CHICAGO – If you’ve never seen the farcical ensemble theater chestnut “Noises Off,” you will see no better version than on the Steppenwolf Theatre stage, now at their northside Chicago venue through November 3rd. For tickets and details for this riotous theater experience, click NOISES OFF.
Film Review: ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’ Squeezes Out More Fun
CHICAGO – “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water” squeezes another big-screen adventure out of America’s favorite undersea fry cook, and introduces some tantalizing comic possibilities that ramp up the series – including winking meta references – but it’s ambitions remain distinctly small scale.
Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
It’s essentially a super-sized episode of the animated series, and that’s OK. This one boasts the additions of 3D and Antonio Banderas at his scallywag-iest as a pirate named Burger Beard. That fact that I chuckled to myself while writing the name “Burger Beard” may tell you something about my opinions on Mr. Squarepants (voiced by Tom Kenny) and the other residents of Bikini Bottom.
Spongebob belongs to that upper echelon of animated series that work for both children and adults – and dads may find themselves chuckling right along with their little ones. It’s a place where references to Stanley Kubrick and seagulls in a porta potty can reside comfortably alongside one another. The film begins after Burger Beard navigates an island of booby traps to get his hands on the mysterious book of the film. Then while surrounding by yammering CGI seagulls, he spins the tale of Spongebob, but he appears to be able to change the story by rewriting the book as he goes.
On Dry Land: The Gang Poses in ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures