#The Croods: A New Age

[favoriteanimatedtheatricalfilm]

Here are the Contenders and Rules. Dreamworks did not theatrically release any films in 2018.

(Also feel free to add in the tags or notes whether I should still keep running the Dreamworks Tournament separate from the Illumination Tournament in the coming years)

[l0velycupid]

With movies like The Croods and HTTYD I’ve noticed a trend in the sequels, prequels, etc. They keep getting rid of the dirt and grime on characters in natural environments! In the first movies, which were made quite a while ago, there’s visible dirt, scars, freckles, and other imperfections and quirks. These skin features are often smoothed over in the following movies as an “upgrade” They intensify the colors and make everything picture perfectly smooth. It’s so frustrating! I don’t want baby skin, I want a fully grown human living out in nature!

For The Croods it kind of makes sense for the second movie upon first glance, but it doesn’t once you think about it. In the very beginning of the movie the characters are smooth and clean. This is before they’re taken into the more advanced families home, which would make them look cleaner. But when they’re still in the wild? Why would their appearance change if their lifestyle hasn’t?

This was more of an issue with The Croods for me, but it’s still visible in HTTYD. They gloss over his freckles and he kind of looks like he has a filter on his skin, same with the second Croods movie. I do think HTTYD looks better since animation evolved so much since the first movie. But I wish that they kept his freckles and made him look at least a little dirty, since they are in nature and not a modern society.

[the-light-of-animation]

[hopebettermxn]

hey ! I'm so sorry for the (literally years long) delay, but the first chapter of my hugga/croods modern au fic -- please give it a read ♡ as always, dedicated to the like five other hope/ugga shippers ily always

[whynot-movies]

The Croods: A New Age (2020)

[neovallense]

[3slash74movies]

[so-many-boxes-of-juice]

Some crood art + some old cave drawings i forgot about

[ayupglitterz]

fanartt of the alternate version of croods 2 this was the most hellish experience ive ever had drawing

[obori-reisuke]

[they-have-the-same-va]

Amanda Cartwright from Sleeping Dogs shares a voice actress with Eep from The Croods and The Croods: A New Age.

Voiced by Emma Stone

[movietimegirl]

Quaritch: Here. Right here. All your needs will be matched-

Spider: I'm hungry.

Quaritch: IN A MINUTE!

[the-light-of-animation]

[neunhofferart]

Storyboard samples from Seasons 5-8 of The Croods: Family Tree! I got to board so many fun sequences on this show... it was really difficult to squeeze a reel into just 2 minutes ToT

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: The Croods: A New Age

So back when I watched the first entry in The Croods series, I was actually pretty plesantly surprised. But believe it or not, this movie managed to surprise me even more, because not only is it good, its actually, like... really good?? Shocking, I know, so let's get into why I think that.

We rejoin the Croods as they continue on their quest for a new home, eventually crossing paths with the Bettermans, a much more "advanced" family that's just a little more evolved than they are. Initially disliking the chaos the Croods bring to their family and their home, the Bettermans devise a plan to get rid of the cavefamily, while convincing Guy to stay, as his family was friends with the Bettermans and they see him as a perfect match for their daughter, Dawn. From there, well, damn a whole bunch happens, with lots of twists and turns I wasn't expecting as these two incredibly different families buck heads and learn to accept each other.

So yeah, the plot here is pretty solid and very character focused, which is probably why I liked it so much. Like we really do just have so much emphasis on character interactions and dynamics here, with some really great standouts being Dawn and Eep's friendship (they're lesbians, harold) that could have just as easily been a jealous rivalry for Guy, but isn't, the eventual epic bromance between Phil and Grug, Ugga and Hope initially hating each other but eventually coming to terms with each other, Gran just being The Character Ever, and so much more. There's a lot going on here, but there's so much to like about it! I'm impressed!

So yeah, speaking of the characters, I already liked the Croods family in the first movie, but they're even better here. Grug is still the typical overprotective dad trying to keep the family together, but he's way less overbearing about it than he was in the first movie. We also see some good progression in Eep and Guy's relationship, and I think they're a pretty cute and solid couple! The Bettermans are also a lot of fun! Phil and Hope start out as sort of selfish, manipulative jerks who just want the Croods out of their lives, but they go through some pretty solid development and learn to appreciate the Croods and welcome them into their home. Dawn is also a lot of fun, a girl who has spent her life living on the safe side, so of course, she readily takes Eep up on the offer to have some fun the first chance she gets.

The movie doesn't have much in the way of an antagonist, aside from the punch monkeys, which are a pretty funny final act obstacle for the families to overcome. Really though, the conflict here really does center on the friction between the Croods and the Bettermans, and the film does such a great job of developing that friction and naturally bringing both families to a good place with each other.

The humor here is also a lot better than the first movie's. Sure, there's still a handful of grossout jokes here and there, but a lot of the jokes here just come from the characters being themselves (like I said, Gran is a standout for the Crazy Old Lady trope, and also, a total badass in her own right). I think that tends to be my favorite kind of humor with Dreamworks movies, when the jokes lean on these characters reacting to situations in their own unique, humorous way.

The animation has also been stepped up here quite a bit. The character designs look better somehow, and the movement they have to them is very fluid. The film is just bursting with color throughout, with set pieces that are just as creative and pretty to look at as the first film's. The music was pretty average, but I'm fine with that because I was so impressed with everything else.

So yeah, Croods 2. Who could have guessed this was a surprisingly great movie? I certainly didn't, I went into this movie with the barest expectations possible and came out having thoroughly enjoyed it. I earnestly recommend it for anyone who's looking for a fun film with a good story and great characters. It may just surprise you, like it surprised me.

Overall Rating: 8/10

Verdict: LET'S GO LESBIANS LET'S GO

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[neovallense]