Monkeybone (2001)

Monkeybone is a Win

Despite Brendan Fraser's dismissive attitude towards this movie, it is absolutely fantastic and hilarious. The visual and dark comedic style is that of Tim Burton, in fact the director, Henry Selick, was a distinct influence on Burton's style and it shows.

It is richly visual, and feels like being stuck in a Herronius Bach (sp?) painting, with Brendan Fraser, and what more could you ask for really?

oh, and I personally think that Brendan Fraser has never been babelier. October 7, 2008

Good one - but don't let the title fool you.

Just because it has Brendan Frazer and Chris Katan in it and it's got some cartoon action, do not be fooled. Yes, it's VERY funny. But some of the humor is a little beyond youngsters. I don't recommend this movie for children under 10. September 17, 2008

The Weirdest Movie You'll Ever See

By weird I do truly mean weird, in a way that you can't possibly see what was going through writer, Sam Hamms mind when devising this film. The story itself is weird enough but when focusing on the land of nightmares, known as Downtown, I found myself looking at something resembling the world of Jim Henson creations.

The story focuses around artist and animator Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser), a man who struggles with nightmare problems and has just achieved success with his greatest cartoon creation, Monkeybone. One day after a preview showing of a pilot episode, Stu and his girlfriend Julie (Bridget Fonda) are involved in a car accident that lands Stu in a coma.
Stu wakes up on a roller coaster that takes him downtown to the land of nightmares, where he meets creatures like you have never seen before. Along with the insane looking creatures, Stu comes face to face with his own creation Monkeybone who, after finding out Stu's sister decides to help Stu get an exit pass out of his coma. In order to get this pass he must steal it from under the nose of Death (Whoopi Goldberg). All doesn't go to plan and Stu is betrayed by Monkeybone and instead of Stu going back, Monkeybone takes his place in Stu's body in a deal with the dream god Hypnos (Giancarlo Esposito) to give more people nightmares. Now Stu is in a race to get out of dream world to save Julie and stop Monkeybone from giving people the nightmares that entertain downtown.

If you thought the story was bizarre then I have to say that it really is, at times I found myself just thinking that this movie must have been created by some form of crazy person. With that aside we are still given a very good comedy movie with some very great slapstick moments that personally had me roaring with laughter.
One of the funniest parts of the movie is when Monkeybone has taken over Stu's body and is in the bedroom with Julie about to make love. The classic mating dance is something to be experience and genuinely had me in tears. Sure, Brendan Fraser isn't known as the greatest actor in the world, but he's great in roles that just require a silly actor willing to do anything that will give the audience a laugh and that's what Fraser does.

A very enjoyable movie that isn't for everyone, but if you're a fan of Fraser's ridiculous comedy work then this is surely for you. August 24, 2008

I chuckled once at the end at a Whoppi line...that's it!

A friend of mine worked on the digital painting of MONKEYBONE so she asked me to watch it.Well?......her work was good!

Brendan Fraser is a good looking guy, but a comedian he ain't! This film was soooooo not funny.There were two things I liked: (1) there is a great roller coaster that takes you to the land of death, and (2) Chris Kattan is the true "physical" comedian of this travesty, but has only 10 minutes of screen time towards the conclusion.Bridget Fonda? Totally forgetful role.Megan Mullaly is still "Karen" on WILL AND GRACE.Fraser? He was so good in the serious Gods and Monsters (Special Edition).Why does he do this kind of work?

Whoopi Goldberg plays "Death".She made me laugh once at the end when she says "I'll go after the guys at SOUTH PARK.I heard they want to meet me".

That's it! PASS January 21, 2008

Salvor Dail threw up and Andy Warhol filmed it

It has been a couple years since I've seen this, and I can still honestly say that it's like watching a Andy Warhol movie of Salvor Dail puking. A kind of swirly colorful mess, with Brendan Fraser and Bridget Fonda stuck in the ooze of ick, and can't escape it's yuck of a screenplay...On a positive note, Jim Carrey isn't in it. Other then that, nothing can redeem Henry Selick, Kaja Blackley, and Sam Hamm for this putrid monstrosity, and I mean that from the bottm of my heart. March 2, 2007

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