Sherman

I saw Mr. Peabody and Sherman on Sunday, promptly bought the Art of book, and went to see it again last night.  I really enjoyed it, though I did have my qualms.

(Note: slight spoilers ahead.)

Aesthetically I wish there was more character variance. I'm in love with Sherman's 3D design and characterization, but Penny and her family were very boring in both facets. There wasn't much backstory with her parents - the dad was pretty much cookie cutter businessman dad, while the mom had little depth beyond comforting or calming the husband. I know they're secondary characters, but they felt very flat regardless. And I hate to say it, but I never warmed to Penny. She just struck me as a brat and a bully, even after she apologized in the end.

Storywise, there were a lot of goldmines uncovered but never fulfilled or touched. Example: the Egyptians seeing the WABAC and worshiping would have been a cool thing to see unfurl - seeing how the WABAC has woven itself into history and how Peabody would react and fix that. Another example: when they jump back onto a time stream while escaping the black hole, I thought for sure it was going to be a parallel universe they'd have to escape from. Alas.

Granted, any movie with time travel is full of holes. It's a tricky thing to handle well. But overall Peabody & Sherman was a lot of fun, and my family and I did enjoy it a lot! Sherman was definitely my favorite aspect. He's so adorable and heartwarming, and I loved how confused he always seemed to be despite his sunny personality. D'awwwhh.