Ice Age [Blu-ray] Reviews

• A very funny movie!

  
  By A1BCVPSEZ5NSXK on 2002-03-18
  Summary:

  Clever jokes, some slapstick, fairly well developed script, good animation, solid story development, and good music.

  Review:
  
  Ray Ramano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary create a good team together and a touching story.

  Story:
  In the beginning of the ice age, 3 unique animal adversaries are drawn together to bring a human baby back to migrating father. A depressed wooly mammoth (Manfred - Ray Ramano), a good natured, happy go-lucky, but less than intelligent sloth (Sid - John Leguizamo) and a mean saber-toothed tiger (Diego - Denis Leary) put up with each other during their journey Northward and the entire animal world goes south; with a squirrel unsuccessfully capturing his acorn.

  Audience Reaction:

  The entire audience seemed to liked / loved the movie. My daughter liked it so much that two other movie goers noted how much fun she had during the movie. (She often gets noticed because she is severely handicapped, but very charming).

  Children:

  Seems ok for young children as well. Not as scary as Jimmy Neutron (as a comparison). But, there are a couple of animal fighting scenes, and the final fight scene could be a bit much for sensitive children under 3 or 4 years old.
  
  

• "Wow, Dinner AND a show..."

  
  By A3SQZCA0JFB5CV on 2002-03-18
  If you liked Shrek or Monsters, Inc, then you'll probably like Ice Age. It's another Computer generated movie that has a plot every bit as good as Shrek, Toy Story, or Monsters, Inc.

  When all the animals head south for the annual migration, one mammoth named Manfred and a smooth talking and late sleeping sloth called Sid are two of the only animals left in the area. They happen to stumble across a human baby and a fast-talking, "uber-tracker" saber toothed tiger, Diego. The three decide to return the baby to his father, who had headed north to the settlement on the other side of the glacier.

  On the way north they encounter a pair of rhinos waxing poetic about dandelions, sloths bathing in mud pools, a pack of dodos who have prepared for the ice age by putting away three melons, and of course, Scrat, a saber toothed squirrel who spends most of his day hiding acorns and then trying to find them. Scrat doesn't have a whole lot of luck with the hiding part though.

  Besides a basic plot that kids can follow with ease, there are other layers of depth to the plot. Why does Diego want to return the baby s? Why is Manny so grumpy and dislike humans? Can Sid do anything besides smooth talk the ladies and get in trouble? What happens to poor Scrat and his acorns?

  All in all it's a great family movie, with parts for both the adults and children in a family enjoy, and a lot of comic relief.
  
  

• Super cool movie the same as before

  
  By AQP1VPK16SVWM on 2006-03-24
  Another re-release for "Ice Age" (this is the third counting the single disc edition of the film) to coincide with the sequel, this edition essentially is the previous two disc edition with some minor features added that don't make it any more worthwhile to pick up. The DVD ROM printables and "Scrat's Frozen Facts" appear to be the newest features on this set. Most of the featurettes are recycled from the previous edition.
  
  No issue with the transfer per se since it is a digital cartoon this edition appears to be from the same source as the previous edition. Should you upgrade? Not if you have the previous two disc edition but if you have the single disc edition and you want the extras, this is the way to go. Sound is crystal clear with nice use of 5.1 effects.
  
  The DVD ROM printables and "Scrat's Frozen Fun Facts" an interactive feature that can be accessed during the film appear to be the newest features on this set. The latter has behind-the-scenes clips you the film in various stages of production while also including comments from experts on natural history discussing the what scientist believe the world was like then. Most of the featurettes are recycled from the previous edition. Otherwise the commentary tracks, deleted scenes and just about everything else is imported from the previous two disc edition of the film. There's also theater money that can be presented for "Ice Age 2".
  
  If you purchased the previous two disc set of this movie, I'd take a pass on this one. There's no improvement in this edition vs. the earlier two disc set in my mind.
  
  
  
  

• Yet Another Great Animated Kid�s Comedy

  
  By A2ASEBCEN9ZWTZ on 2002-04-07
  In the grand tradition of great prehistoric kids movies like "The Land Before Time" and "Dinosaur," "Ice Age" is yet another great comedy-adventure appropriate for the kids and the whole family.

  THE STORY:

  As the title implies, set in the Ice Age, Manfred the Woolly-Mammoth (voiced by "Everybody Loves" Ray Romano) Sid the Tree-Sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo) along with unlikely travel partner Diego the Saber-Toothed Tiger (voiced by Dennis Leary), find a lost human baby and endure the harsh weather conditions and assorted weird (and sometimes dangerous) creatures of the Paleolithic world as they attempt to reunite the baby with its human family (who maybe even more dangerous to them than their harsh environment).

  THE COOL THINGS:

  In all, if you're a fan of pre-history or the Discovery Channel you'll get to see tons of really cool prehistoric animals like mammoths, sloths, early Rhinos, sabretooths, dodos, other assorted cool animals as well early homo erectus man.

  In addition to seeing the wonders of the early earth (including all the glaciers and volcanoes), the story itself is pretty touching as well as the cast of characters learn the value of family and friendship.

  Like most kid's movies of late, slapstick as well as other forms of comedy abound in this movie as the unlikely and wacky cast of characters make their way around coming across tons of hilarious situations including a flock of weird do-dos and a down on his luck little critter.

  WARNINGS:

  Pre-historic earth, while wondrous, has its share of dangers. There are a few violent scenes (mild) that may be a little much for some of the younger kids including some vicious saber-tooths and (*GASP*) some equally violent human hunters.

  THE VERDICT:

  Overall though, you can't go wrong with this one. Much like others in this genre like Shrek, Monter's Inc, and the Land Before Time, the nice story combined with lovable characters and off-beat comedy is sure to be a winner with all viewers. Whether you're a family with young children, a couple out on a date of just friends catching a movie, this movie should please.

  Highly Recommended
  
  

• The Ice Age Reweiw

  
  By A15S3RJ4XUFJS9 on 2001-12-20
  This New Movie Looks So Good To Me.The Whole World Is Heading South When The Tempature Heads Down. But A Wooly Manmoth, A Saber-Tooth Tiger & A Sloth Head North Instaed.There They Find A Baby Boy
  And Try To Take Care Of It. They Also Try To Return It To It's Family. They Have Lots Of Adventures.
  
  
• This is as cool as it gets!
  By A11ED8O95W2103 on 2006-05-04
  Here's why:
  
  First, a great character driven story with a positive message. The heroes in this story don't start out as heroes at all. Sid is an annoying and rather pathetic sloth who is left behind when all his friends migrate. Manfred is a mammoth with "issues" who at the beginning is walking the wrong way for some reason. Why? Does the scene with the moving cave drawings explain this? Was his wife and offspring killed, and was he walking the wrong way to end his own life? Diego the sabertooth tiger is an order following killer on a mission.
  
  Each of these characters grow beyond themselves to save a human baby. Sid assumes responsiblity and develops courage. Diego learns to think for himself and do the right thing. Manfred overcomes his grief and self-centerdness and endures all kinds of trials to save a baby who may grow up to be a hunter of mammoths. This is a story how anyone, regardless of how non-heroic they may be, can rise above themselves and do what is right when they have to.
  
  Second, this DVD lets you watch the movie five different ways: Widescreen, Fullscreen, "Nutty Movie" mode where you can watch the deleted scenes as if they'd been spliced back into the movie, commentary mode, and "extreme cool" mode where you watch the movie in a window while documentary material plays in another window. How cool is that?
  
  Third, the deleted scenes are actually very interesting. They have their own commentary too. Sylvia is a great character (a sloth girlfriend of Sid's) who was going to be in the movie but was cut out and replaced. The commentary tells why.
  
  Fourth, the two shorts are great. Gone Nutty is more of Scrat chasing acorns, and Bunny is a brilliant short about an elderly female rabbit's last minutes of this life and the transition to the next.
  
  And there's a lot more. It make take until the next ice age for me to get through all the stuff on this DVD!
  
  
• Sub-Zero Heroes
  By A1F1FOR46702YF on 2002-11-29
  Get ready to "chill-out" with the fun-filled 2002 animated family hit "Ice Age". During the great migration, a moody mammoth (Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond"), a dim-witted sloth (John Leguizamo, "Moulin Rouge") and a devilish sabre-toothed tiger (Denis Leary, "Rescue Me") become the unlikely guardians of a lost human child. Together, they will embark on a journey across icy glaciers and countless dangers to return the child to his tribe. Created by Blue Sky Studios, "Ice Age" is a remarkably entertaining family spectacle that ranks as one of the highest grossing films of 2002. The story is fast-paced, heartfelt and very funny. The computer-animated feature film contains some hilarious moments and memorable characters. The CGI animation is stunning with impressive landscapes. Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo deliver some fine comic performances. "Ice Age" also features the voice talents of Cedric the Entertainer, Stephen Root, Diedrich Bader, Alan Tudyk and Jack Black.
  
  "Ice Age" Special Edition succeeds any previous Fox DVD. The animated smash hit is presented in both full screen and widescreen formats. The DVD contains a flawless picture quality with excellent sharpness and rich color detail. Its 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is very engaging and well balanced. The interactive DVD menus are pretty nice. This 2-Disc DVD contains a wide range of supplemental material including a comprehensive audio commentary with directors Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge, six deleted scenes, several behind-the-scene featurettes (The Making of "Ice Age" & Under the Ice), theatrical trailers and the new animated short "Scrat's Missing Adventure". With its excellent presentation and great supplements, "Ice Age" Special Edition gets a definite "A-".
  
  
• cute kid's show
  By A2S166WSCFIFP5 on 2003-01-08
  While Ice Age does have adult themes running through it (and a few adult jokes), it doesn't have the broad appeal that you find with Shrek, Toy Story, or Monsters, Inc. But it is a good movie to sit down with the whole family to watch. There's little violence and no sexual content. The animation is a little cartoony--but the animators aren't shooting for realistic here, they are looking for more of a 'Shrek' type look. It has its charm. It does have a strong cast. I'd never have pictured Ray Romano as a mammoth, but his dead pan delivery does fit well with the personality of a gigantic mammoth. Dennis Leary plays the saber-tooth tiger, but holding Leary back to a PG rating takes away from his appeal. Still, he does a fairly good job with what he has, and the funniest moments in the movie come from his interaction with John Leguizamo, who is brilliant as the sloth. Cedric the Entertainer, Jack Black, and Gorin Visjnic (casting him as the leader of the tigers was a stroke of genius, I wish there had been more scenes featuring him) have small supporting roles. The dvd contains all kinds of extras, but it is the short animation 'Bunny' that really makes this dvd worth buying (and the cave painting scene in the movie). You can see the animators genius there. This isn't a dvd you want to rush out to buy, but one you might want to put on your list of dvds to get.
  
  
• Ice Age Meltdown
  By A28ULLGHV89ZI8 on 2002-03-20
  My husband and I went to this movie afraid that we'd be looked upon as crazy adults because we weren't packing any kids. But some of our favorite actors were lending their voices and acting talents to the endeavor and we couldn't miss it. What we didn't expect was a movie so engaging that it kept child and adult alike enthralled. Comedy, drama, the reality of life, and hope encircled the silly cast of mammoth, sloth, saber-tooth tiger, and an obsessive-compulsive saber-tooth squirrel. It was a great "get-away" movie, but it was mostly just a good movie. And it answers a couple of life's mysteries. I have to tell you, we laughed and cried -- be prepared. And not one kid in the theater was disruptive -- simply because all of them were too mesmerized by this wonderful movie. Don't expect Lucas Films or Disney perfection... just expect a great time.
  
  
• Perfectly balanced
  By A2QRB6L1MCJ53G on 2003-03-23
  Many cartoons have too many characters that are overly cutesy to be loved by anyone other than a child. Others have themes that are perhaps too mature for anybody other than adults to understand or enjoy. There are few, a precious few, that manage to be cutesy, while also having more mature characters that aren't cutesy at all, but more on the serious side. A combination like this is likely to appeal to both the young, middle-aged, and old. "Ice Age" is one of the latter.

  It doesn't seem likely, but somehow, a herd consisting of a mammoth, a sloth, and a tiger have all come together as one to take a baby human back to its family, or have they? Tigers eat mammoths, and possibly humans as well. Humans hunt mammoths because they love their ivory tusks. How can it possibly work out in the end??

  As said, "Ice Age" succeeds in having characters that are cutesy and funny, while also having more serious minded characters. Manny the mammoth couldn't be much more serious. He doesn't laugh much at all, and he thinks the silly, airheaded antics of the hilarious Sid the sloth are just that. Silly. Diego the sabretooth tiger tries to play nice, but he isn't half as nice as he seems...or is he? Scrat the squirrel doesn't really play into the story at all, other than to just pop out of nowhere to chase a precious acorn around as if he couldn't live without it; he never once ceases to be amusing with his screams and the troubles he always seems to run into.

  As you're watching the movie, you'll be laughing your blank off while you also get into the plot and root for the good guys. This is because each and every one of the characters are interesting, entertaining, etc. You'll be amazed by the spectacular animation, especially when it comes to the characters; they really seem to come alive. Not to mention that many parts of the landscape, such as the drowning waterfalls, are so well animated that they appear realistic, to say the least. "Ice Age" is an all-around great movie. As much as I liked other films that are somewhat like it, such as "Toy Story" and "Dinosaur", I'd have to say that I like "Ice Age" the best so far; I have yet to see "Shrek" or "Monsters, Inc."

  Usually, when I finish watching a DVD, no matter how good or bad the movie was, I keep procrastinating when it comes to checking out the special features. This wasn't the case with "Ice Age." Upon finishing the movie and reading about the special features on the back of the case, I couldn't wait to check out the boat loads of features on the second disc. You'll see what I mean when you watch the movie; you'll want to see more of that mysterious little squirrel, Scrat. He has his own animated short, "Scrat's Missing Adventure". Along with this, there are six deleted scenes, an award-winning animated film: "Bunny" (very nice!), the HBO Behind the Scenes special of "Ice Age", scene-specific commentary by John Leguizamo as Sid, etc. You can also see how the characters were animated, play a few games (i.e., find where Scrat is hiding, find the best match, etc.), and much more.

  To get down to the nitty gritty, the "Ice Age" DVD is worth buying just for the movie by itself, but with the tons of special features that are included, it's an even better value. It's the must-have animated film of the year.
  
  

• A comic adventure for the whole family
  By A3QZCA4LTTVGAD on 2002-04-01
  The animated adventure-comedy "Ice Age" has some similarities to another excellent film, "Monsters Inc.": both feature a pair of loveable beasts who try to reunite a human child with its family, while a third beast plots something sinister. But beyond that, they are quite different films, and the characters in "Ice Age" have very different developmental arcs than their counterparts in "Monsters."

  "Ice Age," as its title indicates, takes place in the prehistoric era when primitive humans coexisted with wolly mammoths and other marvelous creatures. As is traditional in animated films, these creatures talk with human voices. Ray Romano voices the gruff mammoth Manfred, John Leguizamo is goofy sloth Sid, and Dennis Leary breathes life into the scheming saber-toothed cat Diego.

  The coolness factor (no pun intended!) of "Ice" is very high. The filmmakers have filled the screen with a rich assortment of amazing prehistoric creatures. And the landscape of this world is brilliantly realized by the animators. The amazing visuals capture a world of snow, glistening ice, bubbling mud pools, and other elements that is eerily alien, oddly familiar, and often strikingly beautiful. There is also some highly inventive use of the animation medium, particularly in one scene involving cave paintings. The visual artistry of "Ice Age" alone makes it a worthwhile cinematic experience.

  The vocal performances are all excellent. "Ice Age" is full of laughs and roller-coaster thrills, but also some remarkably poignant moments. Recommended.
  
  

• Strongest moments are slapstick
  By A21EVJ8V0Q7E3F on 2002-12-04
  I recently watched this movie with my 3 and a half year old. The parts that were mutually enjoyable were the traditional slapstick animation moments. They are almost too exciting for someone so young, and I caught her covering her eyes once when an animated character was trying to outrun an avalanche.

  There are very few movies for little ones that don't feature explicit scenes of violence and death. In this movie there are some fight scenes, but no creature dies on screen. After seeing Atlantis,and the death toll extracted before the closing credits, this is a refreshing change.
  
  I agree with reviews about the lack of smoothness in the animation of this film. This is especially evident with the Neanderthal characters. I did think that the various textures of snow, ice, mud and fur were well rendered.

  The story line plods along to a predictable conclusion. This is a family film that will be more enjoyable for the smallest viewers in your household than for the adults. But, adults have so many entertainment choices, that it's nice to a movie something that can be shared. Younger viewers will be able to follow what is going on without a lot of explanation from adults.
  
  

• The stale aroma? Not a mammoth, but a jumped-on band wagon.
  By A2WZ1B92F81LJJ on 2002-12-15
  I'm not sure what stunned me more about Ice Age: how a movie so many people loved could be so poor, or how so many people could absolutely love such a dud.

  Here's the cinematographic context: by the time this movie came out, the bar was already very high in the computer animated kidult movie stakes: the Toy Story franchise established the genre as a serious commercial and technical proposition, and Shrek established it as a serious artistic one. Ice Age comes along on their coat tails, aimed establishing nothing except direct access to your wallet.

  Of these two predecessors, Shrek is the fairer comparison, because its plot is very similar to Ice Age's: grumpy large beast, minding his own business, finds himself saddled with (i) a quest he really doesn't want (ii) and a wisecracking small beast he really doesn't want. Havoc ensues. Happy ending.

  This time, instead of an ogre, we have a mammoth. Instead of a donkey, a sloth. A quick witted, fast talking sloth, at that (ever hear of such a thing?). But, alas, not half quick witted enough.

  Here's the difference: Ice Age's Sid the Sloth is played by a session man, a professional voice-over artist, clearly reading verbatim from a rough house script, in a lisping Elmer Fudd voice. Shrek's Donkey is played by one of the funniest stand-up comedians on the planet, and while he must, one presumes, be looking at some sort of script, he sounds like he's ad-libbing every line.

  And that, in Ice Age, is pretty much all you get for dramatic activity: a smart-arsed Sloth. But added to that - or subtracted, more like - Ice Age has nothing of the multi-layered humour or visual complexity that makes Toy Story and Shrek such a pleasure to watch again and again. Instead of a babbling, teeming mass of hysterical bit-parts and cameos (a characteristic of both Shrek and Toy Story is that there is always something going on in the background) Ice Age features a background of ICE. Fairly easy to animate that, you'd think.

  It's a reheating of the classic western the Three Godfathers, apparently. This is meant to make it somehow all the more worthy. But it just means the plot is that much less original than it already seems.

  To sum: little of the wit, none of the warmth or appeal, and a fraction of the technical wizardry of its illustrious predecessors. The only thing it does have in common is the jokes. The SAME jokes.

  Avoid.
  
  

• Blu-Ray Version gets 2 thumbs up
  By AQB4DH57MSZSC on 2008-03-15
  If you are reading this review, you are probably wondering, "Should I invest good movie into purchasing this movie on blu-ray?"
  
  This movie is considerably older than many blu-ray releases, and it is not quite as sharp as its sequel "Meltdown", however, that said, this is an excellent release and well worth owning if you like animated family friendly blu-ray movies. The picture is very clear with very little grain, the picture is sharp, and the sound is crisp. The age of the film does show though - the fur on the mammoth isn't quite as sharp, and there is a little bit of noticeable grain, but all things considered, they did a great job with the transfer. Like "Meltdown" there are no bars above or below the screen on a widescreen television. We viewed the movie on a 37" 1080p LCD flatpanel TV with a PS3, 60GB blu-ray player, connected by a HDMI cable. Sound is 5.1 digital.
  
  
• SEE IN THEATERS.THERE ARE GREAT ACTION MOMENTS
  By A3HYSWSWX08RPS on 2002-02-19
  Set against the onslaught of the ice age, and a world filled with wonder and danger, the story revolves around three unforgettable characters: a wooly mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, and a sloth, who unite to return a human baby to his tribe.I BEG YOU SEE THE TRAILOR AND THAN YOU CAN THINK ANYTHING YOU WANT
  
  
• Great Story
  By A37F1G84K35FCZ on 2002-03-16
  No matter how spectacular the computer generated tale is, if there is a weak story no amount of amazing rendering will make the film worthwhile. "Ice Age", has great primary characters together with some more minor creatures that make this film extremely fun to watch. The dialogue is great, and you will find yourself laughing repeatedly during the film.

  The film has a different look than the films created by Pixar. Pixar has created remarkably lush and realistic environments in films like, "A Bug's Life". "Ants" attempted to just copy a Pixar creation and moviegoers were not fooled. The animators that created this film concentrate more on the primary characters, there are humans portrayed as well, but they are not intended to push realism or to fool those watching. The group that did this evidently has created software that allows them to render snow and its movement with great realism. I had read about this aspect prior to the film, and the snow filled visuals were amazing. The Sloth, Mammoth, and Saber-Toothed Tiger are the stars, and other cameos are excellent. And the critter on the poster, Scrat, owns the show whenever he appears, and is hilarious. His precious cargo, an acorn, is even turned in to much more than just a nut.

  Just as Manfred the Mammoth has been incorrectly described as a Mastodon, there is no portrayal of violence or death as occasionally shown by Disney, in films like, "The Lion King". The theater was filled with very young kids, who clearly were delighted with the film, and parents need have no fear of the youngsters seeing anything inappropriate, or having to deal with nightmares.

  Great story, great film, and hopefully the, "Sub-Zero Heroes", will return again to the theater.
  
  

• 5 Stars for the German Version - 2 Stars for the English
  By A30DHWQH5XKFL on 2002-11-18
  We own this one in both English and German (our family is bilingual). We watched the German version first and everyone loved it! From the 3 year old to the 42 year old grumpy, old german man! We find ourselves quoting this one constantly. The voices were classic! We really felt for Sid (the faultier - sloth), even though he is so annoying - in an hilarious way. Manny (the mammoth) is the large, in-charge loner, who finds himself "picking-up" helpless creatures and playing the "father" role to the sloth and ... a human baby? You find yourself really feeling for Manny too. He's all alone in the world, but not by his own design ... at least originally. He finds himself helping Sid to return this baby to its "herd." Diego is the Saber-tooth, who is charged by his "herd" with the task of bringing the baby back to his leader, so that his leader can avenge an attack on his "herd" by the humans. Diego leads the unlikely trio (sloth, mammoth, and himself - with the human baby) along a round about path toward the human encampment, into an ambush of tigers. Along the way, they learn to trust and depend on each other. This human baby becomes the adhesive that bonds them together. You even feel for Diego, because he isn't valued by the other tigers, but finds his place within this odd-trio.

  The English version? We watched the English version and I would have sworn (I'm an American mind you, born and raised in the US) that these people were pulled off of the street and asked to read a script on the spot. Some of the jokes were funnier in German too. "Ich esse kein Fastfood." Can be translated as either "I don't eat fastfood" or "I don't eat junkfood" but given that Sid is a sloth, fastfood is a riot!! Junkfood is ... okay. The voices though, lacked any real emotion and so you walk away from the film devoid of the identification with the characters, which as we all know, is what really makes a movie great!

  "Arme Tiger Katzi-Tatzi" (said "arme Teeger Katzee-Tatzee") "Sid, Tiger Katzi-Tatzi wird uns führen." (wird uns führen = is going to lead us)

  Yet another piece of proof that it is better to understand 2 languages than 1? Perhaps. Or perhaps it is a message that a clever movie can be made tremendously better by excellent casting, even when you can't see their faces.
  
  

• Profound AND Funny
  By A3AWLFMKGRMI5M on 2004-07-18
  I got indignant when one of my favorite reviewers panned this film and decided to rise to its defense. Not only does this film work brilliantly as an allegory about bridging ethnic and cultural divides, but it is by turns hilarious and deeply touching. The story follows a group of migrating prehistoric mammals (a saber-toothed tiger which is a predator; and a sloth and woolly mammoth, which are prey species) who find a lost human infant and ultimately make the difficult and dangerous decision to reunite it with its human tribe. The personalities of all three are well developed, and their nonstop bickering is a riot. Naturally, there are many internal divisions, and the saber-toothed tiger is secretly plotting to ambush the group, but in the end the shared experience of bonding with the infant unites them. There is a highly entertaining scene where the group travels through an ice cave in which is embedded hilarious references to other life forms including extraterrestrials. There is a very touching scene in which the mammoth contemplates human pictographs of hunters killing a family of mammoths with spears, only to be comforted by the human infant in his care. The animation, especially the facial expressions for the animals, and of course the ill-fated squirrel whose attempts to gather and store nuts form a cruelly funny sub-theme, is incredibly clever. The film is just brimming with sly humor, tenderness, and witty sight-gags; I've probably seen it five times and haven't gotten bored yet.
  
  
• Very good movie!
  By on 2002-04-07
  Ice Age is an impressive attempt from 20th Century Fox to enter the world of animation (it should be worth noting that Ice Age is 20th Century Fox's final animated movie, since their animation studios has been shut down due to financial difficulties), and they succeed with flying colors. The story is very ingenious and centers on the importance of friendship as the three mammals (a sloth, a mammel, and a sabertooth tiger) return a lost baby to his tribe. The friendship between Mandfed the mammoth and Sid the sloth is very similar to that of Donkey and Shrek in "Shrek," and I enjoyed the scene where the mammals are chasing the baby through the ice caverns. And let's not forget Scrat--he definitely steals the show throughout the movie, and all because he wanted to find a place to bury his acorn.
  Ice Age is fabulous, but even this movie, Shrek, and Monsters, Inc. can never top the animation in the movie Toy Story. Still, I do plan on buying the DVD of Ice Age when it comes out later this year (I'm guessing the DVD will be released during the Christmas holidays).
  
  
• Delightful Ice Age
  By A1UF8DGH0QIMME on 2002-11-10
  Excellent movie that keeps the attention of even the youngest of viewers!
  
  
• Review of Disc One of the 2-Disc Set and review of the film!
  By on 2002-11-23
  Review of Disc One:

  Disc 1 contains the movie in crummy pan and scan (this version totally sucks, do not watch it!) and the awesome widescreen (this version looks best) and an audio commentary which I haven't listened to as of this time. The quality of the DVD is awesome! The sound is very very wide and loud and the picture quality, while its not as good as Monsters, Inc., it still looks very nice, the colors are bright and the darks are dark! The first disc is nice, lets just hope disc 2 satisfies! I will be watching disc 2 when I get the set for Christmas!

  The movie is all about a stranger herd of animals: Manny the Mammoth, Diego the Saber Tooth and Sid the Sloth. These three have to take a little baby who was saved by its own mother after Diego's friends try to kill it. The movie is very very funny, so I really recommend it to all audiences, while some parts are kind of scary to kids, its very nice!
  
  

• cute, fun, enjoyable
  By A19ZXK9HHVRV1X on 2002-11-28
  "Ice Age" emerges as one of the better animated films of recent years, cleverly designed and even more cleverly written. Scenarists Michael Berg, Michael J. Wilson and Peter Ackerman have devised a story set 20,000 years ago about an unlikely trio of companions who find themselves making a long trek through a harsh environment in an effort, ostensibly, to return a baby human to the tribe from which he has become separated. The triumvirate is made up of a deadpan, cynical mammoth, a wisecracking, over-the-top sloth (whose mile-a-minute mouth more than makes up for his legendary slowness) and a malevolent saber-tooth tiger, who learns a thing or two about friendship and teamwork before the adventure is over.

  "Ice Age" is at its most amusing in those scenes in which the characters make prescient jokes about their own place in the evolutionary scheme of things. One particularly clever scene involves the three travelers discovering what looks like an underground museum of natural history encased in ice, replete with ancient creatures caught in naturally occurring, chain-of-life exhibits. Like most animated films set in the past, "Ice Age" derives much of its humor through the use of anachronism. We chuckle to hear these creatures applying modern, scientific knowledge to the pre-scientific era in which they are living.

  The animators and designers have done a beautiful job in achieving just the right look for this tale. The backgrounds have a colorful, clean, streamlined look to them, and the animals themselves, in their appearance and design, provide a witty commentary on evolutionary history. Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary do superb voiceover work, each achieving just the right tone for the character he has been assigned to play. One could wish, perhaps, for a bit less sentimentality at the end, but that is a minor quibble in a film that works so well for both children and adults. The kids will revel in the cuteness of the animals and the clever action sequences, while adults will savor the sly knowingness of the evolutionary and historical in-jokes. Not bad in an era when most films can't find a way to please even ONE audience demographic.
  
  

• Ice Age, another great example of realistic animation, along with a great message for the kids and family
  By A1J3X04M5ZI9S0 on 2006-03-17
  I use to own the 2-Disc Special Edition, but had picked up the Super-Cool Edition 2-Disc set on Tuesday. On to the movie: You start off with a simple heard of mammoths, along with other species like rhinoceroses, sloths, and others. A sloth (John Leguizamo) named Sid was abandoned by his own family and he runs into a mammoth (Ray Romano) named Manfred and he is continually annoyed by the sloth and his annoying self and sense of humor. They later come across a mother holding her baby after she had jumped off a cliff next to a waterfall as a sacrifice to save her only kid. After a moment of the sloth and mammoth arguing, they come to an agreement that they'd bring the kid back to his parents. Shortly afterwards, they come across a sabre-tooth tiger (Denis Leary) named Diego, that played apart in the attack of the humans who asks to deliver the baby himself even though it wasn't for that purpose. The tiger and mammoth compromise and all three find the humans together. Through all the annoying moments with each other and mostly Sid, heh heh, they start adapting with each other. Once they get close to the human tribe, they enter a cave and come to a point where there are drawings of their own kind printed on the rock...That's when they learn a little bit about themselves and who they are as a part of their own species. They become very good friends with each other and they call themselves the weirdest heard, but they start to smile and have fun, along with Diego defending his friends from the rest of the heard of sabre-tooth tigers. They start looking after each other in the funny times of danger that they have and, in the end, the mammoth proves that he does not want to harm the human tribe, but return their baby and part in peace. The message that I see coming out of this animated movie is the friendship they have even though each of these three characters are different (sloth, mammoth, & a sabre-tooth tiger). Along with fantastic animation and silly comedy for kids and adults, it has a great story for everyone. I can't wait to see Ice Age 2.
  
  
• So, did you hear the one about the Mammoth and the Sloth?
  By A1J2931UBBJPXM on 2002-03-30
  From the realm of digital animation, this is a film that is geared to the younger set, but one that most adults will find pleasantly entertaining, as well. Heavy on visual humor, with a few one-liners thrown in for good measure, "Ice Age," directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge, is a fairly pedestrian, family comedy that is viewer friendly and has a heart as big as it's main character, who just happens to be a mammoth named Manfred.

  It's the Ice Age, and the migration is on; but as the mammals begin to move, three very distinct individuals are about to be thrown together by circumstances of fate: Manfred the Mammoth (Ray Romano) insists on going against the tide of the migration movement (literally), and it brings him in touch with Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo), who awakens from his slothful slumber to find that he's been left behind by the other sloths. Meanwhile, a pack of Sabertooth Tigers, led by the ruthless Soto (Goran Visnjic), is about to exact revenge on the humans, the hunters he feels are responsible for the decimation of his pack. An attack is planned, with Soto especially intent on claiming a human baby as his prize. But during the attack, one of Soto's pack, Diego (Denis Leary), fails to prevent the baby's mother from escaping with her child. Outraged that the baby has escaped his grasp, Soto charges Diego with the task of locating the baby and bringing him back, alive. What Diego does not know, however, is that the baby has ended up in the care of one of the most unlikely duos imaginable, Manfred and Sid, who have joined forces in an attempt to locate the humans and return the baby to it's herd. When Diego realizes what has happened, he decides that his best shot at getting ahold of the baby is to join Manfred and Sid in their quest, which he does by convincing them that they need him-- a tracker by nature-- if they are to succeed in finding the humans, who are also on the move. And so they begin their journey, with Manfred and Sid unaware of the treachery at hand, lying hidden in their very midst.

  Unlike other prominent films of this genre, such as "Shrek," or even "Monster's Inc.," "Ice Age" is not terrifically clever or witty; nor does it try to be. The strength of this film, in fact, lies in the very straightforward manner in which it is presented, and the filmmakers obviously made some very deliberate choices as to what they wanted to do with their film, and what exactly they wanted it to be. Rather than go for the hip and hilarious, they chose warm and funny-- and it works. There is some subtle humor, but for the most part the jokes are what they are; Saldanha and Wedge do not employ the double entendre, for example, so you don't have to go looking for what they're trying to say. It's a matter of what you see is what you get.

  What they do give you are some engaging characters (especially Manfred and Sid) and a number of things that visually stimulate the funny bone, beginning with the hapless squirrel who mugs his way through the opening frames with a nut in tow (and who pops up occasionally throughout the film), whose bug-eyed looks and frantic antics are enough to start you chuckling and take you right on into some full-blown gales of laughter. And it's all tempered so that it never goes too far over the top into "Road Runner" type slapstick, relying instead on some imaginative touches (such as the stages of evolution of the sloth preserved frozen in ice, with Sid falling into frieze briefly at the end of the tableau) and a basic story that's involving enough to sustain interest.

  Anyone familiar with the TV show "Everybody Loves Raymond" will know what to expect as far as the Manfred character, whom Ray Romano infuses with the same wry persona as his Raymond TV character. But Romano does it well, his Manfred is quite likable, and he even manages to create a couple of truly poignant moments with him. Simply put, he gives you a mammoth to whom you can actually relate. And that's a pretty good piece of acting.

  As Sid, John Leguizamo gives a distinct voice to the film, creating a personality that definitely fits the wall-eyed looks of the sloth. Like Romano, Leguizamo has a unique comedic style, and the contrast between the two works beautifully for their respective characters and the way in which they play off of one another. And when you add Denis Leary to the mix-- which offers yet another distinct style of comedy (a bit more on the caustic side)-- the result is quite an interesting and diverse combination that in the end works extremely well. It should be noted, too, that Leary is comparatively subdued with his character, while Leguizamo gives a stream-of-consciousness type performance, though he manages to stay just this side of Robin Williams territory (which is a positive within the context of this film and this particular character). Most importantly, all three create characters that succeed in effectively telling the story, and they do it in a way that is not only inoffensive, but which enables the audience to embrace them, as well.

  The supporting cast includes Jack Black (Zeke), Tara Strong (Roshan), Stephen Root (Rhino), Diedrich Bader (Saber-tooth Tiger) and Jane Krakowski (Jennifer the Sloth). Entertaining, feel-good family fare, "Ice Age" is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and provide you with a satisfying cinematic experience. And I dare not neglect to mention the educational significance of this film, too; I mean, where else are you going to find out what really happened to the Dodo Bird? It's the magic of the movies.
  
  

• Good entertainment for young and old
  By A1VHK9A4VLJTHC on 2002-11-17
  A very fun and funny movie, the kind an adult can watch along with the kids and not feel bored. Bits of hidden humor and lots of action make this movie a good one to own. I enjoyed the little interactions between the characters as they made there trek and thought that the voice overs were very well done.
  I hesitate to rate this as high as Shrek, but I think it was comparable to Monsters Inc., either way, if you enjoyed either of these other two, you'll enjoy this one. A strong recommendation.
  
  
• Top Notch Video, Awesome Audio, Another Great Blu Release.
  By A20EHAR40RISAX on 2008-03-29
  Over the last month or so, I have been very, very impressed with the latest releases from Blu-Ray. This title is no exception. Super clean picture, awesome sound, and an overall fun movie.
  
  First off, this title was viewed on a Sony XBR4 monitor. Calibrated with the Digital Video Essentials disk. Playback acheived with a Sony PS3, using Monster HDMI cables. A Sony DG910 receiver was used for audio. Axiom speakers were used in 5.1 sound.
  
  So, with that said. This title is " reference quality ". Picture is super clean and sharp. Looks straight from the source. Couldn't do much better. The colors are crisp and clean. Very vibrant. Though there are not many dark scenes, the blacks hold very, very well. There are no flaws to the transfer itself. As clean as it get's. It has a very 3 dimentional look to it. Ratatouille, Cars, Meet The Robinsons and The Simpsons all have the same flawless transfer. If you like these type of movies, and want to see what your High Def system can do, this will surely please anyone. Picture and sound that is.
  
  The sound is Awesome. You will here even the most subtle details. All voices are clean and crisp. When your subwoofer kicks in, you will know it! Awesome low's, mid's and high's. I would have to say that this is a title that will truely show of your audio system. My system is by no means a Top End Audiophile setup. But, it really shows off all soundfields very well. One of the best 5.1 audio tracks I have ever heard.
  
  As far as the movie goes.....let's just say that if you love Pixar or Dreamworks animation type flicks, this is a fun, enjoyable movie. With or without kids. I highly recommend this title. Cant ask for much more!
  
  
• Cracking the groud cracks me up!
  By on 2002-04-17
  Ice Age is a very movie that has something for everyone. All the animals except the saber-tooth squirrel, which was a very funny character indeed, all have fossil evidence (egsample: Brontotheirs a.k.a. rhinos, Moritherium, Glyptodonts, etc.). The relationship between Manfred the mammoth and Sid the sloth was like that between that of Shrek and Donkey, the Deago the saber-tooth cat was alot like Muffasa with a happier ending, the story was alot like Tarzan, and the cave painting scene reminded me of Prince of Egypt. The Tae Kwan Dodo scene made me laugh hillariously, the evolution of the sloth, though inacurate, was amazingly funny, and the ending scene was hillarious. Over all, this is one good movie.
  
  
• Great kids movie, terrific for older kids and adults, too!
  By A3MCQSIBV7QW8Q on 2002-07-16
  "Ice Age" is a terrific movie for people all ages! "Monster, Inc.", "Shrek", [etc.] have their uniqueness but I must admit that "Ice Age" is up there with them on my list of great animated kids movies

  When a baby Eskimo is separated from his clan because of a band of sabre toothed tigers, it's up to a strange band of animals to restore him to his family. There's Manfred the mammoth (Ray Romano), who is a loner yet is forced to travel with his other companions. Sid (John Leguizamo), the sloth who has plenty of laughs up his sleeves. The last of the three members is Diego (Denis Leary), a sabre toothed tiger who is not all that he seems. Will the three be able to bring the baby back to his clan?

  Great movie enterainment, I highly recommend for all to see it. It has its very hilarious moments which are too numerous to name. I especially love the banter between Diego and Sid. The characters are so much fun that you can't help but love them and cheer them on. Oh, and check out a very funny squirrel like animal who's only love is an acorn he cannot part with! :)

  So all in all, "Ice Age" is lots of fun for the family. This is the type of movie where no one can get bored since the movie has all the elemtents of a great family film; good plot, lots of humor, and a great show of what friendship is. I can't wait till the DVD comes out! I'll definitely get it!
  
  

• Didn't we just see this?
  By on 2003-01-01
  The recipe for Ice Age:

  Take some left over Shrek
  Mix in some Monster's Inc
  add a dash of Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron
  Microwave it all and voila- Ice Age

  Let's see, big beast who wants to be left alone is saddled with a small wisecracking beast on a journey- the Shrek recipe for success.

  Small dark haired baby who makes cute needs to be returned to the human 'world'. Think a younger Boo with less personality.

  And then for the animal rights activist/vegetarian in you, we get some mild lecturing on how humans are bad because they kill animals and such and such- didn't Stallion already give us a long-winded lecture on that topic?

  As a mother, I will admit I did get teary eyed at the scene where the baby was returned safe and sound- one star for that. Though my mother instincts made me wonder how such a scantily clad baby could survive in the icy cold for what appears to be days with nothing but one diaper change and one meal of watermelon. But hey, that's me. It kept my 6 year old and 2 year old entertained for an hour- hence, the second star. Other than that, I think there was potential for something really entertaining and original, but it just turned out to be stale, warmed over leftovers that tasted much better the first time around.
  
  

• Excellent Animation and Very Funny
  By A2AOZQ3WTNVVOK on 2003-07-24
  This movie is very funny. Laugh out loud funny. Slapstick funny. I have seen reviewers for this movie and for "Monsters, Inc." choose one over the other. There is no need to choose one movie over the other. Both are funny, both are good, and both are worth watching and having. Each movie has its own good and bad points, and I think there is no need to compare the two to each other, particularly since the only reason they are compared to each other is because of they were released relatively closely together.

  About 20,000 years ago an ice age is impending, and animals are migrating to escape the advancing ice. During the general turmoil saber tooth tigers attempt to take a baby from a tribe of humans. The baby escapes, but is now separated from his tribe. The baby is discovered by an obnoxious sloth named Sid, voiced by John Leguizamo. John enlists the aid of Manfred, a woolly mammoth voiced by Ray Romano, to aid in returning the baby to his tribe. Manfred drafts Diego, a saber tooth tiger voiced by Denis Leary, to help track the humans. Diego agrees since it allows him to steer the trio into an ambush. This movie is thus the story of how this unlikely group attempts to return the baby to his tribe.

  What a journey this group makes. It seems as though they skirt disaster and suddenly their salvation is a source of another laugh. The movie continues in this vein up to the ending of the movie, which is well done and satisfying. The ending was predictable, but for this movie the fun was not in the ending, but in the journey itself.

  This movie plays out like a Bugs Bunny or Road Runner cartoon. The characters are not overly cute, and are often behave somewhat crudely. With their relatively crude behavior, the characters appeal to an older audience than other animated movies focused on earning a G rating. The animation was also interesting in that it was not the highly polished and detailed look of other recent animated features. The characters are often angular and simplified in their execution. Since the focus is on the action and the story, and since I quickly felt comfortable with the art style, I didn't notice the lack of detail in the characters until after I finished watching the movie and was preparing to review it.

  This movie is one of the best animated movies created in recent years. The humor is slapstick and will remind older viewers of cartoons from the 40s through the 60s. This film will appeal to children from about age 5 to adults. Very young children may find the occasional violence and some of the situations the animals find themselves to be a little too intense. For everyone else, sit back, relax, and get ready for one laugh after another.
  
  

• Ice Age - The Meltdown [Blu-ray]
• I, Robot [Blu-ray]
• Independence Day [Blu-ray]
• National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets [Blu-ray]
• Madagascar [Blu-ray]