Here are short reviews of new movies opening Friday.
Steve Oedekerk makes films naughty (“Kung Pow! Enter the Fist”) and nice (“Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius”). “Santa vs. The Snowman 3D,” despite the mildly irreverent title, is one of his nice ones.
This is the first original 3-D animated film produced for IMAX, and if this Christmas-that-almost-didn’t-happen story was as inspired as the animation, IMAX might have a holiday classic.
But “Snowman” retreads “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Here, the lonely Snowman is jealous of the love that greets Santa (wonderfully voiced by Jonathan Winters) and is determined to take his place, by force if necessary. And necessary it is, as Santa disconcertingly makes like Rambo against the Snowman and his minions (“Prepare my assault vehicle,” he commands, “Santa’s coming to town.”).
The movie has an avalanche of eye-popping visual effects, including a bustling Santa’s village, nifty “Jimmy Neutron”-type gadgets and “Stars Wars”-like igloo walking robots–and, of course, the requisite heartwarming happy ending.
“Santa vs. the Snowman” (star)(star) 1/2 opens at the Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, 600 E. Grand Ave. No MPAA rating. Running time: 40 min.