D.J.'s Guilty Pleasure Review #1: "Hey Arnold!: The Movie"

Welcome to the first installment of a biweekly thing I decided to do, called D.J.'s Gulity Pleasure Reviews (free of spoliers)! Basically, it's where I give my honest opinions on movies, TV episodes, or whole series that not a lot of people love, but I can't help but to enjoy watching. Most of these pieces of entertainment are what I enjoy watching ever since I was younger, when I didn't think/care about what critics or older average people had to say about it, regardless of whatever problems in quality the movie/show/episode has. Everyone has the right to their own opinion, right? If there's a so-called bad movie that I happen to love because of whatever elements in it catch my interests, as long as it isn't admit to liking something that's as universally despised as Foodfight!, none of you should develop a hatedom for me just because I admit to enjoying a movie that's only mildly bad (or mediocre at best), like Hey Arnold!: The Movie. And that's the film I'm going to praise this week.

The Long Story Told Short (Spoiler-Free!): So, the story of this theatrical adaptation of the popular Nicktoon is the beloved neighborhood of Arnold and the gang is at risk of being replaced by some giant mall. And the antagonistic businessman behind the construction, Scheck, wants everyone on 33rd to 39th Street to remember that "change is good." But, of course, Arnold and Gerald (but especially Arnold, a.k.a. Mr. Always-Look-On-The-Bright-Side) are incredibly persistent to making things remain the same. After their block party failed to make its point, Arnold and Gerald journey like spies as they try to take from Scheck a document about a "tomato incident". That document should prove that the neighborhood is a national landmark; thus, it can't be torn down by bulldozers. Predictably, they go through some obstacles, but they managed to save the neighborhood, all thanks to Arnold's "look on the bright side" motto. And no, I didn't spoil anything, because not only didn't I explicitly explain how they saved the neighborhood, but it's simply beyond

predictable how things will end.

My Honest Thoughts on This So-Called Bad Movie: I must say first that I never grew up watching the show as a kid, and I didn't bother to even think about having an open mind for it. I remember getting Hey Arnold!: The Movie on VHS as an eighth birthday present, along with The Rugrats Movie, a Nicktoon movie that I found to be much more interesting. I remember being a little upset that I got the Arnold movie, because I wasn't familiar with the show, and thought I'd be boring. I even stopped the tape by the middle of everything because was so bored of it. It's like I knew Hey Arnold!: The Movie had a bad reception amongst people! But, one day, I took the time to watch the film in its entirety with an open mind...and just like that, I became a fan of the thing! And after becoming a fan of Hey Arnold! The Movie, I have since developed interest in the show itself...even though YTV stopped airing it by then. Still, I satisfied my newfound enthusiasm for Hey Arnold! by visiting the fan site Hey-Arnold.com. Finally, in December 2008, I was able to watch the episodes 'Heat", 'Snow", and "Arnold's Christmas". However, I still watch the movie more than the show. Sad, ain it?

Alright, enough of my history with Arnold. Let's get to why I don't think Hey Arnold!: The Movie is as bad as lots of people (particularly certain die-hard show fans) say it is. For one thing, they say The Movie lacks the charm of the show. Well, like I said, I haven't watched enough of Hey Arnold! to easily detect its charm. Poor excuse, ain't it? But in other words, I don't exactly see how this movie is the cartoon it's based on. Anyway, the whole action, adventure, and cleverness behind the boys' plans to save the day are really enough for this movie to satisify and excite me! In addition, I found Hey Arnold!: The Movie to be very funny. To make things easier, I'm gonna list a few of the funniest parts I absolutely love:

* The whole subplot with Grandma escaping jail.

* The scene where Scheck talks with the head of security, and all the latter could say in response is "Yes, sir!", much to the former's annoyance!

* Near the end of the climax, stinky Grandma pushes a Jamaican construction worker off his bulldozer. This is, in my opinion, the most gut-bustingly funny scene in the entire movie!

Jamaican dudes are just naturally hilarious with their patois, I guess.

* The scene where Helga's dad Big Bob and Nick get into a brawl, and then Bob turns into a Hulk after Nick throws pickle juice at him

* Every scene with Murray the cynical bus driver.

* Also, the entire sequence with that nutty professor-type guy voiced by Christopher Lloyd.

* Eugene breaking into song, assuming that the occassion of the neighborhood's risk of going away called for a song, much to Arnold's annoyance. It was a good parody scene!

Then, there's the bit of drama into it. One particular scene that's worthy of being labeled a Tear Jerker is when the butcher Mr. Green was telling Arnold and Gerald his backstory about his family-owned meat shop, and how happy he was when his father passed the position of running the shop to him. But the sad part is Mr. Green's own son hates meat. So, if the neighborhood was going to be demolished , there'll no one else in the Green family to keep his dream of selling meats alive.

I honestly felt sorry for Mr. Green; you'd have to have no heart like...No Heart from Care Bears to not feel empathy for the poor guy.

Well, there's currently not much else I can say about Hey Arnold!: The Movie other than concluding by saying it's far from a spectacular adaptation, but I found it to be exciting and hilarious, nevertheless. I'll still love it, but maybe someday, I'll treat it like crap compared to the show!

How Recommendable Is It?: It varies. If you're unfamiliar with the Hey Arnold! series like how I was, you may be entertained by its movie once you check it out, or you may not. It all depends on your tastes. If you are a Hey Arnold! fan who respects the show for the witty and charmful slice-of-life Nicktoon that it is, you might not wanna sit through this. But, if you're an Arnold fan who'll gullibly find anything with Arnold's football head on it to be entertaining, you'll probably think the movie's okay.

My Rating: 3/5

Basic Film Info:

Released: June 28, 2002

Starring: Spencer Klein, Jamil, Walker Smith, Francesca Smith, Dan Castellaneta, Paul Sorvino,

Christopher Lloyd

Directed by: Tuck Tucker (I've always thought that was a funny name)

Studio(s): Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Snee-Oosh Inc.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: One and a half star (29%)

Metacritic Rating: Two and a half stars (47%)

Next time: Rugrats Go Wild

What animated movie is your guilty pleasure? Post your answer in the comment box. Remember, it has to be a movie that's consider by many people to be mediocre or just plain bad, yet you find it be amusing. So, please don't mention films that are actually acclaimed by most people, like Frozen.