Results tagged “randynewman”

to the train tracks, and why on earth it was marked with a state historic marker. After weeks of trying in vain to read parts of the marker as the train whizzed past, we turned to our trusty companion, the internet, to see what we could find.

Over the Hedge is a computer-animated family film from a large Hollywood studio (in this case, DreamWorks), so you know pretty much what to expect: a bunch of anthropomorphized animals voiced by a bevy of celebrities, spouting amusing jokes laced with pop culture references, who go through a series of wacky adventures that splits them apart, but then ultimately brings them back together again, closer friends than ever, and everybody learns a valuable lesson about love and togetherness or something. And indeed OtH does not disappoint in this regard - it fits the formula exactly. And yet somehow it takes all the painfully familiar elements and manipulates them so expertly that you'll hardly notice you've seen it all before. It's a highly entertaining film, and even manages - in the spirit of the comic strip upon which it's based - to include some clever satire on America's food-centric suburban culture, as well as some moving lessons about family. Ben Folds helps in both of these aspects, contributing to the soundtrack a new version of his song "Rockin' the Suburbs" with re-worked lyrics skewering the suburban lifestyle, as well as a number of Randy Newman-style ballads about friendship and so forth.