The premise sounds promising, and the first outside glimpse we might get of any imagery tells us that we can expect the flick to be either a delightfully irreverent farce, or dubiously considered schlock. Thankfully, as the minutes tick by following an introduction, and the core thrust of the picture becomes evident, it's safe to say that the former holds true much more than the latter. Granted, this arguably goes a tad too far at points as the proceedings rely in part on juvenile puerility, and even some gross-out humor, that are somewhat boorish. Yet such instances are the exception, and not the rule, and much more than not 'Hundreds of beavers' is marvelously clever, and decidedly atypical among modern comedies. In fact, to whatever extent one facet or another of the entertainment may not meet our personal preferences, overall the title is such a blast that such subjective critiques fall by the wayside; moreover, if that's the worst I have to say, then the contributors have done very well for themselves. Kudos to filmmaker Mike Cheslik, co-writer and star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, and all others involved, for this a joyous lark that deserves a lot more attention!
Cheslik, Tews, and their producer friends take inspiration from a variety of sources and blend it all together into something uncommon, whimsical, and fresh. In the cinematography, some choices of editing, occasional, intertitles, and mild flavoring and graininess lent to the fundamental black and white presentation, we see influence from cinema dating back to the silent era. Touches of realistic considerations come with the necessary resourcefulness of life on the frontier in the frozen north, cheerfully contrasting with the abject cartoonishness that the flick largely adopts. And I do mean cartoonishness, for one is plainly reminded of 'Merrie Melodies,' 'Looney Tunes,' and other like-minded fare including live-action kin with the use of animation, puppets and props, and full-body animal suits; sound effects, music cues, and over the top special effects; exaggerated, animated performances, the predominant declination of dialogue, and the intelligence with which animals are written; scene writing and gags ripped straight from the exploits of Wile E. Coyote and The Roadrunner, or Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny; and so on, and so on. For good measure factor in some pop culture references, much more modern and/or adult sensibilities, and obvious echoes of videogames, from lighthearted puzzle games, to platformers, to action-adventure.
This feature is one that wears its artificiality on its sleeve, yet by completely leaning into that tenor and the flippancy of classic cartoons the sum total is not just witty, but unconventional by most any standards, and rather innovative. We're apt to draw comparisons with most anything we watch as a way of understanding what we haven't seen before, and finding points of praise or criticism, and usually it's quite easy to do so from top to bottom. Far fewer are those works in any genre that emphatically tread into new territory, and the fact that 'Hundreds of beavers' can take recognizable ideas and tropes and spin them into something well outside the bounds of familiar comedy speaks so well to the great creativity of all on hand. Just as much to the point, the movie might go all-out with its frivolous buffoonery and unremitting frivolity, but in no capacity is it sloppy or ill-gotten. The mixture of all the visual elements is surely the most complex facet of the production, but the doing is navigated with aplomb, a tremendous credit to all those operating behind the scenes. The players unreservedly embrace the silliness with their wild acting, very much recalling the most outlandish ideations of any more ordinary romp, and all are to be commended; Tews, Olivia Graves, and Doug Mancheski, among others in the cast, just readily go with the flow, wherever it takes them.
And still it's Cheslik as director, and writing alongside Tews, who almost certainly earns the most substantial congratulations for this film. It's one matter to devise the concept, and create an outline for the absurdity to come. Uncharacteristic of a picture this roundly ludicrous, one plainly discerns incredible detail in the narrative and scene writing, and in the conjuration of all the odds and ends of the humor, to bring the entirety to fruition. From the amalgamation of each clear inspiration, to the extremes to which all were taken, ultimately 'Hundreds of beavers' probably well outpaces any short with those figures we know and love - Tom, Jerry, Daffy, Sylvester, Tweety, Porky, Speedy, Woody, Donald, and all their brethren - in terms of the unbridled goofiness of it all. As a matter of our individual tastes in comedy maybe that means the final product is too preposterous for its own good, yet the title can claim stupendous ingenuity, energy, skill, and care in every last regard. For my part, having sat with high hopes but mixed expectations, I am positively thrilled by just how terrifically fun it is, and Cheslik deftly draws together all the constituent parts into a bizarre but solid, cohesive whole. I could hardly be happier with just how funny this flick is, and I'm grateful I caught eye in passing of good word of mouth. In turn I can only pass on that suggestion, as I think there's something here for just about anyone. Whether you're an especial fan of the noted cartoons of yore or just looking for something irreverent and enjoyable, 'Hundreds of beavers' is utterly fantastic, I'm glad to give it my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!
Cheslik, Tews, and their producer friends take inspiration from a variety of sources and blend it all together into something uncommon, whimsical, and fresh. In the cinematography, some choices of editing, occasional, intertitles, and mild flavoring and graininess lent to the fundamental black and white presentation, we see influence from cinema dating back to the silent era. Touches of realistic considerations come with the necessary resourcefulness of life on the frontier in the frozen north, cheerfully contrasting with the abject cartoonishness that the flick largely adopts. And I do mean cartoonishness, for one is plainly reminded of 'Merrie Melodies,' 'Looney Tunes,' and other like-minded fare including live-action kin with the use of animation, puppets and props, and full-body animal suits; sound effects, music cues, and over the top special effects; exaggerated, animated performances, the predominant declination of dialogue, and the intelligence with which animals are written; scene writing and gags ripped straight from the exploits of Wile E. Coyote and The Roadrunner, or Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny; and so on, and so on. For good measure factor in some pop culture references, much more modern and/or adult sensibilities, and obvious echoes of videogames, from lighthearted puzzle games, to platformers, to action-adventure.
This feature is one that wears its artificiality on its sleeve, yet by completely leaning into that tenor and the flippancy of classic cartoons the sum total is not just witty, but unconventional by most any standards, and rather innovative. We're apt to draw comparisons with most anything we watch as a way of understanding what we haven't seen before, and finding points of praise or criticism, and usually it's quite easy to do so from top to bottom. Far fewer are those works in any genre that emphatically tread into new territory, and the fact that 'Hundreds of beavers' can take recognizable ideas and tropes and spin them into something well outside the bounds of familiar comedy speaks so well to the great creativity of all on hand. Just as much to the point, the movie might go all-out with its frivolous buffoonery and unremitting frivolity, but in no capacity is it sloppy or ill-gotten. The mixture of all the visual elements is surely the most complex facet of the production, but the doing is navigated with aplomb, a tremendous credit to all those operating behind the scenes. The players unreservedly embrace the silliness with their wild acting, very much recalling the most outlandish ideations of any more ordinary romp, and all are to be commended; Tews, Olivia Graves, and Doug Mancheski, among others in the cast, just readily go with the flow, wherever it takes them.
And still it's Cheslik as director, and writing alongside Tews, who almost certainly earns the most substantial congratulations for this film. It's one matter to devise the concept, and create an outline for the absurdity to come. Uncharacteristic of a picture this roundly ludicrous, one plainly discerns incredible detail in the narrative and scene writing, and in the conjuration of all the odds and ends of the humor, to bring the entirety to fruition. From the amalgamation of each clear inspiration, to the extremes to which all were taken, ultimately 'Hundreds of beavers' probably well outpaces any short with those figures we know and love - Tom, Jerry, Daffy, Sylvester, Tweety, Porky, Speedy, Woody, Donald, and all their brethren - in terms of the unbridled goofiness of it all. As a matter of our individual tastes in comedy maybe that means the final product is too preposterous for its own good, yet the title can claim stupendous ingenuity, energy, skill, and care in every last regard. For my part, having sat with high hopes but mixed expectations, I am positively thrilled by just how terrifically fun it is, and Cheslik deftly draws together all the constituent parts into a bizarre but solid, cohesive whole. I could hardly be happier with just how funny this flick is, and I'm grateful I caught eye in passing of good word of mouth. In turn I can only pass on that suggestion, as I think there's something here for just about anyone. Whether you're an especial fan of the noted cartoons of yore or just looking for something irreverent and enjoyable, 'Hundreds of beavers' is utterly fantastic, I'm glad to give it my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!