Title: The Lorax

Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG

Starring: Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms, Taylor Swif

Directed By: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda

Written By: Dr. Seuss, Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio

Genre: Comedy, Family

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia:

• The characters of Ted and Audrey are named after Dr. Seuss (whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel) and his second wife Audrey Geisel.
• Unlike the original book, the Once-ler is shown fully in the story as a human. Executive producer Christopher Meledandri said of the change, "The minute you make the Once-ler a monster, you allow the audience to interpret that the problem is caused by somebody who is different from me, and it ceases to be a story that is about all of us. Then it's a story about, 'Oh I see, the person who led us into the predicament is not a person. It's somebody very, very different.' And so it takes you off the hook."
• When the Once-ler is walking to his office once he became rich, what appears to be a blow-up magazine cover is hanging on the wall. It is caption "Too big to fail", which is an colloquial term in economics to define an institution whose failure would bring catastrophic consequences to the economy. After the 2009 banking collapse, modern economists have said that institutions too big to fail are simply too big to exist.
• Whilst playing board games with the family, Grammy Norma can make the word "Lorax" with the scrabble balls she has.

Summary: A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Review: 

Always love Dr. Seuss, but the movies usually don't live up to the books.  Thankfully, this one does.  I love the additions of Ted and Audrey to help the audience connect to the storyline and message.  Plus, Danny DeVito is just amazing as the Lorax.  I love this movie way too much.  The movie really highlights the beauty of Seuss' creations. I think we need to own this one now.

Best Bits: 

• Mr. O'Hare: You've got a beautiful town here, Ted! I can't think of any reason you'd want to leave town... ever again.
• Once-ler: Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, things aren't going to get better. They're not.  Ted: You do know that you are talking in rhyme, don't you?
• Once-ler: Why are you so interested in trees, anyway? Why aren't you like other kids? Breakdancing and wearing bellbottoms and playing the Donkey Kongs?  Ted: [laughs] Yeah. Right, right. I don't know. Uh, I just thought it might be kinda cool to have one.  Once-ler: [knowingly] Uh-huh. It's a girl, isn't it?  Ted: [scoffs] What? No!  Once-ler: Really? Because when a guy does something stupid once, well that's because he's a guy. But if he does the same stupid thing twice, that's usually to impress some girl.  Ted: Hey, she is not just some girl! She's a woman. In high school. And she loves trees. And I'm gonna get her one.  Once-ler: Awww. How nice to see someone so undeterred by things like reality.  Ted: Thank you.