Chicken Little (2005)

Because I feel like punishing myself, let's take a look at Chicken Little.

The Movie:

Chicken Little is the 46th movie in the Disney Animated Canon and the first to be done entirely with CGI 3D animation.  Surprisingly the movie was somewhat financially successful, being Disney's first movie to open at number 1 in the box office since Dinosaur and Disney's biggest opening since The Lion King, though it's final totals would be more modest.  The movie received mostly negative reviews and has faced backlash from Disney fans for being too mean spirited.  (This notably was Michael Eisner's attempt to out Dreamworks Jeffery Katzenberg, and was one of the final nails in the coffin for Eisner as studio head.)  Chicken Little's reputation hasn't improved, and given Disney's more recent success with 3D animation, has actually gotten worse.

Chicken Little is somewhat inspired by the folk tale.  In an anthropomorphic world, Chicken Little causes a commotion in the town of Oakey Oaks when he claims the sky is falling.  A year later, he is still the town pariah.  Chicken Little's only friends are Abby Mallard (aka the Ugly Duckling), a pig named Runt of the Litter, and a literal Fish Out of Water.  Chicken Little really just longs for the approval of his father, and it seems like his attempts to do so might work.  However, Chicken Little's reputation is once again threatened when a piece of alien technology falls from the sky.

Why?  What is the reason for this movie?  Chicken Little is bad!  As mentioned, the story really is mean-spirited and has few redeeming qualities.  The plot is extremely padded, with an entire baseball scene that isn't really needed.  The second half of the movie plays out like War of the Worlds, and the movie makes sure to tell you that.  The film is very dated, both in the look of the CGI and the pop culture references.  Plus, it has the audacity to waste the perfectly good voice talents of Wallace Shawn, Patrick Stewart, and Patrick Warburton.  The only character that I actually enjoy is Fish Out of Water, but that alone can't save this movie.

The soundtrack to Chicken Little is mostly pop songs, with only a couple that are actually original to the movie.  If this movie has given us one good thing, it is the song "One Little Slip" by the Barenaked Ladies.  What does exist of a score is by John Debney, and the only track that is somewhat interesting is the closing credits track.

Presence in the Parks:

Does anyone actually want Chicken Little at the parks?  That's what I thought.