Is Everything Old New Again With The Return Of The Smurfs And Yogi Bear?

Kids of the 80's rejoice. Remember those small little blue creatures known as The Smurfs who lived in a tiny village only to be tormented by the evil Gargamel? Well if you don't, don't bother calling yourself a child of the 80's. If you do, you may be interested (or squealing in delight) to know that The Smurfs are making their way to the big screen this holiday season. Although I am a little skeptical of this (anyone who saw Alvin and the Chipmunks may agree) bringing something that brought so much joy into our lives when we were younger and completely destroying it could damage the reputation of these small blue creatures (who really are just small miniature avatars). But come on, I'm going to take the positive approach on this one. Okay we all remember that there was only one girl in the Smurfs (hmmmm now that I think about it are the smurfs all gay?) and her name was Smurfette (wow creative) but she will be voiced by California Gurl herself Katy Perry. Throw in Neil Patrick Harris, George Lopez, Alan Cumming, Anton Yelchin, Paul Reubens and Sofia Vergara and you may be onto something Columbia Pictures. Being directed by Raja Gosnell (Scooby Doo fame, it wasn't that bad) may help as well, as the man knows how to direct his main stars without actually being there until post production. But The Smurfs aren't the only ones returning, Yogi and his little pal Boo Boo are as well in a live action movie coming out this Christmas. This is where I am starting to think Hollywood is running out of ideas for really enjoyable kids movies unless they are developed by Pixar (love you Toy Story 3). Okay, I never really got into this show as a kid, but I do know the basic premise. Yogi and Boo Boo are two bears who can talk to Ranger Smith, and always seem to cause him grief do to Yogi's love of pic-a-nic baskets in Jellystone Park. The low down for the film version is that a documentary film crew cross path with Yogi, Boo Boo and Ranger Smith (wow Warner Bros. you must have pulled an all nighter to think up that idea). The movie will star Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh and Justin (am I ever going back to music) Timberlake as Boo Boo and Dan (where the heck have you been) Aykroyd as Yogi. Well it's pretty clear what will either happen or doesn't. For every successful film based on cartoons (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Garfield, Scooby-Doo) there have been just as many that were DOA (I'm looking at you Rocky and Bulwinkle). So these two may just surprise this reviewer, but lets hope this comes to an end soon and Hollywood can bring some new exciting idea to kids movies. I for one if I was a kid, would be praying a good Pixar movie would come out for every bland kids movies (love you again Toy Story 3).