Do appliances think? And if so, what do they think about you as their owner?
Apparently, it’s pretty easy for those lovable hunks of metal to get attached. Such is certainly the case with a toaster, radio, electric blanket, lamp and vacuum cleaner that live in a summer vacation cabin. Their master, a little red-haired boy named Rob, hasn’t been back to the cabin for a while, and the appliances are beginning to wonder if they’ll ever see him again. When they hear that the cabin and all the contents are to be sold, these five friends decide to set out in search of their master, their loyalties running deep.
On their journey, they encounter many perils, including rainstorms, waterfalls, and – dreaded of all dreads, the junkyard – only to be (very coincidentally) reunited with their beloved master before he takes off for college. When he goes, he has his old friends with him, and they couldn’t be happier.
I’m rather of two minds about this movie. It was an interesting premise – we probably pay far too little attention to the feelings of our appliances and this was a good wake-up call. However, there’s a lot of arguing and contention between the various characters, and some of the scenes were downright scary. My favorite part didn’t even revolve around the main characters, but rather took place in the forest, where we were treated to a water ballet comprised of frogs. This is just one of those movies you’re going to have to figure out for yourself. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t really care for it, either.
A few interesting side notes: This was the first animated film to be unveiled at the Sundance Film Festival. The vacuum cleaner was voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft, who at the time was voicing Tony the Tiger. The film was also nominated for an Emmy for Best Animated Program.
This movie was rated G.
Related Blogs:
The Toaster in Your Home: Do You Know Where It Came From?
Energy Hogs: Where Does Most of Your Electricity Go?
Frugal Shopping: When to Shop for New Appliances