Let's set things straight up front - this is a pirate movie without Johnny Depp.
The Pirates! Band of Misfits, is a stop motion animated film from the talented studio, Aardman Animations (Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run). It is the tale of Captain Pirate (Hugh Grant), the bumbling pirate who is determined to win the Pirate of the Year award after years of a "Susan Lucci" losing streak. How does one become the Pirate of the Year? Well, by getting the most booty (no, not that) - loot - money! So Captain Pirate sets out to steal his way to the honor, only to discover that one ship he pillaged has no gold, but it does have Charles Darwin (David Tennant). As the pirates are forcing Darwin to walk the plank, Darwin informs Captain Pirate that the real treasure is with his parrot, Pauly, who is not a parrot but an extinct Dodo bird that has not been seen for over 100 years. The tide shifts and it is off to London for the annual Scientist of the Year convention, where their hilarious journey begins.
Gideon Defoe wrote the screenplay that he adapted from his series of pirate books. The movie is very clever and filled with history and sophisticated British humor.
Other voice talents include: Salma Hayek (Cutlass Liz), Jeremy Piven (Black Bellamy), and Imelda Staunton (Queen Victoria), who won best actress at the California Independent Film Festival in 2009 for her role in A Deal is a Deal.
Set sail to see this well crafted, well-written, clever film, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. As an added bonus, you will fall in love with Darwin's sidekick, a flash card using monkey!
Derek Zemrak is a Film Critic, Film Producer and Founder of the California Independent Film Festival. You can follow Derek on Twitter @zemrak for the latest Hollywood news.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA