![]() It was nominated for three Saturn Awards but won all five of its Golden Raspberry Award nominations including Worst Picture. The film was a box-office bomb, grossing a total of $20.8 million worldwide against a budget of $80 million. Costner's decision to cast himself in the film was also criticized. Released on Christmas of 1997 by Warner Bros., The Postman was panned by critics, who criticized the performances, screenplay, direction, and long runtime. Like the book, the film follows the story of a nomadic drifter (Costner) who stumbles across the uniform of an old United States Postal Service mail carrier, and unwittingly inspires hope through an empty promise of a "Restored United States of America" and starts his path to become a national hero. It is set in a post-apocalyptic and neo-Western version of the disestablished United States in the then near-future year of 2013, sixteen-plus years after unspecified apocalyptic events, followed by plagues, left a huge impact on human civilization and erased most technology. The film also features Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, and Tom Petty. The screenplay was written by Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland, based on David Brin's 1985 book of the same name. So, just in time for Christmas, Klaus is a thoroughly enjoyable treat of a movie that I will probably recommend excessively over the next few weeks.The Postman is a 1997 American epic post-apocalyptic action adventure film produced and directed by Kevin Costner, who plays the lead role. But given the fact that I still loved it, I can't really hold this against Klaus. Its central female characters, Ava and Márgu, felt a little sidelined to me, especially given the fact that theirs could have been the better story, if told accordingly. The only criticism I can honestly think of is that Klaus lacks a little on female representation. In Klaus, we do not encounter a string of slightly altered clones, that all have the same body type and facial features (looking at you Disney) but a jumbled ensemble of big and round, tall and bent, young and middle aged and old characters, who all look and act differently from each other. Klaus isn't dunked in polished, on-the-nose effects, but is, you might say, warmly covered in a carefully crafted blanket of twinkling forest lights and harsh mountain snows and accompanied by a little, gruff town of crooked and funny looking houses and crooked and funny-looking people. ![]() The handdrawn animation is very effective - it gives the film a very soft and almost canvas-like feeling, while still making good use of the smooth and fast execution that CGI affords. This film looks exactly as lovingly detailed as a Christmas movie should. Apart from the old school, but very well executed plot, it is worthwhile to talk about Klaus' technical realization. The subplot of the warring clans of Smeerensburg was hilarious and reminded me a little of Asterix and Obelix. You do not see that sort of plotline in animated movies very often. I found this apect very touching - the old and widowed hermit finds a new purpose in his life and gets to be happy for a few years yet. But this is also Klaus' growing old story. This is, in a way, Jesper's coming of age story, even though he is a fully grown man to begin with. Along the way he makes some friends, changes some lives and, well, grows up. ![]() After he meets the reclusive toymaker Klaus, Jesper starts to plot his way out of Smeerensburg by roping in the kids of the village. Jesper has to deliver 6000 letters by the end of a year or he'll be cut off by his wealthy father. The story is about a spoiled young man who is sent into the little backwater village of Smeerensburg to take over the post office. Here, we have a sincere, funny and engaging film, that doesn't rely on ironic jokes to tie in the adults, or on the integration of modern technology to hold the kids' interest. Is the plot very original? Maybe not, but it is well paced and has some surprises along the way that make Klaus special. This is what this film feels like: sitting around a fire and being engrossed in a story that someone remembers from long ago.
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