Featured Audience Ratings

• Film C

  
  Well this is the first French, cartoon, comedy film i've seen and its very good. Its basically a feature length version of the Cravendale adverts, if you like them then you'll love this movie. It is simply the most random movie to watch though, one minute your on land, then… More
  Well this is the first French, cartoon, comedy film i've seen and its very good. Its basically a feature length version of the Cravendale adverts, if you like them then you'll love this movie. It is simply the most random movie to watch though, one minute your on land, then in the artic, and then somehow swimming the depths of the ocean, so a very random but highly amusing french animation!

• Tim S

  
  From out of seemingly nowhere comes the bare bones stop-motion animation extravaganza Panic Au Village (The Town Called Panic). I fell in love with this on one viewing. It's like watching a kid play with their toys as the logic of the plot is really based around that. One minute… More
  From out of seemingly nowhere comes the bare bones stop-motion animation extravaganza Panic Au Village (The Town Called Panic). I fell in love with this on one viewing. It's like watching a kid play with their toys as the logic of the plot is really based around that. One minute you're in a small village, the next you're in snow and followed by being under water. It's all so magical and fun. Seeing it high definition is really where it's at too. The high quality really brings out the richness of the animation and the world. It's just an all-around terrific little film. Funny, charming and just flat-out maniacally adorable.

• Mark W

  
  Stop-motion animation still has a place in film today despite the computer generated brilliance of Pixar and Dreamwork etc. "Wallace and Gromit" are still a success and with the arrival of this inventive adventure, it shows that there's still some mileage left in the… More
  Stop-motion animation still has a place in film today despite the computer generated brilliance of Pixar and Dreamwork etc. "Wallace and Gromit" are still a success and with the arrival of this inventive adventure, it shows that there's still some mileage left in the old stop-motion style yet. Papier mache toys Cowboy and Indian's plan to surprise Horse with a homemade birthday gift backfires when they accidently destroy his house. No sooner have they built a new home only for it to be stolen from beneath their noses by a stealthy and cunning assailant. Strange adventures ensue as the trio travel to the centre of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parrallel underwater universe where dishonest subaquatic creatures live. As long as there's still imagination and creativity in the world, there will still be works of art produced regardless of being at a disadvantage. This little animation is proof that millions of money isn't necessary to produce something that works. Stop-motion animation is probably the most difficult and painstaking of techniques, making you wonder why they even bother in the first place. Fortunately they do bother and we are treated to this fantastic little gem. It's basic in it's setup and characters, with second rate little toys brought to life, injected with hilarity, detail and crammed full of creativity and imagination that it's hard to resist. An absolutely wonderful little treat and very unlike most animation today. Yes, "Wallace and Gromit" are famous stop-motion characters but they are still miles from this surreal Belgian adventure from Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar. It's a pure joy that will shamefully be overlooked by many and deserves a wider audience for it's originality alone. Added to which, it unashamedly boasts..."shown in glorious 2D." Superb!

• Cynthia S

  
  Very strange...but interestingly done at the same time. Truly one of the strangest things I have seen in a long, long time. The story is bizarre, and the animation is childlike. Its worth the time, I guess, if only to see something completely out of the ordinary...but there… More
  Very strange...but interestingly done at the same time. Truly one of the strangest things I have seen in a long, long time. The story is bizarre, and the animation is childlike. Its worth the time, I guess, if only to see something completely out of the ordinary...but there doesn't' seem to be a real storyline anywhere. Just plain off the wall silliness...

• Gordon A

  
  Charming, original toy-motion animation brimming with creative ideas and a silly sense of fun.Recommended to children of all ages.

• El Hombre I

  
  From Belgium comes a plastic and fantastic toy story that is nothing like Toy Story. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&amp;current=town_called_panic.jpg" target="_blank"><img… More
  From Belgium comes a plastic and fantastic toy story that is nothing like Toy Story. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&amp;current=town_called_panic.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/town_called_panic.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Tsubaki S

  
  The ultimate argument against all the 3D animated crap that gets stuffed into cinemas every month. There's still hope for animation after all. If you're thinking this is some kind of french Robot Chicken think again, no useless pop culture "jokes" here. There are… More
  The ultimate argument against all the 3D animated crap that gets stuffed into cinemas every month. There's still hope for animation after all. If you're thinking this is some kind of french Robot Chicken think again, no useless pop culture "jokes" here. There are actual characters and situations, not a single lame gag being repeated over and over.

• Greg S

  
  Three plastic toys---Cowboy, Indian and Horse---chase the aquatic bats who keep stealing their walls to the center of the earth, across the frozen tundra, and to the bottom of the sea, causing Horse to be late for his music lessons. This breakneck-paced stop-motion animation from… More
  Three plastic toys---Cowboy, Indian and Horse---chase the aquatic bats who keep stealing their walls to the center of the earth, across the frozen tundra, and to the bottom of the sea, causing Horse to be late for his music lessons. This breakneck-paced stop-motion animation from Belgium tells its wacky story using genuine kid's logic, so much so that it becomes surreal to adults.

• Stella D

  
  charming bizarro world toy story. wonderful old school stop motion. check out the trailer! i can't help wondering how i would describe this highly imaginative tale of cowboy, indian and horse to my friends here in arizona. LOL

• Anthony L

  
  One of the most bonkers films I've ever seen! It's quite wonderful too, very silly and totally original (at least I've never seen anything like it before!). I do wish they'd have dubbed it into English though (or I wish I could understand French a little better) as… More
  One of the most bonkers films I've ever seen! It's quite wonderful too, very silly and totally original (at least I've never seen anything like it before!). I do wish they'd have dubbed it into English though (or I wish I could understand French a little better) as it is breakneck speed all the way, you blink, you miss! A kids film for adult that kids could also enjoy (if that makes any sense at all?). Highly recommended!

• Luke B

  
  Beautifully pure animation from Belgium. In a sea of CGI Dreamworks, Pixar, Blue Sky, and other such nonsense, here we have some stop-motion animated plastic toys. It also helps that this is some insanely genius comedy. It is exceptionally random, but not to the point where it's… More
  Beautifully pure animation from Belgium. In a sea of CGI Dreamworks, Pixar, Blue Sky, and other such nonsense, here we have some stop-motion animated plastic toys. It also helps that this is some insanely genius comedy. It is exceptionally random, but not to the point where it's annoying. The story is a bizarre, sweet tale of friendship, as building a barbecue for a birthday present turns into a sort of family crime caper. Horse, Cowboy and Indian are a great trio. The best part of the film is seeing this strange world, where the animation and set design becomes the joke. Horse sleeps standing up, people wobble around, animals go to music school, and a giant robot penguin makes snowballs. It's a true delight, madcap comedy that doesn't outstay its welcome.

• Robert C

  
  An unexpected treat. Clever, sweet, bizarre and at times REALLY funny.

• Walter M

  
  In "A Town Called Panic," Indian and Cowboy have forgotten the birthday of their housemate Horse. Instead of going the traditional route of buying him yet another cap, they decide to build him a barbecue. So, while Horse is lured out to the music school where Mrs. Longray… More
  In "A Town Called Panic," Indian and Cowboy have forgotten the birthday of their housemate Horse. Instead of going the traditional route of buying him yet another cap, they decide to build him a barbecue. So, while Horse is lured out to the music school where Mrs. Longray teaches, who he has a crush on, and decides also to take classes, Cowboy and Indian order the bricks online but accidentally buy too many by an order of about a million. Fortunately enough, they are able to hide the surplus bricks just before Horse returns, even as he wrecks his car on the new barbecue. Luckily, Mrs. Longray is on hand to help fix his car bcause he is going to need it that night.... "A Town Called Panic" takes something that looks very primitive on the surface with its using stop-motion animation on classic toys and turns it into an entertaining, even at times surreal movie.(If this is a Belgian co-production, then there must be waffles. But no chocolate?) That shows that all you need for a good time is a smart idea and talent. And don't forget to double check anything you order on the internet.

• Ryan M

  
  7.5/10 "A Town Called Panic" is consistently amusing and thoroughly entertaining, but all that comes at a relatively small cost. That cost is the lack of sense in the plot, although sometimes I feel that the film's genuine confusion was precisely the point.… More
  7.5/10 "A Town Called Panic" is consistently amusing and thoroughly entertaining, but all that comes at a relatively small cost. That cost is the lack of sense in the plot, although sometimes I feel that the film's genuine confusion was precisely the point. But with a great voice cast, great stop-motion, and never-ending quirkiness, I'd say that the flaws of "A Town Called Panic" are ultimately forgivable. I mean, a movie can't be enjoyable yet bad, can it? Well...maybe it can, but that's beyond the point. "A Town Called Panic" is not a bad film; quite in fact it is a good one. This is a well made piece of animation from the French cinema; a satisfying import in more ways than one. It's not for everyone, but if you can get by its simplicity then you're sure to have a good time with it. This may just be the utter-most zany animated film I've ever seen. I mean, it's random to the point where the movie itself seems rather pointless, but fun. Great fun. And that's why a movie such as this, a film which should by all means be so muddled that it's unpleasant, is a good one overall. Plus, animation is great anytime, unless it either looks bad or lacks the sense of humor that it often times thinks it has. "A Town Called Panic" is luckily, another one of the funny animated features out there. It's not always laugh-out-loud funny, but sometimes you chuckle inside at the zaniness of the thing. And I like zany stuff. So that's pretty much why this short but sweet animated feature appealed to me as it did. You can't deny a fun time. Especially when it's waving robotic penguins and an ocean of brick in your face. You'll see what I mean once you've watched the movie. "A Town Called Panic" is literally as panicky (pun intended) as its name suggests. I am of course referring to the way the story is told, which is in a rather confusing but never boring way. I can't really tell you the plot since it's best to think of this movie as a couple of short films, featuring the same characters, weaved together into one whole movie. So if the film tells a story at all, then it is one that involves a horse, a cowboy, and an Indian. These three friends have wild adventures which range from within their little town to under the undiscovered realms of the ocean. It's a fun adventure to follow, despite the lack of direction. "A Town Called Panic" certainly would have worked better as a couple short films with the dividing of the separate parts already done. Like many people have said, perhaps it is best if the audience watches each part separately. So "A Town Called Panic" has virtually nowhere to go with its plot, but that's OK. It's meant to be that way. It's fun, inventive, and kind of artsy. And it's French, which is a cool little bonus. The characters are endearing for what they're worth and the film is entertaining enough to go by pretty fast. You'll never really wish for the film to end although you'll consistently wonder how long it's willing to go with its nonsensical substance. "A Town Called Panic" has an overall believable voice cast. Everyone manages to bring something to the table. Stéphane Aubier is the Cowboy, and I liked his voice. Bruce Ellison is the Indian, and his voice is even better for the character. The best voice of all, I think, was Vincent Patar as Horse. Not only was I instantly intoxicated in Horse's character, but Patar's voice is magnificent. And the supporting cast (some of it consisting of good recycling from the lead voice actors) is great, giving "A Town Called Panic" an artsy, overall good and flamboyantly zany feel. In a film like this, you can't really ask for much more than what you've got here. Most stop-motion films are artsy because very few of them are actually bad. "A Town Called Panic" may not be a stop-motion masterpiece due to its confused story-telling, but it's still one of the good ones. The film is funny and inventive, which is a rare quality in any film these days. If I were you, I'd take the time to notice a film like "A Town Called Panic" because frankly, it lacks recognition as it is. This stop-motion film uses very basic toy figures to tell its animated story, which makes for a unique feel. It really seems to prove that you don't need a gigantic budget to make a good animated feature. And...you also don't need unnecessarily complex detail in your set pieces. The film uses simplicity to make us think that maybe, just maybe, stop-motion films don't need to be so goddamn expensive. Animated filmmaking is as much of an art as any live-action film is, and that's why studios like Pixar are succeeding in making people believe that. I'd say that "A Town Called Panic" is art, because time went into it. Perhaps it is not one of the best animated films of 2009, although it is by no means the runt in the litter. It's another one of the good animated films that occupied such a great year for the like. Aside from its zaniness and a good sense of humor, "A Town Called Panic" also comes accompanied by good music and good intentions. There's nothing to complex thematically about this movie although there doesn't need to be. It's a simple, pleasant little film throughout. And that is precisely why it's as good as it is. The only problem is that when it ends...it just ends. You wonder "what the hell?" or "that was it". None the less, I'd watch a sequel, but only if it was as crazy as the first outing is. I like this movie. I remain positive in this review because this movie made me feel good mood-wise. It may not be an animated classic, but it's good as it is. I recommend this strongly to any fan of animation, and recommend it a little less strongly but still somewhat strongly to movie buffs in general. This is indeed one of the zaniest films I've seen in a while, and that's why I was willing to accept it. After all, I was EXPECTING it to be weird and childhood-like haunting in its own little wacky ways. The bottom line is that if you wind zaniness to be art in any sort of way, then you'll most definitely enjoy yourself with this movie. The plot is panicky although the film is entertaining and frankly kind of uplifting throughout. It's guaranteed to leave you in a happy mood, even with its "what the hell" ending. Perhaps this movie is not meant to make a whole lot of sense. Perhaps it was made solely for laughs and a sense of uniqueness as well as nonsensical fun. If it was, then I'm fine with that. But that shouldn't imply that the film is perfect, because it's not. But I'm quite fine with it being good.

• Hal M

  
  Amusing, skillfully made attempt at showing how the imagination of small children works when they play with their toys. Horses can play the piano; walls fall down when they aren't stacked right; submariner humanoids may come up through your pond to steal some of your cowboy… More
  Amusing, skillfully made attempt at showing how the imagination of small children works when they play with their toys. Horses can play the piano; walls fall down when they aren't stacked right; submariner humanoids may come up through your pond to steal some of your cowboy & Indian's stuff; a traffic cop's kiosk can morph into a foreboding prison... and so forth. This is NOT the same as Toy Story. Toy Story was the product of a very adult imagination applied to come-to-life toys. THIS movie is animated by the much less reality-bound imagination of kids about three years old. I've given it a 70% rating and do recommend it. I wouldn't rush out to watch a sequel or other highly similar film however. (I say that partly because there is a TV series associated with this, which screens in Europe).

• Lesley N

  
  A plastic toy adventure. Cowboy and Indian are too silly to get Horse a good birthday present, especially when there's mysterious wall thieves stymieing their efforts .... ... Only suitable for people aged between one and a hundred & twenty. <img… More
  A plastic toy adventure. Cowboy and Indian are too silly to get Horse a good birthday present, especially when there's mysterious wall thieves stymieing their efforts .... ... Only suitable for people aged between one and a hundred & twenty. <img src="http://twitchfilm.net/news/TownCalledPanic.jpg"> . .

• Bram S

  
  If you have the ability to turn off your brain and just have a good time, you'll certainly enjoy the hilariously unpredictable movie.

• David S

  
  A totally bonkers animation, with a cowboy, indian and horse living in a house together and experiencing various disasters after one is given a bbq for their birthday. There is no clear way to describe how mad this is but some of it is hilarious. If anyone's seen the Cravendale… More
  A totally bonkers animation, with a cowboy, indian and horse living in a house together and experiencing various disasters after one is given a bbq for their birthday. There is no clear way to describe how mad this is but some of it is hilarious. If anyone's seen the Cravendale Milk adverts before then you'll know this style and the screeching French voices are a little too intense at times but this is an interesting experiment and if it perhaps outstays its welcome you can't blame the film-makers for throwing everything into it.

• Marcus W

  
  I absolutely fell in love with this film. From the start it suffers from severe ADHD, and then goes wherever the hell it wants to...yet still manages to make sense. Don't get me wrong, it has everything a good film needs, but it throws so much charm on top that I was frequently… More
  I absolutely fell in love with this film. From the start it suffers from severe ADHD, and then goes wherever the hell it wants to...yet still manages to make sense. Don't get me wrong, it has everything a good film needs, but it throws so much charm on top that I was frequently in fits of giggles. If you love quirky stop-motion, don't miss this.

• nefnie l

  
  A cute little adventure or misadventure starring little plastic toys. The use of simple, primitive filming just adds to the charm of this movie. The story moves at such a frenetic pace, that I got dizzy trying to keep up with the dialogue and scenes at times; because I didn't… More
  A cute little adventure or misadventure starring little plastic toys. The use of simple, primitive filming just adds to the charm of this movie. The story moves at such a frenetic pace, that I got dizzy trying to keep up with the dialogue and scenes at times; because I didn't want to miss a thing. Such a rollercoaster ride of excitement with random silliness thrown in for fun.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings