Let's Review: Toy Story
Okie dokies, ladies and gents. You guys wanted it, and now you'll get it. Puri reviews the Pixar movies! Let's do it in chronological order, nomnomnom.
Man, who'dve thunk CGI would be everywhere today? I think we didn't know what to expect when the trailers for Toy Story first came out. But we went to theaters, we liked it (and for many cases, loved it) and now we've got one of the most successful trilogies out there. But how does it hold up?
I liked it. It's my least favorite of the Toy Story films, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, it goes to show how much effort was put into the sequels to create something matching--if not better--than the original. And dear lord knows sequels that best the original are a rare thing.
Probably my favorite thing about the first Toy Story was the clever dialogue. Go figure, Joss Whedon was one of the writers. But I remember a lot of jokes that make me smile. Mrs. Nesbitt. The sad strange little man. Mr. Potato Head taking his mouth and patting his butt with it while Mr. Spell spells "KISS MY..." The Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! And who doesn't quote "To infinity and beyond!" now and then?
I like Woody, I like Buzz, and I like Rex and Slinky. Would you believe that Toy Story was originally going to be a lot darker? Woody was basically a dictatorial douchebag that the toys overthrown in the end. Goes to show that darker isn't always better, eh? Barbie was also gonna be Woody's girlfriend instead of Bo, but Mattel doubted the success of the movie and didn't want her included. That changed with the sequels...
What I didn't like was the whole "Andy's toys think Woody murdered Buzz" that took up most of the film, but that's more due to personal taste than a criticism against the movie itself.("What have we done?" "Great, now I have guilt!") I liked the mutant toys in Sid's room, that was a neat idea. That confrontation at the end... dang. That's enough to make a kid paranoid. But my favorite part has to be where Woody tries to break Buzz out of his BSOD. ("Buzz, you've got wings! You glow in the dark! You talk! Your helmet does that, that... *whoosh* thing! You are a cool toy!") It goes to show how much he's matured, and it's touching too. Probably the emotional highlight of the entire film. So what if you're a toy? Andy loves you for what you are, and that's what matters.
Speaking of which, the music. "You've Got a Friend in Me" is a classic, hands down, and it's the main theme of the Toy Story movies overall. I think Toy Story, I think this song. I feel closer to it since I've seen Lyle Lovett in concert with my parents, since it really does feel like I've got a friend singing this song to me. Randy Newman and Lovett's voices go really well together, and it's a perfect duet. I don't remember the "Strange Things" song really, nor do I really care. I just see it as part of the montage, and hey, fulfilled its purpose. But a song I haven't appreciated until now was "I Will Go Sailing No More." Holy fuck, that is a sad song. And when it's taken out of the context of the film, just... ouch.
Now I know exactly who I am and what I'm here for
And I will go sailing no more
Those two lines punch me in the gut. Everytime.
All the things I thought I'd be, all the brave things I'd done
Vanished like a snowflake with the rising of the sun
Never more to sail my ship where no man has gone before
And I will go sailing no more
It's kinda strange really. The makers of the film identified the most with Sid when it came to playing with their toys (or often, destroying them) and considered Andy a bit of a freak for looking after his toys so well. See, I was an Andy my entire life, even before the Toy Story movies. I considered my toys my closest companions, and I'd cry if they got broken/torn/etc. So if that happened, I'd get Mom or Dad or a trusted adult to fix them right away. Didn't matter if said toy now had a brand new stitch across its body, I'd cheer because they were fixed now.
Another thing about the first Toy Story movie. It was the first CGI movie, but it didn't let its brand new technology get to its head. There's movies like the Recobbled edition of "Thief and the Cobbler" and "9" that have incredible visuals, but fall on their faces because they couldn't share as much substance with the plot or characterization. Toy Story wanted to make sure we'd still talk about it decades after its release. What's the first thing we say about Toy Story? "It had great animation for its time"? Nope. We go, "Woody! Buzz! :D" or "That isn't flying! It's falling with style!" Today, a lot of the graphics look dated as hell. The dog looks blocky and awful, and the humans look more plastic than the toys themselves.
But let's face it. Who the hell cares about the humans in a movie called "Toy Story"?
Next up is "A Bug's Life"! And boy, I've got a lot to say for that one. Expect two kinds of commentary... the "Bitchy Rant" and the "fair" review.
This post has been crossposted with Dreamwidth at http://shamanicshaymin.dreamwidth.org/42324.html. Pick your poison. Mwoiiiiiiiing~!
Man, who'dve thunk CGI would be everywhere today? I think we didn't know what to expect when the trailers for Toy Story first came out. But we went to theaters, we liked it (and for many cases, loved it) and now we've got one of the most successful trilogies out there. But how does it hold up?
I liked it. It's my least favorite of the Toy Story films, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, it goes to show how much effort was put into the sequels to create something matching--if not better--than the original. And dear lord knows sequels that best the original are a rare thing.
Probably my favorite thing about the first Toy Story was the clever dialogue. Go figure, Joss Whedon was one of the writers. But I remember a lot of jokes that make me smile. Mrs. Nesbitt. The sad strange little man. Mr. Potato Head taking his mouth and patting his butt with it while Mr. Spell spells "KISS MY..." The Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! And who doesn't quote "To infinity and beyond!" now and then?
I like Woody, I like Buzz, and I like Rex and Slinky. Would you believe that Toy Story was originally going to be a lot darker? Woody was basically a dictatorial douchebag that the toys overthrown in the end. Goes to show that darker isn't always better, eh? Barbie was also gonna be Woody's girlfriend instead of Bo, but Mattel doubted the success of the movie and didn't want her included. That changed with the sequels...
What I didn't like was the whole "Andy's toys think Woody murdered Buzz" that took up most of the film, but that's more due to personal taste than a criticism against the movie itself.("What have we done?" "Great, now I have guilt!") I liked the mutant toys in Sid's room, that was a neat idea. That confrontation at the end... dang. That's enough to make a kid paranoid. But my favorite part has to be where Woody tries to break Buzz out of his BSOD. ("Buzz, you've got wings! You glow in the dark! You talk! Your helmet does that, that... *whoosh* thing! You are a cool toy!") It goes to show how much he's matured, and it's touching too. Probably the emotional highlight of the entire film. So what if you're a toy? Andy loves you for what you are, and that's what matters.
Speaking of which, the music. "You've Got a Friend in Me" is a classic, hands down, and it's the main theme of the Toy Story movies overall. I think Toy Story, I think this song. I feel closer to it since I've seen Lyle Lovett in concert with my parents, since it really does feel like I've got a friend singing this song to me. Randy Newman and Lovett's voices go really well together, and it's a perfect duet. I don't remember the "Strange Things" song really, nor do I really care. I just see it as part of the montage, and hey, fulfilled its purpose. But a song I haven't appreciated until now was "I Will Go Sailing No More." Holy fuck, that is a sad song. And when it's taken out of the context of the film, just... ouch.
Now I know exactly who I am and what I'm here for
And I will go sailing no more
Those two lines punch me in the gut. Everytime.
All the things I thought I'd be, all the brave things I'd done
Vanished like a snowflake with the rising of the sun
Never more to sail my ship where no man has gone before
And I will go sailing no more
It's kinda strange really. The makers of the film identified the most with Sid when it came to playing with their toys (or often, destroying them) and considered Andy a bit of a freak for looking after his toys so well. See, I was an Andy my entire life, even before the Toy Story movies. I considered my toys my closest companions, and I'd cry if they got broken/torn/etc. So if that happened, I'd get Mom or Dad or a trusted adult to fix them right away. Didn't matter if said toy now had a brand new stitch across its body, I'd cheer because they were fixed now.
Another thing about the first Toy Story movie. It was the first CGI movie, but it didn't let its brand new technology get to its head. There's movies like the Recobbled edition of "Thief and the Cobbler" and "9" that have incredible visuals, but fall on their faces because they couldn't share as much substance with the plot or characterization. Toy Story wanted to make sure we'd still talk about it decades after its release. What's the first thing we say about Toy Story? "It had great animation for its time"? Nope. We go, "Woody! Buzz! :D" or "That isn't flying! It's falling with style!" Today, a lot of the graphics look dated as hell. The dog looks blocky and awful, and the humans look more plastic than the toys themselves.
But let's face it. Who the hell cares about the humans in a movie called "Toy Story"?
Next up is "A Bug's Life"! And boy, I've got a lot to say for that one. Expect two kinds of commentary... the "Bitchy Rant" and the "fair" review.
This post has been crossposted with Dreamwidth at http://shamanicshaymin.dreamwidth.org/42324.html. Pick your poison. Mwoiiiiiiiing~!