Toy Story 3 (2010) Film Review

Andy’s off to college and something has to happen with his stuff. Unfortunately, the bags get mixed up, and instead of being stored in the attic, the toys find themselves at a day care centre. Excited about finally being played with again after years of abandonment by Andy, who has long outgrown them, they are yet to discover that the day care centre may not be the heaven that they are looking forward to.

Brilliant. It’s not hard to see why this was nominated for a Best Film award at the Oscars – even thinking about it now is making me tear up. It’s clever, it’s emotional, there are good guys and bad guys, but as always, it’s about sticking together, loyalty, and all that stuff. And it’s just wonderful.

Toy Story 3 won Oscars for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song (Randy Newman, We Belong Together) and was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Sound Editing and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.

Toy Story 2 (1999) Film Review

It’s a few years post Toy Story and everyone in Andy’s Room get along just fine. But Andy’s getting a bit older and doesn’t really play with them so much, and when an error is made during a yard sale, Woody (Tom Hanks)ends up in the hands of the evil toy collector, Al (Wayne Knight) and Buzz (Tim Allen) leads the other toys on a rescue mission. But Woody meets a few new friends in captivity and learns of his past as a cartoon series.

So, it’s another great film about friendship and loyalty and the greater good. I felt a bit sad for poor old Al, because it seems that he is just a lonely, fat, lazy man who runs a successful toy business but who has spent years collecting classic toys with the hope of hitting it rich – and isn’t that the American dream? Imagine the story told from his point of view: after years of searching, he finds a toy in a yard sale that is damaged and poorly cared for – a toy that has been carelessly left on the ground. He saves it, has it fixed by a professional, and is going to put it into the hands of a rich, Japanese collector, who will treat it with respect and ensure it is always taken care of. Suddenly, the doll goes missing, as do his hopes and dreams, and poor Al is left looking as though he is delusional, doubting his own sanity. Not such a nice film now, hey?

Toy Story 2 was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for When She Loved Me by Randy Newman.

Toy Story (1995) Film Review

Ah, Toy Story. How magnificent. Based in the room/world of young boy, Andy (John Morris), Toy Story sees Andy’s favourite toy, cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and his other faves Mr Potato Head (the late, great Don Rickles), Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts) fearing for the worst as Andy gets a new toy for his birthday – a Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), the exciting new astronaut toy. Will jealousy win? Can they find a way for all the toys to co-exist?

It’s so good. Despite my usual complaint that there are nowhere near enough female characters (Bo Peep is the love interest, there’s the annoying little sister character, and mom. Why Slinky Dog or Rex or Hamm couldn’t have been female – yes, it would be a shame to lose those characters as we know and love them, but could have actually been good…). It’s a great story, well written, fabulous characters, and just so much fun.

Toy Story was nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Best Music (Original Song) You’ve got a Friend in Me, Randy Newman, and Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score. It won an award for Executive Producer John Lasseter for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film.

 

Monsters, Inc (2001) Film Review

There’s a monster world where energy is created by collecting energy from the screams of children when monsters visit them at night. It’s an industry. The stars are Sulley (John Goodman) and his sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), but things are changing and there are bad guys who want to change everything.

This is a fantastic kids film. Pixar have done a lot of good stuff. This is one of the best. If you need to, borrow some kids so you can watch this.

Monsters Inc won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song (Randy Newman) and was Nominated for Oscars for Best Music, Original Score, Best Sound Editing and Best Animated Feature