Cars 2 managed to stun the world earlier this year, and fans of the franchise certainly never saw this one coming. As I'm sure you well know, it did so by becoming the first Pixar movie to get a fair amount of critical bashing, ultimately resulting in, among other things, a RottenTomatoes Meter score of 38% Fresh. If you've read my review (reprinted below), you'll already know that I think the … [Read more...]
Oddly given something of a beating by a lot of critics, one thing is clear about Cars 2 The Movie, it was something of a more "grown up" affair. While retaining a certain amount of goofiness and tomfoolery, it was a kind of animated homage to not only Bond films, but spy capers of an earlier age. It had the usual animated elements, and was certainly fun for kids, but a real appreciation of what … [Read more...]
Stunning the world, Cars 2 has not had critical praise heaped upon it, but those who make the trip to theaters may find themselves at a loss as to why, and as much as critics raise their noses, audiences will enjoy the ride. Clearly a different undertaking for Pixar, and without all that much actual connection to the first film, Cars 2 is still a lot of fun, and has its own nostalgic push. Cars … [Read more...]
Toy Story 3 is out on Blu-Ray and DVD, and while I was not quite as taken with the film as most people, the home release exceeds even the standards we have come to expect from Pixar. The special feature effort is beyond just about anything else you'll find, and more importantly, it is filled with interesting, quality bonuses. The extras you get are really too numerous to mention, though I'll … [Read more...]
For filmmakers that are actually serious about their craft, third installments have a unique blend of difficulties. That's why, when you weed out the nonsense and popcorn efforts, there really aren't that many of them around. Pixar is unquestionably a studio that takes their fun seriously, but the trifecta is a treacherous hill to climb. Toy Story 3 is a fun film, and it's sure to be a favorite … [Read more...]
Toy Story 3 is just around the corner, and though it is probably a film that needs little promotion, some of the clips are worth watching, and I have several interview soundbites for you that are a lot of fun. It's also probably worth wondering if this one can live up to the first two. Is Pixar going to pull of the trifecta with the crew that started it all? As you probably are well aware, … [Read more...]
I have a couple more bonuses to go along with the release of Up this week. Interviews with Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, and some great progression of a scene images. These are a couple of very fun interviews, and it's pretty interesting to see how the final product comes together. Enjoy. ------------- Q: You’ve been with Pixar since the beginning. What has that been like? A: … [Read more...]
Long ago I mentioned that Pixar has a curious ability to make movies I find wonderful, but virtually no ability to get me excited for them. That hasn’t changed. Sure, now I’m just generally moved to anticipation because Pixar hasn’t really ever put together a movie I couldn’t stand, but it doesn’t go much past that. I mean, old guy’s house floats away on balloons sure, but what do I … [Read more...]
Long ago I mentioned that Pixar has a curious ability to make movies I find wonderful, but virtually no ability to get me excited for them. That hasn't changed. Sure, now I'm just generally moved to anticipation because Pixar hasn't really ever put together a movie I couldn't stand, but it doesn't go much past that. I mean, old guy's house floats away on balloons sure, but what … [Read more...]
Pixar certainly knows a lot about animation, and that’s what people think of first when you mention the company, but what everyone ought to think of first is that they know a lot about movies. As amazing as their computer-created worlds are, their moviemaking skills far outshine them. Finding Nemo is an incredibly impressive view of things that are among the most difficult to animate, not the … [Read more...]
As Ratatouille winds down, a food critic explains within a review that, ultimately, criticism is easy, and the real ‘fun’ involved comes by way of a well-crafted skewering. But, he quickly adds, there is occasionally something wonderful, and being able to coherently remark upon this fact is the true joy, the thing that makes it all worthwhile. I’m … [Read more...]
