My 'Brave' Review (and it's spoiler-free!)

Being a diehard fan of Pixar's films, I had high hopes for Brave. Even when it was still The Bear and the Bow, I decided that I would love it. This may seem like I set myself up with unfair expectations, but Pixar has consistently made heartwrenching film after heartwrenching film, always dishing out not only well-crafted stories, but stunning animation and hilarious scripts.

Needless to say, when I settled into my seat with popcorn in hand, I was anticipating a truly great film.

And I was painfully disappointed.

Brave let me down because it's story was not on par with other Pixar films. It just didn't have heart. This section of the review is about Story, but don't worry - it's spoiler-free. I'm not going to discuss any specific story details because I don't want to give any of it away, but also because it is hardly a story worth retelling. And that's just too bad from a great storytelling company like Pixar.

The set-up of the film is great. The very real family relationships are serious and deep. The mother-daughter relationship is immediately understood and dynamic. However, Brave becomes muddled in the second act. There is far too much reliance on coincidence, deus ex machina, and other storytelling shortcuts, like the over-manufactured flashback to Merida's childhood. Pixar takes the notion of “fairytale” too seriously, utilizing exposition, magic, and on-the-nose plot devices to the point where all I could do was shake my head in disbelief. The storyteller's hand is all too prevalent – which is even worse when the story you're telling isn't good. The characters aren't given enough time to make the change that they have to make.

The final act is as good as the first, tying up loose ends and showing the character transformation well (although the Queen's line “We have both changed,” is just depressingly bad, especially for Pixar). The climactic action is exciting and fun. But you just aren't all that invested in it, since the characters aren't developed enough.

While watching, you can definitely feel the hand of Disney's corporate hounds. The triplet boys are distressingly manufactured as comic relief and merchandising powerhouses. There is no reason at all to have them in this story, except to fulfill Eisner's silly little dated list of things that audiences (apparently) want.

But for all of those shortcomings, I'd still sit through the film again.

Yes, the story was Cars 2 material. Sure, it was frustrating to see such unforgivable tactics of audience manipulation, so underhanded it made me scan the credits for “Katzenberg”. But the movie is genuinely funny (with some surprise base humor thrown in, too), with good animation and acting, and a stunning setting.

The crowning achievement of Brave is its character design. From the King's massive bulk of a body to the witch's bug eyes to Merida's wild, red locks, the characters are a joy to watch. They're all unique and vibrant. The acting is subtle and realistic, yet also outlandishly slapstick and exaggerated at times, creating a surreal, dynamic mood. Which is exactly what you want from a fairytale – it's a believable world, with just a touch of unpredictable wonder. And physical humor that'd make even the great Buster Keaton let out a chuckle.

There's also genuine fear and suspense. There are visceral bear attacks, real sword fights, and a good deal of grounded violence. Although Pixar used its fair share of Disney tactics and fairytale plot devices, they certainly didn't attempt to sugarcoat any of the action. And that keeps Brave exciting, with more of that delicious unpredictability.

Brave is beautifully cinematic. The rolling hills of Scotland are lush and vivid. The action is big, and feels very real. The story will let you down, but no other part of the movie will. Especially if you see it on the big screen with booming sound. It creates a comprehensive, dreamlike world of staggeringly real action combined with slapstick and overstated movement. The jokes are funny, the characters are each a work of art in their own right, and it is entertaining.

But I'll still never be able to completely fill the void that its lack of Story has given me. I expected more from the creators of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Up. Pixar's dedication to Story over the years is what inspired me to become a storyteller, and it is just too bad that Brave couldn't carry the torch of Pixar's trademark heart.

See Brave when it comes out on June 22. But just know that it very well might be the end of an era.

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Some Spoiler-free Reasons Why 'The Avengers' is Great (Hint: JOSS)

I didn't quite know what to expect from The Avengers. Yeah, I love Joss Whedon's work. All of it. But when you're tackling a huge summer blockbuster film like this one, it's tough to get your way and have your style really shine through with all those suits breathing down your neck. Disney suits, too, even. On top of that, I wasn't a huge fan of the second Iron Man, and Mark Ruffalo is a dweeb.

Let it suffice to say that I didn't go into this film with the highest of expectations.

However, get yourself ready to heighten your own expectations: The Avengers is a very good film. And the main reason is Joss Whedon.

More often than not, tentpole films like this one get destroyed when a half-baked story ends up drowned beneath a pile of special effects, pop stars, and an edgy soundtrack with electric guitar-ridden Bob Dylan covers. But Writer/Director Joss Whedon is a talented storyteller, and it really shows.

The subtleties of each character come across as they individually trudge through their own emotional journeys. The debonair Tony Stark is as deliciously snarky as ever (and man is he cool). Captain America's stoicism, Thor's family issues, Bruce Banner's anger management, and even Fury's political struggles (and shiny eyepatch) are all poignantly portrayed. There is intense inter-personal drama and complication. While nothing got as heated or in-depth as it could have, and the villain could have been more motivated for his villainy, it all served its purpose of getting the audience emotionally-vested in what's going on.

But the important thing is that this quality character development is balanced perfectly with what the audience is really there for: explosions and capes and laughs. There are countless fight scenes, each with their own unique twist for added suspense and visual stunnery. You are constantly thrown for a loop as each character is dealt the next impossible task they have to accomplish. The shots soaring through the sky with Iron Man or jumping between buildings with the Hulk leave you feeling like you just took the wildest ride of your life. Like a super awesome roller coaster. With punches and flying. And more awesome.

And not only are the fights and effects spectacular in every sense of the word, but the writing is genuinely witty and the character interactions hilarious. I don't remember the last time I laughed in a movie theater that much. The film plays with audience expectations, exploits superhero stereotypes, and is just plain smart about the way it approaches its combination of high and lowbrow humor.

Without giving any plot detail or specific situations away, I am going to tell you, dear reader, that you should go see The Avengers. Whether you are familiar with the caped heroes or not, you'll have a blast. The writing is clever, the story is fleshed out Joss-style, the jokes are beyond funny, and the action is so action-packed that it should be illegal. It won't win an Oscar, but it will win the hearts of countless Americans with its unique brand of charming action and rakish dialogue.

This movie will break box office records. Everyone can enjoy it, and word of mouth will ensure that everybody will. A sequel will definitely be on its way, if it isn't already. And I'll be the first in line to see it.

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New 'Misson: Impossible' is action-packed, storyless

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is fun. It delivers everything you expect from a Mission: Impossible flick. Car chases, explosions, death-defying stunts, and more gadgets than you can shake a stick at—it's all there. Director Brad Bird definitely learned a thing or two when he made The Incredibles, because the action is superb. I won't give away much of the plot, but that's just because there isn't much of a plot to divulge. This movie is intense, action-packed eye candy. Don't look much further than that.

But actually, you really shouldn't have to. I'd venture to say that this particular film has some of the best action sequences I have ever seen. They developed some seriously fantastic set pieces. The opening prison escape set to Dean Martin's Ain't That a Kick in the Head? Genius. The insane acrobatics on the side of a skyscraper, hundreds of feet above Dubai? Terrifying. Once your heart is pumping faster than a metronome set to max, they up the intensity even more. The suspense is constantly stacked higher and higher, unbelievably so. And then they make it even crazier. Let it suffice to say that this movie creates such dynamic and well-paced action that it is tiring to watch. In a good way.

The intensity of the action is off-set by a subtle yet biting humor that rears its head at just the right moments, making you laugh out loud. (You'll do so to both relieve some of that action-induced tension, but also to engage with such well-written wit.)

Like I said, this movie is great for everything besides its story. The plot is obviously there to just serve the set pieces and imaginative gadgetry. Their attempts at emotion come off as cheesy and fall flat, and whatever twists they tried to infuse (which I think they did), didn't come across. But that's OK, because the attempt at a powerful story doesn't distract from the adrenaline rush you get from the action.

Giacchino's score, as always, is perfection. Brad Bird slipped in two tasteful Easter Eggs in the form of “A113” inscribed on the graduation ring of Josh Holloway's character, and Ethan requesting extraction from quadrant “Alpha One-One-Three.”

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol won't disappoint. Don't expect an emotional punch. But do expect mind-numbing, sweat-inducing, thousand-mile-per-hour intensity flying at you.

It is a fun movie.

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Go See 'The Muppets'

Briefly: Go and see The Muppets as soon as you can.

I know it's old news since I haven't had much chance to do much of anything lately, but do yourself a favor and follow my advice.

It is the best comedy I've seen this year, and possibly the best film, too. Not only does it bring back that lovable Muppets charm we've been missing for a few decades, but it also has catchy music, impressive cameos, downright funny jokes, and a plot with as much charm as a Lasseter picture. The jokes are in the classic style of the Muppets: self-aware, clever, and always fresh.

It's been a long time since I laughed out loud during a movie that also packed an emotional punch, but it happened routinely during The Muppets. I've been waiting for years to see something new from The Muppets, and I was not let down.

The Muppets are back, and I could not be happier.

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Final 'Potter' is brilliant, a gold mine

If you haven't heard of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, you have most likely been on a 24-month long sail in the middle of nowhere. The final installment of Potter is really great and very important, and in more ways than one.

Hallows Part 2 is definitely one of my favorites from the entire series. I have read through the series numerous times and have listened to the spectacular audiobooks over and over again, too, so believe me when I tell you that this final film is an excellent way to leave Harry and his friends. Everything necessary from the book was included, and no extraneous information was added--I think this might have been one of my favorite films because they had such a little amount of book to put up on the screen. (OK, OK, not little, but not as much as Order or Half-Blood Prince.)

The acting was perfect, as usual, and the timing of everything was excellently executed. You'll most certainly cry during Snape's pensive scene and get your heart-racing every step of the way as Harry gets closer and closer to finally facing his fate. As the credits start rolling, you'll feel that bittersweet tinge of satisfaction at the ending, yet sorrow that the adventure with Harry is all over. (Although, as mentioned by Brandon in the comments, the epilogue wasn't very well done . . . it looked like Daniel and Rupert and Emma were playing dress-up.) This series really is the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings of this generation, and for good reason. It is an absolutely genius story full of whimsy, humor, courage, suspense, friendship, philosophical dilemmas, and, of course, heart. After reading the six books or seeing the 7 films leading up to the finale, you cannot help but root for Harry and his friends. The universe created by Rowling is so special and unique and just . . . wonderful.

Perhaps it is for all of those reasons that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is on its way to becoming the biggest movie ever. With $168.55 million on its opening weekend alone, Potter dethroned The Dark Knight as the biggest opening in box office history. It also set a record for midnight showings at north of $40 million, and an opening day gross of $92.1 million.

The Potter franchise has grossed $2.177 billion so far, which means that it most certainly has a chance at surpassing Star Wars' record $2.218 billion.

But will Part 2 be able to surpass Avatar as the biggest box office winner of all-time at $2.782 billion? I don't think so. After all, anyone who's into Harry Potter is going to most likely see it opening weekend. Word of mouth won't do much, since you aren't going to see the last movie of an eight-part series without having seen the first seven, which is the same reason that random moviegoers won't decide to see Potter on a whim. A year ago you knew whether or not you were gonna see Part 2, and you knew you were going to see it at the midnight showing, or at least opening day.

Potter just doesn't have that much staying power at the box office. The numbers from Part 1 speak for themselves:

Week 1: $169,969,028
Week 2: $57,531,613
Week 3: $21,687,764
Week 4: $11,512,852

As you can see, opening weekend was the biggest by far, so don't expect Deathly Hallows Part 2 to break anymore records . . .

Still, Harry Potter is a lasting franchise in both the literary and cinematic worlds. The universe that blossomed from J.K. Rowling's writing is one that will last for centuries--I'm sure of that. It is just too perfect and wonderful not to.

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Some thoughts on 'Pooh'

Winnie-the-Pooh just came out, and if you come over to the Etc. often, you'll know that I was super excited to see it. Some of my favorite moments from any film anywhere reside in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh--it just has so much heart and wonderful animation and is just plain great entertainment.

The new Winnie-the-Pooh, on the other hand, was . . . enjoyable.

Let me start with the biggest positive: the animation. The character acting was superb--watching the reactions and exaggerated movements of the animals in the Hundred Acre Wood was remarkable. I especially appreciated the expressions on Owl and Rabbit and the bouncing of Tigger. But there isn't really any surprise here, seeing as Andreas Deja, Eric Goldberg, and numerous other animation greats were involved. The backgrounds were equally beautiful, too.


The story elements of this Pooh, however, were somewhat lacking. While Many Adventures is also in an episodic format, each "episode" has its own arc and layers of conflict and levels of intrigue. The episodes of the new Pooh were too simple and felt like they were playing straight to the littlest of kids. There was just nothing as an audience member to get lost in or focused on; I feel like they had such a great opportunity to put these beloved characters into interesting and entertaining situations, but instead they put them into the barest possible scenarios. Many Adventures has the audience laughing and crying and scared and in suspense, whereas Winnie-the-Pooh is almost impossible to get lost in due to its mind-numbing simplicity.


That being said, there were several times when I found myself laughing uncontrollably. Such as the scene when Piglet is above the hole that all of the characters have fallen into--the dialogue is genius, and I could not stop laughing. It was brilliant. Similarly, Owl was very fun to watch and had some great lines that I really appreciated.

The music was an aspect of this film I was looking forward to, since I'm a huge She & Him fan. The opening Winnie-the-Pooh song was what I had expected, so I loved it. The final song, So Long, was also really, really great--I listen to it almost daily. However, there weren't enough She & Him songs to make me satisfied, but I guess that's probably just because I'm such a big fan of theirs. The musical score was light-hearted and gratifying and makes for great background music, but I still prefer the more melodic score of Many Adventures . . .


Winnie-the-Pooh was a solid movie. It had great character animation, hilarious dialogue, and good music. The story was mildly enjoyable, but crumbles to pieces when you compare it to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. I suppose I have my very high expectations to blame . . .

I'll most certainly see Winnie-the-Pooh again, and I'll definitely laugh and enjoy myself while watching it, but I won't be able to stop and think about what could have been.

6 out of 10.

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My 'Cars 2' Review

Most of the things you've heard about Cars 2 are true. It's fast-paced. Action-packed. Full of Mater-in-a-foreign-country-making-a-fool-of-himself gags. It feels like a James Bond movie. However, it is missing one very important component we've learned to expect from Pixar films: heart.

The opening scene is by far the most spectacular, in which Finn McMissile makes a daring escape from an oil rig, complete with explosions, zip lines, and a roaring soundtrack.


Then, the film slowly goes downhill. Several scenes in, at the Wheel Well Hotel when Mater calls in to a talk show to defend Lightning McQueen's reputation, you find yourself asking yourself, "When is this going to end? C'mon, get to the point already!" I felt this numerous times during the movie, which not only took me out of the story, but made me rather annoyed. Very un-Pixar and poor storytelling.


But the movie's not all bad. Although you lose interest during some scenes, the plot keeps you intrigued for most of the film. You want to see Mater succeed, and you also empathize with his plight of always being the fool. It gives audience members a good message, which is to always be yourself (although the message could be taken a bit too far, for Lightning tells Mater to be himself even if he'll, say, ruin an important party or destroy a city). Also, when Lightning talks with Guido's uncle in Italy, the message gets to be very heavy-handed and obvious. In Ratatouille the message was artfully implied. WALL-E's basic moral had to be read between the lines of a robot love story. Toy Story 3's message was irreversibly intertwined with the story and plight of the characters. Cars 2's message was apparent, blatantly preached to the audience, and less impacting than that of any other Pixar film.

The score is wonderfully subtle with a different motif for each city, the animation is spectacular and hypnotizing, and the whole film was strewn with clever, city-specific jokes and gags. However, it was just missing that extra umph we've come to expect from Pixar--the heart. It felt more like a good DreamWorks movie than something under Lasseter's name. The main characters were interesting and intriguing, but every other character (including even Finn McMissile) were very flat and boring. The twist at the end is dry and predictable. I really, really wanted to like it, but I found myself wanting more. Perhaps I'm just comparing it with other Pixar films--after all, it's not that bad of a movie. Just a bad Pixar movie.

I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

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Pixar goes ROTTEN! (UPDATED)

Well, it was bound to happen eventually: Pixar has a rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a site which combines the reviews of many critics to create a single, average rating.

Contrary to what I thought would happen after reading some early reviews, Cars 2 currently has a rating of 59%! Now, obviously, this rating can go up after more critics see and rate the film, but it is almost assuredly going to be Pixar's lowest rate film to date.

It currently has 17 ratings, 10 "rotten" and 7 "fresh".Stay tuned for my review in just a few days. Now I'm not sure what to think of the film. I'm still excited to see it, but my expectations are, well, undecided.

The end of an era . . . .

UPDATES: Cars 2 now has a rating of 55% on RT, and has been voted on by 23 critics.

As pointed out by yensid98 in the comments, Rotten Tomatoes isn't always a fair aggregator of reviews out there. While it is legitimate and reliable, it's important to take a range of different sources into account. Metacritic, a site similar to Rotten Tomatoes in the fact that it combines many critics' views to attain a single, overall rating, currently has a score of 62% for Cars 2 with 5 critics having rated the film. Still not a spectacular score, but we'll see what we all think come the day after tomorrow!

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Early Reviews for 'Cars 2'

Some news outlets have been treated to early screenings of Cars 2 (with surely more to come in the next few days), and now they're posting their reviews. Now we'll finally have a sense of where our expectations for Pixar's next feature should be.

Variety raves about the film, discussing how it is a "rare sequel that not only improves on but retroactively justifies its predecessor," and that the "lightning-paced caper-comedy shifts the franchise into high gear with international intrigue, spy-movie spoofery and more automotive puns than you can shake a stickshift at, handling even its broader stretches with sophistication, speed and effortless panache." Needless to say, before ending even the first paragraph of the review, it is apparent that Variety believes Pixar has another masterpiece on its hands!

The Hollywood Reporter calls Cars 2 "yet another Pixar winner." McCarthy writes that Cars 2, thankfully, doesn't rely at all on it's predecessor, claiming that the "beautifully designed sequel stands easily on its own four tires." Being a huge Giacchino fan, I can't help but mention that it's mentioned in the review that "Michael Giacchino's score has the effect of a super-charger on the film, as if it needed one." The review gives a brief plot synopsis, as well as plenty more accolades for the film.

HitFlix, a less well-known film site, isn't quite as gracious with its praise for the film, claiming that the film's logic made his "head explode." More plot details can be found within the review.

Well, those are all the major reviews that have come out so far. Stay tuned for more!

I should have known to wholeheartedly trust in Pixar--oh Luxo, will you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?! . . . I am ashamed.

Oh, and I'm also very excited to see Cars 2! (And to write a comprehensive review for all of you lovely folks.)

Less than a week away . . .

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Some Brief Thoughts on 'Gnomeo and Juliet'

This past weekend I saw Gnomeo and Juliet. It's a film from the defunct banner under Disney, Miramax. Any of you who frequent Disney, etc. would know after one look at the trailer that it's the type of film I tend to avoid and, frankly, smack talk on a regular basis--it's filled with pop culture references, motormouth sidekicks, and just about every other gimmick in the book that takes away from what's important: story. However, even with those faults, I found the movie very witty, the characters very entertaining, and the entire thing a joy to watch.

I think the reason that I liked it so much in lieu of the gimmickry is that it is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and therefore you aren't really looking for a story as you watch it. I know this is utterly contrary to everything else I have ever preached on the blog before, but it's true--since I know the plot of Romeo and Juliet and know exactly what will happen next, I am not looking for a story, and therefore the empty gimmicks were not a distraction, since there was nothing for them to distract from. In fact, the gimmicks were quite welcome--think of the film as more of a basic retelling of a Shakespearean tale as the backdrop for countless jokes, musical numbers, and hilarious characters. This was less of an actual movie and more of a circus, if you will--you don't watch it for the plot or emotional value, but for the sheer spectacle and great humor. Something like Shrek 3 (or 4 or 5 or whatever-the-heck number they're on now) falls flat because it's a "circus" that's trying to tell a story; while it has clever gimmicks and funny jokes, these are strewn across an attempt at a plot, which is meant to create emotional reaction in the audience. When this plot and the "circus-ness" mix inside the viewer's head, what results is a muddled mess of confusion and disappointment. The creators of Gnomeo and Juliet cleverly stepped around this problem by simply ignoring the plot aspect and replacing it with a well-known and purposefully predictable story.


So, I think that's the main reason I enjoyed Gnomeo and Juliet despite its constant gimmicks. Besides, the gimmicks were really funny. There were several characters, such as the rubber garden frog, a plastic Hispanic flamingo, and a small, angry reindeer that were very unique and funny and great to watch. Also, there were numerous Shakespeare references throughout the film that I most certainly appreciated, such as a moving truck which read "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Moving Company," a glue bottle labeled "The Taming of the Glue," and neighbor apartments with the addresses "2B" and "Not 2B". It was filled with back-to-back jokes, and I laughed out loud more times during that film than I have since Toy Story 3 . . . and that's a lot.

I am a huge Elton John fan, so I was ecstatic when I found out that the entire soundtrack was Elton John songs and the score was based on his works. The integration of the songs was great, and I especially loved it when they replaced the lyrics with garden gnome-related terms and it was sung by the characters themselves. Elton should be proud. Great stuff.

Needless to say, Gnomeo and Juliet is worth seeing. While it lacks a plot, it is funny with great characters and an Elton John soundtrack to boot. It won't be winning any Oscars or getting any raving reviews from the stuck-up critics or even a decent standing at the box office, but if you can manage to shut your brain off for a few hours and just let yourself be entertained, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

7 out of 10.


(Oh, and you'll enjoy the film much, much more if you read the play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare before seeing it. There are many little inside jokes and nods to the play that are really cool and quite hysterical.)

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My 'Tangled' Review

I just saw Tangled. I know my review is a little bit late (and that I haven't posted anything for awhile), but I was out of town (at Disneyland!) and have been unable to post this past week.

Anyways, Tangled, directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard (Bolt), was superb. As with any film, story is the most important part, and Tangled really delivered. The plot was filled with conflict, intrigue, and suspense; there was a very good balance between fast, action-packed scenes and those of deep emotion.


Although, the story did suffer slightly due to an inevitable fact: it's a fairytale. I have nothing against fairytales and I think that they can make a wonderful basis for a story, but I think that this fact made Tangled suffer. While it was really funny and engaging, it was predictable and was restricted by the classic form of the fairytale. While I realize that every story is more or less predictable and restrained by a common plot outline (Hero's Journey!), fairytales suffer the most, especially since the majority of Disney's past films have been in this same genre. Still, it did a decent job of pushing the boundaries of the fairytale further than I thought they could. And I don't think it really hurt the movie, unless you over-analyze it like I am. (But I am very glad that Ed Catmull has announced that Walt Disney Animation Studios will never make another fairytale.)


Combined with the importance of story is the importance of character. Tangled didn't fail us here, either. The villain was very evil (and excellently voiced), which is a necessity for any good story, and the audience really cheered for the main characters. One thing that is always missing from a bad movie is that there isn't a forseeable goal or adequate motivation for the hero or villain--Tangled, however, had an achievable goal and lots of motivation for every character. And that made for quite interesting characters.


However, one problem is that the audience tended to root more for the adventurous rogue of Flynn Rider (most likely due to his unparalleled charisma, classic good looks, and spot-on humor), rather than the real hero of the story, Rapunzel. This is due to the fact that the character of Rapunzel was rather flat and uninteresting; she seemed to act as more of a catalyst for action than a thinking being (think Hitchcock's MacGuffin). Perhaps it's the fact that all she seemed to talk about were those darn flying lanterns. Maybe it's just that she was overshadowed by far more interesting characters. But I think the real reason is that I couldn't relate to her. I can sympathize with Flynn's back-story of rejection and longing, but how could I ever empathize with somebody who's been trapped in a tower for 18 years? I can't. Still, the strength of the other characters easily made up for this minor flaw in Rapunzel.


My favorite character of the movie, however, was the valiant steed, Maximus. He managed to get across so much emotion and humor without ever saying a word--he was really, really funny and well-animated. Whoever managed to animate that horse with such flamboyant and exaggerated emotion deserves an Oscar. And a Golden Globe.

And a Nobel Peace Prize.

Similarly, I appreciated how Pascal the Chameleon was just pantomime; it is so much more interesting and fun to watch a character convey emotion through good acting instead of fast-talking dialogue (I'm looking at you, Donkey of Shrek and every character ever voiced by Wanda Sykes...).

The animation of the whole thing was excellent. Each frame could be framed as a piece of art in its own right--the vibrant colors and excellent art direction made for truly remarkable visuals. I also appreciated how the animators made the chase scenes and characters and gags more "cartoony" by adding classic animation techniques like the squash-and-stretch--it is so entertaining to watch. This nod to the traditional forms of animation, most likely inspired by animation legend Glen Keane, has been missed from a lot of CG films, but is welcome back with open arms. Also, the medieval village and vibrant forest backgrounds are very reminiscent of the gorgeous hand-drawn Disney classics. Glen Keane has done it again!

One negative thing, though, were the songs. While I loved the European-inspired instrumental score, the soundtrack left a lot to be desired. Alan Menken, who wrote the songs for classics like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, didn't write one great song for Tangled. I was expecting a Whole New World or Under the Sea, but was left with a generally uninteresting set of melodies. You know it's a good song when you can remember the melody and hum it...and I can't even remember one line from a single tune. It's too bad, really. Disney fairytales are known for their beautiful and catchy soundtracks.


A hot topic that's been surrounding Tangled is whether it is geared towards boys or girls. After the flop that was The Princess and the Frog, Disney's marketing department did a major overhaul of Rapunzel, retitling it, adding pop music to the trailer, and up-playing their male lead and humor. While I think that this marketing technique was an unclassy move for Disney, it seems to have worked, since Tangled is doing fairly well at the Box Office (it didn't beat Potter, but it was the second biggest Thanksgiving opening ever). Back to the issue at hand: I don't think Tangled is aimed at male or female audiences. Like all Disney movies, this movie is for everybody; there are things for the parents, the boys, and the girls. If you enjoy good cinema and have a good sense of humor, you'll enjoy Tangled.

It ain't no Bolt or Toy Story 3 or Lion King, but the great animation, spot-on humor, interesting plot, and overall flow of the story and jokes more than made up for its "fairytale-ness," somewhat weak main character, and lack of decent song-writing. Tangled, Walt Disney Animation Studio's 50th animated feature, is a winner.

9 out of 10.

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A Collection of 'Tangled' Reviews

I have been seeing more and more reviews for Disney's Tangled leaking out within the past week, so I've decided to compile them all right here for your reading pleasure...

The Disney Blog
/Film
Movie Viral
Variety

I'll update this post as I discover more reviews.

The overall reception for the film is overwhelmingly positive. Many reviewers agree that this film shows Disney "getting back to its roots." It's supposedly very funny with stunning animation...

Although I am disappointed that the marketing campaign took a turn for the worse (by appealing to young boys instead of girls) after The Princess and the Frog flopped at the box office, I am very excited to see this movie. I am expecting great things from Glen Keane, Nathan Greno, and Byron Howard.

The film will be released later this month on November 24. Watch the trailer here.

Also, stay tuned for my exclusive review of Tangled.

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Thoughts on the 'Day & Night' Picture Book

I had a great day today because I received my review copy of the Day & Night picture book. Based on the great Pixar short by Teddy Newton, this 40-page picture book is a delight. It follows the same plot as the ground-breaking short and has equally-awesome art. While it doesn't strike you quite like the animated short does, it is still a great book due to its style--it almost reads more like a comic than a children's book.

Although it is intended for children, it will feel right at home as a part of your geeky Pixar collection. It fits right into mine.

You can purchase it wherever children's books are sold, or from online retailers such as Amazon.com.

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Some Thoughts on 'The Last Airbender'

This will be a quick post stating my opinion on M. Night Shyamalan's recently released film The Last Airbender. While you're reading it, keep in mind that I am a huge fan of the Nickelodeon cartoon that the live-action film is based on.

M. Night Shyamalan's career started great. He released The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, all of which were great. Then he got himself into a string of real stinkers: The Village, Lady in the Water and The Happening were all completely awful movies.

However, I was planning to forgive Mr. Shyamalan for his less-than-acceptable recent set of movies if he was able to successfully adapt my favorite cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Let's just say I am not planning on forgiving him anytime soon. This movie was the last nail in his coffin for me.

Story

The Last Airbender had numerous problems, but the main problems started first and foremost with M. Night's horrific screenplay. When did he decide that he should write? Because he shouldn't. Film-making is storytelling. Anyone who tells you different would make an awful filmmaker. That is why The Last Airbender was so bad--it did a terrible job telling the story, which is always a movie's number one priority. And, like I said, this problem of not getting the story across to the audience began with his disjointed script. Anyone who has never seen the series will be completely lost in a sea of seemingly unrelated scenes and vignettes of familiar characters doing stuff, with only Katara's narration as a weak life vest. There were a lot of times where there'd be a scene that I slightly recognized from the series, but I'd think "Is there something that makes this scene make sense in the context of this live-action version?" And the answer was always 'no'. The Last Airbender was not an adaptation of Book One of the classic series, it was a half-hearted attempt at a plot summary. Movies tell stories, and The Last Airbender has no comprehensible story. And not only that, but he had such a great story to work from!

Characters and Humor

But the problems didn't end there. M. Night Shyamalan's screenplay successfully sucked out all of the wonderful humor and endearing characters that made the series so great. Aang's childlike wonder and love of having fun? He killed it. Sokka's slapstick comedy routines and hilarious love for food? Gone. Even Uncle Iroh's roundabout ways of providing Zukko with advice that would always make me laugh were completely removed. Shyamalan had such great source material filled with thorough character arcs and some of the best humor out there, and he completely removed all of the good stuff. Why? I think it still has to do with his poor writing, and also a little to do with poor acting talent.

Special Effects

However, the action sequences and special effects were good. The airbending was hypnotizing and the water- and firebending did look realistic. The fight scenes where no bending was involved were very well-choreographed, and the big effects, like the walls of water and flying Appa, provided great visuals. What Mr. Shyamalan lacks in story skills, he makes up for in the ability to create great visuals. Unfortunately, great visuals do not make a great movie. (A great story does.)

And the lack of a great story undermined the great effects. If I don't care about whether or not the main character fighting in this battle will live or not, I won't find the fight exciting or entertaining. Peril is a natural instinct we love to watch, and we can't have that without strong characters or story, neither of which were present in The Last Airbender.

Conclusion

If you've put up with my brief but passionate ranting about The Last Airbender until now, chances are that you've already seen the series and the film and agree with me. M. Night Shyamalan had the most funny, exciting, and story-intense series to adapt, and he ended up with an empty shell where happiness and entertainment used to live. And the problems all started with his terrible screenplay. The series had so much suspense when it came to the big chase between Zukko and Aang, but the live-action film lacked all suspense, let alone a comprehensive plot. It didn't even have a real climax. And, the characters didn't even pronounce any of the names right! But, in Shyamalan's defense, this was a lot like The Golden Compass, where they had to fit hours and hours and hours of stuff into just an hour and a half. But it still should have been better than this. Avatar: The Last Airbender will always be one of my favorite cartoons, and Shyamalan's The Last Airbender will always be one of the biggest cinematic disappoints.

I give The Last Airbender a 2 out of 10 (and that's an even better rating than Rotten Tomatoes gives it).

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'TS3' Reviews + Rotten Tomatoes Update

Toy Story 3 is a great film. If you've read my review, you know that I loved it. The critics have spoken, and they all completely agree with me. The final film of the Toy Story trilogy is a smash hit, both at the box office and when it comes to reviews. I was going to compile a list of my favorite reviews, but Mike over at The Pixar Blog has an even more comprehensive list than mine; check it out here and here. All of these reviews offer valuable insight to anybody who is still wondering why they enjoyed the film so much.

But, if you just want the Cliffs Notes of what the critics thought, I recommend that you look no further than Rotten Tomatoes, a site that compiles all of the reviews for you. Currently, Toy Story 3 is the second best reviewed film of all-time on the site with a 99%, ranked only behind its predecessor in the trilogy, Toy Story 2.

TS3 has 153 tallied reviews--151 of them "Fresh" and the other two "Rotten". The two men who tarnished an otherwise flawless record for the picture are none other than Armond White and Cole Smithey, both of which are notorious for giving critically-acclaimed movies a bad name, just for attention. In fact, there's an online petition going around to get White (who has given every Pixar film a "Rotten" review, but Norbit a positive one) banned from RT. It currently has over 1,700 signatures (including mine), and I suggest you sign it as well.

Despite two hacks who call themselves critics, Toy Story 3 has a glowing record so far, and will continue to. Do I smell an Oscar? Or maybe even two? We'll see... But one thing is for sure: Lee Unkrich is gonna need a wheelbarrow for all of his award statues come award season.

Sources: The Pixar Blog, RT

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Best. Toy Story. Ever.

In 1988, John Lasseter wrote and directed the Pixar short Tin Toy. It was a very crude short film that won an Oscar, as well as the admiration of the animation and filmmaking world. Quickly after the then-revolutionary short was released, Pixar was commissioned by Disney to produce a feature film. Ed Catmull recommended a one-hour TV special to the Mouse instead of a film, but Disney quickly replied that: "If you can make a one-hour special, you can make an hour-and-a-half long picture."

Lasseter was still the big-wig creative at Pixar then (and, some might debate that he still is), and he loved the idea of toys coming to life. So, Pixar set out to turn the short Tin Toy into the world's first CG-animated movie. From this notion, Toy Story was born.

It's been over two decades since Tin Toy debuted, and here we are still enjoying Pixar's anthropomorphic toys. And, let me tell you, we are really enjoying them.

Toy Story 3 is the best film of the Toy Story trilogy. I know that it may be considered bad etiquette to begin a review so blatantly with my straight opinion, but, it's the truth. Toy Story 3 was that good. But, without further ado, if you want to know why it was so good, here's my review (Spoiler Alert!):

Plot Synopsis

Toy Story explodes onto the screen in an epic scene jam-packed with train crashes, explosions, chases, and the familiar "Death by Monkeys" and "forcefield dog." Woody and Mr. Potato Head (er, One-Eyed Bart) have a thrilling fight on top of a speeding train. The tracks running over a bridge explode, and Woody plunges into oblivion. But who is there to save him? Buzz Lightyear of course! The scene continues, getting more and more ridiculous and funny. Then after the over-the-top action sequence that might as well have come out of a Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer picture, we find out that the whole scene is taking place in Andy's imagination. Cue the classic Randy Newman tune "You've Got a Friend in Me" as we get treated to more footage filmed by Andy's Mom of him playing lovingly with his toys.

But, everybody grows up. Once Mr. Newman is done singing and the VHS-quality video fades out, we find out that Andy has grown up and is moving off to college. His mom makes him decide what to do with his old toys, and gives him three options: donate them, put them out for the garbage man, or store them in the attic. Andy decides on the latter for all of his toys except Woody, who's going off to college with him. But after some confusion and excitement, the toys, including Woody, are all sent off to the Sunnyside Daycare Center.

Upon arriving at the new, strange place, Lotso the Strawberry-Scented Bear greets the toys with a big grin and lots of hugs. All of the center's toys are friendly, and the place seems almost heavenly for a toy. Andy's toys are excited that they will finally be played with after so many years. Woody, however, insists that they all have to do their jobs: "be there for Andy when he needs us, no matter what."

Despite his best efforts, Woody has to make his way back to Andy's alone. After an exhilarating scene involving a lot of toy-acrobatics and kite-flying, however, he is found and brought home by a little girl named Bonnie, and is lovingly played with again, just like Andy used to play with him. The other toys in Bonnie's room are very funny, especially the hedgehog Mr. Pricklepants (pictured above), who is a very well-versed thespian.

Meanwhile, the other toys learn that the daycare is not all that it's cracked up to be. They get put in the "Caterpillar Room," which is for the toddlers. And, trust me, being played with by toddlers from a toy's perspective is horrifying, as Buzz, Rex, Hamm, Jessie, and the others quickly find out in a rather darkly humorous scene.

Once the daycare closes and the toys decide they'd much rather be in the pleasant "Butterfly Room" for the older kids, Buzz escapes from the Caterpillar Room to seek out the cheerful leader, Lotso. What he finds, however, is that all of the toys at Sunnyside are being held captive.

Lotso finds Buzz's manual and resets him, turning him into one of the strawberry-scented villain's many henchman. The other toys are all put in cages and given a very stern speech from the new Buzz about "the box"--a scene that is humorously lifted from the classic film Cool Hand Luke. (Click here to see the scene I'm talking about--it's the first minute or so.)

Bonnie's Mom works at Sunnyside, so many of her toys move freely between her house and the daycare (that is, if they can avoid detection). Therefore, Woody quickly finds out what Sunnyside really is: a place of darkness and despair. He gets told the tragic story of Lotso by Chuckles, a depressed clown voiced by Pixar's own Bud Luckey. Lotso, Chuckles, and the Big Baby were all Daisy's favorite toys. One day, Daisy took them to the park but forgot them there. After the trio of toys had waited for weeks and weeks and traveled far to find her again, they discovered that she had replaced them with new toys. "Something snapped inside Lotso that day." They then found Sunnyside, and Lotso slowly gained power, eventually becoming the dictator of the daycare center.

The majority of the rest of the movie is an elaborate, The Great Escape-esque escape sequence that consists of a lot of humor and a bunch of action. The escape ends with Woody, Buzz, Hamm, Rex, the Potato Heads, Slink, Jessie, and Bullseye slowly slipping into the dump's enormous incinerator. Jessie turns to Buzz and asks "What do we do now?" Buzz slowly looks up and takes her hand in his. The rest of the gang follows suit and all join hands, forming a circle of friends as they all slip slowly to their imminent doom. This scene is so intensely emotional, that I get teary-eyed just thinking about it.

After the audience has used up all of their Kleenex however, they're gonna need to find some more. Pixar has constructed an emotional one-two punch for the last twenty minutes of Toy Story 3. After the gang escapes the dump and makes it back to Andy's, Woody decides that the best place for them to be is at Bonnie's house; a toy should have a proper owner that knows about playtime. Thus, the final scene is almost equally-emotional, consisting of a seventeen-year-old Andy sitting in the grass, giving all of his toys to the young Bonnie. He fondly introduces each toy, then plays with them for one last time. He drives off to college, leaving Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys we all love to a brand new owner who will love the toys just as much as Andy did, to infinity and beyond.

(End Spoiler Alert!)

Toy Story 3 is a superb film. It combines classic lines for us die hard fans, comedy, romance, action, Hollywood's best animation, and a wonderful score to create something that I still can't believe I saw.

The Story

Storytelling is at the heart of what Pixar does, and should be at the heart of every film. That's why their films just work: they focus on story over everything else. Story is king. And, let me tell you, story is definitely the king of Toy Story 3. From the outset, you are thrown on an emotional journey that you never thought you could have with a bunch of talking toys. How is it that Pixar can tell us all so much about the human heart through simple pixels assembled into some toys? I don't have an answer for you, but I don't think that I want an answer. I'd prefer not to know. But whatever it is, I hope they never change it. Toy Story 3's practically flawless story is such an intensely emotional roller coaster that it is really difficult to convey through words in this single post. You really do have to go out and see it for yourself. You won't be disappointed--I promise.

The Animation

Pixar is the world's best animation studio. While they didn't earn this title by devoting all of their energy to developing new animation techniques, it certainly hasn't stopped them from doing so. Toy Story 3 is gorgeously animated with brand new, well-designed characters, visually-stunning backgrounds and action scenes, and such clarity and flawlessness that it's so obvious how much the technology has advanced since the first Toy Story. I know I said the same thing about Up, but you could take any given frame from Toy Story 3 and have it stand alone as its own true piece of art. The characters and objects really are animated that well.

The Score

I don't have much to say about the score, except for the fact that it successfully heightened every emotion of the movie, which is exactly what a score should do. Randy Newman has done it again! I especially enjoyed the Latin music-inspired score when Buzz was reset to Spanish mode, as well as the new song "We Belong Together." Oh, and the awesome Gipsy Kings cover of "You've Got a Friend in Me" is already my ringtone. It's great. Check out the whole soundtrack at Amazon here.

Conclusion

I grew up with Woody and Buzz and the other toys. I feel like I know each and every one of them like they were my best friends. That may sound geeky, or even creepy, but it's true. That's how powerful films can be if you have creative people like those at Pixar helming them. Many were doubtful that a third film could live up to the first two Toy Stories, but 3's loyalty to the themes of friendship and the fact that everybody grows up gives the movie so much heart that you are forced to look at it as the perfect ending to the world's greatest trilogy of films.

If you loved the first two Toy Story films (and, really, who couldn't?), you will laugh harder, cry harder, and be even more entertained in this final installation when you see the last of Rex, Hamm, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Slink, Buzz, and Sheriff Woody.

I (easily) give Toy Story 3 a 10 out of 10.

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