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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
PIXAR movies have a formula that expertly combines an adorable hero/heroine with a story that tugs at the heartstrings. There is always a moment or two where you have to reach for tissue or surreptitiously dash a few tears away with your sleeve. With writers and directors from Finding Nemo, the Good Dinosaur, Toy Story 3 and Monsters University, Coco is no exception.
Coco is the colorful tale of a young boy named Miguel who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, the late Ernesto de la Cruz, despite his family’s ban on music that has spanned multiple generations
When an opportunity arises for him to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in desperate need of a guitar. So desperate, that the plan he devises ends up taking him to the colorful Land of the Dead.
In the Land of the Dead, Miguel teams up with Hector, a trickster voiced by Gael Garcia Bernal, who promises to help him meet the great Ernesto de la Cruz, voiced by Benjamin Bratt, and get back to the Land of the Living.
Anthony Gonzalez infuses Miguel with charm and earnest determination which, of course, you can’t help but root for. Bratt brings a perfect blend of suave and smarm to Ernesto while Bernal brings a good dose of mischief to warm-hearted Hector.
Rich with cultural lessons, stunning animation and beautiful music, Coco is simply a delight. I learned a lot about Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, which is very similar to my own culture’s observance of All Souls Day and All Saints Day in the Philippines.
Coco’s winsome depiction of what honoring our departed loved ones means is incredibly heartwarming, and honestly if the Land of the Dead is truly how PIXAR imagines it, I hope they are right.
Much like Moana, so much of the family in Coco reminded me of my own that I left the theater emotionally compromised at the end. You will, too, especially if you’re easily touched by sweet songs and tender moments between parents and their children. Coco is a moving lesson about the love of family and believing in yourself and how one can strengthen the other in turns.
Coco is the colorful tale of a young boy named Miguel who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, the late Ernesto de la Cruz, despite his family’s ban on music that has spanned multiple generations
When an opportunity arises for him to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in desperate need of a guitar. So desperate, that the plan he devises ends up taking him to the colorful Land of the Dead.
In the Land of the Dead, Miguel teams up with Hector, a trickster voiced by Gael Garcia Bernal, who promises to help him meet the great Ernesto de la Cruz, voiced by Benjamin Bratt, and get back to the Land of the Living.
Anthony Gonzalez infuses Miguel with charm and earnest determination which, of course, you can’t help but root for. Bratt brings a perfect blend of suave and smarm to Ernesto while Bernal brings a good dose of mischief to warm-hearted Hector.
Rich with cultural lessons, stunning animation and beautiful music, Coco is simply a delight. I learned a lot about Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, which is very similar to my own culture’s observance of All Souls Day and All Saints Day in the Philippines.
Coco’s winsome depiction of what honoring our departed loved ones means is incredibly heartwarming, and honestly if the Land of the Dead is truly how PIXAR imagines it, I hope they are right.
Much like Moana, so much of the family in Coco reminded me of my own that I left the theater emotionally compromised at the end. You will, too, especially if you’re easily touched by sweet songs and tender moments between parents and their children. Coco is a moving lesson about the love of family and believing in yourself and how one can strengthen the other in turns.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Monsters, Inc. (2001) in Movies
Jan 22, 2018
Monsters under the bed or closet
The story of Sully (the monster who scares kids) and Mike (his assistant) who work at monsters inc where the more kids screams they collect the more energy they provide for their world. Sully's job is to scare kids and he is so good at doing it that he is closing in on the world record. Mike is assistant and sets up the doors for him to enter the kiddies rooms to help collect the scares. Then there is randle who wants to be like sully and is right behind him in the standings. If a kid touches them its like them being infected and need to be cleaned so they have to be very careful. However one night a little girl sneaks back with sully into monster world and he and mike take it as their responsibility to get her home. However something happens while they are taking care of her that begin to change their minds on the career path.
Another wonderful movie from Pixar
Another wonderful movie from Pixar
Abundance Radio : The Abundance Game
Podcast
Ever since the game was in its trial period, I knew that something bigger than myself was involved...
Guinness World Records Blockbusters: 2017
Book
Roll out the red carpet for Guinness World Records 2017: BLOCKBUSTERS! It's virtually exploding with...
Nicholas Sparks recommended Toy Story (1995) in Movies (curated)
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies
Jun 25, 2019
This great trilogy becomes a great quadrilogy
Like many, I initially felt that Toy Story 4 was an unessecary addition to the great trilogy that we already have, but after seeing it, I'm so so glad it exists - I would honestly rate it above 2 and 3!
The story treads new ground, away from Andys family, but yet still feels familiar, as Woody and co set off to rescue a lost toy, meeting various obstacles along the way (those ventriloquist dummies though)
The new characters are all pretty great, including Forky (Buster Bleuth through and through), Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom, Giggle McDimples, Gabby Gabby, and Ducky and Bunny just to name a few, are all charming in their own ways and fit right alongside the classic characters with ease.
Once again, Pixar manage to squeeze in morals and emotions that honestly had me welling up at times.
Like I said, I was initially was wary of further stories in the Toy Story franchise but on the strength of this, I'll certainly be going to see any future entries!
The story treads new ground, away from Andys family, but yet still feels familiar, as Woody and co set off to rescue a lost toy, meeting various obstacles along the way (those ventriloquist dummies though)
The new characters are all pretty great, including Forky (Buster Bleuth through and through), Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom, Giggle McDimples, Gabby Gabby, and Ducky and Bunny just to name a few, are all charming in their own ways and fit right alongside the classic characters with ease.
Once again, Pixar manage to squeeze in morals and emotions that honestly had me welling up at times.
Like I said, I was initially was wary of further stories in the Toy Story franchise but on the strength of this, I'll certainly be going to see any future entries!
Toy Trains 4u
YouTube Channel
Creative play toy story videos of funny pranks and surprises featuring favourite kids toys such as...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Toy Story (1995) in Movies
Dec 16, 2018
Truly a classic
With Toy Story 4 coming out in theaters this summer, I thought I'd go back and check out a beloved classice - the original TOY STORY (1995) to see if this film holds up to my memory of it.
It sure does.
Directed by visionary Pixar founder John Lasseter, TOY STORY is the first computer generated full-length motion picture and tells the...story...of toys that come to life when the humans leave the room. It is a simple concept that is executed beautifully with wit, charm and heart that sustains to this day and (I would imagine) to infinity...and beyond.
Besides the revolutionary CGI work (which mostly holds up), the heartwarming story and the crispness of the pacing of the film, the masterstroke here is the pitch perfect voice casting. Tom Hanks was the first - and only - choice for Woody, the Cowboy doll that has been the main toy for Andy. His confidence is shattered when Andy receives a Buzz Lightyear action figure for his birthday and he struggles to maintain control of the room - and Andy's heart. In lesser hands, this character could be be annoying and a bit of a jerk, but with Hanks' inherent charm, Woody is lovable, neurotic and vulnerable as he tries to get out of one jam after another.
Tim Allen wasn't the first choice for the voice of Buzz Lightyear, but with his success in 1994's THE SANTA CLAUS he was called into service on this film - and the results couldn't be better. He blends machismo, bluster and a sincere earnestness that perfectly pairs and counterbalances Hanks' tics to form a movie duo that ranks right up there with the best in film history.
It is the attention to detail that these filmmakers really excel at and the supporting cast of voice actors really brings it here. From Don Rickles to John Ratzenberger to Annie Potts to R. Lee Emery to Jim Varney to Laurie Metcalf, all bring charm and heart to their characters even when they are in conflict.
Speaking of attention to detail, the CGI in this film works really, really well - even after 23 years of improvements. The filmmakers were blazing a trail and there is much to look at in the background, from the 2 "Hidden Mickey's" in Andy's room to the tribute to THE SHINING, the background and renderings are lush and are worth a viewing just to look at hidden gems (and Easter Eggs) in the background.
But none of this would matter if the story wasn't any good and I give story writers Lasseter and future Pixar Director's Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton credit for keeping the story crisp, clear and simple and infusing heart and sincerity without getting cloying or annoying. Interestingly enough, in looking at the credits, Joss Whedon, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow were all contributors to the screenplay as well. When I see that many writers on a screenplay, I worry about continuity and flow. But, make no mistake about it, this film has a strong vision driven by Lasseter and the results on the screen show that focus.
If you haven't seen this film in awhile, give yourself a treat and check it out again, it holds up very, very well and will be well worth the 84 minutes it will take to watch it (the shortest of all PIXAR films).
Letter Grade A+ - which means, of course...
A rare 10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
It sure does.
Directed by visionary Pixar founder John Lasseter, TOY STORY is the first computer generated full-length motion picture and tells the...story...of toys that come to life when the humans leave the room. It is a simple concept that is executed beautifully with wit, charm and heart that sustains to this day and (I would imagine) to infinity...and beyond.
Besides the revolutionary CGI work (which mostly holds up), the heartwarming story and the crispness of the pacing of the film, the masterstroke here is the pitch perfect voice casting. Tom Hanks was the first - and only - choice for Woody, the Cowboy doll that has been the main toy for Andy. His confidence is shattered when Andy receives a Buzz Lightyear action figure for his birthday and he struggles to maintain control of the room - and Andy's heart. In lesser hands, this character could be be annoying and a bit of a jerk, but with Hanks' inherent charm, Woody is lovable, neurotic and vulnerable as he tries to get out of one jam after another.
Tim Allen wasn't the first choice for the voice of Buzz Lightyear, but with his success in 1994's THE SANTA CLAUS he was called into service on this film - and the results couldn't be better. He blends machismo, bluster and a sincere earnestness that perfectly pairs and counterbalances Hanks' tics to form a movie duo that ranks right up there with the best in film history.
It is the attention to detail that these filmmakers really excel at and the supporting cast of voice actors really brings it here. From Don Rickles to John Ratzenberger to Annie Potts to R. Lee Emery to Jim Varney to Laurie Metcalf, all bring charm and heart to their characters even when they are in conflict.
Speaking of attention to detail, the CGI in this film works really, really well - even after 23 years of improvements. The filmmakers were blazing a trail and there is much to look at in the background, from the 2 "Hidden Mickey's" in Andy's room to the tribute to THE SHINING, the background and renderings are lush and are worth a viewing just to look at hidden gems (and Easter Eggs) in the background.
But none of this would matter if the story wasn't any good and I give story writers Lasseter and future Pixar Director's Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton credit for keeping the story crisp, clear and simple and infusing heart and sincerity without getting cloying or annoying. Interestingly enough, in looking at the credits, Joss Whedon, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow were all contributors to the screenplay as well. When I see that many writers on a screenplay, I worry about continuity and flow. But, make no mistake about it, this film has a strong vision driven by Lasseter and the results on the screen show that focus.
If you haven't seen this film in awhile, give yourself a treat and check it out again, it holds up very, very well and will be well worth the 84 minutes it will take to watch it (the shortest of all PIXAR films).
Letter Grade A+ - which means, of course...
A rare 10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated WALL-E (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
To be honest, I didn’t put much faith in a movie about a robot who could only say, “Wa-AA-lleee….” Especially one that’s been by himself for 700 years. Then again, the last Pixar release of talking machines wasn’t exactly a stellar production, either. Give me talking rats or talking fish, at least they had personality. But talking cars? C’mon, now. But maybe Pixar learned from its mistake of verbosity in Cars and decided limited dialogue would bring back the luster of Pixar’s blinding three dimensional success. If that’s how WALL*E came about, then kudos to Pixar. WALL*E not only kept me fascinated, it made me giggle throughout and left me sighing.
In this new offering from the same team who brought you Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Earth is a virtual wasteland, and no longer inhabited by humans. The humans are all aboard a space colony called Axiom, pampered and waited on in robot-assisted existence. Left behind is WALL*E, a hardworking Waste Allocation Load Lifter – Earth class robot, has done what he was programmed to do, compact trash and stack it neatly, cleaning the planet one trash cube at a time. Apparently the passing of years all alone has given this clunky, rusty, dented and creaky machine, time to develop a sense of curiosity, a playful personality, and a love for “Hello, Dolly” showtunes and choreography. His best friend is a cockroach, he’s managed to amass a treasure trove of junk, is seemingly content, albeit lonely.
Then along came EVE. A sleek, state-of-the art egg-shaped robot deposited on earth by an Axiom spacecraft to scan its surroundings as an Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator. WALL*E is instantly enthralled and admires EVE’s speed, versatility and gracefulness from a tentative distance. She exudes efficiency and focus and comes with a laser she’s not afraid to use. EVE has a classified directive and WALL*E, after he’s overcome his fear of her laser, befriends her and inadvertently helps EVE achieve her goal. EVE has to return to the Axiom to report her findings, but WALL*E is desperate to build on this new found friendship. Who can blame him? If you’d been alone for 700 years, wouldn’t you be reluctant to say good bye to a new friend? So WALL*E becomes an accidental tourist of the galaxy, embarking on a thrilling adventure that makes him an anxious stowaway aboard a ship of advanced machines and lazy humans.
Under the direction of by Academy Award(r)-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton, the gifted storytellers and artists who brought charm and innovation to The Incredibles and Ratatouille, elevated their game by enabling WALL*E to convey in beeps and tones and soulful eyes a gamut of emotions that captivates the viewer. Limited dialogue was definitely on the menu, at least between robots. Which makes WALL-E all the more enchanting. It’s up to the viewer to draw on simple exchanges and the robots’ varying intonations of each other’s names to interpret their growing affection for one another.
With its breathtaking animation and deft rendering of heartwarming characters, CGI-animated features don’t get much better than this.
A fantastic voyage with an eco-friendly warning wrapped in a poignant love story, WALL*E restored my faith in Pixar’s well-deserved, acclaim.
In this new offering from the same team who brought you Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Earth is a virtual wasteland, and no longer inhabited by humans. The humans are all aboard a space colony called Axiom, pampered and waited on in robot-assisted existence. Left behind is WALL*E, a hardworking Waste Allocation Load Lifter – Earth class robot, has done what he was programmed to do, compact trash and stack it neatly, cleaning the planet one trash cube at a time. Apparently the passing of years all alone has given this clunky, rusty, dented and creaky machine, time to develop a sense of curiosity, a playful personality, and a love for “Hello, Dolly” showtunes and choreography. His best friend is a cockroach, he’s managed to amass a treasure trove of junk, is seemingly content, albeit lonely.
Then along came EVE. A sleek, state-of-the art egg-shaped robot deposited on earth by an Axiom spacecraft to scan its surroundings as an Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator. WALL*E is instantly enthralled and admires EVE’s speed, versatility and gracefulness from a tentative distance. She exudes efficiency and focus and comes with a laser she’s not afraid to use. EVE has a classified directive and WALL*E, after he’s overcome his fear of her laser, befriends her and inadvertently helps EVE achieve her goal. EVE has to return to the Axiom to report her findings, but WALL*E is desperate to build on this new found friendship. Who can blame him? If you’d been alone for 700 years, wouldn’t you be reluctant to say good bye to a new friend? So WALL*E becomes an accidental tourist of the galaxy, embarking on a thrilling adventure that makes him an anxious stowaway aboard a ship of advanced machines and lazy humans.
Under the direction of by Academy Award(r)-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton, the gifted storytellers and artists who brought charm and innovation to The Incredibles and Ratatouille, elevated their game by enabling WALL*E to convey in beeps and tones and soulful eyes a gamut of emotions that captivates the viewer. Limited dialogue was definitely on the menu, at least between robots. Which makes WALL-E all the more enchanting. It’s up to the viewer to draw on simple exchanges and the robots’ varying intonations of each other’s names to interpret their growing affection for one another.
With its breathtaking animation and deft rendering of heartwarming characters, CGI-animated features don’t get much better than this.
A fantastic voyage with an eco-friendly warning wrapped in a poignant love story, WALL*E restored my faith in Pixar’s well-deserved, acclaim.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Cars (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The technical wizards at Pixar are back with a new feature film which continues their domination of the animated film genre.
With the huge success of their films The Incredibles as well as Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and the Toy Story films, it would be easy to think that the studio might be at a creative crossroads. When recent news around the industry involved the end of their deal with Disney and subsequent new deal with the company after a period of free agency as well as delays on their new project, some began to wonder what audiences would see if their next outing.
Thankfully Cars continues the amazing run of success for the studio and sets the bar even higher for animated films to follow.
The film follows the exploits of rookie racing car Lightning MC Queen (Owen Wilson), who is the hotshot rookie attempting to be the first rookie in history to win the Piston Cup title.
As Lightening dreams of winning the prize and in doing so, a hefty sponsorship with the big oil company, he decides to ignore the advice of his crew which causes him to end up in a three way tie for the title.
In order to resolve the tie a special race is to be held a week later in California between the three winners. En route, Lightning ignores the advice of his driver Mack (John Ratzenberger), and in a series of mishaps ends up alone in the desolate
town of Radiator Springs. As if this was not enough trouble for Lightning, he is forced by the local judge Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), to perform community service to complete the damage he caused to the road upon his arrival.
Faced with the prospect of losing time needed to get to and prepare for the race, the selfish Lightning does his best to alienate the local townsfolk including the local tow truck Tom Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), who like all the locals do their best to befriend him.
Along the way, Lightning learns the values of friendship, teamwork and community as he attempts to find the true meaning of the term “Winner”.
Graphically the film is amazing as the amount of CGI rendering that went into the film is said to be so extensive, it literally taxed the computers at Pixar to their limits. That is clear as the detail level and complexity of the film is staggering. You fully believe that this world populated entirely by machines exists.
There is a lot of humor in the film as well and more than enough nods that will appeal to older viewers yet may be over the heads of younger viewers.
If I had to find fault in the film, it would be that with a running time of slightly over two hours, it does tend to drag in a few places. My nephew and his friend became restless about 50 minutes into the film which made me think that the running time may be to long for some younger children to sit through and that the film might have been better served by trimming about 30 minutes as there were segments that while visually appealing, did not really need to be there.
That being said, Cars is a true delight and proof that once again, Pixar is the undisputed champion of animated films.
With the huge success of their films The Incredibles as well as Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and the Toy Story films, it would be easy to think that the studio might be at a creative crossroads. When recent news around the industry involved the end of their deal with Disney and subsequent new deal with the company after a period of free agency as well as delays on their new project, some began to wonder what audiences would see if their next outing.
Thankfully Cars continues the amazing run of success for the studio and sets the bar even higher for animated films to follow.
The film follows the exploits of rookie racing car Lightning MC Queen (Owen Wilson), who is the hotshot rookie attempting to be the first rookie in history to win the Piston Cup title.
As Lightening dreams of winning the prize and in doing so, a hefty sponsorship with the big oil company, he decides to ignore the advice of his crew which causes him to end up in a three way tie for the title.
In order to resolve the tie a special race is to be held a week later in California between the three winners. En route, Lightning ignores the advice of his driver Mack (John Ratzenberger), and in a series of mishaps ends up alone in the desolate
town of Radiator Springs. As if this was not enough trouble for Lightning, he is forced by the local judge Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), to perform community service to complete the damage he caused to the road upon his arrival.
Faced with the prospect of losing time needed to get to and prepare for the race, the selfish Lightning does his best to alienate the local townsfolk including the local tow truck Tom Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), who like all the locals do their best to befriend him.
Along the way, Lightning learns the values of friendship, teamwork and community as he attempts to find the true meaning of the term “Winner”.
Graphically the film is amazing as the amount of CGI rendering that went into the film is said to be so extensive, it literally taxed the computers at Pixar to their limits. That is clear as the detail level and complexity of the film is staggering. You fully believe that this world populated entirely by machines exists.
There is a lot of humor in the film as well and more than enough nods that will appeal to older viewers yet may be over the heads of younger viewers.
If I had to find fault in the film, it would be that with a running time of slightly over two hours, it does tend to drag in a few places. My nephew and his friend became restless about 50 minutes into the film which made me think that the running time may be to long for some younger children to sit through and that the film might have been better served by trimming about 30 minutes as there were segments that while visually appealing, did not really need to be there.
That being said, Cars is a true delight and proof that once again, Pixar is the undisputed champion of animated films.