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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies

Jun 21, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)

Toy Story 4 (2019)

2019 | Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi

8.2

(89 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Beyond

Toy Story 4 takes the series to the deepest places of the human psyche yet & as a result makes this instalment the darkest & hardest of them all to stomach as its themes are so relatable & current. There were moments in this film where i found myself looking down from the screen deep in thought about my own life, thinking back to mistakes I'd made & friends I've lost along the way. Toy Story 4 had successfully hit me hard in my heart & mind using ways & on levels no animated film has managed before & although this made me extremely sad I left the cinema fulfilled, happy & with a new outlook on life. Themes of finding a purpouse, not knowing who you are, suicided, relationships, letting go, moving on, finding happiness, feeling lost, cofidence, depression, self worth are all brought up here & gone into with such depth I was wondering if this film was actually intended more for adults than kids. What got to me the most is the stuff on relationships which is portrayed with Woody's hanging on to Andy & still not being able to let him go & move on, its extremely tuff to watch & although animated every inch of his pain is felt. Theres such a lot here about feeling lost in life & wanting a purpose which does get extremely heavy but the film also teaches & up lifts showing that as long as you keep your friends around you the world is a big exciting place with so much to do & see that wasting time being hung up on the past is silly. Also the stress of being a parent & how toys are also a crucial part of a childs up bringing, seriously its ridiculous how much theyve crammed in here. Amination is staggering from the insane dust particles, lighting & water effects to the textures of the plastic pixar out does every animated film that came before it. Sound design is also top tear with a moment of silence at one stage so on point it literally took my breath away. Comedy is also perfect with jokes hitting constantly & theres actually quite a bit of horror this time around which is done better than most horror films of today. I also loved seeing how Woody has progressed as a character too he has a deep sadness about him but also takes way more risks with being seen which also adds great tension. I simply can not recomend you see this film enough.

Kudos

Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Pretties (Uglies, #2) in Books

Apr 20, 2020

Pretties (Uglies, #2)

Scott Westerfeld | 2005 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.2

(17 Ratings)

Book Rating

Contains spoilers, click to show

Pretties is the second book in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I loved the first book a lot, and I had to continue the series!

In the first book, we are introduced to a world where beauty means everything. People are born as Uglies, and once they turn 16, they undergo plastic surgery and become Pretties.

Tally is still an Ugly, and all she ever wants to do is become a Pretty. After all, all of her friends are already Pretties. But she meets Shay, who doesn’t want to become pretty, and during amazing adventures in the first book, Tally discovered that there is much more in the world than just being a Pretty.

If you haven’t read the first book yet, please be aware that this review will contain SPOILERS. If you want to know more though, I would suggest reading my review of the first book, Uglies.

In Pretties, Tally is now a Pretty herself. She is completely different, until one day a person from the old crew pays her a visit. She can vaguely remember some things, and a challenge is in front of her. A letter from herself from the past will make her remember why she is a Pretty now and what she needs to do next.

But accepting such a task means danger of being found out and silenced forever. But if she succeeds, she might actually find a cure to being a Pretty.

My Thoughts
Filled with adventure, I read this book in only a few sittings. I am in love with the world the author created, and the moral dilemmas he tests us on. The chapters and scenes are vivid, entertaining and never dull.

I did, however, struggle with characterisation. Even though I am a huge fan of Tally, she wasn’t much different from any other character. They were all sort of the same, believing in almost the same things, and not much else was said. I would really have loved to see more perspectives from the Specials, but I think that is coming in the third book, which gets me all the more excited.

The last few chapters were everything and I will cherish all the moments. Many “book highlightings” were done and many quotes were remembered. I also need to mention that plot twist in the end. I should have seen it coming, because all the clues were there, but I didn’t. And I can’t wait to read book number 3.

I recommend it to all readers who enjoy different worlds, adventure, a bit of fantasy and dystopia.