Toy Story 4, mini movie review

 

Rating: A

When I heard that there was going to be another Toy Story movie I honestly rolled my eyes.  "Seriously? Another one?" I thought, and went about my day unfazed.  A little time later the trailer came out, and I was still not excited.  What could they do more?  Does this story about toys need rehashing?  How is this not going to be a simple repeat, just with a new kid?

Out of obligation I went.  Dragging my feet a little.

Boy did I have fun!

Andy is in college, and the homage he receives is that of nostalgia and background retailing.  Not too much.  Just enough.  Bonnie is the toys new kid, and they're all still wonderfully together, except for Bo Peep, who we haven't seen in quite awhile, but she wasn't Andy's toy, she was his sister's, and out of no where she disappeared.  I felt her loss back when, but moved on.  Bonnie is the focus now, and she's growing up a little.  Not growing out of toys, but entering a new phase in life: Kindergarten.  In order to cope with this transition Bonnie creates a toy out of trash and unknowingly brings it to life.  Forky.  A spork with doodads.  Forky has an identity crises, and in the midst of a road trip there's much insanity mixed with hilarity.

Toy Story 4 is a charming movie filled with warmth.  There's friendship, forgiveness, love, second chances, all the Pixar good stuff.  And plenty of jokes.  Seriously a ton of "laugh out loud" moments with a giggle here and there.

And we finally find out what happens to Bo Peep!  She's doing well.  Real well.  She's tough.  I really love what they did with her character.

There's plenty of new characters mixed in at a steady rate, adding to the story instead of overcrowding.  The new characters are interesting and fun.    One of them has me laughing on the inside right now just thinking about them.  But all the classic characters are there as well, fully utilized: This is their story.

So, without giving too much away, Toy Story 4 is a nice new chapter.  A great family film.  Worth seeing many times. 

MPAA: G

Coco, mini movie review

Rating: A

In Coco, the latest offering from Disney's Pixar, Miguel is a boy who finds himself different from his family.  They are all shoemakers, a trade passed on from one generation to the next.  Music is banned.  Many generations back Miguel's great-great-grandfather left the family to pursue music, never returning, leaving his great-great-grandmother to find a way to support herself and her family, the banishment of music the result and the family's love of shoes established.  Miguel is torn between his family and the music that pours through him.

During Miguel's plight, it is also that time of year where the dead come to visit the living.  The day of the dead.  The family ofrenda is all set up, every ancestor displayed lovingly with a photo and favorite offering.  Every member represented except for Miguel's great-great-grandfather, whose photo was ripped.  Miguel believes he's discovered who his long lost great-great-grandfather is, and while doing so, desperate to display his musical talents, he steals a guitar from a tomb, and in so doing finds himself trapped in the land of the dead.  There he finds his family, new friends, and discovers a great family secret.

Coco is a delightful family movie about those who come before and also about what makes us who we are.  I love the music theme that runs throughout with great songs, but also just the love of music that is presented.  As a hobby genealogist I loved the theme of ancestors and family.

The Land of the Dead where Miguel finds himself is a visual masterpiece.  The colors and artistry beautiful.  I loved the spirit guide animals that fly around, and all the other little details that can be seen.

If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend Coco.  A great family film.

MPAA: Rated PG for thematic elements.

P.S. The Frozen short that comes before about Christmas traditions is really cute.  (Songs could have been better).  Word on the street is that it's getting pulled this weekend due to complaints over it's length, which is a problem, as it's about 21 minutes long.  After 15-20 minutes of trailers that's about 40 minutes of wait time before Coco.  Also, 21 minutes isn't really short.  It's about the length of a full Disney Channel animated episode.  And those sick of Frozen may not want to wait through it.

Inside Out, Mini Movie Review

Rating: 3.75

This isn't a kids movie.

Watching this movie is like reading the last Winnie-the-Pooh story: Christopher Robin and Pooh Come to an Enchanted Place, and We Leave Them There.  This last story I would never read to my nieces.  All the other stories I'd read because they're fun and silly.  But the last story is best enjoyed as an adult.  A kid may read it, but they won't understand it.  As an adult it's best to take this last Pooh story and find a corner, maybe under a bed sheet tent with a flashlight, and read it in silence.  There the story's meaning is truly felt.

This is how Inside Out, the latest animation by Pixar and Disney, felt to me, and it's funny that I use the word "felt," because this movie is all about emotions.  More importantly the emotions running trough Riley's mind, a girl who just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco, and all the emotions this move affects.

Each emotion is represented by five different characters: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness.

There are elements in the movie kids will enjoy and appreciate, but the themes within the movie are a bit complex.

In the middle of my showing I could hear kids squirming in their seats, some getting a little reckless, one kid singing and speaking at the top of their lungs, completely unaware of the screen.

A lot of praise for this movie is coming from adults who are touched by Inside Outs message.  It's very meaningful if you've struggled with, or are struggling with depression, which this movie delves into.

Will kids enjoy it?  Sure, but like the last Winnie-the-Pooh story, it's best understood by those of us with years of experience and memories.

When does a kid movie stop being a kid movie?  This isn't Finding Nemo or Toy Story.

MPAA: Rated PG for mild thematic elements and some action.