Toy Story 3: You Know It's Good When Cartoons Make You Cry

I've never in my life wanted to drive over to my parents house and dig up my old stuffed animals more than I did after seeing this movie! Who knew Pixar could do this to me? Well, I think we all know Pixar knows what they are doing. There's something so believable about these animated characters. Maybe, just maybe even more believable than some of the classic Disney cartoons (this coming from a HUGE Little Mermaid (and others) fan!)


The end of the trilogy for Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of the posse from Andy's toy chest begins as Woody prepares to leave for college. His mom forces him to sort through his stuff into piles to throw away, donate, and take to college. After much debate, the beloved Woody makes the cut into the college pile, while the rest of the gang are put in a separate bag, with the intention of being stashed in the attic. But Andy's mom mistakes the attic bag for trash. The gang feels like they are now unwanted, so they escape the trash bag just in time to sneak into a box of toys that's scheduled to be donated.

They make it to Sunnyside Daycare, where they are initially greeted with open arms by all the other toys. Lotso (Lots-O-Huggin' Bear) is the ring leader of Sunnyside and the gang is thrilled to be there after his tour. Tons of other toys to hang out with, children galore to play with them...it seems like a Pixar dream. But the gang soon learns it's a hard knock life at Sunnyside. What they thought was a fun loving democracy is really a dictatorship run by Lotso and his gang. (Think Libya, but cuddlier). All the while, Woody, has left the house to seek out his friends at Sunnyside. He saw Andy put them in a bag to keep in the attic, and he is out to convince his friends they are still loved, and not trash. Andy makes it into the daycare and with a little help from Chuckles the sad clown, he finds out just exactly what's happening at Sunnyside and begins to devise a plan to get his friends out of Sunnyside and back to Andy's attic.

As I write the details of the plot, I started to think how ridiculous it was for me to be so emotionally vested in some silly Pixar characters. But boy does Pixar know how to pull at the old heartstrings. Toy Story 3 is more than a story about stuffed animals. People come and go in our lives. Some of them will be in your life forever, and some are there only for a second. I've always believed everyone comes in to your life for a reason, and whether or not they stay, and for how long, determines their purpose. It's hard to always keep up with everyone, stay in touch with them all, go to weddings, share the birth of children, be there for good times and bad. Sometime we feel like we've thrown some friendships "in the attic," you know the ones you always want to have around but never pay attention to. I'd encourage you all to go pull a friend out of the attic and say "hi!" to them sometime soon. If not that, then go pull out your old teddy bear (mine's name is Golly Golly) and give it a hug for me, ok? OK!

As far as nominations go, Toy Story 3 for sure deserves to be in the top 10. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't received the best picture nod if we were old schoolin' it and only dishing out five of those nominations. But I'm glad to see it's place on the ballot. I mean, what would have happened if The Town made it over Toy Story 3? It's not going to win, we all know that. But it's up for a few other categories where it's chances are much better (I'll reveal my ballot later today!) so the movie's self-esteem should still be fine. Oh, and that is beat out Shrek the Third's record for the highest grossing first day in North America for an animated film...cashing in at a measly $110, 307,189. Y"all, that's $110 million dollars in one day. If only I'd invented Pixar animation...

I asked my friend Jaret Reddick to review this film with me. Jaret's the lead singer for Bowling for Soup, but we met through improv a few years ago. He's a talented songwriter, improviser, and all around cool guy. He's also done voiceover work for Disney's Phineas and Ferb. I don't get to see him often, as he's a busy man always on the road, but we've continued to keep up with each other. He has a beautiful family and is the father of two precious children, so who better to review Toy Story 3 than Jaret. You can keep up with Bowling For Soup HERE and also Jaret's most recent musical project, People on Vacation. He also likes to be followed (not in that way, y'all) so check out Jaret on Twitter. 

JARET REDDICK'S TWO CENTS:

Seldom does a movie with such hype, especially a freakin PART 3, even come close to being deserving of such hype. This movie, in my opinion, lived up to all of it, and may have actually been better than it was built up to be. Woody and Buzz are perfectly developed characters that never disappoint, and let's face it: when else are we going to see Tom Hanks or Tim Allen actually show signs of personality these days? And BOY HOWDIE is Ken "hunkie!!"
Yes, it is a stretch that an 18 year old kid, on his way out the door to partake in keg stands and streak fests at a fine merican learning institution would still have a toy box full of toys he's had since his 8th Birthday...But what the hell...We all bought in to SHALLOW HAL...right?
I loved everything about this film. The score, the villains (I do wonder what happened to Sid), the touching moments at the end (yes...I teared up)...But most of all, I love the Fisher Price Chatter Phone...(And not just because it is tattooed on my arm.)
Not sure if this one gets my vote for BEST PICTURE, but as a movie lover that saw the original in the theater and got to take my two children to see this one, I was stoked.
Love ya Woody!

Black Swan: Why I'm Glad I'm Not a Ballerina

Whoo! Black Swan, y'all! Raise your hand if you saw this movie?!? Raise your hand if you're glad you'll never have to put on toe shoes to make a little scratch?!? I'm a dancer at heart, so I was really excited to see this movie. REALLY EXCITED. Before the movie, several friends had told me this was "disturbing." So, I ventured out to a Friday noon showing of this Oscar nom film. The thrifty part of my brain smuggled a sandwich and Cheetos into the theater. The guilty, I've never-been-a-great-liar part of my brain felt obligated to buy a drink. Since bottled water and Miller Lite ARE THE SAME PRICE at The Magnolia Theater, I opted for some beer to get me through Darren Aronofsky's production.

Black Swan tells the tale of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who is a near perfect ballerina. Which is all the more reason director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassell) is reluctant to cast her to play both the white and black swan for the New York City Ballet's contemporary version of such a traditional performance. But with some persuasion, Nina convinces the director to cast her. But Nina has some serious baggage, y'all. The white and black swan parallel Nina's inner struggles with her alter ego. Her relationship with the new girl to the company, Lily (Mila Kunis) is well, interesting, to say the least.  Dancing, drama, sex, betrayal. What doesn't this movie have? And if you've ever dabbled in any other Aronofsky productions, (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler) then you know a pure, clean, linear interpretation is far from what the director sees as an end product. Was this movie disturbing? Yes. Will I see this movie again? Probably not. Does this movie deserve the Oscar nom? YES. And so does Natalie Portman. That Best Actress category is chock full of some great lady talent, but I'll be shocked if she doesn't sweep this category. She was amazing.

I asked my friend Ross Taylor to chime in on Black Swan because he always has a good, sound opinion of film. Ross and his wife Sally are dear friends of mine and we always enjoy dishing on anything related to the visual and performing arts.  Sally is a well-respected, Dallas-based artist. You can see more of Sally's works on her website, or better yet, stop by her gallery located in Snider Plaza:

Sally Taylor Paintings
6606 Snider Plaza
Dallas, TX
info@sallytaylorpaintings.com

ROSS TAYLOR'S TWO CENTS...

I’m getting a bit annoyed with everybody (my wife included) complaining about Black Swan being “too dark”. I understand the sentiment. It’s a dark movie. But I hate that distinction. Sure, you probably need to know what you’re getting yourself into but if you avoid this movie just because you wish it was “Center Stage” then – well, then you probably just need to stick to movies like “Center Stage,” where ballerinas so realistically dance to “The Way you Make me Feel”.

So, it’s dark. Just like (it turns out) the ballet “Swan Lake”; which, aside from being the production at the center of this movie, also lends the movie its plot. And yes, as goes the ballet, so goes the movie. If we could all please just get on the same page about the damned darkness of the movie and critique it based on that instead of judging it for that, I think we’d all be much better off.

Like the ballet, the movie sucks you in from minute one. The hyper-realistic, invasively close-up camera work pairs perfectly with the similarly raw art direction that serves as the backdrop for every scene. As this movie is just as much an invitation into the world of professional ballet, you as the viewer truly feel immersed in that world, whether you like it or not. It’s not quite what you would expect and the director, Darren Aronofsky, unflinchingly pulls back the curtain as the moviegoer gets plunged into the backstage life of this truly performance-based universe.

At the center we find Nina Sayers, brought to life exquisitely by Natalie Portman. Sayers has essentially staked everything in her life on succeeding as a ballerina, on being the lead in Swan Lake. Portman perfectly portrays the push and pull evident in this character as she boldly and recklessly goes for what she wants while at the same time is constantly reminded (as the viewer is) that she is stuck with the emotional capacity (and body) of an adolescent girl. Completely smothered by her mother, painfully eager for attention and approval from her director, and unable to form relationships of any substance with her ballerina friends, Sayers is a prime target for the type of mindtrip that being the lead at her company seems to cause.

Portman is surrounded by other great performances throughout the movie as her story starts to echo Swan Lake more and more terrifyingly. Mila Kunis kicks up her acting game to square off with Portman as her darker alter-ego. Winona Ryder, while limited in screen time, manages to convey perfectly the route that Sayers’ new career path will likely take.

For such a “dark” movie, I found myself sitting back and enjoying what Aronofsky would do next and watching Portman navigate the ins and outs of her characters delusions as they crescendo towards what can only be described as a flawless finish. Bravo.

Cimarron: An Actual Western

Okay, y'all. Without any preconceived notions, I thought Cimarron might be like Moulin Rouge. Wishful thinking, I know. But it was my first knee jerk reaction. Turns out, it's the first Western to win the Oscar for Best Picture. And I like Bonanza and Tombstone, so I knew I could make it through this one.

 Some noteable notes about the flick:

1. Budget: $1.5 million (equivalent of $20,119,472.05 today)
2. 5,000 extras, 28 camerman, & dozens of extras were used
3. First movie to be nominated for 6 Academy Awards
4. Name of the male lead: Richard Dix. (yep, this is funny to me)
5. The poster tagline is my new motto: Terrific As All Creation


Cimarron is based on the 1929 novel by Edna Ferber. (Ferber also penned the novel Showboat, another Blockbuster in later years). It's a combined story of two of the most prominent Oklahoma Land Runs (or rushes, as some historians would call it). One of them in 1889 and one in 1893. Why this many people would spend so many years rushing to a place that would later be overpopulated with Dairy Queens is still baffling to me...but I digress. It follows Yancey and Sabra Cravet (I know what you're thinking...Yancey's the guy, Sabra's the girl) as they "rush" with everyone and their dog to claim stake on prime Indian territory.

Honestly, the history of the Oklahoma Land Runs is a little boring to me. But the movie wasn't. According to some more well known movie reviewers, there's a lot of controversy about the topic of racism and how it was handled in this film. I don't like to read other reviews of these movies until after I have published my own, simply for the fact I don't want to be jaded or persuaded in my own thoughts on these flicks. Within the first few minutes of the film, I had to say to myself, "Amanda, put on your 1931 point-of-view hat, not your 2011 point-of-view hat.* (Note the 1931 hat has come full circle and is now InStyle again!) It's really sad to say, but racism was more widely accepted, or should I say, practiced in 1931. While I was watching this movie with my present-day, 2011, anti-racism brain and hat intact, I was offended and saddened on more than one occasion. But then I discretely took my 2011 hat off, placed it out of my dog's reach, and put my "1931-I'm-not-totally-sure-racism-is-bad-or-not-in-this-day-and-age hat" and I began to see a unique, and very realistic portrayal of how divided we were as a nation, when all the while we were claiming to be "One Nation Under God." It's just unfair how we treated people so differently who were/are really the same as us. But director Wesley Ruggles did a fine job of showing us what was really happening over 110 years ago.

Sometimes when we go see or rent a film, it's because we want to escape to a fantasy land that doesn't exist. Sometimes, we want to see realism. Cimarron is far from a fantasy. But the realistic portrayal of the fight for ownership of prime land (interesting, we still use Location, Location, Location when it comes to describing prime real estate) and how it effects people for the rest of their lives, was real. For real, y'all, it was. Impressive cinematography, amazingly believable depiction of Oklahoma in the late 1800's (that set obviously cost more than the cast) and some above average acting make this film worth watching.

3 out of 5 Stars

All Quiet On The Western Front: A Timeless War Story

Okay, so this was movie #3 on the list. And the first of the 82 movies I have heard of. Before the big viewing day, here's what I knew about All Quiet On The Western Front:

1. It is a movie.
2. It received the Oscar for Best Picture.
3. It is also a book.
4. Netflix sent this to me within 1 hour of adding it to my queue.

That's it. You can call me naive, but I truly thought this was a Western Movie. (If you thought so too, then good for you for using context clues!) Turns out, it's ANOTHER war movie, y'all! But, unlike Wings, they got to talk and make noises and stuff, so it was a totally different take on war. 

The story takes place during World War I. It follows Paul Baumer and a slew of other German soldiers throughout the war. It's not a heroic story. It's not a love story. It's about as true of a story that anyone during this era had ever seen regarding "war life." Rarely does this movie tell us where the soldiers are, the name of the battle, or the commanding officer in charge.  What we do see is the struggle a soldier faces when he is at war. That's what makes this movie timeless. The German novel, Im Westen Nichts Neues, (translated to All Quiet On The Western Front) was banned from Nazi Germany, as well as it's sequel, The Road Back. They also said nix to the movie version as well. Crazy...the Germans didn't want us to know what war was really like...silly Germans.

As far as war movies go, this one was pretty graphic. Especially since it was filmed in 1930. I'm not talking arm removal scene from 127 Hours, but there were some bloody scenes throughout the film. There was a scene where Paul shoots down a French soldier and has to deal with him dying right before his eyes. I have never been to war. I have only seen movies, read news stories, and listen to veterans tell the tales of war. But watching this scene made me realize that no matter who you are fighting for, and who you are fighting against, being at war, (or rather, in the war,) is life changing. I have so much respect for all those who have ever served, currently serve, and will serve our nation. Killing another man, regardless of what team he is fighting for, is something you will ever forget.

The Hurt Locker won the Oscar for Best Picture last year. It's also a story of war. An all too relevant story. But when it comes time for me to review that movie (we're looking at around the last week of December for that one, folks)...I think I'll watch this movie again and compare them. Why? Because All Quiet On The Western Front is truly a timeless story of war. War is war. No matter where. So big props to to Lewis Milestone and the rest of his crew for making this movie when movies like this weren't supposed to be made.

*It has been rumored that All Quiet On the Western Front will soon be remade. Daniel Radcliffe is slated to play Paul Baumer, and the movie is supposed to be released in 2012 (Good for you, Harry Potter!)

4 out of 5 Stars