"Toy Story 4" Review: A Welcomed Finale...Hopefully
The announcement of Toy Story 4 was a shock to the system. Toy Story 3 was the perfect bow for the franchise. Pixar definitely can teach other studios how to keep a franchise going past its seemingly end. While the latest film has all the warm fuzzies, jokes, love, and deep storytelling that we’ve enjoyed in the past, I respectively and lovingly hope this is it.
The film picks up where the last left off but a few years down the line. Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) is on her way to kindergarten. She still has Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang. While she’s not old enough to stop playing with all of her toys, Bonnie certainly has her favorites, and Woody is not one of them. He gets left in the closet and collects dust bunnies while everyone else gets played with. Since Woody has always been the leader, this change is something he’s grappling with.
After her first day of school, Bonnie comes back with a new toy she created named Forky (Tony Hale). Understanding how much a toy means to the human he serves, Woody makes it his mission to keep Forky from throwing himself in the trash and getting himself lost. This includes making sure he stays safe on the family road trip in the RV, which of course is a task in itself.
What Pixar does better than most is explain life to us with child-like simplicity. They take us back to the basics time and time again. In this film, the big lesson is how we evolve in our relationships with loved ones. Woody has had his time with Andy and got a second chance with Bonnie, but what happens when our metaphorical Bonnie moves on? What do we do with the feeling of no longer being needed? How do you overcome your mentality of finding your self-worth in someone else or the opinion of others? There are all kinds of deep lessons that can be learned when you dig past the surface of what’s presented, and of course it’s laced with gags and humor.
The adventure the gang goes on is a fun and comical ride. There certainly was another story that could be told with Toy Story. The directors have stated that this is a fitting end for Woody and possibly the franchise but they thought it would be over after Toy Story 2. I hope they let this be the end because they have squeezed all the juice out of the lemon to create the delicious pitcher of lemonade that is the franchise. Perhaps Toy Story 3 left us thirsty for more, but Toy Story 4 is the confirmation that we’re good to go.
Rating: B
"Missing Link" Review: Something's Missing Alright!
You may not know the name Laika Studios, but you know their work. Movies like Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings are some their beloved prior films. While Missing Link is just as gorgeously handcrafted as their previous works, its missing the magic to elicit the warm fuzzies like its predecessors.
Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) is an explorer and investigator of myths and monsters in the age of global exploration. He is fearless in his quest to find these creatures, but can’t seem to keep an assistant in doing so. After his latest assistant walks out, he receives a letter from Mr. Links (Zach Galifianakis), who turns out to be Big Foot. With the west being conquered by pioneers in North America, Mr. Links desires to find his long lost relatives, the Abominable Snowmen in Shangri-La. Not knowing how to get there, Frost and Links visit Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), a widow whose husband possessed a map to the mythical place.
Writer/Director Chris Butler is a master craftsman of the optics of the film. His attention to detail make for an entertaining watch. The light by the fireplace produces a warm orange on characters’ faces, an aerial shot in which the heroes travel by horse and carriage shows the shadows of the horses galloping along beside it, and the facial movements of the characters are so spot on that you can’t help but be swept away by the performances. The marriage between the actors’ delivery of lines to the crafting of their animated image is perfection! There is a grandmother the cast meets on the way to Shangri-La who is perhaps the funniest character in the film, but Butler shows her with a constant head tremor. It’s such a small detail, but it makes her character so authentic. The craftsmanship of the film must be honored!
While the visuals and voice acting is amazing in this film, the story is just plain dull. The screenplay doesn’t rise above stereotypical fare. You could argue that this is a film about the characters finding themselves on the harrowing journey to Shangri-La, but that’s boiler plate marketing. The screenplay gives little to care about by investing in the characters we see. So much of the film consists of watching the set production and waiting for the next bit of humor to break up the stodgy storyline.
Generally, I could give the stamp of approval for your kids enjoying the film more than you will, but I’m not so sure this time. The script and its’ jokes strike somewhere in between humor for kids and adult humor (and that doesn’t equal teenage humor), thus it gets lost in the middle of nowhere. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s some missing link to making this film great! As beautiful as it is, it may be best to catch this one after it gets out of the theaters.
Rating: C+
"The House With A Clock in its Walls" Review
The House with a Clock in its Walls is masterfully nostalgic; director Eli Roth reignites the forgotten appreciation Millennials have for Jack Black. Even though the film is technically created for kids, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie. The film is based on a mystery fiction novel written by John Bellairs in 1973. The House with a Clock in its Walls certainly pays homage to the book in its own unique ways, however books are rarely fully realized when adapted to the big screen. The story is not quite the same as the book, but the movie makes up for that with polished special effects, great acting, and multi-generational humor. The movie is reminiscent of such films like A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Golden Compass, and even Goosebumps.
Lewis Bernavelt (Owen Vaccaro) is a recently orphaned 10 year old who moves to the fictional town of New Zebedee, Michigan to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). His uncle happens to be a warlock with a best friend, Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), who is a powerful witch. This hodgepodge of characters form a makeshift family on a mission to do one thing, find a way to stop the doomsday clock left by an earlier tenant of the house!
The first notable thing about the film is the casting, Jack Black does an amazing job in his role as the creepy, misunderstood uncle. This role is the Jack Black we’ve come to expect to see on screen through and through; he creates such an interesting character within the storyline, it’s hard to look away. Owen Vaccaro steals the show with his ability to cry on cue, competency with linguistics, and charming character. He is the typical nerdy, misunderstood kid, but he certainly proves himself time and time again. Finally, sure to be a character favorite (she was mine) is Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), the platonic friend of Jack Black; their friendship is hilarious and wonderful. They truly care about each other as friends but they don’t waste a moment without dishing out a good insult towards one another. Overall, the acting truly carries the film, and the relationships between all of the actors feels genuine, adding to their creativity.
Alongside the quarrels and quips between characters, the storyline is incredibly intriguing. The plot is solid and engaging, yet you can never assume what will happen next. The House with a Clock in its Walls is a story that cannot be forgotten (not recommended for kids under age 8), and yet it is filled with humor for different generations. At one point during the screening I saw, an audience member nearby noted out loud that there were more adults laughing at the jokes within the audience than kids which truly speaks to the talent behind the writing by Eric Kripke. As was mentioned before, the character interactions are incredible, and the writing can partially be thanked for this. The actors are able to create palpable, genuine relationships on screen with the dialogue; some of the most impressive acting came from Owen Vaccaro, simply because of the way he “used his words,” (this is even commented on within the film).
The House With a Clock on it's Walls uses a variety of cinematic elements to give an entertaining final product. The production of the film is well thought out, the creativity shines, and the plot doesn’t falter. The dedication of the actors alongside the great writing help make these characters memorable. As stated earlier, the film is incredibly nostalgic for Millennials; it relates to so many movies in the past that are now reminiscent of our childhood. Hopefully, Jack Black’s role sparks the same sentimental value for the next generation that he created in past films like School of Rock; this film definitely has potential to become a Jack Black cult classic.
Rating: A-