Film Review: Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Screenwriter: John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton (story), Michael Arndt (screenplay)

Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Michael Keaton, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark

Runtime: 103 minutes

Certificate: U (UK)

Brief Summary: The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.

(source:IMDB).

It's been nearly 10 years since we last caught up with Woody, Buzz et al and the gang have grown up a lot since then, much like their beloved owner, Andy, and, most importantly, their original audience. The creators are cleverly aware of their main audience, the young adults who grew up with the first two films and can shamelessly indulge in the nostalgia of the final movie in the trilogy. Andy's journey almost parallels those viewers who have equally moved on to college (university) and/or left home for good. (Although... it may just be me, but when I went to university, there was no need to strip my room completely bare and sell all the contents, especially as I was back within mere months for Christmas). I watched through misty eyes as the toys came to terms with the notion of moving on and parting from those they know and love, and recognised it as my own journey from the past few years, both leaving home for university, and then leaving university itself.

Poignancy aside, Toy Story 3 could easily sit alongside The Shawshank Redemption and The Great Escape as one of the best prison escape films of all time. The action is executed BRILLIANTLY, and includes a perfect mix of hilarious and heartbreaking scenes, keeping audiences of all ages entertained. The new characters are excellent, my personal favourite being Ken (voiced by Keaton), a true metrosexual and portrays his relationship with Barbie the way that everyone secretly believed it would be. On the other hand, Big Baby will give me nightmares for years to come. In that sense, Toy Story 3 definitely deals with slightly heavy themes, but children are still able to understand and perhaps even relate to.

The animation is, as expected, beautiful, to the very detail of the texture of the toys and I think is best demonstrated with the scene with Mr 'Tortilla Wrap' Head. A special nod must be given to the Pixar short which plays before TS3 starts. I've always enjoyed Pixar Shorts (and would highly advise others to purchase the Pixar Shorts dvd) but Day & Night has been my favourite by far.

There are lots of subtle references to the first film which ties up the last in the trilogy nicely. We see Andy driving and are reminded of when he helped his Mum fill up the car outside Pizza Planet all those years ago. The final shot of the film is of white clouds against a blue sky, exactly the same as Andy's wallpaper - the very first shot of the first Toy Story film. And did anyone notice the music playing through the end credits? A Spanish version of Randy Newman's 'You've Got A Friend In Me'.


Whilst the final act is still as hilarious as the rest of the film (mainly attributed to Buzz Espanol) but the furnace sequence is both devastating and heartfelt, when all characters join hands marking true friendship. The finale can be described as nothing more than tear-inducing and is an emotional end to a 15-yaer long series.



My rating: 5/5

I've been waiting 11 years for this....

I've been counting down the days to Toy Story 3 ever since I learnt of the release date a year ago and the abundance of Toy Story-themed adverts are merely fuelling my excitement.

Here are some of my favourites...









And while I'm at it, here's a montage of the best TV spots for the film...



Eeeeeeeeeee!

Book Review: Uglies ~ Scott Westerfeld

Title: Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Year of Publication: 2005

Genre: Fiction, YA, Sci-fi

Blurb: "Tally can't wait to turn sixteen and become Pretty. Sixteen is the magic number that brings a transformation from a repellant Ugly into a stunningly attractive Pretty, and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the Pretty world - and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever."

Opening Sentence: "The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit."

[source: Goodreads.com]
 

Whilst I wouldn't necessarily class myself as a science fiction fan, I do enjoy a good YA novel about dystopian worlds and Uglies is undoubtedly my favourite so far... despite the fact that I am technically classed as a 'rusty'.

Uglies is a really fun read, and a change from Westerfeld's previous work, which was predominantly aimed at adults. He seems to be just as comfortable writing for a younger audience and creates completely likeable characters and an exciting plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. An important aspect of dystopian fiction, for me, is the little details that epitomise the futuristic element of the novel - they show much thought the author has put into the story . In this instance, it was how the characters travelled via hoverboards and I loved the idea.

As you can expect from any young adult novel, there are morals and lessons to be learnt. Predictably, this one is that there is more to life than being 'pretty'. Westerfeld also emphasises the importance of individuality in a beauty obsessed world.

When I first started the book I wasn't that attached to it, but I'm glad I stuck at it, because by the end I was hooked and there followed a mixture of emotions at learning it was just the first in a trilogy. I was excited that it continued, but at the same time, impatient at the prospect of having to wait until the next book to discover what happened next...  

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Book Review: Lipstick Jungle ~ Candace Bushnell

Title: Lipstick Jungle

Author: Candace Bushnell

Year of Publication: 2005

Genre: Fiction, chick-lit

Blurb: The "Sex and the City" author's fourth novel follows three women who are among New York City's movers and shakers: a movie executive, a magazine editor, and a fashion designer.

Opening Sentence: "September is glorious in Manhattan, and this year was no exception."

[source: Goodreads.com]

As with Sex and the City, I watched the tv series version of Lipstick Jungle before being inspired to pick up the book. However, whilst I preferred the television adaptation of Sex and the City, I definitely favoured the Lipstick Jungle novel to it's predecessor. It was easier to follow and there was a lot more scope for plot and character development. There is less of an emphasis on relationships and more on career ambition and progression, although, like SaTC, ultimately it is a story of close female friendship.

This is definitely Bushnell at her best, from her evocative descriptions of New York's ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons, to her almost anthropological depictions of New Yorkers.

On a more negative note, there is the depressing, but perhaps truthful, notion that you can't maintain a steady career and happy relationship together. Nevertheless, the portrayal of three career-driven women definitely gives the female readers something to aspire to, and I finished the book feeling incredibly ambitious!

A perfect summer read.


My rating:4/5

Film Review: Sex and the City 2

Director: Michael Patrick King
Screenwriter: Michael Patrick King [screenplay], Candace Bushnell[characters from the book by]
Main Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Chris Noth, John Corbett.
Runtime: 146 minutes
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Brief Summary: Two years have passed since Carrie Bradshaw finally bagged John "Mr. Big" Preston, the man she was always meant to be with.
Tagline: Carrie On.
(source:IMDB).

I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR.

The second Sex and the City film kicks off in style with the most outrageously camp gay wedding you could ever hope to witness. I don't want to start giving too much away, but considering there is a mini canal complete with swans, then you get the right idea. Watch out for the scene with Liza Minnelli: pure genius.

If you're expecting something similar to the first, then you will be very surprised... but not disappointed. I probably preferred the first film, just because it was very similar to the series in that it was real women, going through real situations, talking about real things (..to a certain extent). If there's one word to describe the sequel, 'realistic' isn't one of them. Completely resplendent in decadence, the lifestyles portrayed in this film is completely unobtainable to the regular cinema-goer, but in a way, that's what also makes it so appealing. It's every girl's dream played out on the big screen. It's also doubled in comedic value since the previous film. I'm struggling to think of a moment where I wasn't laughing out loud, or at least giggling to myself. The other characters (as in NOT Carrie) also really come into their own. I'm now a complete convert to Team Samantha.

However, as funny as it was, I did feel slightly uncomfortable with the film poking fun at the Muslim traditions. In one scene, we see Samantha miming having sex whilst waving condoms in their faces. I know it was to portray women empowerment but it was simply rude. I also thought the Carrie/Aidan storyline would have more to it rather than just two scenes and no follow-through. That was the main letdown for me. I was initially disappointed with the lack of Smith in this film, but the introduction of a few new pieces of eye candy (such as Antony's brother Nicky and the Danish architect Rikard to name but a few).

Nevertheless, regardless of what may or may not be absent, Sex and the City 2 is the perfect summer film. I did miss New York but Abu Dhabi is beautiful, extravagant and the next best thing. I left the film just wanting to go shopping!

It won't be to everyone's taste - to some it will definitely seem slightly shallow and consumerism-obsessed. I know how much men hate the Sex and the City franchise, so I mentally punched the air in triumph every time I heard a masculine chuckle. Of course it's silly and cheesy and cringe-worthy at times, but that's what Sex and the City is all about.

My rating:4/5

Film Review: Cemetery Junction

Director: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Screenwriter: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Main Cast: Christian Cooke, Ricky Gervais, Julia Davis, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan, Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson.
Runtime: 95 minutes
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Brief Summary: A 1970s-set comedy centered on three upstart professional men working at an insurance company.
Tagline: Be Young. Be Free. Be Somebody
(source:IMDB).

Ricky Gervais returns to his roots in Cemetery Junction, a film about his hometown, Reading during the 1970s. However, Gervais takes a backseat in this film and plays the father to Cooke's lead. I'm a big fan of Gervais and Merchant's work so I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. Although completely different from The Office and Extras, Cemetery Junction is a perfect blend of comedy and drama, and results in a completely heartfelt story. The opening of the film appeared to be quite serious, and I grew anxious that I had just assumed it to be a comedy before finding out what it was really about. I needn't have worried, as the comedy simply flourished as the film continued, leading to the whole audience roaring with laughter. The film grew on me too, I found that it just got better as it went along.

The characters were all totally believable. The charismatic Tom Hughes is definitely one to watch, and I was surprised to discover he hasn't appeared in much else. Emily Watson, as Julie's mother, is very good at portraying her sad and lonely lifestyle through minimal dialogue and the family scenes with Cooke, Davis, Gervais and Anne Reid (Freddie's Gran) are brilliantly funny, but there's not nearly enough of them in my opinion.

Yes, the plot is slightly predictable, but the writing and acting are so well administered that they deliver exactly what the producers set out to achieve, a film that perfectly captures the 'good old days'. Of course, I can't vouch for how those times were, and I'm sure that if I was to live through then, it probably wouldn't be so blithe all the time, but this film successfully creates that perception, aided by the brilliant soundtrack.

It has been suggested that this film would better suit a television audience but I disagree. The cinematography in Cemetery Junction is thoroughly suited to the big screen.

My rating:3.5/5