Toy Story...not just for children

I am not what sports fan would call a "fair-weather" franchise fan. I stick with the people and stories I love, despite how daunting and disappointing the next installments promise to be (as evidenced by being "carried" away with the 2nd Sex and the City movie). I find it a comforting fact that in a world that constantly changes adapts and grows there are things that remain the same- remain true. Toy Story, like an old stuffed toy, is one of those things.

It's difficult for me to recall anything that I have liked for the past 15 years, Audrey Hepburn and Harry Potter came later. I no longer look to marry Michael Caine's Scrooge and although it might be tempting don't play pretty pretty princess, but I remember seeing Toy Story. To be fair I only remember seeing part of Toy Story, as I got sick half way through and had to leave. I know my Dad took my back to see it again, but that's not as clear in my mind. Sitting in the theater tonight brought back these nostalgic memories, just like looking through a toy chest, and this time I made it through the whole thing in one go!

I very rarely leave the movies completely satisfied with a movie. I am critical by nature and always find a way to knock down even the best of films, but Toy Story 3 poses a difficult challenge to my cynical side. The craftsmanship presented by Pixar in each of their films (full length and short) is nothing less than exquisite. It is true genius at work that meticulously creates each scene down to the smallest detail.

The scenes with the toys are expertly orchestrated. There are times while watching the movie you forget what film it is. Thoughts of James Bond or Wild West films pop through your head (in the best of ways). The movements of the images are so realistic you forget not only that they are toys, but computer generated characters. The banter is on a level that reaches "children" of all ages. Seeing a 9:45pm 3-D showing the movie still got laughs, as I am sure it did at the 5:30 with a completely different audience. The emotions, as well as the laughs, are just as real. But as Andy has matured so has the audience. The only general flaw for the film would be that it limited its youthful understanding with some of the concepts. As a 21 year old "adult", I connected with what was going on. The struggle to grow up, to sacrifice what you loved in your childhood to be able to become a grown-up. The movie was a type of therapy showing all your emotions. All the back and forth between trying to hold onto something and poses the important question...is something you love ever really gone? The action of sacrifice is played out flawlessly by grown Andy and Woody as well.

Although the toys are in the end just toys, each viewer can still learn a lesson from their experience, which raises the bar from a children's comedy to a real film. The loyalty, perseverance, and yes, sacrifice, exhibited by the toys are personality traits we can all seek to adapt as real people. Tom Hanks gives life to Woody the Cowboy and stays true to his reputation of being one of the greatest actors of our time. I do, however, wish the playful banter and competition between Buzz and Woody had continued a little more in this film, but hey life's not perfect.

There are scenes which make you laugh at loud, Ken, dream house, fashion show = a truly great sequence, and those which make you tear (those with weak constitutions such as myself will cry). It was great to reunite with old favorite characters and be introduced to new ones. Some are not likeable, while others have creative little quirks which serve to entertain and make them endearing (shakespearean porcupine!) Perhaps it was only because I have been a fan for 15 years that I became so emotionally invested in these 2 hours, but I would prefer to give the credit to the movie itself because it deserves it.

There will probably never be a Toy Story 4 and I accept that, but just as Andy did, I too will share this movie with the next generation, because it deserves to be loved and cherished just like a worn-in doll.


The question of 3-D is not a significant one, as I feel this movie does not need gimmicks to enhance it. I think 3-D is an evasion of my personal space, but as I am also very vain I was glad to have the glasses to limit the screen time of my mascara tears when leaving the theater!

Hair of the Hangover Dog...

The last time I was "in" Vegas I was part of a rowdy group of gents trying to find their friend Doug. They were funny and goofy- if not always smart and each one good looking. Get Him to The Greek attempted to recreate this chemistry and ,I love you Russell Brand, but you were missing a few key elements. Through the past few Judd Apatow years we've seen Jonah Hill grow- not as an actor, but as a human. A very round, orb-like human. The only time I felt secure watching him was when he was vomiting- which was too much- I hoped it was an attempt to binge off some poundage. There were certainly amusing scenes, how could there not be with such a cast? Priceless cameos make certain scenes unforgettable, unfortunately these cameos only reached a minor audience, a flaw carried through out the film. It's always dangerous to build a film around a popular minor character- cough cough TROPIC THUNDER'S LES GROSSMAN cough cough and Aldous Snow is one of those characters. His too much of a good thing screen follow-up was reminiscent of a big bar of special dark chocolate. Initially it's tasty and sweet. Slightly bitter, for Brand's not your average British hero along the strand Hugh Grant, but enjoyable. Then you get to the middle of the bar. It's getting less special less delicious but the memories of its former sweetness is still fresh and so you persevere in hopes of something great, however by the end although one or two bites is good you walk away with a stomach ache and feel fat.

That is Get Him to the Greek in a nutshell. The relationships between each character were never fully developed. Father and son x2, Aldous and his raunchy ex-lady and Jonah Hill and that lesbian from mad men...all fell flat.

The movie got laughs, of course, but nothing epic, nothing extraordinary. The party scenes that had potential to be funny, were, like in the Hangover, cut short- it's not fun to watch a movie from the memory of the black out person.