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Member's Reviews

Toy Story 3, a review by Dragonfire


I went to see Toy Story 3 today.  I'll just say right away that this movie is absolutely amazing.   :thumbup: all the way.  It is just as good as the previous movies.  This movie is a definite must see.

Ok...now to get to some specifics..though I am not sharing spoilers.

First, the new short before the movie, Day & Night, is amazing.  It seems more simple than the other shorts Pixar has done, but I think it is the most creative and clever of the shorts.  It is also very entertaining.

I think most people who have seen a trailer or preview for the movie know that the movie is set just days before Andy is leaving for college.  The toys, who haven't been played with in a long time, are worried about their futures.  They are facing being packed away in the attic or thrown out.  Something happens, and the toys end up at Sunnyside, a day care center.  The toys are thrilled at the prospect of being played with again, but things quickly turn into a nightmare since they are in the toddler room.  The toys start planning an escape.

The movie starts off with a bit of an adventure that is tied to Andy playing with the toys when he is younger.  Some home video footage is shown, and after a few minutes, Andy is getting ready to go to college.  I think setting the movie in that time is good and it ties into themes that came up in the first movies - toys worry about being forgotten, replaced, or thrown out and they want to be played with.  Some people may not like that the story deals with those things again, but I think it is perfect.  That keeps the movie true to the characters and the first two movies.  Those things are the core ideas of the first movies and it would have been wrong if they had been abandoned just to try to make the story completely new.  There are new elements introduced in the movie and a few surprises.  I was completely shocked by one major development because I just didn't expect that to happen.  It does make sense and fit for the story.  There is resolution to the movie.  During the first several minutes of the credits, additional scenes play that add to the story and are very entertaining.  They are definitely worth staying to watch.

Much like previous Pixar movies, this one has a lot of heart and emotion as well as some touching moments.  Pixar has once again made animated characters have more heart than most live action characters.  By doing that, the audience comes to care about the characters and what happens to them in addition to liking them.  Pixar does this better than anyone.  There are a few things that happen that are slightly upsetting - even for me - and a few things that could be a bit scary for younger children.  The movie does get very emotional, especially later.  Anyone who gets emotional in movies - and who was brought to tears by Jessie's song in the second movie - should probably have a tissue or two handy.  It is incredibly moving, sweet, and beautiful.  There is also a decent amount of humor in the movie as well.  It is really funny when Buzz ends up in what I've decided to call Spanish delusion mode.  He is talking Spanish and thinks he's a real space ranger again.  Ken also adds humor with how he is obsessed with clothes.  He does seem to be living in his own little dream world.

The animation is gorgeous and detailed, which I expect as standard for Pixar.  Andy's room has some changes to it since Andy is older, but it is clearly the same room from the second movie.  There are all sorts of details in his room - including a few references to other Pixar movies.  The scenes set outside look amazing.  There are new locations at the daycare that are incredibly detailed as well.  The characters still look the same, though there are a few changes at one point.  I was really impressed with the look of Barbie's hair.  It doesn't look perfect and smooth like it does on a new doll...it looks more like the hair on a Barbie that has been played with.  There are all sorts of details to the Dream House - though it looks nothing like the one I still have packed away somewhere.  The home movie footage that is shown at the beginning of the movie is made to look very realistic.  The picture is a bit jerky and grainy with static.  I did see the movie in 3D.  The effect is more subtle overall.

The returning characters are much like they were in the previous movies.  The main characters are Andy's toys, though there are less of them now.  They are all conflicted to some degree over their loyalty to Andy and their desire to be played with again.  Woody is probably struggling with that the most.  He even gets guilty when he admits he had fun playing for the first time in years at one point.

There are several new toy characters, though some of them don't do much.  Ken and Lotso, a pinkish strawberry scented bear who basically rules the toy at the daycare.  He seems nice and welcoming at first, but he rules with an iron paw and his darker side comes out.  He is a really good character and a good addition to the movie.  Ken is in close with Lotso, though he doesn't have much authority.  Ken is also obsessed with fashion, having a huge room full of outfits in the Dream House.  He changes outfits more than Barbie.  Stretch is a purple, glittery stretchy octopus.  The character is seen in several scenes without doing that much.  Big Baby is a doll that is basically Lotso's second in command.  Big Baby only says a few words once or twice, but there is something slightly creepy about how the doll looks.

Buttercup is a cute but male unicorn.  Dolly is a little rag doll.  Trixie is a dinosaur who is good with computers.  Mr. Pricklepants is a hedgehog who wears leiderhosen - I have no clue how to spell that - speaks with a British accent and believes that he is a classically trained actor.  I like him.  He is just so different and entertaining.

Once again, there aren't many human characters.  Andy, his sister Molly and their mom are the main ones shown.  The same person that did the voice for Andy in the first two movies did the voice again for this one.  Various children are shown at the daycare, though none of them are really focused on.  Bonnie, a little girl with a wild imagination, is the only one that really stands out.  A few of the workers at the daycare are shown and a few other adults turn up in a couple of other scenes and that is it for human characters.

Pixar has done what is very nearly impossible..they have made a third movie in a series that is just as good as the previous movies.  For many movie series that have a strong second movie - which doesn't happen that often - the third movies have gone to crap more often than not.  Pixar has avoided that fate with this movie.  It is absolutely wonderful and a must see movie for anyone who liked the first movies.  The animation is wonderful and the story is strong.  The care that Pixar puts into making their movies shines through. 

 :thumbup:

I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Toy Story 3

(From Toy Story 3 on June 19th, 2010)

Member's Reviews

Twister, a review by addicted2dvd


     Twister (1996/United States)
IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer |
Warner Home Video (United States)
Director:Jan de Bont
Writing:Michael Crichton (Writer), Anne-Marie Martin (Writer)
Length:113 min.
Video:Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio:English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles:English, French

Stars:
Helen Hunt (1963) as Jo
Bill Paxton as Bill
Jami Gertz as Melissa
Cary Elwes as Jonas
Lois Smith as Aunt Meg

Plot:
The house rips apart piece by piece. A bellowing cow spins through the air. Tractors fall like rain. A 15,000-pound gasoline tanker becomes an airborne bomb. A mile-wide, 300 miles-per-hour force of total devastation is coming at you: Twister is hitting home. In this adventure swirling with cliffhanging excitement and awesome special effects, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton play scientists pursuing the most destructive weatherfront to sweep through mid-America's tornado Alley in 50 years. By launching electronic sensors into the funnel, the storm chasers hope to obtain enough data to create an improved warning system. But to do so, they must intercept the twisters' deadly path. The chase is on!

Extras:
  • Scene Access
  • Audio Commentary
  • Feature Trailers
  • Featurettes
  • Music Videos


My Thoughts:

This is another movie I always enjoyed. Probably more then I should considering everything. I have seen it many times since it was released... but haven't watched it in several years now. And it is the first time seeing it on Blu-Ray. Sure this movie has plenty of unbelievable things in it. It is definitely far from perfect storytelling... but there is just something about this one that I like. You just have to turn your brain off going into it. I really enjoyed both Holly Hunter and Bill Paxton in this one. While I didn't care much for her character... I also enjoyed Jami Gertz in this one. I used to watch her back in the '80s on the sitcom Square Pegs.

Rating:


(From Mini-Marathon: Elemental Disasters on August 23rd, 2017)

Member's TV Reviews

Charmed Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd


Charmed: The Complete 6th Season
The Charmed Ones - Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Paige (Rose McGowan) - are back to bewitch and hold you spellbound. Join these modern-day witches in 'Charmed: The Complete Sixth Season' as their fantastic feats and supernatural escapadeswill leave you breathless.

Season Six catapults the sisters into action when they, disguised as Valkyries, must save Leo from an island of gorgeous warrior-maidens; Phoebe and Paige face off with a hungry Spider Demon that emerges to feed upon Piper; Phoebe accidently transforms into a genie; and magical go-go boots transports Paige back in time. Mix that with infectious humor, remarkable special effects, and intriguing storylines and you have a perfect brew of supernatural entertainment.

Disc 1:

1. Valhalley Of The Dolls
Paige tried to cure Piper's memory loss, but her spell goes amiss and Paige suffers total amnesia. Needing Leo's help, Phoebe and Paige discover that he is being he;d captive by warrior-maidens on the island of Valhalla.

My Thoughts:
I loved this episode.... what a way to start off a season! Like I said before.... I like it when the sisters get turned into things, and this is no exception... especially considering how gorgeous the ladies looked in their Valkyries outfits. Besides they hot looking women... this was a really good and strong episode. It did a wonderful job setting up the season. This would have to rank as one of my favorite episodes... of the season... and of the entire series.

2. Forget Me...Not
When a child inadvertently brings a dragon to life, the Cleaners spring into action to protect the magic from being exposed. The Charmed Ones take on the Cleaners in order to protect the child.

My Thoughts:
This is a good episode. A little on the standard side... but was worth the time put into it. But there really wasn't anything really special about this one at all. And the whole thing about the cleaners... it just seems a little odd that we are into the 6th season and are now just hearing of them. If they existed and was so quick to jump in here... where were they when they were exposed and we lost Prue?

3. Power Of Three Blondes
When The Charmed Ones' identities are magically stolen by three evil sisters, they must outsmart the sinister trio to get their lives back.

My Thoughts:
While not a bad episode... I did find this episode to be a little to silly for my taste. I mean yes it did feel like it was on purpose... but those 3 blondes just couldn't act well enough to fit in with the series. They just wasn't believable. The whole episode was like silliness on overdrive here. So nope... it just didn't do it for me.

(From Charmed Marathon on July 4th, 2008)