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DVDs and Films You Have Watched Recently 3 - The Final Insult


Devon Malcolm

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Went to see Toy Story 4 yesterday. It is a superb ending to the series (if it really is the last one - which it should be) and definitely overcomes the worry that it was a cynical cash-in. It is the most understated entry in the series and I have read reviews saying that it feels like an epilogue. I don't think that's a bad thing and I would agree with that. A really funny, warm and actually quite sophisticated film.

Count me among the score of people who pissed tears at the end when Woody and Buzz parted ways. A really subtle but lovely touch that made me cry even more is that when Woody is leaving with Bo Peep, the same music is used as when Andy is playing with the toys and Woody foils the bank robbery in the first scene of Toy Story. I'm welling up just thinking about it!

I think Toy Story 4 will become gradually more appreciated over time. It's not the immediate mind-blowing experience that 3 was, but I think people will reflect on it and realise its true greatness as the years pass.

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Toy Story 4 has a very low key start which makes it feel less powerful, but I think you're right opinions will improve with the inevitable repeat viewings. 

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28 minutes ago, Onyx2 said:

Toy Story 4 has a very low key start which makes it feel less powerful, but I think you're right opinions will improve with the inevitable repeat viewings. 

I was going to watch it again, but decided a 30 minute You Tube recap and some random twitter gifs would be enough.

Jokes aside, I am going to see it again this week because I think it will reflect better on a second watch. There are things I REALLY liked, I just wasn't convinced it was needed. That said, if it is really the last film, some more specials or a series on Disney+ would be welcomed.

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3 is one of the best films of all time and a great end, so 4 was always going to struggle matching that. Thankfully 4 is still very good. I doubt many will feel disappointed with it because it is such good fun after the ropey start, but I can understand some feeling it was a little unnecessary because 3 is such a high point in modern cinema.

Tom Hanks seems to be saying it's the end, but who knows. If this does the business it should do then Disney may decide to raid the magic once more for a good earner. Although I think the opening part of the movie should serve as a warning that this isn't a bottomless pit of creativity and good ideas - it's the first time I've been a little bored or underwhelmed by anything in their movies.

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1 hour ago, ColinBollocks said:

 Although I think the opening part of the movie should serve as a warning that this isn't a bottomless pit of creativity and good ideas - it's the first time I've been a little bored or underwhelmed by anything in their movies.

The problem with it is, it felt to familiar. Like they had done this before, which they kind of had.

that said the animated rain looked so realistic, it’s up there with their most beautiful.

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As long as we don't get another fucking Cars movie Pixar can stay busy trotting out Woody and Buzz like they're Kane and Undertaker as far as I'm concerned. They'll never get run into the ground. 

Hang on - that might be a bad example... 

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Pixar's over-reliance on sequels is almost certainly Disney putting a squeeze on them. Disney wants a reliable revenue stream and while Inside Out and Coco were financial successes, they know sticking out sequels is a much safer bet. I fucking hate Disney.

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Pixar have publicly said they are moving away from sequels now, their next 2 films in 2020 are original IP and they have no more sequels on the slate. I think they've been quite restrained with sequels too (Cars aside), Toy Story 3 was 9 years ago and 2 was 10 years before that, Incredibles 2 was 14 years after the original, Finding Dory was 13, Monsters University was 12 - all have been good to great as well, it's a far cry from the 90s Disney model of pumping out direct to video/DVD sequels on everything.

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7 out of their last 11 releases have been sequels since their Monsters Inc. to Up run. The time between franchise releases is largely irrelevant.

Also, yeah, their next two are original releases and while it's great to see one of them is a Pete Docter film, I'm less enthralled about Dan Scanlon doing one as Monsters University was merely ok and his background is in the main arm of Disney. I'd much prefer to see them give Rosana Sullivan a feature chance especially after how brilliant Kitbull was.

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2 hours ago, johnnyboy said:

I'd argue that it at least signifies a level of thought and quality control behind them rather than the pure conveyor belt churn crap that used to get pumped out with the straight to video landfill every 18 months.

Even the Cars films?

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Sesevenen / Se7en  - Still, one of the greatest movies ever made. I remember seeing it in the flicks and walking out stunned after that ending - not so much the 'twist' or 'reveal' or whatever you want to call it, but more that birds eye shot from the helicopter as Pitt walks away - and it still - 23 years later - has the same impact on me.

My only gripe with that otherwise amazing flick is they should have ended it there, as opposed to the tacked on ending with Freeman quoting Hemmingway followed by a random helicopter noise.

 

 

Edited by Scott Malbranque
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2 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

7 out of their last 11 releases have been sequels since their Monsters Inc. to Up run. The time between franchise releases is largely irrelevant.

Also, yeah, their next two are original releases and while it's great to see one of them is a Pete Docter film, I'm less enthralled about Dan Scanlon doing one as Monsters University was merely ok and his background is in the main arm of Disney. I'd much prefer to see them give Rosana Sullivan a feature chance especially after how brilliant Kitbull was.

At best I would say that Scanlon is unproven with an original project; he only has Monsters University under this belt (which was very positively received) but he's been at Pixar since 2001 and was only an animator/storyboard artist for Disney for 3 years before that. I'm not 100% sold on this next one but it's got a personal connection for him and that's often where Pixar draw their best thematic work

The Cars series suffers from the awful second one, the first and third are fine, nothing special but not bad films by any stretch and at least attempted to have deeper themes if a bit ham-fisted. Cars 2 and Good Dinosaur remain the worst output; the latter being the only commercial bomb Pixar have suffered. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Don’t Be A Menace To South Central Whilst Drinking Your Juice In The Hood

Along with Half Baked and CB4, this was 18 year old stoner Bacons go to “comedy”. 

This is absolute dog shit. Not a single scene raised a smile from me. A moment of weakness after I watched Boyz N The Hood the other night, which is still and will always be in my top 5 of all time. Crenshaw Mafia 4 Lyfe 

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