Friday, April 2, 2010

#83 Toy Story - the words "modern classic" come to mind

1995. Dir. John Lasseter, starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn.

Writers John Lasseter and Pete Docter must have been really interesting kids to come up with a movie chock full of what kids probably think of in their imaginations...when there are no humans around toys come to life and interact with each other.

But in this story the toys long for partners (Mr. Potato Head really wants a Mrs. Potato Head) and they worry about being replaced...not to mention being destroyed by the crazy kid next door whose life mission, it would seem, is to blow up any toy he gets into his grubby little hands..hmm...maybe it's not a kid's imagination but adults worrying about real grown-up issues like life partners and being deemed obsolete because of younger models or newer technology (Woody getting the boot in place of Buzz Lightyear) and violence in kids.

The animation done by Pixar is just awesome! You know it's a cartoon because the human characters are not drawn too realistically. The toys however, those are rendered with such a skillful eye you would think that your own piggy bank and Mr. Potato Head had come to life!

I loved the reconnaissance mission that the bucket of soldiers did to find out what new toys were being opened. And the line regarding the kid who bought sheets as a gift was hilarious!

I'm sure I have more to say about this movie but it's not coming to me...oh wait, I DO remember one last thing...why does Disney think it a good idea to sell the shaved doll head on the spider legs at their stores? SO scary!

See it again? Yes
Own it? Well, ToysRUs is having a buy one get one half off sale of Blu-Ray editions...why the hell not?

No comments:

Post a Comment