More Characters for the Toy Box!

I have to say these 'Toy Story 3' characters are getting me a little excited for the film.

Knowing Pixar there are going to be some rather funny character quirks that go along with these new fellas.
My main concern is there may be too many.

There are 14 new characters in addition to the 16 plus characters from before. We have "Peas-in-a-Pod”, “Twitch”, “Stretch”, “Sparks”, “Mr. Pricklepants”, "Ken”, "Chunk”, "Chatter Telephone”, “Dolly”, “Buttercup”, “Lot’s-O-Huggin Bear”, and “Trixie the Triceratops.” Today the last two additions have been revealed and their names are “Bookworm” and “Big Baby.”

How will they make them all unique and not seem too "afterthought for easy laughs sake"? Will they be developed enough to add to the story line or will they just concentrate on the core characters like Buzz, Woody, Mr. Potato Head, Jessie, Slinky Dog, Rex and Hamm?



Then again this is Pixar and they hardly ever steer you wrong - except their decision to do 'Cars 2'.
True I have never seen the first one, but it so does not appeal to me at all - I was never one of those little boys who were excited about vroom vrooms.

Sadly it looks like their 2011 outing 'Newt' may not come to pass.
That is sad. I was rather looking forward to seeing this story about the two last species of newts forced together for a scientific breeding experiment.
Now, with the possibility of 'Monsters Inc. 2' as filler, we may have three consecutive years of sequels - let's hope not.

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Ohhh colourful

He drives me crazy

Ok I thought I would post the trailer for Werner Herzog’s ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ which premiered on the festival circuit. then I changed my mind, then I went back, and then changed it again.

I must say I am not a fan of Nic Cage at all. I think, most of the time, he looks like a anorexic Mr Potato Head with a bad toupee or really unfortunate Picasso painting. But I had to as the film has gotten some good ink - grrrrrrrr that good ink.



Why oh why does this man still work? Is it because people are still hoping he will have another seven years again, like he did from 1995 to 2007?

All I know is that his wig stylist needs to be shot. He is one of the few actors where the mere sight of his name just sends me brain to a hell dimension.

Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

Mini Review ‘Up’

Up finally opened up here in the UK, and I dragged the bf to see it (he was not sold on it despite my constant raving “But it is Pixar!!!!”)

Although not as strong as ‘Ratatouille’ or the ‘Incredibles’ (my personal favourites) it is definitely up there with the best of Pixar.

What makes the films from Pixar so distinct is not the animation (although it is consistently beautiful) it is the combination of the voice actors and the screenplay.

Within the first ten minute, only the hardest of hearts would fail to be moved. You see the life of our hero Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie told in segments building up over the years as they have tried and failed to have a child and take the vacation they have always wanted. So much detail and emotion have gone into this that you begin to wonder just what is in store for the rest of the film – and whether you are going to be able to handle it emotionally.

Well the rest is a rollicking adventure with thrills, laughs and many touches of tear inducing human sorrow that thankfully never play out with obvious manipulation. Instead they pin point moments in the story to let Carl understand how everyone, no matter how old has dealt with some loss.

Major props go to Ed Asner as Carl and especially Jordan Nagai as the stow away boy scout Russell who almost steals the movie away, tough going when he is competing against a giant rainbow bird and a talking dog called Doug.

Pixar has done it again. Their ideas for stories get stranger and stranger, yet somehow more human.

Grade – A-

Side note: Boyfriend almost ruined a touching moment by declaring in disgust that Carl's wife Ellie was wearing crocs. He hates crocs. I am convinced that he did that only to stop himself from blubbing all over me.

'UP' trailer!

Heee

Mini Review - 'Kung Fu Panda'

Well there really isn't much to say about this offering from Dreamworks studio.

It is no Pixar movie.

Basically an over weight endangered species follows his dream to be a kung fu master. However he is just not very good, until his trainer tempts him with food.

Talk about enabling overeating.

The film is stunning to look at, and the voice work is ok (bonus points to Pixar for always hiring character actors...they seem to always work the best), but one can not help but feel that the script process was rushed and story boarding was not thought out.
Sure the action pieces were impressive, but you felt no real danger.

And back to the voice acting. Why have an all star cast when no one stands out? I mean you have a film where Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman and Seth Rogen do not even make an impact (James Hong makes the best effort as Mr. Ping). What is the point?

Maybe next time eh?

C

Down to Earth - Peter Gabriel

Not really sure if there is a better song in competition this year.


Is there?

WALL-E for Best Picture

Without a doubt, this is really one of the the best pictures of the year. Will Oscar feel the same way? Will it allow an Animated film to transcend it's category ghetto to the pic leagues? I do not think there is a movie studio out there more deserving of this that Pixar.
The film has racked up enough Best Picture wins from the critics to be taken VERY seriously as a contender for the big prize. I am sure the Producers Guild will show it some love as well. So I ask thee....

Heeeee!

Disney Pixar Up trailer
Uploaded by buzzmygeek

Pooh

I have got to be the worst movie fan in the world. I have seen NOTHING this year. This is simply because I cannot be bothered with the Super Hero movies (bar "Hell Boy" and "The Dark Knight"). This usually happens, I spend the entire spring and summer thinking "Nah, I can wait till it is released on video at the end of the year" then spend Awards season running around hysterically catching up on the movies I have allowed myself to miss.
Perhaps I should go and see "Mamma Mia" to cheer me up. It opens this weekend...no wait. It is London Pride. I will no doubt be standing in Soho with a feather boa in the rain looking like a drowned parrot.
All I know is I am waiting for Pixar's "Wall-E" to open here, then I will truly be in the movie mind set.

In the mean time I will get excited about Pride. That time of year where the streets are littered with sequins, feathers and condoms, and it is my God given right to scream "F*CK OFF YOU C*NT" to any twat that decides to have a problem with me (though I usually do it regardless of the day).

YAY PRIDE!!!

Enjoy some pics of various Pride festivals (I have even snuck some of me in there!! Guess who!)

The best of the year (not a movie list)

Well it is that time of year again. As I sit home with the flu (teach me to over work myself over Christmas!!) on New Years eve I am remembering the year that was. What was good, and what was bad. I will list these off in top 10 form, but in no particular order.

The good:

1 The movies were great this year. Or perhaps I have only gone to see movies that were good by making decisions based soely on critical reviews and my own instinct.
The worst film I have seen all year was “La Vie En Rose” and I still came away looking to download a whole pile of Edith Piaf and singing the praises of the lead.
I still have not seen some of the heavy heavy hitters yet, and that can only make this one of the best years in film.

2 Adam Shankman’s wonderful job in “Hairspray”. Say what you will, but the man actually made me excited about the movie musical, and its endless possibilities. “Moulin Rogue” was the pinnacle for me, and since that masterpiece I have slowly given up hope that the musical is back, so thank you Adam for restoring that hope!
Not only was the cast fantastic (even John Travolta warmed to me in the end) but you perfectly captured the giddy musical loving child in me.
Also I have missed big ole dance numbers on the screen. So thank you again.

3 Music charts….if the radio stations were not bribed to play such repetitive shit I would not have gone out searching for something new and exciting and discovered new works by these wonderful artists” Robyn, Siobhan Donaghy, Roisin Murphy, M.I.A. (pictured), Amy Winehouse, Mika, LCD Soundsystem, The Arcade Fire, The Gossip and many more.

4 With so many young actresses and pop stars falling over the edge, it was refreshing to see one of the youngest being able to put her celebrity to better use. Hayden Panettiere risked her life to try to save a family of dolphins being slaughtered by Japanese fishermen.
Not everyone may agree with her actions, but how many of todays tabloid chasing celebs do you see fighting for injustices they believe in? Watch it here….warning disturbing!!

5 Madonna. Celebrating the Goddess in my ‘I LOVE Madonna’ tribute, bought it all back to me. She is AMAZING.

6 Pixar. Not only did they get things SO right with “Ratatouille” (perhaps the best film of the year) but then they go and cause me to shriek with delight and spin around in excitement by releasing the trailer for “Wall-E”. I know you should never judge a movie by its trailer, but I am so going to love this!

7 Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8 comic. Thank you Joss, for not letting the best TV show die. I have read the first 5 of this series and it stays true to the show while giving you that extra freedom that live action couldn’t allow.
Damn you Sarah Michelle Gellar for walking out!

8 Diablo Cody. I have not seen “Juno”, so I know you will all wonder why I am mentioning this larger than life screen writer?
Well because since there is a massive writers strike, this woman could not have come along at a better time.
With star salaries sky rocketing to undeserved heights, the writers (you know, the people who are responsible for the actual story of the movie, and the dialogue these over-paid under-fed actors are saying) are all but forgotten.
Now we have a celebrity writer in Diablo Cody who is not only getting loads of press for herself, but she is also on the picket lines fighting for pay.
I do not remember a celebrity screenwriter before her, and why not? It is about time the spotlight was shone on these guys…they deserve it.

9 Tom Cruise becomes Box Office poison. YAY!!!!!

10 All you bloggers who I have added to my “Blogs I read and admire” list to the right. You have all humoured me and educated me so much this year. I thank you all!P

Will Pixar ever really fail?

We all love Pixar. As the big Hollywood studios go Pixar is one of the very very few who stays true to the magic of movie going.

They have a few movies coming up in the next few years that will cause excitement.
“Up” is a "coming-of-old-age story" about a seventy-something guy who lives in a house that "looks like your grandparents' house smelled." He befriends a clueless young Wilderness Ranger and gets into lots of altercations.

They we have the hotly anticipated “Toy Story 3” which will hopefully fall victim to the threequel slump of 2007.

And I know we are all excited about WALL-E (I am giddy like a schoolgirl in love…very very Angela Chase post Jordan Catalano kiss) so any news of up coming Pixar is greeted with open arms.

Since the animation studio constantly kick the arse of every other studios animation department the news that they will be trying their hand at live action may ‘cause a collective gasp.

The studio has now announced that it plans to make a trilogy of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars.

The creative team of Andrew Stanton (Director), Mark Andrews (Screenwriter) and Jim Morris (Producer) made the announcement while on a research trip to Burroughs' archive. They didn't confirm what shape the trilogy might take, but said the first would likely appear before 2012.

Various people have been trying to bring John Carter to the screen. The John Carter saga was first published in 1917, with Princess of Mars, and told of a Civil War veteran who travelled to the red planet and found a race of huge barbaric green creatures, who know Mars as Barsoom.

Ray Harryhausen once wanted to adapt it but didn’t and recently Robert Rodriguez had a bash. Then Jon Favreau came very close to realising it at Paramount, until it proved very expensive and the option expired.
Now Pixar will give it a whirl and who better I say? I know nothing of the story, but in their illustrious history, they have only one(ish) dud.
When you look at their eight feature length films. Only one (“Cars”) scored a low R.T. meter reading (76% good reviews – not too shabby). Five scored over 90% while the two “Toy Story” films scored a rare 100%.
That is an amazing track record and one that does warrant no doubt.

Trailers Alert!

“August Rush” with Kerri Russell, Freddie Highmore and Robin Williams as well as my honeys wet dream Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.
” August Rush tells the story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.”
All together…..awwww. Looks soppy and I will probably shed a tear.


"3:10 to Yuma": A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher. Russell Crowe (DUCK!!!), Chrisitian Bale, Peter Fonda and Gretchen Moll star while James Mangold directs. Looks like a good shoot-em-up. Too bad I am not a huge fan-of-em.


"No Country for Old Men": Looks Incredible. With the cast alone I am excited. The Buzz from Cannes was deafening indicating a big ole return to form for the Coen brothers. I myself am hoping my darling little Kelly MacDonald dazzles in this (reports are that she does). The trailer is beautiful, and I am calling the Oscar for Roger Deakins. The plot is simple: Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon some dead bodies, a stash of heroin and more than $2 million in cash near the Rio Grande.

And finally "Wall-E": All I can really is say is I AM SO THERE!! This looks stunning, and the tiny little scene we see actually may my eyes water (or it was hay fever mixed with the hang over). This looks like it is going to be one of Pixars best works, and the trailer is so well done. Yippee Yippee Yay Yay!! Even the plot is simple and touching: A robot looks for a home in space. Lets bookend with another....Awwww