Toy Story 4 (2019) - Review

Review:

*Originally written June 22nd, 2019*

Everything about this sequel reeked of a bad idea. The idea of continuing this series after the perfect ending the third gave us was misguided and felt like nothing less than a cash-grab, then a series of underwhelming trailers prepared me for the worst. My expectations for this were at an all-time low, but that small part of me quickly gained a little bit of excitement for a new Toy Story a few days before I saw this, but like I said, my expectations were weary at best.

I was pretty astounding at how good this turned to be. They did it, those crazy sons of bitches did it. It might not reach the delirious heights of 2 and 3, but Toy Story 4 gives us an emotional, powerful ending to these characters I didn't know I needed. It's not perfect by any means, but it comes very close and feels far from the cynical cash-in I expected.

Like the previous films in this series, it has a huge focus on character over fast paced set-pieces, which is what elevates this franchise above all the over Disney/Pixar franchises for me. It's never afraid to slow things down and spend time with these characters and how they tick, what motivates them and what their purpose in life is.

It was pretty insane and surprising to me at how deep they go into the themes of existentialism. Don't get me wrong, this obviously isn't some art-house meditation on the human condition, but for a kids film, it's not afraid to go places most wouldn't even try to as these toys try to figure out what they purpose is in this world. Are they here just to bring joy to children in an endless cycle of being loved and eventually rejected or were they made sentient to follow their own path and create their own dreams.

Mainly the focus is on Woody, who's existence comes into question with the introduction of "Forky" a new toy made out of trash from their new owner Bonnie. Once Forky is made and declared a toy, he springs to life and struggles to adjust to the idea of even existing. It's kinda fascinating to me that a character made out of a plastic spork was so relatable to me. He spends the opening act believing he's trash and the only place he belongs is in a garbage bag before Woody explains to him the meaning of being a toy.

Except answering Forky's questions about their existence brings Woody's whole being into question as he struggles to move on from memories of Andy and realising his blind devotion to his new owner might not be the thing he wants the most. Along the way he's coincidentally reunited with Bo Peep after being given away between the events of the 2nd and 3rd films, dividing his motivations even more.

It all leads to a soul-crushing ending that left me far more floored than I couldn't prepared myself for. There's a few minor emotional beats throughout that I thought would be as hard as it goes, then it just pulls the rug out from under you in it's final moments. I'm really on the fence at whether this was a more powerful ending than the already beautiful finale of Toy Story 3, but in all honesty, that didn't resonate with me until rewatches. God knows how this one will effect me if it grows on me as much as that did. Hell, I'm even considering this might be my favourite film of the series in future. Time will tell. I also said this about 3, but based on this ending, I do not want another at all.

I can't believe I'm writing this sort of thing about a kids film. It's truly rare we get a film like this with such rich character arcs, motivation, depth and emotion, but Pixar just manage to pull it off again and again. On a technical level, they also manage to push the envelope. The near photo-realistic animation is a marvel to look, it's constantly gorgeous and always varies with its settings, colour palette and details. After rewatching the trilogy last week, it's insane how far the animation has come from the first, which has not aged well in terms of animation in some regards. I cannot wait to watch this in 4K when it releases. 

My only real complaints here are that some of the main characters are given very little screen-time or reason to be there. While Buzz does share the most emotional scene of the film, the rest of his role is very reduced and he does very little as him and Jesse are sidelined in a side-plot focusing on them finding Woody, while characters like Rex, The Potato Heads, Slinky and more feel like nothing less than extended cameos for the most part.

While this is disappointing, it is definitely worth mentioning that the new characters are definitely worthy additions and earn their screen-time. From the new and improved Bo Peep, who is a lot better than you remember from the first two films, Keanu Reeves' scene-stealing French-Canadian motorbike stuntman "Duke Kaboom", Key and Peele's two conjoined stuffed bears and a series of really, really creepy old fashioned dolls. Everyone new leaves a very strong impression, almost making the lack of Buzz and Jesse worth it. 

After a series of underwhelming franchise films so far this year, Toy Story 4 defies the odds and comes out as one of the best films I've seen so far this year. I'm not even sure if it's a coincidence that my two favourite films of the year so far have been had Keanu Reeves in it (No prizes for guessing what the other one is), but he's picking his projects pretty well these days. 


Despite being completely unnecessary on paper, Toy Story 4 is a completely pleasant surprise. A funny, emotional and devastating ride that made it worth bringing back these iconic characters for one last ride. Nothing prepared me for how much I'd like this, but my love for this may continue to grow with each watch and I already can't wait to see it again. 

9/10 Dans

Toy Story 4 is out now in cinemas in the UK
Watch the trailer below:

Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews
Instagram: @FRFigmentReviews
YouTube: Figment Reviews 
Letterboxd: Dan
Facebook

Incredibles 2 (2018) - Film Review

Review:

*Originally written July 17th, 2018*

It feels so weird to have just seen a sequel to The Incredibles, a film that I hold close and dear from my childhood and also my favourite Pixar film. I wasn't sure what to expect from a sequel 14 years on. Hell, I didn't even know what I wanted myself from an Incredibles sequel, but now that it's here, I am more than happy to say Incredibles 2 was everything I could have hoped for and filled me with so much joy.

Superhero films are getting a lot of flack recently. It's easy to see why. We get so many of such contrasting quality. Marvel are doing fine, they rarely do anything interesting, but they're mostly just coasting through a fanbase of people who know what to expect from their films at this point, good or bad. Having seen more or less every comic-book film from the past few years, Incredibles 2 is such a blast of fun, refreshing and gorgeous animation.

Taking place instantly from the events of the first, we find the Parrs forced into hiding once again as being a Superhero is outlawed in this vision of 1960's America. Helen (Elastagirl) finds herself hired by a rich fan of superheroes, wanting to see them legalised and put back into the mainstream while Bob (Mr. Incredible) has to stay at home to look after the children.

To put it simply, Incredibles 2 is a crowd-pleaser and another excellent piece of art from Pixar. After watching the first Incredibles a couple of weeks ago, it is insane just to see how much the animation has improved over 14 years. Technology and talent has been to to incredible use here to creative gorgeous and impressive animation that constantly had me impressed. Every time a Pixar film has come out I say this, but they've outdone themselves once again with the animation.

With most superhero films these days, the use of the characters powers are usually wasted and not a lot interesting is done with them. Here however, there is so much happening with mixing up the powers. Seeing the Parr family mix their different variety of powers is so creative and a joy to watch. Brad Pitt really is a talented director when it comes to animation and it's great to see that time and effort that went into this has paid off.

It's not just the action that's great too. All the family focused stuff is interesting and has a lot of heart. I rarely find big releases like this funny, but everything with Bob at home trying to do a Mr. Mom thing was extremely funny and fun to watch. Easily some of the funniest content Pixar have released and it's all due to character work. A lot of the comedy comes from Bob's facial expressions and Jack-Jack's powers being put on display (And they do a lot with that). 

While the plot is excellent and sets up the series for more adventures, all while feeling stand-alone, where Incredibles 2 lacks a little is within its villain. It's fairly obvious who the villain is going to be quite early on, and while there is some cool stuff with 'Screenslaver's' powers, which are trippy and lead to a genuinely intriguing piece of animation, I was left extremely cold by the motivations. I just wasn't convinced it was enough for this character to out on a villainous scheme. It was a far cry from the excellent Syndrome from the first film, who gets better with each watch.


I'm not entirely sure if I preferred this to the first one or not, but this comes extremely close and that's more than I could ask for with a sequel that took 14 years to come out. It's a gorgeous, funny, heartfelt and creative win from Pixar. Cinema is alive.

9/10 Dans

Incredibles 2 is out now in cinemas in the UK
Watch the trailer below:

Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews
Instagram: @thesurprisingadventuresofdanb
YouTube: Figment Reviews 
Letterboxd: Dan
Facebook

Coco (2017) - Film Review

Review:

*Originally written January 23rd, 2018*

I really wasn't sure what to expect with Coco, none of the trailers really grabbed me and Pixar's output has been very hit and miss for the past few years, even their last one (Cars 3) was a real dud, but Coco shows Pixar are really in their element when they're creating new stories rather than sequels. (Aside from Toy Story) Which, in all honesty, gets me a tiny bit worried for The Incredibles 2. 

Coco follows the story of Miguel, a young boy in Mexico who is forbidden to play music, despite his skill and passion due to a family descendant who was a musician and abandoned them. He eventually finds himself in the Land of the Dead on an adventure to get the blessing of following his dreams.

I'll get the obvious out the way, Coco is a gorgeous, gorgeous achievement in animation. The designs of the characters are vibrant, colourful and infinitely interesting to look at. So much time, effort and care was obviously put into this, and it pays off wonderfully. I'm always surprised at how Pixar manage to top themselves visually with each film, but they pull it off.

While pulled along by its incredible visuals, the story is also a classic Pixar affair and so insanely is to like and root for. Miguel is so easy to sympathize with and his journey to self-acceptance and the importance of family is done very well. I'd argue that the first hour is a bit done before, but it's not offensive and the last half hour manages to hit you right in the feels with unexpected revelations and a ton of heart and emotion.

I also have a soft-spot for films about music or musicians, this was no different. It's not a musical, but the songs in Coco are catchy and heartfelt. If the final use of "Remember Me" doesn't make you a little emotional, well, then you are are dead inside and you're a garbage human being. I'm amazed at how Pixar manage to make me so emotionally attached to its characters. 

It's so nice to see a film set in Mexico too without the looming doom of the Cartel trying to kill Emily Blunt. It actually turns Mexico into a vibrant happy place full of charm and wonder. The complete opposite of what Trump says about these "Shithole" countries. If Pixar continue to expand like this and explore different concepts and settings as they did here, then they'll continue to make classics for years to come.

Disney seem to have a running theme that I've noticed for the past couple of years. And yes, you guessed it: Their frequent use of mentally challenged animals. Honestly, think about it, the bird in Finding Dory, the Chicken in Moana and now the dog in Coco. What is Disney's deal with shoving in mentally impaired animals? 

We'll see how The Incredibles 2 turns out in the year, but for now, Disney and Pixar have started of 2018 strong with Coco, a gorgeous, emotionally resonate piece of art that's for kids and adults. 

9/10 Dans

Coco is out now in cinemas in the UK
Watch the trailer below:

Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews and @ArronRoke91
Instagram: @thesurprisingadventuresofdanb and @ArronRoke
YouTube: Figment Reviews 
Letterboxd: Dan and Arron
Facebook

Cars 3 (2017) - Film Review

Review:

*Originally written October 16th, 2017*

"Kachow! Kill me." 

I remember being kind of excited for Cars 3 when that initial teaser trailer was released, then they released the full trailer and it was more or less exactly what I was expecting the film to be. I'm just really not a fan of the Cars franchise (2 is one of the worst animated films I've ever seen), that said, Cars 3 is by far the best in the franchise, while still being aggressively mediocre.

I appreciate what they tried to do. An older Lightning McQueen finally accepting he's just not that good a racer anymore. It's a plot more suited to an adult existential drama. What does a Car do when he can't race anymore? It's not really a question that's explored any further or done that well. This is no animated Rocky Balboa that's for sure.

My criticism of this is a hard one to explain. This is first and foremost a kids film made to sell toys to young and impressionable children. So any expectation of something more would be ludicrous, but then I remember the rest of Pixar's excellent output and realise, actually, year, these kids films can be meaningful and sweet while being a piece of the Disney machine of consumerism. 

I'd be fine with these films if I felt something towards these characters or even found them funny. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I just found this a chore to sit through. So much so that not even the insanely good animation could make these entertaining. Honestly, Pixar's animators are topping themselves every year. I just wish this series would have had better writers. 

It's hard to say if we'll ever get a Cars 4. I know Cars 3 really under performed, but I imagine it made more than enough in merchandise sales to continue the series. I'll watch it, but it needs a serious overhaul. Lightning McQueen can't be the focus of the next film. His story is done now. He'll need to be reduced to a minor character while it makes way for a new racer. 

I don't even want to begin to talk about the bizarre and insane world Cars exists even and the questions that's raised. It's been talked about to death. It''s just.... fucked.


Whatever, that's Car 3, it.. it was what it was. The best film in Pixar's worst franchise. It's got stellar animation and effects, but it's extremely rusty on plot and character. This really feels like nothing but an obligation rather than a film made to entertain children and adults alike.

5/10 Dans

Cars 3 does not currently have a release date in the UK for its 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD
Watch the trailer below:

Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews and @ArronRoke91
Instagram: @thesurprisingadventuresofdanb and @ArronRoke
YouTube: Figment Reviews 
Letterboxd: Dan and Arron
Facebook

Finding Dory (2016) - Film Review

Review:

*Originally written June 29th, 2017*

"Just keep swimming"

I was 10 when Finding Nemo came out, and I've seen it several times since. I find it amazing that it has taken 10 years for a sequel to reach our screens. I'm 20 now and I was so excited for the belated sequel. In a year of several sequels that came out way too late to poor reception, Independence Day: Resurgence and Zoolander 2 for example, I was very cautious when approaching Finding Dory, despite my excitement. Pixar have been pretty hit-and-miss lately. Sure, we've had Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, but we've also been given Cars 2 (*Shudder*) and the less than great Monsters University. Does Finding Dory break the belated sequel curse and deliver another truly great Pixar experience? I am more than happy to say yes. Yes it does.

Finding Dory is another emotional and heartfelt adventure for children and adults, it doesn't reach the heights of the Toy Story trilogy or Monsters Inc, but it sure comes close. This is easily Pixar's best effort since Toy Story 3. I might be a teeny bit baised, seeing I grew up with the original. But that doesn't change the fact this is another excellent animation from Disney.

Taking place exactly one year after the original. Finding Dory follows Dory in her effort to find her real parents after she remembers they exist. She is helped in her effort by Marlon and his son Nemo as they make their way through the Marine Life Institute she was born in.

It was an easy choice for the Pixar to switching the narrative onto Dory, seeing as she was breaking star of the first. I will admit, I wasn't the biggest fan of Dory in Finding Nemo, I found her to be quite annoying and the weakest aspect of the film. Luckily, I was instantly won over by Dory this time around, helped by the fact that Baby Dory (Pictured above) might just be the cutest concoction Disney has come with. Every moment spent with Baby Dory stole my heart, it's one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. I cannot emphasize that enough.



The key to a truly great animated film is making it both for children and adults, Finding Dory is very sucessful on that front. Beneath the surface of the story, the theme of the importance of family is there and the story almost goes to some very dark places which it rightfully backtracks from, but it made the moment no less powerful. There is also a surprising lack of humour here, but when the jokes do come, they almost always land. A lot of the comedy derives from the introduction of some fantastic new characters such as Hank, a octopus who acts like a cliche Vietnam veteran with clear issues, Destiny, a near sighted whale and Bailey, a a whale with echolocation who gave way for a fantastic little homage to the vent scene from Alien.

On top of the Alien homage, there is also a Sigourney Weaver cameo that could not have been any better if they tried. Finding Dory also brings back many of the original cast on top of the three leads. We once again get to see the toirtoses and the class Nemo attends, none of them have changed and it was a welcome addition to ease us back into this world. There's also a tiny cameo from the seagulls, which actually served a purpose to the plot without feeling gratitious.

Pixar do once again knock it out the park when it comes to gorgeous animation. I'm having a hard time thinking of a better looking animated film than Finding Dory right now. It is much improved from its predeccesor, featuring some jaw-dropping and photorealistic water effects. The octopus was also wonderfully animated, it felt like it had weight and I loved what they did with him when he was camouflaged. The cinematography is breathtaking too, the scene where we see the centre aqarium in the Marine Life Institute is truly beautiful. I was in awe and felt 10 again.

All the set-pieces are fun and inspired. From the Alien inspired tunnel scene to the slow-motion finale that makes perfect use of 'What a Wonderful World', it was all memorable and visually creative. I wouldn't say anything here topped the moments in Finding Nemo, but they stand on their own well enough.

While the film did have a huge emotional impact on me. I would be lying if I said it didn't feel familiar. The emotional beats are all earned and feel genuine, but the story does follow the formula of the original a little too much. It plays things a little too safe for the most part. Finding Dory truly comes alive when it's doing something new and exciting, which is more often than not, but that sense of familiarity does come into play during certain moments.

8/10 Dans

Finding Dory is out now on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK
Watch the trailer below:

  
Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews, @DanBremner96 and @ArronRoke91
Instagram: @DanBremner96 and @ArronRoke
YouTube: Figment Reviews
Letterboxd: Dan and Arron 
Facebook