Movie Review: Toy Story 3

Title: Toy Story 3
Director: Lee Unkrich
Rating: 5 Stars

Review:  First 5-star rating, hip hip hizzah.  I love the Toy Story series.  Heck, I pretty much love everything Pixar has ever done.  You get nervous when Disney starts puking out sequels of movies... I mean who could forget Bambi II or 102  Dalmatians direct to DVD wonders.  But, Pixar, I guess maintains enough control to keep their sequels from being ridiculous cashgrabs.  As I mentioned, I love the first two Toy Story movies, and I can say without out a doubt that Toy Story 3 is actually my favorite.

I didn't do any reading ahead of time, or pay any attention to previews of this movie, so I went in without knowing what the conflict would be.  Well, they took the nuclear option this time.  Andy has turned 18 and will be heading off the college very soon.  Though Andy had parted ways with some of his toys over the years via garage sale the core was still most in place: Woody the Cowboy, Buzz Lightyear, Slinky Dog, Mr. & Mrs.  Potato Head, Jesse, the Piggybank, and our trio of Aliens who worship The Claw.  The filmmakers build tension in the plot by asking the question, what will Andy do with the toys he hasn't really been interested in for years when he heads off to college.  Everything seems to shaping up for a decision in which he takes Woody to college and leaves the rest of his toys in the attic.  There's a snag however that sees Mom misunderstanding that the toys were meant for storage and instead throws them out.  This kicks off a long journey for our toys starting in a totalitarian daycare center and ending with a truly tender and bittersweet tearjerker of an ending. 

This film explores themes not unlike the previous installments of Toy Story-- honesty, corruption, fear, fearmongering and above all loyalty.  Our characters face new challenges and conquer them primarily with loyalty and honesty.  It's a wonderful message and it's delivered adroitly.  If you're loyal to your fellow man, you'll come out okay.  It doesn't mean things won't change, or that things will always go your way... But you'll come out of it loved by those around you.  I believe that, and so did the filmmakers here.  Anyone, child or adult should watch this movie and enjoy it.  (5 stars)

Movie Review: When You're Strange

Title: When You're Strange
Director: Tom DiCillo
Rating: 4 Stars

Review: I had an opportunity to catch this documentary about Jim Morrison and his experience with The Doors at Peoria Theater, our local Brew & View.  I'm glad my buddy mentioned it because it contained a lot of footage of the band together that I'd never seen before.  I believe this documentary does an excellent job in capturing the music of The Doors, especially as it relates to the counter-culture movement of the 1960s.

Tom DiCillo set the story of The Doors against a backdrop of Jim Morrison's own film, HWY: An American Pastoral.  HWY is the expression of one of Morrison's fantasy of being picked up as a hitchhiker and then killing the car's original driver (one he also expresses in the song "Riders on the Storm).  DiCillo artfully used the imagery of hitchhiker's journey to introduce each section of When You're Strange.

There isn't a great deal to say about plot here, as the movie merely follows the band from formation through to Morrison's death in 1971.  If you're not familiar with the story of the band itself, it's a lot like a classic Behind the Music episode on a stellar scale.  Band forms, does great stuff, member of band gets out of control on drugs/alcohol (and in Jim Morrison's case, WAY OUT OF CONTROL), said member explodes into supernova sealing band's legend.  DiCillo covers all of it at a reasonable detail level, so if you'd like to learn about the band this is a great film for you.  If you know a lot about The Doors already, the commentary will be wasted on you (even if it's delivered by Johnny Depp) because you probably already know it.  My only complaint was a little bit of the accompanying imagery/commentary is at times a little heavy handed for my taste, but all-in-all I thought this was an excellent movie.

Interestingly, this movie got mixed reviews, garnering only 67% or so on review aggregating website Rotten Tomatoes.  I can't imagine what any reasonable complaint would be, so suspect that some of the reviews are tainted by a dislike for The Doors or Jim Morrison.  In my case, I have loved the Doors since I was about 11... So I was good to go.  If you like The Doors, or would like to learn something more about them, I highly recommend When You're Strange.

That seemed in poor taste, Facebook.

What the hell?  When I posted a link to my blog entry about Beavis & Butthead to Facebook, the security verification system "randomly" brought up "firebombed airplane" as the words I had to type to verify I wasn't some kind of bot.  If I was a little smarter I'd've captured a screenshot for you all to be disturbed by.

YES! BREAKIN' THE LAW, BREAKIN' THE LAAAAWWWW!

On sports radio 670 The Score out of Chicago (of all places) I heard that Beavis and Butthead will be returning to MTV with all new episodes.  These episodes will evidently use the shows original format with short episodes broken by 2 or 3 music videos that the show's characters make fun of or at least, exist during. 

Because I like this show so much, here is an unnecessary link to the wikipedia article on it.  You should like this show too, and soon... OR ELSE! 

Please Mind My Dust

Well, the in-laws and other guests have all fled to their home countries, and I've decided to make some changes around here.  I've split the sports topics and sent them to their new home at a blog carrying the title this one used to, Basketball, Beer, and the WORLD!  If you're looking for sporty stuff, head over there and take a look.  If you're here for other stuff, well here you are indeed.  I have yet to come up with a satisfactorily interesting title, so for the time being you get: John Dwyer's Blog.  Thanks for, uh, coming, or something.

Incidentally, we may not be done with all this, as I may seperate my happy funshizzle from my very serious and dark political musings.  If I do so, please excuse my dust in the relative future as well.  Or something.