Toy Story III - is outstanding!

-

 

Toy Story 3


When Pixar first emerged, their first movie was the start of a long string of hits which never seems to stop. With Toy Story I, you had a hit which was a mix of startling animation, lots of fun but mostly important and yet ironical in an animation, the human touch. The story of a bond of friendship between two different personalities, overcoming adversity together, along with genuine chemistry, lots of funny lines and some excitement made an instant hit of the first show. Can they make it 3 hits in a row?

Toy Story II was even better and there is a lot to prove almost 10 years after the first release. It also comes in 3D and with a string of duds and some skepticism that 3D is merely a means to squeeze more out of the movie goer, the third installment has a lot to live up to. But trust Pixar to not only live up to expectations, but exceed them, and be able to introduce a whole new bunch of characters, which add a new dimension, but still allow the original dynamic duo of Buzz Lightyear and Woody to shine.

Adults do not need to feel shy watching this show and it rivals my old favorite of Indiana Jones for its wonderful mix of action, romance and comedy sublimely mixed into a heartwarming show that still manages to add a new dimension even if you saw it in 2D only. The owner Andy has grown up and is going to college. The theme of abandonment, and redundancy are deftly dealt with, whilst introducing a new adventure and a roller-coaster ride of death-defying action that sees our heroes fall from one tough situation into another. There are darker moments in this movie than some of the earlier hits, and this follows “UP” which also showed a darker broodier side. Even so you won’t find kids complaining and you will be laughing along and if you decided to bring your partner, this would certainly be a nice date movie too, especially when Spanish Buzz shows off his dancing skills. That and the totally impossibly saccharine Ken and Barbie link up were the kind of romance scenes which would get you rolling in laughter and yet when Buzz gallantly rescues Jessie, that rivals any heroes moves, and certainly better than any Colin Firth or Hugh Jackman offerings.

Ultimately it is still about Woody and Buzz and our loveable heroes show the best action stars out there, how to get out of trouble in style, get the girl and save the world or at least the toy buddies in your backyard.

Highly recommended as a movie and a keeper for Blu Ray. 4/5

The action comes fast and furious and there are plenty of scenes which are demo worthy, and the surround channels are well used. 4/5

Barbie isn’t much of a chick factor, but this is after all a cartoon. 2/5

Since I saw this in 3D, I would say that it adds a little more, but it shows again that a good storyline is fundamental, and the 3D is the icing on the cake which makes a good show stand out even more. Kudos to Pixar.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KEF LS 50 Meta review and comparison with the LS50

-
Image
The original KEF LS50 was one of those landmark speakers, a pocket rocket which performed at a much higher level than what it’s price tag might indicate. The original LS50 has been widely reviewed, and is well regarded by audiophiles everywhere.  However it does have some bite in the treble and lacks some deep bass, and works better for music which does not go too deep or with a sub to reinforce the bass. But what it does have is fabulous imaging, which allows you to how off great soundstaging, depth, and definition. If you are into details, you’ll love them. The coaxial design is also wonderful for those who sit a bit off axis. The construction is a marvel in itself and with a modern design, a beautiful gloss finish and a quality build. No wonder it’s loved by music lovers the world over. Now recently KEF has introduced the new KEF Meta. This is an updated version of the original and whilst it can look deceivingly the same, there are significant differences. First a link to the offici
Read more

Dynaudio Heritage Special Speaker Review

-
Image
Dynaudio is a company that has been in the speaker business for more than forty years and prides itself on making most of its components in house, especially the drivers and most of the cabinetry. Through the years they have developed many beloved components for their top end products and have also distilled them down to the masses whenever they launch a special edition. So they have adopted a similar format and take some of their finest drivers, an Esotar 3 tweeter and a woofer derived from the Evidence range and placed them into a more traditional walnut veneer speaker for us to sample.  Thus the Heritage Special (HS) was born. The catch ? Well there are two.. firstly it’s by no means cheap, even though it uses choice components. Second there are only 2500 pairs so if you’re waiting to get one, don’t ! And that’s the sum of my review if you may. If you’re a Dynaudio afficiando, just plonk down the deposit that had planned for the annual summer holiday and get this instead. Now reader
Read more

Haiku fan review II - Mounting a Fan and Using more than one Fan

-
Image
A long long time ago, you had but a handful of choice of fans, and well, they mostly looked the same. The luxury fan market was almost non existent and then Haiku came along and all that changed. My original review is linked here:  Haiku fan review - how to choose a fan Since then, things have moved on and now we are into the fourth generation of the Haiku fan, or fifth if you count the more budget orientated version as well.  Well let's mention what is still present first. The cool, sleek design is still here. And you get both composite ABS blades, as well as bamboo options. It is still a DC motor, with the attendant energy savings, and the silent motor. But most importantly for most buyers, it still looks good. So what is new?  The size options have increased, from 52", 60" and now 84". You still get the option of a longer stalk for higher ceilings, but the longer mount  which extends from 40 to 70 cm comes with a rather bulbous base, instead of the mo
Read more