Bao (2018)

I went seeing Incredibles 2 about a month ago and you know what stuck with me the most? Bao, the short animated film that preceded the movie. Not only because it's the first short film at Pixar directed by a woman, Domee Shi, but because it's a small masterpiece. 

The film follows a Chinese-Canadian woman. She just made dumplings for her husband and she, but he eats in a hurry and leaves for work, leaving her sad and alone. When she is about to eat her Boazi, one of them comes to life, it grows into a little dough boy and she begins to raise it as a son.

It is a very simple but equally touching and moving story of a woman, one of the many, who is suffering of empty nest syndrome and her way of coying with it —the relationship this woman develops with the dumpling essentially replaces that she had with her son. It is not a new theme, nor extremely complex, but Bao handles it with sensitivity and heart. It shows how hard is dealing with the fact that your son has grown, that he doesn't need you anymore, that he's ready to move on with his life. It also portrays that kind of love where you'd rather destroy that person than let him/her go. 

Bao doesn't only do that though. Being written and directed by a Chinese woman, this short film also deals with a racial theme. When the son returns home, he introduces his mother his soon-to-be-girlfriend who is not Asian. Through this, Shi addresses the fear of bringing your girlfriend/boyfriend to meet a disapproving parent, which can be felt with all ethnicities, whether or not you are racist. 

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The animation is brilliant, just like you would expect from Pixar. It's bright and colourful, highly detailed and both characters and backgrounds are very striking. The music is equally beautiful and fits very well the story.

Ultimately, Bao is a short gem. I'm not sure little kids will fully understand it —actually, they could be confused, even frightened by it— but they I think they would enjoy the charming story and characters.

Incredibles 2 (2018)

I'm one of those people who completely snubbed The Incredibles when it came out —mainly because I was 10, I had a bigger brother and therefore I had no power over which film to see at the movies— and I kept avoiding it for the following years because it just didn't appeal me —frankly, I thought it was a kids movie. Then, about a year ago, I finally watched it, and I loved it which made me very excited for the sequel. I guess it's karma hitting me back for waiting so long to see the original that I got to see Incredibles 2 only now. That or the fact that I live in a shitty country. 

Anyways, the film follows the Parr family who once again has to hang up their suits as supers have been outlawed because of the collateral damage of their heroics. Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) are soon approached by tycoon Winston Deavor (voiced by Bob Odenkirk) who wants to restore superheros' image, and offers Elatigirl a job. She accepts and, when a new supervillain, Screenslaver, wreaks havoc with his mind control abilities, she has to face this new threat. Meanwhile, Mr. Incredible is left to take care of the kids.

As it was for the original film, the plot is pretty much your typical, simple, straightforward and therefore predictable superhero story. It does have a twist but it came as a half surprise to me as I was expecting that a major character would turn out to be Screenslaver, only I didn't guess which one. Despite this, Incredibles 2's is a story that keeps you engaged and entertaining throughout. 

The characters are just as lovable and charming as they were in the previous film. Some of them feel more like stereotypes than anything else —this time around, Violet and Dash are nothing more than your typical high/middle school kids who are either struggling with boys or grades— there's very little development, and the villain isn't that threatening, but they are fun and relatable, with Edna Mode being as cool and amazing as before, for no other reason than her being Edna Mode, and Jack-Jack the most notable. He is nothing short of adorable and funny —and this comes from someone who does not like babies— and absolutely steals the show. 

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Yes, giving more importance to Jack-Jack means baby jokes throughout the film, but they do work and they bring balance in the film as most jokes are more adult than kid oriented. I don't know how kids felt/would feel about this, but I found Incredibles 2's humour quite amusing.

At last, the animation is fantastic, as expected. It looks amazing in every single scene, whether it's an action sequence or Mr. Incredible reading bedtime stories to Jack-Jack; the colours are gorgeous and vibrant; the attention to details, especially in the backgrounds, is impressive as always when it comes to Pixar.

Ratatouille (2007)

I love food. I love eating it, I love thinking about it, I love reading about it and, of course, I love watching movies about it. Since I woke up craving Disney Pixar and Incredibles 2 is yet to come out in my country, I decided to rewatch Ratatouille.

The film follows Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), an ambitious young rat with highly developed senses of smell and taste who, despite his family's disapproval and the obvious problem, dreams of becoming a cook. When he ends up alone in Paris, in the restaurant of his (dead) idol, Auguste Gusteau (voiced by Brad Garrett), he has the chance to make his dream come true as he starts controlling a garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano), who is then given credits for Remy's dishes.

If you put on your thinking cap, you'll realise that Ratatouille's isn't an entirely original story. In fact, it's kinda like the story of the ugly duckling. In addition, there are several subplots that are given too much focus. Despite this, it's a bizarre story that takes some clever twists and turns and it's engaging from start to finish. Also, it deals with themes such as friendship, teamwork, hope, creativity and dreams, and the great thing is that the messages the film delivers never feel forced. But, most important, it's a beautiful ode to the art of cooking. Kids, of course, won't get that last part, unless they are mini MasterChefs, but they are definitely going to get the other themes.

And they will love the characters as well as Ratatouille is filled with bizarre, funny, adorable and charming characters, especially the main character, Remy. He is so adorable and sweet, it's impossible not to like; he is also very inspiring as he won't settle for the life he is supposed to have but wants to make his own path in life and is determined to make his dream come true. Patton Oswalt's voice work is outstanding and really brings to life the character. Then, there's Alfredo Linguini. He is lovable and clumsy which makes pretty much everything he does hilarious. The relationship between Remy and Linguini is also very beautiful.

Buena Vista Pictures

The supporting characters, unfortunately, aren't particularly interesting. They have little characterization and development, the most uninteresting probably being the villain, Skinner, the chef at Gusteau's who is not happy with Linguini's success as he is jeopardizing his plans for the restaurant. His just doesn't have enough set-up and background story to be a compelling villain. In spite of that, Ian Holm brings a sense of menace to the role while still delivering a funny character.

As for the animation, it's nothing short of spectacular. The colours are vibrant, Paris's landscapes are stunningly realistic, and there's a manic attention to detail everywhere. The best part though is the characters. Other than being beautifully drawn, their movements and facial expressions, especially the rats', are outstanding.

Ultimately, Ratatouille isn't Disney Pixar's best film, but it's an entertaining, fun and touching film.

Lou (2017)

While Coco got the apparently obnoxious (I haven't seen it yet) Olaf's Frozen Adventure, the apparently obnoxious Cars 3 (yes, you guessed it right, I haven't seen this one either. And I'll probably never watch it) got Lou. Now, I don't usually watch shorts but I made an exception for this one because of the Oscar nomination (I watched this while I was waiting for the ceremony to start). 

Lou is a "monster" made from the unclaimed items in the lost-and-found box in a kindergarten playground. Every day, Lou picks up the toys the kids left behind and sets them out on the playground for their owners to find. Then one day a bully starts taking other kids' toys and puts them in his backpack so Lou peacefully battles him to return the stolen toys.

As you can see, it's a pretty simple story but in its 6 minutes it's sweet and heartwarming and delivers an important message about bullying in a way that all audiences can understand it, especially kids. So given the message it totally makes sense that this was shown before Cars 3. Maybe it resolves the bullying in an overly simplistic way, it makes it look so/too easy (I know something about it since I've been a victim of bullying myself), but it's a start.

Lou doesn't only teach a lesson about bullies, but about responsibilities as well. How many times have we lost things? Forgot where we put them? Well, this short makes us reflect on that as well. 

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In terms of animation, Lou isn't Pixar's best but it's still visually beautiful, cute and colourful. If you get the chance, watch this sweet and charming little film.

Coco (2017)

The first time I saw the Coco's trailer I thought it was a copy of The Book of Life and I told myself I would not watch it. But I do really love Pixar and everyone was saying how great it was and I couldn't resist.

Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) is a 12-year-old boy who wants to follow his hero Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) and become a famous musician. Music, however, is banned in his family of shoemakers and they just won't allow him to pursue his dream. But nothing can stop him and, along the way of achieving his dream, Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead and, with the help of Héctor (Gael García Bernal), a down-on-his-luck skeleton, he must find his great-great-grandfather to return to the Land of the Living.

Coco's is a charming, emotional, engaging and exciting story as well as one of the most complex and rich stories in animated films. It's a very well-written story that takes many surprising turns along the way and has such a witty twist that made my jaw drop and made me even more curious about what would happen next.

It's a story that manages to be funny and kid-friendly while dealing with important themes such as death, memory, passion, dreams, family and love. A story that once again delivers the 'family is important' message but it does it in such a genuine, heartfelt way that it feels like it has never been delivered before.

The characters are another very important part of Coco. They are interesting and likeable, they have a good development (I was quite impressed with the villain) and it's easy to relate to them. Miguel is an excellent lead and carries the whole movie effortlessly, but there's one character stealing the show, Gael García Bernal's Héctor, the silly skeleton who joins Miguel on his journey. I did love Frida Kahlo's cameo too, and the voice work is fantastic. Also, I liked the filmmaker's choice of having the characters speaking both in English and Spanish. No, you don't need Spanish to understand the film. If you don't speak it, you'll miss a few jokes, that's all.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Then, of course, there is the animation. I've seen a lot of animated films in my life and never before have I seen such attention to details, not even in Pixar's previous movies. Everything is gorgeous. The colours, the settings, the characters, but the biggest accomplishment, in my opinion, is having a character correctly playing an instrument. Miguel moves his fingers and places them exactly how and where a human would while playing a real guitar.

Another thing Coco is great at is blending musical numbers perfectly into the story. And how great those songs, inspired by Mexican music, are!

I am not Mexican, but I did study Spanish in high school, including el Dia de Muertos, and I think this film really captures the spirit of this Mexican culture, people, food and traditions.

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Genre

Adventure | Animation

Director

Peter Sohn

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Marcus Scribner, Ryan Teeple, Jack McGraw, Maleah Padilla, Steve Zahn, Mandy Freund, Steven Clay Hunter, Peter Sohn, Dave Boat, Carrie Paff, John Ratzenberger, Calm Mackenzie

Storyline

After a lot of accidents that changed his life, Arlo (Raymond Ochoa), an Apatosaurus who is afraid of everything, makes an unlikely human friend (Jack Bright).

Opinion

After delivering the spectacular "Inside Out", an animated film that is more likely to please adults than kids, Disney-Pixar released "The Good Dinosaur", probably hoping to make kids happy. Did they reach their goal? I'm not so sure about it.

The most shocking thing about this film is arguably the plot. Although the original concept was able to offer a wide - if not infinite - number of alternatives, the writers eventually went for an undeveloped, almost nonexistent plot that completely lacks originality. So, instead of experiencing an interesting adventure thought the eyes of Arlo, the good dinosaur, we find ourselves watching an already seen story that has no room for twists.

Another field the film lacks originality in is the themes. From the importance of friendship to that of family, to a growth of the main character, the themes "The Good Dinosaur" deals with are pretty much the same of "Inside Out". The only difference is that, perhaps, kids will understand them easily.

But once again, like I've already said a couple of times, the film lacks originality also regarding some scenes - when Arlo and Spot's heads touch is taken straight out of "How to Train Your Dragon".

The voice casting is another flaw. While most of them do a good job, I found Raymond Ochoa's voice utterly annoying, definitely a problem considering he is the voice of Arlo.

All of that being said, there is a thing that will always make a Pixar film stand out, the animation. And I have no complains about that. It easily is the best part of the film with Pixar's usual gorgeous colours, stunning backgrounds rich in detail, and visually appealing character.

The Incredibles (2004)

Genre

Action | Animation

Director

Brad Bird

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Peña, Brad Bird, Eli Fucile, Bud Luckey, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Dominique Louis, Michael Bird, Jean Sincere, Kimberly Adair Clark, Bret Parker, Lou Romano, Wayne Canney

Storyline

Forced to adopt civilian identities, Bob Parr aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife Helen aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) live a boring life with their three super-children. Until something happens, and they get back into action.

Opinion

I don't know why but I kept avoiding this film over the years. It's not like I thought it was bad, I just didn't seem to be attracted by it. Given the poor outcome of several superhero flick this year, I anyway decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did because "The Incredibles" is a charming, fun and truly incredible animated superhero film.

There is nothing special about the plot, it is pretty much a simple, quite typical superhero story where the villain is just a poor misunderstood and mistreated boy grown into a man that is seeking for revenge. Also, the whole idea of outlawing superheroes isn't new either, but what really makes the difference is the way the story is told. With a quite melancholic atmosphere, the film makes you sense the nostalgia of the protagonist for his glorious days behind the mask almost to perfection and makes you empathize with him.

But don't worry though, this is not a sad film. It is actually funny. Not constantly laughing out loud funny, but still very funny. There are some fun characters - actually, most of them are. And the jokes are awesome if you are a comic book fan. And it kind of makes fun of superheroes as well, from the pointless capes to the villains' monologues.

Luckily for the comic book fan, the references don't end with the jokes. Each member of the family indeed reminds of a notorious superhero, from DC to Marvel. Mr. Fantastic is Superman and the son is the Flash, while Elastigirl is Mr. Fantastic and the daughter is the Invisible Woman. And all the other characters, but the villain, are likable as well. Especially Samuel L. Jackson's Frozone. Actually, he was the coolest thing on the film.

And at last the animation. It is Pixar's so of course it's great. It has been 12 years since the film was released, and it still impressive. Or should I say incredible?

Finding Dory (2016)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Directors

Andrew Stanton | Angus MacLane

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Ed O'Neil, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton, Bill Hader, Kate McKinnon, Sigourney Weaver, Alexander Gould, John Ratzenberger, Robin Xan Bullock, Sloane Murray, Lucia Geddes

Storyline

Not long after finding Nemo (Hayden Rolence), Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) begins to remember bits and pieces of her past as she embarks on an adventure with her two friends to find her parents.

Opinion

Last night I've finally been able to watch arguably the most anticipated animated film of the year - and probably in years too -, and I'm happy to say that Andrew Stanton did it again. Even though many say it was a disappointment and nothing like "Finding Nemo", for me "Finding Dory" was a funny, beautiful and touching tale that celebrates being different.

Maybe the reason why so many were disappointed is because of the plot. If you have seen "Finding Nemo" it will be quite familiar to you, as a matter of fact the two films basically share the same plot. Only this time is Dory, the adorable blue tang fish suffering from short-memory loss, that tries to reunite with her loves ones.

However, while it's nothing new, the story is still excellent, engaging, funny, inspiring and very, very meaningful. In fact, the (back)story of Dory not only is touching and will probably have you (almost) in tears, but it delivers a great message to kids by showing that people with disabilities, of the mental kind in this case, can do as much as normal people and that their qualities should also be admired - as pointed out by Nemo in the film.

The film also features tons of funny moments for all ages and funny characters, like Gerald the sea lion. He is quite dumb but also so funny and lovable. But in a film about disabilities, it's not great to have an autistic character being bullied.

Anyway, among the characters, we have Dory, of course, which I enjoyed even more because I feel like Ellen DeGeneres did an even better job, not only giving the voice to the fish but by adding some extra personality; there's Marlin and Nemo, and a wonderful new entry, Hank, a grumpy octopus that will eventually establish a friendship with Dory. And the character development is simply impressive.

At last but not least the animation. I'll never get sick of saying how gorgeous Pixar's animation is. Every detail of the underwater world is spot on, the characters all look stunning, and the scenery is simply breathtaking.

Ultimately it is not as good as last year "Inside Out", but it's still worth the time and money.

Finding Nemo (2003)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Directors

Andrew Stanton | Lee Unkrich

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Andrew Stanton, Barry Humphries, Geoffrey Rush, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis, Joe Ranft

Storyline

When his son Nemo (Alexander Gould) is taken from him by a diver, clownfish Marlin (Albert Brooks) sets off on a journey to rescue him along with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a blue tang fish with short term memory loss.

Opinion

I loved this film when I was a kid. It was the first dvd I bought - well, my parents bought it for me - and I even had a computer video game. Okay, I didn't love it, I was obsessed with it. So I took the release of "Finding Dory" as a chance to rewatch this, and even thought it felt really weird I have to say I've still enjoyed it.

So basically "Finding Nemo" is a nice and enjoyable family film that will amuse adults and kids alike. It's Disney Pixar after all.

The story, which is very simple yet interesting, is somewhat similar to the one to "Toy Story" - two characters are thrown together and they are forced to a journey - but at the same time it is different because instead of dealing with negative feelings such as anger and jealousy, the film deals with parenthood and delivers a message to all the parents watching the film with their kids: it'll come the day you have to stop being overprotective and you will have to find the courage to let your kid(s) go.

But don't worry, it's not all about the message. In fact the kids will enjoy this film mainly because of its nice, funny and vibrant characters, all having that typical Disney charm. My favourite one though, - and I bet everyone's else since they've made a film about her - it's the atypical one, Dory, the blue tang fish with memory loss. She is probably the funniest Disney character ever written and she's superbly voiced by a wonderful Ellen DeGeneres. However, in my opinion, there are too many minor characters. I think the writers should have focused more on some and gave them a bigger role in the film. Like the sharks, it would have been interesting to see them a little bit more.

And now let's go back to the good stuff, the animation. At this point I'm not even sure I need to say this because dah, it's Pixar, but I'll say it anyway. The animation is stunning. From characters to scenery, everything is astonishingly beautiful.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Director

Lee Unkrich

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, John Morris, Don Rickles, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Michael Keaton, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Jeff Pidgeon, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg

Storyline

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the other toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.

Opinion

It rarely happens that the third film of a trilogy manages to not be a failure and to live up to the previous installments, especially if those films are spectacular. But this is Disney-Pixar and they barely know how to let people down, and "Toy Story 3" is a magnificent proof of that.

Structed like in the previous films, the storyline still is about the fear of being discarded and unwanted, and the obsession of being forgotten, but it doesn't get boring, not even for a second.

The screenwriters delights us with an emotional plot that will make cry even the most hard-hearted, and the characters have never been like this before; they are more courageous, sweet and the human characters are more involved into the story.

And that leads to the themes addressed by the film. Because of that, the film has the opportunity to portray the transition to adult life, necessitated with the departure for college and eventually to decide what to do with all those things, toys, that have been a huge part of a person's life.

But they didn't forget to keep it fun. Cast aside all the messages the film conveys, the film is a wonderful, entertaining ride whose interesting plot and cute, cuddly villain will make you keep your eyes glued to the screen.

Basically needless to say is how fantastic the animation is, but I'll still spend some words on it anyway. Whether 3D at the movie theater or 2D at home, the animation is better than ever, and the moves of the characters more than anything else are simply perfect.

Can't wait for "Toy Story 4". 

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Directors

John Lasseter | Ash Brannon | Lee Unkrich

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Estelle Harris, Wayne Knight, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Jodi Benson, Jonathan Harris, Joe Ranft, Jeff Pidgeon, Andrew Stanton

Storyline

While Andy (John Morris) is away at summer camp, Woody (Tom Hanks) is accidentally placed in a yard sale and eventually toynapped by Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), a greedy collector. It's up to Buzz (Tim Allen) and his friends to save Woody.

Opinion

Four years after "Toy Story" and one year after "A Bug's Life", the only other Disney-Pixar production in between, John Lasseter brought to us "Toy Story 2", this funny, exciting, spectacular sequel that has nothing to envy to its predecessor.

Keeping similar themes to "Toy Story", the film delivers a strong plot, and even though it is similar to the original and has been done in other films before it, it still flows incredibly well. It doesn't have a lot of laughing out loud moments, but it definitely has many good lines and so many references that I absolutely loved - including the original film and "The Empire Strikes Back".

Once again what makes the film so interesting are the characters. There are all the charming, likable characters from the first film - including those cute, little green martians - and some wonderful new characters that includes Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl, Woody's faithful steed, Bullseye, the Barbies, and Mrs. Potato. And once again the voice cast does a wonderful job. 

The film is also interesting because of the fascinating conflict it creates for the main character, Woody. He is forced to make a difficult decision: either he goes back to Andy with Buzz and the other toys, even though he knows that one day Andy will be a grown up and won't play with toys anymore, or he goes with the new toys in a museum where they'll be admired by children all over the world.

This is not the only theme that is going to satisfy grown-ups though. The film also addresses the theme of loneliness and abandonment and how they affect people - well, toys in this case. 

At last the animation. You will immediately notice the step forward digital animation has made since the first film only four years earlier. And there is a greater attention to detail, if that's even possible - the reflection of Buzz's eyes on his visor, Andy's new dog, and especially things like dust and shadows.

Toy Story (1995)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Director

John Lasseter

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, John Morris, Erik von Detten, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Sarah Freeman, Jack Angel, Greg Berg, Debi Derryberry, Jeff Pidgeon, Joe Ranft

Storyline

Cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) has it all. He is the leader in Andy's toy room, Bo Peep (Annie Potts) has the hots for him and he is Andy's favourite toy. But Andy's (John Morris) birthday arrives, along with a brand new toy, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), a space cadet who thinks he is a space ranger who instantly becomes Andy's new favourite toy, and Woody becomes profoundly jealous. 

Opinion

1995. Pixar Animated Studios creates the first full-length computer-animated picture ever that starts a series of never ending success: "Toy Story", one of the greatest animated films ever made.

The thing that still impress me the most after 21 years is the plot to the film. Absolutely brilliant. The story of a toy that feels pushed aside and becomes jealous and envious when "his" kid receives a new toy that instantly becomes the favourite. 

I know, it may sound like it doesn't have anything special other than toys being alive, but it has been an incredible milestone for Disney as they portrayed for the first time feelings such as envy, jealousy, anger in a film that targets kids. It also teaches when it's time to kind of back off, and accept changes.

In addition to a simple yet effective plot that has both drama and excitement, the script also features outstanding characters and amazing character development. The conflict between Woody and Buzz is taken to a very deep level, and if it wasn't for the animation you'd totally forget what you're watching is a kids film.

Casting the right people to match voices to characters personalities is also extremely important in animated films. And what can I say, they couldn't have cast better actors. Tom Hanks is perfect as Woody, and delivers the character's sarcasm wonderfully. Tim Allen also is nothing short than perfect as Buzz, and gives the best performance in the film. Equally great is the rest of the cast, all believable and entertaining, they make you love each character.

And last but not least, the animation. Have you really thought I wasn't going to mention it? It's needless to say, I know, but it's simply spectacular. Pixar's incredible attention to detail was impressive the first time as well, and watching the film today and seeing how the characters move - from eyes to body movements -, well, it makes you forget how old the film is. 

What else can I tell ya? Life in plastic is fantastic!

Monsters University (2013)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Director

Dan Scanlon

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Charlie Day, Alfred Molina, Tyler Labine, Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza, Bobby Moynihan, Julia Sweeney, Bonnie Hunt, John Krasinski, Bill Hader, Beth Behrs, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger, Noah Johnston

Storyline

Since he was a kid, Mike (Billy Crystal) wanted to becomes a scary monster and planed to go to the Monsters University. Unfortunately when his dream is about to come true, he meets the lazy student James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) that threatens to mess off with his plans. 

Opinion

I really did not know what to expect from the prequel to a great film like "Monsters, Inc.", considering the film was made more than 10 years after the original. And knowing that usually prequels and sequels are kind of weak didn't help. But I guess Disney Pixar did what they do best, they made another good film.

So not only "Monsters University" marks Pixar's first prequel, but it gives us back the pleasure of the companionship of Mike and Sulley with a pleasant story of friendship.

If the original was a portrait of an odd couple, this one shows us the origin of the friendship between Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan in their freshman year at Monsters University. The plot pays many homages to the classic college comedies, and is based on the American college life, and despite the lack of any identification with my country, the film is funny and entertaining, and doesn't hold out on laughs.

It was interesting to see how all the main characters of the original had met, and what their relationships were like in the earlier days, but it was also great to meet some new characters, and despite the film lacks of Boo, there's a memorable and intimidating Dean Hardscrabble - voiced by Helen Mirren - that is remarkable. 

And, as usual, Pixar the animation is amazing. Yeah, I know, it's a cliché to say that but once again they crafted unique, appealing, vibrant, colourful, wonderfully detailed characters.

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Genre

Animation | Comedy | Fantasy

Director

Pete Docter

Country

USA

Voice Cast

John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Dan Gerson, Steve Susskind, Bonnie Hunt, Jeff Pidgeon, Samuel Lord Black, Phil Proctor, Joe Ranft

Storyline

Sulley (John Goodman) and his best friend Mike (Billy Crystal) work together at Monsters, Incorporated, a company that delivers energy to Monstropolis by scaring children. But just when everything looks perfect, something happens and a human child gets into their world and threatens to destroy the whole Monstropolis.

Opinion

My brother used to love this film when we were kids, he watched it over and over again. But for some mysterious reasons, I thought monsters weren't my thing, and I've never watched it. Not until yesterday, when I've found myself going completely crazy about a 15-year-old kids movie. Yes, it really is that awesome.

Back in 2001, year of DreamWorks Animation amazing "Shrek", the creators of "Toy Story" brought "Monsters, Inc." to life, a superbly animated film, featuring humour, action and a lot of fun for the whole family.

The story, how beautiful and inventive it is! Brainchild of Pete Docter, the creative mind behind many other wonderful films - and masterpieces - from Disney Pixar, the story is pretty simple and that's what makes it easy to follow if you are a kid, and fun to watch if you are a human being. 

The plot is based on the oldest of childhood fears: monsters in the closet. Only in this case the monsters works for a company, and scaring children is not only their job but it is essential for their city. Also these monsters that spend their days scaring children are terrified by children themselves. And isn't it just brilliant the idea of separating the monsters world from the real world with doors?

The characters are wonderfully animated and very detailed, and each monster is capable of transmitting its own nature through its physical appearance. However, no matter how simple its physical structed it, Mike, a green ball with stick legs and one huge eye, is the soul of the film, and his comedy is seen throughout the film. Sulley, a colourful and fluffy blue and purple monster, instead is perfect to deliver the message of the film. The Billy Crystal-John Goodman pair works perfectly, and the film also includes an evil lizard with the ability to change appearance to its surroundings, just like a chameleon, wonderfully voiced by Steve Buscemi. And a lonely but friendly Abominable Snowman also makes an appearance. What else could you possibly ask for?

Brave (2012)

Genre

Animation | Adventure | Comedy

Directors

Mark Andrews | Brenda Chapman

Country

United States

Cast

Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Steve Purcell, Patrick Doyle, John Ratzenberger, Peigi Barker, Sally Kinghorn, Steven Cree, Callum O'Neil

Plot

Set in the Scottish Highlands, the film tells the story of a princess named Merida (Kelly Macdonald, Peigi Barker). She defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. After consulting a witch for help, Merida accidentally transforms her mother (Emma Thompson) into a bear and is forced to undo the spell herself before it is too late.

Opinion

If you are looking for a good animated film, go for a Pixar one, they won't disappoint you. Brave is visually stunning: Merida's curly hair almost looks real and fits perfectly to her rebellious personality; the colors are amazing, and the red hair always pops out; the landscapes are highly detailed.

The story, which is good although ends in trivial way, looks even more magical with the music by Patrick Doyle.

Quotes

Princess Merida: Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one's destiny intertwines with many others. It's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some who are led.

Rating

7.5/10