Archive for June 2019

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Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they're worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.

Release date: June 20, 2019 (USA)

Director: Josh Cooley

Screenplay: Rashida Jones, Andrew Stanton, Will McCormack, Stephany Folsom

Producers: Jonas Rivera, Mark Nielsen

Production companies: Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures

**[[[REVIEW]]]**

When it released in 1995, Toy Story was the first movie from the then-fledgling Pixar Animation Studios, which has since grown into a powerhouse in animated films rivaling Disney itself. Though Pixar is well known for its original films, Toy Story is the studio's most venerable property, as a whole generation of kids grew up watching Woody, Buzz and Andy. After Toy Story 2 in 1999, and a concluding chapter in 2010's Toy Story 3, Pixar once again revisits the premise of toys come to life in Toy Story 4. Although Toy Story 3 concluded the story of the toys' time with Andy, the film ended with him passing on his toys to the young Bonnie, and their purpose was renewed. Pixar's Toy Story 4 has heart and humor to spare in one more adventure with Woody and the gang, exploring tough themes through toys new and old.

The movie sees Woody (Tom Hanks) struggling to accept that Bonnie may have already outgrown him, and in an effort to do whatever he can for his kid, he takes on the task of protecting her new favorite toy: Forky (Tony Hale). That's easier said than done, but Woody refuses the help of his fellow toys, like Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Jessie (Joan Cusack). When Forky escapes out the back of the family's RV while on a road trip, Woody goes after him and they get caught in an antique store by defunct doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks). With the help of Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and her friends Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki) and Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), all of whom are toys without kids, Woody sets out to save Forky. He's joined along the way by Buzz and carnival toys Ducky (Keegan Michael-Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele). However, when the mission gets dangerous, the toys must reevaluate the lengths to which they're willing to go to make a kid happy and whether that's compatible with their own happiness.

Scripted by franchise writer Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom (Star Wars Resistance), and directed by Josh Cooley in his feature-length debut, Toy Story 4 is a compelling continuation of the series many thought concluded well enough in Toy Story 3. Like 3, the fourth film deals with the idea of what happens to toys when they're no longer needed by their kids. Toy Story 4 takes it much further to explore how "lost" toys can still lead fulfilling lives - whether that's with one kid or not. A major theme of the film is finding a role that makes the toys happy and fulfilled, and accepting when it may not be the role they envisioned for themselves. Bo has found a life for herself without just one kid, but Woody, Forky and Gabby Gabby all have concrete ideas of what they're meant to be, and they're forced to reexamine whether that's truly what will make them happy. It's a theme that offers a good lesson for the kids in the audience, and will no doubt strike a chord with the adults (something Pixar has always been good in balancing, especially in its Toy Story movies).

But in many ways, Toy Story 4 breaks from the franchise's tradition, focusing more on newer toys than those who made the transition from Andy's room to Bonnie's. Though Toy Story 4 is Woody's tale, and he's joined by his pal Buzz, the other toys are content to belong to Bonnie, whereas Woody is questioning his role in the room. But with the return of Bo, and the introduction of many new toys, this animated world is well filled out. Forky and Duke Caboom steal the show, undoubtedly thanks to the voice performances of Hale and Reeves. Meanwhile, Henricks offers equal parts menace and vulnerability to Gabby Gabby, bringing to life the series' most compelling "villain". Key and Peele are hilarious as Ducky and Bunny, infusing Toy Story 4 with many of its funniest moments. Altogether, Toy Story 4 relies on its newcomers more than its returning cast - with the exception of Hanks and Potts - but it's a cast well suited to making these animated characters shine on screen.

Though there will be Toy Story fans who wonder why Pixar felt the need to continue this franchise beyond what was seemingly meant to be a concluding chapter, Toy Story 4 proves Woody and the gang still have lessons to learn - and still have lessons to teach the audience. Further, it's a real treat to see the world of Toy Story 4 rendered in modern animation, bringing Woody, Forky, Ducky, Bunny and Bonnie to life in stunning detail. Animation has come a long way since 1995, and Pixar proves their skill in this realm once again with Toy Story 4. With a keen eye for detail from director Cooley and a sharply written script by Stanton and Folsom - all of which came up through Pixar - Toy Story 4 is a captivating rumination on discovering our place in the world, wrapped in an exciting adventure about a cowboy toy and his spork friend. That's to say, Toy Story 4 is quintessential Pixar, tackling tough subjects through a lens of levity and real heart.

As such, Toy Story 4 is a must-see for fans of Pixar, especially fans of this franchise - even those who thought Toy Story 3 was the perfect capper to the series. In fact, Toy Story 4 proves to be a much more compelling conclusion, while still leaving the door open for future adventures. Pixar's latest is a wholly fun moviegoing experience for all ages, and at an hour and 40 minutes, it's not overlong even for the most restless of youngsters. In a summer blockbuster season full of movies that don't quite live up to their potential, Toy Story 4 manages to surpass expectations and make an excellent case for why the Toy Story series can, and should, continue on. If you don't think too hard about the implications of a sentient spork, when exactly life begins for a toy and how conscious non-toy items are before the come "alive", then it's easy to sit back and enjoy every hilarious and heartfelt moment of Toy Story 4.

Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson star as Agent H and Agent M, who employ high-tech weaponry to battle mischievous aliens on Earth. However, the pair also discover a major threat within their own ranks.

Release date : June 14, 2019 (USA)

Director : F. Gary Gray

Budget : 110 million USD

Production companies : Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Image Nation

Producers : Laurie MacDonald, Walter Parkes

[[Review]]
The original Men in Black was a product of its time when it released in 1997: a cool sci-fi movie idea that relied more on Will Smith's comedy schtick to Tommy Lee Jones' straight man action hero than actual world-building - but to great success. After two sequels, Men in Black II in 2002 and Men in Black 3 in 2012, with diminishing returns (critically and stateside, at least), the franchise is getting the quasi-reboot revival treatment with Men in Black: International. The fourth installment in the franchise brings in a new creative team and a new starring duo for an attempt at a fresh take on the original Men in Black idea. Men in Black: International has some modern tweaks to the franchise's premise, but thankfully puts more focus on the comedic chemistry of its leads.

Men in Black: International introduces Molly (Tessa Thompson), who learns of the organization's existence as a child and becomes dedicated to locating them. When she does, she asks to become one of them, and is recruited by the head of New York's branch, Agent O (Emma Thompson). Once becoming a probationary agent, Agent M is sent to the London branch. There, she teams up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) to investigate a series of alien attacks and eventually befriends the alien Pawny (voice of Kumail Nanjiani). Although the head of London's branch, High T (Liam Neeson), is supportive of M and H's investigation, they receive pushback from Agent C (Rafe Spall), and begin to suspect something isn't quite right in the Men in Black.

For Men in Black: International, F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious) takes over from franchise director Barry Sonnenfeld, with the duo of Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Punisher: War Zone) taking on script duties. Being the fourth installment in the series, albeit one that arrives more than two decades after the first film and five years after the last entry, International is able to cache in on the franchise's legacy. That means the movie doesn't waste viewers' time reintroducing the entire world of Men in Black, but it does attempt to build upon what came before. Men in Black: International introduces some interesting ideas about the organization's role in brokering peace between Earth and numerous alien races. However, those ideas get lost first in a rehash of the standard Men in Black premise of protecting a key alien artifact from a foe that's hunting the agents down. Then, any compelling exploration of the themes of Men in Black's role in the larger universe is muddled by a third act twist. Altogether, there are enough new ideas in International to set it apart from previous films in the Men in Black franchise, but just like the original, the leading duo are most important to the film's success.

After working on two Marvel Cinematic Universe films together, Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, Hemsworth and Thompson have proved to have a great deal of comedic chemistry, with a healthy dose of heart. In Men in Black: International, they're playing different characters, but the easy rapport is still there. Their buddy cop dynamic is fairly standard action movie fare: Hemsworth's H is the reckless and arrogant elder agent, while Thompson's M is an uptight, rule-following newbie. Because it's a more by-the-book setup, it's slightly less interesting than the dynamic the actors had as Thor and Valkyrie - and with the pair reunited so soon, it's difficult not to compare H and M to the stars' MCU counterparts. While Thompson and Hemsworth do what they can with their International characters and dynamic, and there are moments of good comedy and earnest emotion, it too often takes a back seat to action scenes or to propelling the plot forward. As for the rest of the cast, they get little to work with, though Nanjiani's Pawny is a fun addition to the film.

Though Gray brings a new and exciting perspective to the sci-fi franchise and Hemsworth and Thompson have an established comedic compatibility, Men in Black: International never lives up to its potential. Much of the plot is a basic retread of past movies, with an easily guessable twist that puts a new spin on the formula. Hemsworth and Thompson shine when they're allowed to, but fall by the wayside when Marcum and Holloway's script is more focused on the plot and setting up the twist. The action set pieces are largely forgettable, with the exception of the design and powers of the alien adversaries (played by Laurent and Larry Bourgeois aka. Les Twins). But, again, these two never quite reach their potential. Ultimately, Men in Black: International is a fine movie. It has its moments where everything aligns and the movie provides some genuinely fun entertainment. But at other points, it feels as though even International is slogging through being a Men in Black franchise installment.

As such, Men in Black: International is a decent summer popcorn movie with enough enjoyable action and banter between H and M for a fine moviegoing experience. Fans of Hemsworth and Thompson will likely find more entertainment in the movie than Men in Black fans, though given the franchise's track record, it's unclear if any franchise fans still exist. Still, there are enough new ideas here that the movie isn't a complete retread of the previous entries. It may be worth a watch for those interested in the latest Men in Black movie or in Hemsworth and Thompson's continuing partnership. The CGI of the aliens in the film is impressive, but it doesn't require an IMAX viewing. While viewers may find some things to like in Men in Black: International, it's by no means a must-see summer movie.

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