— terminator 2: judgment day —

****NOMINATED FOR 6 OSCARS, WON 4****

Welcome back, as we continue with The Terminator Series!

Where do we start will this amazing film? Terminator 2: Judgment day, which we will affectionately refer to as T2, is without doubt one of my favourite films of all time. I am sure that because I grew up with it, I value it even more. When I asked my wife why she loves T2, she simply replied, “it’s because it has heart.” I can not put it better myself, T2 has heart!

A lot of what we see in T2, as the story unfolds was originally conceived by James Cameron back when The Terminator was released in 1984. At the time, technology and budgetary constraints did not permit James Cameron to appropriately film his ideas. So it would be 7 years in the making, before T2 was ready. Because of how successful The Terminator was, talks of a sequel were inevitable, and it seems, James Cameron was keen, and as a side note, seems keen on Terminator Genisys too, even though he has had nothing to do with the project. Arnold Schwarzenegger was also keen, as was Linda Hamilton. Having the entire cast back for a second time also adds to the value of this film, because these characters really have become iconic.

T2 welcomes the addition of a new Terminator, the T-1000, who is portrayed by Robert Patrick, and it’s the addition of this new Terminator that did not permit Cameron to film his idea back in 84, because the T-1000 is ‘mimetic polly-alloy’. Basically the T-1000 is made of liquid metal, which requires CGI to film adequately. T2 represents a major milestone in the use of CGI on film. The visual effects still look great, and back then they were enough for T2 to earn an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. T2 has a very dark colour palette, and yet it manages to actually look beautiful, in that everything machine, in it, looks aesthetically pleasing. This in part helps forge the relationship between human and machine, giving The Terminator heart.

It’s the performances delivered by this amazing ensemble that make T2 shine. Edward Furlong, who portrays John Conner, had had no acting experience prior to his role for T2, but you can really feel that he is a natural in this role. Arnie really is the star here, and like I mentioned in an earlier post, I honestly believe that Arnie was destined to be The Terminator. Linda Hamilton really stands out. Along with her great performance, it’s intriguing to see how her character has evolved, considering the life changing events of T1. The heart of this film is in the relationships that are forged between these three. Somehow, beyond all contradictions, you start to feel for The Terminator, and it’s in his fate you’re interested most. Like Cameron said, this film is about The Terminator, and T2 really amplifies this idea. I can’t watch this film with dry eyes, I really can’t. There are moments of Joy and moments of Sadness.

The script also manages to include scenes of memorable humour, although this is an action packed film and it’s themes are very tense, I always laugh when I watch T2, especially when John Conner is ‘training’ The Terminator on how to ‘lighten up’. T2 really makes us care about these characters, and at the same time entertains us with over-the-top action sequences, that are impeccably produced. Plus, T2 graces us with another great line, delivered by non other than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, “Hasta La Vista Baby.”

Perhaps the thing that gives T2 so much heart is the score, and the eternal main title theme, along with the fist pumping, machine clanking thumps, which I wish I could hum for you right now! You know what I’m talking about right!? It’s probably Brad Fiedel’s finest moment, and that tune has stuck with me from the very first time I watched T2. It’s super catchy, trust me. Brad Fiedel delivers a metallic sounding score, with amazing and distinct machine-like sounds that are ever so fitting. Two of the Oscars won were for Best Sound and Sound Effects, and well deserved too. A lot happens in this film, and a lot of action happens in this film, perfectly synchronised with ear-gasmic sound effects, T2 is up there with one of the best action films of all time!

Terminator 2: Judgement Day will always be my favroutie Terminator film. I don’t know what Terminator Genysis will be like, but at the very least it affords us the opportunity to re-visit some old classic favourites. T2 is a rare occurrence, in that it was better than the original film, on so many levels. I am not expecting any of the upcoming Terminator films to meet the standard set by T2, I just hope they are respectful of this iconic film, and that Sarah Conner’s message: “if a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe WE can too”, can shine through!

FilmMunchers, what’s you favourite Terminator film and why?

TRIVIA COOKIES: The CGI used in T2 cost about $5.5Million to make. The duration of CGI in this film amounts to only 3 and a half minutes. So some of this film is basically $1Million/Minute.

Linda Hamilton was so dedicated to her role, that she insisted on not receiving any assistance in the scene where she is restrained to her bed by pad lock. Apparently she learnt how to pick the lock, and the final cut that we see, is her actually picking the lock for real!

— the terminator —

Welcome to The Terminator Series! To celebrate the release of Paramount’s Terminator Genisys, FilmMunch is taking a look back a how the franchise started. Enjoy!

The Terminator’s look/apparel was inspired by Mad Max 2, according to director James Cameron. When you look at Max and compare it with what Arnie wears, in The Terminator, it’s rather similar. This point highlights how films affect other films, and subsequently culture. It is my honest belief that The Terminator is a cornerstone in the action and science fiction genres. The Terminator has had a profound influence on what cinema has evolved into and pop culture, in general. The Terminator is a strong beginning to the saga!

For James Cameron, The Terminator was basically his first feature. He’d worked on a short and another B-movie leading up to 1984. The Terminator was his pet project, and although he’d received offers for the film script, he was adamant that he direct this film, and aren’t we glad he did! Interestingly he intended this film to play as a horror film, but even though you can feel traces of that, as we watch it, the film is action and most certainly sci-fi. The Terminator is definitely a ride, along with some great and tense action sequences. It also has it’s moments of shock, keeping you at the edge of your seat! No doubt there is a great story here, and James Cameron does the best he can, to tell it.

Because The Terminator was considered a gamble, since James Cameron was new to the game, the budget for this film is not very large at all. Cameron had limited resources and his original idea took place in the future. So as to afford the project, the future was brought to the present, and it was this, that brought to life the concept of time travel, in the film. It’s worth noting that back in 1984 there wasn’t a great deal of time travel films, it’s almost as if the popularity of The Terminator initiated a real spike in the said genre. Not long after, Back To The Future was born, in which a number of reference exist to The Terminator film, as a nod. Again this illustrates how films affect films, and it’s essential as FIlmMunchers to look back at what came before.

When you watch The Terminator, you know that you are back in the 80’s, from the hair-styles, the synth-pop music and the cheesiness of it all. Today, along with the originally intended humour relief moments, these 80’s trademark moments add to the iconic value of this film. This is another benefit of going back to enjoy these classics, it’s almost like jumping in a time machine and getting to enjoy the past, without the hassles of having a ‘terminator’ after you, of course! So yes, i’m saying it, The Terminator has it’s cheesy moments, but it’s an instance of were the cheesy is good, and welcome.

When we look at what James Cameron has achieved with film and his desire to use technology to the full, in film making, he is now, truly, considered a legend. The Terminator was his beginning. And even at this point, he had an idea that wouldn’t work, because the technology hadn’t caught up yet. His idea would eventually come to life in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. So what technology was available to him at the time, he did use. Animatronics plays a large part in this film, and so does stop-animation. It looks poor by todays standards, but horray to James Cameron in doing his best to produce his dream film. The construction of the T-800 machine represents an innovative moment in cinema.

The Terminator has a captivating story and even more captivating terminating machine. James Cameron told Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he was arguing about what role he wanted to play, that this film ‘is not about the hero, it’s about The Terminator.’ See, Arnie wanted to play Kyle Reese. But, the role of The Terminator is best suited for Arnold Schwarzenegger, he is so convincing as a machine, his walk, his talk and even the way he handles guns. Arnie, once he started to see James Cameron’s vision, really dedicated himself to the role. Apparently even outside of the set, he chose not to get close to Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor) and Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese) because he didn’t want to form any connection with them, since he is their enemy in the film. It was also Arnie’s idea that The Terminator have no eyebrows, this really makes him look freaky. He also spent weeks practicing how to use guns. He got so good that the magazine Soldier of Fortune complimented Arnie for his realistic use of firearms. Typically that magazine would criticise films for their non-realistic use of firearms. Clearly there is no other Terminator, and Arnie was destined to play the part. Arnold Schwarzenegger was born to play The Terminator!

Cameron had zero expectations that this film would be successful. Not only was it well received by critics at the time, but it experienced great box office success. Today, we all know that iconic line, “I’LL BE BACK.” So if you’ve heard this line before, and it does get used so often, we owe it to James Cameron and his persistence that his script be followed. Arnie wanted to say, “I will be back.” His argument was that a machine would enunciate the full sentence. Cameron said in return, “do I tell you how to act? Don’t tell me how to write.” Needless to say, Cameron is a great example for all aspiring film makers. He is a great source of inspiration.

The Terminator is a great commencement to this captivating story. FilmMunch is excited to continue this series! We must though, interrupt this series, early on, because we will have special guest @amylecreation, collaborating a post in The Munch in FilmMunch 4! We will continue with The Terminator Series after that, stay tuned!

TRIVIA COOKIE: James Cameron wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger to play The Terminator so much, that he waited several months for Arnie to be available. At the time Arnie was working on Conan The Destroyer. During this waiting period, James Cameron started working on another script. That script turned out to be Alien.

— minions —

Despicable Me was Illumination Entertainment’s debut film, and it was very successful. The Minions were originally supposed to be human-size henchmen, but due to budgetary constraints, the Minions became short and fairly symmetrical. The Minions provided a lot of the humorous relief and became very popular. With Despicable Me 2, Universal, Illumination Entertainment’s distributor, became the most profitable Universal release for over 100 years. That record was smashed by Furious 7 and looks like Jurassic World, will easily take Universal over the $1Billion mark for the second time. So, considering the success of the Minions, why not give them a spin-off, their own movie!? Minions is a prequel to the first two instalment of Despicable Me. We had an opportunity to check this movie out, and as entertaining as yellow ‘pill shaped miracles’ are, the film feels lacking of substantial storyline.

First of all, the animation is actually really good. There is a lot of detail, and it seems that less short-cuts have been taken with this film, technically, that is. There is great use of film-like camera looks, that always adds an addition level of cinematic value. The Minions have never looked this good, and they’ve really captured the Minions point of view, since a lot of the ‘camera’ angles are from their stand-point down below. Even though the animation is tops, there is nothing new here, and nothing in the sense of innovation. Illumination Entertainment has apparently been known for using ‘efficient’ animation techniques and renderings to reduce the cost of making a film, and hence generating a larger profit. It is clear that at Illumination Entertainment, they are in the business of making money, not story-telling.

The sound in this film can get excessive and it does feel rather loud and messy at some points. Originally the Minions provided punch lines for Despicable Me, having them provide a feature length amount of punch-lines can get a little repetitive and truthfully, annoying.

Story is were this film fails for me. The story is almost non-important. It’s predictable and there is no clear message. You don’t finish watching this movie and feel moved. Even though the Minions are able to hold their own, the new characters introduced feel shallow and non-interesting. Sandra Bullock is not a voice actress and neither is John Hamm, yes their names look great on posters and marketing material, but their voices do not add anything to an animated character.

There are moments where I did find myself laughing out loud, like the Minions vocalising the Universal theme song as the Universal Logo swivels around earth, at the beginning. But for the most part this is a children’s film. So expect butts, farts and pee jokes…

Minions feels like a cash grab, and a failed opportunity to make the Minions great. All the great musical numbers and popular culture references are not enough to save grace. Minions will be a box office success, but provides very little in the sense of meaningful messages for kids. If you’re torn between Minions or Inside Out, go Pixar.

TRIVIA COOKIES: References are made to the ‘fake’ moon landing. In Despicable Me, Gru is seen watching the moon landing back in 1969. The events of Minions take place in 1968. Additionally The Beatles make an appearance crossing Abbey Road. Their album was released in 1969.

The Minions speak minion-ese, which is a language created by the film makers that sounds like a mix of Spanish, Italian, French and even Korean. Spanish speaking people will laugh more in this film, since a lot of the punch-lines are delivered in Spanish by the Minions.

— brave —

*WON AN OSCAR FOR BEST ANIMATED FEATURE*

Pixar’s Brave has emotional significance to me, since it was the very first Pixar film, my wife and I watched together on the big screen. So I think it’s fitting we conclude our Pixar Series with a review to Brave.

Brave is very different to any other Pixar of Disney animated film. Although Merida is considered one of the Disney Princesses, she most certainly breaks tradition. In addition, Brave is also the first Pixar feature to be directed by a female, Brenda Chapman. She also became the first female to win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Brave represents a triumph for females whilst providing us with an interesting enough story and ground breaking animation.

The first tradition that Merida breaks is that she is the true heroine of the film. Admittedly a lot of Disney Princesses play large parts in their respective films, but most of the time they are shared with a Prince or male counterpart, and they have romantic tones. Merida is not interested in finding a suitor just yet, she has other interests that she wishes to pursue, like super accurate archery and kick-ass sword fighting. In fact for once, all the males in this film serve as supporting cast members to the real heroines, Merida and Queen Elinor. Brave highlights to us, that females can be heroes too. This is refreshing, considering that Hollywood is very much a male-driven industry. Brave is almost an invitation to female FilmMakers to make their stance. The feminist tones in brave echo George Miller’s Fury Road, in a good way.

The second tradition that Merida breaks to the Disney Princesses line-up is that she does not end up with a charming Prince and lives happy ever after. This is also fine, considering that she is barely a teenager, but it also highlights that traditions are meant to be broken sometimes. As we make progress as a society, certain old traditions must be changed, and new ones need to come forward. That is the only way that we can evolve as a race. Sometimes it amazes me of what we as a race considered OK. Females having an equal say in politics has only been a rather recent change in tradition, and perhaps more relevant is the opportunities afforded to females in the workplace. I believe in gender equality, and I also believe that Brave is a wholesome reminder that this is a relevant issue today.

I must admit that Brave is not one of my favourite Pixar instalments. Although it is a technical marvel, there are elements of the story that are lacking in emotional depth. Don’t get me wrong, the story is very creative and original, but there is a lot of focus on ‘slap-stick’ comedy, which is great if you’re seven. Where most Pixar films have a lot of adult relate-ability, Brave has more children relate-ability, which is fine, but it’s not what we are accustomed to, from Pixar. Brave is essential viewing because of the lesson we can learn from it, but is clearly not Pixar’s best.

To conclude our Pixar Series I would like to provide a couple of listings.

MY TOP 5 PIXAR FEATURES

1. Toy Story 3
2. Wall·E
3. Ratatouille
4. Toy Story
5. Inside Out

MY TOP 5 PIXAR SHORT FILMS

1. Geri’s Game
2. One Man Band
3. Lava
4. The Blue Umbrella
5. La Luna

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Pixar Series! If you have any review requests, please feel free to send me an email at filmmunch@gmail.com or just leave a comment below. Stay Tuned!

TRIVIA COOKIES: Brave is dedicated to Steve Jobs. If you notice, the only thing that Merida eats in the film are apples. Most of the time she only manages to take one bite out of the apple, a direct nod to Apple’s logo. Steve Jobs passed during the production of this film.

Pizza Plant Truck anyone?

A113 appears in roman numerals this time as ACXIII, it can be seen faintly above the door here:

— up —

*****NOMINATED FOR 5 OSCARS, WON 2*****

We hope that you have been enjoying our Pixar Series! Inside Out was so moving that it really motivated me to look back and enjoy some of PIxar’s pillars again. As much as I love Pixar, Up and tomorrows review on Brave will mark the end to the series, for now anyway, here is a list of the Pixar Series so far:

Inside Out

Lava

Ratatouille

Lifted

Walle·E

The Blue Umbrella

Story is King at Pixar. Watching an interview with John Lasseter recently, I learnt that the story creating process for Toy Story took about a year and a half. That is a substantial amount of time, considering that most live action stories are penned onto a script, and the filming takes place, not much longer after that. Then he mentioned an interesting point, with digital animation, they don’t go and animate scenes over and over again, get hours and hours of footage, and then do a final edit, that doesn’t happen with digital animation. There is one go at it, and the final edit has been basically completed even before animation begins. This process could be a possible explanation as to why Pixar is able to deliver a hit after hit.

Steve Jobs believed in this model of story-telling and was willing to invest $50MIllion of his own money, to get Pixar off the ground. In the same interview, with John Lasseter, Steve Jobs asks us the question, ‘who hasn’t seen Snow White?’ The majority of people, internationally even, know about Snow White. Snow White was released by Disney in 1937. Every time I realise that, it amazes me, and makes me realise the impact that animation does have on entire generations. Steve Jobs knew this, and he knew that the products that would come out of Pixar would live on for decades. This is so true. Toy Story will be turning 20 this November 22nd, and it still seems fresh and new. Toy Story will live on for decades to come, Inside Out will, and so will Up.

Up is no doubt up there as a truly iconic piece of cinema. Initially it was the first animated film to ever open at the Cannes Film Festival, which received a standing ovation. It was also the first animated film to be nominated for both Best Picture and Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. Toy Story 3 was the second to receive that honour. Although not taking home top prize, Up did win 2 Oscars, including Best Original Score, by Michael Giacchino, his first and only Oscar to date. The score to Up is truly moving and touching. Combined with the opening montage of Carl and Ellie’s life, wow, the hardest of individuals would have to admit to being moved by those five minutes of story telling! Interestingly only 9 film have won the Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Score. Up is the most recent to have achieved this, the others are listed here:

1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

2. Jaws

3. Star Wars: Episide IV – A New Hope

4. E.T the Extra Terrestrial

5. Beauty and the Beast

6. Aladdin

7. The English Patient

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

9. Up

Notice that a third of the features in the list are animated films? I think that is saying something. Who will be next? Needless to say Up presents to us a golden story, a story that is really different to anything that Pixar has done. This is one of the great things about Pixar, they are able to create original stories, that almost serve as a surprise each time we go to the cinemas. We have a sense that it will be good, but most of the time we really don’t know what to expect. Plots are usually kept under wraps really well, and I recall watching the previews to Up, and thinking, ‘that looks cool, a guy floating his house away with balloons, but whats the story about!?’ I was pleasantly surprised. I am sure you will be too, there are moments in this film that really get to you.

Up is a beautiful story about age and life. It also has a heartwarming message about friendships and the people we meet. In it’s own unique way, the whole thing is like a metaphor of how sometimes we allow things to hold us back from pursuing our dreams. Additionally life itself is an adventure, and embracing life to the full is a wonderful thing. Love, friendship and family are key themes explored in this artistic film, which is why Up will be a classic for decades to come, because this story is timeless and always relevant. Let Up, uplift you!

TRIVIA COOKIES: The tepui, flat mountain, of Venezuela are very similar to Paradise Falls, the place Carl and Ellie have always wanted to visit.

Can you see the Pizza Planet Truck? I love Pixar Easter Eggs!

Recognise these toys? This marks Lotso’s first appearance in the Pixar Universe.

The Pixar A113 in Up is actually courtroom A113.

Believe it or not, this is the same tree in A Bug’s Life!

— the blue umbrella —

I opened the boot of my car, and there it was, my umbrella. It’s an item that just lays around, waiting to get used, life-less. Well, not according to Pixar! The umbrella is brought to life in Pixar’s photo-realistic ShortFIlm, The Blue Umbrella. With amazing digital animation, and a sweet story, has Pixar done it again!? FilmMunch says, yes!

Saschka Unseld, an animator at Pixar is responsible for the idea behind The Blue Umbrella, a love tale, that involves rain, the city, and two adorable umbrellas. Needless to say, its a brilliant short. The animation is really like something I have never seen before. It’s extremely photo-realistic, to the point that I got to wandering if it was an actual live-action short mixed with digital animation. So, I was wrong. The Blue Umbrella is an example of what can be achieved with CGI these days, its amazing. When you compare Toy Story with this ShortFilm, it really amplifies how evolved digital animation has become. I would love to see more of this detail in all digital animation, considering that it’s possible, we just need the artists!

The lighting is amazing, causing every shadow and reflection to add so much reality to this surrounding and set. There is a catchy tune that plays during this ShortFilm, i’m actually humming it as I write this! Like most of Pixar’s ShortFilms, there is no dialogue, and the story is told visually, again, a breakdown of what cinema has become, right down to the very basics, similar to Wall·E.

I do feel as if The Blue Umbrella was also snubbed, of at least an Oscar Nomination, as was Lava. Could the fact that it was theatrically released along with Monsters University have something to do with it? Monsters University was not Pixar’s brightest moment, although the film is hilarious and holds it’s merit, in it’s own unique way, could Monsters University’s apparent lack-lustre performance shed a cloud over The Blue Umbrella, and perhaps not allowing it the attention it deserves? Say if it had been paired with Finding Nemo, perhaps a different outcome? Where is a time machine when you need one!?

Again, FilmMunch celebrates ShortFilms because they represent the little guy/girl trying to express their art form, and it’s were most great film makers have started off. Regardless of how successful the feature following the short, they all deserve to be critically examined separately.

The technologies that have been developed by Pixar are highlighted so elegantly in The Blue Umbrella, and warrant due credit. The Blue Umbrella will make you smile, and make you smile every time you open your umbrella henceforth!

TRIVIA COOKIE: Apparently the famous Pizza Planet Truck can be found in this ShortFilm. I have looked and look, but haven’t been able to find it, perhaps you have? Since this short is so perfectly edited, there are frames so minute in duration, that it’s easy to miss!

— wall•e —

******NOMINATED FOR 6 OSCARS, WON 1******

If it wasn’t for the Toy Story trilogy, Wall•E would be my favorite Pixar film. Now with the release of Inside Out, I feel that Wall•E has some competition! If Wall•E was relevant back in 2008, it is ever more meaningful and essential today, and it’s a film that everyone should watch and take seriously, because Wall•E is probably Pixar’s boldest, gutsiest and most ambitious film yet.

To prepare, Andrew Stanton and the Pixar team working on this film, watched all of the feature length and short films made by Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton, everyday, during lunch for over a year and a half. All this, to inspired the possibilities of pure visual storytelling. This is interesting since, Wall•E for the most part plays like a silent film. The first conversation between Wall•E and Eve takes place about 22minutes into the film, and the first human dialogue is a whole 40minutes in. I think this is wonderful. Cinema was born as a silent art form. Pure visual. For Pixar to go back to the very basics and make a film that echoes the birth of cinema is truly grand, and that is why Wall•E stands out as one of the best films ever made!

One of the things that really stands out is how realistic this film looks and feels. Although it’s technically post-apocalyptic and sci-fi, the design and animation team have really come up with a look that almost feels tangible. To assist the ‘film-look’, things that seem normal in a live action film, like lens flare, focus displacement and focus pulling, are used here, in animation, I mean, who does that!? Pixar does. The attention to detail is phenomenal. The close ups on Wall•E are my favorite of any robot inspired film, the modular design to him is also great. Wall•E is one slick robot, and his mannerism and binocular looking eyes are what give him character. It makes me so excited to see how Pixar has managed to give a robot, so much life and personality! And then there’s Eve…

If Wall•E is slick, then Eve is just, ‘wow’, just ask Wall•E! As some of you may know, Steve Jobs had a close relationship with Pixar up until his sad passing. Almost in homage style, Wall•E has numerous Apple references. The most interesting one is Eve. I didn’t know this until recently, but Eve was designed by non other than Johnathan Ive himself! Eve sure does look like an Apple product! Also the sound that Wall•E makes when he is completely solar-recharged, is the boot up sound to most Macs, which would be very familiar to most of you. Wall•E watches Hello, Dolly on an iPod Classic and Autopilot’s voice is powered by Apple’s text to speech program, MacinTalk. It really is great to find out these intriguing details, which also reveal how, everything that Pixar does has so much meaning behind it!

While we’re on the subject of homages, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odessey features prominently in Wall•E too. The red dot appearance of Autopilot is similar to Hal 9000, and so is his ‘personality’. Apparently Wall•E’s pet cockroach was nicknamed Hal, by the Pixar team.

What makes Wall•E so meaningful is the profound and yet simple message that it delivers. In some of the promotional spots, Wall•E replaces the traditional bulb on the hopping Pixar Lamp with a more environmentally friendly bulb. Wall•E is telling us to love our Earth, it’s our home. We’re all responsible, and we can all do our bit, to make sure we still have, a home. The events of Wall•E take place in 2805, which is a long ways away, but how shameful would it be, if our home was a garbage wasteland!? Wall•E is an appropriate hyperbole of what we are in danger of becoming, if we don’t make change happen. Never has a film been more blunt and direct about this, and that’s why I say that Wall•E is a gutsy film. When was the last time a film had such a strong message, and proved to be simultaneously entertaining?

Another wonderful message found in this film, is that love always finds a way. The editing and subtle score, really make you feel a lot for Wall•E and Eve, and somehow you believe the romance, you feel the romance. I honestly can’t not give this film more praise, it’s a gem, it’s a masterpiece. Please let Wall·E bring out the romantic in you!

TRIVIA COOKIES: Andrew Stanton has been garnished with 2 Oscars, first for Finding Nemo and secondly for Wall·E. We can expect him to return to the director’s chair in the upcoming sequel to Finding Nemo, Finding Dory.

Recognise this truck?

Seen this number before? A113 plays a slightly more prominent part in Wall·E, and appears at least 3 times, that I counted anyway…

Seen this toy before?

— lifted —

*NOMINATED FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM*

Along with the theatrical release of Ratatouille, Lifted was the ShortFilm that played before it. Although this ShortFilm lacks the emotional depth of Lava, it still manages to make me laugh each time I watch it! Welcome, as we continue to celebrate some of Pixar’s work, in conjunction with the anticipated release of Inside Out.

Gary Rydstrom is a Sound Mixer extraordinaire. He has won 7 Academy Award, interestingly enough he was garnished with two of these most coveted golden statues, with his Sound abilities for Jurassic Park, also for Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Titanic and Saving Private Ryan. Needless to say he is good at what he does, and with his upcoming project, we can expect to hear some amazing Sound Effects for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, later this year.

Gary Rydstrom has worked closely with Pixar, since the beginning, and it’s fitting that he get the opportunity to Direct a ShortFilm of his own. Lifted is about a couple of aliens, Mr. B and Stu. Mr. B is named after all those teachers that always mark there students with a ‘B’, regardless of how good the work is. I think we all had one of those teachers at one point or another. Stu is taking an alien abduction test, because he is an alien, so it’s a thing he needs to know how to do, right? This is a cute and funny story, and worth checking out, it’s sure to make you laugh. Have you ever seen one of those massive Sound Mixing boards, with like, a million and one switches? The ‘switch board’ that Stu is using to abduct was inspired by such Sound Mixing boards, courtesy of Sound Genius Gary Rydstrom.

Gary’s Sound Effects for Lifted are fantastic, and the sound effects are what make this non-dialogue piece so engaging, in addition the animation is elegant. Interesting tid-bit, the aliens form, is based on hair styling gel!

This ShortFilm is relatable because we have all had to go through the process of learning something. It also highlights in a comedic tone the frustration that we all grow through, perhaps, especially through our teen years. Plus we’ve all had to do something, or perform a process, in front of a supervisor or instructor, and we all know how particularly painful that can be. Whenever someone is watching me do something, I can feel my face go tomato red, and sweat beads start to drip down my forehead, and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll make some sort of silly mistake! So there is a lot we can relate to in the character of Stu, and what he’s going through with Mr. B.

Lifted’s punch moment is touching and memorable. It’s a celebration of the mentor-student relationship, plus who doesn’t want to see the inside of an alien space craft!?

TRIVIA COOKIES: Lifted was nominated for Best Animated Short Film, but did not win.

A toy from one of Pixar’s first ShortFilms, Tin Toy, can be seen under the bed of the unfortunate soul that is being abducted by the aliens, a cool easter egg from Pixar:

— ratatouille —

*****NOMINATED FOR 5 OSCARS, WON 1*****

To celebrate the release of Pixar’s Inside Out, here at FilmMunch, we are going to review some of Pixar’s Feature Films and ShortFilms, so welcome to The Pixar Series!

I do not know how many times I have seen Ratatouille, it’s one of those films that always has a grand feeling about it, and feels fresh each time it’s viewed. You don’t need me to tell you how good it is, for those that have seen it, but for those that haven’t seen it, I hope this review will serve as encouragement, because Ratatouille is one of the best animated features ever!

Ratatouille really marked a shift in the Pixar filmography. Perhaps the first noticeable change was the colour and lighting. Ratatouille makes use of very romantic lighting, whilst at the same time keeping the colour palette relatively dark. There are a lot of blacks in this film, and shades of black, very different to anything else Pixar had made up to this point. Consider Toy Story, very plastic and toy based colours, A Bug’s Life was full of greens and purples. Finding Nemo, oranges and ocean blues. With Ratatouille you can tell that the artistic team really challenged themselves, to animate the most authentic version of this tale. The elegant mix between light and darkness produces a beautiful result, and Paris has never looked this good! Food has never looked this good! Ratatouille’s cinematography is genius.

With Monster’s Inc. Pixar had managed to master the animation of hair, not just head hair, but particularly fur. The scene where Sully falls on the mountain side, and he get’s covered in snow, and the blizzard blasts his fur, in this particular moment Pixar stands out as CGI animating royalty, because it really looks surreal! With Ratatouille, it was a wonderful opportunity for these amazing artists to challenge themselves again, considering Remy, the main protagonist in this film, is a rat. I think Remy gets saturated in water about 5 or 6 times in this film, and each time, the animation of the water, and the water-look is phenomenal. All good artists challenge themselves. Ratatouille is a technical marvel!

Remy is a rat, who wants to cook, this is the premise for this film, seems wild at first glance, but this film is one of the few that can make you cry because of joy, as opposed to sadness. Joy is such a core emotion, that has potential to express itself through tears, but is an expression level, rarely attained, Ratatouille has the power to get you there. It doesn’t matter if you don’t enjoy cooking, but the message is clear, “if you want to be an artist, what is stopping you!?” Whatever it is that we are passionate about, Remy inspires us to keep at it. Collete, the only female chef in Gusteau’s kitchen, inspires us to keep striving in our art, whatever it may been, regardless of the setbacks of silly ‘traditions’. No matter who we are, if we have passion for our art, we can perform, we can express our creativity, we can be like Remy!

Michael Giannchino received his first Oscar Nomination for best score, for his work on Ratatouille. Ratatouille’s Original Soundtrack is fantastic. It’s the score to this film that elates you and makes you want to get up and dance around the room, never has a film been so profound and ever so well-rounded. It is essential viewing because of it’s originality and loveable characters. Please, let Ratatouille inspire you!

TRIVIA COOKIES: Peter O’Toole delivers an amazing performance as Anton Ego. Anton Ego’s final critical review of Gusteau’s restaurant is the pinnacle moment of this film, and is one of my favourite scenes of all time!

In typical Pixar fashion there are awesome easter eggs hidden for our enjoyment. I am going to highlight three for you, but I am sure there are others! Up was an upcoming feature, and Pixar has a habit of teasing us with an easter egg pointing at one of their next film, notice who’s shadow this is?

Pixar also includes a reference to the classroom A113 in all it’s films, and this is where it appears in Ratatouille:

If you look closely enough you can see the Pizza Planet truck on the bridge:

— lava —

Most of you Pixar fans would be aware that Pixar always graces us with an entertaining ShortFilm before each feature, and if you’re heading to the cinemas this coming week to enjoy Inside Out, you will also be pleasantly surprised with Lava!

This short is only 7 minutes long, but, boy, is it touching! Watching it, I was reminded of Up and how that Pixar film made me weep in the first 5 minutes. Lava, feels a little like this, its sweet and lovely. The story is told musically, which is always exciting, because music can really get to core emotions and Lava most certainly achieves this, almost effortlessly. I promise you will be humming this tune after you leave the cinemas, it’s that catchy! Perhaps my favourite moment is a time lapse sequence that is so perfectly animated, it’s stunning to say the least! Thank you for your art Mr. Murphy!

James Ford Murphy has been a core member of the Pixar team, from the very beginning. He is now head of Animation at Pixar, so he has a large artistic influence on everything Pixar that we see. I think it’s great that he has had the opportunity to direct a ShortFilm, and his work is short of impeccable. You can really feel the love for music that he has, since he wrote the song, that also serves as a narration for this volcanic-tale. I have also learnt that Murphy also performs the ukulele for this short.

In an interview he revealed that the idea was born from his love of Hawaii, and the inspiring volcanic regions. It was in Hawaii that he purchased his first ukulele and managed to teach himself how to play it, no doubt drawing from his guitar abilities. It was here that he also stumbled on Kuana Torres Kahele, who was eventually cast as Uku, the singing volcano. In addition Napua Greig voices Lele, another singing volcano. All this Hawaii influence give this ShortFilm a sense of authenticity, and I strongly believe this is why it feels so deep and meaningful.

Lava was actually released in 2014 at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival. It was eligible for an Oscar, and was submitted, but did not get shortlisted. John Lasseter was not happy about this, and this also means that Lava will not be up for an Oscar, even though it is being theatrically released in front of Inside Out. Feast took the coveted prize last year, and my money is on Pixar’s upcoming short Sanjay’s Super Team, which will feature in front of The Good Dinosaur.

Enjoy Lava and Inside out!

TRIVIA COOKIE: Uku’s face is a combination of Jackie Gleeson’s face and Marc Anthony The Bulldog from the 1952 ShortFilm, Feed The Kitty. Most certainly sources of inspiration from James Ford Murphy.