![]() ![]() Not surprisingly, Lightyear looks terrific, and it’s got some really funny moments - most of them provided by Sox, Buzz’s faithful robot cat. This origin story follows the adventures of Buzz (now voiced by Chris Evans) as he works with a ragtag bunch of recruits to defeat alien invaders on a distant planet. This is not, inherently, a terrible idea: What if Pixar actually made the movie that first got kids in the ’90s psyched about Buzz Lightyear toys? What would that movie look like? What kind of character would Buzz be? Unfortunately, Lightyear is a letdown, not only because it doesn’t satisfyingly answer those questions, but because it’s not an especially great ’90s action movie in its own right - or, conversely, a sharp parody of one. It’s not so much bad as it is deeply dispiriting. And from Randy Newman’s by-the-numbers score to every single one of Mater’s tired quips, Cars 3 plays out like a rival studio’s lukewarm attempt to mimic Pixar’s magic. There isn’t one interesting new character, despite the effort from Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, and Chris Cooper as Lightning’s cranky new trainer. But where at least Cars 2 consciously tried to go in a radically different direction, Cars 3 feels like a tame holding pattern, providing the race sequences and heartwarming homilies that were rampant in the first film - except without the same level of inspiration. Yes, the dopey Tow Mater is, blessedly, back on the periphery where he belongs while Lightning (Owen Wilson) squares off with two new foes: a sleek race car named Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) and, more imposingly, the growing realization that he’s not the king of the track anymore. Not exactly a high bar … and we’re not even convinced this film gets over it. The worst you can say is that, at this point, Pixar is fighting a losing battle trying to live up to its own glorious past.Įarly reviews of Cars 3 praised the latest installment in the Lightning McQueen saga for, essentially, not being Cars 2, the only Pixar film to receive a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some of these movies work better than others, but all of them are trying to do something special - even if, in recent years, it seems like the studio’s magic has started to wane. We tried to keep context in mind - Toy Story had an ability to blow your mind in 1995 the way nothing could today - and also ambition: In the world of children’s entertainment, nothing has set Pixar apart more than its burning desire not to coast or mail it in. None of these movies is bad, but when you’ve made 27 films, one of them has to be No. Trying to rank all 27 Pixar feature films in order of quality is like trying to rank your children by how much you love them. This previously published story has been updated to include Elemental. "Good Will Hunting" is a good production, with solid craftsmanship in all departments - thanks to the creativity of Damon and Affleck.Photo-Illustration: Vulture Photos: Disney/Pixar, Moviestore/Shutterstock, Disney/Pixar/Kobal/Shutterstock These are two talented young men, with perseverance and how wonderful for them to have achieved such success while still youthful and full of vitality. Still, one can't really call it luck, for both Damon and Affleck "paid their dues" - and success did not just fall into their laps. The story behind getting the script sold and produced on the terms of the writers' preferences is fascinating. While the basic situation is really quite far-fetched, it is made to seem plausible-again, the mark of good, convincing writing. This is a real tribute to the cast, director, and of course, the script. What is rather remarkable is that one isn't aware of the dramatic limitations comprising the structure. What "Hunting" essentially consists of is some two dozen conversational scenes, bridged together with short transitions of physical activity. Yet, the casting is so well done, and the acting at such good level, that interest is nicely maintained. ![]() The introduction and exposition sections are enormously engrossing, after which script peaks and rather coasts along the rest of the way. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck scored quite a success with their interesting and entertaining script. ![]()
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