Sunday 27 August 2017

What I love about PIXAR

  I don't think it is hidden at all on here that I am a major PIXAR dork but I don't think that I have ever written a blog post on PIXAR as a whole rather than just one or a few of the films. Out of every PIXAR film they have released there is only one that I feel is lacking in terms of what PIXAR are capable of, and going from how they didn't even mention it in Cars 3 I think they probably agree on that.
  The main thing that I love about PIXAR is how different they are. Up until recently (although not really that recently now) they only made original stories created by their team into films. I'm honestly so bored of adaptations and remakes and I know that more often than not when PIXAR releases a film it will be an original story that I have never heard of before. Of course it is hard to make original pieces these days and everywhere has there inspiration but the team at PIXAR are just the most creative team to have ever existed. Of course I realise that they have been making more sequels in recent years (although only one of which I don't think was necessary). Out of eighteen films released since 1995 only six are sequels which I think is so impressive compared to other film studios (especially animation studios).
  The animation of course is superb. This is the company that changed animation as a whole, well in the western film making world anyway. A large percentage of animated films are now 3D CGI animation, which I have a love/hate relationship with but for the most part I'm cool with. I just wish that companies outside of Japan would use traditional animation more often (talking to you Disney). PIXAR changed animation not for the better but definitely not for the worse. The animation of PIXAR films has just gotten better and better over the years. They clearly put so much effort into really thinking about how their films will look in a cinematic way. Animation is beautiful and my favourite film medium and PIXAR are just one of the best for it.
  To be honest the only thing I don't like is how their innovations in animation has changed the animation world for the most part. I miss traditional animation, or just 2D animation. Which is probably why I have fallen so hard for anime TV series and films. But again, I don't think the change was bad, it's just that I miss 2D animation from Disney.

Just for fun, here are my top five PIXAR films in case you wanted to know:

  1. Toy Story
  2. Wall-E
  3. Toy Story 2
  4. Inside Out
  5. UP
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Sunday 6 August 2017

Dunkirk (Nolan, 2017)

  A very thoughtful adaptation of the events that happened at Dunkirk during WWII. Synopsis time, ok. This is a multiple narrative film, it doesn't focus on any one character in particular but the narratives (like most multiple narrative films) do intertwine and the characters pretty much all end up together through the series of events that unfold throughout the film. It is split into three parts, the earth, the air, and the sea. Each part has a few key characters played by notable actors for the most part.
  The acting is superb, probably the best thing about the film is the performances of everyone because they are very powerful. They manage to communicate a lot just through their facial expressions instead of words as this film has very few words to be honest. The music is key to enhancing the atmosphere that is created through their performances. Hans Zimmer truly did such a good job creating an intense atmosphere where you're strangely calm but still on edge because you know it isn't over yet but nothing is happening in the moment. The cinematography was superb but really what else do you expect from Christopher Nolan, all his films are cinematically beautiful, so that one is kind of a given.
  I don't really have any complaints, although my Dad had many complaints about the plane at the end which apparently was clearly a model and not real. Also, there were many shots that were familiar to both of us, they are very similar to Battle of Britain.
 Overall, I liked the film and think that people should go to see it. However, it is not a traditional summer blockbuster that is 'enjoyable'. I don't entirely understand why they released it now instead of around remembrance day. There isn't any WWII 'celebration' type days or anniversaries at the moment so I'm confused by the release date that they picked. It kind of makes it seem like they just want to make money by releasing it in the summer (I realise that of course they want to make money, it's just that it doesn't seem very thoughtful to release it without a corresponding WWII anniversary if it's dedicated to the troops that were there). I liked it and would highly recommend that you see it as it is very different to a lot of wartime epics that already exist. This is a story that hasn't been told very many times, it is also a British film so that makes me very happy (although maybe thats why it's original).

Rating: 4 out of 5

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