Somebody on Twitter remarked about it being too bad that John Lasseter seems to have been Pixar's secret sauce. That's not an argument for overlooking his transgressions or anything, but they have lost their way since he left.
Luca surprised me. I had low expectations based on the trailers, but I found it affecting in ways that hadn't happened with many other recent Pixar films. I probably enjoyed it the most of any since Cars 3 (another pleasant surprise). Luca (the character) dealt with overcoming timidity and self-doubt in a relatable way, but the real surprise was Alberto. There was an unexpected spotlight given to finding himself the third wheel ... the joy of a close friendship followed by the desperation felt at the betrayal when it seemed discarded. His hyper independence was caused by people repeatedly letting him down and traumatically injuring his ability to trust. These were not things I was expecting from this film that seemed like it was going to be a simple summer romp.
One of the rare fun things that happened during the pandemic for me has been my boys' response to Hamilton (9, 8, and 6 yo). I started by playing them the music on long car rides, and they eventually asked to watch the musical. They loved it so much they demanded to show it to Mom, and the soundtrack was the only thing we listened to on the way to school for months. For that reason I am really excited to watch In the Heights with them.
I am probably a weird case but I adored Luca so much. Something about the friendships just really sung to my soul. That being said, The Good Dinosaur is one of my absolute favourite Pixar efforts so take me with a grain of salt.
So does Disney + not have the ‘Star’ add on in the States? I just assumed they did that everywhere. Where does all the Fox stuff stream over there?
I’m in Ireland and we generally get an odd mix of stuff on our streaming services as there’s only a handful available here. So lots of Warner TV stuff seems to be split between Amazon and Netflix, Star Trek Discovery is Netflix too as we don't have Paramount’s service here.
It’s definitely weird to be able to watch something like Solar Opposites on a Disney branded service but to be honest if they hadn’t started adding Fox stuff I don’t think I would have paid for it. Not that the ‘Star/Fox’ stuff is all that great, just that Disney by itself wasn’t enough of a draw.
They have some really weird gaps as well, you can watch Die Hard 2, 3 and 4 but not 1, coz really, that’s the one you’d leave off….. (I’m assuming it’s a territory rights thing and someone else currently has DH1). The streaming world is a basket case.
Also Drew, Fuck You Panda?!🤣 now all I want is a movie where Jack Black voices a Panda that goes around screaming ‘Fuck You’ at people.
Streaming is a weird world for sure. We have Star here in Canada as well which thankfully includes DH1. The globalization of media seems to have pre-empted the globalization of broadcast rights.
I had similar reactions to In the Heights. I enjoyed and admired it and was surprised and moved by the ending. I just wished I loved it. Part of that is because it was clear to me early on that I needed to have those subtitles to help me appreciate the complexity and playfulness of the lyrics. I went home and switched them on on HBO Max and was happy I had that option instantly available. Same with Hamilton. Not missing a word helps a lot. I realized that when I got the cast album for Sweeney Todd the instant it came out. As a Sondheim buff I couldn't understand why I wasn't being wrapped up in the story the first time or two I tried playing the CD, Then I grabbed those bulky liner notes and read along with the lyrics and the full experience hit me. Still my favorite stage musical.
Watching In the Heights at the theater, as much as I was enjoying it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wouldn't be revisiting it like I do Singing in the Rain which I have seen dozens of times and can view an infinite times more. It was also unfair of me to compare the two because they are completely different experiences. In the Heights is going to be more like West Side Story for me as a film I'll enjoy every few years which is how I feel about most Broadway adaptations.
Another experience I just recalled was how overcome with joy I was at times during Woody Allen's Everyone Says I love You. I remember tears coming down my cheeks to see fully staged musical numbers in a movie musical. Now, not everything works in that film but the simplicity of the staging of the hospital number or the dance with Woody and Goldie Hawn along the riverbank still delight me.
I'll likely see Luca someday but the Pixar spell was broken for me when I saw their dinosaur movie (Whatever It Was Called) in the theater. I never thought they would make a lousy film but there it was. Then Monsters University (or whatever) failed to make me smile. I got off the train, even though I loved Coco and I'm sure I'll love Soul, I'm having a hard time going back. Did we lose the magic when we lost John Lasseter? I don't know if there's a connection or not.
Not to downplay MeToo but I'm not sure Captain Jack Harkness needs to be banished because John Barrowman did what Milton Berle legendarily did every chance he had for decades as was shared on talk shows ad infinitum.
Somebody on Twitter remarked about it being too bad that John Lasseter seems to have been Pixar's secret sauce. That's not an argument for overlooking his transgressions or anything, but they have lost their way since he left.
Luca surprised me. I had low expectations based on the trailers, but I found it affecting in ways that hadn't happened with many other recent Pixar films. I probably enjoyed it the most of any since Cars 3 (another pleasant surprise). Luca (the character) dealt with overcoming timidity and self-doubt in a relatable way, but the real surprise was Alberto. There was an unexpected spotlight given to finding himself the third wheel ... the joy of a close friendship followed by the desperation felt at the betrayal when it seemed discarded. His hyper independence was caused by people repeatedly letting him down and traumatically injuring his ability to trust. These were not things I was expecting from this film that seemed like it was going to be a simple summer romp.
One of the rare fun things that happened during the pandemic for me has been my boys' response to Hamilton (9, 8, and 6 yo). I started by playing them the music on long car rides, and they eventually asked to watch the musical. They loved it so much they demanded to show it to Mom, and the soundtrack was the only thing we listened to on the way to school for months. For that reason I am really excited to watch In the Heights with them.
I am probably a weird case but I adored Luca so much. Something about the friendships just really sung to my soul. That being said, The Good Dinosaur is one of my absolute favourite Pixar efforts so take me with a grain of salt.
I don’t see a new article Tuesday as promised. The overpromising here is getting pretty frustrating.
So does Disney + not have the ‘Star’ add on in the States? I just assumed they did that everywhere. Where does all the Fox stuff stream over there?
I’m in Ireland and we generally get an odd mix of stuff on our streaming services as there’s only a handful available here. So lots of Warner TV stuff seems to be split between Amazon and Netflix, Star Trek Discovery is Netflix too as we don't have Paramount’s service here.
It’s definitely weird to be able to watch something like Solar Opposites on a Disney branded service but to be honest if they hadn’t started adding Fox stuff I don’t think I would have paid for it. Not that the ‘Star/Fox’ stuff is all that great, just that Disney by itself wasn’t enough of a draw.
They have some really weird gaps as well, you can watch Die Hard 2, 3 and 4 but not 1, coz really, that’s the one you’d leave off….. (I’m assuming it’s a territory rights thing and someone else currently has DH1). The streaming world is a basket case.
Also Drew, Fuck You Panda?!🤣 now all I want is a movie where Jack Black voices a Panda that goes around screaming ‘Fuck You’ at people.
Love reading your work, keep doing what you do.
Streaming is a weird world for sure. We have Star here in Canada as well which thankfully includes DH1. The globalization of media seems to have pre-empted the globalization of broadcast rights.
I had similar reactions to In the Heights. I enjoyed and admired it and was surprised and moved by the ending. I just wished I loved it. Part of that is because it was clear to me early on that I needed to have those subtitles to help me appreciate the complexity and playfulness of the lyrics. I went home and switched them on on HBO Max and was happy I had that option instantly available. Same with Hamilton. Not missing a word helps a lot. I realized that when I got the cast album for Sweeney Todd the instant it came out. As a Sondheim buff I couldn't understand why I wasn't being wrapped up in the story the first time or two I tried playing the CD, Then I grabbed those bulky liner notes and read along with the lyrics and the full experience hit me. Still my favorite stage musical.
Watching In the Heights at the theater, as much as I was enjoying it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wouldn't be revisiting it like I do Singing in the Rain which I have seen dozens of times and can view an infinite times more. It was also unfair of me to compare the two because they are completely different experiences. In the Heights is going to be more like West Side Story for me as a film I'll enjoy every few years which is how I feel about most Broadway adaptations.
Another experience I just recalled was how overcome with joy I was at times during Woody Allen's Everyone Says I love You. I remember tears coming down my cheeks to see fully staged musical numbers in a movie musical. Now, not everything works in that film but the simplicity of the staging of the hospital number or the dance with Woody and Goldie Hawn along the riverbank still delight me.
I'll likely see Luca someday but the Pixar spell was broken for me when I saw their dinosaur movie (Whatever It Was Called) in the theater. I never thought they would make a lousy film but there it was. Then Monsters University (or whatever) failed to make me smile. I got off the train, even though I loved Coco and I'm sure I'll love Soul, I'm having a hard time going back. Did we lose the magic when we lost John Lasseter? I don't know if there's a connection or not.
Not to downplay MeToo but I'm not sure Captain Jack Harkness needs to be banished because John Barrowman did what Milton Berle legendarily did every chance he had for decades as was shared on talk shows ad infinitum.
I veered way off subject. Sorry.