THE CRITIC-AL LIST
Reviews by Alan Jones
5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH

Salt
The Expendables
The Last Airbender
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Inception
Predators
The Twilight Saga:Eclipse
Toy Story 3
Hot Tub Time Machine
Iron Man 2
Repo Men
The Collector
Clash of the Titans
Shelter
How To Train Your Dragon
Kick-Ass
Shutter Island
Alice In Wonderland
The Crazies
Case 39
The Wolfman
Legion
The Lovely Bones
Black Death
Daybreakers
Avatar
Ninja Assassin
The Descent: Part 2
Amer
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Box
2012
Disney's A Christmas Carol
The Horseman
Solomon Kane
Pandorum
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
District 9
An Education
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra
Orphan
A Perfect Getaway
The Imaginarium Of
Doctor Parnassus
Up
Harry Potter
And The Half-Blood Prince
The Taking of Pelham 123
Transformers
The Revenge Of The Fallen
Antichrist
Terminator Salvation
Last House On The Left
Inglorious Basterds
Angels & Demons
Adventureland
Star Trek
Crank: High Voltage
Coraline
Dragonball Evolution
Let The Right One In
Drag Me To Hell
Race to Witch Mountain
Knowing
Monsters Vs. Aliens
Not Quite Hollywood
Lesbian Vampire Killers
Martyrs
The Children
Surveillance
Watchmen
The Unborn
The International
Friday The 13th
Franklyn
Push
Punisher:War Zone
The Good The Bad And
The Weird
Hush
Underworld
The Rise OF The Lycans
My Bloody Valentine
Bolt
Slumdog Millionaire

Directed by Lee Unkrich. Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Jodi Benson, Ned Beatty, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton. Animation, USA.

The bright glow of originality may have dimmed slightly, but Pixar’s third rummage in the toy box is still an expert blend of slapstick fun and heartfelt adventure with serious themes and well-balanced humour. 

Lee Unkrich, the co-director of TOY STORY 2, MONSTERS INC. and FINDING NEMO, is entrusted with the solo directing credit on the second sequel to Pixar’s 1995 CGI animation landmark. He doesn’t disappoint with this 11th sure-fire hit in a row from a studio that has done so much to elevate and extend the art form.  Unkrich’s clever and colourful charmer finds Andy departing for college and facing adulthood. Through a series of accidents his beloved old playthings don’t get taken into the attic as planned but end up in the Sunnyside Day Care centre ruled by a repressive toy regime consigning them to age-inappropriate man-handling by untamed tots with very sticky fingers. It’s Woody to the rescue in a sweet, exciting and engrossing take on prison break movies making homage to everything from THE GREAT ESCAPE to THE SHAWSHANK RESEMPTION. Its underlying message about embracing life’s transitions leads to an unexpectedly moving and tear-inducing finale too. All the familiar faces (and vocal talent to match) are on comforting hand with a whole range of new characters really adding novelty to the crèche menagerie. The best being plush teddy bear villain Lotso (Ned Beatty), his very creepy sidekick Big Baby – whose staring at the moon will induce shudders - and the Shakespearean luvvie hedgehog Mr Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton).  Other hilarious highlights include Barbie torturing newfound boyfriend Ken into revealing key information by ripping up his vintage 60s outfits and Buzz Lightyear switched to Spanish language mode meaning funny flamenco frenzy. The climactic landfill thrill is a spectacular set piece enhanced by the 3D presentation, although just like UP, that extra-added dimensional aspect is merely embellishment not a real necessity for total enjoyment.  The bottom line is TOY STORY 3 delivers exactly what it’s supposed to with some truly appealing fringe benefits.

As ever Pixar prologue their main attraction with another fabulous short, in this instance, Teddy Newton’s amazing DAY & NIGHT. It’s a truly exceptional combo of dark and light, classic 2D and contemporary 3D animation, character shading and superior landscaping and conceptual cleverness. 

Alan Jones

© London FrightFest Ltd. 2000-2010
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