You can't blame Pixar for anything really. It's tough to find things, but honestly they're there. I think with The Good Dinosaur, the studio's biggest pitfalls are what have made them become the powerhouse that they are today.
The film follows Arlo--the runt of the litter of talking dinosaurs--as he tries to discover what his true mark on this earth is. After a series of events finds him extremely far from home, he must figure out his way back with the unbidden assistance of a feral child, Spot, who is actually inadvertently responsible for a few tragedies in Arlo's life already.
With that said, The Good Dinosaur is the most Pixar-iest Pixar movie thus far. So much so that it's becoming increasingly more obvious what they're doing and why they're doing it with each film that comes along. And more than any, this one follows all of Pixar's signature moves: the long journey home, the unlikeliest of friends, the seldom-present antagonist. And then they include their signature Dumbo effect, where they just hand you a character who is so cute that you can't help but love them--and, in turn, the movie.
This one's a "journey home film" in the strictest way possible--not really playing around with that concept a whole lot like they do with Toy Story or Wall-E. Of the 16 films made by Pixar over the last 20 years, I'd say all but three of them are about the characters finding his or her way back home. And I understand why, because it's easier to find conflict. Throughout the film, there is mishap after mishap, without much room to breathe or develop it's own organic voice. I wouldn't say it's predictable, but it does have a tendency to be by-the-numbers a bit.
It also may be the weirdest Pixar movie to date. In one scene, we see Spot literally rip the head off of a live bug that's the same size as he is.
But it's not to say that I didn't like this movie, because it's actually very pleasant. I mean, he humor is just middle of the road--I probably laughed the least amount out of any Pixar film. But I was also smiling throughout a lot of it. Also, the visuals are spectacular--a triumph in its own right.
The depth of the characters are another highlight, as they are relatable to both children and adults. Arlo is likable, but not Disney perfect. He shows hints of selfishness and stubbornness, which round him out well.
You'll hear pleasant echoes of City Slickers, which is perhaps the movie's most unique quality. It's not as tight nit as you would expect. It starts off painfully slow, but mostly picks up after about 30 minutes. Also, there is not a lot of tonal balance found. It makes jarring leaps between comedy and sheer terror in a few instances.
We see your road movie, Pixar. We're just curious if you're using it as a fallback now. Try moving away from it more often. 2012's Brave was awesome. It felt like one of the most unique films to come out of that studio.
While The Good Dinosaur is actually a really good movie, and I like it way better than Inside Out (yeah, for real), I still think that Pixar can do a whole lot better. At least with this film I can watch it multiple times and not get frustrated doing so.
In staying the same, it's safe to say that Pixar has devolved a little bit with The Good Dinosaur, but nonetheless, it's still way better off than what most other studios serve up as their animated offerings.
Twizard Rating: 91
Pixar may have outdone themselves conceptually with Inside Out--which isn't necessarily a good thing. While I definitely appreciate its uniqueness, it's quite heavy for a kids movie. Sure, your children will be into the bright colors and anthropomorphizing their feelings, but everything else will go WAY over their heads. In fact, I personally was feeling anxiety trying to comprehend its involved concepts. With such a deep premise, it leaves itself open for a lot of over-analysis. Sometimes simplicity is underrated.
Inside Out shows us inside 11-year-old Riley's mind. Her emotions--Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust--help her make decisions and act upon the world around her. The film takes a look inside a child's mind and gives them the true benefit of the doubt.
The story begins at Riley's birth when, in a control room inside her mind, the emotions are learning their role as her conscience. However, when Riley gets older and life starts to change, the emotions panic and have to learn a lot about themselves as well.
At the beginning I became claustrophobic inside the control room of Riley's mind. But I do have to say that the anxiety of the first half was the worst part of this movie. The second half ventured outside the main headquarters and was much smoother. It played very much in line with Pixar's finding-your-way-home modus operandi used in many of their films.
But the uneven narrative isn't the only thing that doesn't work well. While there are some similarities to Toy Story, the comparison doesn't favor this film. The dialogue isn't as finely tuned and some jokes fall flat. I grew tired of some of the puns. It's not far enough separated from our world for the puns to feel creative enough.
Also, the characters aren't as lovable. While you do have Joy (Amy Poehler), who is a happy-go-lucky caretaker of Riley, the nature of the others makes them more annoying. It's not enough to say that I only like Joy, but that I don't really like the other emotion characters either. Disgust (Mindy Kaling) feels like an unnecessary 5th character. They would have been better off with just four--Joy, Sadness, Anger, and Fear. Disgust is more of a hybrid emotion. If they're going to have Disgust, why not also have Pride or Anxiety or Humbleness? But of course I'm more critical because it's a Pixar film. If it were made by Blue Sky or Dreamworks I would have probably set the bar lower in the first place.
It's awesome when we finally get to see the world outside of the control room. The mock-movie set where Riley's dreams are produced is brilliant; along with the cellar of the subconscious, where all of her deepest fears get locked up. Another highlight is the presence of Riley's former imaginary friend, Bing Bong, who cries candy.
Honestly I really do like the film though. It's filled with great themes and messages for younger people. It teaches us that sometimes we have to look inside of ourselves for the answers. And without sadness we might not get to experience all of the joy.
What I find interesting is the depth expressed of a character who isn't even seen a whole lot (Riley).
It's refreshing to see a movie--especially an animated one--that's not cliche in its premise. The second half of the film is better than most movies' entire 3 act structure. I just wish that the first half of this one had been more enjoyable.
Like I said, I did like the film. It's just that it may be at the bottom of my Pixar list with Cars 2--but that's not a bad list to be on in the first place.
Twizard Rating: 93
