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The Vow

A saccharine and paint-by-numbers slice of romance, which is largely boosted by the appeal of its two leads.

Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (3D)

The under-utilised 3D adds little to this prequel, which only serves as a sore reminder of the brilliance of the original films.

Any Questions For Ben?

The talented bunch of actors ably cut through the surface gloss, but it’s tough to remain invested in the plight of the self-absorbed lead.

Shame

It starts off as brutal but arresting stuff, and the two lead performances are scorching, but disappointingly dissolves into a case of tragedy for the sake of tragedy.

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Toy Story 1 And 2 3-D Double Feature (Film)

by Brian Duff | January 19, 2010 13:10 | Edited January 19, 2010 13:11

Restrained use of 3-D animation only enhances the magic of the originals. Bring on Toy Story 3.

Heading to the cinema to see a film that one could watch for free at home requires a certain experiential quality (a midnight horror flick; a sing-along musical). Recognising this, Pixar has produced this double feature of the first two films in the Toy Story franchise, retro-fitted with 3-D capabilities.

 

It's all part of its extensive, enviable forward-marketing strategy for the hotly anticipated Toy Story 3, due in Australia on June 24, 2010. While it's easy to be cynical about the motivations of this Teflon animation company, these two films are amongst the very finest animation features produced in the past fifteen years. The first, in particular, started a wave of remarkable Pixar films that have changed the face of the industry, and that extend right through to the terrific Up.

 

With its sharply defined leads (Tom Hanks' Woody the cowboy and Tim Allen's space adventurer Buzz Lightyear); a richly textured, computer animated world; and a cast full of great comedy relief, the first film holds up remarkably, even if the animation has gone a touch old-fashioned. The sequel goes even better, as it expands outside a kid's bedroom and onto the terrifying highways and runways of the real world.

 

The 3-D that the Pixar animators have added is simultaneously world-changing and much ado about nothing. The effect recasts these films as stage plays, tangible and subtly remarkable. However, as the 3-D sinks in, it proves to be two depths of field rather than the infinite that it first appeared to be, and while Pixar should be applauded for not resorting to the visual chicanery of "through the screen" gimmicks that other studios embrace, this more modest approach is also less impressive. When playing with a billion dollar franchise, a soft touch is crucial, and this re-release only enhances, and never detracts, from the magic of Toy Story.