Ed's Review Dot Com

Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key. Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Jay Hernandez, Lori Alan, Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal

Andy has gone off to college and turned his toys over to Bonnie. Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang are off on a road trip with Bonnie’s new toy Forky who she made and loves as her new toy. Forky, however, being a spork, thinks of life much different that the toys do, so Woody takes him under his wing to teach him his new life as a toy. But when Forky gets lost, Woody sets off on a side trip to find him and bring him back when he runs into Bo Peep, his very old friend, and they set off on an adventure to bring Forky back. This is the fourth in the series of Toy Story films from Pixar, and a nice new addition to the group.

I have always enjoyed the Toy Story series, and found that they have been getting better as they progress. Is this the best of the Toy Story films? Sadly, I have to admit it’s not, but it’s pretty damn good just the same. The story here is rather contrived, but the characters are just as lovable as ever. Gabby Gabby is a nice new villain although she does bring her share of sadness with her as well and we will feel very sympathetic toward her situation. The whole story is a bit repetitive of all the other, “toy gets lost and has to try to make it back home” and “toy isn’t number one anymore and has to deal with his loss of status in his owner’s heart” story lines, but the animation is so spectacular, the voices are so spot on, and the characters are just so special, that it makes up for the little weaknesses in the story itself. This is another great Pixar film and one you gotta go see while it’s still in the theater. Amazing job, guys, and I loved it!

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Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Likely Story, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation,

Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, Bill Paxton

Mae (Emma Watson) lands her dream job with the largest high tech company on the Planet, The Circle, led by Bailey (Tom Hanks). She’s really into the company and is very excited to buy into all the wonderful things The Circle can do. They have a miniature camera that can send live pictures with sound to anyone on the channel any time you wish. Like a giant social network, But management wants her to step it up a bit further and become the worlds first transparent user, one who will be always online for people to view. The owner’s theory is that secrets are lies, and that people will act better if they have no secrets and everything is in the open. But though Mae does her best, things naturally start spinning out of control and it begins hurting those most important to her.

I have been anxious to see this film since I first saw the previews, which was much better, I think, than the actual movie. I love science fiction, I and I was really anxious to see how Emma Watson could pull off a dramatic and futuristic role like this. Besides, there are great performers in this film like Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and many others that bring a lot of acting talent to this adventure. The problem is that the director too a really good story idea, and twisted it into a morality tale, much like 1984, only tried to jazz it up for Facebook and Instragram. What resulted is a mediocre morality play about Big Brother watching, and trashing the films with the morality of the director. It was an excellent idea, but it was really poorly executed. The big surprise ending is not a surprise, not is it very big, and it just sort of sat there. Basically it was a missed opportunity. I was really disappointed.

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FilmNation Entertainment, Flashlight Films, The Kennedy/Marshall Company,

Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Holt McCallany, Wayne Bastrup, Jamey Sheridan, Jerry Ferrara, Sam Huntington, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Max Adler, Valerie Mahaffey

Director Clint Eastwood brings this biopic to the screen of the story of Chesley Sullenberger (Tom Hanks), pilot of the US Air commercial airliner that was forced to land in the Hudson River in New York City on a very cold January day with 155 people on board counting passengers and flight crew. All 155 were rescued due to a lot of luck and a lot of skill, but mostly a lot of hard work by the emergency first responders on the ground. Based on Sully’s book “Miracle on the Hudson” a great deal of the film deals with the aftermath of the event and the difficulties faced by Sully and his First Mate Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart).

Clint Eastwood is one master at his craft. The way this film is put together from the first frame to the last is a work of art. With a mix of the events of those few minutes to the desperation in trying to get to the truth when everyone seems against him, this is a case of David vs. Goliath in epic proportions. The insurance company lost a plane, and they were very anxious to find blame somewhere. Riveting performances from everyone, from Hanks (who was fantastic) and Eckhart, to Laura Linney who played Sully’s wife, all the way down to the flight attendants, everyone did an excellent job. The realism was frightening. It was one of those films where you hold your breath for long stretches at the seconds seem like hours. Extremely well done, and a great film. I recommend this to anyone whether you remember that day or not. Very good job, guys.

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Scott Rudin Productions, Michael De Luca Productions, Trigger Street,

Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, Mahat M. Ali, Michael Chernus, Corey Johnson, Max Martini, Chris Mulkey, David Warshofsky, Yul Vazquez, Catherine Keener

This film, based on real events covers the 2009 hijacking of the Meaersk Alabama container cargo ship by Somali pirates. The Alabama was carrying relief food and water and goods to the people of Somali. They were sailing in risky waters and followed the proper protocol for attempted piracy, but still ended up in a serious situation. This is the minute by minute account of the actions of the Captain (Tom Philipps), the crew, and the pirates as the events unfold in major action and suspense.

There has been a little controversy over the accuracy of the events told in the story. I’m sure there are a lot of liberties taken to make this into a Hollywood blockbuster. If I were one of the sailors aboard the ship, I might take a little offense at the changes from actual events. But as a dramatic telling of the story, this is an excellent movie. Certainly the artistry of Tom Hanks adds a lot to it. He plays the Captain in a remarkable way. The major story is about the Captain and the leader of the Pirate band, and how both are riding a wave of events that are completely out of their control. Neither can really do anything but play out the drama. In the words of Captain Philipps, “We all have bosses.” This is the true meaning of the story. But in getting there we’re placed in a marvelous adventure filled with suspense. This is a roller-coaster ride of emotions from start to finish and one of the finest films of 2013. This is one you should NOT miss.

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Walt Disney Pictures, Ruby Films, Essential Media & Entertainment,

Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, Bradley Whitford, Ruth Wilson, Annie Buckley, Melanie Paxson, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker

In the 60’s British author P.L. Travers (Emma Watson) found herself low on cash. Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) had promised his daughters that someday he would bring Mary Poppins, their favorite book, to the big screen. But Mrs. Travers was not about to let Mary Poppins out of her clutch as it was much to close to her own life to let it go. She insisted on absolute last say over the entire process. So Mrs. Travers arrives in Burbank to drive the story writers, music writers, and Mr. Disney himself nearly crazy trying to meet her demands. This biographical picture covers the bumps and bruises of trying to get arguably Walt’s most successful movie ever, to the screen.

Emma Thompson is marvelous as the formidable little lady Travers, and Tom Hanks does an amazing job as Walt Disney, but there is lots more going on to make this one of the greatest films I have ever seen. Granted, I was familiar with the struggles Walt went through to try to get Mary Poppins off the ground. One of the things Walt really wanted to do was to bring the world of cartoons and live action back together in the scene where Mary and Bert and the Banks Children enter the chalk drawings to a world of fancy with dancing penguins and all. Walt wasn’t really sure that Mary Poppins would ever be made, as Mrs. Travers constantly threatened not to sign the release. But a little known fact is that Walt hedged his bet with another really great film that was to be the Mary Poppins should Mary not get out of the book. He hired Angela Lansbury and David Tomlinson (who also played Mr. Banks) to make probably one of the least known, but also really good Disney film “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”. This film featured a sequence (like the chalk drawings excursion in Poppins) under the ocean to visit the Island of Naboombu. Had Mary Poppins failed to get launched, Walt no doubt would have thrown all his backing behind this film, and it probably would have been a great film. As it turned out Mary Poppins was the big hit, and this film was left pretty much neglected. The same people who made Mary Poppins also made this film, including the Sherman Brothers (played by Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak) in Saving Mr. Banks. Paul Giamatti also has a charming role in this film

Basically this is two stories in one. The major story of Walt’s efforts and Pam Travers resistance to letting Mary Poppins turn into the marvelous movie that it is. The hard work and determination that everyone put into the development of this project is vividly portrayed here. But the alternate storyline is the heartbreaking story of Mrs. Travers life as a small child in Australia and the things that led her to put the stories on paper in the first place. Mary Poppins was indeed a huge part of her life. Prior to watching the movie, the title “Saving Mr. Banks” sounded trivial to me, but after hearing her story, it became crystal clear why this is certainly a brilliant title and the crux of the entire story. This is an excellent film, one of the best stories I’ve seen in many years, and the fact that both Tom Hanks and the movie were snubbed by the Academy this year is dreadful. This could easily have been best film. I urge everyone to get a chance to see this fabulous story. Bring tissues, as it’s very sad in some parts, but well worth watching.

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