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Author Topic: One Chapter at a Time - The Elite Eleven of Pixar + BONUS CONTENT  (Read 559452 times)

1SO

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - One Chapter at a Time
« Reply #310 on: October 18, 2013, 07:36:01 PM »
Aww, I love Put That Thing Back Where It Came From Or So Help Me. I think it's a joke that works on several levels, and I totally love how the animation and voice performances sell it. Mike's nervous little giggle after finishing gets me every time.

This may be a case where the joke was oversold before the movie even came out. It was in almost all the ads, there's the follow-up joke of "She's Out of Our Hair" and then they expanded it into the blooper reel. So I might have tired of it early. The joke also raised my logic flag where I'm thinking, "wait, they have a company play? This is something they do annually?" It's such new and surprising information that it's too much of a stretch to ask me to buy it now. The bit in the blooper reel was like that moment when you disbelieve something like the Easter Bunny and then you see it with your own eyes, you still don't believe it but you have to admit there it is.

1SO

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The Elite Eleven of Pixar - Monsters Inc.
« Reply #311 on: October 18, 2013, 10:33:17 PM »


Monsters Inc. - Mike on the Run

This is a film about monsters that scare children for a living. It lends itself to creating some good scares for the audience too, or at least something off like Coraline does. This moment above may be as close as the film gets, setting up a solid creepy feeling with Randall appearing out of the painting eyes first. He then attempts to threaten Mike, who is clueless what Randall's threats are implying in what may be my pick for funniest exchange of dialogue.

Randall: What happens when the whistle blows in five minutes?
Mike: I get a time out?
Randall: Everyone goes to lunch! Which means the scare floor will be...
Mike: ...Painted?

The 2nd half of this Chapter is more focused on setting up a big gag that will payoff soon when Sulley sees Boo jump into a trash can. He gets distracted by some CDA and believes she is on her was to the compactor. I love Boo's excitement as she runs through the halls, but I question why should choose to climb boxes and plunge into the trash can in the first place. The two jokes here - Sulley thinks he's being held for questioning but CDA want an autograph, and nerd monster telling off a female that is revealed to be his mom - were old when Bob Hope told them.
Rating: * * *
« Last Edit: October 20, 2013, 01:52:31 AM by 1SO »

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - One Chapter at a Time
« Reply #312 on: October 19, 2013, 08:25:17 AM »
I love that bit of dialogue. My brother and I used to reenact that scene endlessly. He was at that age where he could start having complete conversations and remembering stuff from films and so he found it endlessly amusing to do scenes from movies.

1SO

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The Elite Eleven of Pixar - Monsters Inc.
« Reply #313 on: October 20, 2013, 01:52:09 AM »


Monsters Inc. - The Trash Compactor
"I can still hear her little voice."

One of my favorite Chapters. So many great jokes, and the credit for most of the laughs goes to the animators. Sulley watches the trash, which he thinks contains Boo, as it's crushed, pounded and cut into cubes. Each giant pulverizing device brings a fresh look of shock followed by a faint from Sulley. A wave of good laughs, each one bigger than the one before.

Cut to Mike racing around the building looking for Sulley. He runs to George who becomes the victim of another 23-19, set up Chapters ago when Sulley stashed Boo's toys into a locker. Mike finds his friend crying and holding the cube of garbage he believes contains Boo. Mike realizes it too when Boo's costume eye drops over the cube. They find Boo with a class of children and in a throwaway Mike is brought to the ground by the trash cube. It's much heavier than it looked in Sulley's hands.

I'm just describing the Chapter, so I'll add some more stuff happens too, and it's all very funny. Plus, there's a great tender moment when Sulley is reunited with Boo and gets all parental.
Rating: * * * *

1SO

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The Elite Eleven of Pixar - Monsters Inc.
« Reply #314 on: October 21, 2013, 12:07:39 AM »


Monsters Inc. - Mike Kidnapped

I didn't choose a quote because the best bit of audio is what Boo says after she discovers the secret passage. It sounds vaguely like something about making a hole, but in her excited baby talk it's unclear but very charming.

I keep harping on the comedy like that's the only reason why the film exists. It's not even the main reason. (Don't tell Billy Crystal that.) The story gains a lot of mystery and suspense here, plus it hints that Randall may be more evil than just a jerk. Meanwhile Mike remains single-mindedly interested on getting rid of Boo. Sulley suspects something bad and Mike responds with "Who cares. Let's go." You could chalk it up as lifetimes of anti-human prejudice. You could even stretch it into a subtle commentary on prejudice in general, but I'd hate to have to write that one out.

I'm now wondering if Mike is meant to be the comedy sidekick, or if that's what his character was developed as originally. He has the same detachment to the main plot. You know? Like Timon and Pumbaa in The Lion King. They're here to help, but personally don't care one way or another? It's a credit to the writing that Mike fills that role, but is just as fleshed out as Sulley. He isn't just there for laughs, but sometimes takes the humor to a selfish place.

I said two Chapters back there was the start of a good scare. Well there's one here just as good, and once again it involves the way Randall disappears and reappears. There's also a great bit of score when Sully decides to chase after Randall.
Rating: * * * 1/2

oldkid

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - One Chapter at a Time
« Reply #315 on: October 21, 2013, 01:52:10 AM »
Sully is the hero, but Mike is the buddy.  Mike is only loyal to Sully, but he is magnificently loyal.  Mike sees Boo as the danger she really is, not just a danger to their well being but a danger to their relationship. 

Note that Celia is Mike's love interest, but she is no danger to the most important thing in Mike's life-- his relationship with Sully.  He gains all his significance from that relationship, as well as the only real moments.  Mike isn't just a satellite of Sully's, he's his coach, his advisor, and, of course, his best friend. 

What Mike sees is that Sully truly loves Boo, and that is a real danger.  More dangerous than a girlfriend, more like a wife.  Or a daughter.  No one can compete with that, and Mike recognizes that once that relationship is solidified, then Sully would give up everything-- his career, his reputation and even his relationship with Mike-- just to help Boo.  Mike sees the love for what it really is, and that puts Mike's whole life in danger.  Boo is the greatest threat to his well being.
"It's not art unless it has the potential to be a disaster." Bansky

Sandy

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - One Chapter at a Time
« Reply #316 on: October 21, 2013, 09:03:57 AM »
Those aren't your run-of-the-mill motivators in a movie geared towards children. Well put oldkid.

1SO, I've been enjoying your synopses--it's been a while since I've done more than listen to Monsters Inc. in the background, as I've been doing other things. It's good to be reminded of the details.

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - One Chapter at a Time
« Reply #317 on: October 22, 2013, 01:53:53 AM »
oldkid, what a great post. Points out a complexity you don't expect from most kid films.

1SO

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The Elite Eleven of Pixar - Monsters Inc.
« Reply #318 on: October 22, 2013, 02:16:14 AM »


Monsters Inc. - The Scream Extractor
"You still think this is about that stupid scare record?"
"Well... I did. Right up until you chuckled like that."

After numerous Chapters of being underwhelmed by Billy Crystal throwing in jokes where they weren't needed or felt out of place, he really does great here. Now that things are getting dangerous, there's an innocence to his lines. Mike's not trying to be funny anymore. The humor spills out from his confusion over what is going on. ("I don't like big... moving things that are moving towards me.") When Randal menacingly says "Say hello to The Scream Extractor," Mike obliges though he clearly doesn't know why he's doing it. I also like his bargaining with Fungus. He's about to offer his car to be let go, but in a moment of thought he scales it way back to just a ride in his car.
Rating: * * * 1/2

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Re: The Elite Eleven of Pixar - Monsters Inc.
« Reply #319 on: October 23, 2013, 11:48:48 AM »


Monsters Inc. - Sully Scares Boo
"I hope you've learned a valuable lesson in scaring today."

There's something I find really brave about this Chapter. Pixar knows the value of raising emotional stakes as well as comedic ones. There's always that moment when you realize how much the film has settled in your heart. Usually, something sad happens to one of the characters and the other lead has to build them back up. This time it's different because the sad moment comes directly from the other character. Sully doesn't just scare Boo. He hurts her. I'm not a parent, but I know there are moments when parents make mistakes and lose their temper in front of their children. Sully has now done something he will not only have to live with, but deal with. He (literally) takes a good, hard look at what he's done.

Much more going on here. Waternoose sees Boo. Mike tries to explain that children are not toxic and that Randall is plotting against the company. Waternoose's reply "Does anyone else know about this?" does tip the hand more than I think Pixar wanted. It's such an odd concern to place first. He's so comfortable holding the child. The reveal about Waternoose being behind it all is still a surprise, but the hints just before ("I never thought things would come to this.") keep it from being as big a surprise as Stinky Pete. All Sully wants to do right now is win back Boo's trust, but things are about to get a lot more difficult.
Rating: * * * *


p.s. This Chapter is another example that makes no sense if Monsters University exists. The trainees have no idea how to scare a child, failing with the same simulators they use at the University.

 

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