Thursday, August 12, 2010
cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life.
One of the simplest toys, a set of simple wooden blocks is also one of the best toys for developing minds. Andrew Witkin, director of marketing for Mega Brands told Investor's Business Daily that, "They help develop hand-eye coordination, math and science skills and also let kids be creative."[8] Other toys like Marbles, jackstones, and balls serve similar functions in child development, allowing children to use their minds and bodies to learn about spatial relationships, cause and effect, and a wide range of other skills as well as those mentioned by Mr. Witkin.
One example of the dramatic ways that toys can influence child development involves clay sculpting toys such as Play-Doh and Silly Putty and their home-made counterparts. Mary Ucci, Educational Director of the Child Study Center of Wellesley College, demonstrates how such toys positively impact the physical development, cognitive development, emotional development, and social development of children.[9]
Toys for infants often make use of distinctive sounds, bright colors, and unique textures. Through play with toys infants begin to recognize shapes and colors. Repetition reinforces memory. Play-Doh, Silly Putty and other hands-on materials allow the child to make toys of their own.
Educational toys for school age children of often contain a puzzle, problem-solving technique, or mathematical proposition. Often toys designed for older audiences, such as teenagers or adults demonstrate advanced concepts. Newton's cradle, a desk toy designed by Simon Prebble, demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy.
Not all toys are appropriate for all ages of children. Some toys which are marketed for a specific age range can even harm the development of children in that range.History
Most young mammals have been observed to play with whatever they can find, turning such things as pinecones, rocks, and food into toys. Toys and games have been unearthed from the sites of ancient civilizations. They have been written about in some of our oldest literature. Toys excavated from the Indus valley civilization (3000-1500 BCE) include small carts, whistles shaped like birds, and toy monkeys which could slide down a string.[2]
The earliest toys were made from materials found in nature, such as rocks, sticks, and clay. Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls that had wigs and movable limbs which were made from stone, pottery, and wood.[3] In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, children played with dolls made of wax or terracotta, sticks, bows and arrows, and yo-yos. When Greek children, especially girls, came of age it was customary for them to sacrifice the toys of their childhood to the gods. On the eve of their wedding, young girls around fourteen would offer their dolls in a temple as a rite of passage into adulthood.[4][5]
As technology changed and civilization progressed, toys also changed. Whereas ancient toys were made from materials found in nature like stone, wood, and grass modern toys are often made from plastic, cloth, and synthetic materials. Ancient toys were often made by the parents and family of the children who used them, or by the children themselves. Modern toys, in contrast, are often mass-produced and sold in stores.
This change in the nature of toys is exemplified by the changes that have taken place in one of the oldest and most universal of human toys; dolls. The earliest and most primitive dolls were simple wooden carvings and bundles of grass. Egyptian dolls were sometimes jointed so that their limbs could move realistically. By the early 1800s there were dolls that could say "mama".[6] Today there are dolls that can recognize and identify objects, the voice of their owner, and choose among hundreds of pre-programmed phrases with which to respond.[7] The materials that toys are made from have changed, what toys can do has changed, but the fact that children play with toys has not changed.
Box office performance
Toy Story's first five days of domestic release (on Thanksgiving weekend), earned the film $39,071,176.[55] The film placed first in the weekend's box office with $29,140,617.[3] The film maintained its number one position at the domestic box office for the following two weekends. Toy Story was the highest grossing domestic film in 1995, beating Batman Forever and Apollo 13 (also starring Tom Hanks).[56] At the time of its release, it was the third highest grossing animated film after The Lion King (1994) and Aladdin (1992).[11] When not considering inflation, Toy Story is 96th on the list of the highest grossing domestic films of all time.[57] The film had gross receipts of $191,796,233 in the U.S. and Canada and $170,162,503 in international markets for a total of $361,958,736 worldwide.[3]
Reception
Toy Story has received universal acclaim since its release in 1995. Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 73 reviews, with an average score of 9/10. The critical consensus is: As entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story kicked off Pixar's unprecedented run of quality pictures, reinvigorating animated film in the process. The film is Certified Fresh.[5] At the website Metacritic, which utilizes a normalized rating system, the film earned a "universal acclaim" level rating of 92/100 based on 16 reviews by mainstream critics.[4] Reviewers hailed the film for its computer animation, voice cast, and ability to appeal to numerous age groups.
Leonard Klady of Variety commended the animation's "... razzle-dazzle technique and unusual look. The camera loops and zooms in a dizzying fashion that fairly takes one's breath away."[40] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times compared the film's innovative animation to Disney's Who Framed Roger Rabbit saying "Both movies take apart the universe of cinematic visuals, and put it back together again, allowing us to see in a new way."[41] Due to the film's animation, Richard Corliss of Time claimed that it was "... the year's most inventive comedy."[42]
The voice cast was also praised by various critics. Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today approved of the selection of Hanks and Allen for the lead roles.[43] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times stated that "Starting with Tom Hanks, who brings an invaluable heft and believability to Woody, Toy Story is one of the best voiced animated features in memory, with all the actors ... making their presences strongly felt."[44] Several critics also recognized the film's ability to appeal to various age groups, specifically children and adults.[41][45] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "It has the purity, the ecstatic freedom of imagination, that's the hallmark of the greatest children's films. It also has the kind of spring-loaded allusive prankishness that, at times, will tickle adults even more than it does kids."[46]
In 1995, Time named the film 8th in their list of the best ten films of 1995.[47] In 2003, the Online Film Critics Society ranked the film as the greatest animated film of all time.[48] In 2007, the Visual Effects Society named the film 22nd in its list of the "Top 50 Most Influential Visual Effects Films of All Time".[49] In 2005 the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, one of five films to be selected in its first year of eligibility.[50] The film is ranked ninety-ninth on the AFI's list of the hundred greatest American films of all time.[51][52][53] It was one of only two animated films on the list, the other being Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was also sixth best in the animation genre on AFI's 10 Top 10.
Director Terry Gilliam would praise the film as "a work of genius. It got people to understand what toys are about. They're true to their own character. And that's just brilliant. It's got a shot that's always stuck with me, when Buzz Lightyear discovers he's a toy. He's sitting on this landing at the top of the staircase and the camera pulls back and he's this tiny little figure. He was this guy with a massive ego two seconds before... and it's stunning. I'd put that as one of my top ten films, period."[54]
3-D re-release
On October 2, 2009, the film was re-released in Disney Digital 3-D.[31] The film was also released with Toy Story 2 as a double feature for a two-week run[32] which was extended due to its success.[33][34] In addition, the film's second sequel, Toy Story 3, was also released in the 3-D format.[31] Lasseter commented on the new 3-D re-release:
"The Toy Story films and characters will always hold a very special place in our hearts and we're so excited to be bringing this landmark film back for audiences to enjoy in a whole new way thanks to the latest in 3-D technology. With Toy Story 3 shaping up to be another great adventure for Buzz, Woody and the gang from Andy's room, we thought it would be great to let audiences experience the first two films all over again and in a brand new way."[35]
Translating the film into 3-D involved revisiting the original computer data and virtually placing a second camera into each scene, creating left-eye and right-eye views needed to achieve the perception of depth.[36] Unique to computer animation, Lasseter referred to this process as "digital archaeology."[36] The process took four months, as well as an additional six months for the two films to add the 3-D. The lead stereographer Bob Whitehill oversaw this process and sought to achieve an effect that impacted the emotional storytelling of the film:
"When I would look at the films as a whole, I would search for story reasons to use 3-D in different ways. In 'Toy Story, for instance, when the toys were alone in their world, I wanted it to feel consistent to a safer world. And when they went out to the human world, that's when I really blew out the 3-D to make it feel dangerous and deep and overwhelming."[36]
Unlike other countries, the UK received the films in 3-D as separate releases. Toy Story was released on October 2, 2009. Toy Story 2 was instead released January 22, 2010.[37] The re-release performed well at the box office, opening with $12,500,000 in its opening weekend, placing at the third position after Zombieland and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.[38] The double feature grossed $30,714,027 in its five-week release.[38]
Theatrical release
Toy Story premiered on November 19, 1995 in Hollywood, California. For its theater run, it was released on November 22, 1995 at the beginning of a 5-day Thanksgiving weekend. The film opened in 2,281 theaters (before later expanding to 2,574 theaters). The film remained in theaters for 37 weeks.[3] The film was also shown at the Berlin Film Festival out of competition from February 15 to 26, 1996.[28] Pixar's first ever short film, "The Adventures of Andre and Wally B" played before the film was shown in theaters.
Upon its release, Toy Story was the only Pixar film that was branded with only the Disney logo above its title despite the film's dual collaboration. However, after the complete acquisition of Pixar by the Walt Disney Company in 2006, the film along with the rest of the films produced by Pixar now feature the Disney·Pixar brand.
Prior to the film's release, executive producer Steve Jobs stated "If Toy Story is a modest hit—say $75 million at the box office—we'll [Pixar and Disney] both break even. If it gets $100 million, we'll both make money. But if it's a real blockbuster and earns $200 million or so at the box office, we'll make good money, and Disney will make a lot of money."[27] Disney chairman Michael Eisner stated "I don't think either side thought Toy Story would turn out as well as it has. The technology is brilliant, the casting is inspired, and I think the story will touch a nerve. Believe me, when we first agreed to work together, we never thought their first movie would be our 1995 holiday feature, or that they could go public on the strength of it."[27] Marketing for the film includes $20 million spent by Disney for advertising as well as advertisers such as Burger King, Pepsico, Coca-Cola, and Payless ShoeSource paying $125 million in tied promotions for the film.[29] A marketing consultant reflected on the promotion: "This will be a killer deal. How can a kid, sitting through a one-and-a-half-hour movie with an army of recognizable toy characters, not want to own one?"[30]
Animation
oy Story was completed on a $30 million budget,[24]and a $20 million advertising budget,[citation needed] using a staff of 110;[24] in comparison, The Lion King, released in 1994, required a budget of $45 million and a staff of 800.[24] Lasseter spoke on the challenges of the computer animation in the film: "We had to make things look more organic. Every leaf and blade of grass had to be created. We had to give the world a sense of history. So the doors are banged up, the floors have scuffs."[15]
The film began with animated storyboards to guide the animators in developing the characters. 27 animators worked on the film, using 400 computer models to animate the characters. Each character was either created out of clay or was first modeled off of a computer-drawn diagram before reaching the computer animated design.[25] Once the animators had a model, articulation and motion controls were coded, allowing each character to move in a variety of ways, such as talking, walking, or jumping.[25] Of all of the characters, Woody was the most complex as he required 723 motion controls, including 212 for his face and 58 for his mouth.[15][26] To sync the actors' voices with the characters, animators spent a week per 8-second frame detailing the characters' mouths and expressions.[25] After this the animators would compile the scenes, and develop a new storyboard with the computer animated characters. Animators then added shading, lighting, visual effects, and finally used 300 computer processors to render the film to its final design.[25][26] During post-production, the film was sent to Skywalker Sound where sound effects were mixed with the music score.[26] In total, the film required 800,000 machine hours and 114,240 frames of animation, with 2–15 hours spent per frame.[15][27][25]
Script and development
John Lasseter's first experience with computer animation was during his work as an animator at Disney, when two of his friends showed him the lightcycle scene from Tron. It was an eye-opening experience which awakened Lasseter to the possibilities offered by the new medium of computer-generated animation.[7] Lasseter went on to work at Lucasfilm and later as a founding member of Pixar.[8]
Pixar's Oscar-winning short film Tin Toy (directed by Lasseter) and its CAPS project were among works that gained Disney's attention and, after meetings in 1990 with Jeffrey Katzenberg, Pixar pitched a television special called A Tin Toy Christmas. By July 1991, Disney and Pixar signed an agreement to work on a film, based on the Tin Toy characters, called Toy Story.[9] The deal gave Pixar a three-film deal (with Toy Story being the first) as well as 10% of the films' profits.[10][11]
Toy Story's script was strongly influenced by the ideas of screenwriter Robert McKee. The script went through many changes before the final version. Lasseter decided Tinny was "too antiquated", and the character was changed to a military action figure, and then given a space theme. Tinny's name changed to Lunar Larry, then Tempus from Morph, and eventually Buzz Lightyear (after astronaut Buzz Aldrin).[12] Lightyear's design was modeled on the suits worn by Apollo astronauts as well as G.I. Joe action figures.[13][14] A second character, originally a ventriloquist's dummy, was changed to a stuffed cowboy doll with a pull-string, and named Woody for Western actor Woody Strode. The difference between the old and new toy led to a conflict between their personalities.[12] Lasseter wanted the film to not be a musical, but a buddy film, with the story department drawing inspiration from films such as 48 Hrs. and The Defiant Ones.[12] Joss Whedon claimed "It would have been a really bad musical, because it's a buddy movie. It's about people who won't admit what they want, much less sing about it. ... Buddy movies are about sublimating, punching an arm, 'I hate you.' It's not about open emotion."[15] Disney also appointed Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow and, later, Whedon to help develop the script.[12] In addition, Disney wanted the film to appeal to both children and adults, and asked for adult references to be added to the film.[15] Disney gave approval for the film on January 19, 1993, at which point voice casting could begin.[15]
Lasseter always wanted Tom Hanks to play the character of Woody. Lasseter claimed Hanks "... has the ability to take emotions and make them appealing. Even if the character, like the one in A League of Their Own, is down-and-out and despicable."[15] Early test footage, using Hanks' voice from Turner and Hooch, convinced Hanks to sign on to the film.[15][16] Billy Crystal was approached to play Buzz, but turned down the role, which he later regretted, although he would voice Mike Wazowski in Pixar's later success, Monsters, Inc.[17][18] Katzenberg took the role to Tim Allen, who was appearing in Disney's Home Improvement, and he accepted.[12] Toy Story was both Hanks and Allen's first animated film role.[19]
Pixar presented an early draft of the film to Disney on November 19, 1993.[15] The result was disastrous. It presented Woody as a "sarcastic jerk" because Katzenberg kept sending notes that he wanted more edge. Katzenberg took Schneider in the hall during the screening and asked him why it was bad, Schneider responded that it "wasn't their's [sic] anymore."[20] Walt Disney Feature Animation president Peter Schneider immediately shut down production pending a new script approved by Disney. Pixar survived the shutdown by falling back on its existing television commercial business while the script was rewritten.[15] The new script made Woody a more likable character, instead of the "sarcastic jerk" he had been. Katzenberg restarted production in February 1994.[12] The voice actors returned in March to record their new lines.[15]
It was Whedon's idea to incorporate Barbie as a character who would rescue Woody and Buzz in the film's final act.[21] The idea was dropped after Mattel objected and refused to license the toy. Producer Ralph Guggenheim claimed that Mattel did not allow the use of the toy as "They [Mattel] philosophically felt girls who play with Barbie dolls are projecting their personalities onto the doll. If you give the doll a voice and animate it, you're creating a persona for it that might not be every little girl's dream and desire."[15] Barbies did, however, appear in the film's sequels, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. Hasbro likewise refused to license G.I. Joe but did license Mr. Potato Head.[12][15] The film's related toys were produced by Thinkway Toys, who secured the worldwide master toy license in 1995.[22]
Plot
A cowboy doll, Woody, is the leader of a group of toys that come to life whenever their owner Andy is not present. With his family moving home and one week before his birthday, the toys stage a reconnaissance mission to discover Andy's new presents. Andy receives a space ranger Buzz Lightyear action figure, whose impressive features soon see him replacing Woody as Andy's favorite toy. Woody is disappointed and resentful at his replacement. Meanwhile Buzz does not understand that he is a toy, believing himself to be a real space ranger, and sees Woody as an interference in his mission to return to his home planet.
Andy prepares to go to a family outing at the space themed Pizza Planet restaurant with Buzz. Woody attempts to have Buzz misplaced, but ends up knocking him out the window. The other toys mistakenly think that Woody tried to get rid of him. With a missing Buzz, Andy takes Woody with him to Pizza Planet instead. Buzz sees Andy getting into his mother's car with Woody and manages to climb aboard. While stopped at a gas station, Buzz confronts Woody for what he did. The two fight and accidentally land outside the car, which drives off and leaves them stranded. Woody spots a truck bound for Pizza Planet and plans to rendezvous with Andy there. Needing Buzz to return with him, Woody convinces him that the truck will take them to a spaceship. Once at Pizza Planet, Buzz makes his way into a claw game machine shaped like a spaceship, thinking it to be the ship Woody promised him. While Woody clambers in to try and rescue him, they are captured by Andy's neighbor, the toy-destroying Sid Phillips.
At Sid's house, the two desperately attempt to escape before Andy's family's moving day, encountering nightmarish mutant toys as well as Sid's vicious dog Scud. Buzz sees a commercial for Buzz Lightyear action figures just like himself and realizes that he is a toy. Woody is unable to get a depressed Buzz to participate in his escape plan. Sid prepares to destroy Buzz by strapping a firework rocket to him, but is delayed by a thunderstorm. Woody convinces Buzz that life is worth living even if he is not a space ranger because of the joy he can bring to children. Buzz regains his spirit, but Sid takes him to his backyard. In cooperation with Sid's mutant toys, Woody stages a rescue of Buzz and scares Sid off by coming to life. However, the two miss Andy's car as it drives away to his new house.
Running out on the road, they manage to climb onto the moving truck but Scud gives chase and Buzz tackles the dog to save Woody. Woody attempts to rescue Buzz with Andy's RC but the other toys, who still distrust him, toss him off onto the road. However, spotting Woody driving RC back with Buzz alive and well, they realize their mistake and try to help them into the truck. When RC's batteries become depleted, Woody ignites the rocket on Buzz's back and manages to throw RC into the moving truck just as the duo go soaring into the air. Buzz then opens his wings to cut himself free of the rocket moments before it explodes, and he and Woody land safely inside Andy's car to Andy's joy.
On Christmas Eve at the new house, a reconciled Buzz and Woody stage another reconnaissance mission to prepare for the new toy arrivals, one of the new toys being a Mrs. Potato Head. As Woody jokingly asks what might be worse than Buzz, the two share a worried smile as they discover Andy's new gift, a puppy named BusterToy
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated family film, the first Disney/Pixar film to be made, as well as the first feature film in history to be made entirely with CGI. Directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, the film was co-produced by Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold and was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It was written by Lasseter, Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow, and featured music by Randy Newman. Toy Story follows a group of toys who come to life whenever humans are not present, focusing on Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll (Hanks), and Buzz Lightyear, an astronaut action figure (Allen).
The top-grossing film on its opening weekend,[2] Toy Story went on to earn over $191 million in the United States and Canada during its initial theatrical release and took in more than $361 million worldwide.[3] Reviews were overwhelmingly positive, praising both the technical innovation of the animation and the wit and sophistication of the screenplay.[4][5]
In addition to DVD releases, Toy Story-inspired material has run the gamut from toys, video games, theme park attractions, spin-offs, and merchandise. View-Master released a 3 reel set in 3D in 1995 prior to release of 3D films. The film was so successful it prompted a sequel released in 1999, Toy Story 2. Eleven years later, on June 18, 2010, an additional film, Toy Story 3, was also released. Both sequels were instant hits and garnered critical acclaim similar to the first. Leading up to the third film's premiere, as part of its promotion, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were also re-released as a double feature in Disney Digital 3-D on October 2, 2009.[6]
The film was selected into the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" in 2005, its first year of eligibilityIntroducing TOY
TOY is a constraint functional logic system, designed to support the main declarative programming styles and their combination. It has been designed and developed mainly by the Declarative Programming Group at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and in collaboration and inputs from the Universidad de Málaga, following previous experiences with the design of declarative languages.
TOY 2.3.1 is the current version, which enjoys lazy computations in Haskell style, non-deterministic functions (allowing also to write Prolog-like programs by means of syntactic sugaring), higher-order patterns, a polymorphic type system, constraints with symbolic equations and disequations, linear and non-linear arithmetic constraints over real numbers, and finite domain constraints. The system also offers declarative debugging facilities, a module system, monadic I/O, and a graphical programming environment. The main feature the current version adds is that of constraint domain cooperation. In addition, the current release fixes some bugs, the most noticeable is that the Linux distribution now runs flawlessly.
TOY can be used from a SICStus Prolog environment (version 3.8.4 or later running on most common operating systems), or with the provided binaries (for Windows and Linux).
A Perfect Tale of Adventure and Devotion,
Since I felt none of the other reviews here do the movie justice, I became compelled to write my own. It is the most inspired film I have ever encountered.
The creators of Toy Story 3 have an imagination that is unparalleled. I cannot begin to compare any of the other animated movies that I have ever seen to it. It is a fantasy in an unconventional sense: aside from the talking toys, the environment and settings are typical; commonplace. Yet, the Pixar Team manages to cram every last drop of energy into the incredibly clever story and inventive plot devices out of just common household objects. The animation is so brilliant that it captures shading, lighting, and textures that have yet to be seen on film.
Then, Toy Story 3 becomes a beautiful elaboration on the first two, with very clever character development. Its maturity of relationships is concise but witty: Woody, the wise sheriff, leading the other toys with courage and finesse; a spaceman winning the love of a cowgirl; the loyalty of the dog, slinky; the grumpy married potato and his devoted wife; the superficial relationship of Ken and Barbie; the broken spirit of a lost teddy bear. At the same time, Pixar uses a metaphor that is so strong that it drives the audience to love these characters with all of their hearts. It is a similar emotional complex to a happy puppy who is brought into a home and has nothing on its mind but playing with its youthful owners. But these toys never age, and as its owners, once in their playful youths, leave for work and college, these toys still know nothing more than their youth and happiness of living to one day play again. As you leave for work every morning, your dog doesn't know where you go. And every day, he does nothing more than pray that you come back to see him, every day waiting for you to bring out the ball again for a game of fetch.
Finally comes Pixar's ability to integrate so many emotions - fear, love, action, and comedy, among others - with each having so much vigor in its own right, that the movie becomes a roller coaster of animation and adventure, wound together by the constant movement of setting and storyline, always keeping the audience guessing on what might happen next. It is a brilliant tale; a perfect movie for children and adults alike. I cannot wait to see it again.
The creators of Toy Story 3 have an imagination that is unparalleled. I cannot begin to compare any of the other animated movies that I have ever seen to it. It is a fantasy in an unconventional sense: aside from the talking toys, the environment and settings are typical; commonplace. Yet, the Pixar Team manages to cram every last drop of energy into the incredibly clever story and inventive plot devices out of just common household objects. The animation is so brilliant that it captures shading, lighting, and textures that have yet to be seen on film.
Then, Toy Story 3 becomes a beautiful elaboration on the first two, with very clever character development. Its maturity of relationships is concise but witty: Woody, the wise sheriff, leading the other toys with courage and finesse; a spaceman winning the love of a cowgirl; the loyalty of the dog, slinky; the grumpy married potato and his devoted wife; the superficial relationship of Ken and Barbie; the broken spirit of a lost teddy bear. At the same time, Pixar uses a metaphor that is so strong that it drives the audience to love these characters with all of their hearts. It is a similar emotional complex to a happy puppy who is brought into a home and has nothing on its mind but playing with its youthful owners. But these toys never age, and as its owners, once in their playful youths, leave for work and college, these toys still know nothing more than their youth and happiness of living to one day play again. As you leave for work every morning, your dog doesn't know where you go. And every day, he does nothing more than pray that you come back to see him, every day waiting for you to bring out the ball again for a game of fetch.
Finally comes Pixar's ability to integrate so many emotions - fear, love, action, and comedy, among others - with each having so much vigor in its own right, that the movie becomes a roller coaster of animation and adventure, wound together by the constant movement of setting and storyline, always keeping the audience guessing on what might happen next. It is a brilliant tale; a perfect movie for children and adults alike. I cannot wait to see it again.
A Perfect Tale of Adventure and Devotion,
Since I felt none of the other reviews here do the movie justice, I became compelled to write my own. It is the most inspired film I have ever encountered.
The creators of Toy Story 3 have an imagination that is unparalleled. I cannot begin to compare any of the other animated movies that I have ever seen to it. It is a fantasy in an unconventional sense: aside from the talking toys, the environment and settings are typical; commonplace. Yet, the Pixar Team manages to cram every last drop of energy into the incredibly clever story and inventive plot devices out of just common household objects. The animation is so brilliant that it captures shading, lighting, and textures that have yet to be seen on film.
Then, Toy Story 3 becomes a beautiful elaboration on the first two, with very clever character development. Its maturity of relationships is concise but witty: Woody, the wise sheriff, leading the other toys with courage and finesse; a spaceman winning the love of a cowgirl; the loyalty of the dog, slinky; the grumpy married potato and his devoted wife; the superficial relationship of Ken and Barbie; the broken spirit of a lost teddy bear. At the same time, Pixar uses a metaphor that is so strong that it drives the audience to love these characters with all of their hearts. It is a similar emotional complex to a happy puppy who is brought into a home and has nothing on its mind but playing with its youthful owners. But these toys never age, and as its owners, once in their playful youths, leave for work and college, these toys still know nothing more than their youth and happiness of living to one day play again. As you leave for work every morning, your dog doesn't know where you go. And every day, he does nothing more than pray that you come back to see him, every day waiting for you to bring out the ball again for a game of fetch.
Finally comes Pixar's ability to integrate so many emotions - fear, love, action, and comedy, among others - with each having so much vigor in its own right, that the movie becomes a roller coaster of animation and adventure, wound together by the constant movement of setting and storyline, always keeping the audience guessing on what might happen next. It is a brilliant tale; a perfect movie for children and adults alike. I cannot wait to see it again.
The creators of Toy Story 3 have an imagination that is unparalleled. I cannot begin to compare any of the other animated movies that I have ever seen to it. It is a fantasy in an unconventional sense: aside from the talking toys, the environment and settings are typical; commonplace. Yet, the Pixar Team manages to cram every last drop of energy into the incredibly clever story and inventive plot devices out of just common household objects. The animation is so brilliant that it captures shading, lighting, and textures that have yet to be seen on film.
Then, Toy Story 3 becomes a beautiful elaboration on the first two, with very clever character development. Its maturity of relationships is concise but witty: Woody, the wise sheriff, leading the other toys with courage and finesse; a spaceman winning the love of a cowgirl; the loyalty of the dog, slinky; the grumpy married potato and his devoted wife; the superficial relationship of Ken and Barbie; the broken spirit of a lost teddy bear. At the same time, Pixar uses a metaphor that is so strong that it drives the audience to love these characters with all of their hearts. It is a similar emotional complex to a happy puppy who is brought into a home and has nothing on its mind but playing with its youthful owners. But these toys never age, and as its owners, once in their playful youths, leave for work and college, these toys still know nothing more than their youth and happiness of living to one day play again. As you leave for work every morning, your dog doesn't know where you go. And every day, he does nothing more than pray that you come back to see him, every day waiting for you to bring out the ball again for a game of fetch.
Finally comes Pixar's ability to integrate so many emotions - fear, love, action, and comedy, among others - with each having so much vigor in its own right, that the movie becomes a roller coaster of animation and adventure, wound together by the constant movement of setting and storyline, always keeping the audience guessing on what might happen next. It is a brilliant tale; a perfect movie for children and adults alike. I cannot wait to see it again.
Entertainment that does good
A very sweet and fun movie. TOY STORY has great computer animation. A simple yet well told story is also added as well. The voice overs are top notch and everyone gets a fair share in this movie. PIXAR has done a good job placing itself on the map.
Set in Andy's room and before the family moves, his mother decides to throw a birthday party for the young lad. Andy's toys all have a conscience and are led by his favorite, Woody. But alas, the big new toy from the party unknowingly takes Woody's mantle.
Envy and jealousy are brought up well. So is the ignorance of Andy's toys and the loss of innocence from Buzz Lightyear. TOY STORY is well packaged exceeded only by its sequel. A good rent.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
ToysRUs pays $5m for toys domain
The amount has surprised onlookers and hints at a deeper commitment to online retailing for the toy giant.
It is believed to be the biggest payout for a domain this year but has some way to go to beat the $14m paid for sex.com in 2007 or the $9.5m paid for porn.com.
UK domain name seller Sedo said it had seen prices halved for .co.uk domain names since the economic downturn started to take hold.
Brand kudos
But, said Sedo's business development manager Nora Nanayakkara, more small- to medium-sized businesses are buying domains.
"Sales have tripled as businesses see the value in having a presence online," she said.
"In the case of ToysRUs it could be that they are thinking of rebranding or increasing its online presence," she said.
"Toys.com is going to put them in the top search ranking and is likely to give them kudos in terms of brand recognition," she added.
In the US, domain name prices have remained stable, according to Ron Jackson, editor of the Domain Name Journal.
He said that the average .com domain was selling for $2,688 (£1,904) in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared to $2,788 (£1,976) for the same period in 2007.
Selling online
For many online, it is a way to buck the downturn, he thinks.
"The severe recession is forcing businesses to look for the most cost effective, efficient way they can possibly operate and for many that means establishing or reinforcing a web presence," he said.
"This is especially true of brick and mortar retailers. There is much less overhead involved in selling toys for example online than through hundreds of cash-draining big box retail stores."
The Toys.com auction, which took place last week, saw a series of bidders for the domain. But as the price hit $3m (£2.1m), only two were left - ToysRUs and National A-1 Advertising.
The domain had previously been up for auction and went to a company called Faculty Lounge for $1.25m (£886,000).
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