kthxbai - Toy Story 3

When I first heard that there was going to be a Toy Story 3, I was dubious. I worried that Disney was leaning on Pixar and that the story would be typical Disney. It was a delightful surprise to see the beauty that is Toy Story 3. The film brings the audience through the whole spectrum of emotion, from belly laughter to heartfelt tears.

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 have a special place in my heart, and I am pleased to say that Toy Story 3 has joined them there. All of my misgivings were blown away and I believe that this final chapter of the story of Andy's toys is the best of them all.

Toy Story 3 rating: buy it!

kthxbai - Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons rating: I weep for humanity

kthxbai - Twilight Rifftrax

Twilight Rifftrax

Even with Rifftrax, this movie is unbearable.

This sums up the Twilight story pretty well:
Bella from Twilight vlog by Paperlillies
Excellent outtake (sort of)



Twilight rating: Avoid it at all possible costs

Twilight Rifftrax rating: Don't bother

kthxbai - UP

Pixar's UP!

The story of Carl Fredrickosn who, in order to avoid retirement, finally lives his childhood dream and flies his house to South America. Russel, junior wilderness explorer, accidentally is brought along and the two begin their own adventure with talking dogs, extraordinary rare birds with an affinity to chocolate, and Carl's childhood hero, who has become obsessed with clearing his name with the scientific community.

This movie is a delight! The characters have real depth. The colors are bright and vibrant. The story is most enjoyable and it is not at all difficult to maintain a willing suspension of disbelief.

Pixar's UP! rating: buy it!

kthxbai - Ella Enchanted

For those of you who are unfamiliar with lol, the title is pronounced "k thanks bye".

Welcome to the movie review section of The Life and Times!

Ella Enchanted is by far the most schizophrenic film I have ever seen. It has elements of a fairy tale; a social commentary; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Snakes on a Plane; and an 80's music video.

I had seen the previews and was prepared for something completely different from the book. I had heard from a friend that Ella Enchanted is a good movie with a cute story, if one can reconcile oneself to the fact that it is not Gail Carson Levine's award-winning story.

I sincerely wish I could remember who that friend was. I have good reason to question their judgment.

Ella Enchanted is the story of a young woman who was cursed at birth with the "gift of obedience." Anything that she is told to do, she does, no matter how impossible, or improbable.

The movie is fast-paced, zipping through the story so quickly that the audience never really gets to know the characters. They certainly don't have time to develop enough of a relationship with the characters to care about the final outcome of the film.

Ella Enchanted is blessed with one of the most widely-recognized characters in existence, however: the absentee villain. An absentee villain never really does anything at any point in the movie and interacts almost not at all with the protagonist. Also, the absentee villain has only one purpose--to be evil. Anyone who has seen the movie will agree that this is a fitting description for the king and his manipulative talking snake.

Obviously suffering an identity crisis and peppered with crude humor, the movie Ella Enchanted has none of the charm of the story on which it is based.

Ella Enchanted rating: Don't bother