Avatar screwed everything up. The 3D gimmick was supposed to do what it did in the 50’s and 80’s: turn a few unremarkable films into fun fair rides, then disappear into the sunset. It was going so well this time too with My Bloody Valentine and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. That was until Avatar became a critical and commercial juggernaut. Now we’re forever destined to wear novelty glasses as objects are thrusted towards us.
While the studios plan to turn their new films into something resembling more a magic eye illusion than art, Pixar has foreseen the trend by converting the two Toy Story films into 3D and re-releasing them in the cinema to hype the upcoming third installment of the series. Like Grindhouse, they were a double-feature in the United States, yet released separately in the United Kingdom. It seems strange they’ve decided to milk double the money out of the smaller market.
Toy Story 2 is a magnificent picture, a rarity in that it betters the original. Its success is through Disney’s rule of cinematic storytelling, equalling the amount of sadness with happiness. There are plenty of moments where we laugh – such as the copy of Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg’s homage to Star Wars – but we care most about the characters’ emotions. Particularly touching is Jessie the Cowgirl’s emotional backstory/song about falling out of favour with her owner.
It’s no coincidence that Up is nominated for the Best Picture Award at this year’s Oscars. Pixar specialise in making their films actually mean something to adults and children alike. While Toy Story 2 is a fun rescue mission to children, adults will see this as a tale about the inevitable and unwanted changes that happen as we grow older, with the moral that we should treasure what we have now. Compare that to a Dreamworks film. Do their films contain an existential subtext? No, just Mike Myers rehashing his Fat Bastard impression.
Like everything I’ve seen bar Avatar (Coraline, Monsters vs. Aliens…), the 3D aspect is pointless. Granted, Pixar has done a good job tweaking the depth of field, but as the original film was made long before a 3D resurgence was even muttered about, there’s no pointing or poking to make us notice the technology. If anything, it’s just a high-definition upgrade. I recommend waiting until the two Toy Story films come out on Blu-Ray in March and revisit them then.
