Talkin' In the Movies: Pacific Rim SPOILERS!

We saw Pacific Rim. Robots, Monsters, half the cast of FX, and a whole lot of Del Torro weirdness, which means that of course we had to talk about it. Jeff was late, as usual…

JOSH

… why are you late?

JEFF

I'm never late. Or early. A blogger arrives precisely when he means to.

JOSH

Shut up Gandalf! Tonight's blog will be written by a very cranky man! You all can deal with it!

JEFF

Welcome to Talkin' in the Movies! Or "Josh's official hater time, with Jeff, our hero.”

JOSH

Don't hate the player, hate the game! I only hate on things that deserve hate! And as I said... deal with it!

JEFF

...Even on my birthday?

JOSH

It was your birthday, now it's not! I was a bright ray of sunshine when we saw the film... right... bright...?

JEFF

Meaning falling asleep and ducking out of the theater when the action was too intense? You did share some candy, and bought tickets, so thank you.

JOSH

Well happy birthday film, my friend. And it's not my fault that Pacific Rim was incredibly boring at one some points and gave me motion sickness at others. If the film was attempting to create literal and figurative nausea in its audience; it very much succeeded.

JEFF

Oh boo, you're just a softy. So... Pacific Rim. Godzilla meets Transformers meets Iron Man. What's not to love?

JOSH

The Godzilla and Transformers parts. That's what not to love.

Let's start by you telling me what is enjoyable about CGI porn with very little story?

JEFF

I'd like to think I'm pretty sophisticated, but you never liked watching giant things beating each other up? That's my kind of cheese.

Sure it would have been better if the fictional society spent a little time researching the source of these giant horrors, or god forbid made friends with them, but it is fun to spend what remains of the world's resources on a handful of giant compensation-bots.

Before we go much further, a basic plot breakdown: A dimensional rift opens at the bottom of the Pacific, and through it comes a continual stream of giant but stupid monsters (Kaijus) that march into our coastal cities causing mayhem.

Our reaction? 20 years developing ever-bigger robots with human pilots (Jaegers) to smack-down UFC style. The monsters get bigger, the robots get bigger… And here we are, when humanity is almost out of bots and finally turns its attention to the source of the problem, the rift these things are spilling out of.

JOSH

Yeah, that’s an issue I have.

Why did they wait so long to try to close the whole? Once they figured out that these things were deadly and they were not going to share the planet, why didn’t we just close up the hole? It's not like the plan is complicated. Grab a Alien-Dino from the center of the earth and send him back where is his over-complicated-Pan's Labyrinth-rip-off ass came from and blow it up with a bomb... really no one thought of that till the 11th hour.

I will totally give you that this is not my kind of cheese. So it's got a long way to go before I’ll enjoy it, though Pacific Rim gets farly close to me starting to kinda enjoy it.

Truth be told, I enjoyed the very very small back-story at the beginning that the humans of this world have been trying for 20 years to destroy the Kaijus and they have failed, so now this is the final option. And it actually gave a reason for why we need to see Robot/Alien UFC. SIDEBAR: the Kaijus in this film are actually Dinosaurs? A little piece of information that is glossed over in the opening segments. REALLY, THEY ARE DINOSAURS.

JEFF

They're not really dinosaurs! They're what wiped OUT the dinosaurs. 

JOSH

What? The film states that they came out lived for a while but the planet wasn’t ready, so they went back in their Hobbit hole.

JEFF

They came out - MASS EXTINCTION - then sniffed the air and thought "Not polluted enough, I'll come back later."

JOSH

Was that said? Honestly, did I miss it or are you just reading into it? Because what I stated before was what I remember from the film. I will admit if I’m wrong, but I don't remember any further info.

JEFF

I think it was a misunderstanding of a logically murky, vaguely-alluded-to bit of exposition. And honestly, the least of this film's problems.

I liked this movie, I had fun, but I'm not putting it on a pedestal.

JOSH

All of the film’s exposition was logically murky and vaguely-alluded-to. That's the issue, stop trying to distract me with big dumb robots fighting animal like alien-dinos from the middle of the earth. Give me something to latch on to, something to root for, something to care about.

This film treats its characters like caricatures. There is no depth, nothing interesting about anyone on the screen. The film is a predictable as all get out, everything was telegraphed and over foreshadowed! Even to its predicable solution at the end. What's to enjoy about predicable, over-hashed nonsense?

JEFF

It's true that this movie didn't play anything close to the chest, but in a weird way that's part of its wide-open, bright-eyed charm. It has archetypical characters with clear goals and sincere emotions. It's a cartoon. It's in the tradition of Japanese Manga or anime, which have a proud tradition of giant robot stories. Or for us less discerning Americans, Power Rangers. A movie which you've made me watch... twice.

It was emotionally simple and the action was just as straight-forward. Del Torro got to live the dream. He got some great toys and 200 million dollars, and he came to play! That's what this movie is: going back to the sandbox with a kid who has a more vivid imagination than anyone else in the world. Perfect summer movie, and there is some pure joy in the sequences where we can forget anything else and just get lost in the colors and action. It's what Michael Bay wishes he could do, create justified violence in a way that's engaging and actually makes sense to watch. Strap in and have fun.

My big question: If it's been more than a decade since these monsters started attacking coastal cities, why do people still live in coastal cities? I might move to Iowa, all things considered. Like James T. Kirks great-grandfather did when a Kaiju hit Newark.

JOSH

Power Rangers is perfect... deal with it. This movie is no Power Rangers. But your point is well taken, looking at this as a cartoon is a great way to go and fixes several of its flaws. Considering it's got as much animation as any Pixar film, it fits the bill.

Dealing with your "big question" first? It's just one of the many plot hole questions that I have no answer to because the man in the sandbox gave me no answer. He set up a world and then half-delivered on the logic. A major failing of this kid in his sandbox, and much like a kid in his sandbox he seems to just make it up as he goes along. “Wouldn't it be cool if these two things got in the biggest fight of all time in San Fran! Then a bigger thing comes along and eats all the ice cream! Then all the people hide while the biggest thing of all illogically gets by my Mom!” It's little kid logic, and it's my fault for expecting more out this film.

What I really want to dive into is your statement that this was a "Perfect Summer Movie." It is not. Let's take what I consider to be a perfect summer movie, Jurassic Park. That film has flaws, BUT it gives you a sense of awe and wonder, and the story and characters have enough going for them that we can follow them without questioning every step of the way. It’s a good 30 to 35 mins into the film before we ever see a Dino, and about an hour before one is attacking our characters. We are given time to accept what is happening and who we are rooting for.

Where is the scene of awe and wonder in Pacific Rim? What is new? Find a way with your millions of sandbox dollars to show me something Michael Bay has not already poorly delivered. Del Torro is a WAY better filmmaker then Bay, so come on!

My 1st and 2nd graders still know what Jurassic Park is by the theme song (which I played today and they knew long before I told them) and Rim doesn't deliver anything new, let alone anything better than what we've already seen.

It didn't touch me, and a good summer film should. If it's good enough to make me accept its flaws, then it's doing its job. If it's not good enough to make me overlook a few while watching the first time, then it's not. Americans are a forgiving audience, even the most jaded of us, but you need to give us something to forgive, something to root for, something to defend.

JEFF

Ok, ok. This is a big, blow-up movie, and it's as shallow as possible. Either you have fun with that or you don't. Jurassic Park is perfect, which is why 20 years later it still works. This movie won't be remembered, and the inevitable sequels will squeeze the novelty out of it for me, but for now, for today, for my birthday, I had fun.

It didn't promise a grand story and it didn't deliver one. What we got was some large-scale action and the invitation to join in. Plus, the best use of Charlie Day in a movie to date. He had more heart than anyone else in this film and whaddya know, he saves the day in a more real way than any of our jock-wannabe role models. Way to go Charlie, way to go Del Torro, and way to go me.

If you want to point at something truly ridiculous, point to Ron Perlman. But hey! It's a Del Torro movie, and that's his guy. It makes me want to watch Sons of Anarchy, another over-the-top show, but one where Charlie Hunnam and Perlman have some real stakes.

JOSH

Agree, Best ues of Charlie Day! Worst use of Burn Gorman (look away Torchwood fans... look away! Be warned).

Day is the best part and made some of it watchable, it's not a complete waste of time. I'd watch this before any Transformers film. All in all it's not the worst thing I've seen this summer, or this year. But that's doesn't make it any better. It just makes other things that much worse.

JEFF

So, solid C from me, with an A for ‘Awesome Attempt’ and to the studio for giving one of my favorite artists a massive payday.

JOSH

D for me, and if it gets sequels I'd be surprised, since it's going to STRUGGLE just to get it's money back. I mean, it lost it's opening weekend to Grown Ups 2... a film that I'm sure is much worse. Well, now as I did for a very small part of Pacific Rim I'm off to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………….

JEFF

Oh well. (steals sleeping Josh's candy)

Josh's First 50 of 2013

We’re about halfway through the year and I’ve hit a milestone of 50 films seen in theaters so far. It’s crazy to think where the year of 2013 has led me, though ups and downs, moving, new starts, and through it all I’ve seen 50 different movies on the big screen. If it wasn’t clear, I love movies. I love going to the movies. It’s honestly the most fun, relaxing, and calming experience I can think of. Going to the theater is a kind of joy for me that I can’t explain, to just get lost in a story, either or good bad, and experience the journey of the characters onscreen is amazing. It’s why I’m a storyteller, to share in some way the experience I have every time I go to the movies or a live production. One of the joys of MoivePass is that I can go to the movies whenever I have a chance to at an affordable price. I know I’ve talked about it before but MoviePass really is the best gift you can give to a film junkie. If you are interested, let me know. I’ll send you the invite (and if enough you sign up I get a free month… just saying). But moving on…

So I’ve been planning this article for a while because I figured about halfway through the year I’d hit 50 films. What I’m going to do is rank, from 50 to 1, the films I’ve seen over the first half of 2013. Most of these we’ve covered in some way, so I’m not going crazy in depth, just a few reminders of what was good, bad, and ugly, and why they’re grouped the way they are. So cheers to the first half of 2013! It’ll be an interesting experiment to see how many of these make the worst list at the end of the year, and how many stay in the top 10. Let’s take a look at the first fifty of 2013.

Jeff’s Note: I know y’all haven’t heard much from me lately, partially because I’ve been torn away by other projects, but mainly because I can’t begin to compete with Josh’s movie-watching stats. His 50 is an achievement that I envy, and through this article I’ll put a asterisk next to the films I’ve seen as well, and any of my thoughts in italics. It will be fun to see how we stack up! (hint: he wins! By a LOT) Here we go…

The Worst of the Worst

50.  Movie 43 – This is easily the worst film of the year, and it will take a real disaster to knock it off its pedestal. By the time the Razzies come around this terrible sketch “comedy” piece will probably have been forgotten (and for good reason as almost every one of the 39 known actors in the film have disowned it). But Movie 43 is so bad… it’s bad. Avoid at all costs.

49. Tyler Perry’s Temptation – don’t be tempted… you’ll be sorry.

48. The Heat – This is one of the most overrated films of the year so far. It’s made over 60 million and the sequel has already been green-lit. Films like The Heat is why the current state of comedy is in such a sad way. Congrats America! Here comes the long-awaited Sandra Bullock and Mellissa McCarthy Heat trilogy. 

47. The Host

46. Phantom – Submarine films, can’t live with them… can’t stay awake in them.

45. Dead Man Down

44. G. I. Joe Retaliation – So I hear this is better than first one, that’s faint praise everyone. One day I’ll have my retaliation for sitting through this piece of junk.

More Bad Than Good

43. A Good Day to Die Hard – You know what you’re getting with this one, you’re either going to love it, or wish they would have stopped with the first Die Hard, when John McClane wasn’t “on a vacation.”

42. Escape from Planet Earth – The cartoon is the definition of pandering the children crap, don’t waste your time.

41. Peeples – I really like Craig Robinson, and David Allen Grier for that matter, but this was a sad, sad film for them to lead. A Meet The Parents rip off that falls more than a little short.

40. Oblivion* (Jeff saw this! See our Talkin’ in the Movies)

39. After Earth – Yes, there is a reason that this film falls right here. It is NOT good (a few enjoyable moments) but it is slightly better than Oblivion… give me Will Smith over Tom Cruise any day.

38. Man of Steel – I’m actually kind of surprised Man of Steel made it this far up the list. But hey, miracles happen every day. I’m still searching for the reason people enjoy Zack Snyder…. And I still, haven’t found what I’m looking for.

37. The Last Stand – Luis Guzman is the only reason this is not much further down the list, a few good moments make The Last Stand a semi-fun but overtly ridiculous watch.

Truly Mediocre

36. The Great Gatsby* – Baz Luhrmann made the film he wanted. He just didn’t make the film anyone else wanted.

35. Beautiful Creatures – Beautiful Creatures is more fun than it looks, but it’s all not in the way the filmmakers wanted. This Twilight rip off has enough going on to be unique and some good ideas that fell flat due to a desire to be like previous tween franchises. At the very least Beautiful Creatures is so bad, it’s good.

34. 21 & Over – If I was in high school I would have loved this film, but I’m not. If you are in high school (or early college) then you will probably find quite a bit of enjoyment in 21 & Over. Be warned, this is an extreme dude film.

33. The Amazing Burt Wonderstone

32. Identity Thief – A poorly-written, well-cast film that ends up having some true moments of joy mixed in with many bash-your-head-against-a-wall moments. It’s a great plane film (something that you’d enjoy, if you had nothing else to watch).

31. Jack The Giant Slayer

30. Epic

29. Quartet

28. Side Effects – Decent ideas, wrapped up in a slow moving package that ends up being about bad people turning good people into bad, and a bunch of other sad convoluted nonsense.

27. The Company You Keep

26. The Great and Powerful Oz – Disney’s attempt to bring us back to Oz is their first misstep of year (sadly not their last live action fiasco of 2013). The Great and Powerful Oz is a decent ride through Oz that falls apart in the third act.

The Upper Half

25. The Internship – Well, if this starts the upper half of films, I’m a little worried about 2013, but The Internship is not a complete waste of time. There are some decent moments, and again: this would make a fine plane film.

24. Gangster Squad – Gangster Squad took a beating at the start of the year. I’m not saying this is great, but it is fun. All the actors (Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, and Sean Penn) are enjoying their parts and the visuals are at least fun. It’s not perfect, but hey, I’d watch it again. That’s more than I can say of any of the other films on this list so far.

23. The Croods – A thoroughly unoriginal animated film that doesn’t push any ground and can’t hold a candle to ahat Pixar, Dreamworks, or Disney has to offer, but in the end it’s an enjoyable enough film with a good message and pretty animation.

22. Now You See Me

21. Snitch – The Rock, doing his thing. Not the best film with The Rock this year, but the best one he’s starred in.

More Good than Bad

20. Admission

19. Spring Breakers – This is the first of two thought-provoking films that are worth your time, but ultimately miss the top spots. Take a look at the Nerd 5 article about why Spring Breakers is the first must-see film of 2013. Yes, Franco is one of those reasons.

18. The Purge – An almost awesome film that has some very good ideas. Check it out, more than worth your time.

17. Olympus Had Fallen – A 90’s actions film that came 13 years after the 90s. I’m still on board.

16. Warm Bodies

Good But Just Shy of Great

15. Evil Dead – Despite every reason I wanted to hate this film, I ended up with a smile on face through the entire thing. Yes, I worry about my soul for smiling through this film. No, it’s not a remake or reboot but a continuation. And yes, this is the rare example of good slasher film.

14. The Place Beyond the Pines – An epic tale of fathers and sons, while tackling the question of how much a parent can truly affect what their kid becomes. The Place Beyond the Pines starts out very strong and fades a little as it goes, but overall this is a very complex and enjoyable film.

13. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters – This film is dumb beyond all get out. It’s filled with logic holes, plot holes, and any other kind of hole you can think. But man, it’s a good time. Turn your brain off and enjoy the ride of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, which has its tongue firmly placed in its cheek.

12. The Sapphires

11. Iron Man 3* – I railed pretty hard against Iron Man 3, and when all is said and done it will probably slip down the list much further, but outside of a few scenes that absolutely destroyed it Iron Man 3 is a fun ride. It was just hard for me, personally, to watch.

The Best of The Best

10. Drinking Buddies* – This little film has grown on me since the day I saw it. More and more it becomes something I relate to, love, and can’t wait to see again when it releases nationwide later this summer. Thanks to SIFF for the great sneak peak and the Q & A with director.

9. 42: The Story of An American Legend – The Jackie Robinson story, done right. Great performances all around, especially Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey and Chadwick Boseman as Jackie, the story of Robinson is well told and this is a fantastic baseball film that will be remembered for years.

8. World War Z* – This big budget zombie film hits all right notes as it tells the story of a worldwide outbreak. Brad Pitt proves that he can still carry a film, and World War Z is entirely on his shoulders. World War Z overcame its troubled production and comes out on the other side as a great summer blockbuster.

Look out for our upcoming Talkin’ in the Movies! Jeff did fall asleep in this one…)

7. Fast and Furious 6 – The franchise that just keeps on giving. Fast and Furious 6 establishes Vin Diesel, The Rock and Paul Walker as superheroes… You think I’m wrong? Give this completely bonkers film a watch and enjoy every moment.

6. Star Trek Into Darkness* – So far, my favorite summer action blockbuster of 2013. Enough said.

5. Mud – All a part of the resurgence of Matthew McConaughey’s career, Mud is a fascinating modern Tom Sawyer tale that is captivating, creepy, and heartfelt – all at the same time.

4. The Iceman – A dark tale of professional mafia hit man Richard Kuklinski is a great film, showing that any man can be an… everyman? Michael Shannon is amazing in The Iceman and this film delivers on every level.

3. This Is The End* – A bold, unique, and stunning comedy that works! This is the End comes at the height of Meta popularity and is nothing but a good time. Take the time to see This is the End because we need more comedies like this one, comedies that try to push the envelope and deliver more than the usual nonsense.

2. Monsters University – Pixar is back my friends! I’m happy to say that Monsters University is a great film that just adds to long list of great Pixar films. It’s a great story that revisits some beloved characters in a fresh way and tells an actual story rather than just going for a money grab. Good job Pixar.

1. Much Ado About Nothing – Just like 2012, halfway through the year my favorite film is by Joss Whedon. Whedon has made a fantastically small film based on the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Some great moments, visuals, and performances allow this film to shine – and it currently reigns as my favorite film of the year.

What We Learned This Week at the Movies: June 24– July 3, 2013

Busy time of year, which means I’ve got two weeks to cover in this installment. There is one notable film missing from my list, and that is World War Z. Why?  Let’s just say it may-possibly-might-kinda-sorta be the next Talkin’ In the Movies. But for now let’s find out what we learned this week.

Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: The Internship, Monsters University, The Purge, Rebel Without a Cause

Lesson 5. Only Take the Time You Need to Tell Your Story

I don’t talk too much about short films, and that’s mostly because I only see about two a year… the two that accompany the Disney and Pixar releases in theaters. But hey, that shouldn’t stop me right… right…? Moving on… The Blue Umbrella is the animated short that appears in front of Monsters University, and Pixar has knocks it out of the park. This simple story of two umbrellas looking forlove on a rainy day in NYC is the most realistic and breath taking animation I’ve ever seen. The New York street that this film is set on could easily double as a real backdrop for any film, but the fact that it’s animated to where simple things like crossing meters, construction signs, and storm drains come alive is amazing. The story itself is very similar to last fall’s Oscar-winning short, Paperman, but that’s okay. This short is worth seeing, and when Oscar season rolls around this year The Blue Umbrella is going to be hard to beat.

Lesson 4. Owen Good… Vince Bad

Perfect Internship - Make Vince do your grunt
work for 10 weeks and don't pay him.

The Internship is more bad than good, but it’s not as bad as you might think. It’s still very rough. For actual film analysis, there is not much to say: the film is what you think is and it’s not trying to be more than that (it is trying to be funny, and there it fails more often than not). But the real flaw of The Internship? Is Vince “I don’t care about anything” Vaughn. He’s been playing similar characters for a decade. Characters that couldn’t care less about life, people, and have a general disgust for anyone or anything that makes them get off the couch. Memo to Vince: this act is tired, please do something else.  On the other hand we have Owen Wilson (the other half of this apparently “classic” comic duo) who is still actually highly entertaining in this film. Why? The reasons are twofold. Variety and effort, it’s that simple. Owen Wilson is not the best actor, but he understands how to create differences within his characters (they may not be huge but they’re there) which allow for Owen to stay relevant. Let’s look at his last four films: The Internship, The Big Year, Midnight In Paris, and  Hall Pass; two major studio films (that both kind of flopped) and two smaller films (both very enjoyable) that allowed him to play characters on the edge of his range. That being said, Owen Wilson is a movie star (in the classic sense) and movie stars just have to live in their happy zone, do what they do, and audiences will eat them up. This is because they KNOW how to be on camera. Speaking of movie stars…

Lesson 3. The Success of the Studio System: Movie Stars

James Dean and Natalie Wood, movie stars of the HIGHEST CALIBER. Stars who would put most of today’s movie stars to shame. Over the last weekend I saw 1955’s Rebel Without A Cause on the big screen, and it was a joy. Watching those two tragic stars of a past generation was a lesson in what was good about what worked about the old school studio system. In the studio system, actors and directors were tied to studios without much say as to which parts they took, and those films were pumped out without the care of an art form, but if they happened to get great artists then that was a happy bi-product of a commercial system (yes this is still similar to today). But what came of this is a great wealth of Movie Stars, people who were so captivating on film and enthralling to watch that the actual story that is told can be either small or nonexistent. Which is not always the case, but with Rebel Without A Cause is a character study in every sense of the word. The film explores adolescents of the 50s, the relations between parents and children, and what it means to be a man in a modern society. The story elements, visual aspects, and characters still hold up today. I will say that although Dean’s iconic performance completely fits the film and the time that it was made, it was meant more for an acting class then for a film. That being said, Rebel is a great film, a classic watch and a great time at the movies.

Lesson 2. In Pixar I Trust… Again… Finally!

The Pixar movie we've been dreaming of is finally HERE!

Monsters University is the best Pixar film since Toy Story 3. Pixar is finally back to its roots – great storytelling, memorable characters, and amazing visuals. I’m not going to lie, when Monsters University was announced I was very skeptical (especially after the atrocious Cars 2), and then I learned that the original director, Pete Docter, who gave so much heart and soul to Monsters Inc. and UP wasn’t going to be involved. Let’s just say my confidence in a studio I LOVE was shaken. I’m very glad to say that with Monsters University, Pixar is back! Monsters University tells the story of how Mike and Sully (our dynamic duo from the first film) met in college – and that this friendship was not a bromance at first sight. What I love about Monsters University is that it is its own film. It lives within the world that Monsters Inc. set up, but is a completely different story. There was a good reason to come back to these characters and make a second film. What’s clear when watching Monsters University is that this film was made with passion and love for its characters and their story. It was made with passion for its place within Pixar history, and most importantly, it was a made with the passion to make a quality film for one and all.

Lesson 1. So Close! Yet So Far Away

The Purge is a film that I got very excited for based on some awesome trailers and a fantastic concept. Let’s start with this, The Purge was made for 3 million dollars, and has made more than 75 million. It’s a giant success, and we’ll be seeing more of these films, I guarantee it. The Purge isn’t terrible. It’s got some very good ideas and at times executes them well. For those who may not know the entire concept, The Purge is the night once a year, when ALL crime is legal. With no repercussions. Because of this, unemployment, poverty, hunger, and crime have all fallen to under 1%. This is the STELLAR concept of The Purge, and why I believe the film is almost great, despite getting terrible reviews. The film follows one family as they try to survive The Purge. When their 13 year old son lets a stranger into their house and a group of people try to break in after the stranger, things get scary. The film itself has one major problem, it’s half political thriller half horror film. It’s the second half that hurts, because it feels very shoe-horned in. This is not, nor should it have ever been, a horror film. It doesn’t need horror clichés and tropes tossed in. The story and situation is fascinating enough already. Don’t try to scare the audience, let the story and situation of the film do the job for you. So many good ideas are brought up about what happens when you let a society live this lifestyle, what a person would do when faced with a life or death choice and what America can turn into when we embrace violence. The Purge is a film that should be seen just to wrap your mind around all the ideas it presents, and to try and overlook the major flaws with the actual filmmaking. The script and concept are so strong that The Purge is still worth your time. 

Nerd 5 Presents: Top 5 Moments in Pixar History

It’s been two weeks and Monsters University is still holding strong a top the box office, crossing over the 170 million dollar mark this past weekend. I’ll be going more in depth with Monsters University in the next What We Learned at The Movies. For this article I’ll just say that I enjoyed it very, VERY much. It’s a great way to revisit the characters of Monsters Inc and in no way is it a typical rehash sequel/prequel. It’s an original story with a lot to share. And it in no way should be compared to the first film because they are very different. Monsters University sadly suffers from Pixar’s previous success. They’ve raised the bar so high that it will be hard to reach that level again, but more on that later.

Pixar Animation Studios is in the middle of one of the most remarkable runs in all of film history. Monsters University opened at number 1, and it’s the 14^th consecutive Pixar film to do so. That’s a record matched by no other studio in history. Has every Pixar film been amazing, wonderful, ground-breaking? No (*cough Cars 2 cough*) but so many of their films HAVE been amazing, wonderful and ground-breaking, which is the basis for this article. Today I’m counting the top moments in Pixar history, and this actually turned out to be very personal. As I started to compile it I realized that these moments meant a lot to me and all have a common theme. The only criteria of this list is that it has to be a moment from a Pixar feature film that stuck with me (I did no prior research to these moments they all came straight from memory and, yes, there will be a top 5 moments Part 2 at some point in the future because there are so many that I love that are not represented here today). And now, Nerd 5 presents the top 5 moments in Pixar History.

Due to the fact that we are diving into specific moments of films, if you’ve not seen the film that I’m talking about, be warned there will be spoilers. Also, if you haven’t seen these films there IS something wrong with you.

5. Wall E and EVE’s First Date

Wall E in an amazing achievement of a film, it’s funny, heartfelt, and it’s relevant. After seeing the film for the first time I said to the group of people I was with, “Andrew Stanton has created this generation’s version of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax” (not the terrible, completely-miss-the-point film that came out last year, but the amazing book from the 70’s). I love Wall E. There are so many amazing moments throughout this film that narrowing it down to one was very difficult. But for me the moment of Wall E that stands out above the rest is Wall E and EVE’s First Date. When the storm comes and they’re forced into Wall E’s home, it’s a wonderful balance of funny and heartfelt. It starts with Wall E showing EVE all of the treasures he’s collected on earth, then moves onto EVE’s introduction to Hello Dolly (a perfect choice of obscure yet well-known musical, and hilarious that it’s the one piece of entertainment to survive the apocalypse), and then onto the final moment where EVE turns on the lighter and Wall E start to fall in love with her. It’s a perfectly balanced and a beautiful scene.

4. Toy Story 3’s Incinerator

A moment 15 years in the making. It’s rare for me gush about a sequel, let alone the third film in a series, but the single best moment in the entire Toy Story saga comes near the end of Toy Story 3. The third Toy Story film is an example of a great third act - it’s a film that just keeps getting better as it goes. I enjoy Toy Story 3 far more than Toy Story 2 and I think part of that is the time it took for us to get to the story in the third film. There are even a few beats that are similar between the films that work better in the third than second film. That being said, I’m sitting in the theater in 2010 watching Toy Story 3 and was completely lost in the film. I was a kid again, just as invested in these characters’ journey home as I was in 1995 when Woody and Buzz were trying to get onto the moving truck. I loved seeing these characters, who I grew up with, deal with growing up. And then a great escape scene begins as our main toys escape from Sunnyside Day Care and make a break for Andy’s House. Our heroes end up fighting their way out of a garbage dump (in a scene highly reminiscent of the climax of The Brave Little Toaster-a film that Pixar Executive Producer John Lasseter was slated to direct at one point) and Woody, Buzz, and all their friends end up sliding toward a giant incinerator. I was hooked, gone, completely convinced that these characters were going to die. With tears streaming down my face and my mind cursing Pixar for doing this to me, I watched helplessly as our characters in this KIDS FILM start to hold hands and accept death, accept that their future will great as long they’re together, before the deus ex machina of “the claw” saved all of our heroes. It’s just wonderful, and it’s moments like these that make Pixar amazing and ground-breaking in children’s entertainment. 

3. Sully Says Goodbye to Boo

Monsters Inc is one of the most criminally under-rated films of all time. The emotional heart and soul of the film is the story James P. Sullivan (Sully for short) and Boo (a little girl no more than 3 years old) who walks through her closet and turns the monster world completely upside down. The story of Sully and Boo is about Sully learning to care for and protect another person, Sully becomes Boo’s surrogate father over the course of their adventure home, and after the day is saved, the villains are defeated, and we’re so very close to our happy ending, there’s a giant “oh” moment when the audience and Sully realize at the same time that Boo has to go home. From the moment her door is put in place and she runs in giggling and playing with her new friend Sully, you’re crushed because you know what Sully has to do. The line “Kitty has to go” has such simple brilliance and it gets me every time. Then when Boo realizes that “Kitty” (the name she calls Sully) is gone, it’s beautiful filmmaking that I can’t describe well enough. The perfect end to a wonderful story. 

2. Nemo’s Initiation

Finding Nemo is my personal, all-time favorite Pixar film (It’s Jeff’s Number four in case anyone is curious. He orders them Wall-E, Up, The Incredibles, THEN Finding Nemo) and one of my top 10 all-time favorite films. It’s one of the few films that I’m willing to call perfect. How can I pick just one moment? I had to go with my gut, and the first thing that pops into my head when thinking of Nemo is “shark bait oh ah ha!” So it must be that scene. Most of the film is spent with Marlin and Dori searching for Nemo (thus the title) but the sub story of Nemo being trapped in the dentist’s fish tank is pure gold. All of the characters in the fish tank are caring, fully thought out, and hilarious; these characters are perfect examples of what supporting characters should be. Nemo himself has a great journey in learning to overcome his little fin and become a more independent fish. The scene in which all of the other tank fish initiate Nemo into their group of friends works on a lot of levels. Great comedy coming from strong character moments and a scene that serves as more than just comic relief, it furthers every character within the scene while focusing on the journey of the main character. It’s a great example of a small scene becoming so much more, and so insanely memorable that I can only give it a giant SHARK BAIT OH AH HA!!!

1. Up’s Perfect Love Story

The opening moments of Up have become known as the ‘Married Life’ segment, named after the song that plays over the top. The opening scene of Up is flawless, it’s so good that my favorite moment in ANY Pixar isn’t in my favorite Pixar film. The love story of Carl and Ellie is emotional in all the right ways. You laugh, you hope, there is joy and struggle, and above all else there is love, but at the very end there are tears. Tears that come of out such shock, tears that make you question everything you think you know about animated films, and tears that make you connect to Carl Fredrickson so much that you instantly forget that he’s an 80-something year-old man who is possibly the most unlikely star of a “kids” film ever. The opening of the film works as a stand-alone short film – the start of an epic story, and settles you into a world that is very different from expectation. I remember watching the trailer for Up and thinking “how can Pixar pull of this film about an old man who flies his house with balloons to who-knows-where?” The answer to that question was a perfect opening story that stands as the single best moment in all of Pixar history.