Disney

[beatbandito]

I haven't actually seen 4 yet, and it would help if the series was like ~4 years older, but from what I've heard of the themes it sounds like:

Toy Story 1: Your toys love you
TS2: It's okay to outgrow your toys
TS3: Share your interests with your kids
TS4: It's okay when your kids outgrow you

[Thad]

Yeah, more or less.

The more I think about it, the more I like it, really. It's like they looked back at the happy ending of Toy Story 3 and realized it's kinda bullshit. It's a movie about learning to let go and accept change, and then...they really don't; they just go back to more or less the way things were but with a different kid. That's great for a happy ending to an emotional rollercoaster of a movie, and, not for nothin', to keep the gravy train rolling on a major franchise with a huge box office and bigger merchandising. But as character development, it kinda stinks. Saying goodbye is part of accepting change, but only part. Assuming you can just go back to the way things were but with a change of cast and scenery isn't learning to let go, it's denial.

And that's what Toy Story 4's arc is about: Woody is in denial. Everything has changed -- leastways, it has for him; the rest of Andy's old toys are doing just fine with the new status quo. And the rest of the movie is driven by two things we've known about Woody since we first met him in 1995: he's incredibly loyal to his kid and to the other toys, and will go to truly ridiculous lengths to rescue any toy that gets left behind; but also his entire identity is wrapped up in being the favorite and the leader, and when that status is challenged, he does not handle it well.

And the rest flows from those two characteristics, what defines Woody, good and bad.

In a lot of ways, it's a movie about Empty Nest Woody, about Woody dealing with all the stuff he avoided dealing with in the previous film. Everything really has changed, he insists on acting like it hasn't, and Toy Story 4 is about him learning to stop denying it and, after talking about it for the past two films, finally get around to accepting that kids grow up, things change, and you can't keep living in the past.

It's not as happy an ending as Toy Story 3 was, but it's a much more honest one.

[Büge]

[Mongrel]

[Niku]

Man I could not care about like 70% of what they announced especially in the Star Wars arena, but Patty Jenkins directing Rogue Squadron got a “holy shit” out of me.

Also I will just stay opened wide like Homer with the hell donuts for everything MCU and this has not changed like if they manage to make me end up caring about Moon Knight in a few years then you can honestly just put me down because I will never recover.

[Thad]

James Mangold directing a final Indiana Jones film has my attention.

[KingRoyal]

James Mangold directing a final Indiana Jones film has my attention.

Frankly I feel what Disney is doing to Harrison Ford is elder abuse at this point

[zaratustra]

he belongs in a museum

[Lottel]

We watched Luca tonight. I probably don't need to say "Oh hey. Pixar movie is good and visually very fun and heartwarming" but there you go. I would say more than anything else, the movie is just a fun little summer adventure. Very little chance of tears but a good amount of fun to be had.
The visuals were the best part though. The art direction is phenomenal and the textures in the movie are a real highlight. The animation is different than the normal affair too. A bit choppier and more animated. Felt a bit like Tartakovsky at times which was very welcome.
I doubt it's going to blow anyone away and isn't going to be the next, like, Toy Story. It feels more like it'll become the next Ratatouille.

Definitely enjoyable and for us with kids, toss it on and watch it with them. Everyone will have a good time.

[Thad]

#DisneyMustPay Update: Disney Is Still Not Paying

The problem: Disney has acquired many publishers and imprints over the years, along with their properties and contracts. In many cases, however, Disney is taking the position that while they've purchased the rights to those properties, they haven't acquired the corresponding obligations stipulated in the contracts...such as payment and reporting.

[...]

Drawn from multiple professional writers' groups, the Task Force's mission is to identify and advocate for writers who are owed money and accounting. There has been movement since April: several writers--including Alan Dean Foster, who was the first to go public--have successfully negotiated with Disney and have been paid. BOOM! Studios, which holds licenses for multiple Disney-owned comic book and graphic novel franchises, has offered to work with the Task Force to resolve royalty issues for comics writers and other creators (though to date little progress has been made). And two additional important writers' organizations, WGA East and WGA West, have joined the Task Force.

This is just the start, though. Disney has not been pro-active in seeking out affected writers, and it has refused to post a FAQ on its website or provide procedures for resolution, leaving writers and their agents on their own to try and figure out what's going on and whom to contact. In many cases--especially for books published years ago--writers may not even be aware that their publisher was acquired or that their books have been published in new formats or editions.

Also, while a few higher-profile novelists have been paid, several lesser-known writers and their agents are still in negotiations with Disney. And although there has been movement on the novel front, for comic book creators there have been almost no resolutions.

Accordingly, the Task Force is reaching out to all comic book and graphic novel creators who are missing royalty payments and statements from their work on Disney-owned properties.

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