Show Toy Story’ comes off a little slick but irresistible By Duane Dudek Milwaukee Journal Sentinel But that is discovery it provides “Toy Story” the first animated feature is a remarkable synthesis of imagicomputer-gener- ated nation and technology But if traditional animation is like wallpaper “Toy Story" is like linoleum While the digital technique is graphically expressive the hard shiny and almost laminated quality of its illustrations — if they can be called that — may be best suited to inanimate objects such as toys or appliances The people in this film are vague shapeless and almost grotesque like melting wax The toys by comparison have dimension and detail Even imperfections such as the nub on a plastic toy soldier’s head where he was connected to the mold and the scuff marks on the bottoms of doois and moldings are perfectly realized But these choreographed imperfections in a way suggest the technology’s limitations The technique is so airtight it ‘Anthology a nagging afterthought The film is so briskly paced and involving that one barely has time to take a critical breath And its visual seamlessness suggests an effortlessness that in fact was achieved painstakingly and over a period of four years The film is a collaboration between Disney and Pixar Animation Studios a computer graphics pioneer that has won 12 Oscars including a 1989 award for the animated short film titled “Tin Toy” Pixar has contributed d films to all since “The Little Mermaid" The narrative lists seven screenwriters two more and they've got a baseball team Four Disney-animate- XZT xzn AKlDINm I’: four with the screenplay and one fellow is in both camps Yet there is none of the chaos or conflicting sensibilities such a crowd can bring There is instead a story where character evolution and an escalating jeopardy are intertwined The voice actors are perfectly cast Tom Hanks is the voice of a g cowboy who lanky rules the room where the toys live like a bureaucrat spaceman not a toy and soon becomes the favorite of the boy and of the other toys When Buzz falls out a window the boy who tortures toys Woody reluctantly goes on a rescue mis- INFO W Ml - HIM MMMfM MW fcM M 4 Sat AMERICAN PRESIDENT Family $800 Popcorn 25 and SOt NICK OF TIME LEWISTON THEATRE (MWmXMO mwimmmmbwmh IK feature “The Nightmare Before that “Toy Story" is not the future of animation But it is a superior piece of entertainment software 753-190- SUBS FREE WILLY II (PG) t 10:00 - A Gift Certificate KN0CK0UTT overhyped “Beatles Anthology I" is like a bunch of home movies P I in stores now with two more editions next Sat fi Lennon-McCartne- Lennon the three survivors have added voices and music “Free As a Bird" is the only song on which all four Beatles sing a lead part Frankly it sounds like a slow wistful ELO song In many respects this two-Cset is the soundtrack to the ABC-Tseries this week But it's much better At least the CDs have pro- - 4 fi- 0 3:45-5:30-7:15-9- :10 PHI DUHI BIST P1CTUBES DflHEYEAB! ALL SEATS $100 UTAH 752-30- 72 Fri & Sat 5:00-7:0- 0 Fri & Sat KEANU REEVES WALK CLOUDS ffgg- -i - — a vfifj Frmm At Jirwrbr af “idm Ekfar fiw ALL SEATS $150 UTAH 752-307- 2 One Showing 9:00 2:00-4:30-7:00-9- :30 Special Engagement- - No passes or discounts iiKUiiirmiLr IT TAKES Fri & Sat 2:15-4:45-7- :1 0-9:- 20 W!PW 'v'nt'T D V gram notes that provide insights and context R Special Engagement- - No passes or discounts Paul George and often Ringo (the sing-alon- g XA Fri year — is a collection of ramies live performances cover songs and alternative versions by John other drummers are heard here too) The 48 songs are mostly lo-fun but like home movies not for everyone Hardcore Beatles fans and musicologists will delight in the Quarrymen's I9S8 demo of Buddy Holly's “That’ll Be the Day" covers of R&B tunes by Little Willie John and Smokey Robinson and such standards as “Besame Mucho” and “My Bony nie" early compositions such as “Hello Little Girl" and a rendition of “Love Me Do” with original drummer Pete Best The big drawing card is the “new Beatles song" To a late '70s demo tape by the late John 12:00 - 2:00 n&onForTHecomedTMt gob tommy and Beyqndi The — -- HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Paul Star Tribune “Anthology I” BH Saturday FTA Matinee Jon Bream Minneapolis-S- I 0 iwniiEW" Great Gift Idea Fri & Sat Herald Christmas" Both are reminders scent-lighte- II unu caixs mINHNmtM The non-Disn- star-fille- ACE VENTURA 7 kiss his behind headless dolls at a tea parly a barrelful of monkeys forming a life-lin- e toys exercising with Tinkertoy barbells Animation fans will find parallels to the animated film “The Brave Little Toaster" in which appliances run away from home and the stop-actio- n into the real world where lurks pull-strin- ARUmCOURT Fri intricately detailed as any “Star Trek" miniature model Scenes remain in the mind: A squashed bug on Buzz's visor during a car ride is typical of the constant visual humor — Mr Potato Head pulling off his lips to Allen) with flashing lights and a chin dimple undermines Woody's authority Buzz thinks he is a real sion that sends them careening into a familiar-lookin- g digitally pristine landscape where colors Each toy has a personality The throb and things fly by at the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn) is speed of light A scene where Woody and timid Mr Potato Head (Don Rickies) is cranky The cowboy Buzz regroup at a gas station sugWoody with a plastic smile plas- gests the painting “Nighthawks" d oasis under tered on his face is a boy’s a fluore d favorite toy However the arrival a sky reflected in of a splashy new birthday pre- Buzz's helmet The underbody of sent a stocky spaceman named a truck gassing up over them is as Admission $125 Mon Night 7:00pm Being a fan definitely helps By are credited with the story and Buzz Lightyear (voice by Tim makes one nostalgic for human error and the opportunity for the Fare 4:30-8:0- 0 24 1995 |