PARANOIA PARADE
TOYS OF SUMMER
ByBy Rob Fagin
Rob Fagin
Chris Pratt in Jurrasic World
I
t's doubtful that Jurassic World will
muster anything near the hysteria on
June 12 that Steven Spielberg's nightmare/fantasy landmark of special
effects, Jurassic Park, did in 1993. Jurassic
World will likely be a far cleverer, more
visually spectacular flick than its distant
predecessor, sure. That's how blockbusters are built these days - with an
instant sophistication, like the artificial
intelligence exhibited in another
Spielberg flick.
The original Jurassic Park, however,
just wanted to be a fun ride, showcasing
the coolest representation of dinosaurs
we had ever seen. The visual team's
innovation of the prehistoric beasts and
Spielberg's masterful staging of their
majesty and terror overcame thin characterizations to inspire 22 years of gargantuan nostalgia. But, of course, nowadays
we can see anything at all we can imagine (sometimes it feels like we have seen
it all) thanks to photo-real, computer-
generated magic.
That's not to say that it's not possible
that Jurassic World director Colin
Trevorrow (whose 2012 indie hit, Safety
Not Guaranteed, was awesomely plaintive
and wily) has created something special
in this world of reboots, sequels and prequels. Just last month we were treated to
one of the most insanely inventive megabudget franchise installments ever made
with Mad Max: Fury Road. So anything is
possible.
Right now, I'd rather put my money
on Pixar's June 19 release, Inside Out – the
story of an 11-year-old girl forced to
uproot her happy life and move crosscountry. With help from her conflicting
emotions, personified by the likes of
Amy Poehler (Joy), Mindy Kaling
(Disgust), Bill Hader (Fear) and the great
Lewis Black (as Anger, naturally) she
learns to navigate her new life. The
Hollywood Reporter has already said that
this is one of the "trippiest" big budget
family flicks ever made. But what is even
more noteworthy is that this is the second attempt by Pixar to turn its “boys'
club” reputation around.
So, for your in-home viewing pleasure here are two films that exemplify this
theme.
First up:
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Rated G, 92 minutes
Director - Pete Docter
You could almost say that this movie
kicked off the era of the “bromance”
comedy - four years before The 40-YearOld Virgin. Two guys, Randall and Sully,
whose friendship is based on shared wit
and passion for work, are torn apart by
an outside (female) threat, the irrepressibly cute human girl, Boo. As they make
lifestyle changes, it seems that their relationship could disintegrate. Sounds like a
Judd Apatow movie to me. Except that
the main characters are animated monsters.
The bromance deluge of “the aughts”
was important because it brought a more
conversational fluidity to comedies and
dramas. It put relationships in the center
of the storytelling. But art must always
move forward and now we're seeing a
major push by filmmakers to put female
and minority lives at the center of many
stories.
Monsters, Inc. was a particularly
important film for