paddyolguin

--- There are some spoilers after the 2nd paragraph ---!!

Oh the irony. The message of this movie is that we humans need to feel all of our emotions in order to... be human, and yet the reviews fall into only two of those - Joy or Anger. If you are an intuitive empathizing personality, you're going to enjoy this movie. You'll laugh and cry. You'll appreciate "Joy" for her flaws as well as her positive attitude! As for it being a horrible movie, it obviously isn't to everyone; read all the positive reviews. The people who love it aren't crazy, nor are those who hate it. It's interesting to me that the chief complaint is that it's depressing. What? Didn't you people pay attention to Up, Toy Story 1, 2, 3, Finding Nemo, Cars... any of the PIXAR films you supposedly love? They are chock full of anger, loss, betrayal, death, loneliness, co-dependence, greed, addiction (Fish are Friends, not food!) - all very adult themes. Who didn't cry their eyes out, TWICE, at the end of Toy Story 3? At the beginning of Up? Jessie singing "When Somebody Loved Me?" Those scenes are gut-wrenching. Dark Themes? Go review the plot lines to Up and Toy Story 3. Seriously.

As for Disney/PIXAR stealing stories, I hate to break this to you, but every movie plot since the Seven Samurai has been stolen from a previous story. There are no new plot lines. That is not a valid complaint. The truth is, you liking this movie or not is nearly 100% about you, not PIXAR.

-- spoilers --- Inside Out isn't about self-absorption, it's about self-awareness. It's about Joy's misguided mission to keep Riley happy all the time, until she finally realizes that at Riley's turning point, she needs to feel sad, or she risks feeling nothing at all. For anyone who's dealt with depression, we (happily) see this coming, and fully understand that in order for there to be Joy in Riley's life, she has to express/let-go of pain by feeling sad, thus the blue-yellow memory marble of Joy and Pain/Sadness coupled together. But I suppose analytical, emotionally-cutoff viewers were too busy heading for the exits. Too bad. The neurology lesson is fun and creative. Yes, you might have had to pay attention in your Psych 101 class. Don't blame Disney for that.

As for it not being a kid movie, my nine-year old son, who has Autism, loved the movie. Seeing emotions vividly illustrated made sense to him.

PIXAR has a way of tugging the heart strings without yanking them painfully. Words can't describe the lush artwork and incredible animation that we take for granted. But above all, this movie, along with all the PIXAR greats is about storytelling. Anyone who has loved and lost, who's not quite fulfilled a dream will be deeply affected by the opening montage of Carl's life. I loved this movie.

The music. The score is indeed like an additional character in the film, helping set the mood without blatantly telling us how to feel.

I don't get reviewers who castigate Disney/PIXAR for being overly dark in this picture. Didn't you people see Bambi? His mother was shot! Snow White - an insane queen kills her with a poisoned apple for crying out loud (ok, she comes back to life with love's first kiss).

As for the picture's appropriateness for children, my three-year old watched it transfixed from beginning to end. My only regret is not holding-out for a Blue-Ray player and making this movie my first Disney Blue-Ray.

Thank you, PIXAR. I can't wait to see what's UP next.

Like him or not, Adam Sandler is very clever. His wacky over-the-top slap-stick is just a way to get you to laugh before he sticks you in the heart with something completely unexpected and you suddenly end up with tears in your eyes. I rarely buy DVDs, but this (and the Wedding Singer) is a notable exception. The perfect date movie - over and over.

I won't repeat the plot-line - read a couple of reviews. What bears noting is Rob Schneider's ridiculous and hilarious supporting role. No Oscar, but he was brilliant.

The chemistry between Barrymore and Sandler is easy and natural. And for you Sandler fans, his Lucy song will have you rolling. Sentimental without being sappy, it's a story of a family dealing with a debilitating injury and a tireless guy who's willing to win his girl's affection every day. I don't know how some reviewers see the ending as sad or disappointing. It seemed like an obvious victory of love and devotion over adversity. My wife and I watch this movie over and over. How else would you treat a 10?

Amy Adams is brilliant. The live incarnation of a true Disney animated princess. She is the reason this movie works. It doesn't hurt that Patrick Dempsey is a convincing confused pessimistic divorce attorney, and James Marsden is a stereotypical send-up of all the Disney princes. Disney pays homage to its history of fairy tales lightheartedly (unlike Dreamworks, which goes for the cynical skewering). It's easy to be cynical for a cheap laugh, it's much tougher to be funny and gentle about it and still get away with it, and Enchanted does that.

The Happy Working song had me laughing so hard, I was crying. I've seen this four times and it keeps getting better. Bravo, Disney, for making a truly fun film that we can enjoy for years to come. How often can you say that? Amy Adams is a gem.

If you enjoy British film-making, plot-twists and intrigue, this is your movie. I'm not much of an action-film junkie, so I'm not that familiar with Jason Statham's work, other than what I've seen from the many trailers for his other movies. I was very impressed! He's a great anti-hero: conflicted, ambivalent, dodgy, passionate, quick-thinking, but in the end just a simple guy who wants to shed his past and make a better life for his family. My eyes were opened in the first scene where some thugs come to his car lot and break a few windows. Instead of round-house kicking them, he hangs his head, whines a little about his damaged inventory and wonders how he's going to get out of his shabby existence.

Jason's character carries this movie in a gritty, plucky, underplayed, and oh-so-British way... from the muddled, disjoint beginning (I liked it, real life is muddled and disjoint and therefore so is the story) all the way through the "Oh s$#@!! how are they going to get out of this?" suspenseful ending.

Worth the outrageous $10.50 we pay for movies these days.

This is a movie you love or hate. I loved it. First, the "preposterous plot." Helen Mirren is a gorgeous woman. I had no problem believing Cuba's character would desire her in addition to be utterly loyal to her and dependent on her). I liked that the story's time-line was longer than just about any kind of crime thriller you'd see these days.

This is definitely not a popcorn movie, and you will find yourself shocked at the violence and then moved by the touching scenes. Nothing is exploitive or gratuitous in this film. The grisly violence, intense sexuality and touching interdependence of the characters serve to underscore just how absurdly varying a life (or lives) can be.

I think sometimes moviegoers expect too much from film. Not every movie is A Streetcar Named Desire. There were important, fundamental themes in this movie - love, lust, loyalty, guilt, shame... all brilliantly conveyed by the actors. If you have a problem with imperfect plots, rent a documentary.

I'm genuinely surprised at the number of people who disliked this movie. Perhaps because it was a bit disjointed, chaotic, uneven, unpredictable and even incoherent at times. And that's just why I loved it. It's life. Yes, it's the crazy, seedy, shady lives of these people (the main characters being Pitt's and Roberts' characters), but at least it's honest... and darned funny. I thought the self-deprecating jabs at how most Gringos view Mexico/Mexicans were priceless. Raul!! The grainy flashbacks had my sides splitting.

People, this is a classic melodrama told in today's yucky, dirty, gritty, ugly times. A beautiful (if you look closely) story that doesn't take it self seriously at all. This is anything but formula Hollywood hype. It is a genius inside-joke that sandbagged most of the people hoping to come out and see a Pitt/Roberts version of Sleeping in Seattle or some similar chick-flick dreck.

When is enough enough? Never.

Contrary to popular belief, this movie wasn't really targeted at younger audiences. It thoroughly skewers everything from The Breakfast Club to Bring It On to Can't Hardly Wait. They even used the same classroom. For those of us who slogged through the Brat Pack movies in our twenties, and now must endure the latest crop of teen movies aimed at our kids, nephews and nieces, it was a hilarious breath of fresh air, as nothing was left sacred.

Yes, it was crass, foolish and blatant... but executed with a panache that, if you missed it... well, then either you weren't really paying much attention to the movies it was poking fun at, or you've got some weird emotional attachment to those sentimental 80's flicks.

I'm amused at the amount of whining from commenters complaining that it parodies many movies that, "didn't take themselves seriously and therefore didn't deserve it." What a bunch of babies. Admittedly, some of the humor is way over the top vulgar, far surpassing anything seen in the American Pie series. It's up to you if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

My favorite quote, from the leader of the Cheer-ocracy: "Oh, it's already been buh-roughton," complete with the jutting chin and head waggle.