Movie review: “Inside Out” (2015)

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“What do we do? What do we do?! What do we do?!?!”

“We could try crying until we can’t breathe!”

“Or we could pull out that one curse word we know! It’s a doozy!”

Over the course of its nearly unprecedented winning streak (for family features, only the early Snow White/Bambi/Fantasia days of Disney are probably the least bit comparable), the Pixar animation studio has shown a thorough and innate understanding of the process and pitfalls of growing up, not to mention a remarkable facility with the sorts of stories, and themes, and details, and moments, that tend to subconsciously bind children of basically any age to their parents, and vice versa, while also reinforcing existing bonds, whether said moments should happen in life or in a packed theater. As a childless, more-or-less confirmed bachelor, I am, one might imagine, not the veteran of countless kids’ movies, inside the theater or out, though I have long been an unvarnished Pixar enthusiast. Unlike its parent, The Walt Disney Company, Pixar has always strived, with an edifying success level, to create films that are intended to be enjoyed by the whole family, and not just because it makes for good ad copy. Multi-directional, all-encompassing appeal is a perilously thin line to walk, but can also be an incredibly noble calling, and up until Pixar’s recent doldrums, marked mostly by superfluous sequels and radio silence, I was grateful just to be included in the crowd. Continue reading “Movie review: “Inside Out” (2015)”

DVR Hindsight #9 (2/27/15): Parks and Recreation finale

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Parks and Recreation – “One Last Ride” Season 7, Eps. 12-13 (NBC)

Though I will admit to a false start penalty, I was somehow able to avoid immediately adding my voice to the four corner chorus singing the praises of the Parks and Recreation finale, and of the series in general, this week. I read a few of the pieces and found them all fine, but I wasn’t ready to chime in just then, even though I knew I’d be unable to resist long term. Instead, I made a point of watching “One Last Ride” again. Then I recalibrated, did some pondering, and restarted in earnest. Since I officially entered the review business over a year ago, I’ve found I very rarely watch new shows or movies a second time before commenting on them. This week, I’ve already done it twice. Continue reading “DVR Hindsight #9 (2/27/15): Parks and Recreation finale”