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Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Puts Only The Essential Life in the Spotlight.

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis looks at this musician’s life through the eyes of The Colonel’s (Tom Hanks) and we have to wonder if this man had any compassion at all.

Spoiler Alert

Biopics about musicians are often sanitised for the big screen. Bohemian Rhapsody (review link) was more about Freddie Mercury, more than the band from a third-person perspective. Conversely, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis looks at this musician’s life through the eyes of The Colonel’s (Tom Hanks). It sometimes vilifies rather than objectifies his role in making this man a star.

Even this villain who managed this singer (Austin Butler) throughout the decades admits to his problem. We get little sympathy for the devil.

Anyone who followed Elvis’ career or was part of his inner circle knew Colonel Tom Parker was trouble. Even though he helped turn the teen from Tupelo, Mississippi into a superstar, the stuff he held back on (or didn’t allow him to partake) may have dimmed this superstar’s light by a little. The spotlight is back because of the award-winning performances between Hanks and Butler. The film is really about their relationship first and the music second. Any tidbits of actual history are marginalised. This performer was upset because he wasn’t given the respect he so deserved during his time in Hollywood.

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Finch’s Hope for the Future

Craig Luck and Ivor Powell crafted a wonderfully complex and sad tale about what it means to be alive in Finch.

Available on Apple TV Plus
Spoiler Alert

Finch (Tom Hanks) may well be the last man on Earth. After a solar flare razed the Earth, the planet is devastated. He has Goodyear, his pet dog, to be his companion, but it’s not enough to give him hope. At first, he built a simple droid to assist in his day to day living, but he knew he needed another companion. The bot he builds combines traits and a look between Number 5, Wall*E and C3P0. But its programming could not be uploaded fast enough as the old man and his ensemble have to flee. There’s an approaching electrical storm.

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News of the World Makes It’s Call on Home Video

I believe this movie is about Kidd’s depression getting the better of him. He’s on the road a lot to hide from what he can’t bear to be around.

News Of The World (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital) — **Available to order on Amazon USA**

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Universal Studios Entertainment
Spoiler Alert

Sometimes no news is better than fake news in the one subplot featured in Paul Greengrass‘s movie, News of the World. The film is imbued with a subtle reminder of race relations while life in the wild west was hard. The Civil War is over, and people are still trying to figure out what side they are truly with. The collision between the cowboys, indians, and immigrants makes up one layer of this movie adaptation of Paulette Jiles‘ novel of the same name. Another is about the journey of one very lonely individual.

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) is a Confederate veteran of the US Civil War, and after losing this battle, he has no reason to fully live. To make ends meet, he travels from town to town to offer his services as a town crier of sorts. He reads the local paper out aloud in town halls, to deliver the news to those who can’t read. Plus, he hasn’t seen his wife in years. Hanks’ performance makes me wonder if Kidd is kidding himself about his occupation. He sees home as a disease. Johanna (played by Helena Zengel), to whom he has to deliver to her next of kin, proves to be more of a boon than a bane of his life.

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Reminded of Times Gone By with Toy Story 4

One rule of this fairy tale world must involve why these toys exist. In Toy Story 4, we finally get an explanation–they become self aware so that they can make children happy.

Toy Story 4 Movie Poster * Spoiler Alert

In Toy Story 4, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the gang find life with a new playmate generally good. It’s been a few years now, and these days, it’s Jessie (Joan Cusack) whom Bonnie plays with more. The sheriff knows his purpose is to keep the new owner safe. After witnessing her reluctance to go to preschool, he has a new mission.

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PIXAR’s Toy Story of Terror. Is It Scary Enough?

The new ABC Special, Toy Story of Terror is a fun filled homage to the horror classics by keeping the ideas PG-13.

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

toy-story-of-terror-posterjpg-884509_160w

The new ABC Special, Toy Story of Terror is a fun filled homage to the horror classics by keeping the ideas PG-13. There are a few moments that the well-versed fan of horror will pick out, but for the young ones, there’s nothing absolutely scary about it to make one go hiding under the sheets. Well, maybe the screams, but they are well earned. The humour is right on par with PIXAR’s feature film products,

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Rex (Wallace Shawn) and Mr. Potato-head (Don Rickles) all return for a nightmare filled romp. The tale seems to continue from where the third Toy Story left off. But when the build ups are wonderfully marginalized by Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), to see his observations come true is just wonderfully hilarious. His understanding of what the horror genre of yesteryear is about is spot on. Writers John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton did a great job at penning this screenplay.

These days, horror does not have to be about visceral terror or in-your-face shocks. Everything done here in Toy Story of Terror is old school—the frights are implied. The question of what true horror is from a toy’s perspective is nicely done. Jessie shows that even she has fears too. Most of it centers deals with how neglected she was back when she was abandoned in Toy Story 2. Her character development defines much of this story’s plot, and if more episodes spotlighting each character are made, the potential for more Toy Story related tales may well be in store in the years to come.

To say too much more about this new product would just spoil the fun that ensues. Hopefully ABC will see to repeating this funhouse filled romp every year. Despite the fact that PIXAR shut down their Vancouver, British Columbia office, which was set to produce more Toy Story shorts, the fate of the franchise seems uncertain. At least the Emeryville headquarters will continue on strong.

PIXAR to Debut a Toy Story of Terror

Toy Story of Terror makes its debut on October 16th, 8pm EST (5pm PST) on the ABC network.

ToyStoryofTerror (2)

Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror is coming soon to a ABC channel near you. And you and your family to be thrilled as the original voice cast make their return for this Halloween special.

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the toys travel with their new owners, Bonnie and her mother, on what is meant to be a fun road trip. A mechanical problem with their car causes an unexpected detour to a roadside motel. But it is during their stay that Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) vanishes and it’s up to the remaining toys to solve the mystery before they meet a similar fate.

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