Family Fun

Toy Story was a phenomenal success, and set the bar for a new age of animated films. With the critically acclaimed Toy Story 2 proving an even bigger hit, Toy Story 3 was only a matter of time. The film features all the main characters from the previous movies and introduces a few new ones along the way. We are once again treated to the endearing vocal talents of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, as well as Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton and a host of other famous names.

Toy Story 3 begins with a grown-up Andy setting off for college; without anyone to play with them, all our favourite toys feel unloved and rejected, all except Woody, who is chosen to join Andy, much to the dismay of the cowboy’s friends. In a state of confusion, the other toys that should have been put in the attic end up on the street, with the dreaded bin lorry fast approaching. Convinced that they are no longer wanted, they escape from the bin bag and, led by Jessie and Buzz, hop into a Sunnyside Daycare donation box, ready for an adventure of their own.

Once they arrive at the Daycare centre, Lotso the Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear tells them that the children play with the toys all day, every day and that they will never be forgotten or lost, as the Daycare centre has new children arriving all the time. Little do the new toys realise that their new home is not what it seems…

Meanwhile, a saddened Woody has followed his friends to the Daycare centre to try and explain the earlier mix-up, but he is found by an imaginative, caring child named Bonnie. He has a great time playing with her, but then he meets Chuckles the sad clown who has something very important to tell him.

What has happened to Woody’s friends, and will he get back to Andy in time?

(more…)

It’s 700 years in the future and earth has become a toxic wasteland. Centuries earlier humans were forced to leave the planet and move to outer space, because copious amounts of rubbish created through mass consumerism had made the place uninhabitable. The dusty cityscape shows the remnants of a civilisation: old billboards advertising cola and holidays, an empty bank, an engagement ring sparkling in the gutter.

Looking more closely, we notice that the tall skyscrapers aren’t buildings at all, but giant cubes of waste, compacted and stacked on top of each other. Save a lone cockroach just one thing stirs. This is WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class), a small, rusty robot who diligently trundles through the barren, dusty streets, scooping up rubbish into his belly, compressing it and stacking it. Occasionally he finds small gems among the trash – an old boot, a Rubik cube, a video of the musical Hello, Dolly! which he watches again and again on his ancient VCR. He is fascinated by a scene of a boy and girl holding hands and dancing.

(more…)

Based on Louise Rennison’s popular series of teen novels, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is a Bridget Jones-style coming-of-age comedy which follows a group of 14-year-olds as they attempt to escape the shackles of their snooping parents and move into the more exciting world of boys, bras and parties. Viewers who’ve endured teen gross-out comedies such as American Pie will find this Brit-flick from Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) refreshingly gentle. There’s no swearing and no mention of drugs, no-one has sex and there are no unwanted pregnancies.

Set in the seaside town of Eastbourne, the story centres around Georgia Nicholson (Georgia Groome) and her circle of giggly, gawkish friends. Her chief aims in life are to secure a fit boyfriend and persuade her parents to throw her the best 15th birthday bash EVER at the local nightclub. Her biggest gripes are her embarrassing, old fashioned parents (Alan Davies and Karen Taylor) and her freakish little sister Libby (Eva Drew), who thinks she’s a cat. When two “sex-gods” called Robbie (Aaron Johnson) and Tom (Sean Bourke) join their school, Georgia and her best friend Jas (Eleanor Tomlinson) are determined to bag them for themselves. Trouble is, the slutty and popular Lindsay (Kimberley Nixon), who wears a padded bra and unbuttons her shirt as low as school uniform rules will allow, has got there first.

(more…)

The TV sitcom that shot 16-year-old Miley Cyrus to megastardom has now spawned a move of the same name. As well as being a guaranteed cash cow for Disney, the move also heralds a comeback for Miley’s dad Billy Ray Cyrus, who became a one-hit-wonder with the tremendously irritating ‘Achy Breaky Heart’.

For those not familiar with Disney’s teenage phenomenon, Hannah Montana the pop star alter ego of Miley Stewart, who lives a double life thanks to one blonde wig. It’s no wonder that she commands such an impassioned tween following: here bere we see her living the dream of being both an ordinary teenager and massively successful pop star.

A predictable plot sees Miley get too big for her boots and being whisked off to the country by her Billy Ray, who plays her onscreen father, where she rediscovers the simple life and renounces the consumerism of Beverly Hills. But the folks back in Tennessee have no idea that Miley has become world famous as Hannah Montana, so she has to keep switching identities.

(more…)