Tag: animated movies

Short Film Reviews: Toy Story of Terror! (2013) & Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014)

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One of my favourite movies this year was Toy Story 4 and I was super bummed that there weren’t any more in the series to watch. Imagine my delight when I stumbled across the shorts!

Toy Story of Terror! is a Hallowe’en tale where our favourite group of toys are watching a horror movie in the boot of the car. The tyre pops and Bonnie’s mum is forced to divert to a motel for the night. Pricklepants is convinced that they’re walking into a horror movie and spooks everyone as things start to unfold in line with his predictions. When Jessie disappears, Buzz and Woody lead the charge to find her, and high jinks ensue!

Toy Story That Time Forgot is centred around Bonnie’s trip to her friend Mason’s house at Christmas time. When Bonnie and Mason ditch the toys for video games, they’re left to fend for themselves amongst Mason’s toys, who have never been played with and don’t know they’re toys.

I was really impressed that these short films were just as good as the movies. The comedy is perfect and the storylines are short and sweet. I totally recommend both. They’re seriously good fun and I laughed the whole way through!

Film Review: Onward (2020)

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Onward is exactly what I want in an animated movie. Honestly, it was just so uplifting and feel-good and lovely – and I cried so many times. Movies that move you because they’re so kind are truly wondrous creations.

The movie follows Ian and Barley Lightfoot, two elves in a world that’s modern but magical. Their father Wilden died when they were young and they’ve been raised by their mum Laurel. On Ian’s sixteenth birthday, she gifts him and his brother with something Wilden left behind for them once both are sixteen. It turns out to be a wizard’s staff and a spell for conjuring the dead for just one day.

Barley tries to bring their dad back but is unsuccessful. When Ian tries, he manages to bring back half of his dad before the gemstone in the staff explodes. Barley, who’s spent his life researching magical lore for games and quests, convinces Ian that they can find a replacement gemstone by following an old trail with a map. Unfortunately, after a series of mishaps, the only tools they have is a staff Ian can barely wield, a van that keeps breaking down, and a children’s menu puzzle adapted from a treasure map. It’s honestly cracking good fun!

At the same time the brothers are trying to finish the spell to bring back their dad, their poor mum is trying to track them down with the help of the Manticore, the harried restaurant owner whose business went up in flames after the brothers tried to take her map, and Colt, Laurel’s centaur police officer boyfriend. Their scenes are so funny, I couldn’t stop laughing.

What I loved most about this movie was the focus on sibling love and brotherhood. Ian and Barley are the most amazing duo and I adored how their relationship developed throughout the movie, how they worked together and supported each other, and how it all came together by the end. It was such a sweet, heartfelt, wonderful film. ♡