Nostalgia

Just watched Toy Story with my niece this afternoon. I have to say, after 14 years I still think it is a solid movie. This current viewing evoked similar emotions and laughters that I had felt when I was 7 years old. Couldn't believe now that a computer graphic animation movie would have nostalgia factor...after all, it seemed like just not long ago that I went to the theaters for it.

But the nostalgia factor seems to be a positive one. You know how sometimes when you haven't seen something or heard something for a long time, and you experience them again...the end result wouldn't be as well as you imagined it to be? Well this isn't one of them...maybe because this doesn't rely on pop culture references, one-trick-ponies, or jokes, but the most important aspect is that it has a strong story. Take our situation for example. When my 3-year-old niece watches Toy Story, she reacts to what the screen is showing. And while she might not understand what Buzz or Woody are talking about, she knows what and why they are doing. Story propels the characters' actions. A good story could be told with actions instead of words, and this is also apparent in the Pixar short films. After going to Pixar 20 Years of Animation Exhibit in Taipei, Taiwan, I could understand the efforts that went into creating unique and compelling stories (and the world surrounding them) for every one of their films.

The only thing that I felt different was the vast improvements Pixar has since Toy Story: level of detail, surface textures, movements of the characters, and much more. Even Toy Story 2 improves a lot from the first one both animation and story. These are changes for the better. Hope that the upcoming Toy Story 3 will have superb graphics and most of all, a good story!