By Susan Granger
Special to WestportNow
It’s been almost 25 years since the first “Toy Story,” and in “Toy Story 4” Pixar again comes up with lovable characters inhabiting relatable stories, culminating in a bittersweet conclusion.
Andy’s off to college so Bonnie (Madeline McGraw) has inherited his beloved toys: Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Trixie (Kristen Schaal), et al.
During her kindergarten orientation, nervous Bonnie crafts Forky (Tony Hale) out of a discarded plastic spork with mismatched googly eyes, pipe cleaner arms, wax-stick mouth and Popsicle-stick feet.
“She literally made a new friend,” Woody tells the gang, explaining the clumsy creation.
When Bonnie’s parents plan an impromptu RV road trip, Forky comes along, even though he’s convinced that, as a utensil, he belongs in the trash bin, instead of the toy box. Predictably, he gets lost — and it’s up to heroic Woody to find him: “I was made to help a child. I don’t remember it being this hard.”
In an antique store, Woody spies the lamp belonging to shepherdess Bo Peep (Annie Potts), whom he hasn’t seen in years. Their reunion leads them to a defective doll, Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), and her ventriloquist-dummy pals who are determined to steal Woody’s pull-string voice mechanism.
Plus there’s perennially posing Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), a Canadian daredevil motorcyclist, and a pair of carnival-prize stuffed animals (Keegan Michael Key, Jordan Peele).
Working with writers Andrew Stanton & Stephany Folsom, director Josh Cooley explores the existential concepts of change, loss, letting go and moving on, augmented as always by Randy Newman’s delightful score, including “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” and the highest quality of photo-realistic animation.
“The world of ‘Toy Story’ is built upon the idea that everything in the world has a purpose,” notes Cooley. “A toy’s purpose is to be there for its child. But what if that toy is a disposable spork?”
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Toy Story 4” is an enjoyable 8, wholesome entertainment for the entire family.
Yes, the Garden Cinema in Norwalk is still open (hopefully, until the end of summer). And it’s where you can see “The Biggest Little Farm,” a charming autobiographical documentary about an idealistic California couple who developed a sustainable farm on a 240-acre patch of depleted ground in Moorpark, located in Ventura County, 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
John and Molly Chester lived in a cramped apartment in Santa Monica; he was a TV director/wildlife cinematographer for “Animal Planet,” she was a pastry chef/food blogger. But they had a problem: their rescue dog, a black mutt named Todd, barked incessantly was he was left alone, so they were forced to move.
With the help of investors who shared their vision of a restorative agriculture model with its own self-perpetuating ecosystem, they bought Apricot Lane Farms, determined to become New Age pioneers.
Relying on the expertise of ‘guru’ Alan York, a visionary biodynamic consultant, they opt for complete diversification to rejuvenate the soil to create fertile ground — firm in their belief that when the farm and wildlife are in balance, there’s a solution to every dilemma.
As the narrative unfolds, the Chesters are coping with one problem after another. From cultivating worms to birthing piglets, they improvise. When leaf-eating snails ruin their fruit crop, they release the ducks. When flies accumulate in the cow manure, freeing the chickens takes care of it.
Still, there are hardships — like marauding coyotes, devastating drought and threatening wildfires which threaten their 200 different crops, 10,000 orchard trees bearing 75 varieties of fruit and vegetables, along with chickens, pigs, ducks and bees.
As Alan York puts it: “A comfortable level of disharmony” is the best you can hope for in this world. “I didn’t want to make a film about climate change,” John adds. “I wanted to make a film about its consequences … It’s about the potential to integrate ourselves within a system that regenerates rather than depletes it.”
On the Granger Gauge, “The Biggest Little Farm” is an idealized, yet inspiring 8, an ode to the natural rhythms of life, death and regeneration.
Years ago, Will Smith used to brag that he (via his movies) “owned” the Fourth of July. No more! Without Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, “Men in Black: International” is a firecracker that barely fizzles.
The stand-alone story revolves around Molly (Tessa Thompson), whose childhood memories of her parents being neuralyzed after seeing an alien gave her insight into what’s invisible to most Earthlings. Molly is so determined to discover the truth about mankind’s place in the universe that she tracks down Executive Agent O (Emma Thompson) to become the highly secretive agency’s first volunteer.
A probationary recruit, Agent M is partnered with glibly cocky Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) who relies all-to-often on his looks and charm. Apparently, many years ago he saved the world with London division boss High T (Liam Neeson) “with nothing but wits and series-70 atomizers.”
Among those menacing them are evil Riza (Rebecca Ferguson) and break-dancing, shape-shifting Alien Twins (Laurent and Larry Bourgeois), exuding an eerie cosmic countenance; they can manipulate whatever they touch while searching for an intergalactic superweapon. But the gung-ho rookie & seasoned veteran setup has lost its luster. Traveling to London, Paris, and Marrakech, it goes nowhere.
Tracing its history back to a Malibu/Marvel comic book series, it’s sketchily scripted by Matt Holloway and Art Marcum (“Iron Man,” “Transformers: The Last Knight”), with direction F. Gary Gray (“The Fate of the Furious,” “Straight Outta Compton”) who obviously cannot juggle live action with fanciful “aliens” with the same satiric skill as Barry Sonnenfeld.
In past versions, the imaginative creatures from outer-space were created by visual effects master Rick Baker; now they’re obviously computer-generated images. The only memorable one is diminutive Pawny, voiced by Kumail Nanjaini.
On the Granger Gauge, “Men in Black: International” misfires with a frantic 4 — floundering pop culture sci-fi.
(Editor’s Note: Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has been on radio/television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic for many years. See her reviews at www.susangranger.com.)
