By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Oct. 8, unless otherwise noted: Toy Story 4 (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2019, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Rated: G The lowdown: “Toy Story 4” is fun and enjoyable, but that’s about it. The movie and its bevy of characters have become stale and predictable — and that always is a sign that creative juices are drying up. This newest Pixar release lacks oomph; it methodically goes through its paces like an assembly-line worker clocking in for a shift. At times, the movie seems a bit too mature and cynical for the younger audiences it should target. Plus, with a running time of 100 minutes, “Toy Story 4” feels padded and repetitious. With the exception of Forky, the newest edition to the toy collection, the remainder of the characters — whose charm is garnering diminishing returns — go through their usual paces, doing the same schtick as they did in the three previous outings. It’s as if they are on a treadmill going nowhere at various speeds. Perhaps it’s time to consign the “Toy Story” franchise to a cinematic closet before all the good will it has accrued over the years turns to dust. The vast majority of critics, though, embraced the movie, giving it a 97 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
New to View: Oct. 8
New to View: Oct. 8
New to View: Oct. 8
By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Oct. 8, unless otherwise noted: Toy Story 4 (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2019, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Rated: G The lowdown: “Toy Story 4” is fun and enjoyable, but that’s about it. The movie and its bevy of characters have become stale and predictable — and that always is a sign that creative juices are drying up. This newest Pixar release lacks oomph; it methodically goes through its paces like an assembly-line worker clocking in for a shift. At times, the movie seems a bit too mature and cynical for the younger audiences it should target. Plus, with a running time of 100 minutes, “Toy Story 4” feels padded and repetitious. With the exception of Forky, the newest edition to the toy collection, the remainder of the characters — whose charm is garnering diminishing returns — go through their usual paces, doing the same schtick as they did in the three previous outings. It’s as if they are on a treadmill going nowhere at various speeds. Perhaps it’s time to consign the “Toy Story” franchise to a cinematic closet before all the good will it has accrued over the years turns to dust. The vast majority of critics, though, embraced the movie, giving it a 97 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.