Thursday Movie Picks: Movies Based on Toys
1) Transformers
This franchise gets a ton of hate, and some of it is deserved, but I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the first three. They were fun popcorn flicks
2) Lego Movie
This is one of the most brilliant animated movies of recent memory. Sometimes I wonder if I liked it more than my child.
3) Small Soldiers
This one might be a bit of a cheat because I'm pretty sure most of the toys came after, but you can tell they drew a lot of inspiration from Barbie and GI Joe. And this movie was awesome. How can you not love a bunch of toys using "psychological warfare" on humans by playing The Spice Girls music to try to get them to leave the house.
Bonus: All those cartoons from the 80's that I watched in the 90's: Care Bears, My Little Pony, Rainbow Brite.
I'm one of those who threw the hate at Transformers, though I've only seen the first one, I just thought it was the dumbest thing. I haven't seen the other two, though I've seen some bits of Small Soldiers but never front to back.
ReplyDeleteI almost sat this week out since the only title that came to mind was that abomination Robin Williams movie “Toys” but after poking around, looking at it from a side angle, more films that have something to do with toys, and cheating on my last I finally came up with three.
Babes in Toyland aka March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934)-In Toyland Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy), live in a shoe along with Mother Peep, Bo Peep, a mouse resembling Mickey Mouse (actually played by a live monkey in a costume), and many other children. The evil Silas Barnaby who wants to marry Bo Peep holds the mortgage on the shoe. Barnaby offers the old woman an ultimatum – unless Bo Peep agrees to marry him he will foreclose on the shoe. Widow Peep refuses, but is worried about where she'll get the money to pay the mortgage. Ollie and Stannie scheme to get the money including making wooden soldiers for Santa but bungle that (building 100 wooden soldiers at six feet tall, instead of 600 soldiers at one foot tall). After many false starts and chicanery happiness prevails.
Pinocchio (1940)-Toymaker Gepetto carves an almost lifelike marionette who he names Pinocchio. Lonely he wishes that Pinocchio was a real boy. Overheard by a fairy who grants his wish and assigns Jiminy Cricket to watch over Pinocchio on his quest, the two start on a journey that will lead to him becoming that real boy. Classic Disney with many great songs including When You Wish Upon a Star.
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)-This is a cheat since it is a TV special but at least it’s seasonally appropriate! Narrated perfectly by Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman this tells the story of poor Rudolph who is born with a bright red nose making him an outcast, all of the other reindeer use to laugh and call him names…they’d never let poor Rudolph play in ANY reindeer games! Feeling isolated he runs off to the woods and meets elf Hermey, a frustrated wannabe dentist, and the two forge a friendship but run afoul of the Abominable Snow Monster. On the run they meet prospector Yukon Cornelius and the three flee to the Island of Misfit Toys. Returning home later they find Rudolph’s family threatened by the Abominable Snow Monster but manage to save the day until a blizzard blows into town causing Santa to consider cancelling Christmas. But wait! Santa goes to him and says “Rudolph with your nose so bright…won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” “Then how the reindeer loved him! As they shouted out with glee "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, You'll go down in history" As an added bonus all the Misfit Toys at last find happy homes!!
OMG, I've actually seen all three of your picks, that NEVER happens! lol.
DeleteBabes in Toyland actually scared me a little when I was very small. I don't remember why though.
I've never heard of Small Soldiers before, neither the movie nor the toys. But at least I know (and also picked) the other two. I absolutely loved The Lego Movie and I also loved playing with them. Transformers was enjoyable. The second wasn't terrible, but the third, I didn't like that one. Not to mention the last one.
ReplyDeleteSmall Soldiers was in the mid-90's. Kirstin Dunst was in it. My dad and I loved it. It's so much fun. I never did see the 4th Transformers. The 3rd was easily the weakest.
DeleteI haven't seen The Lego movie but, with all the talk, I may see it. i have seen snippets of Small Soldiers which, I think, was Phil Hartman's last film. I have seen Transformers and I laughed that Megan Fox still had great hair and white pants after all the fighting.
ReplyDeleteRight? lol Shia Labeouf was caked in dirt and she still looked glamorous.
DeleteSmall soldiers - the monsters were such cool toys! I remember my dad really wanting to see it for some reason
ReplyDeleteMy dad loved it too. Maybe it was just a dad movie? lol
DeleteLOVE The Lego Movie. And I'm really excited about the Lego Batman movie, too. Will Arnett may just be the best Batman ever lol.
ReplyDeleteTransformers is stupid, but then, so was the cartoon, from what little I remember.
I'm so pumped for the Lego Batman movie. Probably moreso than my own kid who loves Batman and Lego Movie. lol
DeleteThe Lego Movie rules. Small Soldiers is pretty good. The first Transformers movie is probably the one film I can kind of sit through in its entirety and not wince entirely since The Rock but it's still shit like everything Michael Bay has done since Armageddon which are just absolutely unwatchable. The man is evil and treats women like objects.
ReplyDeletelol Michael Bay directs like a 13 year old boy. It is known.
DeleteNo, 13 year-old boys have more imagination than his bullshit. 8 year olds can direct movies better than him.
DeleteI thought about Transformers to be honest. Like, I actually liked the first movie, I didn't mind it. It was mindless fun and I'm not gonna lie, I enjoyed that fun more than once. But I think I've just grown out of that phase of liking giant car-robots. Shame really.. since there's a new one coming out with Churchill, Nazis and.. King Arthur? Or something. I can't remember if it had Churchill but Nazis and King Arthur were in it for sure.
ReplyDeleteI haven't even watched the new Transformers trailer, I kind of lost interest after the 3rd one. I suppose if my own son gets into them I'll watch the newer ones.
DeleteI still haven't seen Lego Movie!?!? I have to get on that soon. Nice picks!
ReplyDeleteWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT Go do that now! lol
DeleteThe Lego Movie is flat out brilliant. Really like the first Transformers, too. Nice to see Small Soldiers get some love.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone else likes Small Soldiers.
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