#like that is so genius pixar

[thatonekreachur]

one detail in elemental is that these earth buildings in the background kinda look like granum, which were inside the chloroplast of a plant cell.

(Sorry I couldn't get a better image)

[japannkenn]

i can’t believe Luca ends with them separating

/pos

[multi-fandom-magic]

So hyped for Inside Out 2😍🥰🎉🎊💛💙💚💜❤️🧡💖🩵💟

[pascalcampion]

Under the Boardwalk.

I was at Lightbox a few weeks ago and I bumped into a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. ( hey Francis! We need to do lunch) He was laughing because he said that he had just seen a trailer for this thing I did some work on years ago. It took me a minute to realize he was talking about Under the Boardwalk. Movies do take a while to get done.

Anytime I see a movie in a theater that doesn’t come from Pixar, Disney, Illumination or Dreamworks, I clap my hands in my mind. It is SO hard to get to the finish line. Each movie that you see is the result of a series of small miracles.

I did a couple months of work on it. I was think it was in preproduction at the time. It was called Jersey Crabs at the time and there were only three people on it. At least, I only met three.

There was Chris Zibach, Ericka Stewart and David Soren.

I had just come off of two rather long and hard productions and I was a bit burned out about Art direction, production design or just… design in general.

When I first got an email about this, I wasn’t sure. But I went over to Paramount to meet with all three of them.

And you know what? They were fantastic.

Ericka was the producer and she had this no nonsense approach. Tell me your price, I’ll tell you if we can do it, if not we’ll figure something out. Boom. Done. She cut to the chase and any time I had a question she would reply within the hour. Her feedback was always short and precise, and she was always encouraging. After I was gone, she emailed me a couple of times to follow up on this or that. She didn’t leave any loose ends AND, something that is absolutely remarkable in this industry, she would reply to emails. She didn’t simply reply when she needed something, but when I would ask her if I could send recommendations, or if there were any other projects going on, she would send me an email back. I think the longest it took her to reply was TWO days, which is incredible.

Chris Zibach. It wasn’t immediately clear what Chris’s role on this was. I knew he was an artist. I had met him a few years prior while visiting a friend at Dreamworks TV I think. He was quieter than Ericka. Not sure if he was shy or I was simply too aloof for him to talk to me. For whatever reason, when I saw him, I thought of Tim Burton. Maybe the genius in him? Not sure. Later, I learned he was the production designer. I was surprised because that is something I typically learn on the first meeting. I was also unsure of his role because I hadn’t seen any of his work before and he didn’t act like any of the production designers I had met before. He wasn’t bombastic or sure of himself. He wasn’t trying to win me over with his talent or past battlefield experiences. He was humble. Yes, I think that’s probably the right word. Humble. But at the time, I couldn’t figure out if it was humility or something else.

It became clear after the first few designs of his I’d seen and especially after I had done a sketch for a moment that I couldn’t quite picture. I wasn’t understanding what they were looking for and Chris did this thirty second sketch that was SO clear, SO readable and SO easy to work with, and I was. OH! Ok.. he’s the real deal.

I love Artists like him. I wish I had worked with him more actually.

And, David Soren, the director

That was such an interesting meeting.

You know how sometimes you are hesitating on a project and you meet the team and all of a sudden it all flips? That’s how it was for this. I didn’t know what this story was based on, I didn’t find crabs particularly interesting, and the story, as it was pitched, wasn’t what I gravitate toward.

But David, wow. He had this energy in the meeting, this confidence. He was good at talking but he could listen AND hear you. He could also answer questions. Any type of question regarding the art, the story, the schedule, the planning. I didn’t know much about him but I came away very impressed.

I gave it a shot and now, I feel I was lucky to have been asked because, even if I was only on this for a very short while, it was one of those candy like work experiences. All good, nothing bad. Short and sweet and really fun.

There was a moment when I was drawing this big long scene that was supposed to be in the middle of a battle and I stopped, look at it and laughed on the inside because I had just realized I was being paid to do this and THIS was SO much fun.

I don’t know what my job was, what I was supposed to bring to the project. I didn’t understand why they had me do these designs when Chris’s work was so different and so unique already, but all three did a good job at quieting those thoughts.

I was working from home and they were on the lot. If I remember correctly, they would send me emails to broadly tell me “ There is a flood there, there is a battle there, there is club, a hotel, etc etc” and I would just do some images on what I thought it could be.

They already had some character designs, and Chris had done a few images, so I wasn’t totally going from nothing.

Each time I would send a set of images, I would get an email back the same day or the next day from either Ericka or David telling me something nice. Never from Chris though. I always wondered why but now I am realizing it was because he was too busy getting the whole thing off the ground.

I would get notes sometimes but not very often. Chris would do little drawers or notes on my images and, again, they were always minimal except for that one set piece and always clear.

I don’t know what the movie is like. I was still working on this when I started with the Peanuts Special which would occupy my life for the next three and a half years.

But I do know that I remember this as a very fun, loving and carefree work experience, which have not come around very often in my career.

Thank you Ericka, Chris and David.

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[another-whump-enjoyer-blog]

Analysis of a Whump Awakening in a great movie

So I’ve seen some posts about whump awakenings, some of them mentioning Disney movies, but not a single one points this movie (well, this one is Pixar’s, but owned by Disney) I really wanna point it out, because I spent some time searching in the tags, as many ways I could think of, and got no success.

After seeing this movie again after so many years, I got this exact feeling:

I remember watching it over and over again in VHS, because I really liked it and I enjoyed one scene even though I didn't knew exactly why.

Now I know why and I’ll point it out. So please, bear with me cause it's a long post. (I swear I tried to be as brief as possible but there are just so many things I needed to point out cause this movie is so good, this character is so badass and this scene is so intense I've just find myself obsessed with it once again)

The movie is A Bug’s Life and I seriously can’t believe how underrated it is. Yes, I know the animation seems outdated, but come on, it’s Pixar’s second film, from 1998. The story is simple but executed in a such a GENIUS way it stands above the recent soulless movies Disney has made.

Now, if you enjoy whump and have seen this movie, you know exactly which scene I’m gonna mention.

Yes, I'm referring to this one.

But first, I just got to admire Flik’s development on this scene.

The first time there’s a confrontation with Hopper, he is totally terrified, hiding behind other ants when Atta tries to point him as the responsible for losing the offering, which he totally is. (But come on, why did they put it at the edge of the cliff?)

And then, when he stands up for Dot, he immediately regrets drawing Hopper’s attention. Just look how scared he is.

He breaks eye contact and steps back as Hopper commands him to do.

And now, back to THE SCENE

This time is different, he has changed since the last encounter. But also it’s not the same Hopper, he’s angrier and determined to regain control. Flik is fully aware he is intending to squish the queen just to set an example.

And now he just tried to trick him with the fake bird, which make things so much worse. Once again, everyone is in danger because of him (The bird fail was not his fault, but he already is stigmatized for being a constant failure)

So there he is. Standing up for Dot and Atta, taking full responsibility for his idea so he can stop Hopper from hurting anyone, proving the last thing he is thinking about is himself. He knows whom he’s talking to and knows there will be consequences.

"Leave her alone Hopper! The bird was my idea! I'm the one you want" (This line and the way he delivers it 👌)

And this is what he gets.

Not only does he gets brutally beaten, but also it must have been humiliating to be put as an example to all of those who felt disdain at him.

It's not too graphic but everyone’s reaction to it and the sounds he makes are enough to know how bad it is. Also the poor ant is left all bruised.

Look at him!

Come on, is there any other Pixar's movie in which a character gets hurt like this? Yes, there are other characters getting hurt. But none as viciously as him. Holy shit, they went too hard on him!

Now Hopper is using him to set the example for everyone, to keep them in line.

But Flik is not having it and somehow gathers the strength to get up.

(The sounds he makes and the effort it takes him to stand up 👌)

It took just a look from Hopper to intimidate him before, but now even when he is menacingly approaching him, Flik doesn't stop talking back. He's so defiant right now and doesn’t break eye contact. Not until Hopper hits him, confirming what he just said.

Hopper looks so terrifying with that raged expression and the fire behind him. He's such a vicious villain and it’s so well established I really thought at this part: Oh, no! He is so screwed!

Filk was so badass with his speech, even though he is visibly in pain. He didn’t know he would inspire everyone and get saved from a certain doom. They never believed in him, so why would they now?

They all knew how screwed they were, they didn’t meet the quota and it was impossible to do so. The bird was the only hope and they we’re so eager to do it but they dropped the plan so easily as soon as they knew it was his idea. That’s the faith they had in him.

Still he didn’t show Hopper any fear. Damn he was so fucking brave!

Just look at this sadistic smile when he is about to squish him. Flik is so weak he can’t do anything about it.

But then Atta stands up for him.

(I love the parallels, first she is so terrified she is about to throw him under the bus, but now she doesn't hesitate to put herself in front of Hopper to protect him. Also I love how she mimics Hopper’s circle of life thing he told her first)

Flik looks so vulnerable, poor ant. I love that Atta tells him she’s proud of him.

And then all the ants finally attack the grasshoppers, making them fly for their lives. Leaving Hopper behind.

But it isn’t enough to stop him.

Now that he completely lost control over the ants and his gang abandoned him, all because of Flik, he only has one thing in mind: revenge.

(The way he targets Flik 👌)

I love how Atta is now so protective towards him.

(The way he snatches and takes him away 👌)

It was short, but still a great and intense chase scene.

I love the way the gang grows to respect him. When he is gonna tell them his idea to make a bird they don’t wanna listen, until they get their egos inflated by getting asked for autographs. But in the scene were they’re celebrating and Flik approaches them to set them free, cause he is not going to put them in a position in which they have to fight, they take some steps closer to him and pay full attention, they genuinely care to listen to whatever he has to say.

And now they get into action so fast, as soon as they see he is in danger they turn themselves into the warriors they were reluctant to be, motivated for his sake. That’s so heartwarming.

Flik is at Hopper’s mercy now. It is now when he’s seen truly terrified. He screams for help, hoping for his friends to rescue him. He knows how screwed he'll be if Hopper succeeds in taking him away.

For a moment it seems like Hopper is gonna get away with him. Where is he taking him to? What is he gonna do to him? It’s clear he wants him dead, but seriously, HOW was he intending to do it?

(Pay attention to Flik's free leg, he's trying to kick Hopper's hand but it's useless. There's nothing he can do.)

But fortunately Atta comes to the rescue again.

Then, it comes this moment.

(The way Hopper lands cutting his path and towers over him👌)

It's also admirable how Flik doesn't get blinded by fear and remembers the real bird they encounter before. (That scene is such a key moment, not only foreshadowing Hopper’s doom but Fliks wit. While the circus gang is panicking, he quickly comes up with a plan)

Flik knows they can’t escape from Hopper nor fight him, they have no chance with him. So he hides Atta and tells her “No matter what happens, stay down”, knowing exactly what he’s getting into and being willing to take it.

Look how terrified Flik is. Yes, he knows what he is doing but it doesn't seem like he's fully acting it. Even though he’s begging, giving Hopper what he wants so he thinks he won and puts his guard down, he does seems scared. There’s no guarantee he’ll be okay.

This poor ant has been put in distress three times in a row now.

(The way he grabs him by his neck and strangles him. Again, the sounds he makes 👌)

The way he strangles him is so brutal.

"I'll get more grasshoppers and be back next season. But you won't!" Damn the way he says the last part.

Hopper has such a murder face, he is so vicious. The way he effortlessly grabs him and the violent movement of his hands is terrifying.

Flik's expression as he gasps and reaches Hopper's hands shows how hard he's squeezing. If the bird had taken a few more seconds he would be dead.

And thankfully the bird comes out, being this his third rescue.

Just look how tiny and fragile Flik looks in Hopper's hands. He just lolls along with his movements, totally helpless 👌

I just love how relieved and proud of himself he looks as he says “Yep!” when Hopper ask’s if it’s another fake bird.

Just look at him, this poor ant has had enough.

And then the scene ends in the most satisfying and gruesome way.

The way Flik gets to defeat Hopper is genius. It is clear how dangerous he is and how helpless Flik is against him, so he outsmarts him and the fact he is able to do so under so much distress is just badass.

Everyone acknowledges how Hopper’s death is one of the most gruesome and horrible from any other Disney and Pixar villain to have, and it's true. But not so many mentions the fact that Flik is put through so much distress, poor ant shouldn’t be able to get up so easily after that.

I would've liked to watch some aftermath involving a lot of comfort, because he really deserves it, along with a HUGE apology from the colony. Except from Dot, of course. Also I think Atta does redeem herself by saving him twice.

The Queen is the one that owes him the biggest apology for accusing him of putting himself before the others. Yes, he made a lot of mistakes cause he is clumsy, and the miscommunication with the circus bugs wasn’t entirely his fault (The fact he did take the time to explain but talked to the rollie pollies was hilarious)

They lied to him first. But I liked that detail when everyone cheers for his departure and he thinks they’re supporting him, that was so cruel but anticipated how gullible he is. Of course he was gonna believe the circus bugs were warriors that easily.

He was in no good position to just tell the truth even if he wanted to, so he had to work with what he had, pleasing the colony and pleasing the circus bugs. That was a shit ton of pressure over him and he was doing it so well. His plan was good, he gave hope to the colony for the first time ever and gave all the credit to the “warriors” since no one believed in him. He was always thinking of ways to make things easier for everyone. And he further proves that by putting his life at risk for them.

He deserves more praise, the colony should've received him back like: "Hey, we're really sorry for judging you and also, take this: 👑 you dropped it king"

Taking such a brutal beating, getting so violently taken away and getting so viciously strangled isn't something someone just can go about as if nothing happened. I really wish for an aftermath scene full of comfort.

I know, I know, they have to stick to a running time and for the sake of the plot and the tone of the movie it has to skip the aftermath and that’s okay. I just I like to imagine how it might went between that scene and the next one. There’s definitely a time skip cause Flik isn’t bruised anymore, and Heimlich got time to grew wings

Overall, I think it’s a great movie (my Pixar’s favorite, if it isn’t obvious already) and a great scene that concludes with the message put through the movie, by Flik and Hopper, about a seed becoming something bigger. (It's a great thing they both have opposing speeches about a seed, Flik meaning inspiration and Hopper meaning a warning) I can’t emphasize enough how this movie deserves more praise!

I really miss the evil and merciless villains that were evil for the sake of being evil and intimidating we don't get to see anymore in modern movies.

But anyway, because of all the things that happen in the scene and because there's that trope of a Whumpee sacrifying for others, using a phrase such as: "I'm the one you want" the whumperflies this scene gives me are just...

So tell me fellow whump enjoyers. What do you think about this?

[learnfromjobs]

What's up, learners? It's your boy, the one and only LearnFromJobs, here to school you on the art of innovation and making a dent in the universe. You know who else was all about that life? The late, great Steve Jobs.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Jobs? That guy who made overpriced phones and wore turtlenecks like it was his job?" But hear me out, people. The man was a genius. A legend. A mythic figure in the world of tech.

You might not know this, but Jobs wasn't always the mastermind behind Apple's success. In fact, he got fired from the company he helped start. But did he let that defeat him? Hell no. He went on to create Pixar, revolutionize the music industry with the iPod, and completely change the game with the iPhone.

And let's not forget his signature move: the keynote presentation. Jobs knew how to work a stage like nobody's business. He could make you believe that a new phone was the greatest thing to ever grace the earth. That's the power of storytelling, people.

But it wasn't just about the products. Jobs was all about the user experience. He believed in simplicity, elegance, and intuitive design. He once said, "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." And boy, did it work.

So what can we learn from Jobs? Well, for starters, never give up. Even when things seem bleak, keep pushing forward. And always keep the user in mind. Don't just make something that looks cool; make something that makes people's lives better.

And last but not least, never underestimate the power of a good black turtleneck. Just kidding. Maybe.

[nerdasaurus1200]

Oh my god Pixar’s a genius

Okay so all Elemental fans out there, you’ve no doubt seen the Steal the Show music video. And near the end they did something that is genius and so unbelievably cute.

It shows Ember as Lauv sings the lyric “You’ll be one and baby I’ll be”

And then it cuts to Wade right as he sings “two”!

She’s one and he’s two! Just like in the song!

[butchbarneygumble]

I have an odd relationship with Jimmy Neutron because when the movie came out I badly wanted to see it because cgi wormed itself into my brain after seeing all Toy Story's, A Bug's Life and Dinosaur (not sure if Monsters Inc was also out yet but that one made a huge impact on me too) and I just. Could not get enough of cgi as a whole. I was so in love with it.

But my mom? My mom didn't want to take me to see Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. She's always been outspoken in what animation she likes and doesn't like (big fan of Pixar though) so she probably didn't like the style. That, or we didn't have money to see every movie that came out, we didn't have a lot of leisure money at the time.

I still never saw the Jimmy Neutron movie to this day, but I am in university learning CGI art so! All's well that ends well?

[hemingway-papers]

even for a disney movie tangled takes a pretty random but enjoyable departure from the original fairytale and i do think that's because another prince character just wasn't cutting it and they decided to incorporate the gentleman thief storytelling tradition instead. the art design and miyazaki loving team behind it pretty overtly tells me the idea for that change came from the castle of cagliostro and a deep appreciation for it.

and me? personally? I WOULD rank cagliostro one of the most sincerely moving and aesthetically enchanting but also actiony fun movies about a princess ever animated and somehow it's not trying too hard to be ironic or hip or something. I feel like it's an obvious choice for study when trying to make a tricky script adaptation work when it is calling for the upbeat fight sequences and genre aware clever subversions but still needing to sincerely remain a pretty princess story in a magical land that does actually celebrate the spirit of fairytales and trying not to skimp too hard on any aspect

the original script for the rapunzel adaptation before lasseter took it over btw was a sort of fish out of water body swap modern day disney princess parody situation banking off the success of shrek. that was imo directly reworked as Enchanted. and much better utilized that way too

tbh in seeking a good solution to the new but not too new direction for disney, post-potf critical acclaim for returning to roots of sincerity but pre-frozen box office sensation, still seeking that dreamworks and pixar level of market domination. there was a very happy tonal medium to be found in cagliostro and it's success does suggest what something like that could do in a market looking for more modern, self aware and action packed takes on princess movies. a market that was already responding well to the dubs of other miyazaki directed movies disney was distributing.

castle of cagliostro does deconstruct fairytale stories and notions and princess movies, but does so much more lovingingly earnestly and whimsically, with a lot of affection for the source material compared to the cynicism of shrek. which as heart felt and genius as it is , wasn't something the disney company could pull off and maintain their brand.

there is nothing but sympathy for the kind of idyllic childhood notions of heroes and fairytale castles present in older disney movies, because clarisse herself holds onto those notions to help her maintain hope when escaping her situation. lupin plays into it too with some irony but not in a way that mocks her, just lightly mocks himself. it's a movie about how the real world can be really hard and at times you WILL face things that are insurmountable alone because that's normal and part of being a real person with normal limits. and asking for help from kind people isn't a weakness but part of life, a beautiful part of life even.

i've actually never seen a damsel in distress storyline portrayed as so human and understandable and not shameful. nor as a mark of being incapable but a role we all play at some point. it directly signals those who are most capable at the time to heed those around you. for what the hell else are all those skills and power youve got good for in the first place. DO be aware of those who are currently drowning in a situation no one should be expected to magically just surmount or suffer on their own and DO take action. it's your job

i love the castle of cagliostro down to my very core because I think it manages to express innocence wonderment as a strength of the soul even when juxtaposed against the complexities and realities of the often harsh present day adult world. and does so even more gently and optimistically than other similar hits like shrek and princess bride. in that sense it's too perfect for any modern disney filmmaker to NOT find inspiration in. anyone would be happy to look to it as one of the examples of how to make a fairytale adventure feel updated, cool and self aware but still maintain its palpable respect for those who love innocence and wonder.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

You can’t keep a good dog down, Charlie Brown.

When NASA launched a mission to the moon last week, the unmanned cabin included a stuffed Snoopy in an orange flight suit.

The space beagle was among the small items that serve as “zero gravity indicators,” which visually signal that the capsule has reached “the weightlessness of microgravity.”

Turns out, the agency couldn’t have picked a better pop culture symbol:

For seven decades, Snoopy and the rest of the “Peanuts” gang have defied the forces of time, freed from the gravitational pull of trends.

The globally beloved cartoon characters still pop up daily in comic strips, books and gift shops, as well as in animated specials, both new ones and the classic holiday programs such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that now stream on Apple TV Plus.

“Peanuts” is in the ether as surely as the jazzy Vince Guaraldi Trio riffs that bounce along the airwaves once Christmastime is here.

This year, the headquarters of Team Peanuts in Santa Rosa, California, has another reason to hold gatherings at its museum and library and ceremonies at its ice rink:

It’s the centennial of the birth of “Peanuts” creator Charles M. “Sparky” Schulz, who was born 26 November 1922 and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Schulz died in February 2000, the same weekend that his final original strip was published.

Yet what he launched into the zeitgeist in 1950 remains a cultural touchstone. On Saturday, many syndicated cartoonists will mark the centennial in their strips.

So why does “Peanuts” endure so strongly — remaining so firmly woven into the fabric of popular culture — when so many aspects of mass entertainment all but disappear?

Jeannie Schulz, widow of the cartoonist and president of the Charles M. Schulz Museum’s board of directors, puts it concisely:

“Sparky tapped into a universal humanity and translated it into simple lines with a subtle humor.”

Those elegant, poignant, slyly simple lines curled and curved their way into religion and sports and war and mental health and love unrequited.

To mark the centennial, The Washington Post asked celebrities from various areas of achievement what Schulz’s creation has meant to them.

‘As good as anything ever’

Producer Lee Mendelson approached Schulz in the mid-’60s with an idea: Coca-Cola was interested in a TV project.

Out of that seed grew one of the two greatest animated Christmas shows to emerge from that decade: a classic that, like “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” melded the genius of artistic minds.

Schulz teamed with animator Bill Melendez and, working under a deadline of mere months, the three men created “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” a masterpiece that daringly led with its heart.

Charlie Brown battled seasonal depression, Snoopy engaged in flights of fancy and Linus Van Pelt delivered the biblical monologue that, out of the mouths of a babe, still moves viewers regardless of age or faith.

“Over the course of my life, I’ve probably watched ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ more times than any single episode of television,” late-night host Jimmy Kimmel says. “It’s one of the main reasons I decided to have more kids.”

Kimmel thinks that special reflects the larger excellence of what a boy from Minnesota ultimately gave to the world.

“As soon as our daughter Jane learned to read, I bought her all the ‘Peanuts’ anthologies,” the comedian says. “I bought an original drawing of Snoopy by Charles Schulz that may very well be a forgery. I cherish it even if it is.

“The best of Peanuts is as good as anything ever. For me, it’s one of the greatest achievements in American art and literature.”

Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter, director of such films as “Inside Out” and “Up,” says that brilliance was firmly rooted in the comic strip, which launched in fewer than a dozen newspapers before eventually being syndicated to thousands, becoming one of the most widely read strips in the world.

“Schulz was brave enough to talk about human, adult, often non-funny things in his strip,” Docter says. “He featured kids dealing with anxiety, insecurity, jealousy, unrequited love, which gave ‘Peanuts’ a real weight and importance.”

Growing up in Minnesota himself, Docter was drawn into a world that stays with him today.

“As a kid, I was totally hooked by Snoopy and the escapist fun and humor of that character,” he says.

“But whether Schulz was conscious of it or not, it was those deeper emotional things that made me continue to read into adulthood. Those deceptively simply drawn characters have real complexity and depth."

“And besides, they’re still funny 70 years later. How many comic strips can claim that?”

Bay Area author Gene Luen Yang considers how Schulz’s comic evolved from revelation to quiet revolution.

Says Yang, author of such graphic novels as “American Born Chinese”:

“He is so influential that pretty much every strip-format comic today, whether in the newspaper or on the web, has borrowed a bit of that innovation.”

‘We stayed close’

Ever the athlete, Schulz embraced baseball, golf and hockey from a young age. He grew to love sports like tennis and these passions regularly found their way into his strip.

Before he befriended some professional athletes well into his career, though, Schulz could not have known how much he buoyed them.

“As a young skater growing up, it was always fun to see the comic strip and celebrate everything we experienced at the rink,” says figure skater Scott Hamilton, who won Olympic gold in 1984.

“To see the ‘Peanuts’ [characters] come alive on the ice made it seem like what we were doing was more than just skating. We had a place in popular culture.”

Schulz relocated to Northern California in the late ’50s, but you couldn’t take the Minnesota boyhood out of the man.

In Santa Rosa, he built the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, also known as Snoopy’s Home Ice, in 1969. And there, in the early ’80s, Hamilton began working with Schulz on ice shows.

(The skater will host “Sparky’s Ice Spectacular” at the venue on Saturday to mark the centennial.)

“Sparky was very hands-on in everything he did,” Hamilton says.

“In one of the productions I did for him, he had this dream of doing a cocktail party where I got to play the host of the party.

That character was interested in a girl at the party, but she gets swept off her feet by another guest, kind of like his stories of the Little Red-Haired Girl in the comic strip. Just when it seems he lost the girl, she comes back after all the other guests had left.”

Adds Hamilton, “To see how much Sparky loved that production made it one of my all-time favorite skating memories.”

Schulz also became a strong supporter of equality in sports, which included joining the board of trustees of the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded in 1974 by tennis icon and civil rights activist Billie Jean King, to “advance the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity.”

Schulz would not only draw Snoopy serving aces. He would also reference his friend King.

“Sparky was actually very shy, and his comic strips were a great source of inspiration and comfort for me, especially as I traveled the world during my tennis career,” King says.

“I knew if he added my name to a ‘Peanuts’ strip, he was checking in on me and wanted to have a chat.

“We stayed close until he passed, and I will always cherish that.”

’A perfect pairing’

Mendelson, who died in 2019, believed in creative serendipity. He once told The Post that the first time he heard the music of Vince Guaraldi — while driving across the Golden Gate Bridge — he thought he might use it someday.

Singer-songwriter Ben Folds views Guaraldi’s music as inseparable from the classic “Peanuts” animation it accompanied.

“When you match the music with ‘Peanuts’ and the era and what it was doing and saying, then it starts to hit like Beethoven Piano Sonata time,” Folds says of Guaraldi’s sunny West Coast sound that “distilled jazz into something popular.”

Guaraldi’s “Peanuts” songs and the animated specials were “a perfect pairing,” he says, adding that the music “just gets the vibe.”

That “loomed large” when Folds was asked to write theme music for the recent streaming Peanuts special, “It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown.”

He meditated on Guaraldi’s music rather than trying to imitate it: “I didn’t try to drop riffs. I just went with the color.”

‘Pursue their dream’

This month, “Jump Start” creator Robb Armstrong appeared on a Schulz Museum panel with other celebrated cartoonists to share personal stories about the Sparky they knew.

As he sat onstage, Armstrong appreciated that Schulz “made other budding artists either realize their dream, pursue their dream or smooth the road on their journey.”

“He was one of the most grand-hearted human beings I’ve ever encountered,” Armstrong says.

A 6-year-old Armstrong was inspired by “Peanuts” in the summer of 1968, when Schulz integrated the strip by introducing a Black character: Franklin.

Armstrong’s reaction: “I’m in this strip.”

(About a quarter-century later, Schulz gave Franklin the last name of “Armstrong” in a salute to his friend and syndicated colleague, an honor the “Jump Start” creator calls “otherworldly.”)

Barbara Brandon-Croft, the trailblazing creator of the comic “Where I’m Coming From,” also responded strongly in 1968.

“I was excited to see a Black character in ‘Peanuts.’ Even if Franklin’s presence was only that — a Black kid amongst the group — it absolutely made a difference,” she says."

“When you grow up as an ‘other,’ which is what this country laid out for us, when you see yourself represented, it gives you a sense of belonging.”

‘The cool astronaut’

Schulz, a World War II Army veteran, was long fascinated with aviation.

NASA and “Peanuts” have a long relationship that includes the Silver Snoopy Award, which is bestowed upon outstanding NASA contractors and employees.

In 1969, Schulz appeared in public alongside the Apollo 10 astronauts who rode in the module called “Charlie Brown.”

That was also the year that a future astronaut was inspired by Snoopy and space.

“In 1969, the Mets won the World Series, [astronauts] landed on the moon and I went to see ‘A Boy Named Charlie Brown,’ the new animated feature, at Radio City Music Hall, says Mike Massimino, an engineering professor and space adviser.

“It all happened within a few months of each other, and it kind of set up the passions for the rest of my life.”

That year, Massimino received a stuffed Snoopy astronaut toy as a gift.

In 2009, on his second NASA space mission, Massimino took that same Snoopy toy into space, a symbol of his lasting attachment to “Peanuts.”

Noting that his attempts to become an astronaut failed three times before he was accepted, Massimino says he admires Charlie Brown’s spirit of optimistic resilience.

“Charlie Brown is the friend and person I wanted to be, and Snoopy is the cool astronaut I wanted to be,” Massimino says.

Adds the astronaut, “I think it’s the greatest comic strip and characters ever created.”

[planetpixar]

Hi. I'm James. I worked for Pixar. I was not an animator. I am posting a Chapter from my upcoming book called "The Fall"

Have a read if you like.

Chapter 3: A galaxy, far far away

10 years old. San Francisco. A flickering screen pulsates with the now-iconic blue letters: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."  This wasn't just a movie; it was a portal. Twenty-one Fridays in a row, I found myself transported to that galaxy, mesmerized by the dazzling visuals, the thrilling adventure, and the timeless story.  Star Wars ignited a spark in me – a burning desire to create worlds, weave stories, and make audiences feel the magic of cinema.

Fast forward two decades.  I found myself in a different kind of wonderland – the Palo Alto Apple Store. The year was 2004, and I was a Mac Genius, a frontline soldier in the Apple revolution. Apple Retail was just beginning and the energy was electric, the technology cutting-edge.  Little did I know, my path would take an unexpected turn, one with echoes of that childhood dream ignited by a galaxy far, far away.

Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple, was a frequent visitor to our store. Steve, and the head of Apple's Retail division, Ron Johnson, would stop by the store and make their way over to the Genius Bar every couple of weeks. Steve was incredibly intelligent and let me say that again, Steve was incredibly intelligent, and straightforward, and he had this way of looking through you and biting at you. If he asked one of us a question, which he often did, each one of us knew that the answer given had better be correct, concise, and articulate. In retrospect, I now know that Steve already knew the answer to the questions he asked. He wanted to see if we had the requisite knowledge to stand behind that Genius Bar. He wanted people that were not full of shit. We were the public face of Apple's Retail business and his passion for design, innovation, and creating delightful customer experiences was of the utmost importance. It was all that mattered. The slogan at Apple was surprise and delight, which was far beyond just going above and beyond. Steve wanted to return to retail and Mac Geniuses were the primary vehicles he used to achieve that aim.

His passion for the Apple Retail division reminded me of the spirit I witnessed onscreen in Star Wars. 

Working at Apple was an incredible experience, but the pull of that childhood dream remained strong.

Then, in 2006, fate intervened.  One of my customers, Erik Foreman, the Mac OS X team manager at Pixar, noticed my technical expertise and perhaps even a hint of that Star Wars-fueled passion in my eyes.  He saw potential and offered me an interview – not as a filmmaker (yet!), but as a Mac OS X Systems Administrator at Pixar Animation Studios. I accepted, and after three months of interviewing at Pixar, I was chosen.

Pixar, I soon discovered, had its connection to the galaxy far, far away.  Founded by John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, the studio emerged from Lucasfilm, the very birthplace of Star Wars.  It was a full-circle moment, a chance to be part of the creative legacy that had so inspired me as a child.

Walking through the doors of Pixar on my first day of employment, was like stepping onto a movie set, except the sets were real, alive with creativity and a playful spirit.  While I wasn't directly involved in animation, my role was crucial.  Maintaining the Mac OS X desktops, laptops, and servers ensured a smooth workflow for the talented artists, animators, and storytellers who brought these incredible worlds to life. I was still helping to build a galaxy, albeit a digital one.

Every day at Pixar was a reminder of the power of imagination and the pursuit of a dream.  It was also a masterclass in storytelling.  Witnessing the meticulous detail, the collaborative spirit, and the unwavering dedication to excellence that went into each frame was an education in itself.

Being at Pixar wasn't just a job; it was a return to that childhood spark, a chance to be a part of the magic I had witnessed on screen years ago. The next chapter will explore how the lessons learned at Pixar, coupled with the practice of mindfulness, empowered me to take the next step on my creative journey, and eventually my demise.

End of Chapter 3

Wanna read more? Chunk on the link

[wrenhavenriver]

top 5 books for you too! also, top 5 video games and top 5 movies, if you would like :3c

heeell yeah! top 5 books:

Salvage The Bones by Jesmyn Ward - an incredibly lyrical and deeply sad story of a family in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. i read it for the first time at a very shitty time in my life and the sibling relationships especially punched me directly in the heart. a tough read on many fronts (definitely look up/mind the content warnings if you have any "hard no" topics in your books) but the power and beauty of jesmyn ward's writing is something else.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller - one of those rare high school assigned books that actually made an incredibly lasting impression. i'm glad 17-year-old me got all those reality checks about *checks notes* the horrors of war, the hollow uselessness of nationalism and being convinced to die for it, the absurdly circular reasoning that props up systems of power and the incompetence of the people at the top of them, the ability of bureaucracy to drive you to sheer sobbing madness, financial systems being wildly arbitrary at best and a fucking scam at worst, *takes breath*,

The Long Walk by Stephen King - look, I find most of Stephen King's work deeply annoying, but this one fucking hits. A Hunger Games-esque premise that's about self-destructive urges and toxic masculinity as much as it as about the actual, you know, ritualized dystopian death march. also the camaraderie that forms between these teenagers even in the most hideous of circumstances is so charming and funny and sweet. also also it's just, like, really gay (peter mcvries you mad bisexual disaster).

The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Sorry.

Anything by Octavia Butler really, but Dawn has a special place in my heart. The detail Butler put into all the different ways an alien species would be, well, alien to us--biological, linguistic, the makeup of family units, understandings of gender and sex, etc--and her description of humans as intelligent but highly hierarchical, and how these conflicting qualities could very well lead to our destruction...the hugely messy power dynamics not only between aliens and humans but among humans themselves...there's just so much to sink your teeth into, and it's only the first fucking book in the trilogy!

much more briefly because i'm giving myself eye strain, top 5 video games:

this is another one of those things that seems to shift every time i'm asked it but there are two (2) that will very likely never be budged from the list and those would be: have i mentioned this game called dishonored 2012 dev. arkane studios maybe one or eighteen hundred times over the last ten years; and bloodborne babey!!!

feeling like i need a zelda entry on here rn but i can't decide between majora's mask or twilight princess

fire emblem: awakening set me on the terrible path of anime chess obsession and i'm much less mad about it than i should be

also need a sengoku jidai media entry on here but i can't decide (x2) between sengoku basara or nioh which is hilarious because they are WILDLY different in tone. the duality of man

oh shit that's at least five? ask me again in a week and i'll have at least three different substitutions lmao

favorite movies:

the handmaiden. adapting fingersmith to 1930s korea is galaxy brain levels of genius and hideko and sook-hee are peak romance

saw pan's labyrinth for the first time at like. age 14? and it chemically altered my brain and introduced me to guillermo del toro's work and made me feel a lot of horrifying things. 10/10

need a ghibli entry on here but can't decide (x3) between princess mononoke and howl's moving castle, vote now on your phones

lord of the rings: the two towers. saw it six times in theaters when it originally came out and it's still my favorite of the series. can pretty much watch it by just closing my eyes at this point.

favorite disney/pixar is tangled. "i see the light" is also peak romance. wait what if hideko and sook-hee sang i see the light to each other

[disneynerdpumpkin]

Welp, it seems every other Disnerd (and even non-Disnerds!) is making posts about Once Upon a Studio, so as a Disnerd I guess I should jump in on this too!

Seeing all of the Disney characters interact with each other was AMAZING!

I wish we got to see The Nightmare Before Christmas characters tho :( That would've been pretty awesome (and there weren't any Pixar characters smh which makes no sense since they're Disney too, just a different studio partner)

As a Disney Pinocchio fan I was delightfully surprised that Pinocchio was one of the first characters to emerge! (The voice wasn't very accurate, too high-pitched but still so cute!) I honestly thought that they weren't going to put him in at all, cuz Disney tends to not pay attention to Pinocchio nearly as much as the other movies. AND HIS CUTE WIDDLE FACE OH MY GOODNESS MY LITTLE BLORBO!!!!! And he was trying not to laugh when Louis fell out of his picture frame XD like oh my goodness his little opera-gloved hand trying to hide his smile. Pinocchio has broken the cuteness meter

TIANA AND PINOCCHIO INTERACTING WAS SOMETHING I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED IT WAS SO CUTEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEK!!!

And Mickey stopping at Walt's picture, and "Feed the Birds" piano instrumental to accompany it???!?!?!?!?!!!! You better believe I cried :sobs uncontrollably: (for those non-Disnerds that might not have understood, "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins was Walt Disney's favorite song)

Moana, Flounder, Merlin, and Mad Hatter interacting with each other was AWESOME!!!

And the bit when Prince Charming loses his shoe on the stairs and Max grabbing it and running off and him yelling "ERIC, GET YOUR DOG!!!" I can't even I CAN'T EVEN THAT WAS AMAZING OMIGOSH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

and then Cinderella was like "Go, Max, go!" She was legit ENCOURAGING HIM to run away! (I'm pretty sure, from this information, that she plays pranks on her prince often) why was this short blessed upon us?!?!

AND THEY MADE CINDERELLA'S GOWN SILVER!!!!! NOT BLUE!!!!! Cuz it's not blue, it's actually silver (and Disney seems to disregard this a lot of the time)! BUT THEY ACTUALLY MADE IT SILVER akjhkjhroiqrowoewvwpqwomiepovie21ueiuv9upwe9pv;";ad's;dw!

QUASIMODO SINGING "WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR" OMIGOSH HIS VOICEEEEEEEEEE

AND JIMINY CRICKET ENDING "WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR" WITH CLIFF EDWARD'S ORIGINAL VOICE?!?!?!?!?! WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!?!?!!!?!?! WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS

the elevator bits were hilarious XD and Baymax looking adorable as ever :D

and they put in TREASURE PLANET AAAAAAHHHHH

they finally had Mickey and Minnie NOT wearing their typical outfits (red shorts and red and white polka dots dress) so that was great!

and of course Winnie the Pooh characters!!! All looking so cute, as usual! Everyone stuggling to get Pooh out of the picture frame was genius!!!

And ROBIN HOOD AND LITTLE JOHN picking up Scrooge's moneybags and saying "Ooh-de-lally"!!!!!!!

And Allan-A-Dale providing the soft instrumental music for "When You Wish Upon A Star"?!?!?!?!?!?! AND Mirabel?!?! AND Scat Cat?!?!?!?!?!!?!?? AND MULTIPLE CHARACTERS PROVIDING THE VOCALS?!?!?!

AND PETER PAN, WENDY, JOHN, AND MICHAEL'S FLIGHT UPSTAIRS?!??!?!?!

AND ROBIN WILLIAMS VOICING GENIE?!?!?!?!?!!? (tbh I actually didn't know it was him until someone pointed that out. which is funny cuz I was like "this sounds SO MUCH like Robin Williams, who did the voicing?") (so they took one Robin William's voice clips from improvising.) fun fact: Robin Williams improvised so much for Aladdin that they literally had 16 hours of material to work with!

Bruh Timon and Pumbaa calling Olaf "Frosty" was amazing

AND OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT?!?!?!?!?!?! OH MY GOODNESS

DISNEY IS LITERALLY SPOILING THE FANS!!!!! THEY KNOW WHAT THE FANS WANT OHMYGOSH!!!

:internal screaming:

Honestly I would've loved to see some interaction between Geppetto and Pinocchio (DISNEY I'M WAITING TO SEE WHOLESOME FATHER-SON BONDING BETWEEN THEM!!!!!!) I only saw the two of them at the end :(

But seeing all the characters together (except TNBC and Pixar for some reason) was amazing!!!!!!!!

LIKE OH MY GOODNESS I CANT EVEN LIST EVERYTHING IT WAS SO AMAZING (like ima have to come back to this post and add more!!!!)

[myymi]

Prompt: How would Movie Tails' thoughts on Paw Patrol or a show similar to it (Meant for young children) be? If Tails likes it, would Sonic have problems with wanting control over the TV so that he doesn't have to watch/be-subjected to the show? What would Sonic's thoughts on the show be?

Also, possibly the above scenario but in Game Universe with Tails and the others, like possibly the Chaotix, Sonic, Knuckles, and/or Amy.

i see your paw patrol, and i raise you pixar's movie: planes

but regardless, tails is definitely super into cartoons

he may be a genius but he's still a toddler. throw on a cartoon and give him a juice box n he's distracted for a good few hours

movie sonic would probably complain if he had to watch it, but he'd never make fun of tails for enjoying the show (cause again, he's a toddler lmao)

in the game universe, i don't think any of the characters would really care. most of them have their own little ones to care for (sonic&knuckles=tails, amy=cream, chaotix=charmy)

they're all fairly used to seeing cartoons, they don't care if one's playing

i think sonic would sit and ask questions abt whatever he's watching so tails can go on one of his rants, but he'd just be glad tails is acting his age to care abt the show playing

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Here we are... Best Animated Feature noms...

My predictions were 4-out-of-5...

THE BOY AND THE HERON, NIMONA, ROBOT DREAMS, and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE all got in...

The one I got wrong was TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM, which to be fair, I did say in my previous post that that one was the wild card out of my predictions. Despite the high praise and tons of nominations TMNT:MM got elsewhere, in addition to a single win, I guess those who were nominating it for the Oscar just didn't think the oozy gross-out turtle action-superhero movie cut it.

Instead, we have ELEMENTAL, so Disney Pictures gets at least one slot this year. The last time they were shut out entirely was for the features of 2011, the year they released the critical dud CARS 2 and the completely dumped WINNIE THE POOH. I was pretty sure that this year, they also wouldn't make it. ELEMENTAL's critical reception was fine at best, nowhere near the acclaim MUTANT MAYHEM got. WISH was both a critical and commercial dud, so that had no chance, only ELEMENTAL did... Maybe the Academy just didn't feel like pulling a 2018 and nominating two superhero action animated movies. Maybe they decided to have just one IP-based movie in the race, and opted for an original story. (As NIMONA and ROBOT DREAMS are based on pre-existing source material, BOY AND THE HERON references a novel that plays a part in its story.) Maybe something else about it wasn't all to their liking. Maybe Disney is just that powerful that they got themselves a slot.

I still think this is a strong line-up, and again, it speaks to how robust this year was for features both mainstream and independent.

And I will admit, even though I wasn't in love with the movie, ELEMENTAL getting into the race is very nice, I feel. Director Peter Sohn's first Pixar feature, THE GOOD DINOSAUR, was both a box office flop and didn't get a nominated for the Oscar (it shared the year with sister Pixar movie INSIDE OUT). It was also a film that he inherited after its original director got removed from it. ELEMENTAL was his personal project from the ground-up, and after a rough opening and all the press jeering that it was going to be this big flopperooni, it had excellent legs at the box office... and now... It has a Best Animated Feature nom. Talk about staying power! Maybe Pete Docter should think twice about that statement he made back in the summer, about trying to go back to Pixar's "roots" in trying to figure out what audiences supposedly want from this studio.

Anyways, Pixar usually gets a nom every year. For 2022's animated features, TURNING RED was in the running. 2021, LUCA. 2020, SOUL, which won for that year. Last time Pixar didn't get a nom at all was for 2016, their sole feature that year was FINDING DORY. Got good reviews and made beaucoup bucks, but it shared a year with Disney Animation's ZOOTOPIA and MOANA, two heavy hitters which ended up getting the noms. So, outside of FINDING DORY, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, and CARS 2, Pixar usually never misses a nom whenever they release a single movie in a calendar year.

Most of Paramount's Oscar noms in animation were for DreamWorks movies they released circa 2006-2012, which are all now Universal movies since Comcast owns all of DreamWorks Animation outright. Funnily enough, the inaugural Best Animated Feature nominations included Paramount's JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS, which was up against eventual winner SHREK, and MONSTERS, INC. Paramount then began distributing DreamWorks movies in 2006, and scored nominations with KUNG FU PANDA, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, KUNG FU PANDA 2, and PUSS IN BOOTS. For a non-DreamWorks nom, there was RANGO, which won for Best Animated Feature of 2011... Ever since then? Only one movie, ANOMALISA. The films they released from 2015 to now just never made it: SHERLOCK GNOMES, WONDER PARK, SPONGEBOB 3, RUMBLE, etc. MUTANT MAYHEM really had a good shot at getting in... Maybe TRANSFORMERS: ONE surprises later this year, I don't know. Paramount's animation history post-80s is so weird...

Anyways, congrats to everyone. I'm personally rooting for either BOY AND THE HERON, or NIMONA.

[noneoryes]

I used to really love Pixar's Ratatouille when I was young. It used to be one of my favorite films, encapsulating themes about art, media critism and even queerness and otherness.

Watching it today, I couldn't help but have my own critical thinking skills, my inner critic suddenly sneak up on me and reconsider the film and its messages and themes.

The biggest problem with the film is how it champions capitalist meritocracy and how that undermines everything it might try to say about being a part of an oppressed and despised minority.

Remy is often rightly seen as a metaphor for someone from an oppressed minority finding their place in the world and escaping oppression. The rats themselves are hated, elicit disgust by others, they are persecuted on genocidal level and are always forced to leave in fear, hidden from the rest of the world.

The rats are also seen in the stereotypes of minorities, always stealing, a deceitful, shameful crime, the movie tells us again and again. The rats can only thrive at the end of the movie when they have been "cured" of their stealing, by finding an alternative.

As a Jew, I couldn't help but see the resemblance between the scene in which Remi's dad shows him the display window full of dead rats and extermination tools and the genocidal horror of the Holocaust the Jews faced. Remy's dad tells him that this is the reality and it's always going to be like this. Rats will forever be persecuted. An idea and reality familiar to many Jews facing antisemitism through millennia.

How are the rats saved from this genocidal reality, from their shameful immoral stealing, how do they find a place in a world that hates them?

Through the meritocracy myth. More specifically, through the model minority paradigm. Remy is the model minority, the model rat, who chastises the other rats not to steal, who is better than the other rats, and through his singular talent he shows the humans rats are useful, worthy of company, full of talent and genius. Truly anyone can cook, even the hated rat. Truly, the minority is worth living, as long as they rise to the top through their own merit, like anyone else. The survival and wellbeing of Remy's kin is reliant on his talent and on him being a model minority, and that is one of the uplifting messages of the film, intentional or otherwise.

In a world where rats, like Jews, are forever doomed to be persecuted, Remy's family survive by living in secret, and being useful to the dominant, oppressive class, earning the favor of a powerful benefactor, Linguini, who owns the restaurant. This is similar to how some Jews have survived for centuries, living in the outskirts and earning the favor of a local person with power. That is the happy ending the minority metaphor gets in Ratatouille.

The second part of my problem with Ratatouille also connects to the meritocracy myth, but in a different way. Cooking in this film is a larger metaphor for creation itself, for art and artists. Yet the way art is created in Ratatouille and what it promotes is mainly, Auteur theory. The greatest force in creating art and film being a singular force of artistic genius, voice and talent. That is what Remy is. An Auteur. A talented individual with fantastic ideas that directs the rest of the cooks (the crew) in creating the perfect dish (the film).

Ratatouille doesn't see the making of food or art or film as a collaborative medium and so when things are dire and the critic comes knocking, only Remy and his singular talent and ideas can save the day and strike gold. The human cooks, each with their expertise, leave and never return to the narrative. They are the crew, and they are disposable, replaceable, as long as the Auteur stays. The crew, says the film, is not essential to the creative process, merely tools for the artist to express himself. The film may name one of it's antagonists Ego, but really it is the filmmakers ego that is running the show and pushing art as an individual art form.

Furthermore, the film never delves into the practicalities of cooking and therefore of filmmaking. Collete may teach Remy the practicalities of being a professional chef, but not how to make food. It shows ingredients, ideas, combinations, but never technique, never learning the skills of cooking. If the movie did delve into cooking technique, one could assume you could learn how to cook, how to be a better cook, improve, become more versed in creation through experience. But Linguini never learns to cook. Never improves. Remy never learns new cooking skills, never discusses cooking itself, only the different ingredient combinations. That's because art as the film sees it is a matter of talent, a natural gift, a meritocracy of the most talented, not something you have to work on or that is also work.

All of this makes the film feel self masturbatory, celebrating Auteur theory and art as idea and the genius of artists of singular minds. What cements this feeling is how the film views critics and critism. Everyone loves Anton Ego, I love him, who wouldn't? But his role in the narrative, his job as critic, is to antagonize, destroy art and artists, be a threat to the restaurant, the art. Ego is redeemed when he leaves a glowing, flattering review, but his redemption comes at the expense of his job. Sure, he loses his job because the restaurant closes down due to health inspection. However, the next scene shows him happy and redeemed when he is no longer a critic.

Indeed, Ego's redemption is him leaving his critic career behind and becoming an investor for the restaurant (patron to the artist). He cannot be both good and critic, showing a critic that praises is no longer a critic. The film does not understand, and even dismisses outwardly the meaning of criticism, or its usefulness to society. If it's negative, leave it at the door right? This message doesn't really bode well for critical thinking skills or meaningful analysis.

With all these major criticisms, the film is also just really sexist. Collete rants about the hardships of being a female chef, a cook in a male dominated workforce, yet at the end of the day, she is relegated to love interest status, there to support the protagonists, be their backup, stand by their side, be sexy in her defiance of her gendered role. Much has been said since about Pixar's toxic and gendered work environment in those years and boy does this movie and Collete's character show it.

I'm sad that a film I once loved disappoints me so as an adult. It's still a good film, still pretty to look at and Ego's review is still moving. But it's important to note what the film is actually telling us and what themes it conveys, in order to not just create art, but criticize and understand it.