Episode 71.5 — Minisode 71.5

[seanotron 2307]

2.) Did the general strangle the other military dude when they were on the x-ray cam and he was pitching the war toys to him? It looks like he actually killed him, right? Because they never actually addressed that but it really seemed like he did.

......

 

They pull him off. He definitely doesn't kill him.

[Snake 165]

 

They pull him off. He definitely doesn't kill him.

 

I thought they were going to, but they never did. The scene ends on the x-ray screen with the D.C. military dude going limp and the general's hands still around his neck. It really looked like he killed him

[seanotron 2307]

 

I thought they were going to, but they never did. The scene ends on the x-ray screen with the D.C. military dude going limp and the general's hands still around his neck. It really looked like he killed him

 

Nah, it's a weird movie, but that's way too dark in tone.

[PhillipMedoc 648]

Watched it last night but fell asleep about 40 minutes in. I do have to say that the art direction is really just stunning; sets, costumes, lighting, everything. Joan Cusack is an absolute delight. LL Cool J has charisma and his character is really likable. Robin Williams is a little Robin Williamsy at times, but it didn't go over the top as far as I got. I think I like it, but I'll have to finish it later this weekend.

[seanotron 2307]

Watched it last night but fell asleep about 40 minutes in. I do have to say that the art direction is really just stunning; sets, costumes, lighting, everything. Joan Cusack is an absolute delight. LL Cool J has charisma and his character is really likable. Robin Williams is a little Robin Williamsy at times, but it didn't go over the top as far as I got. I think I like it, but I'll have to finish it later this weekend.

 

That's the main reason I like it. It's just so pretty to look at.

[khthibault 25]

This movie messed with my mind in ways I can barely describe.

I literally freaked the fudge out when Joan Cusack's head was blown off at the end! Guys, what is happening?!

[seanotron 2307]

This movie messed with my mind in ways I can barely describe.

I literally freaked the fudge out when Joan Cusack's head was blown off at the end! Guys, what is happening?!

 

You mean...THIS MOMENT!

 

[SlidePocket 707]

The art direction and the costumes for "Toys" are really good as well, which is the reason why it ended up earning Oscar nominations for those achievements (it lost art direction to Howards End and lost costume design to Bram Stoker's Dracula). Barry Levinson got nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Director for his work on this movie, but lost that trophy to David Seltzer for Shining Through.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT DRONES.

[PhillipMedoc 648]

The art direction and the costumes for "Toys" are really good as well, which is the reason why it ended up earning Oscar nominations for those achievements (it lost art direction to Howards End and lost costume design to Bram Stoker's Dracula). Barry Levinson got nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Director for his work on this movie, but lost that trophy to David Seltzer for Shining Through.

I will admit that Gary Oldman's armor in Dracula is very memorable, and they made an interesting choice with his costume as the old Count. I hope Keanu Reeves won a fucking Razzie for that, because it's one of the worst performances from an A-lister of all time; it pretty much ruins the movie, although the film does have other flaws.

 

But Levinson nominated for Worst Director? Come on, that's honestly silly. I know it doesn't mean anything, but I don't think Toys comes to mind as a bad movie. Maybe I'm wrong. It didn't do too bad at the box office for a 1992 movie -- $23 million -- but the next week it got steamrolled by Hoffa, Chaplin, and Scent Of A Woman.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT DRONES.

 

And there's a model of the World Trade Center that gets knocked over.

 

And Dumbledore tries to stop the Sea Swine with something that sounds amazingly similar to a spell from Harry Potter.

 

In other words, this movie takes place in the present day, but is a better predictor of the 21st Century than any movie from that era that takes place in the future.

[jesshelga 17]

Am I the only one who found the sibling relationship really, really, really upsetting? Why is a grown man tucking his grown-ass sister into bed? Why is his sister staring at her brother while he flirts for 45 minutes? Even if she is a--spoiler alert--robut?

[PhillipMedoc 648]

Why is a grown man tucking his grown-ass sister into bed? Why is his sister staring at her brother while he flirts for 45 minutes?

WHIMSY.

[seanotron 2307]

And Dumbledore tries to stop the Sea Swine with something that sounds amazingly similar to a spell from Harry Potter.

 

He actually says Klaatu Barada Nikto!

[seanotron 2307]

I will admit that Gary Oldman's armor in Dracula is very memorable, and they made an interesting choice with his costume as the old Count. I hope Keanu Reeves won a fucking Razzie for that, because it's one of the worst performances from an A-lister of all time; it pretty much ruins the movie, although the film does have other flaws.

 

But Levinson nominated for Worst Director? Come on, that's honestly silly. I know it doesn't mean anything, but I don't think Toys comes to mind as a bad movie. Maybe I'm wrong. It didn't do too bad at the box office for a 1992 movie -- $23 million -- but the next week it got steamrolled by Hoffa, Chaplin, and Scent Of A Woman.

 

Coppola's Dracula is in a similar category to this movie for me. I know they both contain utterly bizarre things, but I love the production designs and they're just so engaging visually that I don't really mind that the plots or acting are bananas.

[seanotron 2307]

Am I the only one who found the sibling relationship really, really, really upsetting? Why is a grown man tucking his grown-ass sister into bed? Why is his sister staring at her brother while he flirts for 45 minutes? Even if she is a--spoiler alert--robut?

 

Both of their characters are pretty infantilized, but I think the idea was that she's sort of developmentally stunted (Jason will undoubtedly say she's 'on the spectrum'), so someone has to look after her. Plus they're just weird. I mean they basically live in a doll house and their dad is buried under an elephant balloon.

[cmac94 191]

and their dad is buried under an elephant balloon.

I just finished watching the movie and I really need to talk about that elephant balloon for a second.

 

In the credit sequence it was flying around like a balloon but was very clearly being held up by a guide wire. And why was it just flying around? The nonsense of that all seemed to be an accurate symbol for how batshit this whole movie was.

[RyanSz 3140]

I can't wait to hear the second opinions for this movie. After reading some of the reviews on IMDB, which are pretty insane, the ones on Amazon should be next level. This movie honestly is like if a french art film director was tasked with creating a comedy in America starring Robin Williams, and Robin had free reign over what his character could say/do. The visuals are pretty great, but the movie is nuts.

 

And question, since we see that there are regular people in the world who go to the store, as evidence by Robin Williams' test commercial in the beginning, and apparently fight in wars, does that mean the entire world we see in the movie is one giant factory designed by a toy version of Willie Wonka? I mean there's basically only one road in the world that we see and even the surrounding environment is designed to look like a sound stage, which works with how everything else in the setting is intentional.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

 

He actually says Klaatu Barada Nikto!

 

Whoa! I just sort of let it wash over me as gibberish, but that's pretty awesome.

 

Ryan, the relationship (or lack thereof) between the factory and everyone involved with it and the outside world was one of the more fascinating/confusing things in the movie to me.

 

One last thing - I'd bet my life savings that June will gush about how gorgeous Robin Wright looks in this.

[seanotron 2307]

I can't wait to hear the second opinions for this movie. After reading some of the reviews on IMDB, which are pretty insane, the ones on Amazon should be next level. This movie honestly is like if a french art film director was tasked with creating a comedy in America starring Robin Williams, and Robin had free reign over what his character could say/do. The visuals are pretty great, but the movie is nuts.

 

And question, since we see that there are regular people in the world who go to the store, as evidence by Robin Williams' test commercial in the beginning, and apparently fight in wars, does that mean the entire world we see in the movie is one giant factory designed by a toy version of Willie Wonka? I mean there's basically only one road in the world that we see and even the surrounding environment is designed to look like a sound stage, which works with how everything else in the setting is intentional.

 

I would say that's about right. Because when they do go outside the toy world everything seems relatively normal, like when they go to watch the kids at the arcade and they're all playing fairly standard 1992ish video games. Or Robin Wright's apartment, which other than being a very cool 1930ish art deco complex seems like a normal place. Though in whatever town they are in they apparently do not find the sight of full-sized wind-up military vehicles odd, so interpret that as you will.

[seanotron 2307]

Also, I really hope we get some discussion on those uniforms. Because I feel like those are worth a podcast all by themselves.

 

[RyanSz 3140]

 

I would say that's about right. Because when they do go outside the toy world everything seems relatively normal, like when they go to watch the kids at the arcade and they're all playing fairly standard 1992ish video games. Or Robin Wright's apartment, which other than being a very cool 1930ish art deco complex seems like a normal place. Though in whatever town they are in they apparently do not find the sight of full-sized wind-up military vehicles odd, so interpret that as you will.

 

Holy shit I just thought of something. With the numerous times we see replicas of rooms inside the same room, do you think it's possible that they had originally planned to do a pull away shot that revealed the entire "Toy World" inside a snow globe in the middle of the normal world? I mean they show snow globes a couple times in the the movie that feature the world so it would make sense that they would want to do that shot, but maybe just ran out of money.

[seanotron 2307]

 

Holy shit I just thought of something. With the numerous times we see replicas of rooms inside the same room, do you think it's possible that they had originally planned to do a pull away shot that revealed the entire "Toy World" inside a snow globe in the middle of the normal world? I mean they show snow globes a couple times in the the movie that feature the world so it would make sense that they would want to do that shot, but maybe just ran out of money.

 

Well, the movie opens and closes with the giant elephant spraying snow over the factory, so that idea is probably not too far afield.

[brandenhaize 51]

How does Zevo Toys stay in business? Their merchandise seems incredibly ridiculous and outdated. Put any Zevo Toys product in an actual toy store and you wouldn't sell a single unit. I think kids would have more fun playing with the stereotypical wooden garbage you often see being crafted by elves in Santa's Workshop.

[RyanSz 3140]

Yeah the toys seem to offer very little user interaction outside of the novelty toys. Most of the toys just seem like wind-up toys that the kids watch for a couple seconds.