Toys

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful w/ great story; disturbing moral unintended?
Review: Maltin doesn't get it -- mythos is supposed to be heavyhanded, and pretty; the exquisite sets are inseparable from the oddball tale of good and evil, and I happen to think this is a kind of tour-de-force in the vein of Gilliam and Steve Martin (see LA Story, for example, of the modern fairytale universe behaving to match its surroundings).

It isn't up to those great standards, though. All films in this genre have excellent quirky characters, so one expects the "revelation" of Joan Cusack's machinery near the end; similarly, one expects the showdown of absurdist proportions at the penultimate moment, here an army of toys fighting back against a bio-modified modernist "thing" which turns out, in the end, to be little more than a flawed toy itself. In the great works of Gilliam and Martin, however, maturity is the price the heroic innocent sacrifices for saving their universe; here, the preservation of innocence is all, which falls flat as a moral for such a fairytale (or if it is a moral, it is a dark and brooding one ill befitting the majestic bubble-land of the film). And the theme at heart IS more of struggle between innocence and cynicism, which sounds like a great film "concept" but ultimately, when you think about it, is an odd pairing -- doesn't Levinson think good exists in a mature form? Cynical choice for a pet project, then...

Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining.
Review: I can't see why so many people seem to hate this movie. I think it's actually quite good and very entertaining. The scenery looks very fun and it's a fun idea that the brother of the eccentric owner of a toy factory, when the brother dies, turns the factory into a factory making weapons to be used by kids who are supposed to think they're just playing video games. The characters are also funny. The only bad thing is that the end is a bit too long. Except that, the movie is good.

Toys is a fun movie, very entertaining, with a fun, unusual story, funny characters and great scenery.

Rating:
Summary: I wish I could give it no-stars, but I can't!
Review: Never before have I wasted this much time, on something so abysmal. This film did not only bore me, it also made me want to tear my hair out, strand by strand, and then eat it. It couldn't possibly be any worse!

Robin Williams must have sunk really low to agree to this, or the child in him took over, but there truly is no reason why anyone would ever want to see this film.

The only thing I have to say about this film, that is any good, is that's it's not been released on DVD yet (and hopefully never will be). Avoid it. Please.

Rating:
Summary: Toys
Review: We always pull this movie out around Christmas time. Its one of the family favorites. From the music, the sets and and interesting story that kids from 8-80 can enjoy. This one is a classic in my opinion. Berry Levinson did a superb job. Looking forward to the DVD

Rating:
Summary: Painfully bad!
Review: Yes, this was director Barry Levinson's pet project. He wrote the script in the 70's; but didn't have the clout to get it made until the early 90's. Some pet projects, however, are better just left on the shelf. Despite a top flight director, a marketable and whimisical star, marvelous sets, and one of the most unique trailers in movie history, "Toys" was a failure.

Why? Well, the script with its anti-military message might have worked in the post-Vietnam 70's; but it was woefully out of sorts with the post-Gulf War 90's. Also the film is almost entirely a lesson of style over substance. The sets are great; but there is little going on within them except Robin Williams being really, REALLY annoying. "Toys" is dull, pointless, bewildering, anachronistic, and just painful to watch.

Rating:
Summary: A lot of people miss the true nature of this film.
Review: Its not comedy per say. This move is meant to do one thing, make you feel the innocence and joy as if you were a child again. Robin Williams is a brilliant actor and gives a great performance. It may not have done well in the boxoffice because the media doesn't consier it mainstream, however it by far isn't a flop.

The colors are vibrant, beautiful and very much alive, just as a child sees the world, laid out in a pure innocence. I'd reccomment this movie to lots of people who just want to sit back and smile. Joan Cusack is great, her place in the movie is the sibling that many of us never had.

You have to take this movie for what it is, a drawing done by a child with crayons, hanging up on the refrigerator.

Rating:
Summary: Good sets, dumb story
Review: After the owner of a toy company dies his militant brother tuns it into a war-toy factory, and it's up to Robin Williams to stop him. This film deserves recognition for its set pieces, while the rest of the movie sinks under its own weight. Some hokey performances (especially from LL Cool J and that girl with the bad southern accent), banal dialogue, and annoying, not to mention noisy, gadgets make this quite an ordeal to sit through.

Rating:
Summary: Whimsical, magical, one of my favourites
Review: Joan Cusack's performance is simply splendid. When she tries on all the doll outfits, I burst into laughter, and who wouldn't want to sleep inside a big swan bed? the intro sequence with santa flying through the miniature city will always stay with me. The soundtrack is equally good!

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Robin Williams adds charm to any movie hes in. TOYS is no exception. The sets are surreal, the music is hip and original, and the cast is well selected. Joan Cusack, LL Cool J doing what he should be instead of signing, and others. The movie is rather deep in theme as it tells the story of good against evil. However, knee-slapping humor is impecably weaved through every potentially boring scene. A lover of poetic justice and plain old fun movies will enjoy TOYS.

Rating:
Summary: outstanding visuals, great well rounded characters....
Review: now only if it had a decent script.

It eats at me alot at how good this movie could have been, if only they layed off the barfy Michael Jacksonish themes and didn't care what rating they got, pretty much fired everyone who worked on the script and brought in Terry Gilliam or someone like that.

What a outstanding cast! They all click together. Robin Williams is playing the same guy he's been playing for the last 12 years( good morning vietnam, patch adams, deat poets society, he's playing the same guy over and over) but does it well as usual. Joan Cusack is funny and manages not to get irritating in this flick.

The music is horrible. Really stupid scene is when the workers are working/dancing along with this stupid,cheesy,early 90's song but it gets the messege out. you know, happy whistling workers and such. The sets are mind blowing. Beautiful, disturbing, and very eerie. The constant elephant monuments and shapes throughout is cool too and the fact the whole story takes place in a odd, creepy, isolated wheat field is cool. But we got all this great stuff, the problem is the script is just plain bad.

This could have been a masterpiece but comes off as another forgettable box office failure.