An Open Letter to Pixar

Dear Pixar,

I really like your movies. I remember watching Toy Story when it was in theaters with my family. I liked Monsters, Inc. so much that I saw it twice in theaters (a rarity for me). I enjoyed The Incredibles so much that I bought it (I own about 7 DVDs). And Wall-E shows what can be done with a minimum of dialogue and Ratatouille was such a simple story that was told very well. I have fond memories of nearly all of your films.

Nearly. Up was a mess. You captured our hearts in the first five minutes of the film and before the story had even started, I felt a deep connection with the protagonist. That's amazing storytelling. But when you get down to the main plot, things go south. I'm guessing you wanted to be sure that the story was intense enough for young boys (I assume that was the target demographic) stayed interested in a story about an old man, but you don't let the audience breathe. The story ends without any real catharsis and feels like the story ran out. I'm not suggesting that your characters should not face peril, but it should be properly balanced with the humor and heart that made your earlier films so great.

Toy Story 3 went even further. You didn't have work to make a connection with the audience because we already knew all the characters. Unfortunately, when you decided to show how much peril the characters could face, you really pushed the envelope. Who approved the rating for this film? How did it manage to get a G rating? The climatic scene has the main characters joining hands and accept their fiery doom as they slowly descend into the bowls of an incinerator. Yes, they're saved at the last moment, but how could that have been intended for kids?

Pixar, I'm not asking you to stop making films. I still respect what you do, but, please, stop breaking my heart.

Yours,

Jordan