Favourite animated movies

I had a trip down memory lane on Sunday when I spent a thoroughly enjoyable three-plus hours in the movie theatre with the 3D specs on.

No I wasn't watching Avatar again.

I was at an old-fashioned, yet new-fangled double feature, in a modern cinema world that rarely gets them.

The last time we were supposed to get a double feature, it was Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's uber-violent Grindhouse experiment, half of which never made it to the big screen in New Zealand (QT's Death Proof had a brief run, but sadly Planet Terror went straight to DVD).

This terrific 3D Toy Story double feature (now showing in NZ for a limited time - well, till Alice in Wonderland in 3D arrives) is an altogether safer bet, suitable for the whole family.

Thankfully, Pixar's first breakthrough success has stood the test of time remarkably well. It may be a big ask for children (and adults) to remain seated for more than three hours but it's remarkably easy when you're being thoroughly entertained.

Toy Story, released in 1995, was the first fully computer-generated full-length feature film. For them that have never heard of it, it's a modern classic which elegantly introduces us to the toys that belong to a boy called Andy.

Old-fashioned cowboy toy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) has always been Andy's favourite toy, but that changes one birthday with the arrival of a hi-tech threat to his position, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen). When Woody's jealousy of Buzz places them both in jeopardy, he must figure out a way to rescue them both from the evil toy-destroying kid nextdoor, Sid.

There's plenty of time to enjoy the details you may have missed the first time (check out the titles of books in Andy's room and note the Alien/s references in Pizza Planet's game room - "Game Over Dude!"). While some of the animation looks a bit ropey now - especially the dog - remember that each frame took 4 to 13 hours (depending on the complexity of the shot) to render.

In Toy Story 2 (released in 1999), Woody is the one who needs rescuing after he is stolen by a toy collector hoping to make big bucks by completing his collection of rare Woody toys. Meanwhile Buzz meets his nemesis, Emperor Zurg, as well as another Buzz Lightyear.

There's the novelty of a 10-minute intermission between the two features, which is explained at the beginning of Toy Story. For modern kids (and adults) an intermission is practically unheard of in cinemas, so there's a bit of education on what to do during the break.

I suggest heading for the loos or concession counter as soon as the credits roll on Toy Story and getting back in time to enjoy the 10 minutes of Pixar trivia, Toy Story shorts and other amusing treats as a timer counts down the minutes remaining in the top left corner of the screen.

This double feature is tons of fun for all ages and reminds us why Pixar is the undisputed king of animated films. This is the perfect way for a new generation to discover a couple of brilliant family films. You can tell that the children are enjoying a film by the lack of restlessness and whining and the sound of laughter.
The 3D effects add depth and are kept subtle, but the real movie magic is in Pixar's engaging, thrilling, moving storytelling.

So, the question of the day is: What's your favourite animated movie and why?