The Avengers opened in theaters

The Avengers Released: May 4, 2012 Studio: Disney Genre: super hero Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 623.40 Worldwide: 1520.54 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 754.28 Worldwide: 1750.00

Directing: Joss Whedon Screenwriting: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston Review: Critic Roger Ebert called this “the Westminster Dog Show of superheroes.” RE Starting with Iron Man (Downey) in 2008, Marvel introduced a slate of their famed comic book heroes to the big screen including Hulk (Ruffalo), Thor (Hemsworth), and Captain America (Evans) via freestanding movies. This brings them all together, as well as Black Widow (Johansson) and Hawkeye (Renner), for all-star conclusion to Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Avengers must band together to stave off a threat from Thor’s adopted brother, Loki (Hiddleston). He plans to open a gateway to the universe via a pulsing cube of energy known as the Tesseract. He’ll then attack Earth “with his fleet of reptile-looking monster-machines.” RE Of course, bringing these super egos together makes for some reopened rivalries until they do what Ebert says “was so highly valued on my first-grade report card: the concept of Working Well With Others.” RE The film traverses familiar territory. “There must be a threat. The heroes must be enlisted. The villain must be dramatized. Some personality defects are probed. And then the last hour or so consists of special effects in which large mechanical objects engage in combat that results in deafening crashes and explosions and great balls of fire.” RE Still, it is “done well by Joss Whedon, with style and energy.” RE He “not only pulled off a colossal character-juggling act, he also pushed the studio’s commercial success to a much higher level. It’s still one of the best-scripted Marvels, and we’ve yet to see a villain on more entertainingly nefarious form than Tom Hiddleston’s Loki was here.” EM Sources: RE Roger Ebert EM: Empire

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Box Office: Oscars: Wins: 0 Nominations: 1: Best Achievement in Visual Effects First posted 5/25/2023.

Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated film, is released

Toy Story Released: November 22, 1995 Studio: Disney Genre: animation/comedy/family Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 191.80 Worldwide: 373.60 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 449.58 Worldwide: 744.30

Directing: John Lasseter Screenwriting: Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow Starring: voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, Jim Varney, John Ratzenberger Review: Pixar Studios were pioneers in CGI animation, creating the Oscar-nominated short Luxo Jr. in 1986 and the Oscar-winning short Tin Story in 1988. In 1995, they took another great leap forward with Toy Story, the first feature-length film completely animated by computers. The groundbreaking special effects “were surpassed only by the intelligent, thoughtful script that had adult themes that both parents and their kids could relate to.” FS “It’s a perfectly formed story, about friendship, love, fear of abandonment, workplace politics and self-identity. While its ability to make you laugh is undiminished.” EM’18 The story focuses on a boy named Andy and his toys, who come to life when no humans are around. Cowboy Woody (Hanks) is the favorite. There’s also “Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex, a meek dinosaur, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, John Ratzenburger as Hamm the Pig, and Annie Potts as Woody’s sweetheart, Bo Peep).” FS A rivalry ensues when Woody’s status as top toy is challenged by the “new hi-tech space and action-toy Buzz Lightyear (voice by Tim Allen)” FS which Andy gets for his birthday. The “doltish” AFI07 and “deluded Buzz believes he’s on a mission to save the planet” FS instead of a child’s toy. Woody and Buzz have to learn to work together, though, when they get “trapped in the house of Sid, a sadistic bully in the neighborhood.” FS “Groundbreaking computer animation creates the world of Woody, a toy cowboy who suddenly finds himself as the second-favorite toy. Replaced by the newer and very high tech, but doltish, Buzz Lightyear, Woody gets accused of killing Buzz by tossing him out the window. It’s a race to get him back. ‘To infinity and beyond!’” AFI07 Sources: AFI07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” EM’18 Empire (3/20/2018). “The 100 Greatest Movies” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists: Oscars: Wins: 0 Nominations: 3 – Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (Randy Newman), Best Song (“You’ve Got a Friend”) Other Awards: Other Lists/Honors: First posted 5/28/2023.