Pixar's Prestige

[@MicahEdmonds]

Howdy folks! I hope you enjoy this episode (despite the very spicy takes), but it has been a while and I'd like to give an update about what's been going on if you want to hear about it! In the past year I've moved cities and spent a lot of my time finishing up some music projects which have been pretty important to me, as well as getting a foothold in a new community, new job and lifestyle. It's been challenging to find the time and motivation to work on videos amidst that, but am happy to say over the past months I've finally found it again, and currently have more completed videos, spec writing done and work currently ongoing across multiple projects for this channel than I've had in years. Best of all, I'm actually very excited to see it all done. What this last year has taught me both personally and professionally has been of emourmous benefit to my outlook on this type of work as well, which I'm very keen to put into action. I've had this episode of Pixar Quality completed for a while and didn't want to keep you waiting any longer, but given how my copyright disputes on these videos take a full month to time out before I can actually release them, I wanted to have at least the next episode done and ticking away at that before I put it out, just so you're not waiting crazy long between them again. Even though I have another essay already completed and waiting as well, I'm comitted to finishing this series before I release anything else, because I want to see all my thumnails in a big line and nobody can stop me. I know you've always been very patient with me and understanding of the sparsity of my output, but particularly recently I've really been missing creating video work and am deeply motivated to get back to it. I'm also very close to releasing some of my original music material which I'll definitely be sharing here as well. I'd also like to thank you all for helping my channel recently crack a million views across all of my work! I don't normally feel much except anxiety in regard to milestones like that, but that one actually really did mean a lot to me when YT sent me an email to let me know. Thank you everyone! I really hope you enjoy the video and stick around to see what I'm working on. It's gonna be a blast! P.S THE GOOD DINOSAUR MENTIONED!!!!🦕🦕🦕 🦖🦖🦖🦖😱😱😱🫡🫡🫥🗣🗣🗣RUN ARLO 👩‍🌾👩‍🌾🦖🦖🐛🐛🦕🦕🦕

[@hunterghobadi1269]

Out of curisity, are you going to finish your Arkham series? I really wanted to see your new take on Arkham Knight.

[@FirestarLeon]

You know, while I don’t agree entirely about the Wall-E section’s conclusions and observations, I REALLY appreciate having a lot of new observations and conclusions. Ultimately I see Wall-E as a character focused, visual heavy, plot shallow, fluffy movie. And I say none of those things as a compliment or insult, it is what it is. And I think at the end of the day you’re right, the movie wouldn’t be as liked if released now. Pixar and animated movies as a whole have changed. I like Wall-E, but it’s a time capsule in a lot of ways.

[@MicahEdmonds]

Thanks for this response - it was a tough section to write to balance what’s great about it with what I feel conflicted about, so I’m very happy to hear this perspective.

[@FirestarLeon]

@@MicahEdmondsThank you for your sincerity and willingness to be honest about how you feel and think about art! My favorite part of these videos is just how they feel so passionate about the subject matter. I will always look forward to your perspective, because it’s just so obvious you care. You can’t fake that.

[@Not_mera]

I think I'm in the same boat. At the start, I was clutching my pearls. "What on earth can you say that's negative about WALL-E?" But... I see your point. If I want to defend the movie, I'm going to need some time to sit with these thoughts, churn it over and maybe give it another watch without as much nostalgia clouding my view

[@DiegoAAlvarado]

Wall-E is in my top favorite films of all time. I’m grateful you’ve taken the time and effort to see this film in a way people just don’t discuss it but immediately jump to praise it without second thoughts. Although the film still holds up for me, it would be a disservice from my end to not consider counterpoints of some sort. The same I can say for your Arkham Asylum video, which made me realized how biased I was towards that rendition of Batman and actually highlighted the aspects that which the character could do better in his stories. All this to say, you’re very cool man!

[@Fallingwithstyle1995]

That section on Toy Story 4 is one of the best analyses I've seen on my favorite film. I especially enjoyed the interpretation of Woody, Forky, and Bonnie as Pixar, movies, and the consumer. I also never noticed the evolution of how Gabby Gabby's eyes move over the course of the film. I agree that Toy Story 5 is absolutely good for the world, and I also agree with what you want from it. It seems they confirmed the virtual toy angle the very same day you uploaded this video- how fitting is that? But anyway, outstanding work. Definitely a subscription well-earned!

[@DavidDumbedDown]

It was beautiful even if I don't agree with him

[@DavidDumbedDown]

20:56

[@tombforrockets]

I fear I don’t have quite the right words or the background knowledge to say much on this, as I haven’t seen TS4- but I wanted to say how enthralling it is to listen to you talk about these movies. you have such a passion and bring such life to this, and it’s opened my mind to the different kinds of movies that are out there (movies that when I first started watching this series, I wasn’t even sure I’d ever venture into watching). the way you carry not only yourself through these essays, as well as the weight of the outside opinions and thoughts on the subjects is done with ease, and is admirable. it can be tricky trying to find the balance between the good and the bad of the things you enjoy, but you do it with such a grace that just- it makes it all the more interesting to listen to. anyway, sorry for the ramble. I’m thoroughly enjoying this series and cannot wait to hear about the top tier of movies. maybe I’ll watch the good dinosaur before the next episode! ❤

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

17:33 Wall-e put a cloth on her as a kind gesture, maybe he thought she was cold or something idk, but he wanted to get her to wake up again, why ya tryna turn a sweet moment into something weird

[@magnaplated]

Saw this pop up in my feed and dropped everything. Welcome back, Micah. Looking forward to you covering the remaining Pixar films!

[@RemnantCult]

Toy Story might be one of the few contemporary films that is close to perfection. It nails everything.

[@Chariot_Rider]

I’m always so happy when these Pixar videos come out. This is making me want to rewatch Toy Story 4. I grew up watching the first three Toy Story movies, and I love them a lot, but Toy Story 4 is one I haven’t revisited a ton. I saw it once in theaters, and then one other time in a hotel. I have never disliked 4, I agree it’s visually stunning, but it hasn’t had as many opportunities to make a strong impression on me, which isn’t really the movie’s fault. I might rewatch it soon because of this video.

[@clauliz5502]

"its pixar time, let's freakin go" great delivery. Something funny i now thought of: I wouldn't have planned on watching the Transformers One film if not for Toy Sory 4. Lol. I so badly want to make a visual meme of "watching Toy Story 4 on the ps5."

[@wallowlight]

finaly someone who actually understands toy story 4. this means so much to me

[@BryanTheCritic]

Absolutely fantastic work as always! The only Pixar that I watch is what my kid does so I never got around to checking out Toy Story 3 or 4. But your breakdown of 4's themes has changed my mind so I'll be checking them out myself some time this month.

[@frostedbricks1828]

Really happy to see you're back. These videos are so well done. Your take on Wall-E is super interesting but you present a good case I have to rewatch it now.

[@buzzytrombone4353]

Toy Story 4 was the only film from the Toy Story series so far to have had a positive impact on my life. I was seventeen when I saw it and at that point in my life, I was terrified of the idea of becoming an adult because of how the education system in secondary schools in Ireland treated it as an afterthought. As children, we're raised our entire lives with everything provided for us and all of a sudden at 18 it's cut off from us and then it's like "There you go you're an adult, go out there and if you do something stupid, then that's on you and you won't have a roof over your head, k bye lolololol". I remember feeling slightly uncomfortable in the cinema seeing Woody and Buzz have the same emotional vices that I was having at the time through their own problems in the context of the film and at the part where Buzz was fighting with his "inner voice" trying to find the voice line that he needed to hear, I thought to myself "shit that's going to be me in university". The ending where Woody and Bo Peep eloped thanks to Buzz's encouragement was the part of the film that gave me some encouragement to be brave when facing the future and being flexible with life. I have mixed feelings on Pixar making Toy Story 5 because in my eyes, Toy Story 4 was the perfect place to close the book when it came to the parent/child anthology that the series has, but from the premise of it being about the toys' jobs being made harder thanks to the presence of handheld devices, I'm intrigued to see where they would take it. My guess is that in the parent/child analogy that the series has been known for, the presence of handheld devices is the presence of step parents and the question of whether or not they do as good as a job as the original parents, in this case the toys, is the emotional forefront of the film.

[@isaacplayer4268]

I'm so glad you're going to bat for Good Dinosaur; people go so hard on that movie for the character designs and for being Pixar's first financial flop, but I've always enjoyed it for how unconventional and "raw" it was - a basic premise (kid gets lost and must return home) depicted in the most visceral and brutal fashion possible. Can't wait to see you talk about that.

[@MicahEdmonds]

I absolutely gotchu.

[@tenbeat]

YESSSS I am so excited to listen to this at work tomorrow, your stuff has gotten me through so many long days.

[@samdefault7172]

HELL YEAH, great to see you back. Cant wait to see the rest of this series!

[@DiegoAAlvarado]

MISSED YOUR VIDEOS AND I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOUR FUTURE ORIGINAL WORK (I love your House Parties album)

[@oomas7209]

As someone with adhd/autism I LOVED Wall-E when I was little, the visual storytelling of a character who is often infuriated by how little it can communicate really connected with me when I was little. But looking back on it now I think your criticisms are right. If the whole movie was like those spectacular moments like the beginning sequence or the dancing in space with a fire extinguisher it would be regarded as one of if not the best animated movie of all time but it is weighed down by an unfocused plot that has some serious flaws

[@elk845]

Thanks for another great video! Your analysis on the technical and story aspects of the films are fascinating, and your passion is infectious. That sense of excitement you get from Toy Story 4, I get when a new video of yours pops up on my feed. You've convinced me to go re-watch watch the whole Toy Story series.

[@MicahEdmonds]

Thank you so much! Mission accomplished!

[@bobcelery6616]

HES BACK! Sad to hear Melbourne has lost a real one tho, love your videos and I’m glad you’ve found the motivation to keep doing them, there amazing

[@samwill7259]

I am so glad I'm not the only person who doesn't look at Modern Disney Thing and cries fowl instantly. I feel it with PIXAR, I feel it with the MCU. They're still making good stuff it just feels like everyone decided that them making the same stuff they always made is bad now

[@Mal-go5dl]

It's always weird to see people treat these companies as a monolith. There are several different teams of artists working on separate projects of varying quality and creative visions. Not everything will be a hit, and as an audience member, it's not easy to reliably predict such successes, so I don't fully subscribe to the notion of Pixar or MCU "falling off."

[@samwill7259]

@@Mal-go5dl For the MCU especially I come at it as a comics fan you don't "need to read everything to know what's going on" because if you tried that with the books you'd be dead about halfway through

[@CommanderGreat]

This was a great video! Really enjoyed it!

[@hrz7214]

Mate this may be one of the best videos I have ever seen

[@kaydenpmd]

micah edmonds vs gamingmagic13 toy story 4 battle to the death

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

top 10 battles ever

[@EtherBotGames]

Wall-E! That is probably my favorite Pixar movie out of all of them. That being said, I don't really take issue with most of your criticisms of the film. It is a good observation that Eve fulfills a role Wall-E learned to need by watching films, and .... per that, I can see the MPDG-ness of Eve, but I'd argue otherwise. Eve does not appear in Wall-E's life to be the solution to his struggles and needs through her sheer majestic affability. Rather, that's kind of the purpose that Wall-E serve's in Eve's story. She is the one who grows and changes over the course of the story. In a lot of ways, Wall-E resembles a character like Scott Pilgrim less than he resembles, like, Ariel from The Little Mermaid. While he has desires, insecurities, etc, he is in the script moreso as an agent of chaos to reawaken characters trapped in routine, and to open their eyes to love, curiosity and connection. If Wall-E were genderswapped and it was about...Steve meeting this same character, I think it would be pretty cut and dry that Wall-E itself is the Manic Pixie Dream....Robot. I certainly agree that Wall-E is sort of a more abstract, tonal thing that becomes a very traditional Pixar adventure movie, but I personally don't really think that "masterpiece" and "traditional adventure movie" are mutually exclusive. While the finale involving Auto and the fight over the Plant is certainly a kind of macguffin quest, I think I personally love Wall-E primarily for the character of Wall-E himself and his effect on the world around him. His motivations are relatively uncomplicated, even selfish, even if the object of his efforts (the Plant) have these profound implications for humanity at large. He's only really trying to stay in good standing with this entity he craves the company and approval of. And the stakes of this raise gradually over the course of the movie in a way that is very fun, imo. As for the depiction of humanity as perpetually lazy, overweight and willfully disabled, I hate it. I've always disliked that aspect. Attempts were made to soften the blow, like this acknowledgement that this state is somewhat due to zero-g's effects on the body. Personally, I think including the jokes about like the existence of a track and stuff really eliminates any good will that kind of lipservice might have generated. I don't think this film is nearly as genuinely hateful as something like Idiocracy, but I think that this characterization stems from the same overall cruel, reactionary, liberal mindset of that movie, honestly.

[@MicahEdmonds]

Fantastic perspective. I can see how Wall-E himself and his smaller focus is something I didn’t really focus on.Your points about the MPDG are also very sound, which is why I didn’t take the idea too far myself, it’s simply a twist of flavour to the love story that I find a bit unconvincing. Either way, thanks as always!

[@Daresis]

ah yes the longer movie time with micah my favourite insta story. glad to see another banger mate even if i now must dispise you for not putting wall-e in the top 3 (jk). i enjoy seeing someone having a different even deeper view of things i love even if i dont agree with every single point and all i can really comment on toy story is that yes you are correct. cant wait for the next part mate! (really need a full version of you are my pal and friend and forgot my lifejacket in the car)

[@MicahEdmonds]

Movie Time With Micah is a spin off series of this 100%.

[@youroneandonlyneighborhood8834]

My understanding of WallE's development is that Pete Docter was initially spearheading it, but he left and handed it to Stanton because he had trouble fleshing it out (Docter has stated this in interviews). Hearing your analysis that read is bearing fruit.

[@crangejo]

Personal thought thread idk if I'll elaborate on any of these ideas but could be better to get them out than keep them in Maybe in WALL-E it's less about humanity "going towards" or having a realistic possibility to end up as voiceless through consumerism, and more like just a view into what it could look like, without the compromise of trying to pretend that it could happen? I should def rewatch it but maybe it didn't really mean to be commentary and was more of the byproduct of the premise, maybe an afterthought if you will, something made like it is to make the rest of the movie stick together and a way to give it cohesion? Idk

[@crangejo]

I really don't think the climax with the Captain standing with that song which I have never learnt the name of is supposed to be funny. Even as a kid watching that moment conveyed like an important amount of seriousness, I think it is THE scene where the physique of the characters isn't in some way ridiculed and instead it's actually viewed through the lens of, what it means to make the human race like that in your world/story Idk it never came across as trying to be funny, still doesn't. I guess it just ties into what each person associates that song/melody/ishouldreallylookitup with

[@crangejo]

1:28:52 love how you edited this transition

[@crangejo]

Funnily enough Toy Story 5 is apparently gonna be based around "toys vs electronics" though you've probably heard already

[@crangejo]

Dude this fucking thing happens every single time lmfao like past half of your videos I always just can not do anything else but devote 100% of my attention to them I don't know how you pull it off but just panties hit the FLOOR every time Everything you've said about Toy Story 4's message I feel I can REALLY relate to lately you've just broadened my field of view yet again holy shit

[@jedermann3649]

Goat's back. Plain and simple. 4am here in Berlin... Fuck it. Gonna re-watch this anyway. There are way WAY worse things to fall asleep to.

[@MicahEdmonds]

Sleep tight!!

[@CloudMountainJuror]

Yeeees! Super happy to see this!

[@trica4675]

MY GOAT IS BACK HELL YEAH

[@waggieentertainment9387]

as a walle fan yeah the lack of humanity to the humans is interesting with barely any self expression or art in the axiom. i understand this is probably bc the writers wanted to have a contrast with humans being robotic (note how the first time we see an axiom human it’s in the robot hall) and the robots being human (look at them) but you could still have some humanity so they don’t feel like some other species.

[@hrz7214]

Would you ever consider making a commentary track? Id find it really interesting to hear your insights in real time

[@MicahEdmonds]

This idea has been a potential goal on my list for a little while now!

[@hrz7214]

@@MicahEdmondsplease do!

[@separocean]

I've been watching this series over the course of today and I have so, so many feelings that I've gotta expand upon fully because you've approached this venture from a foundation of love and it SHOWS. That being said, I just finished watching the WALL-E section, and wanted to say Thank You. I haven't seen the film in years, but even as a kid it left me feeling empty inside, and looking back and remembering it recently left me with a deep sense of frustration for its perspective on humanity. I despise the fatphobic, ableist tropes it turns to so as convey an ultimately cheap and shallow message. I think they could've achieved the whole "humanity CHANGED!!!" effect by *just* ANIMATING the characters, as all humans in the film prior to the Axiom are shown in live-action. Even then, I don't know if that stylistic revision alone could have salvaged this film. The video before this nearly brought me to tears--in part from laughing and loving YOUR love for my favorite film of all time and its sequel, which rarely gets the flowers it deserves. I just want to thank you for your praises and your critiques of the Finding films. They've always held a special place in my heart, and it was after I was diagnosed with Autism + ADHD a few years back that I was truly able to recognize and appreciate the themes of disability and solidarity present across this duology. I watched Finding Dory for the first time in years last summer and my fears that it wouldn't hold up for me now were obliterated by the fact that it essentially cured my internalized ableism towards my ADHD. I could go on and ON about why I adore these films--where they peak, where they falter, where they (ironically) make me fall in love with humankind. You've given voice to a lot of the feelings I have, and I can't begin to thank you enough for that. I don't think I'd believe the Finding films and WALL-E were helmed by the same guy if you told me, but that's the case, and it depresses me. Because while people laud WALL-E for surface-level "commentary" and an opening that works in isolation as a charming, bittersweet concept, they write off Nemo as the one with the "sexy fish" (Gill deserves better) and project all sorts of angsty (sometimes ableist!) theories and "readings" upon the narrative. “Finding Nemo is SECRETLY about a father hallucinating his dead son!!!” Actually it’s about the importance of community care and unlearning ableism. And this isn't to say the films themselves are void of ableism, but to ignore these central themes in favor of edgy BS does such a disservice to their entire message. In a general sense, Nemo especially is so engrained in the zeitgeist that I couldn't go one day at the aquarium this summer without somebody referencing it (I had a blast), yet it's too oft reduced to a shell of itself for a joke. I don't think most people know that WALL-E is only in the Criterion Collection because Andrew Stanton wanted it to be [www.indiewire.com/features/general/wall-e-andrew-stanton-reached-out-to-criterion-collection-1234779576/ ], and like you said, I don't think most people want to confront their own ableist/fatphobic biases in order to criticize this film for the empty spectacle it is. And that point in your video really did it for me--WALL-E IS a spectacle. From its characters, to its setting, to its choice of music, etc. And in your last video, you pointed that out with aspects of Nemo as well--and I agree! There are characters (and setpieces) in Nemo that exist for One Purpose alone, and are quickly moved on from when they no longer serve the plot. Maybe that's a Stanton-ism you picked up on. In my brief rant on tumblr about WALL-E's shortcomings, I proposed Don Hertzfeldt's "World of Tomorrow" trilogy as a more effective execution of many of WALL-E's concepts--one that honors its characters' humanity. People make art and love rocks and it's devastating. I was actually gonna recommend it to you anyway, since you loved Boo's candid performance in Monsters Inc, and there's a major character in these films who's also an awesome rambling kid, voiced by a real-life rambling kid. And it RULES!!! The first film is available for free on Don's channel, and the other two can be bought/rented on Vimeo. If you thought WALL-E's anachronistic music choices, appreciation for small/overlooked things, obsession with human memory, bleak vision of the future, and romance could have been Done Right, I implore you to watch these films--they are all of this and so much more. This has been a very long comment. I started writing this around 4 AM and it's almost 5 now. Your WALL-E stance really vindicated me, made me feel seen. Your love and constructive criticism of the Finding films felt like a breath of fresh air amidst a sea of cynical conspiracy theories that miss of the point of both movies and leave someone like me feeling very un-seen. This entire SERIES has been a breath of fresh air because you so so clearly love ART and PEOPLE and the people who MAKE art and thus it should've come as no surprise to me that your true feelings toward WALL-E would stem from that foundational love. Thank you for the Pixar Quality series.

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

I thought Wall-e was great personally

[@mooreAnimation]

Do you really live in a barn

[@MicahEdmonds]

no.