Squid Gameis hardly an unknown phenomenon by this point, as it has quickly taken the world by storm in a manner never before seen on Netflix, especially for a foreign series. For the massive amount of us who have taken the time to sit and take it all in, it’s easy to see why. But what is it about this Hunger Games-esque scenario that is captivating so many people?
(Promotional box art for The Last of Us, by NaughtyDog/Sony)
People may all be very distinct from one another, but one fear I would be pressed to believe we don’t all share is the thought of losing someone we love.
While some may write off The Last of Usas simply another zombie apocalypse-type story, the reality is really more focused on a theme of learning to cope with death and push forward. We watch protagonist Joel lose his beloved daughter mere minutes into the experience, and from then on, we continue to get hit with the pressures of this apocalyptic world. The setting may seem fantastical, but the themes at the heart of the narrative are very real.
Most of us here grew up on Disney movies. For me personally, and likely many of you, “Toy Story” was among the most noteworthy. With the release of “Toy Story 3” in 2010, the majority of audiences were satisfied. Andy was headed off to college to start his life while Woody, Buzz, and the others were safely passed on to a new life with Bonnie. What better ending could you ask for?
Well, it turns out that Disney had other plans, as it went ahead and released a fourth entry to the beloved series in 2019. This film has garnered much more criticism from viewers, some of which is understandable. Buzz is dumbed down substantially from the point he had grown to, the side cast is entirely underutilized in the narrative, and Bonnie’s screentime mirrored some of Andy’s rather closely.
However, the biggest criticism this movie gets revolves around its characterization of Woody and his final decision to separate from the gang to live a life of freedom with Bo Peep. This feels very different from his choice to stay with the gang in the previous movie, but despite what some people believe, I would argue that “Toy Story 4” justifies its own existence with this very decision.
