Day and Night

'Day and Night' by Pixar

Pixar's short film preceding screenings of Toy Story 3 combines both 2d and 3d visuals as 'day' and 'night' come to life. Initially hating each other, these animated characters soon learn not to judge a book by its cover.

Now let's get things straight - on the face of it, this is an intelligent five minute cartoon for kids who will be able to appreciate the humour. However, for the thousands of adults that went to see Toy Story 3, Pixar have managed yet again to create something powerful for its older audience; something that works because it resonates with our day to day life.

During the short, the broadcast radio message is taken from a motivational speaker in the 1970s, and is as follows:

"Fear of the unknown.

They are afraid of new ideas.

They are loaded with prejudices, not based upon anything in reality, but based on… if something is new, I reject it immediately because it’s frightening to me. What they do instead is just stay with the familiar.

You know, to me, the most beautiful things in all the universe, are the most mysterious."

That realisation that we all haves prejudices when it comes to new experiences - whether it be meeting new people or seeing new places – hit a nerve with me, and I suspect with every member of its older audience. This works to an even further extent when we remember we are at a children's film, and that as children, we aren't born with these prejudices, but have developed them over our lifetimes.

"The Not-So-Silent-Observer"