Of my wall for him Unbelievable 2 Alex Woo has worked in the art department on some of Pixar’s biggest films, and now the animator is finally releasing his first feature: the new Netflix movie. In your dreams.
After a limited theatrical release earlier this month, the film will finally be available on a major streaming service on November 14th. This is great news for anyone who doesn’t want to cry in a crowded room, as the film deals with a touching but important subject: the imperfect family.
In this adventure comedy on Netflix, a young woman named Stevie fears that her parents’ relationship is about to fall apart. Together with his younger brother Elliot, they travel through the landscape of their dreams and encounter absurd creatures in the hope that Sandman will provide them with the “perfect family”.
It combines an important message with humor and a vibrant color palette that keeps you glued to the screen. in your dreams is the perfect movie for the whole family during the holidays, even if the subject matter can be emotional at times. For Woo, it’s simply a testament to the “power of animation” that it can “tell amazing stories,” he told TechRadar.
A decade in the making
Woo left Pixar 10 years ago to start his own studio, but it took 10 years before his first film was released.
Woo is an animation veteran who has contributed storyboards to some of the greatest animated films of all time, particularly at Pixar. Ratatouille (2007) and WALL E (2008). Ten years ago, he left Pixar to found his own company, Kuku Studios, and create the story of his first feature film. Now that it’s here, there’s a sense of relief.
“It’s definitely a relief, but there’s also a bit of fear,” Woo begins. “It’s like sending your kids to school. You spend a lot of time teaching them and preparing them for the real world, and then you just say, ‘Okay, I hope people like you.’
Woo mentions the challenges of dealing with a global pandemic, but it was his passion for filmmaking that brought him success.
But ten years is a long time, and a lot has happened in that time, including a global pandemic that Woo says posed a worrying threat to production. “I was very surprised that we didn’t succumb to the pressure of working remotely and were able to make the film at the level we achieved,” said Woo, who also explained how his passion for the end result tempered his fears.
“The level of passion and love I felt for the film exceeded the fear I had, and that was enough. I was also in Hong Kong for 18 months with the production and working in California, so I worked from midnight to 10 o’clock every day. It was tough, but I knew how important this film was to me.”
The emphasis is on “the imperfect family”.
Much of the new Netflix film’s story is based on Woo’s childhood experiences.
One of the shining moments in your dreams is a poignant yet powerful portrait of a family on the brink of destruction. The film’s story of Stevie and Elliot is inspired by Woo’s childhood experiences, but the director had to make a difficult journey back in time to bring it to the screen.
“It’s both charitable and quite emotional,” Woo said. “You have to figure out what head the character is in, and that character was about where I was when I was six or seven when this happened to me.” That said, it was also incredibly rewarding for Woo.
“But it’s also rewarding because at the end of the movie, Stevie really comes out on the other side and realizes that everything is okay, that life is imperfect and his family isn’t perfect. It’s a lesson I had to learn, and I’m still learning every day.”
Through ups and downs in your dreams It is an authentic representation of a reality that few directors believe they can capture. For Woo, that was his main goal: to tell me, “There aren’t enough stories like this that give children and the public a truly honest representation of life,” and I agree.
“There are so many family films that present this fictional, condensed version of reality. Escapism can be fun, but there can also be a real need for stories that portray life honestly.” He concludes with a deeper analysis of his film’s point of view, which surprised me.
“I also wanted to change the conversation about dreams and nightmares. I think there’s a lot of pressure on kids and adults to pursue their dreams, and while that can be healthy, I feel like there’s too much emphasis on that in our culture, and it can become quite toxic.”
Inspiration is the key
From Spielberg to Ghibli, Woo talks about the films that inspired his profession in your dreams
As an animation writer, art means more to Woo than meets the eye. As for references for in your dreamsIt was impossible for him to specify them. “There are so many it’s so hard to list them!” – Woo thought about it for a moment, then it occurred to him.
“I plan to The Iron Giant It is also a masterpiece Finding Nemo – I cry every time I see him. It’s there too Porco RossoI love this movie. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but… My neighbors, the Yamadas. It’s a strange film, a collection of vignettes from a family’s life. It’s very funny, but also very poignant.
However, it’s not just the best animated films that influence Woo’s creativity, he’s also a big fan of live-action blockbusters and a big fan of Steven Spielberg, as Elliot reveals. in your dreams named after the child AND Also, Woo pays him a special tribute. AND with a direct reference to his own film: if you watch it on streaming, you’ll know what I mean.
“The cinema Hook It was also a big inspiration sonically, in the sense that you’re on this adventure with these guys, and that’s what it was. The Goonies AND The rain man. You know, I tried to capture the power of that brotherly relationship in our film. These are the films that have penetrated the subconscious, meaning they are all solid references and some of the most iconic films ever made. There’s no denying that Woo has impeccable taste and I can’t wait to see what he does next.