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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 6, 2019)
B2 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JULY 6, 2019 She doesn’t feel old Dear Annie: I fi nd that their insights here. I have a real problem with Dear Annie: I’m 31, and in aging. When a fl ight attendant the last two years, people have nicely says, “This way, young started to ask me when I’m lady,” I want to punch him. going to get married and have I can’t stand the condescen- kids. Ninety percent of the peo- sion! I hate being old. I am 76 ple who ask these questions and, while I still maintain an are strangers. Most recently, active life — teach- it was an Uber driver. ing elementary school He asked if I was mar- DEAR music and dance part ried. I told him no, but ANNIE time, and directing that I was in a commit- plays and musicals — I ted long-term relation- have found that I have ship. He frowned at fi nally begun to look this as though it didn’t my age. make sense. Then he This causes people said, “Well, when are in the Czech Repub- you going to have chil- lic, for example (where ANNIE LANE dren?” I told him that Creators I am humiliatingly able I wasn’t sure if I was Syndicate Inc. to travel free on the ever going to. Then he trains and buses), to try looked at me like I’d to give me their seats and for sprouted a third eye. people who don’t know me to Just last month, I was get- treat me with deference. While ting a facial and the esthetician that seems like a good thing, it was talking to me about her is not. kids. I candidly told her how I think it is reasonable to be I like kids but have been real- deferential to people with dis- izing I might not want to be a abilities. I would very much mom myself. She started say- prefer not being looked upon ing that I shouldn’t wait too as someone with a disability much longer. She didn’t mean because I am old. I shouldn’t wait much lon- The people who know me ger to just make a decision, do not treat me as though I am mind you; she meant that I old. I am vibrant and an active shouldn’t wait much longer to singer, dancer, director, teacher have children. It was as though and church member in my she totally ignored what I said community. It is only with peo- about motherhood maybe not ple who do not know me that I being for me. am treated as though I am old. Annie, I wish this didn’t While I understand it, I resent bother me, but it does. I’m it greatly. realizing I might have to keep Can’t we just be nice to fi elding these questions for a everyone and stop treating while. But I’m hoping you’ll older people as aliens? Younger print my letter so that people people: Hopefully you will get realize how hurtful it can be to be old, too. And then you when they act so judgmentally will see what it is like to be about strangers’ life choices. treated differently just because — Child-Free you have lived longer. — Sick Dear Child-Free: I printed of Being Treated This Way your letter alongside the pre- Dear Sick: I’m printing vious letter because there’s a your letter as a wake-up call to clear through line: No matter anyone who might be guilty of what stage of life we’re in, there this kind of behavior. Unfortu- are going to be people who try nately for us both, not everyone to put us in boxes according to will read this column, so there societal stereotypes. But like all are always going to be those the best things in life, you can’t who continue acting this way. be put in a box and wrapped up The key for you will be fi nd- neatly with a bow — and that ing a way to rise above it. I’d can leave some people feeling be curious to hear from other unraveled. Do your best not to readers about how they’ve let it rankle you. You’re exactly dealt with this issue. I’ll print where you’re supposed to be. WYN •D FILM REVIEW In the joyous ‘Toy Story 4,’ the toys evolve too By LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press It’s futile to ask “why more” in the movie busi- ness, but it’s hard not to go in a little suspicious of a fourth “Toy Story.” The trilogy was so perfect. What more could we ask of Woody and Buzz? What more did we as an audience need? If we got another, would it live up to the unbridled joy and emotional satisfaction of the first three? And if it was bad, would it tarnish the others? Sure it might sound a little dramatic to get this emotionally invested in the legacy of an animated series about anthropo- morphic toys, but Pixar and Disney did this to themselves by creat- ing something so pre- cious and lasting. But I’m delighted to report that the fears were unwar- ranted. “Toy Story 4 “ is a blast and it’s great to be back with the gang. It took a herculean effort behind the scenes to get here too, nine years after “Toy Story 3” left many of us sob- bing in our seats. Ousted Pixar head John Las- seter, who directed the first two, was supposed to direct and the screen- play switched hands three years into development (which helps explain why eight writers get “story by” credits). Eventually, the project was handed over to animator, some- times voice actor and first time feature director Josh Cooley to bring it home. None of that disor- der is apparent on the screen, however. A flash- back tells us what hap- pened to Bo Peep (Annie Potts) all those years ago, and reminds us where Disney/Pixar A scene from “Toy Story 4.” ‘TOY STORY 4’ A Walt Disney Co. release, is rated G. Running time: 100 minutes. Rating: we left off: With Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the toys being passed on to a new kid, Bonnie, as their beloved Andy heads off to college. But it turns out Andy’s talk with Bonnie about his favorite toy Woody didn’t have much of an impact on the fickle 5-year-old. At playtime she prefers Jessie and often leaves Woody in the closet with the rest of the toys she’s outgrown. “Remember house,” a forlorn chair (Carol Bur- nett) says wistfully, as they all notice Woody has picked up his first dust bunny. This sends him into a panic spiral as he grasps for anything that will make him essential to Bonnie’s life. When she decides that a deranged arts and crafts project made of a spork she calls Forky is her new favorite toy, Woody becomes his protector. Tony Hale pro- vides the perfect voice for this insane but charming addition who keeps try- ing to jump in the trash. (It’s his destiny as a dis- posable utensil after all!) Indeed, “Toy Story 4” introduces a whole batch of fun new char- acters, like the Canadian stuntman Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), the 50s antique and all around head case Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) and her creepy “Vin- cent” henchmen. There’s also Combat Carl (Carl Weathers), Bunny (Jor- dan Peele) and Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key). And pay close attention and you might also spot Melephant Brooks (Mel Brooks) and Carl Rein- eroceros (Carl Reiner) too. A family RV trip takes all the toys to a new location, where Woody encounters Bo Peep for the first time in almost a decade. She relishes her freedom as a lost toy and leads a happy, rag- tag existence wander- ing around and meeting new kids everywhere. It’s enough to make even the most loyal toy question his purpose. And they go on some enormously fun and inventive adventures trying to get Forky back to Bonnie. The signature “Toy Story” wit and irrev- erence might not be quite as sharp as it was before, but there are enough truly inspired moments to keep you smiling as you savor the unexpected fun. Cooley and the writ- ers even brilliantly play on some kid-friendly hor- ror movie tropes, adding a fresh dimension to this journey. If there is a complaint, it’s that Woody and Bo’s quest takes us away from most of the original toys for a large part of the movie, although Buzz still finds a way to be part of it. Although it doesn’t exactly reach the emo- tional heights of the pre- vious films, the conclu- sion is still effective and well executed. Let this be a lesson to all franchise cynics: Sometimes more is actu- ally good. Woody needed some closure he couldn’t even comprehend. And, it turns out, so did we. Wyndham Destinations NOW HIRING at our SEASIDE and LONG BEACH Locations Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND) believes in putting the world on vacation. 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