Common Sense Media Review
By Ashley Moulton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lighthearted but uneven short films based on Pixar faves.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Pixar Popcorn
What's the Story?
PIXAR POPCORN is a collection of 10 "snackable" Pixar shorts -- each short is only around two minutes long. They're quick, lighthearted expansions of some of Pixar's most beloved films. Shorts include a Toy Story '80s workout montage, one where the characters from Cars try to pass a parallel parking test, and Dory (à la Finding Dory) playing with human objects that have fallen to the ocean floor. Because the films are so short, there isn't a whole lot of time for story development. Instead, they put the familiar Pixar characters into novel situations, and hilarity often ensues.
Is It Any Good?
These Pixar character-themed short films are a mixed bag of popcorn: Some are delightful morsels and others didn't quite pop to perfection. Kids will love seeing their favorite characters in silly scenarios. The incredible storytelling in Pixar's long-form movies and movie-preceding shorts is not present in most of these. Instead, they're very fun sketches with lots of laughs but not much substance. The "Cookie Num Num" Incredibles short is excellent, and there are great gags in most of the shorts. Adults especially will enjoy the hilarious wordplay of comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in the two "Ducky and Bunny" shorts (though their insult-adjacent language doesn't set the best example for kids).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which of the 10 shorts they liked the best. What did you like about them? What didn't you like?
Did watching any of these shorts change the way you thought about certain characters or storylines you were already familiar with? Explain.
Write a short story based on the characters in one of the Pixar movies. Expand on the story by drawing it or even making a video version of your story.
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 22, 2021
- Cast : Ellen DeGeneres , Keegan-Michael Key , Jordan Peele
- Network : Disney+
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- TV rating :
- Last updated : August 16, 2021
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