Pixar, in its first time at bat for an original Disney+ series, knocks it out of the park.
The Emeryville studio’s “Win or Lose,” streaming starting Feb. 19, focuses on eight characters that have a personal stake in a co-ed softball championship game at a middle school.
Creator-writers-directors Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, both of Oakland, stay true to the winning Pixar formula, telling compassionate and empathetic stories with state-of-the-art animation. The series also boasts some catchy tunes from the group Campfire and composer Ramin Djawadi.
Each episode features the same events in the week before the big game but told from a different character’s perspective, and finishing in true cliffhanger fashion. Episodes run about 20 minutes and overlap. (One character’s arc that addressed being trans was changed at the behest of Disney.)
“Win and Lose” never drops the ball in any of the five episodes I previewed. It went well beyond my expectations by focusing not solely on the players (including the stressed-out daughter of the coach and the dedicated, brainy kid who resorts to cheating), but also on adults. There’s a mom in love with social media juggling more than what is seen on the surface and a commitment-phobic umpire and teacher who tries out a dating app.
It’s a smart move not to single out the kids. Each story encourages everyone to do better, to step back from the plate and think before making snap judgments about each other. It’s an invaluable lesson for right now. Pixar has a magician’s touch in addressing such important topics and in bringing out intense emotions that people often bury. “Win or Lose” says it’s OK to seek help and to help others, and to try to understand where others are coming from.
The Jewish Film Institute’s 12th WinterFest serves up a mix of documentaries and narrative features on Feb. 22-23 at the Vogue Theatre in San Francisco. Highlights include:
“Free for All: The Public Library” (1:30 p.m. Feb. 22): Bay Area filmmakers Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor take a comprehensive look at U.S. public libraries, from how they serve varied communities to how they’re weathering a surge of book bans. The San Francisco Public Library is featured in the documentary, which stresses the importance of protecting and preserving this public institution.
“Most People Die on Sundays” (4:30 p.m. Feb. 22): Iair Said’s directorial feature debut, a dark comedy, is about a gay man who returns home to Buenos Aires for his uncle’s funeral. After finding out that his mom wants to take his dad off life support, he finally must face issues he’s been avoiding in life.
“Everything You Have is Yours” (7 p.m. Feb. 22): Tatyana Tenenbaum’s documentary spotlights Bay Area choreographer Hadar Ahuvia as she explores the origins of Israeli folk dances her mother introduced to her. Other New York dancers share their connections to the past, and how history shaped what they do today.
“Outsider. Freud” (4:30 p.m. Feb. 23): Yair Qedar’s 66-minute, four-part documentary takes a unique, adventurous approach in looking at Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychanalysis, even using animation in the portrait of the brilliant icon.
“The Zweiflers” (7 p.m. Feb. 23): Three episodes of the award-winning dramedy from Germany, which explores how people reconcile old traditions with new ways of being, screen. The shows detail how a patriarch’s decision to sell the family deli dredges up memories and secrets.
WinterFest tickets, at $19-$20, are available at www.jfi.org/winterfest.
Last week’s David Lynch Tribute proved so popular, the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland scheduled more screenings, mostly double bills. Get those tickets fast or the Log Lady might come looking for you.
“Inland Empire” screens at noon (Saturday only) and 6 p.m. and “Mulholland Drive” at 3:15 and 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 21-22; “Blue Velvet” screens at 1:45 (Sunday only) and 6:30 p.m. and “Wild at Heart” at 4:10 and 8:45 p.m. on Feb. 23-24; and “Dune” (1984) screens at 6 p.m. with “Eraserhead” 4:25 and 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 25-26. For tickets, visit renaissancerialto.com.
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