The Morning Watch: Pokémon Bootleg Universe Trailer, Tom Hanks & Tim Allen Visit Toy Story Land & More
The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fanmade productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.
In this edition, watch a fanmade trailer imagining a Pokémon movie as part of Adi Shankar's gritty Bootleg Universe. Plus, follow Toy Story franchise stars Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as they explore the Disney theme park expansion Toy Story Land, and see if comedian Tig Notaro can figure out who Melissa Joan Hart is in the latest edition of Under a Rock.
First up, the YouTube channel Octopie imagined what it might be like if there was an animated Pokémon movie that was created in the same vein of projects by producer Adi Shankar (Castlevania, Dredd) and what he calls the Bootleg Universe. It all starts with the death of Pikachu, which sparks a revolution against Pokémon training that is full of gratuitous, gritty anime violence.
Next, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are known for providing the voices of toy buddies Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story franchise, but they don't spend any time together while recording those lines. That's why it's great to see them get together to explore the Disney theme park expansion known as Toy Story Land. Well, that's what was supposed to happen, but the weather just forced them to have a candid conversation with a rainy theme park in the background.
Finally, Under a Rock with Tig Notaro is back as the hopelessly clueless comedian tries to figure out who Melissa Joan Hart is. Funnily enough, Melissa Joan Hart doesn't know who Tig Notaro is either. To be fair, I'm sure most general audience members wouldn't know either by name, but that doesn't make this any less fun.