Making Fun - The Story of Funko (2018, Netflix) - Blu-ray Forum

esteban² · 05-27-2018, 04:32 PM

"Dive into a world of fun and collecting as this documentary follows the creation and impact of the Funko company and their successful toy and collectable empire."

esteban² · 05-27-2018, 04:34 PM

Well … Fun to watch. No doubt about it. But as a docu it kinda falls short on several levels. There's a lack of focus on the right aspects. The attention mostly goes to Funko-collectors and famous people that have a Funko version of their own.

Personally, I was hoping for a clear view on the history of it all. From scratch to where we are now. The struggles, the first production, the little successes, the big mistakes, … It's all there, but mostly very brief, superficial and pushed to the background. Same for the actual production of the toys. A (way too) quick montage aside, there's very little about how they are made. First ideas, production design, the actual production from start to finish, ...

I learned nothing new. Not at all. And I'm not even a Funko-follower. Again, it's fun to watch, for sure. But The Toys That Made Us (Netflix), even though not flawless, does a much better job with this in a shorter running time.

After looking up the newest items, I do feel the urge to start collecting, though.

Lot's of stuff where you can't find any other "toys" from.

kylor · 05-27-2018, 04:35 PM

I've never really been a fan of Funko pops, never bothered collecting them. They look horrid IMO. But I am glad that they still do very well by others.

esteban² · 05-27-2018, 04:39 PM

I just have two of them, HE-MAN and Skeletor, a gift. I'm not a collector of this, neither a hater. (they are out there) Some are spot-on, some are 'acceptable', some are hideous. What's holding me back, is the fact that a lot of them are sold out very fast. And I have the 'completist' disease, not a good combination.

Michael24 · 05-27-2018, 05:04 PM

I'm a (casual) Funko fan and Pop! collector (I have about 47 figures), and I was looking forward to this documentary but ultimately was left a little disappointed. I'll just copy-and-paste my review from Letterboxd.

Quote:

This documentary about the Funko toy company started off really good, diving into the company's history and exploring its origin and early breakthroughs with lots of great old pictures and video. Unfortunately, it then shifted focus and became more about the fans, who show off their collections and talk about the impact they've had on their lives. These stories tend to all be pretty similar and get repetitive after awhile. I don't mind showcasing fans in such a documentary but it feels unfocused and random the way it jumps from one to the next and frankly it gets a little schmaltzy at times, too. Eventually, the story swings back around to Funko and ends with the opening of their first retail store, Funko HQ.

Making Fun is a noble effort to tell the story of one of today's most recognizable toy brands. But I would have loved more of a focus on the company itself and how it evolved over the years, and a look at their creative process would have been great as well. Even Pop! Vinyl, arguably their most popular line of figures, is strangely neglected and glossed over. Cameos by celebrity fans such as Alice Cooper, Elvira, Robert Englund, Kevin Smith and Sam Jones are fun. It's still a fairly entertaining documentary but it could have been much better.

I give it a 3/5. I agree with esteban that The Toys That Made Us is a much better approach to the same subject.

Gamma_Winstead · 05-27-2018, 05:55 PM

It's a really entertaining overview of both the company and the collectors that made the company so successful... however, that doesn't mean it's not overly long, poorly paced, and padded out to an obscenely long run time.

Also... the music. It's annoying, off-putting, distracting, and completely against tone. It's terrible.

Michael24 · 05-27-2018, 09:43 PM

I didn't even really notice the music all that much, so I can't say it stuck out to me as being bad. But at a couple points it did have this weird beat or popping-like noise that at first made me think there was a problem with the audio, because it almost sounded like a crackling noise coming from the speakers.

esteban² · 05-27-2018, 10:02 PM

The music felt out of place, indeed. It was a weird choice.

reaperx187 · 05-27-2018, 11:41 PM

I'm checking this one out either way meant to watch it sometime between Friday and or Saturday but didn't happen.

esteban² · 06-01-2018, 02:04 PM

Did it happen already?

esteban² · 06-14-2018, 05:17 AM

I highly doubt it, but if anyone would want to own some merchandise of this docu … Funko has a lot for sale. Shirts and stuff. Check their Twitter. I can't imagine anyone (aside from those who buy anything Funko) would want something like that, but still.

Dubstar · 06-14-2018, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gamma_Winstead

It's a really entertaining overview of both the company and the collectors that made the company so successful... however, that doesn't mean it's not overly long, poorly paced, and padded out to an obscenely long run time.

Also... the music. It's annoying, off-putting, distracting, and completely against tone. It's terrible.

I tangentially noticed the music score, but I did notice it did lag at times, some of the talking head/separate folk gloating about funko collecting could have easily been excised.

DeborahTroutman95 · 06-14-2018, 04:01 PM

I can't believe they made a movie about funkos. One of the most overrated (look: overpriced) things ever.

Michael24 · 06-14-2018, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeborahTroutman95

I can't believe they made a movie about funkos. One of the most overrated (look: overpriced) things ever.

Sounds like you're talking about the specific Pop! Vinyl figures. Funko is just the name of the company and they make lots of other products besides those. In fact, the Pop! figures themselves actually seem to barely even be touched on in the documentary, which I thought was strange considering they're probably the company's most popular line. The documentary is more about the company itself and their fans.

esteban² · 06-17-2018, 09:32 AM

Wow ... I was looking for the Ace Ventura (my favorite movie character) Funko ... Didn't know the current value on that one. Skip!

Agent Kay · 06-17-2018, 04:46 PM

This was terrible, it was just a feature length commercial.
They mention a line that didn't work and then glossed over it, the definition of puff piece.

05-27-2018, 04:34 PM	#2
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	Well … Fun to watch. No doubt about it. But as a docu it kinda falls short on several levels. There's a lack of focus on the right aspects. The attention mostly goes to Funko-collectors and famous people that have a Funko version of their own. Personally, I was hoping for a clear view on the history of it all. From scratch to where we are now. The struggles, the first production, the little successes, the big mistakes, … It's all there, but mostly very brief, superficial and pushed to the background. Same for the actual production of the toys. A (way too) quick montage aside, there's very little about how they are made. First ideas, production design, the actual production from start to finish, ... I learned nothing new. Not at all. And I'm not even a Funko-follower. Again, it's fun to watch, for sure. But The Toys That Made Us (Netflix), even though not flawless, does a much better job with this in a shorter running time. After looking up the newest items, I do feel the urge to start collecting, though. Lot's of stuff where you can't find any other "toys" from. Last edited by esteban²; 05-27-2018 at 05:09 PM.

05-27-2018, 04:35 PM	#3
kylor Blu-ray Prince Member since:Jul 2015 Location:The past.. or the future. 4K collection:696 Blu-ray collection:7101 DVD collection:620 MA collection:1030 Digital collection:2058 Trading Score:3	I've never really been a fan of Funko pops, never bothered collecting them. They look horrid IMO. But I am glad that they still do very well by others.

05-27-2018, 04:39 PM	#4
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	I just have two of them, HE-MAN and Skeletor, a gift. I'm not a collector of this, neither a hater. (they are out there) Some are spot-on, some are 'acceptable', some are hideous. What's holding me back, is the fact that a lot of them are sold out very fast. And I have the 'completist' disease, not a good combination.

05-27-2018, 05:55 PM	#6
Gamma_Winstead Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 Location:U.S.G. Ishimura 4K collection:118 Blu-ray collection:764 Blu-ray reviews: 36 Trading Score:6	It's a really entertaining overview of both the company and the collectors that made the company so successful... however, that doesn't mean it's not overly long, poorly paced, and padded out to an obscenely long run time. Also... the music. It's annoying, off-putting, distracting, and completely against tone. It's terrible.

05-27-2018, 09:43 PM	#7
Michael24 Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Nov 2009 Location:California 4K collection:11 Blu-ray collection:552 DVD collection:164 Trading Score:2	I didn't even really notice the music all that much, so I can't say it stuck out to me as being bad. But at a couple points it did have this weird beat or popping-like noise that at first made me think there was a problem with the audio, because it almost sounded like a crackling noise coming from the speakers.

05-27-2018, 10:02 PM	#8
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	The music felt out of place, indeed. It was a weird choice.

05-27-2018, 11:41 PM	#9
reaperx187 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jan 2010 Location:Newark, DE 4K collection:221 Blu-ray collection:1477 DVD collection:77	I'm checking this one out either way meant to watch it sometime between Friday and or Saturday but didn't happen.

06-01-2018, 02:04 PM	#10
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	Did it happen already?

06-14-2018, 05:17 AM	#11
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	I highly doubt it, but if anyone would want to own some merchandise of this docu … Funko has a lot for sale. Shirts and stuff. Check their Twitter. I can't imagine anyone (aside from those who buy anything Funko) would want something like that, but still.

06-14-2018, 04:01 PM	#13
DeborahTroutman95 Junior Member Member since:Jun 2018 Location:Albany, GA	I can't believe they made a movie about funkos. One of the most overrated (look: overpriced) things ever.

06-17-2018, 09:32 AM	#15
esteban² Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Belgium Blu-ray collection:64 Trading Score:3	Wow ... I was looking for the Ace Ventura (my favorite movie character) Funko ... Didn't know the current value on that one. Skip!

06-17-2018, 04:46 PM	#16
Agent Kay Banned Member since:May 2018 4K collection:57 Blu-ray collection:57	This was terrible, it was just a feature length commercial. They mention a line that didn't work and then glossed over it, the definition of puff piece.

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