Disney Movie Reviews Archives - Page 2 of 5

The Many Roles of Sterling Holloway

Being the procrastinator that I am, I usually wait to write my posts until hours before they are published. Don’t get me wrong, there are cases in which I do plenty of research and plan things out days or weeks in advance, but those are outnumbered by the fly by the seat of my pants posts. I hope this isn’t necessarily evident in my writing, but I digress.

So, as I finished editing other posts I realized I didn’t have anything for myself. Needing background noise, I scrolled through the Disney Family Movies channel on demand and noticed they added the Jungle Book. I hadn’t seen it in a year or so and could listen to Louis Prima sing the phone book, so I started it.

Moments into the movie divine inspiration struck! I heard the unmistakable voice of Sterling Holloway. For many Disney fans, he is best known for his voice talents as that lovable stuffed with fluff Winnie the Pooh. I’m sure some are familiar with some of his other roles, but I thought I’d take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of his best known Disney voices.

The first role Sterling Holloway provided for Disney was that of the Messenger Stork in Dumbo in 1941. He delivers the cutest little baby elephant ever born to Mrs. Jumbo from the clouds above. His first role is short and sweet, but this is the one that started a forty plus year career with the Walt Disney Company.

Next up for the Georgia native was a bit more prominent role in the next Disney animated feature film. Sterling Holloway provided the adult voice of Flower in 1942’s Bambi. The most precious skunk you’ll ever encounter, Flower is one of Bambi’s best friends who also often pals around with Thumper.

During the war years, Walt made use of Sterling Holloway in several of his package films and shorts. Most notably, Sterling voiced Professor Holloway (the narrator) in The Three Caballeros. He also provided narration for Mickey and the Beanstalk, Peter and the Wolf, Lambert the Sheepish Lion and several other segments into the early 1950s like Susie the Little Blue Coupe. Walt liked Holloway so much he even used him in his crossover to television primarily in episodes of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.

The 1951 classic Alice in Wonderland featured Sterling Holloway in one of his most recognizable roles as the Cheshire Cat. This trickster is an enigma wrapped up in a riddle surrounded by mystery. He likes to lead Alice astray on her adventures in Wonderland and has a tendency to vanish into thin air.

By far, Sterling Holloway’s most notable role for Disney was as Winnie the Pooh fro 1966 to 1974. He voiced the best friend of Christopher Robin in three shorts: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too. These were repackaged and rereleased in 1977 as The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It is often difficult to hear Holloway’s voice in other roles and not to picture Pooh since they are so inextricably linked.

1967’s The Jungle Book brought Sterling Holloway his only villainous voice role for Disney (to my knowledge) in that of Kaa the snake. His hypnotic lullaby “Trust In Me” almost does poor Mowgli in, but Bagheera’s interruption saves the day. The boy is later truly hooked by the girl serenading him from the Man Village.

Roquefort in The Aristocats was one of Sterling Holloway’s last voice roles for Disney. In this 1970 film he plays a cute mouse who is the neighbor of Marie, Berlioz, Toulouse and Duchess. He lives in harmony with these cats, but seems to be afraid of most all other felines. Despite his fear, he plays an integral role is saving the kidnapped kittens.

Have you seen some or all of these roles voiced by Sterling Holloway? Which is your favorite? I have to go with Pooh, with the Cheshire Cat as a close second. Hope you enjoyed! Leave a message in the comments with your thoughts.

Famous Disney Bears

In honor of Earth Day on April 22^nd, Disneynature is releasing another new documentary, Bears. This new movie will follow a bear family for a year as the young cubs learn life lessons. Seeing the commercials for this movie got me thinking about all of the bears in the Disney family.

Winnie the Pooh
Let’s start with probably the most famous Disney bear of all. Coming from the books by A. A. Milne, Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood are a childhood staple. He may be “stuffed with fluff,” but he can be quite courageous when needed. We’ve all joined in on their adventures (often in search of “hunny”) and learned about friendship along the way. Pooh and Piglet’s friendship in particular, never fails to warm my heart.

Baloo

Carefree and fun-loving Baloo is Mowgli’s best friend in The Jungle Book and he taught us all about the Bare Necessities (which, thanks to writing this blog post, I have had stuck in my head for three days). For the most part, Baloo is playful, but he can be very protective of Mowgli. He is probably the most popular character from the movie and in fact, became the star of his own TV series: TaleSpin.

Koda and Kenai

These two bears from Brother Bear started out with quite the complicated relationship, but eventually became as close as brothers. Koda is the playful and talkative one, while Kenai is moody and serious. I think they both learn a lot from each other.

Harris, Hamish, and Hubert

Oh the triplet brothers from Brave. Definitely can’t forget them. Merida’s young brothers are always up to some sort of mischief, which is what caused them to become bears to begin with. Although they don’t stay that way forever, you can still see the brothers as bears in the Festival of Fantasy parade.

Br’er Bear

Betsy mentioned Br’er Bear in her post about bunnies and rabbits as the antagonist to Br’er Rabbit in The Song of the South. Teamed up with Br’er Fox, the two keep getting outwitted by Br’er Rabbit and you can see a lot of their foiled plans in the Splash Mountain ride at the theme parks.

Country Bears

Big Al, Liver Lips, Wendell, Trixie, Terrence, Henry, and the rest of this musical gang have been entertaining guests at the Magic Kingdom since the park opened. There was also a version at Disneyland up until 2001. The popularity inspired a movie in 2002, but that wasn’t very successful. They remain pretty popular in the Magic Kingdom though, especially with fans who grew up with the show.

Fozzie Bear

This jokester of the Muppets is Kermit’s best friend. He’s very often the target of Statler and Waldorf’s heckling, but he keeps trying with his “wocka wocka” tagline! Fozzie always struck me as very loyal, especially to Kermit and though he may be slow to catch on most of them time, I think he is a friend you can count on.

Humphrey the Bear

Humphrey was created in 1950 and appeared in several Disney Animation cartoons at that time. Humphrey is kind of a big and goofy bear that lives in a national park and tries to steal food from the visitors. He doesn’t speak, but he does make different grunts to express emotions. His shenanigans are usually spoiled by Donald Duck or the park ranger. He got to be so popular that the animation studio created a series just for him, but unfortunately the studio stopped producing the short films soon after that. He later appeared in other shows like Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers and House of Mouse. If you’re looking for him these days, you might want to check out the Wilderness Lodge.

Honorable Mentions: Little John from Robin Hood, Gummi Bears, Duffy, Lotso, Bear in the Big Blue House

When I first started writing this post, I was surprised by how many bears would be on this list. It was fun to rediscover some old favorites like Humphrey! Did I forget any of your favorite bears?

Disney Movie Bunnies and Rabbits

As Easter is fast approaching, I thought I’d take a look back at some of Disney’s most famous cinematic bunny rabbits. Throughout the decades there have been several prominent rabbits that have graced the silver screen of Disney films. Hop on in and join me as I reminisce about some of our favorite bunnies.

Thumper (Bambi)

One of the earliest bunny rabbits in Disney movies was in 1942’s Bambi with the introduction of Thumper. To this day, he is one of my favorite characters in Bambi, and I often use the term “twitterpated” to describe when someone is falling in love. He provides some great comic relief and helps Bambi grow up and find his way in the forest. This clip about Disney romance is a perfect snapshot representing Thumper’s character.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOk8Wxqbb5Y&list=PL1A87365F44A8D007

Br’er Rabbit (Song of the South)

Sadly, I imagine many kids growing up these days haven’t seen this Disney movie. However, I bet if they have visited the theme parks they might just be familiar with the character Br’er Rabbit if they’ve ridden Splash Mountain. Based on the stories by Joel Chandler Harris, Song of the South tells the story of the sly and troublesome rabbit through the narration of Uncle Remus to a young boy named Johnny. Although some of the portrayals in the film may not be politically correct, I still recommend tracking this movie down if you get a chance to revisit some of the shenanigans with Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox. It will only make you appreciate Splash Mountain and its fantastic storytelling even more.

White Rabbit & March Hare (Alice in Wonderland)

These two furry fellows appear to be two sides of a coin to me in the movie inspired by Lewis Carroll’s tales. The White Rabbit is all prim and proper, albeit in a hurry, while the March Hare is a little off his rocker. Both add a great deal of comedy to poor Alice’s plight in their own way. You can see a small display of the rabbit and hare and their personalities in this clip promoting the 60th anniversary DVD and Blu Ray of Alice in Wonderland.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYR-bZdXUiE

Rabbit (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)

The word that comes to mind when I think of Rabbit from A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories is persnickety. He is often overly concerned with trivial matters and likes to fuss … a lot. He usually comes through for his friends in the end, but he is often reluctant to do so and does not usually do so without making it known he isn’t happy. Rabbit seems like a curmudgeon much of the time, but all in all he is a good bunny.

roger rabbit

Roger Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

Technically, this is a Touchstone Pictures release, but I wanted to include it because Roger is definitely one of my favorite rabbits and you can find evidence of his presence in several locations in the Disney parks. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios there is even a window with his silhouette along with a tribute to Eddie Valiant, and tracks by the red car trolley for a once proposed ride at the end of Sunset Boulevard. Roger is a smart aleck rabbit (maybe why I like him so much), who is trying to clear his name after having been framed for a murder. This classic from 1988 is worth revisiting for the fantastic cameos of Disney and Warner Brothers characters alone.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (multiple shorts and Epic Mickey games)

Okay, so technically Oswald didn’t star in any feature films, but I’d be remiss if I left him off this list. If he didn’t exist, Walt Disney wouldn’t have been motivated to create a new character, Mickey Mouse. So, thanks to Oswald, we have one of the world’s most recognizable characters ever. If you haven’t played either of the Epic Mickey video games, please check out this short video about the history of Oswald.

Epic Mickey: The History of Oswald on Disney Video

He even now has his own meet and greet at Tokyo DisneySea! You can read more about that here.

Honorable Mentions: Skippy the Rabbit, Mother Rabbit, and the whole Rabbit family from Robin Hood

Did I miss any of your favorite Disney bunnies from films? Who is your favorite furry friend from this list?

Muppets Most Wanted: A Disney Parks Blog Meet-Up

On March 8, the Disney Parks Blog held a meet-up at the AMC theater at Downtown Disney to see Muppets Most Wanted. I am definitely a Muppets fan and have always loved the movies so getting the opportunity to see this new movie before its release date was exciting!

After checking in at the theater, we were given vouchers for drinks and a bag popcorn. Soon, Thomas Smith and Jennifer Fickley-Baker from the Parks Blog started a trivia contest, giving away things like Muppet t-shirts and puzzles. Then some guests were brought up on stage who had shown their Muppets Side by coming dressed in costume. Finally, a very special guest arrived – Sweetums! We were told that after the movie, we would have the opportunity to meet Sweetums and get our picture taken with him!

The movie started at 3:00 PM and opened with a hilarious Monsters University short. I heard several people say that this short would be worth the price of admission alone. It’s about the brothers of Oozma Kappa throwing a party. I liked Monsters University, but I think this short was funnier than anything that was in the movie.

Finally it was time for the main event: Muppets Most Wanted. I’ll put my review a little further down in the post. No spoilers other than basic plot points. After the movie, we waited for our turn to meet Sweetums and got our goody bag, which was a mixture of St. Patrick’s Day and Muppets with green beads and trading cards.

And now for my review…I’d probably give Muppets Most Wanted a B. As I mentioned, I’m a big Muppets fan. I grew up watching the movies and reruns of The Muppet Show. I loved when they returned with The Muppets in 2011. I didn’t think this movie had as much as the emotional pull , which might be preferable to some movie-goers. It reminded me more of The Great Muppet Caper.

If you’ve seen the previews of Muppets Most Wanted, you know that in this movie we are introduced to Constantine – The World’s Most Dangerous Frog – who escapes from prison. He also happens to look a lot like Kermit. The Muppets are heading out on a world tour to capitalize on their new popularity, but they soon find themselves in the middle of an international crime caper. This is of course thanks to Constantine and his sidekick Dominick Badguy (Ricky Gervais).

There are some great laugh-out-loud moments, usually involving one of the many surprise cameos and just general silliness. Some of my favorite moments were between Ty Burrell’s Interpol agent character and Sam Eagle’s CIA agent. The Siberian prison scenes were also a highlight for me. The soundtrack isn’t as memorable as the last, but I did enjoy the opening number called “We’re Doing a Sequel” as well as Constantine’s crazy “I’ll Get You Want You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu).”

httpv://youtu.be/DQiGyBiNjLI

Overall, I definitely recommend seeing Muppets Most Wanted, especially if you are a Muppets fan. It’s a fun movie that the whole family can enjoy together. Oh and make sure to stay through the credits!

Pick Six: Favorite Disney Movie Songs

Last night as we were watching Idina Menzel perform ‘Let it Go’ during last night’s Academy Awards, Congratulations to Frozen for two Oscars and to Robert Lopez for being the youngest EGOT, a few of us got into a discussion about what our favorite songs were from Disney Movies.

I thought I would take a break from the theme parks to share with you a personal post on my Pick Six of favorite Disney Songs.

Pick Six: Favorite Disney Movie Songs (In no particular order)

1. A Dream Is A Wish – Cinderella

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H_1PiRg2H4

I will tell you in all fairness that Cinderella is both my favorite Disney Movie and Princess, so I fully admit to bias here! I adore this song with all of my heart! It’s haunting melody, beautiful message, and I feel the same way every morning when I hear my alarm. Also, I really wish I had birds that would help be make my bed!

2. Jolly Holiday – Mary Poppins

httpv://youtu.be/kw4gpy1BweM

When I was growing up, during the summer my brother and I were each able to pick out a VHS to rent from the local video store to watch for the week (I am REALLY showing my age here…), and while we would often choose different movies we always agreed on Mary Poppins when it was available. We would watch it over and over again, my Mom warned us we would break both the rewind button and the tape, and we sing and dance around our den like we were penguins or chimney sweeps.

Jolly Holiday was always our favorite, because it was just so fun and whimsical that you couldn’t help but sing a little louder or dance a little crazier. We would always get in trouble, but it was soooooo worth it!!!

3. Part of Your World – The Little Mermaid

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2TT7sN5iKU&feature=share&list=PL-muvh_380IZ0sptF1gJve_HVC95y3PJd&index=4

Little Mermaid came out when I was in Middle School, and we are all awkward and looking for our place in the world so Part of Your World really spoke to me.

I will also admit that I cannot help myself, and no matter where I am or what I am doing I will ALWAYS sing this song at the top of my lungs. It’s really involuntary, and I apologize in advance if you ever have to witness this!

4. I Wanna Be Like You – The Jungle Book

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKnQoWWySm8&feature=share&list=PL-muvh_380IZFvEqlrEjQuuO2pou730Os

My husband, Dave, loves The Jungle Book, and as a result it has become a family favorite and go-to movie. There is nothing quite like watching your husband and you daughter dance around the house as they sing ‘I Wanna Be Like You’! The giggles, the shaking, the funny conversations about ‘What is he saying, Daddy?’…nope…It will never ever stop making me smile.

5. Reflection – Mulan

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgWiMm_Nffc&feature=share&list=PL-muvh_380IafMMO3fC55frFmfTG0tiyX&index=5

I seriously cannot see, sing, watch, or think about ‘Reflection’ from Mulan without welling up with tears.

We all struggle with finding our place in this world, balancing family and their expectations of us, and accepting & embracing that we are the way we are, and this song beautifully sums up these battles in a way that makes you feel like you are not alone. The no one is really who you think they are, because we all have our issues and insecurities.

It’s just perfect!

6. Whistle While You Work – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney’s On The Record Version)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm-BILfr5js&list=PL71E8503E3E194BD9&feature=share&index=1

If you haven’t given Disney’s On The Record a listen, you are doing yourself a disservice! It is a glorious and wonderful arrangement of Disney songs from movies, shorts, attractions, and more. Seriously, GO LISTEN!

The Whistle While You Work mash-up featured is incredibly infectious, and I dare you not to move to the beat!

I’d love to hear what you think of my Favorite Disney Movie Song choices and what your favorites are!!!

Favorite Non-Speaking Disney Animated Characters

Some of my favorite characters in Disney Animation are those scene stealers that don’t even have any lines. Sometimes they are sidekicks, other times they are the title characters. I thought I’d take a look at some of my favorites through Disney cinematic history.

Dopey

Starting with the first Disney animated feature film, Dopey is one of my all time favorite characters. He is so expressive without saying a thing. He emotes with his eyes and body language so well. I absolutely adore him as my favorite of the seven dwarfs providing so much comic relief in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Cleo & Figaro

I group these two together as they are rarely seen apart. Cleo is Gepetto’s pet goldfish and Figaro is his mischievous cat in Pinocchio. They, like Dopey, provide some comedic moments in their short screen time. Figaro is a bratty little boy kitten who doesn’t take kindly to Pinocchio’s appearance at first, but eventually comes around.

Dumbo

He is the title character who doesn’t have any lines in his own movie. This makes the fact that the audience falls completely in love with him and feels for him even more impressive. To have a main character who doesn’t speak is one thing, but to have the protagonist not have any dialogue is a rarity. The baby elephant is one of Disney’s most endearing characters who is still very well known 70 plus years after his film debuted in 1941.

Tinkerbell

Okay, so I know she is no longer a voiceless character, but I haven’t seen any of the Fairy movies, so to me she’s still the pixie from Peter Pan. She is a feisty one and her bell sounds along with her twinkling can convey quite the range of emotions from anger to excitement to straight up jealousy. I have a strong connection to the Peter Pan story going back to when I was very little so she, although not my absolute favorite of characters, holds a place in my heart.

Abu

Not necessarily a fully fleshed out character, but one needed to move the plot forward. After all, if he didn’t get all greedy and touching stuff in the Cave of Wonders, how much of the rest of the plot of Aladdin would have come to fruition? Whether he is in troublemaker monkey form, or transformed into a useful elephant for Prince Ali, I love Abu. He is a rascal, but a darn cute one who proves to be a faithful friend to Aladdin.

Pegasus

Hercules was given his loyal flying steed as a baby on Mount Olympus, but Pegasus follows baby Herc down to Earth. Throughout his adventures, training, etc. Pegasus is always by Hercules’ side. He is skeptical of Meg at first, and rightfully so. Through thick and thin he always does right by the demigod.

Cri-kee

Mulan’s cricket sidekick is a lucky one at that. He tries to help keep Mushu in check, while supporting Mulan on her mission to help defeat the Huns. He is a cute little bug who is along for the ride to save China. Cri-kee is important enough to not only make it into the sequel (don’t bother), but also to make it on the VHS/DVD/Blu ray cover above the title.

Pascal & Maximus

These two characters were actually what prompted the idea for this post. I was watching Tangled one day and thought how much I absolutely adore the chameleon and horse that practically steal the show. Pascal is Rapunzel’s only friend before she meets Flynn/Eugene. Maximus is like a bloodhound in horse form who is originally the bane of Flynn’s existence, but later the two join together to save Rapunzel. Some of the film’s funniest moments come from this pair.

Sven

Reindeer(s) are better than people, at least according to Kristoff in Frozen. If we are talking about his best bud, Sven, then I’m inclined to agree. Even though he is a reindeer, Sven acts as Kristoff’s conscience and confidante. I love his big goofy eyes that almost mirror Kristoff’s eyes.

So, these are some of my favorite characters spanning movies over the past 75 plus years of Disney Animated film history. This is not a comprehensive list, and yes, typically animals don’t talk, but many others do in their films, which is what makes these characters special. For instance, a cricket talks in Pinocchio, but the cat and goldfish don’t, Mushu is a talking dragon, but Cri-kee is mute. Did I leave off any of your favorite non-speaking roles from Disney animated movies?

A Spoonful Review Of Saving Mr. Banks

savingmrbanks1

For the past few years Disney and Mary Poppins fans have been anticipating the arrival of the movie Saving Mr. Banks. There is a tremendous amount of words being set to page about this movie right now, and it is generally well liked – though it does have its detractors. I can’t begin to tell you how good that is for a film like this. I’ve seen Mary Poppins countless times (Star Wars: A New Hope being the only movie I’ve seen more), read the book (though not in some time, that needs to change), and even read some works about P. L. Travers herself. That said, this isn’t a movie about Mary Poppins and if you think it is before having seen it, then you’re going to see quite a different movie then you’re expecting.

This is not a subtle movie in any way. It will beat you senseless with its message while trying to mask itself with the appearance of subtlety. Don’t get me wrong that doesn’t make it a bad movie at all. In fact, I think it’s a fantastic movie. One third of the movie is told in flashbacks to the life of P. L. Travers growing up as Helen Goff in Australia. They are portrayed as wispy and almost dreamlike – thanks in part to the filter used on the camera. Much like a dream. Combine that with the way the relationship between Walt Disney and Travers is told and you can begin to see the magic of this film.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nijccxWvyXU&feature=share&list=PLTnR43JTLNs97g-zsOTqyBczgqxzuzxnt

As my brain groked what I’ve seen on the screen I realized that the story itself is an illusion. It’s a dream. And, as with most dreams, the roles that you see people portraying are not necessarily the people they represent. Shift around the roles of the players a bit and you’ll realize that the more correct title for this film is Saving Mrs. Travers.

Getting two actors who are well known character actors and setting them against each other was a stroke of genius. Tom Hanks as Walt Disney is by no means perfect, but his mannerisms, stance, and appeal are all captured and I do not think another actor could have done as well a job with such a beloved individual. Emma Thompson does an amazing job as Travers. Having spent numerous hours listening to the archival studio session tapes of meetings between Travers and various Disney employees, she tried to capture the emotional distress of Travers. She even had her own hair styled to match Travers rather than using a wig.

What really brought it all home for me though was listening to an interview with Jason Schwartzman and Richard Sherman. Unlike Hanks and Thompson who had to study their roles by studying the past, Schwartzman was able to sit down and talk with the man he’d be portraying. The two had spent countless hours together throughout the making of this film. In the studio, Sherman was a consultant for all the “script room” scenes in the movie. He has talked about how surreal and emotional many of the scenes were for him – seeing moments from his own life recreated.

Like is so often true for movies about topics and historical moments that have already been picked to pieces extensively, this film will not be for everyone. In fact, it’s probably not a movie for the most hard core of fans – they’re not even the target audience. Saving Mr. Banks is meant to tell the tale of how Mary Poppins almost didn’t get made in a way that is meant to appeal to the most general of audiences. Keep in mind that this is not a family movie by any means, and you probably do not want to bring your small children to see it as there’s little in it for them – hence the PG-13 rating.

In addition to doing the web design and programming for the On the Go in MCO website, Todd Perlmutter is a host for the Disney Film Project Podcast. You can join him and his fellow hosts for Episode 156 where they will discuss the movie Saving Mr. Banks.

A Warm Look At Frozen

Disney-Frozen

Currently in theaters, Frozen is the tale of two sisters separated by magic, but joined by their love for each other. Bearing almost no resemblance to it source work, “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen, Frozen becomes a new, different, and original story by Disney. In keeping with the current trend, this movie is completely computer animated, and at some very key moments in the movie it’s clear that this technology has advanced to such a point as to make magic take on a very real feel.

There are some interesting characters thrown into the film like the comedic sidekick Olaf the Snowman – a character I honestly found annoying from the original trailer – that I really enjoyed in the context of the full movie. Drawing from something that worked really well in the movie Tangled, we get a second sidekick in the form of a carrot loving reindeer named Sven. Since they were young Sven has been the companion of the ice trader Kristoff – together they have a relationship that reminds me of myself and my dog Jasper (yes including the talking).

Arendelle is a very beautiful land that is in many ways made more beautiful when covered in snow and ice. There are moments where that snow and ice are used to convey the emotion of the characters and the moment that just work so fantastically well, that you’re reminded of that magical element to winter from your childhood. This coming from someone who can’t stand snow.

The music in the movie is really strong, and does a fantastic job in helping to broaden the definition of the characters singing them. One clever element is that instead of having the manly mountain man Kristoff sing a song about his feelings, his “family” of rock trolls sings it for him. Anna’s entire drive for the movie is defined in the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” which is an ode to her longing for the companionship of her sister. “Let It Go” is that moment when Elsa is finally able to be herself while at the same time letting us know that she too is lonely.

httpv://youtu.be/kHue-HaXXzg

For 70 years Disney has been looking for a way to bring the story of “The Snow Queen” to movie audiences, and it’s clear that they have succeeded. It’s nice to have a story where the core, classic elements of what people perceive to be a “Disney Movie” can be turned on their side some and bring about the sort of depth of to characters that modern audiences crave. Do I think everyone will like this movie? No. Do I think that Disney fans should go see this movie? Absolutely. Frozen is a very good movie that tells a strong story using well defined characters that is very enjoyable to watch.

httpv://youtu.be/TbQm5doF_Uc

Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales Now On Disney DVD

Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales Available on Disney DVD

Over 2 Hours of Hilarious Adventures, Irreverent Humor, and Unforgettable Characters

The popular Disney Channel Animated TV Series Gravity Falls has hit the shelves with Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales on Disney DVD which comes with an exclusive Mystery Book: Journal #3!

In this animated adventure comedy riddled with mystery, twin brother and sister Dipper and Mabel are sent to spend their summer vacation with their great uncle. Upon arrival, their great uncle, also known as Grunkle Stan, enlists the siblings’ help in running The Mystery Shack, a fun tourist trap he owns that overcharges unsuspecting customers. While Dipper has a hard time getting used to his new surroundings, Mabel’s upbeat optimism comes in handy in her quest to find true love. When Dipper stumbles upon an elusive book, he discovers that it is the key to unlocking the town’s mysterious secrets, and the brother and sister duo soon realize they must rely on one another to navigate the unfamiliar place.

Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales has six episodes that are shown in order, because it is definitely a show that you have to pay attention to as little things reappear in later episodes. The Six episodes on the DVD are:

1 – “Tourist Trapped”

2 – “The Legend of the Gobblewonker”

3 – “Headhunters”

4 – “The Hand That Rocks the Mabel”

5 – “The Inconveniencing”

6 – “Dipper vs. Manliness”

httpv://youtu.be/vnDA4UmqE70

Gravity Falls has definitely become a favorite show in our house, as it has great animation, storytelling that is funny & compelling, and jokes that make everyone giggle.

Gravity Falls: Six strange tales is 155 minutes of great fun that any fan of the Disney Channel Animated TV series will want to own!

Phineas And Ferb: Mission Marvel Review

Two worlds collide as Phineas and Ferb team up with Marvel Super Heroes in Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel is the first animated Marvel Crossover created between the Disney Channel and Marvel, and it is sure to please fans of both franchises

The fate of the Tri-State area – and the world – hangs in the balance as Agent P and Danville’s most dynamic duo team up with four of Marvel’s greatest Super Heroes- Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Spider-Man – in one awesome full-length adventure.

After Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s latest “-inator” scheme accidentally removes the powers of some very well-known Marvel Super Heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk), the heroes enter the world of Danville and team up with Phineas and Ferb to relocate their powers, defeat the Marvel Super Villains (Red Skull, MODOK, Whiplash and Venom) – who have also shown up to steal Doofenshmirtz’s power-draining technology – and save Danville from ultimate destruction!

httpv://youtu.be/lngO85cJdP4

The episode is full of great nods to each Marvel character and their backstory, shout-outs to several sci-fi shows and movies (I’m looking at you Dr. Who and Howard the Duck), and even a required cameo by Stan Lee!

Helping Super Heroes bust Super Villains is what they’re going to do today!

In addition to the Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel full length adventure, there are six other full episodes of Phineas and Ferb on this DVD that make up 145 minutes of fun sure to keep big and little ones hooked!

Another fun feature of Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel is that inside each DVD is a Collectible Comic Book featuring characters from the episode, as well as one of three distinct and exclusive Marvel Posters. For collectors this is a huge bonus!!!

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel is available now on Disney DVD, and if you are a fan of Phineas and Ferb or Marvel you are going to want to grab this song filled, action packed DVD for your collection!!!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel to review for this post. All opinions and fandom are my own!

The Muppet Movie on Blu-Ray Now

The Muppet Movie was one of my absolute favorite movies growing up, and it holds a truly special place in my heart. The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition is out now on Blu-Ray, and it is a great way to share this movie with your family and to see some great bonus features!

If you haven’t seen the movie…shame on you!!!

The Muppet Movie is a 1979 classic, that gives you a hilarious peek at where some of your favorite Muppets, like Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Animal to name a few, came from when they were just getting started!

In The Muppet Movie the gang hits the road on a funny and at times emotional road trip to follow their dreams to Hollywood to become stars.

The Muppet Movie is full of heart, funny gags, and songs that will fill your eyes with tears and put a smile on your face!

httpv://youtu.be/N31JLdKmHIE

What makes the The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie truly great are the MUPPETASTIC Bonus Features!

In addition to the original trailers and Doc Hopper’s full commercial, you also get Frog-E-Oke Sing-Along where you get to join the Muppet Gang in some of your favorite songs, Pepe Profiles Present: Kermit-A Frog’s Life which is a classic feature that is a ‘Hollywood Biography’ with interviews from Kermit the Frog and other special guests, and the Disney Intermission feature is a fun way to get a few laughs in when you have to pause the movie!

However, the gem of The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie is Jim Frawley’s Extended Camera Test! This is a little over 15 minutes of footage that features Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and others as they take a few Muppets for their first outdoor screen tests. It is so much fun to see these characters being themselves. Since this is a camera test, you can occasionally see a peek of Henson and Oz having fun and doing what they love!

With the Muppets Most Wanted coming soon, The Muppet Movie is a great place to start your film journey to get prepared for what is sure to be an awesome movie!

The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie is a Must Own for any Muppet fan!

A 10,000 Foot Review of Planes

After years of bouncing back and forth between plans to release in theaters and other plans for a direct to video release, Planes is finally here. It is, very obviously, a spin-off from the highly successful Cars franchise from Pixar. However, despite the Pixar-like 3D computer animation, don’t think that this movie comes to us from Pixar. Instead, it comes to us from DisneyToon Studios – makers of Disney animated sequels like Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and DuckTales: The Movie (recently discussed on the Disney Film Project Podcast). Despite not being from Pixar, Cars creator John Lasseter, being in charge of animation at Disney, was the movie’s Executive Producer.

The movie is about a cropduster named Dusty Crophopper that has dreams of becoming a world famous race plane. As you might expect, there are several obstacles to his achieving this goal as on top of not being a plane built for racing he’s also used to flying low to the ground and therefore afraid of heights. Unfortunately, despite the buildup of this internal conflict in the movie it doesn’t even really play into the plot at all and is more of a throwaway moment. The most enjoyable part of the film for me was his training for the race and the metaphor of “chasing shadows” being used to represent the main character chasing his dreams.

My biggest problem with the movie is the main character himself. As opposed to Cars, where Lightning McQueen is clearly the main character of the movie, Dusty gets lost in the vast array of other racers and characters in the movie who are simply more interesting than he is. I don’t really find this that surprising considering other characters played by Dane Cook tend to have the same problem. There was a lot of missed opportunity to build this character into something stronger and it just never happens in the film.

After that the movie suffers from the fact that few, if any, people go into the movie understanding what Plane racing even is. And I still question if it’s even a thing outside of military time trials and air shows. Not to compare it to Cars again, but people generally understood what car racing is before going to see Cars. It played off a familiar theme and a passing knowledge of how the core of the story operates, and it did a fantastic job of capturing similar themes from movies like Rocky. At that same feeling, Planes fails.

The movie itself was enjoyable, but it’s not great, and good is debatable. I feel that I enjoyed the snail racing movie Turbo more than I enjoyed planes. Parents however should be prepared to take children to see this movie. They too won’t like it as much as Cars, but all the advertising mentions Cars, so your kids will be clamoring to see it.

In addition to doing the web designer and programming for the On the Go in MCO website, Todd Perlmutter is a host for the Disney Film Project Podcast. You can listen to him and his fellow hosts discuss Planes in an upcoming episode.

A Silver Bullet Review of The Lone Ranger

Yesterday was July 4th, and I found it or that while I was standing in the middle of the Magic Kingdom that my only goal was to head over to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and get myself a root beer slush. Admittedly it was a fairly hot day, but that wasn’t why I was getting the drink. What I wanted was the mug that it came in, shaped like a boot, and stamped with the logo for the newly released Disney film The Lone Ranger and the image of a Texas Ranger badge. For the longest time, I’ve been a fan of the character, and his history. As a child I had a spray-painted silver bullet on my desk, had made myself my own Halloween costume (that got worn more often), and was even a Texas Rangers fan. So I’ll just apologize upfront if this seems biased.

The legend of the Lone Ranger goes back to a 1933 radio show which was one of the most popular of all time. It has since gone on to produce a highly successful television program, a series of books, comic books, other movie treatments, merchandising, etc. It’s safe to say that for 80 years this character has never not made money in some capacity. And in 2007 the Weinstein brothers, after having left Disney, found themselves planning to buy the rights to the Lone Ranger for use in the home video market – only to see the company that was selling it to them snatched up by Dreamworks before this could happen.

Eventually, with the help of Jerry Bruckheimer, the movie was set up at Disney. The first script treatment had had an extreme supernatural overtone, trying to play off the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. I’m not kidding, there were werewolves. Elements of this original script were brought forward into the final product and can be found very obviously imbued into nature of the characters of Tonto and Butch Cavendish primarily, and to a lesser extent that of the main character John Reid. In 2010, after the idea was on the verge of being scrapped, Gore Verbinski steps into the picture, and production kicked into high gear. While Johnny Depp had been signed to the project back in 2008, they needed their Ranger, and Armie Hammer was signed to do so.

In my time as a fan I’ve read, watched, or listened to more than a dozen different version of the origin story of the Lone Ranger, and I have to say that this movie, The Lone Ranger, is a very fresh adaptation. If you look closely it has so much of what has been brought before in it. The Ranger is the lawman seeking justice, more literally as a lawyer. Tonto is still the guide, taking a more spiritual bent. And Butch Cavendish is as vile, rotten, and disgusting as he should be, adding a new bent that wasn’t too hard to… swallow (do you see what I did there). A few of the twists in the movie are nicely done, especially the reveal – which is only lightly telegraphed. There are still mines of silver and even nephew Dan as a future sidekick is alluded to.

For 22 (or more) minutes of the film I was on the verge of tears. Why? Because on the screen is something I feel no filmed treatment has gotten right since the television series use of the William Tell Overture. The full treatment, overlaid on the end game of the movie is one of the most enjoyable on screen moments I’ve experienced. The timing of every note to the action, movement, and feeling of the moment rounded this movie out fully and really brought it home for me. It said to me, “Yes, this is the Lone Ranger.”

Right now you’re seeing a lot of negative criticism about the movie, but really audience reviews of the movie are great. Try to ignore the professional critics and go watch this movie and make your own decision about it. There are some gruesome moments in the movie, that if you’re bringing your children you may get questions about. Up front, I’ll warn you that Westerns aren’t for everyone, but we seldom get good ones that have the right feel to them anymore. This however is one. And if you’re a fan of the genre I feel you’re going to enjoy it.

In addition to doing the web designer and programming for the On the Go in MCO website, Todd Perlmutter is a host for the Disney Film Project Podcast. You can join him and his fellow hosts for a Live Review of The Lone Ranger on Thursday, July 18, 2013.

A Look At Monsters University

It was 12 years ago that we first met Mike Wazowski and Sulley in what is now the 5th highest grossing Pixar film of all time, Monsters, Inc. – reviewed in Episode 49 of the Disney Film Project Podcast. In it we get introduced to these friendly monsters that are in a lot of ways just like us. Only, with the exception that they’re monsters, living in a city populated by monsters, in world of monsters, all of whom were brought up to think that humans and especially children are toxic. This Top Scarer team quickly learns that the world around them isn’t quite what it appears to be, and the quickly watch the house of cards tumble around them.

Now, on June 21st we get to learn how they met, in the long awaited… not sequel, but rather prequel, Monsters University. Abandoning the idea that they met way back in the 4th grade as implied by a line in the original movie, but explained away by director Dan Scanlon, Pixar chose to go with the characters meeting in college. Twelve years is a long time, and it would never work for live actors because they don’t age in reverse, but fortunately these characters have all been sitting on computers at Pixar waiting all this time to once more stretch their legs.

The principal voice actors Billy Crystal and John Goodman return as Mike and Sulley. And along with them come a new cast of characters played by a wide array of voice and acting talents: Helen Mirren, Dave Foley, Alfred Molina, and Nathan Fillion among them. Together they help to bring to life a movie that reflects a much different world than that of the energy crisis ridden city of Monstropolis.

What we instead get is the journey of two younger monsters both learning to survive in the world around them. One trying to live his dream, and the other trying to live up to his family’s expectations. Two monsters who couldn’t be more different, on a journey to become the great friends we know them to be from Monsters, Inc. And the most important aspect of the original movie is carried forward into this one: heart.

The view of college life in the movie does fall into the typical movie trope that everything that matters in college is decided and defined by fraternities and sororities. But that hardly detracts from the points the movie is trying to make – it’s just the easier and more familiar path to take when making a college movie. With all that said the portrayal of “the greek life” is minimal, and at times mocking. The classroom scenes range from being reminiscent of both Harry Potter and Sky High.

Overall, I really think fans of the original won’t be disappointed with Monsters University. It’s not nearly as new and fresh as Monsters, Inc. was when it came out, nor is it as good. But it is a solid movie that makes it’s points, teaches us some lessons, tells us what we want to know going in, and even answers some questions we’d maybe been wondering along the way. It was both fun and funny to watch, and I look forward to seeing it again this weekend.

httpv://youtu.be/xBzPioph8CI

Minnie’s The Wizard of Dizz DVD Review

Journey to a wondrous land of enchantment and surprises! The classic tale gets a brand-new twist in Minnie’s new full-length adventure: The Wizard Of Dizz.

Before you can say “pink tornado,” Minnie and Pluto end up in the silly but spectacular land of Dizz. It’s an amazing place, with rainbow trees, butterfly bows and friendly “Chipmunchkins,” but what Minnie wants most is to get home. Together, Minnie and her new friends Scarecrow Goofy, Mickey the Tin Mouse and Donald the Lion set off to ask the wonderful Wizard of Dizz to make their dreams come true. But look out! Bad Witch Pete wants Minnie’s magical, sparkly green shoes, and he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve.

httpv://youtu.be/7a74xnGqe10

We all really enjoyed The Wizard of Dizz which is absolutely overflowing with fun! In addition to The Wizard of Dizz full length adventure, there are two additional episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, ten Minnie’s Bow-Toons (which Zoe adores), and an app that is easily downloaded using the Disney Rewards Number. Talk about a great value!!!

If you have a Minnie or Wizard of Oz fan in your family you are really going to want to consider picking up this DVD!

The Wizard of Dizz is a celebration of fun and friendship that proves there’s no place like the clubhouse!