Not only did we lose ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) today,
but we also lost a Disney legend, Annette Funicello (1942-2013)!
Annette Funicello was one of the original Mouseketeers,
and continued doing work for Disney including acting in films such as “The Shaggy Dog”, “Babes in Toyland”, “The Misadventures of Merlin Jones”, and “The Monkey’s Uncle”.
If I had grown up with her movies, she probably would have made it to my “crushes” list!
She also was a singer and became the first female singer to reach a top 10 slot for a rock and roll song with the hit, “Tall Paul”, written by the not yet extremely famous, Sherman Brothers.
“Even before we were famous, we were awesome!”
Her death saddens me and she’ll be greatly missed!
We arrive at the 29th film in the Disney Canon, “The Rescuers Down Under”. It’s the first animated sequel to a Disney film (“The Rescuers”), as well as the first sequel in the Canon itself. And in my opinion, it’s better than the original, but not vastly better! So let’s take a look into this film! Continue reading “Disney Canon-Forgotten/Minor Characters #29: The Hawaiian Operator”
The year is 1988. The film is Disney’s 27th animated feature, “Oliver & Company”, a twist on Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” except taking place in present-day New York and with animals!
“What the dickens?!”
There’s a lot to say about this film so let’s waste no further time!
I just want to offer my sincerest apologies for bringing this post extremely late! I had some delay in obtaining a copy of today’s film!
And what is today’s film, you may ask? Well, it’s Disney’s 26th animated feature, “The Great Mouse Detective” or as it’s sometimes been known, “The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective” (which is kinda misleading, since the movie is really only about one particular adventure of the great mouse detective)! Regardless, let’s take a look at this movie! Continue reading “Disney Canon-Forgotten/Minor Characters #26: Mrs. Judson”
Well, I guess it’s time for me to give my thoughts regarding this year’s best animated feature (according to the Oscars), “Brave”!
Pixar’s 13th animated feature seems to travel down the Disney road more than the usual Pixar highway, and that’s not a problem in my opinion! Continue reading “My Thoughts: BRAVE (2012)”
I really enjoy making these, although they take forever to make; but the best things in life require the most effort!
The other three sides are “Luck”, “Gifts”, and “Inheritance”!
What’s the topic of today’s list? Well, you know how we all have that one movie or movies that everyone seems to love, like, or at least enjoy; but we just don’t like? Well, that’s the topic of this list!
Inspired by Doug Walker of “The Nostalgia Critic” fame,
A great film reviewer, although his character is a bit foulmouthed!
this is “My Top 13 Animated Movies That I Don’t Like, But Everyone Else Does”!
I find it an interesting subject and should lead to a fun list! But, a few cautions before we proceed:
1) I find myself switching back and forth between opinions as much as one changes clothes. So this is my list as of late February 2013. I’m sure I’ll look back at this list in a few months and wonder why my #8 wasn’t #4 or my #2 wasn’t #10 or something like that! So just keep that in mind!
2) What do I mean when I say that everyone else loves these movies? Am I referring to what critics think of the films? Or am I referring to what the average moviegoer thinks of the film? Well, I kinda take both into consideration. These are all films that critics have generally given positive reviews for and the vast majority of audiences have displayed their liking for.
and 3) Are these listed by how much I hate them? Not really! I don’t think I really HATE any of these movies, but many of them I do feel a certain level of dislike for! But, the main factor in ranking these movies is the question, “How soon would I re-watch this film?”. So basically movies near the bottom of the list I would more soon re-watch as opposed to movies near the top of the list.
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this “Top 13” list! Why top 13? Because I’m not superstitious!
Disney’s prequel to the classic 1939 film topped the box office over the weekend with a nationwide gross of $80 million! This may seem alot, but the budget for the film is $215 million! But, hopefully, the international box-office records will make this film a hit! What do you think? Do you think this film will be a global hit? Do you think it’ll pass the billion dollar mark like a few other live-action Disney epics have done? Have you seen this movie? If so, what’d you think of it?
I personally hope not! The question was brought up at the annual shareholders’ meeting and Bob Iger mentioned that there are no current 2-D animated films in the works nor does there seem to be plans for any in the near future. I pray that this doesn’t become an ultimatum! They tried it once when “Home on the Range” flopped, but after the Pixar acquisition, they came back with 2-D films “The Princess and the Frog” and “Winnie the Pooh”. For more information see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/mar/07/disney-hand-drawn-animation
What’s your opinion? How would you feel if Disney stops making hand-drawn traditional animated films and only makes computer-generated animated films?
When one thinks of early animation, one generally thinks of Walt Disney and his early animated shorts and films. And that isn’t a bad thought to think of actually!
“You’re darn right I’m not a bad thought to think of!”
But when one studies the history of animation, at least in the United States, one finds that Walt Disney wasn’t ever one of the founding fathers of animation nor was he an early pioneer of the field! He was preceded by a plethora of animation pioneers whose names generally go forgotten by the masses. These include Winsor McCay, J. Stuart Blackton, John Bray, Earl Hurd, Paul Terry, and Max Fleischer amongst others! And yet if it wasn’t for these men, animation as an art and film medium would probably have been virtually dead by now!
So I thought I should pay tribute to the early days of animation and take a look at the second full-length American animated film.
“Pinocchio?”
No, it’s not a Disney film, believe it or not! It’s actually a film made by the last name that I mentioned in the paragraph above: Max Fleischer. The film is called “Gulliver’s Travels”, based on the book of the same name, and we’re gonna take a look at it! Continue reading “My Thoughts: GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (1939)”
The Animation Commendation 