Movie release Tuesday and Big Hero Six comes out on Blu-ray and DVD. I loved this movie and am quite excited!
Speaking of Disney movies, I was listening to a podcast recently and the hosts were very disappointed with “Saving Mr. Banks”. I was kind of shocked because my DW, DS, DMiL and I loved it. I understand we aren’t all going to love everything Disney releases but…
Has there been a Disney movie lately that you walked out of the theater saying, “Meh”?
I cannot think of a movie I was disappointed in but I will confess I never could see The Lone Ranger. I just could not get over the make up. I did enjoy Savings Mr. Bank, but if you were expecting something else, maybe you would be disappointed? I must admit I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Malefecent. I did not see it in the theater but I enjoyed it later.
Maleficent was another that we really enjoyed and a podcast slammed. I’m not an Angelina Jolie fan but I thought she did a great job with the other side of the story. I have no problem admitting that at the end of Saving Mr. Banks, when they are at the premier, I had a problem with excessive eye watering.
Now, I will say “Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, Not Good Day” or whatever it was called was pretty much what I expected, as in not too good. But DS liked it and DW was amused so money well spent.
Although I (almost) never miss Disney/Pixae animated films, I kind of pick and choose which live action ones I go to. I’ve just never really been into superheros, so the Marvel offerings don’t do much for me. The last 3 live action Disney films I have seen are Mr. Banks, Maleficent, and Into the Woods - all three of which I thought were excellent. I actually felt a little bit “meh” after BH6; it was good, but it didn’t “wow” me…
I saw and liked Mr. Banks, but for some reason have zero interest in the other two.
I enjoyed Mr. Banks, but it didn’t live up to the hype. I have not been a fan of Maleficent, Oz or Burton’s Alice. All style (and I think the CGI was a mixed bag at that) no substance to any of them.
I didn’t care for what I saw of the Oz trailers, so I skipped it. The original 2 Alice stories have been favorites of mine since I first read them when I was about 10. I have yet to see a film version that really captures the esence of the books. Disney’s animated Alice kept many of the elements of both books, but kind of jumbled them all together and made it a series of “gags”. But I still enjoy it for the quality of the animation. Burton’s Alice was beyond bizarre. I thought the homage to (or was it a steal from) The Wizard of Oz by having “real” people in Alice’s life turn up as characters in her dream was fun, and the sets and costumes were certainly unique, but at best it could be called a variation on a theme.
I still haven’t seen “Into the Woods”, will probably rent it this week to check it out.
Oz the Great and Powerful was meh. DS and DW liked so we bought it.
Burton’s Alice was bizarre but I found it somewhat amusing.
The only Pixar bust for me was Cars 2. The first Cars doesn’t get a lot of love but I liked it. Probably because I used to live about a block from Route 66 while growing up and I still secretly mourn its passing.
Disney Animation Studios has taken their game back up to the top with Wreck it Ralph, Tangled, Frozen and Big Hero 6. Quite a leap from Chicken Little!
I have not seen Into the Woods. Thank you for reminding me! I look forward to seeing that.Oz was different for me. I felt like they wasted the story but the sets! I loved “looking” at that movie!
That reminds me; I still have not seen Ralph. I am not at ALL into video gaming, and the trailers did not grab me.
Visually, Oz was great. But, a lot like the Star Wars prequels, the great CGI couldn’t make up for a poor story line.
bswan, I can see that. Some of the jokes, etc are game centered but the story is really about relationships, fitting in and growth as a person. If you are bored some evening, give it a shot. I don’t think a love of video games is required. (Disclaimer: Even though I’m older than dirt, I love games.)
Okay I’m probably in the minority here (ducking) but I really didn’t understand the Frozen movie. I don’t have little princesses of my own so maybe that’s why. I did hear the lyricists on NPR state that originally Elsa was actually “evil” and they changed her to more “misunderstood” later. It just didn’t have the Menken magic of BatB, LM, and Alladin for me. Anybody else?
ALERT – Frozen Spoilers – ALERT
I get it but what I liked about Frozen was it broke the Disney princess formula. I’m glad Elsa wasn’t evil because it allowed the writers to do a couple of things.
First I was shocked when they went back to the old “I just met this guy and am totally in love with him” thing. So I was very pleasantly surprised when Hans flipped and was the bad guy.
Second, the whole “true love’s kiss” has been done to death but when it turned out that the true love was her sister, it made the story line SO much better for me. My DW and her sister are very close and I thought it was a nice touch to give a nod to siblings.
I’m never going to throw stones for someone not liking what I like and I get the “no little princesses” thing, what with having three sons. My DS12 loved the music and the movie but has no desire to do the M&G, EVER!!!
Love BH6, Malificent, & Mr. Banks. Not much on Oz. Burton’s Alice has grown on me. Love all the Recent Disney animation: Ralph, Tangled, Frozen are ones we will watch each time they are on. And our kids are grown.
I’m a middle-aged guy, with no kids past or present - but I really like the movie. I watched it again just recently, and I still think that it was a major score on almost all counts. Any snarkiness that I have towards Frozen relates to the hit you over the head, repeatedly, over-marketing of the movie in the parks. But I do agree with you about the music; for me it’s just “OK”; not offensive, but nothing to get all excited about. But I also feel that way about most of the Broadway scores that I have heard recently. I just chalk it up to new music for a new decade. On a vaguely related note, I LOVED the music from the TV mini-series Galavant - which was done by Menken…
Funny, my son has the Frozen soundtrack with the music not included in the movie. I prefer many of those tracks. I also prefer Tangled to Frozen, music and overall movie. I just thought it was fun.
Disney Animation is on an unblemished run, I think going back to Princess and the Frog. Frozen was definitely a good movie, but I don’t think it was better than Tangled, Ralph, or even Big Hero 6. I think all three had more of a balance of heart, character development, story and just plain fun. While I like certain Tangled songs, Frozen’s soundtrack was better overall.
According to Variety, Big Hero 6 is the third most successful domestic earner for Walt Disney Animation Studios, behind only Frozen and Lion King. who knew?
Disney finally finished a deal with Sony that gives them the rights to us Spiderman in Captain America:Civil War and Avengers Infinity. Woohoo!
I can’t wait for Pixar’s “Inside Out” in June. Looks funny.
Finally, we marathoned Toy Story 1-3 on Blu-Ray this weekend. They have held up very well. The changes in animation between 1 and 3 is phenomenal!!! If you go back and watch TS1, in Sid’s room, is a poster for a band called MegaDork. In one scene, you can clearly see that the rock star has a Mickey tattoo. Cracked me up.