MOVIE: Brave (2012)

by benmweilertNo Comments
BraveYear: 2012Rating: PGLength: 93 minutes / 1.55 hours 2012 was a weird year for Disney and Pixar films. Disney released Wreck-it Ralph (2012), which felt like a classic Pixar movie, but Pixar released Brave (2012), which felt like a classic Disney movie. And while the visuals in Brave are as amazing as ever thanks to the quality Pixar had been known for, the plot felt a bit lacking compared to some classics that have come out of that production company. For once, the movie Pixar released felt just average, which was more disappointing because audiences had already seen Pixar make much greater movies before. Perhaps this was the start of the trend in Pixar movies to deal with generational trauma in creative ways, but it never felt that the "mother turning into a bear" plot-line was as strong as the "I want to be an independent woman" one. Sure, they're both connected, but all the advertising somewhat overshadowed one by focusing on...
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MOVIE: The Little Mermaid (1989)

by benmweilert2 Comments
The Little MermaidYear: 1989Rating: GLength: 83 minutes / 1.38 hours There's no doubt that The Little Mermaid (1989) was a turning point for Disney. It helped revive the studio into its Renaissance after struggling for decades. Some of their best films came in this era sparked by The Little Mermaid, in part due to its success. Its songs and animation were its strong points, both of which are remembered today. However, its lesson (if there even is one) seems to be either too lost in the details or perhaps a bit too old for the young girls who love watching this movie. Several of the songs in The Little Mermaid are Disney classics that most people can probably hum a few bars. Alan Menken established himself as the de facto songwriter for Disney movies with these hits. Watching this movie as an adult, I'm still blown away with Disney's animation techniques here. There were several moments that had me scratching my head,...
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MOVIE: Sleeping Beauty (1959)

by benmweilert2 Comments
Sleeping BeautyYear: 1959Rating: GLength: 75 minutes / 1.25 hours Even though the whole Disney Princess franchise has a target demographic (that's more aligned with my daughter), I do have a favorite Princess movie. It's Sleeping Beauty (1959), but not for the reasons you might think. Sure, Sleeping Beauty is one of the few Princess films where the Prince plays a major role—even going so far as to have to fight a dragon to save the kingdom. However, the technical prowess on display here is perhaps forgotten by modern standards. And the fact they use Tchaikovsky for the soundtrack is a huge plus. As a Princess film, Sleeping Beauty has a few tropes it shares with its sister films. There's the bumbling father figures, the fantasy creatures added for comic relief, and the (by now) standard house style for all characters. It certainly spends a lot of time in its middle with almost meaningless filler, which doesn't even pad it out past 75...
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MOVIE: Moana (2016)

by benmweilertNo Comments
Moana Year: 2016 Rating: PG Length: 107 minutes / 1.78 hours Let's get one thing straight: computers are incredible. Each successive year that passes, I find my eyes blown away at the amazing capabilities of computers to create the kind of imagery found in movies like this. From hair and water effects to some of the more supernatural aspects, the visuals of this film are quite commendable. Sure, Zootopia (2016) looked good too, but since its characters weren't human or in a "human" environment, it was difficult to see just how amazing the visuals could be. But this was likely due to Zootopia having more focus on an interesting plot instead of stunning effects. I am impressed that Disney has taken the leap to another non-white "princess" with Moana, but much of the cliche trappings of this type of film are out in full force. If I were to tell you Disney made a coming-of-age movie featuring the main character with an animal sidekick, a mute...
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