The Princess and the Frog

So I'm certain you've noticed... but I've decidedly fallen off the bandwagon with my "Year with Walt" Disney movie watching/blogging project.  However, we only have 5 movies left and so goodness gracious, I will finish this journey before the clock chimes midnight on December 31, 2015!  (And really, aren't two years with Walt better than just one?)

Ringing in as movie number 49 on this journey... it's Disney's The Princess and the Frog.  This film premiered in 2009, marks a return to hand-drawn animation, tells a classic fairy tale story, and features plot-moving songs (sung by the actual characters).  All things that add up to one very happy Megan and one very enjoyable film.

Our story begins in a faraway kingdom, long ago... Wait.  Scratch that.  The story is actually set in New Orleans, Louisiana (Yes.  It's a Disney fairy tale set in America!) at the start of the 20th Century.  This is a definite deviation from the norm for Disney, but it allowed them to do some fantastic things.  (More on those later.)

This film is a twist on the classic fairy tale "The Frog Prince."  The premise of this classic tale is that a prince has been turned into a frog, and the only way for him to turn back into a human is to be kissed by a princess.  And that is exactly what happens in the film - Prince Naveen is tricked by the villainous, voodoo doctor Facilier and finds himself smaller, greener, and with webbed feet.  He sets off to find his princess... but alas it's the night of a masquerade ball... and nothing is exactly as it seems...

The heroine of our film is the hard-working Tiana.  Her parents taught her to dream, but to also work hard for her dreams - and that's what Tiana has done.  She has juggled multiple jobs to save up for her dream - to have her very own restaurant.  It is so refreshing (and a great example to the film's many young viewers) to have our heroine show the merits of working hard to reach your dreams.  Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, Prince Naveen (the frog) manages to convince Tiana to kiss him... The only problem is Tiana is not an actual princess and so the kiss does not go as expected...

Soon our two green friends our off on an across-the-bayou journey to hopefully find a way out of their sticky situation...

The Princess and the Frog showcases four of Disney's strengths in making great movies: the romance, the humor, a nasty villain, and fantastic music.  For the romance, the film does not rely on love-at-first-sight between our hero and heroine like some of our Disney classics.  (Remember here and here.)  Rather the relationship between our two main characters grows throughout the course of the film, and their true love is shown in their willingness to help one another through hard times and ultimately make sacrifices to help the other reach their dream.  I cannot talk about the romance of the film without mentioning the most romantic character of the film - Ray, the firefly.  His heart beats only for his fair Evangeline (aka the Evening Star), but to Ray she is simply a demure fellow firefly to whom he is hopelessly devoted.

The film also presents many a funny scene.  You have a trumpet-playing alligator.  Main characters attempting to live life as frogs.  Mama Odie - a blind, fairy-godmother like figure with a pet snake.  And a hilarious scene with some back-country frog hunters...

My biggest criticism and caution with this film is the villain - voodoo doctor Facilier.  He is a dark character to be sure.  The real problem lies in the fact that voodoo is an actual evil practice.  The use of voodoo in the film turns the film's "bad guy" into a showcase of true evil.  A real evil in the real world.  The scenes involving doctor Facilier are frightening and should definitely be considered before showing to younger viewers.  

My favorite part of the film is (not-so-surprisingly) the music!  Setting the movie in New Orleans in the 1920s gave the filmmakers an opportunity to incorporate a fantastic jazz sound to the music throughout the film - including some fantastic numbers featuring one very lovable, not-so-ferocious, trumpet-playing alligator named Louis.  The music of the film is a true delight.  From the soulful "Almost There" sung by Tiana to the toe-tapping "Goin' Down the Bayou."  My favorite song though is "Dig a Little Deeper" sung by Mama Odie!  It's funny and clever and a real show-stopper.

Overall I enjoyed The Princess and the Frog very much.  It's definitely worth a watch, just be aware of the villain as mentioned above and use some caution with younger viewers.  With that, I'll leave you with some advice from Tiana's Daddy:

Yes, you wish and you dream with all your little heart.  But you remember, Tiana, that old star can only take you part of the way.  You got to help him with some hard work of your own.  And then... Yeah, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Coming Up Next: Tangled

Bolt

Hello my Disney movie-watching friends!  Journey with me into a film about making a television show from the perspective of a dog who doesn't know he's in one...  It's Disney's Bolt.

The film premiered in 2008 and has quite the cast of voice actors... but we'll get into that later.  Bolt tells the story of a dog and his love for his person, Penny.  (Where have I heard that name before...?)  What makes this story so interesting, however, is that Bolt (the dog) truly believes that he is a super dog with super powers... unbeknownst to him, he actually stars (with Penny) in a popular television series.  The entire production of the show is built around Bolt never finding out that it's not real.

Unfortunately the network forces the show to liven things up a bit and ends one show with a cliffhanger.  Bad news for the audience, right?  But it's even worse for Bolt!  He really believe Penny has been captured and he must save her!  Cue an unfortunate packing box incident, and soon Bolt is not only outside of a television set for the first time in his life, he also finds himself in New York City, thousands of miles from Penny.  But if there's one thing that Bolt really has, it's determination.  He'll find his way back to Penny and save her.  After all, with his super bark what could possibly stand in his way?

This Disney film has three of the ingredients that make a Disney film so great: a good story, a likable hero, and humor.  It's still missing some elements like a villainous hero and original music throughout the movie, but it's an enjoyable film nonetheless.

What is most engaging about this film is its story.  Bolt is a very likable hero - and also a dynamic one.  He learns, grows, and changes from film beginning to film end and it's an enjoyable transformation to watch and experience.  He truly loves Penny as mentioned above and Penny truly loves him.  Bolt has got heart.  And heart and a good story are a Disney win all the time.

What is probably most enjoyable about this film is its humor - a colorful cast of characters and some very talented voice actors give Bolt some excellent comedic elements.  Penny is voiced by Miley Cyrus (circa her Hannah Montana days) and she does a good job.  My favorite voice actor in the film, however, has got to be John Travolta as Bolt.  The humor really comes in though through Bolt's interactions with a variety of characters on his journey from New York to Hollywood - namely a variety of pigeons and his traveling companions/prisoners (depending on the moment): Mittens, the alley cat, and Rhino, the dedicated sidekick hamster in requisite hamster ball.  Mittens, voiced by Susie Essman, is a jaded feline who Bolt kidnaps in an attempt to force her to take him to Penny.  Her dry wit and street sense are excellent fodder against Bolt's heroism and faulty grasp of reality.  Rhino simply steals his scenes.  He's lived his whole life in an RV watching Bolt on the "magic box" (TV) and now has a chance to fight beside his favorite superhero.  He's got all the heart with none of the skills which means he's hilarious and he miraculously proves to be helpful in just about every scene.

Finally, the film once again fails to follow the musical movie format of so many of the greats (think this and this), however the credit song sung by Miley Cyrus and John Travolta (Penny and Bolt respectively) certainly deserves an honorable mention.  The song is called "I Thought I Lost You" and is well-suited to the film and a Disney musical win.

Clearly I enjoyed Bolt.  It was decidedly an engaging story with a fun cast of characters.  I definitely recommend checking it out.  It is worth noting, however, that the film is rated PG and may be too intense for younger viewers.  There are a few violent action scenes as well as a number of moments of peril for the main characters.

And with that I'll leave you with some inspiration from Rhino the hamster:

"They need a hero, Bolt!  Someone who, no matter what the odds, will do what's right.  They need a hero to tell them that sometimes the impossible can become possible... if... you're... awesome!"

Coming Up Next: The Princess and the Frog

Meet the Robinsons

Well, we've arrived at the last film on this journey that I had never seen before: Meet the Robinsons.

The movie premiered in 2007 and is the 47th film on this journey.  It tells the story of a creative, inventive orphan named Lewis whose science fair project is stolen by the villainous Bowler Hat Guy.  It turns out Bowler Hat Guy is from the future and soon Lewis is on a crazy adventure in a time machine with his new friend: Wilbur Robinson.

The highlight and focus of the film is meeting the Robinsons (as the title implies).  Wilbur belongs to a large, loving, eclectic family of Robinsons including:

• a mom who teaches frogs to sing
• a grandpa who constantly loses his teeth
• a superhero-esque, intergalactic pizza delivery man (with requisite rocket ship)
• a butler who also happens to be an octopus
• and Carl the robot

Meet the Robinsons was a fun trip, though not terribly deep or broad in its artistic merits or plot lines.  I certainly applaud the film's core message about the importance of family.  It's a theme Disney does very well.  The film also includes some well-delivered plot twists.  I don't want to give too much away, so I think I'll leave it at that.

In closing this post, I'll leave you with the same words from Walt at the film's end:

"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long.  We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

Coming Up Next: Bolt

Chicken Little

Oh.  Hello again blogging world.  I apologize for my long absence and realize now that I should have named this blog "Two Years with Walt," but alas I am once again back on this journey through Disney films and will certainly finish by the end of year two.  :)  And away we go...

So I think I’m about to go against the grain again (apparently Emperor’s New Groove is endearing and funny to most of the population…), but I very much enjoyed Chicken Little. 

I’m not saying it’s the most brilliant film on this journey, but it definitely hit my funny bone and made me engage with and enjoy the story.  J

Chicken Little is loosely-based on the well-known Chicken Little fable (aka Henny Penny) where Chicken Little erroneously believes the sky is falling because an acorn seems to fall from the sky.  (This is why the infamous line used in the face of mass hysteria is “The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!”)  In Disney’s take on the classic tale, anthropomorphic critters live an idyllic suburban town where our hero (Chicken Little) has already earned a reputation for being overly anxious and gullible when he sends the town into a panic by declaring that the sky is falling – only it turns out to be a piece of eggshell, not the sky.

Low and behold a year later, a real "piece of the sky" hits Chicken Little in the head (due to some Earth-visiting aliens), but unfortunately, the second time around no one believes him.  And so, what's a little chicken to do?  Save the world, of course.

One of the great criticisms of this film is its use of modern-day references for humor - certain things that a younger generation will not appreciate because they simply don't understand the reference point.  (I still loved the inclusion of the Spice Girl song for karaoke!)  I admit that future generations may miss out on some of the humor included in the film, but I still enjoyed it very much.  Also, there are several classic, funny puns and gags used throughout the film as well.  The fish driving a fishbowl/car hybrid.  The goat eating grass like a lawn mower.  The chameleon changing colors to match the traffic signal signs that he is holding.  Just to name a few.

I also enjoyed the heart of the film.  Chicken Little shows persistence and bravery and really cares about the people of his town.  He has a great (albeit) quirky group of friends who help him through life's little (and large) disasters.  And finally, I also enjoyed watching Chicken Little's relationship with his dad grow and improve throughout the course of the movie.

So all in all, I liked Chicken Little.  I may be the only movie blogger to say it, but I will: I think this one's worth a watch.  Don't skip it.

And with that I will leave you with some words of wisdom from Mr. Walt Disney himself:

Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.

Coming Up Next: Meet the Robinsons

Home on the Range

Singing cows, yodeling cattle rustlers, and karate-chopping steeds – yes, you’ve landed in Disney’s 45^th animated feature film: Home on the Range.

 

 

The film premiered in 2004 and was moderately successful at the box office.  This was another new film to me on this journey that I had never seen before.  And now that I’ve seen it, it’s actually rather forgettable…

 

 

Home on the Range tells the tale of an unlikely trio of cows who set off to find one of the West’s most wanted villains in order to win the reward money to save the farm.  It features the voice talents of Roseanne Barr, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Judi Dench.  The film does have some good humor and the farm animals create some unique, fun characters.  The film seemed to lack a strong story, and so it fell rather flat for me. 

 

 

Once again, the music of the film is not performed by the characters but plays along as the soundtrack undertones to the film.  I do very much enjoy “Will the Sun Ever Shine Again” performed by Bonnie Raitt and written by the exceptionally talented Alan Menken.  (That might mostly be from the mostly-unknown Disney On the Record soundtrack.  Google it.  Trust me.)

 

 

I was excited to see this film on this journey as I had never seen it before, however it didn’t leave me with the glow of Disney wonderment.  Granted it seems that most of these post Disney Golden Age films just can’t quite compete with the magic of the nineties. 

 

 

Anyways, this week let’s end with a quote from the man himself, Mr. Walt Disney:

 

“I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.”

 

Coming Up Next: Chicken Little

Brother Bear

Phil Collins once again provides the musical backdrop in Disney’s 44^th animated feature film: Brother Bear.

 

 

The film premiered in 2003, and was one I had seen over a decade ago.  Brother Bear tells the tale of three brothers long, long ago (like when there were still Wooly Mammoths long ago) and their journey to find what family truly means.  The brothers belong to an Inuit tribe where each person is given a totem to guide their journey into adulthood.  Sitka, the eldest, is given the eagle of guidance; Denahi, the middle brother, is given the wolf of wisdom; and in the film’s opening scenes, Kenai, the youngest, is given the bear of love.  (In case you were wondering, Kenai does not like his totem.)

 

Unfortunately tragedy is not far behind and Sitka is killed while fighting a bear with his brothers.  Kenai vows vengeance and successfully hunts the bear to its demise.  Meanwhile Sitka has become one of the “spirits in the sky” and uses this opportunity to teach Kenai what love and family actually means – by turning him into a bear.  Enter Koda, a cute, very-energetic, talkative bear cub who talks Kenai into journeying to the salmon run (which is also where the lights touch the mountain and thus where Kenai needs to go to talk to the spirits to turn him back into a man).  It is on this journey that Kenai will learn what love truly is.

 

This film has many of the ingredients that make a Disney film great – good story, some humor, good music, and heart (I may have cried. Again.)  The music, as mentioned above, is provided by Phil Collins (who also brought us the musical greatness of Tarzan).  And the music is good, but not quite as memorable as Tarzan.  Also, I find that I much prefer music sung by the actual characters in a film as opposed to music simply provided by a third party as part of the soundtrack.

 

 

The film also has some good humor.  Most notably moose brothers, Rutt and Tuke.  J  They’re rather silly, but decidedly funny.  And finally the film has a good story.  You really become invested in the story of Kenai, Koda, Sitka, and Denahi. 

 

The film is filled with Native American spirituality and folklore.  (A fact to consider before sharing this film with a younger audience as the concepts of death, spirits and totems could be confusing and ultimately misguiding.)  This was an enjoyable stop on this Disney film journey – and now there’s just 10 films left!

 

Perhaps the most famous thing to come out of this film is the song “Welcome.”  It was used as the anthem in Disneyland’s 50^th Anniversary “Parade of Dreams” along with these famous words from Walt himself:

 

“To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

 

 

Coming Up Next: Home on the Range

Treasure Planet

Hello!  This week's Disney film takes on a classic tale with a futuristic adaptation.  It's Treasure Planet.

The film premiered in 2002 and sports a voice cast of Emma Thompson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Hyde Pierce, and Martin Short.  The film's plot is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic published in 1883, Treasure Island.  And so here is Disney's take on one of the world's most famous pirate adventure stories. 

As the film opens, we meet Jim Hawkins (a young man who's taste for adventure oftentimes finds him on the wrong side of following the rules) and his mother (who runs an inn).  A mysterious (badly injured) stranger arrives at the inn and gives Jim a map (before his untimely demise).  Soon after the inn is set upon by pirates and the entire place is burned to the ground.  Jim and his mother escape with their friend Dr. Doppler - and soon Jim and Dr. Doppler find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime.

If the title didn't give it away, you should know that this film is set in the future.  In outer space.  With aliens and cyborgs and black holes and... other very not-classical pirate things.  It's a science fiction adaptation of the traditional pirate story.  There's still pirates and captains and cannons and villainy and general swash-buckling, but it's decidedly low on sea monsters, sand, and... humans.

Nevertheless, it is still the tale of a lonely youth set out on adventure to find a lost treasure only to find himself betrayed and in a race to save his friends, find the treasure, and beat a nasty group of scallywags.

I ended up somewhat enjoying this film.  I had never seen it before, and I was interested to see Disney's version of this classic tale.  It did not delight me as much as it had the potential to.  The first 30 minutes of the film left me entirely nonplussed.  However, at the 30-minute mark, we have a musical montage sequence of Jim learning and finding his place on board the ship and bonding with the ship's cook, John Silver, interspersed with scenes from Jim's childhood.  I'm fairly certain this musical montage saved the film for me. 

Treasure Planet does have an interesting array of characters, some credible humor, and a classic plot, but it does not have the Disney magic like the films from Disney's Golden Age a decade earlier.  Also, I should probably confess that my frame of reference for the classic "Treasure Island" tale is Muppet Treasure Island.  I have actually never seen a pure film production or read the novel.  I will say that I enjoy the Muppets' version very much.  :)  However, I am still at a bit of a loss to a few parts of this story.  For example, whatever happened to Jim's father?  And how does the tale end for Silver?  I'm thinking the Muppet's ending and the Treasure Planet ending might not be the most accurate...

Feel free to draw your own conclusions regarding this film.  As per my above confession, I'm not exactly an expert on the subject...  But I will leave you with words of wisdom from an expert on entertainment (Walt Disney):

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.

Coming Up Next: Brother Bear