Oldies Movie Review - The Sword in the Stone

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman, Clyde Geronimi, David Hand
Genre: Family/ Animation/ Adventure
Runtime: 79 minutes
Year: 1963
Starring: Rickie Sorenson, Karl Swenson, Junius Matthews, Ginny Tyler, Martha Wentworth, Norman Alden, Alan Napier

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 18: A MOVIE FROM THE 1960S
           
Description: A poor boy named Arthur learns the power of love, kindness, knowledge and bravery with the help of a wizard called Merlin in the path to become one of the most beloved kings in English history.

Review: The young squire Wart leads a happy unremarkable life. He meets the wizard Merlin, wo teaches him valuable lessons. He puts these to good use when he accidentally pulls a sword out of a tone and is promptly crowned King of Britain.  

It’s a fun, classic tale. Lovely animations and great characters. Not one of the best Disney animations ever made, but definitely one you have to check out.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Toy Story of Terror

Director: Angus MacLane
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 22 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Carl Weathers, Timothy Dalton, Stephen Tobolowsky, Wallace Shawn, Kristen Schaal, Kate McKinnon, Ken Marino

Description: Woody (Tom Hanks) and the gang are held up at a roadside motel and members of the group start to disappear. Woody sets about getting to the bottom of the mystery.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 15: A FILM STARRING YOUR FAVORITE ACTOR OR ACTRESS
 
Review: The “Toy Story” series is very high on my list of favorite Pixar films. The third film is my favorite and I really enjoy all the characters in this franchise. Even in a short story like “Toy Story of Terror”, you get tons of laughs from all these fun characters.

The toys are in the trunk of the car, traveling with Bonnie and her family, when they get car trouble. They have to stay overnight at a roadside motel. Strange things start to happen at night, when members of the gang start to disappear.

This short film was release around Halloween time in 2013 and has a pretty simple premise. It even introduces a few new characters. It’s not a horror film of course, it’s supposed to be for the entire family. But there are some nods to “Psycho”, for the adults. It’s a fun little short film, I enjoyed it and really loved seeing all the characters together again.

Rating: 4/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Drama
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Jason Alexander, Jim Cummings, Tony Jay

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 47: A MUSICAL
 
Description: A deformed bell-ringer (Tom Hulce) must assert his independence from a vicious government minister (Tony Jay) in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer (Demi Moore).

Review: Victor Hugo’s classic story begins in the film with the festival of fools. Quasimo lives in the bell tower of Notre Dame and dreams of being among people for once. Judge Frollo, who raised him, made Quasimodo believe that no one would accept a ‘monster’. But at the urging of his three friends, Gargoyles Victor, Hugo and Laverne, he descends to the revelry anyway.

At first, people believe he is in disguide, but the crowd discovers that Quasimodo is not wearing a mask. In front of Frollo, he is tied up and pelted with rotten tomates. The judge forbids his new captain Phoebus to intervene. But gypsy woman Esmeralda cannot stand this mistreatment and finally cuts Quasimodo loose. Frollo declares her an outlaw and sets about hunting her down. The only safe haven for Esmeralda is the Notre Dame, with Quasimodo as her only friend.

Like Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” lends itself fairly well as a musical in which Gregorian singing, quiet songs and rousing melodies alternate. The film starts off very sad. Within the first 30 minutes, Quasimodo is almost tossed in a well as a baby, Frollo makes him sing he is deformed and a monster and he is tied up and humiliated in front of an entire crowd. It does become much happier and unlike the novel, the film has a happy ending. It’s still Disney.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Strange World

Director: Qui Nguyen, Don Hall
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Gabrielle Union, Lucy Liu, Alan Tudyk

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 23: A DISNEY ANIMATION
 
Description: The legendary Clades are a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and most crucial mission.

Review: In “Strange World” we are introduced to three generations of the legendary Clade family, as they try to work together and navigate the unknown, treacherous land beneath their own world. Searcher is a family man who is out of his element on an unpredictable mission, he rather stays on his farm. Jaeger is Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father. Ethan is Searcher’s 16-year-old son, who secretly wants to adventure like his grandfather, much against his father’s will.

I totally missed out on “Strange World” when it first came out. It only played in theaters for a short amount of time, before it hit Disney+. And in case of “Strange World” it says something about the quality of the film. It’s one of the worst films by Disney I have seen in years. The animations are very different from what we are used to from them and the story itself doesn’t really hit any nerves. It’s all about family relationships and that has been done way too many times, and much better. The film doesn’t really connect with the viewer, because you don’t know who to sympathize with.

Strange World doesn't really connect with the viewer, because there are too many main characters, and so as a viewer you can't really choose who to sympathize with. Is it the father, the son, the grandson, mother, expedition members, etc. The out-and-out story where Strange World is now set has its origins in American and Asian cultures, but is not so familiar that it really evokes recognition in the viewer.

One thing I did like, was the LGBTQ+ representation and different ethnicities were represented as well. Kudos for Disney to bring that to the attention.

All in all, there is a reason why many people missed “Strange World”: it’s just not a very good animation, it doesn’t have a memorable story or characters and I already forgot most that happened. So you can see that even Disney has a miss ever once in a while.  

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Review - Disenchanted

Director: Adam Shankman
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Amy Adam, Patrick Dempsey, Maya Rudolph, Idina Menzel, James Marsden, Gabriella Baldacchino, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, Osar Nuñez, Alan Tudyk
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 47: A DISNEY LIVE-ACTION MOVIE
 
Description: Fifteen years after her happily ever after, Giselle (Amy Adams) questions her happiness, inadvertently turning the lives of those in the real world and Andalasia upside down in the process.

Review: It has been fifteen years since Amy Adams showed us how fairy-tale New York can e in “Enchanted”. Time for a new chapter of this popular musical. A sequel, showing us what happens after ‘happily ever after’.

In order to give it a fresh touch, there is a change of locations, where Giselle, her now husband Robert, now teenage daughter Morgan and a new daughter Sofia, move to the suburbs of Morganville. Giselle misses the fairytale life she had in Andalasia, wishing for it back.

Amy Adams is enchanting, just like in the first film. She is accompanied by Maya Rudolph this time. And these two have more chemistry than Adams has with Patrick Dempsey. The duet the two have is the absolute highlight of the film.

“Disenchanted” is a fun time for the whole family, true Disney magic coming to life. But it never lives up to “Enchanted”.

Rating: 3/ 5

Oldies Movie Review - Steamboat Willie

Director: Ub Iwerks
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 7 minutes
Year: 1928
Starring: Walt Disney, Charlotte Jamquie

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 34: A DISNEY ANIMATION
 
Description: Mickey Mouse si a mischievous deckhand on a riverboat that is under the command of the tyrannical Captain Pete.

Review: Let me just start with the fact that “Steamboat Willie” doesn’t stand the test of time when it comes to the themes and content.

“Steamboat Willie” is about Mickey Mouse who works on a riverboat, for a tyrannical captain. On this boat, he decided to make the best of it, by playing pranks and making music.

The animation itself is great, I love the black and white, old-school Mickey. But content-wise, this is just something you can’t laugh about these days. Am I the only one that thinks Mickey Mouse is kind of a dick in this short film? I mean, he pulls a gooses neck to make it sing and pulls and kicks baby pigs away from their mother, so he can use the pig as an accordion.

Style-wise, I like it, content-wise I hate it. So almost impossible to rate.

Rating: 2,5/ 5
 

Movie Review - Lightyear

Director: Angus MacLane
Genre: Science Fiction/ Animation/ Family/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, James Brolin, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Uzo, Aduba, Bill Hader,
 
Description: While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg (James Brolin) who are attempting to steal his fuel source.

Review: In 1995, audiences were introduced to “Toy Story”, in which lead roles were played by toy cowboy Woody and toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear. It was the beginning of a four-part series that concluded in 2019. Or so it seemed. This year, Buzz gets to appear in “Lightyear”. But not as a toy or puppet. According to the opening titles, “Lightyear” is the film that inspired the creation of toy Buzz Lightyear. In other words, this is a movie in the world of “Toy Story”, a movie within a movie.

In the distant future, Buzz is a respected Space Ranger who, together with comrade Alisha Hawthorne, crashes on a planet. The only way to escape is by using a crystal that can take the ship to hyper-speed. Daredevil Buzz is crazy enough to try it, but encounters a problem. Every time he wants to reach hyper=speed, he travels four years through time. At least, his surroundings age four years. He doesn’t. with each escape attempt, time literally slips through his fingers.

Certainly don’t try to fathom the contrived time-travel story; it’s mainly designed to put pressure on Buzz’s stubbornness. He wants nothing more than to escape from this planet, but he pays a high price for it. Losing four years each time is quite something. Alisha gets older, meets her life partner, has a son, a grandchild… Life just goes on. When will buzz realize that sometimes letting go is the best option?

Noe of it has to get super-serious, either, and fortunately “Lightyear” offers the necessary humor. There’s a robot who makes map-reading mistakes, Buzz’s vanity is a rewarding source of jokes, and then there’s robot cat Sox who acts as Buzz’s mental coach. Let’s also not forget that there are plenty of reference to “Toy Story”(like the evil Zurg, “to infinity and beyond” and the quote at the beginning of the movie “there’s seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere”, which I happen to use on a daily basis).

“Lightyear” doesn’t possess the brilliance of its four predecessors and neatly ticks off the boxes of what a Pixar title should meet. Still, it’s a delightful film that I really enjoyed.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Jungle Cruise

Director: Jaume Collett-Serra

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Comedy

Runtime: 127 minutes

Year: 2021

Starring: Emily Blulnt, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti, Edgar Ramirez

Description: Based on Disneyland’s theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals, but with a supernatural element.

Review: The Amazon is no place for wimps. In “Jungle Cruise”, Dwayne Johnson plays Frank, a captain on an old steamship who rganizes dauly excursions through the jungle for tourists. In the process, Frank likes to scare people and also tries to make them laugh with his lame puns. The introduction of his characters is quite successful in itself.

“Jungle Cruise” is based on a Disney ride, just like “Pirates of the Caribbean” is. It forms the start of an enjoyable family adventure.

Frank meets Lily, a scientist played by Emily Blunt, who is looking for a magical tree that everyone says is just a myth. But she believes it. Of course the two bicker a lot at first, but eventually have to work together.

And that’s the driving force behind “Jungle Cruise”: leads Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Lily is a smart, decisive archeologist who has a say. And that of course results in quite a few clashes with Frank, who has a different world view. The chemistry between Johnson and Blunt is amazing, I love them together.

The supporting roles are also filled in well. Jack Whitehall plays Lily’s brother MacGregor, a well-dressed gentleman who seems quite out of place in the jungle. And Jesse Plemons is in great form as Prince Joachim, a German villain. His character could have gone way over the top, which it is sometimes, but he manages to not overdo it.

As an adventure movie, “Jungle Cruise” is the perfect film for a movie night. It has a good pace, has likeable characters, great visuals and fun action scenes combined with humor. I loved “Jungle Cruise”, such a fun and entertaining movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Turning Red

Director: Domee Shi
Genre: Family/ Animation/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen
 
Description: A 13-year-old girl named Meilin (Rosalie Chiang) turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.

Review: Pixar has always had that edge over its competitors. Not only because of the high quality of their animations and stories, but also because of the way they know how to tap into difficult subjects. Whether it is the complex human mind or soul: Pixar knows how to deal with it. But how do they do it when it comes to puberty?
The short answer is: mediocre. This is mainly because the writers did not focus on just the subject of puberty but dragged in a whole lot. The metaphors in “Turning Red” are almost innumerable, if you feel like delving into them. If you don’t, you’ll see a very pleasant animated adventure about a girl who turns into a giant red panda when she lets her emotions run wild.
The thirteen-year-old Chinese-Canadian Meilin lives with her overprotective parents in the Toronto of 2002. Her mother in particular does not allow her daughter much freedom. In turn, Meilin feels a great responsibility to make her parents proud. Meanwhile, hormones are coursing through Meilin’s body. She is preoccupied with boys and swooing over her favorite boy band 4-Town. She is also quite hyper and hysterical, to the point of being irritating.
Meilin wakes up one morning, walks to the bathroom with sleepy eyes and gets the shock of her life when she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She has turned into a big red panda. In amusing dialogue, her mother thinks her first period has occurred. Her good intentions cause Meilin even more embarrassment. And for even more emotion, which awakens the red panda within herself.
“Turning Red” is the first full-length animated feature for director Domee Shi, who made her debut at Pixar with the animated short “Bao, about a lively dim sum. What is special is that almost the entire main crew of this production consists of women. Even more extraordinary that this should be worth mention anno 2022. Shi, along with her co-screenwriter Juli Show, drew from her own life and formed Meilin from her own experience and personality.  
Visuall, Pixar breaks new ground. Even thought it revolves around a Chinese family, there is a slight alignment with the Japanese animation style. The clumsy body proportions of the characters and the almost pastel-colored softness of the backgrounds are also special.
This urge to experiment is also reflected in the themes that are fired at the audience in a rather confusing manner. As if puberty were not enough, Shi and Sho also cram in themes such as the traditional Asian family relationship, friendship, being who you are, cherishing your own emotions and demanding parents. So it’s jam-packed, although the meager elaboration doesn’t get in the way of the action moments.
There appears to be a reason for Meilin’s special transformation and this guarantees both comic and exciting moments. The climax takes place at a concert by the band 4-Town, whose music was written by Billie Eilish and her borther Finneas. With “Turning Red”, Pixar and Disney attempt to address taboos, albeit very carefully. Unfortunately it was completely successful.

Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Lion King

Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Genre: Drama/ Animation/ Musical/ Comedy/ Adventure
Runtime: 89 minutes
Year: 1994
Starring: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings

Description: Lion cub and future king Simba searches for his identity. His eagerness to please others and penchant for testing his boundaries sometimes gets him into trouble.

Review: “The Lion King” starts with the birth of Simba, the son of lion king Mufasa. Uncle Scar isn’t happy with his new nephew, because this makes Simba the next in line for the throne.
In the first place, “The Lion King” has a good story. This Disney film is one of the most successful animations for a reason. The movie is playful and fun, but also deals with some more serious themes. The execution of it all is sublime. Which makes “The Lion King” funny, exciting and touching and is filled with life lessons for all ages. Parenthood, friendship, loss, mourning, looking for yourself, responsibility, life and death.
The soundtrack is amazing. The songs are catchy, memorable and atmospheric. The characters too, not only the main characters, also the villain and the supporting characters.
“The Lion King” is one of the best animations ever made.

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Rataouille

Director: Brad Bird
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Comedy
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Peter O’Toole, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett, Julius Callahan, James Remar, John Ratzenberger, Teddy Newton, Tony Fucile, Jake Steinfeld

Description: A rat (Patton Oswalt) who can cook makes an unusual alliance with a young kitchen worker (Lou Romano) at a famous restaurant.

Review: In 1995 Pixar brought us “Toy Story” and it started a revolution within the world of animations. Pixar has been very successful ever since.
The quality of the images is unprecedented. The fur of the rats looks realistic, great details, reflections, light and shadowing, the water, it’s all stunning. With the humans they choose a more cartoony style, which is a good choice. This movie isn’t one of those super sweet Disney movies and has hardly any clichés.
The story works and has enough tempo. Off course a rat can’t talk and cook, but in the world of Disney everything is possible. The characters are interesting and there aren’t any typical characters. Leading character Remy, the cooking rat, is so loveable. He is different from the other rats, but is brave enough to be different.
The do it every time, Pixar just knows what the audience wants and they are always very original. “Ratatouille is one of my favorite Pixar movies and in my eyes a masterpiece.

 Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Encanto

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
Genre: Family/ Animation/ Fantasy/ Adventure/ Musical
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderama, Rhenzy Feliz

Description: A young Colombian girl (Stephanie Beatriz) has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.

Review: Mirabels immensely strong sister Luisa can fold five donkeys over her shoulder, just like that. Sister Isabela constantly conjures up the most beautiful flowers. Uncle Bruno, who has been missing for years, has prophetic visions. These are gifts they received as children when they touched the knob of their personal magic door, in the enchanted home of the Colombian Madrigal family.
And what happened when Mirabel herself had her turn? Nothing at all. The heroine of the delightful, loving Disney fairy tale “Encanto” remained the ordinary girl with curly hair that she always was.
“Encanto” tells a layered, complex story without an obligatory villain, and without ever losing its rhythm. The songs unmistakably contribute to this, from Mirabel’s beautiful solo performance to the number in which Luisa literally succumbs to social pressure.
Disney had a good year with animations like “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Luca”, but “Encanto” is my favorite.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Lilo & Stitch

Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Genre: Family/ Animation/ Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonals, Ving Rhames, Zoe Caldwell, Jason Scott Lee, Kevin Michael Richardson, Susan Hegart, Amy Hill

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 46: A MOVIE YOU FEEL ASHAMED YOU HAVEN’T SEEN YET
 
Description: A young parentless girl adopts a ‘dog’ from the local pound, completely unaware that’s it’s supposedly a dangerous scientific experiment that’s taken refuge on Earth and is now hiding from its creator and those who see it as a menace.

Review: Lilo lives on the Hawaiian island of Kauai with her big sister Nani. They have lost their parents and Nany now has custody of her sister. After a not-so-successful visit from social worker Bubbles, more and more pressure is placed on Nani to create a stable environment for her sister, or Lilo will be placed out of home. One day, Experiment 626 arrives on Earth, a space creature that escaped the United Galactic Federation and crashed on Earth. The creature ends up in a shelter, where Lilo buys him, naming him Stitch and thinking it’s a dog.
“Lilo & Stitch” is a very creative and uniquely drawn animation. The humor is different, it has some sharp edges, but also mixes it with some drama. And Lilo is different. She is different from other kids her age. She listens to Elvis and has a wild imagination. That is why she and Stitch are a perfect match, because where he comes from, people think he’s weird too, because he is different. So the old-school Disney moral is still there.  
“Lilo & Stitch” is a refreshing Disney animation, perfect for young and old and it still holds up.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Monsters Inc.

Director: Pete Doctor, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 92 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Bonnie Hunt

Description: In order to power the city, monsters have to scare children so that they scream. However, the children are toxic to the monsters, and after a child gets through, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.

Review: In Monstropolis monster live in all sizes, types and colors. They are like people, they are funny, friendly, hard-working and driven. The world of monsters also needs power and electricity. They get that energy from children’s screams from those who are frightened at night. The children are visited through a very special  system of closet doors at Monsters In., the largest scare factory of Monstropolis. The motto: We scare because we care. Top scarer is James P. Sullivan, Sully for short. A big, blue, fluffy horned monster with a heart of gold. His assistant, roommate and best friend is Mike Wazowski. He is enthusiastic, headstrong, short-tempered and has only one eye. Mike and Sully provide a record yield of energy. None of the fellow monsters can match them. This is to great frustration of the cynical chameleon Randall Boggs. Because he is jealous of their success, he does everything to come out on top.
When the little, curious human girl Boo accidentally sneaks into the monster world, it is the monsters who are shocked. They think humans are toxic and dangerous. one touch can be fatal. Sully and Mike are spooked too at first, but take Boo into protection. They are determined to return the girl to her bedroom, which isn’t as easy as it seems.
Still, to this day, “Monsters Inc. is my favorite film from Pixar. It’s a creative film, in terms of story and animation. Many monsters pass by, big, small, round, rectangular, many eyes, one eye, teeth, scales, fur, all the colors of the rainbow, you name it. The story is sweet, funny, exciting, action-packed. Perfect for the whole family.
Sully and Mike are voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal and they couldn’t have found anyone more perfect for those roles. Especially Crystal is hilarious as Mike, who also happens to be my favorite Pixar sidekick.
“Monsters Inc.” is, as I stated before, my favorite Pixar film. And the film entertains me every single time I watch it.

Rating: 5/ 5

90s Movie Review - Pocahontas

Director: Mike Gabriel, Eric Goldberg
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Drama/ Adventure/ Musical/ Romance
Runtime: 81 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: Iren Bedard, Mel Gibson, Christian Bale, Judy Kuhn, Jim Cummings, Billy Connolly, Linda Hunt, John Kassir, Russell Means

Description: An English soldier and the daughter of an Algonquin chief share a romance when English colonists invade seventeenth century Virginia.

Review: “Pocahontas” is loosely based on the life of the young Indian princess Matoaka, the daughter of the chief of the Powhatan, an Indian tribe that lived in what is now called Virginia. Among her tribesmen, Matoaka was known as Pocahontas, which means something like “playful”.
At the beginning of the 17^th century, a British ship made the crossing to the New World with the plan to search for gold on the American mainland. John Smith, a young and enterprising sailor, makes the acquaintance of a young Indian woman who introduces herself as Pocahontas. Her father has promised her to Kocoum, a young warrior of the tribe, but Pocahontas falls in love with John Smith. The two meet each other in secret, but when Kocoum finds out, a fight ensues. John Smith is captured. Will Pocahontas manage to sav John?
The film’s story is based partly on fact and partly on fantasy. In real-life, Pocahontas was only 10 or 11 when she met John Smith. She ended up marrying another British settler, named John Rolfe, a few years later and traveled to Britain with him. Where she eventually died at the age of 20, due to tuberculosis. This is a less magical story, so Disney made it more family-friendly.
I believe “Pocahontas” is one of those underrated and overlooked Disney animations that most people don’t even talk about anymore. Which is a shame, because it’s a beautifully animated film with amazing songs. With “Colors of the Wind” being the absolute showstopper of course. “Pocahontas” has a short runtime, and that little length ensures that the film does not get bored for a moment.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Oldies Movie Review - Peter pan

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Jack Kinney
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Fantasy/ Adventure/ Musical
Runtime: 76 minutes
Year: 1953
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson, Heather Angel, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske, Candy Candido, Tom Conway

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 28: A MOVIE FROM THE 50S
           
Description: Wendy and her brothers are whisked away to the magical world of Neverland with the hero of their stories, Peter Pan.

Review: “Peter Pan” is Walt Disney’s ninth animated feature film, but the film was planned to be the second. Due to negotiation problems, the studio was unable to film the story. Eventually Disney managed to get the rights and the film was made in 1953. And to the day, it's both a fiercely criticized and successful animated film.
Wendy is a young girl who lives with her parents and her younger brothers John and Michael in London. She is a huge fan of Peter Pan and she is convinced that he really exists. After all, she has found his shadow. When Peter Pan comes to get his shadow back, the adventure begins for Wendy and her brothers. For Peter pan and his faithful companion Tinkerbell take them to Neverland. Where they meet the lost boys, the Indians, the mermaids and the evil Captain Hook.
Walt Disney strongly criticized his ninth film, saying Peter Pan was too arrogant. But to stay true to the character conceived by J.M. Barrie, Pan was positioned that way. It worked out well, as the film was praised. In an era when a little less attention was paid to stereotyping. But “Peter Pan” is full of stereotypes. To this day, the creators can even ne accused of racism. The positioned characters that could cause a lot of controversy, but let’s keep in mind that it’s an innocent children’s movie and it wasn’t meant to be that at all.
That said, I must also say that Peter Pan excels in beautiful hand-drawn animation. Which certainly could be called magical in the period in which the film was released. The film stoof the test of time well, when it comes to that. It’s still and enchanting Disney classic in which action, humor, suspense and romance go hand in hand.

Rating: 3/ 5

80s Movie Review - The Great Mouse Detective

Director: Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 75 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: Vincent Price, Barrie Ingham, Val Bettin, Susanna Pollatschek, Candy Candido, Eve Brenner

Description: Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan.  

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR THE 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 27: A MOVIE WITH ANIMALS AS THE MAIN CHARACTERS

Review: Hiram Flaversham is a toy maker and surprises his daughter Olivia with a beautiful music box ballerina. When Falversham is kidnapped, Olivia goes in search for help. She loses her way and seeks shelter. Dr. David Q. Dawson happens to be passing by and finds Olivia. He wants to help the little girl and together they go looking for Basil Bakerstreet. Together with this detective, they go in search for Olivia’s father and have to face Basil’s archenemy Professor Ratigan.
I always love stories, where the human parts are being played by animals. In “The Great Mouse Detective” Basil of Bakerstreet represents Sherlock Holmes, the famous English detective. And in David Q. Dawson you immediately recognize Sherlock’s partner Watson.
“The Great Mouse Detective” is one of those typical animated Disney classics that most people will forget. And that’s so sad, because it’s such a fun and entertaining movie, with great characters. It does have some scary moments for the little ones, but overall it’s a film that deserves more praise. 

 
Rating: 3,5 / 5