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

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

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

Movie Reviews - Christopher Robin

Director: Marc Forster
Genre: Adventure/ Family
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett, Toby Jones, Peter Capaldi

Description: A working-class family man, Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), encounters his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life.

Review: Winnie the Pooh belongs to us all. I think we all grew up reading A.A. Milne’s stories about the honey loving bear and his friends Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Roo. You are warned, this movie has a high level of cuteness! Before Disney got its hands on the Marvel universe, Winnie the Pooh was its best-selling merchandise title. And many people claim that this film was just for that purpose. I think there is a much deeper meaning and it’s one of the sweetest films I have seen this year.
The film centers around Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh’s human friend. In the opening scene we see young Christopher Robin, Pooh and all the other friend during a farewell party. Christopher has to go to boarding school and won’t be able to visit his forest friends. Leaving is friends also means leaving his past behind and a part of himself.
When we meet Christopher again, he is a grown man, married with a daughter, working for a suitcase company. All he does is work and he barely has any time for his wife and daughter. But then there is Pooh. Because Christopher lost a little too much of his old self.
Losing your childhood, losing your fantasies, all for a mind numbing job. The longing for getting in touch with you inner child and all the great things you experiences as a child. Something that Disney does very well and this movie captures perfectly. And there is nothing wrong with this formula, it’s a perfect family film. And with all these great, recognizable characters, that candy sweet message at the end never bothers you.
“Christopher Robin” is one of the most adorable, sweet and kind hearted movies I have seen this year. Loved it!

Rating: 5/ 5