Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

It all began with a mouse.

And from that mouse sprung forth an empire that now owns several theme parks around the world, several television stations, and production subsidiaries.  The far reaching grip of Disney cannot be underestimated: everyone at some point in their childhood fell in love with a Disney film, and it is because those films are so identifiable to us now that we can get huge nostalgia kick out of a trip to Disneyland, where we see all our favorite characters from all our favorite films.

Mickey Mouse may be the mascot, but the first feature Disney film, the first feature animated film, is already 75 years old.  And that is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  Seen today, the film has aged wonderfully well.  Oh sure, Snow White and Prince Charming are just about the most bland characters you could imagine, but its still a delight to behold.

Of course the plot is simple: Snow White is decreed fairest in the land by The Evil Queen's Magic Mirror (who, really, is kind of a dick; he knows what The Queen will do) and so the Queen orders Snow White's execution.  The Huntsman tasked with the job feels pity for the girl, so he sends her away (in Universal's upcoming release, he stays and trains her).  After running through the woods, she stumbles upon the Dwarfs hut, and goes about cleaning for them.

Yadda yadda yadda, you know the rest.  It's actually amazing how little plot there is in the film.  It runs 83 minutes, but by the tenth minute Snow White is already running through the woods, and you wonder how the film will stretch the rest out.  Disney fills the movie with delightful numbers and characters that pad out the film and, though the plot has little forward momentum, keeps the mood upbeat.

In fact, the movement of the plot fits the film.  The focus shifts to the Seven Dwarfs realizing an intruder is in her house, and a long scene plays out where they slowly try and confront her, sending Dopey into the front line.  Then Snow White makes them wash-up.  Then they have a celebration.  These are great, fun scenes and before you know it, the Queen has turned into the old Hag and the Dwarfs chase her off a cliff.

Its almost hard to imagine that this film was seen by children and adults alike who both loved it equally for different reasons.  Of course Disney's greatest contribution is probably also the thing that has kept animation behind: its now seen as children's entertainment, and has to work the extra mile to prove itself to adults.  Most, if not all, animated films produced in the US are aimed at children, because the more adult animated films do not get seen.  Its an unfortunate stereotype because at its most powerful, animation can move you just as much as any live action film (see Grave of the Fireflies, a Japanese film that deals with dark subject matter).

However, Snow White's contribution cannot be understated; its success lead Disney to produce a variety of other films and create a line-up of characters and moments so memorable that it becomes timeless.  Dumbo flying through the air; Cinderella putting on the glass slipper; The Bear Necessities of life; Cruella De Vil; Lady and the Tramp sharing spaghetti; Mickey Mouse commanding the waves.  All this began with what is arguable the most famous kiss of all time.

The Wonderful World of Disney

I recently made another trip to the Disneyland Resort with my mother and have now been inspired to undertake a new mission, something to keep my blog alive: I want to revisit (or see for the first time) all of the Official Disney Animated Feature Films. Of course, not all are good and some like kind of painful. Disney's first features are spectacular, and then meander before some more classics from the 50s and 60s. While its disputable, their work from the Aristocats through Oliver & Company is probably their longest dry spell. I wouldn't call all the films bad, but none of them are really all that great either.

Another reason to do this is because it is officially Snow White's 75th Anniversary, the original feature film that started it all (actually it started with a mouse). I've tried in the past to do these review series, and I know my commitment may wane when I get to Saludos Amigos and the Three Caballeros. But damnit I'll keep going.

But the real reason is because Disneyland conjures memories of all these films through their various extravagant spectacle shows, whether it be World of Color, Fantasmic, or the Remember...Dreams Come True Fireworks show. Anyone who has had a history with Disney films will get bitten by nostalgia and be moved by some of the most iconic moments in film history. I want to revisit all the films I haven't seen in years, and see the ones I never got to.

A note: Pixar films unfortunately don't qualify as they are Pixar films. I am only viewing and reviewing films that were produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Yes there are many more animated films and then there are the live action/animation blends (Pete's Dragon, Mary Poppins, etc.). But I'm only focusing on what are recognized as their official animated films.

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

2. Pinocchio (1940)

3. Fantasia (1940)

4. Dumbo (1941)

5. Bambi (1942)

6. Saludos Amigos (1942)

7. The Three Caballeros (1944)

8. Make Mine Music (1946)

9. Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

10. Melody Time (1948)

11. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

12. Cinderella (1950)

13. Alice in Wonderland (1951)

14. Peter Pan (1953)

15. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

16. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

17. 101 Dalmatians (1961)

18. The Sword in the Stone (1963)

19. The Jungle Book (1967)

20. The Aristocats (1970)

21. Robin Hood (1973)

22. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

23. The Rescuers (1977)

24. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

25. The Black Cauldron (1985)

26. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

27. Oliver & Company (1988)

28. The Little Mermaid (1989)

29. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

30. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

31. Aladdin (1992)

32. The Lion King (1994)

33. Pocahontas (1995)

34. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

35. Hercules (1997)

36. Mulan (1998)

37. Tarzan (1999)

38. Fantasia 2000 (1999)

39. Dinosaur (2000)

40. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

41. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

42. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

43. Treasure Planet (2002)

44. Brother Bear (2003)

45. Home on the Range (2004)

46. Chicken Little (2005)

47. Meet the Robinsons (2007)

48. Bolt (2008)

49. The Princess and the Frog (2009)

50. Tangled (2010)

51. Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Upcoming:

52. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

53. Frozen (2013)

21 Jump Street (2012)

I'm operating under a new theory now: I used to meticulously study each and every film that was about to come out. I would watch all the new trailers released on Apple Trailers, I would rewatch them the day the films came out to remind myself what was out there, and I would look up the Meta Critic and Rotten Tomatoes reviews to find out if any of the films were worth going to. Believe me, if I film I was highly anticipating got universally bad reviews (like The Golden Compass nearly 5 years ago), I changed my mind about seeing it.

I'll still look to the critics to tell me what is good and bad, and dodge those films that get reviled. That will never change. But what I'm trying to do is go into films with as little knowledge about them as possible. To not watch trailers or read reviews (which is where Rotten Tomatoes and Meta Critic come in handy, since you don't need to read reviews). I'll never avoid trailers fully: I still love seeing them before a film in the theater, and there are some great trailers out there that spoil little and are almost works of art in their own right (see The Social Network trailer). But having no expectations, going into a film knowing nothing, can radically alter how you enjoy something.

For instance, I didn't know anything about 21 Jump Street. Not that it was a TV show in the late 80s that gave Johnny Depp his career start, nor what any of the jokes are. Ignorance is bliss, they say, and with this film thats especially true. Which is why I'm going to sum it up for you now. If you haven't see the film, I'll tell you this: go see it, then come back and read my review. I'm not spoiling anything, but gosh would be hypocritical of me to not tell you up front what you want to know and instead make you learn about the film.

Jonah Hill (slimmed down and looking like Slim Shady in the prologue) and Channing Tatum play opposite ends of the High School spectrum, and you can probably figure out where they fit. Fast forward seven years and they are best pals, united in Police Academy because Hill had the brains and Tatum had the brawns. After they flub their first arrest by forgetting to recite the Miranda Rights (you know, the one that starts out with You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to be an attorney), they are reassigned to what their captain aptly describes as, "A revised program from the 80s, which is what the people in charge do when they run out of ideas." If you find that line funny, you're in for the rest of the movie.

Their base of operations is at 21 Jump Street, where Ice Cube plays a foul-mouthed, angry police Captain who cannot believe how dumb his charges are. The purpose of the program? To send young-looking officers undercover to High Schools to bust drug rings ("You some Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus-looking motherfuckers," Ice Cube helpfully explains). The movie then takes the opportunity to lampoon Hollywood High School films, where all the stars are usually in their late 20s.

I could go on and on about the drug that is infecting the High School, how Tatum and Hill wonderfully play off of each other and end up in role reversals (Tatum suddenly the nerd, Hill in the cool crowd). But what it really comes down to is did I laugh? Was this movie funny? And the answer is a resounding yes. The movie is wall to wall with jokes that don't always make sense, which is explained by the presence of co-writer Michael Bacall (who wrote Scott Pilgrim, also wall-to-wall with jokes). These movies can seem a bit exhausting, and while 21 Jump Street could have lost five or ten minutes it still breezes by, only being stilted by boring action chases (which still provide some laughs).

The film also looks at High School cliques with an almost fresh perspective. So many High School films see it as a division of Cheerleaders and Jocks and Nerds. But its so much more complex then that. There are people who cross the lines, who shade in the areas. In this film, the cool kids care about the environment and don't bully people. Hell, one of them happens to be gay, but its not made into an issue. This perplexes Tatum and Hill, who came from the High School Hollywood feeds us, and though the nerds are still seen as little more then sad virgins, at least the film made an effort to shake up one department.

So see this film already! Sure the story may be slight, and the jokes may not always make sense (Korean Jesus), but it keeps laughing, and somehow makes you care for the characters. Its sad that something like this is rare for Hollywood to put out.

A Thousand Words (2012)

I thought I was being unfair to A Thousand Words, the new Eddie Murphy comedy that's not so new because it was filmed back in 2008 and supposed to be released in 2009. I went to a secret screening of a film that we didn't know the title of. It could be anything! I was lead to believe by the online survey I filled out to attend the film that it would be The Dictator (what else am I to think when I'm asked if I saw and enjoyed either Borat or Bruno). Well, I got an exclusive look at the new Dictator trailer, which as of this writing is still not released (you learn more about the film's story). But the movie I ended up seeing was A Thousand Words, and I had the privilege of being a member of the first audience to see it.

How exciting for me. I had no idea what this film was about, so despite my disappointment that all I got from the Dictator was a new trailer (a funny one, I might add), I was interested in how I would react to this film. After all, I had not seen a trailer, I had no idea who was in it, and I had no idea what it was about. It was one of those rare moments we as movie goers don't get anymore, especially those of us heavily focused on whats coming out next. I was seeing the film with no bias at all (apart from the fact that Eddie Murphy was in it, who unfortunately inspires dread nowadays).

The films premise is a fun one: Eddie Murphy plays literary agent Jack McCall, a fast talking, lying piece of work that will do anything to get what he wants. In an early scene, he dodges a Starbucks coffee line by convincing everyone that his wife was in labor, and having twins (thereby earning him a free cup of joe). But when he grabs the rights to an exclusive book written by a hot new self-help guru, he somehow becomes cursed by a Bodhi tree which springs up in his backyard and sheds leaves at his every word. They determine, somehow, that if the tree loses its leaves, he will die.

This film is by no means completely awful, but its not really all that good either. There are funny moments involving Murphy desperately pantomiming a coffee order or using various speaking toys around his office to close a deal with a publisher. And Clark Duke, as his assistant, adds the funniest bits to the movie (as he often does). The film also somehow manages to star Allison Janney as his boss and Ruby Dee as his mother.

But the film falls apart when the main character realizes that he needs to better himself, and the film gets rather somber in the later half. Few directors can handle a tonal shift like this, and Brian Robbins (whose other credits include Norbit and Meet Dave) is not up to snuff. The film reminded me of Groundhog Day in a way, as Bill Murray transitions from condescending asshole to an all around talented and awesome guy. Yet Groundhog Day somehow handled its dramatic scenes (Murray's multiple suicides) in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed and schmaltzy.

Kerry Washington is also underserved as Murphy's wife, who just wants to move from his Bachelor Pad atop the Hollywood Hills to a nice home that's child safe (they have a son). Apparently his unwillingness to do this puts a real thorn in her side, and when Murphy stops talking, she takes this as him being mad at her. Of course she decides to maybe make it up to him by putting out, which leads to an incredibly miscalculated scene where she invites Murphy to a hotel room and says, "All I need is for you to talk dirty to me." Well really, movie, of course this scene would exist when he can't talk.

But what really infuriated me about the whole film was that the climax rested on an internal conflict Murphy has with his Dad which is established with no less then one line of dialogue in the first ten minutes of the movie. Yes, his Alzheimer's mother keeps thinking he is his dad, but I took this as more of a bad joke then something that was really hurting the character. This also leads to some very odd sequences where Murphy chases himself as a kid through golden wheat fields.

So maybe the movie is pretty bad. The intentions are good, but the execution is designed to try and ring a tear from your eye in the most manipulative feel good way possible. Clearly if I felt more sympathy for the characters IN the film I might have cared. But as it is, this film is a poorly made mess. There's a reason its been shelved for nearly four years, and the saddest part is it was only now just released to take advantage of Eddie Murphy's recent Oscar hosting stint. Because that happened.

The 84th Annual Academy Awards

Well, that was one hell of a streamlined show. The Oscars receive a lot of criticism for being too bloated, running too long, and just overall being too much. Not last night. Last night, Billy Crystal started out with a segment I've long missed, a trip between all of last year's big movies, interacting with some stars, and adding a nice comedy to the mix. Then he moved into a song about the nine nominees, which I honestly couldn't hear because the music drowned him out. I did catch all he had to say about Extremely Loud, though: "Hanks has gone away." All that movie got. Good.

This is the first year since 2003 I have not seen all of the nominees for Best Picture. The only one I never made it to was Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. I almost did a time or two, then decided I didn't like The Reader, so why should I like this one. Why should I even acknowledge its existence in the Oscar race? So I didn't. I'll just pretend Max von Sydow was up because, well, he's Max von Sydow.

One thing that seems to have become more common for Oscar is to spread the wealth a bit. Hugo and The Artist were both the top nominated films, and I didn't expect Hugo to win as much as it did (I predicted it would win two awards, and it ended up winning 5). On any conventional year, one would expect Hugo, after nearly sweeping the technical categories, to go along to start taking Screenplay, Director, and Picture. But the gears shifted back into the Artists favor, much as last year when The Social Network cleaned house early, before The King's Speech took over for the rest of the evening.

I'm all for acknowledging several movies, but shouldn't the best edited film be the best film? I attended a panel Saturday morning featuring five of the seven nominated editors (two for both the Artist and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), and while I would agree that GWTDT is certainly well edited, it runs on way too long. There is at least another ten to fifteen minutes after the central mysteries are solved that drag on and on, and I feel that the best edited film should not be the won you were hoping the next scene would be the last. I like Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, but even they seemed surprised by their win.

Editing was the biggest upset, though Meryl Streep winning over Viola Davis was also fairly surprising. She's now been nominated 17 times and won 3 times, making her the best actor of all time according to the Academy. A lesson I've learned: don't vote for poor Viola Davis. I put a vote for her back in 2008 for Doubt, and that didn't work out, and when she was the sure thing, it makes me doubt (haha, get it) that she will ever win. Which is a shame, because she is a fine actress.

Billy Crystal should just host the show until he gets really old. He is very comfortable up on that stage, and though his song and dance routine is hackneyed, his self-deprecating winks were commendable (before the song, he said, "C'mon, you didn't think I wasn't going to do this?") The best line of the night came from him, when he said, "Nothing helps the economic crisis more then watching a bunch of millionaires give each other gold statues."

Overall, I liked this year's Oscars. Straight to the point. No bullshit. There was one fantastic number by Cirque de Soleil, but otherwise it was concise and to the point, and came in under three hours. Not bad. The only thing I would vote? Delete the Best Original Song category. With only two nominations this year, it was as irrelevant as ever.

Here is the rundown of what I guessed right, and what I didn't. My score is one worse this year, 16/24. Oh well.

Original Screenplay

Prediction/Winner: Midnight in Paris

Adapted Screenplay

Prediction/Winner: The Descendants

Visual Effects

Prediction/Winner: Hugo

Sound Mixing & Editing

Predictions: War Horse

Winner: Hugo

Live Action Short Film

Prediction: Tuba Atlantic

Winner: The Shore

Animated Short Film

Prediction/Winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Original Song

Prediction/Winner: "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"

Original Score

Prediction/Winner: The Artist

Makeup

Prediction/Winner: The Iron Lady

Foreign Language Film

Prediction/Winner: A Separation

Film Editing

Prediction: The Artist

Winner: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Documentary Short

Prediction: The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Winner: Saving Face

Documentary Feature

Prediction/Winner: Undefeated

Directing

Prediction/Winner: The Artist

Costume Design

Prediction: Anonymous

Winner: The Artist

Cinematography

Prediction: The Artist

Winner: Hugo

Art Direction

Prediction/Winner: Hugo

Animated Feature

Prediction/Winner: Rango

Supporting Actress

Prediction/Winner: Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Leading Actress

Prediction: Viola Davis in "The Help"

Winner: Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"

Supporting Actor

Prediction/Winner: Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"

Leading Actor

Prediction/Winner: Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"

Best Picture

Prediction/Winner: The Artist

That's all!

The 84th Annual Academy Awards: My Predictions

This year, I didn't post a ten best list. Partly because I didn't see enough films, but also because I didn't feel like there was any one film I could truly name my favorite for the year. I would have gladly released a top 5, if there was something that I thought deserved to be on top. As it is now, my five favorite films would be The Descendants, Drive, Hugo, Moneyball, and 13 Assassins. And maybe Moneyball is my favorite?

So as it goes with this year's Oscars, there seems to be a unanimous opinion on what will clean house this year. The Artist is a behemoth, cleaning up most of the guild awards in its path. Some will argue it has not been seen, but The Hurt Locker had only grossed $17 million when it won, beating out the $7 billion grossed by Avatar. The Artist has grossed $31 million so far, though that is far less then the $100 million that The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire had garnered by Oscar time. Of course this is because it is Black and white and Silent; most people hear that descriptor and immediately go, "No thank you!" Maybe The Artist should win, so that people will go see it and discover hey, silent films aren't so bad!

We are of course operating under the presumption that people go see movies because they win Oscars, and I believe they do. A film wins Best Picture, which has to make you curious as to why, if nothing else so you can join in the sudden uprise of haters who wonder how this film, though decent, became best.

Me, I liked the Artist well enough. I saw it back in early December, before it had garnered hype. It's a cute film, though I feel it wears out its welcome about midway through. Think of Singin' in the Rain, if Singin' in the Rain was actually silent and had a darker climax. It's a delightful film, but nothing I'd consider the best. But then again, I don't know what I would consider the best.

Alright, enough rambling. Here are, plain and simple, my predictions. I've gone with the general consensus as far as the major categories are concerned (though I know there's an upset in there somewhere, and I fear it may be Max von Sydow, who though I adore, is in that Stephen Daldry-trite Extremely Loud). The tech categories, though, have led me to take greater risks in a few categories, mainly costumes. I've learned that the most extravagant costumes, and a quick google image search led me to my conclusion.

Best Original Screenplay:

Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Descendants

Visual Effects

Hugo

Sound Mixing

War Horse

Sound Editing

War Horse

Live Action Short Film

Tuba Atlantic

Animated Short Film

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Original Song

"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"

Original Score

The Artist

Makeup

The Iron Lady

Foreign Language Film

A Separation

Film Editing

The Artist

Documentary Short

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Documentary Feature

Undefeated

Directing

The Artist

Costume Design

Anonymous

Cinematography

The Artist

Art Direction

Hugo

Animated Feature

Rango

Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Leading Actress

Viola Davis in "The Help"

Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"

Leading Actor

Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"

Best Picture

"The Artist

69th Golden Globes: Won vs. Predicted

No report for this show. Mildly boring, Ricky didn't deliver as much as we were hoping. Here's how I faired:

Best Supporting Mini-Series or TV Movie Actor:

Won and Predicted: Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones

Best Supporting Mini-Series or TV Movie Actress:

Predicted: Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)

Won: Jessica Lange - American Horror Story

Best Mini-Series or TV Movie Actor

Won and Predicted: Idris Elba - Luther

Best Mini-Series or TV Movie Actress

Won and Predicted: Kate Winslet - Mildred Pierce

Best Mini-Series or TV Movie

Won and Predicted: Downton Abbey

Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical

Predicted: Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

Won: Matt LeBlanc - Episodes

Best TV Actress - Comedy or Musical

Predicted: Zooey Deschanel - New Girl

Won: Laura Dern - Enlightened

Best TV Show - Comedy or Musical

Won and Predicted: Modern Family

Best TV Actor - Drama

Predicted: Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Won: Kelsey Grammer - Boss

Best TV Actress - Drama

Won and Predicted: Claire Danes - Homeland

Best TV Show - Drama

Predicted: Game of Thrones

Won: Homeland

Best Original Song

Predicted: "The Living Proof" - The Help

Won: "Masterpiece" - W.E.

Best Original Score

Predicted: Hugo

Won: The Artist

Best Screenplay

Predicted: Moneyball

Won: Midnight in Paris

Best Director

Predicted: The Artist

Won: Hugo

Best Supporting Actor

Won and Predicted: Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted: Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Won: Octavia Spencer - The Help

Best Foreign Language Film

Won and Predicted: A Separation

Best Animated Film

Predicted: Rango

Won: The Adventures of Tintin

Best Actor - Musical or Comedy

Won and Predicted: Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Best Actress - Musical or Comedy

Predicted: Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids

Won: Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Best Picture - Musical or Comedy

Won and Predicted: The Artist

Best Actor - Drama

Won and Predicted: George Clooney - The Descendants

Best Actress - Drama

Predicted: Rooney Mara - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Won: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

Best Picture - Drama

Predicted: Hugo

Won: The Descendants

Overall: 11/25. So fail. Oh well, I'll have better luck in February.