Max is Goofy’s teenage son.

He tries to impress everyone

At school by pulling off a stunt,

All because he doesn’t want

To end up like his dad, a Goof.

And so, he does a stylish spoof

Of none other than Powerline,

The greatest rock star of all time.

 

The principal is quite irate,

But Max is glad; he has a date,

A party with his crush Roxanne.

Who seems to be his biggest fan.

But Dad has other plans in mind:

The father-son vacation kind.

Concerned for him, Dad wants to go

And fish with Max in Idaho.

 

Max rides along against his will,

But says goodbye to Roxanne still,

And lies, unsure of what to say,

And says he’s going to L.A.

To dance with Powerline on stage.

(That’s stupid, even for his age.)

Roxanne believes and bids farewell,

As Max goes on the trip from hell.

 

His dad and he don’t get along,

Although they both do sing a song.

At every stop along the way,

Max is filled with more dismay.

At last, when Max has had enough

Of all this “fun” and bonding stuff,

While Bigfoot’s on the roof (don’t ask),

He undertakes a risky task.

 

While Goofy takes a noisy nap,

His son attempts to change the map

And have their route end in L.A.

When Goofy learns of Max’s play,

He feels betrayed, but, in heartache,

Forgets to set the parking brake.

The two of them end up afloat

Atop their Pacer like a boat.

 

They come to terms, the two goofballs,

And save each other from a falls.

Then Goofy helps his son to get

On stage with Powerline. (No sweat.)

They crash the concert in mid-song,

But both of them just dance along.

At home, Max tells Roxanne the truth

And lets her meet his dad, the Goof.

_________________________

 

A Goofy Movie starts out as a musical Grease wannabe before transitioning into a hellish road movie and then ending with a finale that belongs on MTV. Ultimately, though, it is a father-son buddy movie and builds on that relationship better than its previously reviewed sequel did. While Goofy was still rather overbearing in his Extreme second film, most of his actions were fairly reasonable parental activities (making breakfast, cleaning up, urging his son to study, etc.) that Max never appreciated and eventually rebuffed a tad too harshly. In A Goofy Movie, though, Max’s embarrassment and angst are a bit more understandable, since Goofy seems to be going out of his way to force Max to participate in things Goofy should know by now that he doesn’t enjoy. Max, however, also crosses the line by lying to his dad and indeed violating his father’s trust. Since both of them bear some blame, the reconciliation at the end feels less one-sided and more genuine.

The other reason this one is higher than An Extremely Goofy Movie is that it has a number of original songs. As a fan of musicals and animation, I love when they are combined, and the film manages some nifty little musical numbers, some of which are more memorable than others. “After Today” and “I 2 I” are the best of the bunch, though “On the Open Road” isn’t bad too–after all, where else can one see a corpse dancing and singing atop a hearse alongside truckers and nuns? I especially love “I 2 I,” which is sung by the Michael Jackson-like Tevin Campbell and certainly deserves a place of honor in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame.

Despite all these good points, A Goofy Movie may be goofy but is not always funny. The scene where Goofy and Max visit the opossum theme park is (as Max says) “pathetic” and is not fun to watch at all. Also, the film doesn’t have nearly as many good lines as its sequel, and the animation seems inferior to me, which is a shame considering it was released in the middle of the Disney Renaissance. Still, it is worth seeing at least for the great voice acting and the catchy songs.

Best line: (Max) “I’m not your little boy anymore, Dad! I’ve grown up! I’ve got my own life now!”  (Goofy) “I know that! I just wanted to be part of it. [calmer] You’re my son, Max. No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.” (Cue the “awwww” from parents.)

 

Artistry: 2

Characters/Actors: 6

Entertainment: 5

Visual Effects: 4

Originality: 4

Watchability: 5

Other (songs): +3

 

TOTAL: 29 out of 60

 

Tomorrow: #329: The Pagemaster

© 2014 S. G. Liput

College is waiting for Max, Goofy’s son,

While Daddy will miss him, he’s eager to run.

For Max cannot wait to be more than a Goof

And to get out from under his silly dad’s roof.

 

Max leaves with his friends, hardly saying good-bye,

And savors his freedom without Dad nearby.

He, P.J., and Bobby (those are his friends’ names)

Are favored while practicing for the X-Games.

 

The three also enter the envious view

Of the snooty fraternity Gamma Mu Mu,

And Max makes a wager with Bradley, their chief,

That they’ll beat the Gammas or else suffer grief.

 

Meanwhile, ol’ Goofy gets easily fired

And, with no degree, finds he cannot get hired.

Therefore, he needs college, so where should he go

But Max’s own classroom (and with an afro!).

 

Now needless to say, Max is not overjoyed,

And his father’s intrusion just gets him annoyed.

He lets his dad join with the Gammas one day,

And that, plus a girlfriend, keeps Goofy away.

 

But Max’s plan backfires when his own dad

Excels at skateboarding and makes him look bad.

They argue, and Goofy starts making mistakes

But soon bounces back, comprehending the stakes.

 

He aces his tests with both vigor and vim,

And splits from the Gammas (or they split from him).

The X-Games arrive, and, when Brad tries to cheat,

Max needs his own dad so that they can compete.

 

Despite Bradley’s minions (who wear camouflage),

The Goofs circumvent almost all sabotage,

And, even when Bradley thinks he’s in first place,

Max comes from behind him to win the whole race.

 

Brad gets his comeuppance, and Goofy gets dates,

And, after a year, Max’s dad graduates.

No longer a kid, nor his dad a buffoon,

Max and company dance to a seventies tune.

___________________________

 

Most kids’ movies have elements intentionally thrown in for the parents, cleverly disguised mature jokes or retro pop culture references that fly over the heads of most minors. Yet An Extremely Goofy Movie incorporates these features into the plot by putting Goofy himself in the place of the nostalgic parent. By depicting the generation gap between modern Max and old-fashioned Goofy, the film offers something funny and relatable for every age group.

A direct-to-video sequel to A Goofy Movie, An Extremely Goofy Movie was actually better received according to Rotten Tomatoes. With a great retro soundtrack and some good clean humor, it’s a family film that might be many children’s first introduction to 1970s culture. Some pathos is even thrown in concerning Goofy missing his son (my mom teared up one time after Max left his dad high and dry at the beginning). Plus, the voice-acting is top-notch.

Yet, one thing that does bother me (and especially my VC) is Max’s obvious disdain for the dog(?) who raised him. Granted, Goofy is a bit overbearing and certainly embarrassing, but he didn’t deserve the scorn his son aimed at him. By the end, Goofy apologizes for his faults, while Max can only go so far as to think maybe his old man isn’t so bad after all. There’s no remorse for the way he treated his dad, and, by the last scene, it’s still clear he’s eager to be rid of him. Also, the film’s depiction of college as mostly fun with some studying is unrealistic. Still, it’s quite good for a direct-to-video movie and is underrated, in my opinion.

Though it was released in 1975 and I have heard it elsewhere, the song “Right Back Where We Started From” always makes me think of this movie and the characters dancing and is definitely in the End Credits Song Hall of Fame.

Best line: (Bobby, asking a question I’m sure many have asked) “Do you ever wonder why we’re all, like, wearing gloves?”

VC’s best line: (the beret girl’s way of encouraging Max) “Max, Max, Max, admit defeat, and defeat will surely admit you into permanent custody, my man.”

 

Artistry: 2

Characters/Actors: 6

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 5

Originality: 4

Watchability: 5

 

TOTAL: 29 out of 60

 

Tomorrow: #333 – Good Will Hunting

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The egg of an iguanodon is stolen from its nest,

And an island is eventually the place it comes to rest.

There it hatches, and some lemurs cannot leave him all alone,

So one Plio takes in Aladar to raise him as her own.

 

He grows big as a dinosaur, the only one around,

And commiserates with Zini, whose romance won’t leave the ground.

But meteors that strike nearby incite catastrophe

As shock waves devastate the isle and decimate their tree.

Though one family survives astride the faithful Aladar,

They’re the only ones who make it: Plio, Suri, Zini, Yar.

 

They are ambushed soon by raptors till they join a roaming throng,

Finding safety in their numbers so they gladly tag along.

All these dinosaurs are headed by the chief iguanodon,

Who is Kron, though I must mention too his right-hand man Bruton.

Kron believes the strongest make it and he will not change his mind,

So he often leaves the weakest and the elderly behind.

Aladar, who thinks survival of the fittest is absurd,

Joins the old, slow-moving misfits at the far back of the herd.

 

He finds water for the company and woos Kron’s sister Neera,

The most eligible beauty of the late Cretaceous era.

When the weaklings fall behind, they find some refuge in a cave,

Including Bruton, who was injured and too weak for Kron to save.

When two Carnotaurs surprise them in the most hopeless of traps,

Bruton holds them off and kills one when he makes the cave collapse.

All the others keep on going, and they find the nesting grounds,

Which are lush and green and fertile, but a rocky wall surrounds.

 

Aladar decides to go back to the herd to bring them here

Through the other way, and tell them that a Carnotaur is near.

Kron is none too pleased to see him, but the rest change loyalties

And they stand up to the Carnotaur (by bellowing) with ease.

On the edges of a cliff, Kron fights against the giant beast,

And though Aladar joins in, both enemies end up deceased.

 

All find happiness (and lemurs) in the valley’s choice location,

And it ends as it first started, with the newest generation.

_______________________

 

Dinosaur is a beautifully animated and photographed tale of survival that puts meticulously created CGI dinos on live-action backgrounds, thirteen years before the recent Walking with Dinosaurs made the technique seem new. The first seven minutes of wordless glory rival the beginning of The Lion King, combining jaw-dropping visuals with a marvelous score that is not nearly appreciated enough.

When it first came out, many criticized the filmmakers’ choice to have the animals talk. While this does detract from the film’s realism, it also makes clear Dinosaur’s laudable message of standing up for the weak in the face of a “survival of the fittest” mentality, which is sadly gaining ground in the world in the form of euthanasia.

The story itself is good, though unremarkable, and reminds me of the story of Moses (a newborn is separated from his people, is found and raised by another, rejoins his people, and eventually becomes their leader to the promised land). Most of the effects are nearly perfect, though some crowd scenes and close-ups are very obviously CGI. Plus, why they had the opening Carnotaur scene involve anything other than a stegosaurus (a la Fantasia) is beyond me. Despite a short running time and some scenes and dialogue obviously meant for kids, Dinosaur is more serious than other Disney films, as evidenced by the deaths of several characters. It might have risen to the level of respect of WALL-E had its creators somehow told the story wordlessly, but Dinosaur remains a lesser-known gem in the Disney canon that is certainly worth a look.

Best line: “If you’ll be my bride, I’ll groom ya.” (one of Zini’s groan-inducing pick-up lines)

 

Artistry: 4

Characters/Actors: 3

Entertainment: 6

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 2

Watchability: 5

 

TOTAL: 28 out of 60

 

Tomorrow: #348: Prometheus

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Pongo is a bachelor, Dalmatian too by breed,

Who sees his human Roger has a very special need.

Without a female presence, all is apathy and sloth.

So the dog resolves to find some girls to satisfy them both.

He sees some in the park, and, though his plan does not excel,

Considering they marry, I would say it went quite well.

Now Roger’s a musician, mainly loved by wife Anita,

And Pongo soon has puppies with Anita’s dog Perdita.

With fifteen newborn puppies, they’re all jubilant until

A visit from Anita’s “friend” named Cruella De Vil.

Obsessed with furs, this smoking fiend insists she buy each pup,

But Roger’s firm, unyielding “No” just gets her dander up.

They all rejoice, although Cruella’s temper is enflamed,

And all the puppies grow a bit, though only six are named.

 

But then two robbers barge in once the couples both have left

And steal the pups for Cruella, who’s behind the awful theft.

Once human means bear no results, the dogs go to the park

And spread the word of what’s been stolen, through the twilight bark.

Through barks and woofs and howling too, the somber news is spread.

(They also get ‘most everyone in London out of bed.)

A ways away near Suffolk, once the dreadful news is heard,

A dog and cat investigate and find what was plundered,

The fifteen puppies, yes, but others, ninety-nine in fact,

All guarded by the thieves, who wait to do a heinous act.

Cruella’s stashed these puppies in this country house remote

To skin them all and have enough to make a dog-skin coat!

With help from Tibs the cat, they flee, but, when they’re almost caught,

Both Pongo and Perdita come, alerted of the plot.

Retreating through the snow, they try to lose the thieves outdoors

And finally escape upon a truck as Labradors.

Cruella and the thieves are left behind as they depart,

And all the dogs are welcomed by Anita and Roger’s heart.

They pledge to take the lot away and set up a plantation

For all one hundred one of their beloved new Dalmatians.

_____________

 

One Hundred and One Dalmatians has a very ‘50s/’60s feel to it, in addition to its many British colloquialisms which make it unique. The animation is in that “just okay” time period between Disney’s golden age and its Renaissance, but it’s obvious that much effort went into it, especially the scenes with all the puppies. As a cat lover, my favorite character is Sergeant Tibs, but everyone is likable, if not particularly memorable. And of course, Cruella De Vil is one of the classic Disney villains with a most vain and horrendous master plan, skinning dogs in the name of a spotted fur coat. Pure evil. The accompanying song also makes One Hundred and One Dalmatians a Disney classic, just not their best.

Best line: (Cruella) “You got any chloroform?”

(Jasper) “Not a drop.”

(Horace) “And no ether, ei-ther.”

(Jasper) “Eye-ther!”

(A fun riff on British pronunciations)

Artistry: 4

Characters/Actors: 5

Entertainment: 5

Visual Effects: 4

Originality: 4

Watchability: 5

 

TOTAL: 27 out of 60

 

Tomorrow: #355: Howl’s Moving Castle

© 2014 S. G. Liput