Tag Archives: Family

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

05 Monday May 2014

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In 1909, in the bright Christmastime,
A man gives his wife a young pup in her prime.
They christen her Lady, this dog that they’ve gotten,
And pamper and love her and spoil her rotten.
She grows and receives a new collar as well,
Which every dog wants, so she runs off to tell
The terrier Jock and a bloodhound named Trusty,
Whose great sense of smell has become a bit rusty.
 
But Jim Dear and Darling, her folks who adore her,
Soon seem too distracted and start to ignore her.
Old Jock (who’s a Scottish, not Yorkshire or Cairn)
Thinks Darling’s expecting a wee little bairn.
A stray passing mutt called the Tramp overhears
And says things will change, making worse Lady’s fears.
Sure enough, months later, they have a boy,
But Lady protects him and thinks he’s a joy.
 
When Jim Dear and Darling leave home for a while,
Aunt Sarah takes over their quaint domicile.
Her Siamese cats, who are quick to lay claim,
Wreak havoc, and Lady receives all the blame.
When Aunt Sarah muzzles her, Lady escapes
And gets lost in places where she should not traipse.
Tramp comes to her rescue and frees Lady’s snout
And gives her a lovely, romantic night out.
 
The next day, however, while yet homeward bound,
His wild ways get Lady sent to the pound.
She meets the dogs there, whose lives are much colder;
When Lady gets home, she gives Tramp the cold shoulder…
Until a huge rat scurries past in the dark
To the dear baby’s room, causing Lady to bark.
The Tramp swoops right in to destroy the rat first,
But when Aunt Sarah sees him, the maid fears the worst.
 
To the pound with the Tramp, but when they find the rat,
They see he’s a hero who deserves a good pat.
Both Trusty and Jock stop the dog catcher’s cart,
And, though Trusty’s hurt, he does not yet depart.
The next Christmas, Tramp is a part of the home,
And Lady and he have some pups of their own.
_________________
 

Lady and the Tramp is among Disney’s great classics and one of his last impressively animated films (the artistic style seemed to suffer in future endeavors). It’s a classic love story retold countless times, the pampered princess falling for the lovable scoundrel, but it’s not only lovely to look at but also full of endearing characters and memorable moments. I also enjoy how Lady thinks her owners are named Jim Dear and Darling since that’s what they call each other; it has that same naïve misunderstanding as people being called “human beans” in The Borrowers.

Almost any pet owner can commiserate with Jim Dear and Darling in the beginning with Lady as a newborn puppy. Then later on, her banter with Jock and Trusty is downright charming. Yet we also get a glimpse of the darker possibilities of a dog’s life. Tramp has a good, carefree life for the most part, but that scene of adorable despair in the pound is more affecting than most SPCA ads.

We may be cat people, but my VC and I find the Siamese cats’ song positively grating, but Peggy Lee’s “He’s a Tramp” is a highlight of the film (though she sang both songs). And, of course, there is that iconic scene with the spaghetti and meatballs. I had forgotten how good this film was, so, if you haven’t seen this true classic recently, go remind yourself posthaste.

Best line: (Trusty) “Why, everybody knows a dog’s best friend is his human.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
Other (those Siamese cats and the fact that I just like other films more): -5
 
TOTAL: 37 out of 60
 

Next: #245 – X-Men

© 2014 S. G. Liput

97 Followers and Counting

 

Brave (2012)

30 Wednesday Apr 2014

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Princess Merida’s expected always to be lady-like
By her mum Queen Elinor, who nags her constantly.
Weapons are forbidden on the dinner table too;
Merida must act the way that princesses should be.
 
Marriage is the straw that breaks the loaded camel’s back;
Merida can’t stand the fact that it must be arranged.
Archery decides the ugly clan chief’s son she’ll wed
Till she then outshoots him, hoping fate will now be changed.
 
Words are frightful weapons when they’re aimed at those you love;
Elinor and Merida prove this to be a fact.
Merida runs off into the forest in her grief,
Finding wisps that lead her to the way she will react.
 
Locating a cottage and a wood-engraving witch,
Merida finagles quite a vague and shady spell.
When she gives her mother this enchanted little cake,
Fate indeed is altered, for her mother isn’t well.
 
Elinor is changed into a giant, clumsy bear,
Merida insisting that it’s not at all her fault.
Siblings help them both to flee the castle right away,
Dodging their bear-hating father’s guaranteed assault.
 
Merida attempts to find the witch, but she is gone,
Nothing to assist her but a strange and cryptic rhyme.
Though her mother’s getting used to being more relaxed,
Merida is worried she won’t find a cure in time.
 
Learning that the spell brought down a kingdom long ago,
Altering a prince into the demon bear Mor’du,
Merida attempts to mend a tapestry she tore,
Thinking this will heal her mum, but quandaries ensue.
 
War among the clans is stopped when Merida decides
Everyone should get to choose their own selected spouse.
Happiness is short-lived, for her father finds her mum;
Fergus thinks she killed his wife and drives her from the house.
 
Elinor is hunted by her husband and his men.
Merida, however, will not let them follow through.
Suddenly they are assaulted by the demon bear,
Elinor defending them and vanquishing Mor’du.
 
As the sunrise dawns to make the spell a lasting change,
Merida can merely now apologize and wait.
Love succeeds in bringing back the Elinor she knows,
Changing both of them and truly bettering their fate.
_____________________
 

The second Pixar film on my list, Brave is a Scottish-set fairy tale that feels different from all previous Pixar projects. It’s a fine film to be sure with beautifully animated scenery that is alternately lush or barren, often extremely realistic, as well as lovely Celtic music and an exciting climax. Nonetheless, when people list off Pixar films (Toy Story, The Incredibles, WALL-E), Brave will almost certainly be one of the last to come to mind.

It’s an excellent movie, but it’s a strange mix of inspiration and unoriginality. The young hero/heroine straining to be themselves under the oppression of an overbearing authority figure has been overused in plenty of films, from The Sword in the Stone to The Little Mermaid to Ratatouille. The fateful bulls-eye that splits a previous arrow is borrowed directly from the Robin Hood stories. Plus, the plot twist of a bear transformation was already used in Disney’s earlier Brother Bear, as was the recycled line “I don’t speak bear.” Considering Brave was an original fairy tale, I wonder why Pixar didn’t think of something other than a rehashed bear. Brave was originally to be titled The Bear and the Bow (a better title, in my opinion), but it might as well be Mother Bear.

On the other hand, it’s refreshing to see a strained parent-child relationship that doesn’t call on the parent alone to change. Everything is set right only when Merida owns up to her mistake and accepts that all of this is her own fault. The part with the woodcarver witch has the funniest scenes, and the buildup to the transformation is nicely handled. While the Scottish accents were previously applied to the Vikings in How to Train Your Dragon, here the Scottish brogue is more than just a way of talking but a way of life, along with colloquialisms like “dinnae” and “gammy,” as well as realistic highland games.Also, not many films have a touching mother/daughter relationship with both parties being at fault and sympathetic at the same time.

Brave may not be Pixar’s best, but it is a gorgeously rendered addition to their string of hits. Ignore the uninventive elements, and you’ve got another Pixar classic.

Best line: (King Fergus, to Elinor) “Pretend I’m Merida; speak to me…. [in a girly voice] I don’t want to get married, I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen firing arrows into the sunset.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 3
Watchability: 6
 
TOTAL: 37 out of 60
 

Next: #250 – Citizen Kane

© 2014 S. G. Liput

92 Followers and Counting

 

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

29 Tuesday Apr 2014

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The young bulldog Chance tells us all in advance that he needs no home or owner.
He was lost and found and has been to the pound so he thinks himself a loner.
His family, though, which has started to grow with a stepdad for his kid,
Loves Chance a lot, even when he cannot help but do what they forbid.
 
There’s Shadow as well, a retriever by smell, who is tranquil, old and wise,
And Sassy the cat, who Chance likes to jeer at, though her skills catch him by surprise.
When Dad has to move, all the kids disapprove, for the animals must stay behind.
A family friend on whom they can depend agrees to keep all three confined.
 
The ranch where they’ll stay seems so far, far away that the children hate to leave,
And Shadow and Sassy, as faithful as Lassie, are sad to see them grieve.
They patiently wait and they both contemplate what could cause this sudden defection,
While Chance could care less, with too much to assess on the farm for introspection.
 
When Shadow feels strongly that something is wrong, he decides to depart for their home,
And Sassy and Chance, who are shy to advance, then join him to ramble and roam.
Naïve as they are, they believe it’s not far, but they soon are presented with trials:
The Sierra Nevadas, like wooded armadas, extending before them for miles.
 
From creepy night scares to giant brown bears to hunger they never have known,
These unseasoned pets are hounded by threats as they press over meadow and stone.
They suffer a loss at a river they cross as Sassy is carried away.
While watching birds soar, a man finds her on shore and gives her a warm place to stay.
 
The dogs are confronted and afterward hunted by some mountain cat that was spying.
A plan they devise takes the cat by surprise and sends the immense feline flying.
When Sassy is better and no longer wet, her desire for home makes her part.
She joins with her pals and improves their morales so the rest of their journey can start.
 
They find in the forest a girl at her poorest, alone for some reason and cold.
They stay with the child, so lost in the wild, and make sure a search party’s told.
Her parents are grateful, and this turns out fateful, for all three are quickly embraced.
Their owners are given the news and are driven to where their dear pets have been placed,
But Chance thinks they’ve found the deplorable pound so all of them flee and are chased.
 
Their kids are too late, for the pets couldn’t wait but keep on their homeward-bound trip.
When all that remains is a trek through some trains, poor Shadow then suffers a slip.
He falls in a pit, cannot climb out of it, and starts to act sad and morose,
But Sassy and Chance urge him still to advance, especially since they’re so close.
 
The kids that they’ve trekked a long way to protect are glad to hear barking and yell.
First Chance rushes there, though he claimed not to care, and Sassy then follows as well.
Though Shadow is hurt, he climbed out of the dirt and joins with his person to play.
Though Chance likes to roam, this new family and home are now where he’s happy to stay.
______________________
 

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is one of those perfect children’s movies that adults enjoy just as much as the kids. A remake of Disney’s 1963 adaptation of a Sheila Burnford novel, both entitled The Incredible Journey, this film is a must for dog and cat lovers. (I am the latter.) While the book and the previous version were set in Canada, this one is among the glorious vistas of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

While Homeward Bound has the three main animals speak to each other, their mouths do not move, whether for budget or believability reasons, but their conversations are just as good as other films that do have creatures literally speak, such as Babe or Charlotte’s Web. This is due to a clever script that pokes fun at common dog-and-cat behavior with a host of great lines, as well as the perfect voice acting. Michael J. Fox brings great energy as Chance, and Don Ameche is much more likable as Shadow than he was in Trading Places. My favorite, though, is Sally Field as Sassy, whose voice I can now hear coming from any snooty feline. How they trained the animals to do everything in this picture is astounding, particularly the very real-looking scene of a poor kitty swept away by a rushing river. Even when the animals messed up, such as some scenes in which Chance slips while running, they just included it as an extra joke in the voiceover. “I meant to do that.”

While the animals are spot-on, the human side of the coin sometimes feels like a TV movie, understandable considering that first-time director Duwayne Dunham went on to direct some respectable Disney Channel films like Halloweentown, The Thirteenth Year, and Now You See It…. Luckily the animals are the stars, and the audience can’t help but root for them, even though their journey was totally unnecessary. If they had just stayed, nothing bad would have happened. Dogs.

Full of breathtaking mountain scenery and touching reunions, Homeward Bound is a wonderful movie for any pet lover and a fond carryover from my childhood.

Best line (there are many): (Sassy) “Yes. I’ll get food by acting like I don’t want food.”
(Chance) “That’s stupid.”
(Sassy) “I’ll prove it.”
(Chance) “Oh, you don’t have to prove it. I believe you’re stupid.”

 

Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
 
TOTAL: 37 out of 60
 

Next: #251 – Brave

© 2014 S. G. Liput

89 Followers and Counting

 

Treasure Planet (2002)

25 Friday Apr 2014

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Jim Hawkins grew up with the stars in his head
And the dread pirate Flint sailing all round his bed.
He’d dream of the treasure, while he was a kid,
Which this space pirate took to a planet and hid.
But twelve years have left, as his father did too,
And Jim’s a delinquent with little to do.
 
But that will soon change; Jim’s adventures begin
When Billy Bones enters the old Benbow Inn.
He gives Jim an orb before joining the morgue
And warns him about an impending cyborg.
The inn is attacked then and burned to the ground,
But Jim and his mom flee with what they have found.
 
Jim opens the sphere with a twist and a tap
And finds that it’s Captain Flint’s lost treasure map.
Their friend Dr. Doppler is wholly entranced,
Agreeing a voyage be quickly financed.
They’re off to the spaceport, as hastily planned,
With Captain Amelia, a cat, in command.
 
Jim then meets John Silver, the garrulous cook,
Who has more prosthetics than ol’ Captain Hook.
He’s wary at first of this cyborg-y one,
But soon they are bonding like father and son.
A close supernova makes their escape narrow
But swallows the trusty first mate, Mr. Arrow.
 
While Hawkins is hidden, he hears Silver talk
With the crew of a mutiny, which causes him shock.
As Jim tells the captain and Doppler of this,
The mutiny begins because something’s amiss.
The three journey down to the planet they’ve found,
Escaping the pirates by ramming the ground.
 
While searching for shelter, Jim meets up with B.E.N.,
A robotic castaway who shares his den.
With B.E.N.’s manic help, Jim goes back to the ship
To get back the map which he lost his first trip.
Back down on the planet, they all end up caught,
But Jim wields the map because Silver cannot.
 
The sphere leads the band to a portal of sorts,
That must have been used by Flint and his cohorts.
The right portal leads to the planet’s own core,
Where treasures abound, as recorded in lore.
They have a brief moment to revel in gold
Before a sly booby trap starts to take hold.
 
The planet begins to break up and explode,
And Silver saves Jim at the cost of his lode.
The heroes attempt to escape from the blast
But see they won’t make it when they lose the mast.
So Jim turns them round to the portal they saw
And sailing right through it, they barely withdraw.
 
It takes them back home just before certain death
And gives them a moment to re-catch their breath.
While Silver shoves off and Jim lets him retreat,
The cyborg is proud of “Jimbo’s” awesome feat.
Now that he’s done something to earn admiration,
Jim has a bright future in space navigation.
_____________________
 

Treasure Planet should have been a hit, but, despite fairly good reviews from critics, it never gained much of an audience and sadly joined a string of Disney flops that led to the canning of their traditional animation department. I don’t understand the chilly reception since the film has much going for it. It’s a futuristic telling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, with spectacular cutting-edge visuals that combined hand-drawn and CGI animation, funny and likable characters, and some truly touching scenes. It’s also Disney’s most exciting animated movie, in my opinion, and was nominated for an Oscar (unfortunately losing to Spirited Away).

The voice actors suit their characters perfectly. The roles of Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler were written with Emma Thompson and David Hyde Pierce in mind, but Brian Murray as Silver and an up-and-coming Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jim Hawkins fill their roles equally well. Martin Short is at his most frenetic as B.E.N., the castaway who has literally lost his mind, at times making Robin Williams look like a Type B personality. The script ranges from tear jerking to hilarious, and I love a few well-timed references to Star Trek and Jaws.

With all this going for it, why then did the movie bomb? I can’t say. Roger Ebert claimed it was too “gimmicky” to futurize the classic adventure novel, but I don’t think this gimmick is any worse than, say, The Great Mouse Detective, in which Disneyreimagined a Sherlock Holmes mystery with rodents. Then again, John Musker and Ron Clements did direct both films. Hmm.

It’s true that the concept may not be as original as it at first seems. Don Bluth’s even less-successful Titan A.E. was released just two years earlier and featured a heavy mix of traditional animation and CGI and a science fiction plot involving a fatherless young rogue following a map through the stars. In addition, there was even an Italian miniseries in the 1980s entitled Treasure Island in Outer Space or Treasure Planet. I don’t know if anything in Disney’s film was drawn from that, but it’s interesting to note.

As much as I’ve defended Treasure Planet, I must admit that, compared with most of Disney’s films, it just doesn’t stick out like others do. I may just like other movies better, but Treasure Planet is nonetheless a wondrous retelling of a classic story that anyone can enjoy.

Best line: (Captain Amelia to Dr. Doppler) “Doctor, to muse and blabber about a treasure map in front of this particular crew demonstrates a level of ineptitude that borders on the imbecilic! And I mean that in a very caring way.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 5
Watchability: 8
Other (I just like other films more): -9
 
TOTAL: 36 out of 60
 

Next: #255 – Silverado

© 2014 S. G. Liput

81 Followers and Counting

 

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

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The toymaker Flaversham makes the best toys
Of any mouse London has seen,
Which catches the eye of a villain who sends
A bat to abduct the old bean.
His daughter Olivia’s now all alone,
So a helpful gent must intervene.
 
This gent is, of course, Dr. David Q. Dawson,
Who won’t let her stay all alone.
He guides her to Baker Street, where they meet with
A detective named Basil, who’s known
For solving great crimes. He’s uncaring at first,
Having problems and such of his own.
 
But when he hears tell of the bat that’s involved,
This Basil of Baker Street knows
His nemesis Ratigan must be behind it,
A plan that he now must expose,
For Ratigan’s famous for being depraved,
The foulest, most wicked of foes.
 
This time he is forcing the toy man to build
A robotic clone of the queen,
Replacing the real one with his lookalike
To be the top mouse on the scene.
His cat will eat Flaversham and his young daughter
If he doesn’t build the machine.
 
So Basil and Dawson (Olivia too)
Ride off on one Toby, a hound,
In search of ol’ Ratigan’s peg-legged bat,
Who’s stealing and snooping around.
The bat grabs the girl and then gets away clean,
But soon an important clue’s found.
 
The pair of detectives drop in at a pub
In their search for the villainous chap,
And, after poor Dawson has much too much fun,
They follow the bat through a gap,
But Basil is soon made to feel like a fool
When he walks into Ratigan’s trap.
 
The bad guy conspires to do his foe in
With a mousetrap, an axe, and the like,
But can’t stay to watch since he’ll be much too busy
Directing his villainous strike.
Yet Basil snaps out of his self-induced shame
To save them all, even the tyke.
 
They rush to the palace, where Ratigan’s plan
So far has been going as planned,
But after our heroes recover the queen,
His brilliant scheme gets out of hand.
Then Ratigan flees, having lost his one chance
To be the great mouse of the land.
 
A chase through the city in two big balloons
Ends up with a terrible crash.
High up in Big Ben, dodging clockwork and gears,
Both Basil and Ratigan clash.
Though Ratigan hates to be branded a rat,
He turns into one in a flash.
 
The face of the clock sees their final showdown,
And both plummet from a great height,
But Basil’s inventiveness saves him again,
And everyone’s gladly all right.
Together, the Flavershams take their leave, but
Dawson’s now Basil’s new partner, quite.
_________________
 

The Great Mouse Detective, based on Eve Titus’s Basil of Baker Street book series, was a ray of hope for Disney’s animation department when it was released to good reviews in 1986. After Disney’s dark ages of the 1970s and ‘80s, with such good but unimpressive fare as Robin Hood, The Rescuers, and The Black Cauldron, this film proved there was still interest in well-made animated movies. Oliver and Company came next, but The Great Mouse Detective paved the way for 1989’s The Little Mermaid and the whole of the Disney Renaissance.

The movie is an enjoyable little Sherlock Holmes parody, translating the characters into mice and rats. While the film has few big names in it, Vincent Price steals every scene as the treacherous Ratigan, and the celebrated actor sounds like he had a lot of fun recording his lines. The other characters are appropriately likable (Basil, Dawson) or cute (Olivia), though not quite as memorable as later Disney efforts. The filmmakers even used some recorded dialogue from one of the original Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone.

The Great Mouse Detective is obviously aimed at children but does feature some aspects unusual to most popular animation, such as smoking, drunkenness, a burlesque-style musical number, and a scene in which a mouse is eaten whole, which made my mother uncomfortable the first time I saw it as a child. It’s nonetheless a fine kid-friendly mystery and even has some fairly exciting scenes. Though the climax was clearly inspired by the end of Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro, in this film it’s less cartoony, and the gears (made using early CGI) are more evocative of size and danger for the characters.

The Great Mouse Detective is one of those films I always enjoyed while growing up, and, though it may not have the same magic as it once did, it’s still a short but entertaining jaunt through Mousedom.

Best line: (Basil) “There’s always a chance, Doctor, as long as one can think.”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
 
TOTAL: 36 out of 60
 

Next: #257 – Trading Places

© 2014 S. G. Liput

79 Followers and Counting

 

Spy Kids (2001)

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

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Young Carmen and Juni Cortez do not know
That their parents are settled-down spies.
While Juni is friendless, his sister skips school,
And both tell their parents some lies.
 
When spies from the OSS start to go missing,
Both Ingrid and Greg are called in.
Reluctantly, they leave their children behind
With Felix, their uncle and kin.
 
The parents are soon apprehended by Floop,
The host of a weird children’s show.
This Floop has turned agents he’s caught into freaks
And proves a formidable foe.
 
He sends out an army of thumb-composed thugs
To seek out the rumored Third Brain,
Which he needs for the army of mechanized kids
He’s built so that evil can reign.
 
While Carmen and Juni are minding their business,
Their house is attacked by Thumb-Thumbs.
So their Uncle Felix, who isn’t their uncle,
Fights off the robots but succumbs.
 
The children escape to a safe house for spies,
And try to absorb what they’ve learned,
But soon their un-safe house is changed to a trap
By a spy girl that must have been turned.
 
They flee with the Brain to a city nearby
And argue of what they should do.
But soon the Brain’s taken by their doppelgangers
Who fly away into the blue.
 
The children seek out their real uncle Machete
Who builds lots of gadgets for spies.
He hates his own brother but shows them a plane
That is both fast and just the right size.
 
They fly to Floop’s castle, where Floop has been having
Some quite bothersome second thoughts.
His minion named Minion then locks Floop away
And begins to start calling the shots.
 
Both Carmen and Juni free Ingrid and Greg,
And Juni brings Floop to their side.
They fight off the Spy Kids till Floop can reprogram
The robots with fun as their guide.
 
At last, the Cortezes are honest and true,
And even Machete forgives.
A family of spies is a dangerous thing,
As long as togetherness lives.
_______________
 

Spy Kids was a hit when it first came out in 2001 with a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, and, though the series devolved into the terrible Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, it started off with an entertaining bang. The action is often exaggerated to the point of being campy, and Carmen and Juni’s realistic bickering gets old after a while, but the film is a wonderful endorsement of being honest as a family, much like the admittedly better The Incredibles a few years later.

Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara, who have definitely grown since their roles here, are very convincing as two quarreling siblings who learn their parents are superspies. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino are also wonderful, if rather ineffective for the most part, as said parents, and I must say both look strikingly attractive. Other roles are filled by Alan Cumming as Floop, Robert Patrick (the T-1000 in Terminator 2) as Mr. Lisp, and Tony Shalhoub (who was just in yesterday’s Galaxy Quest) as Mr. Minion. Plus, there’s a great cameo and sight gag at the very end. Danny Trejo also appears as Machete Cortez, originating the role he would reprise in Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, Machete, and Machete Kills, all films that are decidedly not kid-friendly.

Floop is sadly a weakness, in my view. While he as a character is fine, his bizarre TV show and mutated extras are things I would expect to see from Tim Burton (not one of my favorite directors), and the fitting score from Danny Elfman strengthens that comparison. My VC and I just don’t care for overly weird films, and a few scenes push into that territory. Also, while the special effects are good, in several parts, like the jet pack scene, it is obvious that the actors are in front of a green screen.

Still, Spy Kids is a Latin-flavored family film that has humor, action, cool gadgets, and all-around fun. Whether you see it with kids of your own or not, it’s an adventure worth taking.

Best line: (a boy in the park, after seeing the robot kids take off with rockets in their feet) “¡Yo quiero los zapatos como esos!” (translated: “I want shoes like that!”)

VC’s best line: (Carmen, at the very end) “Spy work, that’s easy. Keeping a family together, that’s difficult. And that’s the mission worth fighting for.”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 7
Watchability: 7
Other (some weirdness): -2
 
TOTAL: 36 out of 60
 

Next: #258 – The Great Mouse Detective

© 2014 S. G. Liput

77 Followers and Counting

 

Joseph: King of Dreams (2000)

20 Sunday Apr 2014

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In Canaan, Jacob’s simply thrilled
To have his prayers at last fulfilled.
For barren Rachel’s borne a son,
A miracle to everyone.
 
As Joseph grows and sings in key,
He’s Jacob’s favorite, plain to see.
His ten half-brothers grow quite tired
Of the way he is admired.
 
He wears a coat of many hues
And flaunts his standing, in their views.
They’re also irked that it now seems
Their brother has prophetic dreams.
 
At last, they say they’ve had enough
And make a move that’s not a bluff.
They trap their brother in a cave
And sell him as a meager slave.
 
To Egypt, Joseph’s taken far
And sold again to Potiphar.
Through labor, he starts earning praise
And all his perseverance pays.
 
Now high within his master’s house,
He’s slandered by his master’s spouse
And thrown in jail in utter gloom,
A dark and rat-infested tomb.
 
He solves some fellow inmates’ dreams,
Interpreting their common themes.
He’s left alone for two years till
He comes to terms with his God’s will.
 
When Pharaoh has a dream as well,
He calls on Joseph from his cell.
His dream predicts some years of famine,
Spread from Egypt unto Ammon.
 
Pharaoh is indeed impressed,
And Joseph soon is heaven blessed.
As Pharaoh’s second-in-command,
He helps prepare the entire land.
 
When famine withers shoots and seeds,
All Egypt has the food it needs.
When Joseph’s brothers come for food,
He acts conspicuously rude.
 
He quickly locks up Simeon
Till they bring brother Benjamin.
They come back with his newest brother,
Born of Rachel, his dead mother.
 
A trick gets them at last to leak
Their crime, which they’ve been loath to speak.
Then Joseph says he’s their estranged
Half-brother, when he’s sure they’ve changed.
 
They beg forgiveness, which he gives,
And he is glad his father lives.
Then Jacob and his family
Move down to Egypt joyously.
___________________
 

Joseph: King of Dreams is a prequel to DreamWorks Animation’s The Prince of Egypt but skipped theaters and was released directly to video, the only animated DreamWorks film to do so. Though the story of Joseph had been done as a musical before with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s pretty good adaptation Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, this animated film is much closer to the spirit of the Biblical story, as the opening disclaimer tries to convey. Some creative license was taken, such as removing Leah from the picture to avoid the depiction of Jacob having two concurrent wives, but Joseph: King of Dreams is a wonderful introduction to the Biblical story for all young viewers.

The animation and music are all right but do not measure up to the masterpiece that DreamWorks pulled off with Prince of Egypt, and I bet the filmmakers knew that; hence, its direct-to-video status. Many of the songs are catchy while you hear them but aren’t as memorable as they try to be, but the best ones are the opener “Miracle Child” and “Better Than I,” a very Christian song beautifully recounting Joseph’s memories while in captivity (though, can a tree really grow that much in two years?). While the voice acting was never advertised much upon release, it does feature Ben Affleck as Joseph, Mark Hamill as Judah, and Richard Herd as Jacob, among various other known and obscure voice actors.

It’s always enjoyable to see a well-produced adaptation of a Bible story since so many are obviously low-budget affairs. At the same time, there’s a danger of departing too far from the source material in order to build characters or tension (a la the recent Noah); Joseph: King of Dreams is an admirable Biblical movie that remains faithful to the text, telling a timeless story for all ages and audiences.

Best line: (lyrics in the song speaking of God while Joseph is imprisoned) “You know better than I.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 5
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
 
TOTAL: 35 out of 60
 

Next: #260 – Galaxy Quest

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Hercules (1997)

14 Monday Apr 2014

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When Zeus and Hera have a boy,
They love their little pride and joy,
But Zeus’s brother Hades aims
To rule the heavens and destroy
His brother and the son he claims.
 
The evil god sends Panic and Pain,
His fearful minions, to obtain
The boy and give him every drop
Of a drink to let his godhood drain,
But just too soon they’re forced to stop.
 
Young Hercules is mortal now
But still has godlike strength somehow.
He’s raised by a human dad and mum.
His friendlessness spurs him to vow
To find out where he’s really from.
 
Zeus tells him that he is a god,
And Hercules is rather awed.
For Mount Olympus to be his,
He must be worthy of great laud
And find out what a hero is.
 
He seeks out Philoctetes (Phil),
A trainer who has gone downhill.
This satyr coaches Hercules
To master every hero skill
Until his ace can fight with ease.
 
While journeying to stop some hell,
He saves a girl named Meg as well.
He falls for her like any man,
But Hades owns this mademoiselle
And plots to use her in his plan.
 
In Thebes, Herc’s fandom is increased
When he destroys a Hydra beast.
Though Hades sends out fiends galore,
Though every monster is released,
Herc beats them, still prepared for more.
 
Then Hades shifts his strategy:
By offering to set Meg free,
He says to date Herc and infer
Whatever weakness there may be;
Herc’s only weakness, though, is her.
 
So Hades makes a deal with Herc:
If, for a single day, he’ll shirk
His hero duties, Meg goes free.
His diabolic plan does work
And leaves Herc one weak wannabe.
 
This day is part of Hades’ design,
For all the planets will align.
He frees the Titans from their jail
To strike his enemies divine,
And he is eager to prevail.
 
Though Hercules is badly thrashed,
He still leaves adversaries trashed.
His superhuman strength returns
When Meg saves him and ends up smashed.
The fire of vengeance in him burns.
 
When he arrives, the Titans flee,
And he defeats them easily.
He follows Hades to his pit
Once Zeus and all the gods are free,
And Herc is not afraid one bit.
 
He says he’ll stay there in Meg’s place.
While reaching for her cold embrace,
Herc’s heroism proves divine.
He punches Hades in the face
And leaves him in his ghastly brine.
 
Olympus’s gates are open wide;
Both Zeus and Phil are filled with pride.
The stars acclaim him overhead,
But lovely Meg makes him decide
To stay on earth with her instead.
_____________________
 

The first film on my list from Disney’s Renaissance of the 1990s, Hercules combines many of the elements that made The Little Mermaid and Aladdin such hits, just less successfully. It has a young protagonist trying to prove himself, a soundtrack from the great Alan Menken, funny sidekicks, and voice-acting star power; on the other hand, it has some obvious plot holes and less memorable characters and songs than other Disney classics.

My mom never cared for the animation, which has a Greek swirly aspect to it, so I didn’t watch Hercules much growing up. Seeing it more recently, I see that the film has both strong and weak points. Because it thankfully strays from the often less-than-savory Greek myth, the writers basically turned Hercules into a Superman story (separated from parents and raised by a human couple, grows up feeling different because of his powers, and leaves home to find his otherworldly origin), but whereas Jor-El was dead (Man of Steel blurred that point), Zeus knew exactly where his son was but didn’t help him one bit or tell him the truth until Hercules was “old enough.” For the king of the gods, he seems pretty powerless, making his declarations of love for his son rather unconvincing. Also, Zeus’s lightning bolts had no effect on the invading Titans at first; after Hercules frees him but before he really joins the fight, the Titans suddenly run for the hills from…Zeus and his lightning bolts? Not to mention, Hercules makes a deal with Hades to stay in the underworld in Meg’s place, but after he saves her and becomes a god, he just walks out, not holding up his end of the supposedly binding bargain.

On the positive side, I like most of the animation and the intentionally anachronistic humor, which ranges from hilarious (“Zeus-y, I’m home!”) to rather out of place, such as several Yiddish words like schlemiel and furshlugginer. The voice acting is a mixed bag: James Woods is at his villainous best as the wisecracking Hades, as is Danny DeVito as Louie De Palma—I mean Phil. However, Susan Egan is unnecessarily sultry as Meg and Tate Donovan’s boyish voice fits the young Hercules but not so much his buffed-up hero persona.

I’m likewise conflicted about the songs. Though Danny DeVito’s song is the only really forgettable one, the soulful vocalizing and gospel influences in most of the soundtrack seem more at home on an Aretha Franklin album than in ancient Greece. I do still love Meg’s song “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” and the Muses’ funny musical narration, and “Zero to Hero” is a toe-tapping showstopper and the best of the bunch. As for the mostly cartoonish action, the battle with the CGI hydra midway through is a most thrilling scene, though the head-slicing seemed unusually violent for a studio that typically leaves such gruesome things off-screen.

Hercules may be the weakest of 1990s Disney films, especially coming between greater films like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mulan, but it’s still an entertaining musical tale of true heroism. It may not be divinity, but Hercules at least earns a spot on my list.

Best line: (Pain or Panic, disguised as trapped little boys) “Somebody call IX-I-I!”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 8
Other (aforementioned problems): -3
 
TOTAL: 35 out of 60
 

Next: #266 – The Hunt for Red October

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

13 Sunday Apr 2014

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Thirteen-year-old Kiki’s a young novice witch
Who eagerly begs both her parents for trust.
It’s time that she left to go find her own niche
By herself for a year, as all young witches must.
 
With her black cat named Jiji, she flies on her broom
Over beautiful country to find a new town.
She locates a fine seaside city quite soon
And startles the citizens as she floats down.
 
At first she cannot find a good place to stay
Until bakery owner Osono permits
The girl to stay with her for some work each day
And helps her to find a profession that fits.
 
Her one skill is flying so she makes a job
Out of flying deliveries for a small fee.
Delivering loads for both sweetheart and snob,
She flies high above this large town by the sea.
 
Though some people seem rather cold to the lass,
That’s untrue for Tombo, a boy who’s impressed.
At first she dislikes him and gives only sass
But warms up to him at Osono’s behest.
 
When Kiki begins to just feel out of place
Around Tombo’s rich friends, she feels sad and dejected.
She turns down a blimp tour and leaves in disgrace
But finds that her magic’s no longer connected.
 
She doesn’t know why, but she simply can’t fly
And can’t understand Jiji’s cat conversation.
A woman who paints has the sense to imply
That this block may mean Kiki must find inspiration.
 
When Kiki is shocked to see Tombo in danger,
Hanging down from the blimp, which is out of control,
She grabs up a broom from a neighboring stranger
And finally flies, drawing deep from her soul.
 
The blimp crashes into a nearby clock tower,
And she seizes Tombo at just the last minute.
Her business “takes off” since she has back her power;
She likes this new town and her newfound place in it.
_______________________
 

I have very mixed feelings about Kiki’s Delivery Service, another lovely film from animation master Hayao Miyazaki. Witchcraft is not something I am fond of in movies, and I will say right now that there are no Harry Potter films on my list. I don’t mind films in which witchcraft is seen as evil, such as Hocus Pocus or Sleeping Beauty, but any attempt at normalizing or promoting it seems wrong to me. That being said, Kiki’s Delivery Service has much to like, and its good points outweigh the problematic foundation.

While there are references to other witches making potions or fortunetelling, Kiki’s only skill is flying on her broomstick, and this being her one talent makes her pretty innocuous, like Glinda the Good Witch or Wendy the Good Little Witch. On top of that, she is kind, friendly, helpful, and respectful of her elders, in sharp contrast to a thankless teenage girl to whom she delivers a grandmother’s gift. Plus, upon seeing this witch flying overhead, most people are more awe-struck than fearful, and witches are spoken of in a universally positive light, as if this is an alternate world where witches are on the level of fairies.

Kiki’s Delivery Service was Disney’s first dub of a Studio Ghibli film, and though some dialogue was added or changed, I think they did a good job providing the characters with distinct voices, with Kirsten Dunst as Kiki, Matthew Lawrence as Tombo, Tress MacNeille as Osono, and Phil Hartman in one of his last roles as Jiji. The animation is lovely, especially the expansive vistas seen from Kiki’s birds-eye view. The climax is also exciting, making this the third film this past week to feature a balloon-related finale. The story is light on plot but has enough charm and likable characters to make it entertaining, and it boasts a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

While Kiki’s ”inspiration” isn’t really made clear, her discussion with Ursula, the painter, about figuring out your unique reason for doing something can apply to any young person finding their place in the world. Kiki’s loss of her flight ability may even have influenced Peter Parker’s similar lack of inspiration in Spider-Man 2, which again is only resolved when he has someone to rescue.

While I have tried to downplay the magical elements of the film, the fact remains that I do not approve of this witchcraft subtext. Nevertheless, Kiki’s Delivery Service is just one of those movies that I can’t help but enjoy.

Best line: (Ursula to Kiki) “We each need to find our own inspiration, Kiki. Sometimes it’s not easy.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 6
Watchability: 6
Other (witchcraft element): -5
 
TOTAL: 35 out of 60
 

Next: #267: Hercules

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Bambi (1942)

08 Tuesday Apr 2014

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(Because of Bambi’s naturalistic simplicity and personal time constraints, I have opted to try a different style for today’s poem, a series of haiku.)

 
Deep in the forest,
A fawn prince enters the world
With eyes of wonder.
 
All is new to him,
The flowers and butterflies,
Bright and exciting.
 
Young rabbit Thumper
Befriends the newborn, as does
Bashful skunk Flower.
 
The young trio plays
Together, and Bambi meets
Female fawn Faline.
 
The seasons march on.
Winter offers newfound joys,
But sorrow awaits.
 
As gunshots ring out,
Bambi flees the deadly sound,
But Mother is gone.
 
Bambi’s cries echo
Through the snow-shod trees until
His father helps him.
 
Years flow ever on,
And Bambi becomes a stag,
Grown but still naïve.
 
He and his old friends
Scoff at romance until it
Captures their young hearts.
 
Faline, now a doe,
Has more than one suitor, but
Bambi proves himself.
 
Man threatens the woods,
But Bambi defends his love
From the vicious dogs.
 
Careless Man’s fire spreads
To drive creatures from their homes.
All flee before it.
 
A strong, daring leap
Lets Bambi escape from death
To create new life.
 
Like Father, Bambi,
The new Prince of the Forest,
Watches o’er his fawns.
_______________
 

Who here saw Bambi as a child and didn’t cry? Anyone? I doubt it. Bambi starts out as one of the gentlest children’s films ever made with adorable woodland creatures but turns into one of the most traumatic as well. Every well-loved child’s worst fear is the loss of a parent, and Bambi’s pitiful search for his mother taps into that potential loneliness to make it one of the ultimate tearjerkers. Those who have seen it several times, like me, may not burst into tears anymore, but it’s still undeniably sad.

As for the rest of the film, the hand-drawn animation is gorgeous, possibly the artistic height of Disney’s original films; the characters are memorable (Any deer can be called Bambi, and any rabbit Thumper to this day.); and the climax is actually pretty exciting. Yet, as with other films like The Secret World of Arrietty, Bambi is so gentle and innocent at times that it becomes rather boring, especially during his saccharinely slow initial exploration of the forest.

Still, Disney managed a surprising balance to this pacing issue by including some almost shockingly realistic events, like Bambi’s aforementioned search for his mother and a scene in which a panicked pheasant flees from her hiding place only to be shot down. Seriously, this movie has probably turned off more people from hunting than any ASPCA ad ever could. Bambi is a naturalistic masterpiece, one of those skillfully made films that work well as both kiddie entertainment and an early introduction to the big, bad, but beautiful world in which we live.

Best line: (Friend Owl, to the grown Bambi) “I was talking to myself about you the other day; we were wondering what became of you.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 7
Watchability: 4
Other (slow pacing): -8
 
TOTAL: 34 out of 60
 

Next: #272: U. S. Marshals

© 2014 S. G. Liput