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We are going for Sword in the Stone next though.
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MovieMeditation's Cinema Reviews // Film Diary 2015 // Letterboxd Profile // MovieMeditation's Top 50 Horror
/watching movies for mark f/
MovieMeditation's Cinema Reviews // Film Diary 2015 // Letterboxd Profile // MovieMeditation's Top 50 Horror
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Always been partial to Black Cauldron over Sword and the Stone.
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Movie Reviews | Anime Reviews
Top 100 Action Movie Countdown (2015): List | Thread
"Well, at least your intentions behind the UTTERLY DEVASTATING FAULTS IN YOUR LOGIC are good." - Captain Steel
Movie Reviews | Anime Reviews
Top 100 Action Movie Countdown (2015): List | Thread
"Well, at least your intentions behind the UTTERLY DEVASTATING FAULTS IN YOUR LOGIC are good." - Captain Steel
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Always been partial to Black Cauldron over Sword and the Stone.
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I can understand the appeal.
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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
247 .......................... 283
__________________________
October 10th
—— 1971 ——
"DUEL"
—— thriller ——
Had Hitchcock ever handed over his talent
to a road movie... this would be it...
And if driving in the same tracks wasn’t enough, it even has that slight Psycho-substitute of a soundtrack to go with it. And of course, there is obviously the obligatory tight tension, which is the hinge to hold every Hitch film tightly concealed and controlled throughout – something that Spielberg uses by taking this exact tension and making it the effective six-cylinder engine that fires through the entire film. This movie may not be a masterpiece, but being a product short of money and made with an even shorter shooting schedule, you would be surprised just how effectively Spielberg can spellbind you into the driver's seat of this direct to television feature film. Indeed, this movie was a small screen big screen experience and that fact even elevates the already impressive film just a little bit more. This truck movie of terror comes packed and stacked with a heavy dose of cat and mouse musings, taking a simple premise and then petrol-power that promise all the way to the end credits…
Speeding through the runtime with a minimum of 90 miles per hour truly gets the maximum out of those 90 minutes of motor mayhem. A film that is filled to the needle point with sharply shaped tension and slow burning scenes of subtle fear and tear – all of which makes even the punctual pit stops seem thrilling. All this praise may seem overwhelming, but by television standards, this is mighty impressive and without a doubt worthy of being dubbed a true low budget b-movie theater experience. Now, while emphatically being in the upper end of the casual Sunday “satellite zapping’s”, this movie is no masterpiece when measured against the masses. The low budget feeling and the bareboned fundament of which this film is built upon is still as evident as ever; and for all the good and bad reasons, respectively. All this might put a spoke in the wheels of a young and hopeful Steven Spielberg, but he was wise enough to know how to overtake this problem and get the best out of it, while still keeping the tension alive even when running out of gas... quite literally.
'Duel' is fiery fun entertainment, while also being an engine-driven exercise in slick stick-shifting sabotage of all the senses – a method, which automatically puts the mind on autopilot and lets a little bit of logic loose, but without losing the life that led the entire thing to begin with. 'Duel' feels like a work of passion and while it might suffer slightly, cinematically, it is hard to hate it and not be tempted to race along with. There are a few things that doesn't quite work, like the voice-over for example, but seeing Spielberg create this tense little flick out of almost nothing is a joy(ride) to behold and having Dennis Weaver at the actor's helm is an honor to witness as well. There might be more positives than negatives displayed in this review, but despite of 'Duel' doing its job well, it is still a job that is poorly paid and with terrible work hours… all of which shows. But after all, there is only so much you can do as a guy who is just starting out, no matter the talent you might have.
'Duel' is decent enough for what it wants to be and even better for what it actually is, but there are still a few things that I find hard not to critique it for, even when considering all the circumstances. I admire Spielberg for taking the wheel in a race where he barely even knows the track and while he might not win or even come second or third, he is still a winner in his own way and 'Duel' is definitely a trophy to behold. And on a final note here, I have a hunch this movie might have even more punch if I ever take it for a second spin someday in the future...
+
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
247 .......................... 283
__________________________
October 10th
—— 1971 ——
"DUEL"
—— thriller ——
Had Hitchcock ever handed over his talent
to a road movie... this would be it...
And if driving in the same tracks wasn’t enough, it even has that slight Psycho-substitute of a soundtrack to go with it. And of course, there is obviously the obligatory tight tension, which is the hinge to hold every Hitch film tightly concealed and controlled throughout – something that Spielberg uses by taking this exact tension and making it the effective six-cylinder engine that fires through the entire film. This movie may not be a masterpiece, but being a product short of money and made with an even shorter shooting schedule, you would be surprised just how effectively Spielberg can spellbind you into the driver's seat of this direct to television feature film. Indeed, this movie was a small screen big screen experience and that fact even elevates the already impressive film just a little bit more. This truck movie of terror comes packed and stacked with a heavy dose of cat and mouse musings, taking a simple premise and then petrol-power that promise all the way to the end credits…
Speeding through the runtime with a minimum of 90 miles per hour truly gets the maximum out of those 90 minutes of motor mayhem. A film that is filled to the needle point with sharply shaped tension and slow burning scenes of subtle fear and tear – all of which makes even the punctual pit stops seem thrilling. All this praise may seem overwhelming, but by television standards, this is mighty impressive and without a doubt worthy of being dubbed a true low budget b-movie theater experience. Now, while emphatically being in the upper end of the casual Sunday “satellite zapping’s”, this movie is no masterpiece when measured against the masses. The low budget feeling and the bareboned fundament of which this film is built upon is still as evident as ever; and for all the good and bad reasons, respectively. All this might put a spoke in the wheels of a young and hopeful Steven Spielberg, but he was wise enough to know how to overtake this problem and get the best out of it, while still keeping the tension alive even when running out of gas... quite literally.
'Duel' is fiery fun entertainment, while also being an engine-driven exercise in slick stick-shifting sabotage of all the senses – a method, which automatically puts the mind on autopilot and lets a little bit of logic loose, but without losing the life that led the entire thing to begin with. 'Duel' feels like a work of passion and while it might suffer slightly, cinematically, it is hard to hate it and not be tempted to race along with. There are a few things that doesn't quite work, like the voice-over for example, but seeing Spielberg create this tense little flick out of almost nothing is a joy(ride) to behold and having Dennis Weaver at the actor's helm is an honor to witness as well. There might be more positives than negatives displayed in this review, but despite of 'Duel' doing its job well, it is still a job that is poorly paid and with terrible work hours… all of which shows. But after all, there is only so much you can do as a guy who is just starting out, no matter the talent you might have.
'Duel' is decent enough for what it wants to be and even better for what it actually is, but there are still a few things that I find hard not to critique it for, even when considering all the circumstances. I admire Spielberg for taking the wheel in a race where he barely even knows the track and while he might not win or even come second or third, he is still a winner in his own way and 'Duel' is definitely a trophy to behold. And on a final note here, I have a hunch this movie might have even more punch if I ever take it for a second spin someday in the future...
+
__________________________
Last edited by MovieMeditation; 07-18-16 at 06:21 PM.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
248 .......................... 285
__________________________
October 12th
—— 2015 ——
—— action ——
CINEMA REVIEWS
REWATCH
"Desperate times... desperate measures"
__________________________
CLICK FOR THE MOFO
RECORD REVIEW
__________________________
more than 5,000 words written
-
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
248 .......................... 285
__________________________
October 12th
—— 2015 ——
—— action ——
CINEMA REVIEWS
REWATCH
"Desperate times... desperate measures"
__________________________
CLICK FOR THE MOFO
RECORD REVIEW
__________________________
more than 5,000 words written
-
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Favorite Movies
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User Lists
Yay for your posting Duel MM (great write-up as usual ) - not because I think it's anything particularly special (doesn't mean I think it's dreadful either, in fact I think considering it's obvious limitations Spielberg makes a decent fist of it) but because I've seen it and remember it ... sadly not something I've been able to say for the last few you've posted up which I think simply means I don't watch enough of a variety of films.
) - not because I think it's anything particularly special (doesn't mean I think it's dreadful either, in fact I think considering it's obvious limitations Spielberg makes a decent fist of it) but because I've seen it and remember it ... sadly not something I've been able to say for the last few you've posted up which I think simply means I don't watch enough of a variety of films.
Great review of The Great Mouse Detective . One of my favourite Animated Films and my second favourite Disney Animated Classic after Pinocchio.
. One of my favourite Animated Films and my second favourite Disney Animated Classic after Pinocchio.
X
Favorite Movies
Always been partial to Black Cauldron over Sword and the Stone.
I had it #6 at The Sword in the Stone #4.
X
Favorite Movies
Yay for your posting Duel MM (great write-up as usual ) - not because I think it's anything particularly special (doesn't mean I think it's dreadful either, in fact I think considering it's obvious limitations Spielberg makes a decent fist of it) but because I've seen it and remember it ... sadly not something I've been able to say for the last few you've posted up which I think simply means I don't watch enough of a variety of films.
) - not because I think it's anything particularly special (doesn't mean I think it's dreadful either, in fact I think considering it's obvious limitations Spielberg makes a decent fist of it) but because I've seen it and remember it ... sadly not something I've been able to say for the last few you've posted up which I think simply means I don't watch enough of a variety of films.And yeah, as you can see from the rating I'm not all over this movie, at least not with this first watch, but maybe (or maybe not) it will rise with future viewings.
Great review of The Great Mouse Detective . One of my favourite Animated Films and my second favourite Disney Animated Classic after Pinocchio.
. One of my favourite Animated Films and my second favourite Disney Animated Classic after Pinocchio.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
249 .......................... 286
__________________________
October 13th
—— 1988 ——
OLiVER
&
Company
—— animation ——
DISNEY CLASSIC no.27
The tale of Oliver Twist...
in a tail with a tiny twist...
This film works not as a fundament nor as a foreshadowing to the coming classic era – which is commonly called the Disney Renaissances by fans and critics alike – but more as a peculiar middle piece of animated perplexity. 'Oliver & Company' is yet another abnormal attempt, where the studio experiences several changes throughout to eventually upgrade the animation and hopefully prevent the degradation of a downfall of the otherwise decade-dominating Walt Disney & company. This movie is neither dominating nor decade-defining material, however, it is quite interesting and intriguing to see Disney take on an animated “search and rescue” routine; finding their way towards fame again, trying out new tactics and touching upon new aspects of animation anno "right here and now". Before Billy Joel began to bark and sing songs, Disney was dubiously dragging themselves through the traditional magical and musical movies that used to define them, but as both the audience and animation department were living witnesses to, this strategy was dying and could no longer safely secure their past popularity as a sustainable future.
This had Disney go ahead and make a movie loosely based on the timeless tale of Oliver Twist, where they chose to water down the otherwise wonderful story – which is now raining cats and dogs in New York City, apparently – opposed to the original setting in London, England, where this saying also originates from. But anyways, enough with the endless babbling – let’s start at the beginning with something that amusingly might contradict with my own colossal introductory piece here. Because, if there is one thing that works wonders for a feature film, then it’s when it knows exactly what it is from the get-go; while wanting us to know it as well, very early on. ‘Oliver & Company’ does just that, by opening on top of the clouds in New York City, complimented by a fitting musical number and continuing down onto the busy streets; all elegantly executed with equally busy animation in the vein of Wolfgang Reitermann.
Actually, I would almost call the animation a revolutionized and revised version of Reitermann, featuring some fitting and finely-tuned brush strokes, which seems to sail slightly towards a better future for the company. The combination of old pencil points and present persistency create a wild and wacky persona that is far from on-point – although I guess this kind of comes across as the actual point – at least in some weird way. I don't know if Disney knew what they were doing around-the-clock, but their part-time passive-aggressive era seemed to slowly settle down here. The musical vibe runs in the vein of current contemporary music, going with a glowing 80s pop-rock type of tune. The opening number is nice and pleasant, followed by a fun ballad of bombastic foolery and finally firmly toned down by the cuddly causality of the song 'Good Company' – a truly touching tribute to all the pet lovers out there.
Ultimately, despite being visually appealing the story is only vaguely effective because of the weak material there is to work with; a lot of it feels very by-the-numbers and narrowly avoids being absolutely awful because of its appealing exterior. But merely looking good and sounding good doesn't make a movie good, especially not if all this is laid onto a lackluster story. 'Oliver & Company' combines the story of trying to fit in with a structurally predictable crime plot – all of which continues to collide inside a big action-packed finale, with everything feeling a little bit bloated and erratically balanced, unfortunately. Everything is entertaining enough on the outside, but despite the relatively new look, the story is still awfully familiar and the film, as a whole, is frighteningly characterless as well. To be honest, you can clearly feel that this is where Disney is drawing the last few lines in the end of an era.
'Oliver & Company' creates a visual vibe and a musical modernity, which flows freely and feels relatively crazier than the catalogued contemporary classics; something that is just enough to elevate this entertainment above intellect and imagination. Overall, the atmosphere and style simply makes me surrender to an otherwise standard affair from Disney, which may be the reason for my generous rating.
-
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
249 .......................... 286
__________________________
October 13th
—— 1988 ——
OLiVER
&
Company
—— animation ——
DISNEY CLASSIC no.27
The tale of Oliver Twist...
in a tail with a tiny twist...
This film works not as a fundament nor as a foreshadowing to the coming classic era – which is commonly called the Disney Renaissances by fans and critics alike – but more as a peculiar middle piece of animated perplexity. 'Oliver & Company' is yet another abnormal attempt, where the studio experiences several changes throughout to eventually upgrade the animation and hopefully prevent the degradation of a downfall of the otherwise decade-dominating Walt Disney & company. This movie is neither dominating nor decade-defining material, however, it is quite interesting and intriguing to see Disney take on an animated “search and rescue” routine; finding their way towards fame again, trying out new tactics and touching upon new aspects of animation anno "right here and now". Before Billy Joel began to bark and sing songs, Disney was dubiously dragging themselves through the traditional magical and musical movies that used to define them, but as both the audience and animation department were living witnesses to, this strategy was dying and could no longer safely secure their past popularity as a sustainable future.
This had Disney go ahead and make a movie loosely based on the timeless tale of Oliver Twist, where they chose to water down the otherwise wonderful story – which is now raining cats and dogs in New York City, apparently – opposed to the original setting in London, England, where this saying also originates from. But anyways, enough with the endless babbling – let’s start at the beginning with something that amusingly might contradict with my own colossal introductory piece here. Because, if there is one thing that works wonders for a feature film, then it’s when it knows exactly what it is from the get-go; while wanting us to know it as well, very early on. ‘Oliver & Company’ does just that, by opening on top of the clouds in New York City, complimented by a fitting musical number and continuing down onto the busy streets; all elegantly executed with equally busy animation in the vein of Wolfgang Reitermann.
Actually, I would almost call the animation a revolutionized and revised version of Reitermann, featuring some fitting and finely-tuned brush strokes, which seems to sail slightly towards a better future for the company. The combination of old pencil points and present persistency create a wild and wacky persona that is far from on-point – although I guess this kind of comes across as the actual point – at least in some weird way. I don't know if Disney knew what they were doing around-the-clock, but their part-time passive-aggressive era seemed to slowly settle down here. The musical vibe runs in the vein of current contemporary music, going with a glowing 80s pop-rock type of tune. The opening number is nice and pleasant, followed by a fun ballad of bombastic foolery and finally firmly toned down by the cuddly causality of the song 'Good Company' – a truly touching tribute to all the pet lovers out there.
Ultimately, despite being visually appealing the story is only vaguely effective because of the weak material there is to work with; a lot of it feels very by-the-numbers and narrowly avoids being absolutely awful because of its appealing exterior. But merely looking good and sounding good doesn't make a movie good, especially not if all this is laid onto a lackluster story. 'Oliver & Company' combines the story of trying to fit in with a structurally predictable crime plot – all of which continues to collide inside a big action-packed finale, with everything feeling a little bit bloated and erratically balanced, unfortunately. Everything is entertaining enough on the outside, but despite the relatively new look, the story is still awfully familiar and the film, as a whole, is frighteningly characterless as well. To be honest, you can clearly feel that this is where Disney is drawing the last few lines in the end of an era.
'Oliver & Company' creates a visual vibe and a musical modernity, which flows freely and feels relatively crazier than the catalogued contemporary classics; something that is just enough to elevate this entertainment above intellect and imagination. Overall, the atmosphere and style simply makes me surrender to an otherwise standard affair from Disney, which may be the reason for my generous rating.
-
__________________________
Last edited by MovieMeditation; 08-05-16 at 10:05 AM.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
102 .......................... 92
__________________________
March 20th
Alien (1979)*
+
"What kind of thing? I need a clear definition."
One of the greatest and most inventive sci-fi horror films ever put to the screen. It starts off slow and secretive with a grand and detailed showcase of the various halls and rooms of this rather enormous spaceship, which is made to appear like a very small and tight-spaced claustrophobic place. The pacing is key to this film in my opinion, and how the film builds itself up is almost perfection, and I love how audiences are left in the dark for a long period of time only to get everything thrown at your face when you are least expecting it.
The effects, the soundtrack and the visuals are all fantastic, and together with the acting this is a powerhouse of a film. The last 30 minutes are crazy intense and a rather surprising level of excitement and scale, since you wouldn’t expect that the film would reach such highs if you compare this to the very first minutes of the film. This is definitely a film I never get tired of rewatching and it has plenty of iconic scenes and exciting moments to make everything worth it every single time.
FAVORITE SCENE // The Chest-Burst Scene, Tight Air Tunnel Scene & Ending Scene
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
102 .......................... 92
__________________________
March 20th
Alien (1979)*
+
"What kind of thing? I need a clear definition."
One of the greatest and most inventive sci-fi horror films ever put to the screen. It starts off slow and secretive with a grand and detailed showcase of the various halls and rooms of this rather enormous spaceship, which is made to appear like a very small and tight-spaced claustrophobic place. The pacing is key to this film in my opinion, and how the film builds itself up is almost perfection, and I love how audiences are left in the dark for a long period of time only to get everything thrown at your face when you are least expecting it.
The effects, the soundtrack and the visuals are all fantastic, and together with the acting this is a powerhouse of a film. The last 30 minutes are crazy intense and a rather surprising level of excitement and scale, since you wouldn’t expect that the film would reach such highs if you compare this to the very first minutes of the film. This is definitely a film I never get tired of rewatching and it has plenty of iconic scenes and exciting moments to make everything worth it every single time.
FAVORITE SCENE // The Chest-Burst Scene, Tight Air Tunnel Scene & Ending Scene
I remember watching it for the first time as a kid (early 80s) at our friends' house. They had it on a video tape together with Poltergeist. I had to wear headphones because they were talking and didn't wanna be disturbed. Bligh me! What an experience! The John Hurt scene was positevly captivating. And the thriller that followed, taking them one by one. But the end has the best suspense. And of course all that wasn't enough, alien found its way to the ship. And the signature sentence: I agree with everything you said.
X
Favorite Movies
MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
250 .......................... 287
__________________________
October 14th
—— 1989 ——
THE LITTLE
MERMAID
—— animation ——
DISNEY CLASSIC no.28
REWATCH
The mermaiden voyage of the Disney Renaissance movement is put into motion
with the magical motion picture adaption of The Little Mermaid!
Based upon the fantastic fairy tale of the same name, written by Hans Christian Andersen, 'The Little Mermaid' is a beautiful and beloved story, which has inspired many minds ever since it transpired straight through the surface as a true breakthrough in animation entertainment. As mentioned earlier, this is the first entry in the Disney Renaissance, which is a period of films based primarily on past iconic works. The source material may be iconic, but that won't create the success of the movie entirely on its own. Therefore, the question is, whether this saltwater adventure will succeed with a peppery comeback to all the haters out there or will this underwater princess drown as a modern shipwreck of the studio?
If you, by any chance, seriously expected me to dislike this film then I hate to burst your bubble, but this is definitely a great film and an even greater excuse for watery wordplay (I’m sorry). Honestly, I didn't have to spend too much time under the sea to clearly see and discover the drastic though delicate changes in both bigger and smaller details of the animation. The reason why the animation is just as refreshing as a splash of water to the face, is partly due to the decade-long break between human-based animation. In fact, we need to travel all the way back to the middle age, with 1963s 'The Sword in the Stone, which makes it clear to see that Disney has a whole new concept of creating characters by now. The design seems more fluent and the facial expressions seem more smooth and elegant. Viewing everything from way under water is even more wonderful together with cutting edge fluid motion and techniques that stand the test of time terrifically – all the way from the natural panning to the pitch perfect use of lighting and shading.
As previously pointed out, the story is based on great material, but that doesn't automatically sail this feature straight into a wave of success. Thankfully though, Disney seem to understand the basics and basically build their own world around it, which fortunately follows the stream of past successes without falling over their own drawing board. It is not exactly new but it is “out there” and within their comfort zone at the same time, which is something I really like. ‘The Little Mermaid’ may seem like just another fish in the ocean, but I can assure you that it was the exact opposite around release. When watching the classics in chronological order, it became quite clear to me, that ‘The Little Mermaid’ was a whole other ocean for all the new fishes to come. The Disney Renaissance defined the studio and this film laid out the fundament for what was to come. Of course this movie may feel very familiar and filled with countless of clichés and copy-pasting, but I can actually tell you that this is not entirely correct. Obviously there are references to older films, like ‘Sleeping Beauty’ for example, but a lot of the familiarity with ‘The Little Mermaid’ comes from the legacy it eventually came to create.
But enough with what came before and what was created after, let us talk about the characters of the film. As they say, a film is only as good as its villain and the huge and horrifying ominous octopus, called Ursula, with a heart of ink-dark dimensions, is pretty damn disturbing to me. Complete with an elegantly egocentric and overly obsessed character personality and complimented with pitch-perfect voice work by Pat Carroll, Ursula may not be the heart of the sea, but she is evidently the eight-arm-strong suspension of success, which continues to carry this film way above sea level. Well of course, the central story says a lot on its own, with a sturdy coming of age core, combined with an affective love story and some complicated father-daughter relations, this movie not only draws a visually impressive image, it also draws you straight into a relatable and heartbreaking story. Disney definitely ups the humor as usual, but never to a level that outweighs the heart of it.
King Triton is perfectly realized as the strong and super-serious sea king, with a soft heart of gold, which further matches his mighty magical fork. Sebastian is a soft shell crab to say the least, who always worries about others, as well as his own place as the right hand claw of Triton. He works really well as this "unintentionally" funny character, who aren't forced into being a silly sidekick, like many Disney characters before him. Scuttle is probably that character, but thankfully he is not a dominate annoyance, who is plucking me the wrong way. Ariel is perfectly likable and her innocent and imaginative personality is easily relatable and affective; especially when she loses her voice and eventually loses even more. Obviously she gains all of it back again, it is Disney after all, but I admittedly felt some emotion and excitement when everything seemed to be lost for her. This part is also one of the most amazing accomplishments within this film; the amount of emotion that Disney is able to pull from such a simple story. The fact that they remove the voice of the main character, leaving the animators to rely almost entirely on facial expressions alone – and still pulling it off wonderfully – is truly a great achievement.
'The Little Mermaid' is a beautiful pearl of a movie inside a sturdy shell, spotting some surfaced cracks that show slight imperfection and a little fragileness – a perfect fit for Disney, since they often follow their formulas too perfectly or operate a bit off course. Here they seem to have found a true treasure, keeping a new and tighter formula, which depends on strong but simple stories, well-rounded characters, wonderfully clean visuals and beautifully catchy songs. The latter is more modern and pop-influenced than with their earliest works, but the spirit of traditional musical melodies is thankfully still there. The humor sometimes feels a little bit side-tracked next to the dramatic core and there is also a few scenes and set-pieces that feels like filling or just don't fit completely. The action-packed climax feels a little rushed and out of context, but despite not working directly as a proper extension of an otherwise beautiful build-up, it is still a fun time to be had. This is a solid beginning of an era, which seemed to show an open sea of possibilities at the time it was made. ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a voice of a generation and definitely Disney’s very own Atlantis; no matter what future movies might tell you…
-
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
250 .......................... 287
__________________________
October 14th
—— 1989 ——
THE LITTLE
MERMAID
—— animation ——
DISNEY CLASSIC no.28
REWATCH
The mermaiden voyage of the Disney Renaissance movement is put into motion
with the magical motion picture adaption of The Little Mermaid!
Based upon the fantastic fairy tale of the same name, written by Hans Christian Andersen, 'The Little Mermaid' is a beautiful and beloved story, which has inspired many minds ever since it transpired straight through the surface as a true breakthrough in animation entertainment. As mentioned earlier, this is the first entry in the Disney Renaissance, which is a period of films based primarily on past iconic works. The source material may be iconic, but that won't create the success of the movie entirely on its own. Therefore, the question is, whether this saltwater adventure will succeed with a peppery comeback to all the haters out there or will this underwater princess drown as a modern shipwreck of the studio?
If you, by any chance, seriously expected me to dislike this film then I hate to burst your bubble, but this is definitely a great film and an even greater excuse for watery wordplay (I’m sorry). Honestly, I didn't have to spend too much time under the sea to clearly see and discover the drastic though delicate changes in both bigger and smaller details of the animation. The reason why the animation is just as refreshing as a splash of water to the face, is partly due to the decade-long break between human-based animation. In fact, we need to travel all the way back to the middle age, with 1963s 'The Sword in the Stone, which makes it clear to see that Disney has a whole new concept of creating characters by now. The design seems more fluent and the facial expressions seem more smooth and elegant. Viewing everything from way under water is even more wonderful together with cutting edge fluid motion and techniques that stand the test of time terrifically – all the way from the natural panning to the pitch perfect use of lighting and shading.
As previously pointed out, the story is based on great material, but that doesn't automatically sail this feature straight into a wave of success. Thankfully though, Disney seem to understand the basics and basically build their own world around it, which fortunately follows the stream of past successes without falling over their own drawing board. It is not exactly new but it is “out there” and within their comfort zone at the same time, which is something I really like. ‘The Little Mermaid’ may seem like just another fish in the ocean, but I can assure you that it was the exact opposite around release. When watching the classics in chronological order, it became quite clear to me, that ‘The Little Mermaid’ was a whole other ocean for all the new fishes to come. The Disney Renaissance defined the studio and this film laid out the fundament for what was to come. Of course this movie may feel very familiar and filled with countless of clichés and copy-pasting, but I can actually tell you that this is not entirely correct. Obviously there are references to older films, like ‘Sleeping Beauty’ for example, but a lot of the familiarity with ‘The Little Mermaid’ comes from the legacy it eventually came to create.
But enough with what came before and what was created after, let us talk about the characters of the film. As they say, a film is only as good as its villain and the huge and horrifying ominous octopus, called Ursula, with a heart of ink-dark dimensions, is pretty damn disturbing to me. Complete with an elegantly egocentric and overly obsessed character personality and complimented with pitch-perfect voice work by Pat Carroll, Ursula may not be the heart of the sea, but she is evidently the eight-arm-strong suspension of success, which continues to carry this film way above sea level. Well of course, the central story says a lot on its own, with a sturdy coming of age core, combined with an affective love story and some complicated father-daughter relations, this movie not only draws a visually impressive image, it also draws you straight into a relatable and heartbreaking story. Disney definitely ups the humor as usual, but never to a level that outweighs the heart of it.
King Triton is perfectly realized as the strong and super-serious sea king, with a soft heart of gold, which further matches his mighty magical fork. Sebastian is a soft shell crab to say the least, who always worries about others, as well as his own place as the right hand claw of Triton. He works really well as this "unintentionally" funny character, who aren't forced into being a silly sidekick, like many Disney characters before him. Scuttle is probably that character, but thankfully he is not a dominate annoyance, who is plucking me the wrong way. Ariel is perfectly likable and her innocent and imaginative personality is easily relatable and affective; especially when she loses her voice and eventually loses even more. Obviously she gains all of it back again, it is Disney after all, but I admittedly felt some emotion and excitement when everything seemed to be lost for her. This part is also one of the most amazing accomplishments within this film; the amount of emotion that Disney is able to pull from such a simple story. The fact that they remove the voice of the main character, leaving the animators to rely almost entirely on facial expressions alone – and still pulling it off wonderfully – is truly a great achievement.
'The Little Mermaid' is a beautiful pearl of a movie inside a sturdy shell, spotting some surfaced cracks that show slight imperfection and a little fragileness – a perfect fit for Disney, since they often follow their formulas too perfectly or operate a bit off course. Here they seem to have found a true treasure, keeping a new and tighter formula, which depends on strong but simple stories, well-rounded characters, wonderfully clean visuals and beautifully catchy songs. The latter is more modern and pop-influenced than with their earliest works, but the spirit of traditional musical melodies is thankfully still there. The humor sometimes feels a little bit side-tracked next to the dramatic core and there is also a few scenes and set-pieces that feels like filling or just don't fit completely. The action-packed climax feels a little rushed and out of context, but despite not working directly as a proper extension of an otherwise beautiful build-up, it is still a fun time to be had. This is a solid beginning of an era, which seemed to show an open sea of possibilities at the time it was made. ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a voice of a generation and definitely Disney’s very own Atlantis; no matter what future movies might tell you…
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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
251 .......................... 289
__________________________
October 16th
—— 2014 ——
Mr.
T U R N E R
—— drama ——
CINEMA REVIEWS
REWATCH
Still about half an hour too long, but nevertheless this is a very beautiful, mesmerizing
and fragile piece of work; a flawed masterpiece, like the painter himelf, J.M.W. Turner
__________________________
CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTWORK
__________________________
+
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
251 .......................... 289
__________________________
October 16th
—— 2014 ——
Mr.
T U R N E R
—— drama ——
CINEMA REVIEWS
REWATCH
Still about half an hour too long, but nevertheless this is a very beautiful, mesmerizing
and fragile piece of work; a flawed masterpiece, like the painter himelf, J.M.W. Turner
__________________________
CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTWORK
__________________________
+
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
252 .......................... 290
__________________________
October 17th
—— 2012 ——
BEASTS
OF THE
SOUTHERN
WILD
—— drama ——
REWATCH
A stunning and spell-binding small scale poetry piece
of big scale real world problems
The director of this film, Benh Zeitlin, has carefully constructed, created, compiled and composed something absolutely unlike anything I have ever seen on screen, or elsewhere even. ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ is a modern masterpiece and will hopefully go down in movie history for its open honesty, sheer imagination and societal and cultural importance. But what truly impressed me, is how this movie has such an extremely wide vision for such a tightly budgeted and small scaled little indie flick…
What really grounds the film is also what lifts the film, meaning it is the bond between the grounded innocence and the spiritual imagination of a child that generates the core as well as the heart of the film. The combination of the basics of mother earth and the beautiful mind of a fragile youth really makes this movie operate, both intellectually and spiritually, on a whole other level. We follow this little girl, named Hushpuppy, and we view the world and all life within it straight through her eyes and her mouth and her mind, completely unfiltered and fair-minded. The steady evolvement and eventual clash between her world and the real world is a progress that is truly interesting and a conflict that is truly fascinating.
I love how we, as an audience, cinematically hold hands with Hushpuppy as she leads us through the narrative, complimented by charmingly natural narration and beautifully organic cinematography. ‘Beasts’ really does feel like picture poetry, complete with an exquisitely constructed exterior and an extremely meaningful interior. It is so well-done, the way we follow Hushpuppy on this journey of perception, touching upon everything from innocence, social differences, life observations, environmental issues and all this is merely the tip of the iceberg. The world-building is also wonderfully realized and the “Bathtub” of the Louisiana bayou may be drawn from reality, but the depiction is so filled with detail it might as well be documented reality.
All the elements of reality may make this movie fit into our universe, but it is the fantasy elements that makes it all stand out. Building the fundament of the film on something real and enhancing everything with something that is mystical, mythical and magical really moves this movie from simply great to truly amazing. The ancient beasts, called Aurochs, is a constant danger lurking underneath the surface, hinting of what is to happen and finding its way through the harsh weather, while coming closer and closer to our protagonist. Whether they represent one thing or the other is up to the individual and no movie is ever as meaningful when explained. But it can be interpreted in many ways, even outside the obvious feeling of danger and things to come.
I really like how the approaching storm and marching Aurochs is a harmonized clash of harm and hazard, balancing each other out as the factual and the fantastical, respectively. In some way, towards the end, it could also be viewed how the fantasy is finally confronted once it collides with the real world. In the end something very real happens to Hushpuppy, where she has to be strong and independent. She has to stand up for herself, who she loves and what she believes in. Therefore, the beasts can be many things and mean a lot more than one thing to Hushpuppy as well as the overall story. Nevertheless, however you may interpret it all, it is the visual and structural elegancy in these images that really speaks to me. It is the feeling of something more, it is the feeling of hope and the sense of evolution of both character and story.
There is so much to love and admire in this film and the story arc of going through different worlds and witnessing different angles of it all is way beyond the written word – seeing the lower class collide with the upper class, observation collide with knowledge, fantasy collide with reality and culture collide with nature – all of this is intellectually and visually stimulating and it is a prime example of which incredible things can happen when ‘mind collide with movie’...
__________________________
With a captivating soundtrack, stunning visuals, great acting and a beautiful story. I guarantee
this movie is going to have a place on my eventual Top 100, no doubt about it.
So who's the man? Benh Zeitlin's the man!
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... viewing day count
252 .......................... 290
__________________________
October 17th
—— 2012 ——
BEASTS
OF THE
SOUTHERN
WILD
—— drama ——
REWATCH
A stunning and spell-binding small scale poetry piece
of big scale real world problems
The director of this film, Benh Zeitlin, has carefully constructed, created, compiled and composed something absolutely unlike anything I have ever seen on screen, or elsewhere even. ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ is a modern masterpiece and will hopefully go down in movie history for its open honesty, sheer imagination and societal and cultural importance. But what truly impressed me, is how this movie has such an extremely wide vision for such a tightly budgeted and small scaled little indie flick…
What really grounds the film is also what lifts the film, meaning it is the bond between the grounded innocence and the spiritual imagination of a child that generates the core as well as the heart of the film. The combination of the basics of mother earth and the beautiful mind of a fragile youth really makes this movie operate, both intellectually and spiritually, on a whole other level. We follow this little girl, named Hushpuppy, and we view the world and all life within it straight through her eyes and her mouth and her mind, completely unfiltered and fair-minded. The steady evolvement and eventual clash between her world and the real world is a progress that is truly interesting and a conflict that is truly fascinating.
I love how we, as an audience, cinematically hold hands with Hushpuppy as she leads us through the narrative, complimented by charmingly natural narration and beautifully organic cinematography. ‘Beasts’ really does feel like picture poetry, complete with an exquisitely constructed exterior and an extremely meaningful interior. It is so well-done, the way we follow Hushpuppy on this journey of perception, touching upon everything from innocence, social differences, life observations, environmental issues and all this is merely the tip of the iceberg. The world-building is also wonderfully realized and the “Bathtub” of the Louisiana bayou may be drawn from reality, but the depiction is so filled with detail it might as well be documented reality.
All the elements of reality may make this movie fit into our universe, but it is the fantasy elements that makes it all stand out. Building the fundament of the film on something real and enhancing everything with something that is mystical, mythical and magical really moves this movie from simply great to truly amazing. The ancient beasts, called Aurochs, is a constant danger lurking underneath the surface, hinting of what is to happen and finding its way through the harsh weather, while coming closer and closer to our protagonist. Whether they represent one thing or the other is up to the individual and no movie is ever as meaningful when explained. But it can be interpreted in many ways, even outside the obvious feeling of danger and things to come.
I really like how the approaching storm and marching Aurochs is a harmonized clash of harm and hazard, balancing each other out as the factual and the fantastical, respectively. In some way, towards the end, it could also be viewed how the fantasy is finally confronted once it collides with the real world. In the end something very real happens to Hushpuppy, where she has to be strong and independent. She has to stand up for herself, who she loves and what she believes in. Therefore, the beasts can be many things and mean a lot more than one thing to Hushpuppy as well as the overall story. Nevertheless, however you may interpret it all, it is the visual and structural elegancy in these images that really speaks to me. It is the feeling of something more, it is the feeling of hope and the sense of evolution of both character and story.
There is so much to love and admire in this film and the story arc of going through different worlds and witnessing different angles of it all is way beyond the written word – seeing the lower class collide with the upper class, observation collide with knowledge, fantasy collide with reality and culture collide with nature – all of this is intellectually and visually stimulating and it is a prime example of which incredible things can happen when ‘mind collide with movie’...
__________________________
With a captivating soundtrack, stunning visuals, great acting and a beautiful story. I guarantee
this movie is going to have a place on my eventual Top 100, no doubt about it.
So who's the man? Benh Zeitlin's the man!
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Oliver & Company is one of my least favourite Disney's. That's just from memory though haven't see it in years. Little Mermaid is top ten for me probably, i think it impresses me more than i actually enjoy it though. Haven't seen the latest two, i have been wanting to try Mr Turner.
Great reviews
Great reviews
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Finally a comment! Thanks for checking in, Camo, I appreciate it as always. Whether it is a discussion, a quick comment, whatever. So, uh, feel free to comment people. 
I expected to dislike Oliver but was surprised to see me enjoy it quite a bit. Don't remember it from childhood. I agree with how Mermaid impresses more than it's enjoyed, but the two are probably closer together for me than you. Mr. Turner is worth a look.
What's your thoughts on Beasts? Edit: woops, I just saw you hadn't seen it! Sorry
So, uh, feel free to comment people. I expected to dislike Oliver but was surprised to see me enjoy it quite a bit. Don't remember it from childhood. I agree with how Mermaid impresses more than it's enjoyed, but the two are probably closer together for me than you. Mr. Turner is worth a look.
What's your thoughts on Beasts? Edit: woops, I just saw you hadn't seen it! Sorry
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