Disney Films - July Movie Club
Check out the first part of my Disney Movie Club!
"A young and parentless girl adopts a 'dog' from the local pound, completely unaware that it's supposedly a dangerous scientific experiment that's taken refuge on Earth and is now hiding from its creator and those who see it as a menace."
- IMDB
Woah... I'll never get over this movie.
Lilo - The weird little outcast. I feel like a the weirdo kids that didn't fit in looked up to her as a character. It was brilliantly supported with her friendship with Stitch, who also doesn't belong.
Stitch - the most iconic Disney character right after Mickey Mouse. Go to Disney Japan property or the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World, he's literally all over the place. And where you find Stitch merch, you'll find Angel merch - you know, the sexy pink experiment from the show? He's wild, destructive, and, of course, cute & fluffy. He's the spirit animal of most of us. And it's heartwarming to see his journey as he finds a place for himself.
Nani - the realest of the real. She did everything she could to keep Lilo with her. They are Ohana. As I've grown up, I've appreciated her character more and more, knowing how her story is far from fiction. Her bravery & resilience is felt in her passion & love for her sister. It's truly inspiring. Emotional, too, as I am always crying with their story.
David. What a homie. That is all.
And lastly, shout out to Hawaii. This is such a great Hawaiian adventure, and the 2 main songs really embody the spirit of this film.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
"Alice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way."
- IMDB
Of all the fairytales Disney Studios could've adapted, I'm unbelievably glad Alice in Wonderland is one of them. There are a handful of of fantasy realms that are just the pinnacle of everything the fantasy genre stands for. I put Wonderland up there right next to Middle-Earth.
First of all, I have never ever ever experienced a Wonderland adventure I didn't like. Movies, shows, books, video games - the Wonderland aesthetic is unmatched. The incredible artist, Mary Blair, worked on this project. There was no way this movie would fail, especially in the art department. I know of the many adventures Alice encountered in the original books, but I'm not sure of the accuracy between the book and this film. However, I feel that it captures the essence of Wonderland as Alice goes through tis journey full of nonsense and random encounters with curious people and creatures. If "absurd" is a word that can describe a trip to Wonderland, then it's a successful trip. And Alice's trip to Wonderland was a success to be sure.
Honorable Mention: Tim Burton's Wonderland films. They are not live action remakes. They are live action sequels, and are definitely worth a watch.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆
"When a young Inuit hunter needlessly kills a bear, he is magically changed into a bear himself as punishment with a talkative cub being his only guide to changing back."
- IMDB
Honestly, the only thing that might've made this movie better is if all the Natives were voiced by Natives. 15 or 20 years later, it would've been a given. But at least we got Joaquin Phoenix instead.
Also, how is this move 20 YEARS OLD !!!!!!!!
I owned the soundtrack to this film for some reason, so the Brother Bear soundtrack, given that I had the access to listen to the CD on loop as a kid, is literally top 3 nostalgic Disney soundtracks of all time for me. I also have vague memories of playing DVD bonus features games either for this movie or the sequel. This was a big movie in my childhood for some reason. Watching it again.... I must've always been too busy jamming to Phil Collins because I don't think I ever paid attention to how sad the film is.
The tale of 3 brothers is a tragedy. Sitka died due to indirect consequences of Kenai's actions. Kenai blames the bear instead of himself and wants to kill the bear to redeem himself as if to make him feel better. put through his bear transformation, and Denahi is left alone to track down the bear that "killed" both his brothers. That's more or less their story. What gets even more messed up is that Kenai and Koda develop this brotherly bond while neither of them know that Kenai killed his mom..... That's a topic of conversation for my therapist for sure. Like..... that's dark. I never took a moment to dwell on this. Why would I when I know every word to On My Way???
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆
"While trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world."
- IMDB
Dang, how is this movie still so good. This is 2000s gold! It's got everything - wonderful & dynamic characters, amazing art & animation, epic music, strong story, fun action - all tied together by the Incredibles family and this new chapter in their lives. The humor is still funny. I genuinely laugh the way I did as a kid. Edna Mode is still iconic. Not all the greatest super hero movies of all time are affiliated with Marvel or DC. The Incredibles is a classic and still enjoyable after almost 20 YEARS! And as a bonus - the sequel was actually not that bad.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
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