Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 51: Winnie The Pooh

Series Intro: This is Part 51 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Winnie The Pooh
Release: July 15, 2011
Running Time: 63 minutes (wow, one minute shorter than Dumbo)
Estimated Cost: $30 million ($130 million less than Tangled)
Estimated Revenue: $33.15 million (barely broke even. Last movie to flop was Home on the Range loosing about $7 million)
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary: Abridged
Pooh just wants a pot of honey but gets distracted by helping Eeyore look for his tail and avoids the Backson, who they all think has kidnapped Christopher Robin. An unseen narrator helps tell the story as all the characters interact with the text of their storybook. Pooh finds Eeyore’s tail at Owl’s and Christopher Robin rewards him with a giant pot of honey.

Songs:
1. Winnie the Pooh
2. The Tummy Song
3. A Very Important Thing To Do
4. The Backson Song
5. It’s Gonna Be Great
6. Everything Is Honey
7. Pooh’s Finale
8. So Long

I was frankly surprised that the song “Winnie the Pooh” wasn’t just a remastered version of the original from Many Adventures. I didn’t like the new version. However, the rest of the songs were true to the oringinal.

Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5
It just didn’t seem like enough was happening/happened the entire movie. I felt a little jipped at the length and then not given powerhouse stories. Although I did enjoy that Pooh’s quest for honey was carried throughout the entire movie.

Animation Rating: 3 out of 5
It’s been a while since I’ve called a WDAS movie “cartoony” but this one was. It didn’t look like WDAS spent money on it. And they didn’t. In fact, they used the animation software that DisneyToon (the animation studio responsible for Disney cartoon series and direct-to-video sequels).

Final Thoughts:
Not worth the wait. And where does WDAS get off giving us only 63 minutes. We aren’t in between world wars here.

Next Up:
Wreck It Ralph

Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 50: Tangled

Series Intro: This is Part 50 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Tangled
Release: November 24, 2010
Running Time: 100 minutes
Estimated Cost: $260 million (nearly twice the cost of Frog)
Estimated Revenue: $590.72 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Rapunzel holds a drop of sun in her body, thanks to her mother using it to survive childbirth. However, the flower that had grown from the drop of sun was being used by Mother Gothel to stay young. After hundreds of years of staying young, Mother Gothel steals the baby and discovers her hair now holds the magic of the sun and locks her in a tower.

Eighteen years later, Rapunzel wants to leave the tower to find out about the festival of lights that occurs on her birthday. Of course Mother Gothel refuses, but Rapunzel tricks Mother Gothel to leave the tower for a few days.

Flynn Ryder, local thief, has stumbled upon Rapunzel’s tower, while running away from the lead horse of the guard (Max), for stealing the princess’ crown. Rapunzel makes Flynn take her to the festival to see the lights in person.

Rapunzel and Flynn have many misadventures (ala the frogs in Princess and the Frog and many other buddy films from WDAS). But Mother Gothel has grown wise to their scheme and sends Flynn’s betrayed partners after them.

After the wonderful day at the festival, Rapunzel and Flynn find themselves in harms way as Flynn is captured by the guard and Rapunzel returns home after an attack by Flynn’s partners. Rapunzel believes Flynn sold her out, and is betrayed as she just thought they were falling in love.

While home Rapunzel realizes she is the lost princess for whom the festival of the lights is for. At the same time, Flynn escapes a hanging thanks to his fellow riff-raff (whom were charmed by Rapunzel). Mother Gothel, refusing to let Rapuzel return to her true home, begins to take her away from the tower, when Flynn (thanks to his new partner, Max) enters to be stabbed by Gothel. Rapunzel trades her freedom for saving Flynn. Gothel agrees, but Flynn has another plan, he cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and it looses all its magic. Gothel falls out the window (with a little help from Pascal (Rapunzel’s chameleon side-kick). Rapunzel cries over her lost love, but her tears contain the drop of sun and save his life.

Flynn and Rapunzel return to the castle to be welcomed into the royal family. And they lived happily ever after.

Songs:
1. When Will My Life Begin?
2. Mother Knows Best
3. When Will My Life Begin? (Reprise)
4. I’ve Got A Dream
6. Mother Knows Best (Reprise)
7. I See the Light
8. Healing Incantation

Welcome back Mr. Menken! It has been too long. The music for this movie was interesting. While there were some standout songs, like “I’ve Got A Dream” (that evoked old feelings of belonging not seen in quiet a few movies). I didn’t quite like the pop feel of the “I want” song – “When Will My Life Begin?”

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5
The music, did help move this plot along, and the whole movie hand a much closer structure to WDAS’ renaissance. I fell in love with both leads almost from the moment they were on the screen.

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
WOW! Just WOW! Finally, WDAS has learnt from PIXAR. The CG animation was clean and the hair was amazing (not just Rapunzel’s 70 feet) but all of it. The soft matted backgrounds from Bolt return to make the characters live in a hand painted world. The characters moved and lived very well in the world. Of course though, there were some moments when the CG was overwhelming, but they were few and infrequent, although when they happened (say when a character was moving too fast) it did take me out of the story and reminded me that I was watching CG.

I did have some trouble believing that Rapunzel was 18. She was so much smaller and less developed than Mother Gothel and the Queen. I kept thinking she was 14 or 15.

The Test of Time:
Rapunzel became the 10th Disney Princess even before the movie hit the theaters. I think Disney was jumping the gun, and we do need to wait.

I also feel that this section will close now too, and be called “Final Thoughts,” as “The Test of Time” can’t exist from now on, as not enough time has passed.

Final Thoughts:
WDAS was extremely proud of this movie, as it marked the 50th animated movie released into theaters.

Next Up:
Winnie the Pooh

PIXAR Animation Studios: Part 11: Toy Story 3

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 11 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Toy Story 3
Release: June 18, 2010
Running Time: 103 minutes
Estimated Cost: $200 million
Estimated Revenue: $1.063 billion (yes, Billion with a “B” – $1,063,171,911)
Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Andy has grown up, as boys tend to do, but his toys remain ever faithful that one day he will play with them. But due to a mix-up the toys (other than Woody, who has been saved to go to college) believe they have been thrown away. They decide that being donated to a day-care is a better fate. Woody follows them to right their error.

All seems to be going well at the day-care, Buzz, Woody and the gang (Mr. and Mrs. Patato Head, Slink, Jessie, Bullseye, Rex, Ham, three aliens and Barbie) meet a charming bear, Lots-O-Huggin’ (Lots-O), a Ken doll, and a Big Baby. Woody escapes to return to Andy, but is taken by a young child, Bonnie. Things turn worse for the gang left behind as all new toys are placed with the two year olds. Buzz seeks Lots-O to remedy this, and he is reset to factory settings, and now polices his former friends. Lots-O rules the day care with an iron paw.

After a fun day with Bonnie, Woody tries to head back to Andy, but finds out that Lots-O is a dictator, due to the fact that he lost his child and was replaced. Woody sneaks back into the day care and begins the plot to save his friends.

After an elaborate plan, Woody and the gang make their way to the dumpster, only to be stopped once again by Lots-O. Big Baby, tired of being bossed by Lots-O, pushes the bear into the dumpster, but he pulls Woody in with him, just as the garbage truck takes the trash. Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Ham, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, Rex and the three aliens jump on to the truck to rescue Woody (Barbie stays with the new reformed Ken).

At the dump, the toys meet with certain fate several times, only to be clever enough to save themselves. However, once they trusted Lots-O to turn off the conveyor belt, things looked bleak as Lots-O double cross puts the toys in a collision with an incinerator. Thanks to the dues-ex-machina of the aliens controlling the “Claw” the toys are safe.

Lots-O is fated to spend the rest of his life on the front grill of a garbage truck, as the toys head back to Andy’s. Woody, changes the label of the box from attic to that of Bonnie’s house. Andy brings the toys to Bonnie, including Woody, and spends his last day before college playing with his old friends.

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5
This movie continues the wonderful plot of the previous two. This picture can explain the entire plot rating:

Who hasn't had to get rid of beloved toys?
Tear.

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
I know that it’s been 10 years since the last Toy Story, but it doesn’t look like that. The only thing that looks different (more advanced) is the hair.

Final Thoughts: I don’t know if I want a fourth movie. The toys clearly have more adventures to tell, but this movie wrapped up such a large chapter of their life.

Next Up:
Cars 2

Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 49: Princess and the Frog

Series Intro: This is Part 49 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: The Princess and the Frog
Release: December 11, 2009
Running Time: 97 minutes
Estimated Cost: $105 million (nearly $50 million less than Bolt)
Estimated Revenue: $267.05 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Since childhood, it has been Tiana’s dream to open a restaurant. And she is close during this Marti Gras. She has been working two or three jobs, never having fun since her childhood days of playing with Charlotte La Bouff (who’s life-long dream is to become a princess).

At the same time, Prince Naveen (disowned by his parents) comes to New Orleans to find a rich wife to return to the life he has grown accustomed to. Charlotte has her daddy throw Naveen a party. But in the streets of the French Quarter, Naveen is tricked by Dr. Faciller, who wants to rule New Orleans, and this can be done by killing Charlotte’s farther (the king of the Marti Gras parade). Dr. Facilier turns Naveen into a frog and Naveen’s manservant, Lawrence, into a copy of Naveen.

Frog Naveen gets away and meets Tiana at the party (where Lawrence is masquerading as Naveen), and convinces Tiana to kiss him (mistaking her costume grown for a real thing). This turns Tiana into a frog and thus begins their misadventure on the bayou to solve their problems.

Along the way they meet Louis (a trumpet playing alligator) and Ray (a firefly). The four go to look for Mama Odie to help solve Tiana and Naveen’s frog issue. Tiana and Naveen fight a lot (he’s free loving, she’s rule following).

Mama Odie sends them back to the Marti Gras parade for Naveen to be kissed by Charlotte (princess of the parade). Dr. Facilier sends shadow creatures to keep the frogs away. Only at the last moment, does Dr. Facilier get taken by the shadow creatures (after killing Ray). Charolette is told the entire saga and tries to kiss Naveen, but the clock strikes midnight and is too late.

Frog Naveen marries Frog Tiana (they had learned to love each other along the Bayou), and when they kissed they were both turned into human (when he married her, Tiana became a princess).

Naveen, now settle down, is welcomed back into his family, and they help Tiana open her restaurant, where Louis is the main entertainment. Charlotte thinks she will marry Naveen’s brother (she will wait until he’s much older than 6). And Ray joins his love, a star, in the night sky.

Songs:
I’m so happy to have this section back!
1. Never Knew I Needed
2. Down in New Orleans (Prologue)
3. Down in New Orleans
4. Almost there
5. Friends on the Other Side
6. When We’re Human
7. Gonna Take You There
8. Ma Belle Evangeline
9. Dig a Little Deeper
10. Down in New Orleans (Finale)

I found it odd that WDAS didn’t bring in Alan Menken (of Mermaid, Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules, and Home On The Range) considering how successful so many of his previous scores have been. Yes, Randy Newman wrote the score to Pixar’s Toy Story, Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monster’s Inc, and Car but none of these were musicals. I think Menken would have given the score more “umph.”


Plot Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
The movie has all the elements for success, but it just didn’t do it for me. As I said above, the score wasn’t enough (save for Almost There). I liked the idea of Dr. Facilier using voo-doo and I thought it was interesting that this movie took place in New Orleans. I just didn’t enjoy the leads begin frogs for most of the movie.


Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
It was so nice to see the gorgeous hand drawings again. Although WDAS had claimed that Home on the Range was to be the last hand-drawn animated feature, I am happy they were wrong. The backgrounds were still too CG’d for my tastes, and there were several moments when I had to reflect on how little growth WDAS had made in making their characters look natural in the settings. Of course the CG settings mimicked those of Bolt that they looked like paintings, but just the way the character interacted with the settings seemed too forced.

Above I mentioned the song Almost There, this song (both musically and stylistically) was the standout moment of this movie. The art deco design and oil pastel colors beautifully matched the jazz music.

The Test of Time:
Tiana has been forced down our throats as a princess equal to the status of her predecessors. I can’t help but wonder, is she only there because she’s African American. Yes, she was the star of a good movie, but I don’t think we know if she has the staying power.

Through the Modern Lens
Isn’t this modern? This section is now closed.


Next Up:
Tangled

PIXAR Animation Studios: Part 10: Up

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 10 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Up
Release: May 29, 2009
Running Time: 96 minutes
Estimated Cost: $175 million
Estimated Revenue: $731.34 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
A young boy, Carl, falls in love with a young girl. We watch a montage of them growing up, getting married, growing old and the girl (Ellie) dies, never getting to Venezuela – her life long dream. Carl, still living in their honeymoon house, is staying in the house, despite a huge construction project around his house. Then after an incident, Carl is sent to live at a retirement community. He has other plans. A former balloon salesmen, he blows up hundreds of helium balloons and makes his house float away, his ultimate goal is Paradise Falls, Venezuela. To Carl, the house represents Ellie.

Along the way, Carl picks up a Wilderness Explorer, Russell. Russell tries his best to help Carl make it to Paradise Falls. Along the way, they encounter Kevin, a large female bird with a penchant for chocolate, and Dug a dimwitted dog with the ability to talk due to a device around his neck.

Carl and Russell drag the floating house around the jungle surrounding Paradise Falls and meet up with Carl’s childhood hero explorer Charles F. Muntz; owner of Dug and the troop of talking dogs. Muntz turns out to be hunting Kevin and chases Carl, Russell and Dug around the jungle and up onto his blimp. Carl chooses to save Kevin, Russell and Dug and let his house (nee: Ellie) go.

Kevin returns to her children and Carl takes Russell back home (and adopts Dug). Carl and Russell have a lot of fun together, doing all the things Carl and Ellie did together.

The house landed exactly where Ellie had wanted to live.

Plot Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
There are a few plot holes that I’ll talk about below.

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
The characters looked like they where traditional stop motion characters. They had a wonderful “real” feel. The character designs were refreshing and enjoyable. However, they didn’t quite match their environment. They stood out. There were moments when this was reminiscent of WDAS’ use of CG in hand drawn movies like Treasure Planet or the opening of Tarzan.

The Test of Time:
I’d like to take this moment to note that the events of this movie have Carl and Russell in South America for three days. For the length of this part of the movie, I couldn’t help imagine Russell’s mother back at home. Were there no missing persons’ reports? And when they return, there were no questions asked, Mom was just sitting happily at the merit badge ceremony. Although it had already been established that his dad was not a part of his life, nothing was said about his mom. I just couldn’t get past this point for most of the movie.

As far as its test of time. not much seems to have happened with this movie.


Next Up:
Toy Story 3

Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 48: Bolt

Series Intro: This is Part 48 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Bolt
Release: November 21, 2008
Running Time: 96 minutes
Estimated Cost: $150 million
Estimated Revenue: $309.98 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Bolt is a dog actor, who has been raised to believe that his TV character “Bolt” is his real persona. All is good, until Bolt gets loose one day and finds himself lost in New York. There he meets an alley cat, Mittens, who he believes is part of the TV villain’s plot to capture his human. Bolt forces Mittens to return him to Penny in Hollywood. Mitten does not believe Bolt has special powers.
Mittens and Bolt have several misadventures and along the way meet Rhino, a hamster that believes the TV Bolt is real. As they continue to travel West, Bolt learns that he is an ordinary dog, however he still wants to be with his human, despite Mittens wanting to stay in Las Vegas.
After saving Penny from a studio fire (caused by Bolt’s replacement), Penny and Bolt retire to a farm where they both get to be normal. Penny also adopts Mittens and Rhino.

Songs:
Not a musical, and the score wasn’t memorable.


Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5
I was reminded of Cars while I watched this movie, in the fact that for the first third, I really didn’t like the main character. Then, as the “buddy-movie” feeling finally kicked in, I felt like I was watching a childhood favorite, Homeward Bound. I do enjoy WDAS’ buddy movies, so this was when I really liked the movie.
Interestingly enough, there wasn’t a villain in this movie.


Animation Rating: 5 out of 5
Now this is what I’m talking about WDAS. Finally, they have a CGI movie that looks good enough to bare the “Disney” name. The new “Non-photorealistic rendering” made this move so bearable. The backgrounds looked hand painted. The characters had cartoony looks but not overly so nor overly realistic.
For those keeping track, the last time a WDAS movie scored “5 out of 5” in Animation was for Lilo and Stich (only 6 movies have this rating)

The Test of Time:
Where’s Bolt? After he stopped being a jerk, he was cute.

Through the Modern Lens
I hope that this rings in the modern renaissance. It has been too many mediocre movies in a row.


Next Up:
Princess and the Frog

PIXAR Animation Studios: Part 9: Wall-E

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 9 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Wall-E
Release: June 23, 2008
Running Time: 98 minutes
Estimated Cost: $180 million
Estimated Revenue: $521.31
Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:(Abridged)
Wall-E is the lone “living” creature (nee: Robot) left on Earth. That is until Eve comes and the two seem to fall in love. Eve finds a living plant and her robot instincts take over. Wall-E hitches a ride to her home; where obese people never leave their seats as robots do everything for them. Wall-E and the ship have a huge battle about Eve and the plant, until finally, the ship returns to Earth. Wall-E and Eve live happily-ever-after.

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Much better than the last few! I enjoyed the fun joking of Wall-E and the hard nosed, rule following of Eve. My favorite part would have been the use of Hello Dolly!

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
PIXAR continues to up its game, however, I’m not sure I can see any difference.

The Test of Time:
Wall-E seems like it’s lost in limbo. It was such a fabulous movie, but I’m not seeing much of it around. I don’t even think my Kindergarteners would know who he was.


Next Up:
Up

PIXAR Animation Studios: Part 8: Ratatouille

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 8 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Ratatouille
Release: June 29, 2007
Running Time: 111
Estimated Cost: $150 million
Estimated Revenue: $623.72
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:(Abridged)
A rat, Remi, doesn’t feel like he belongs with the other rats, so after an accident, he strikes out on his own. He meets inept chef, Linguini, and together they become one of the best chefs in Paris. Until their restaurant is closed because of rats in the kitchen.

Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Again, the movie was fine, but I just couldn’t get over the fact that a rat was cooking. I was a bit grossed out most of the time.

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
Nothing stood out as amazing. PIXAR just continues to make wonderfully animated movies.

The Test of Time:
Remi makes appearances in at Disneyland Paris and has his own restaurants on the Disney cruise ships The Dream and The Fantasy. I hate to say this, but this movie was just a run-of-the-mill PIXAR!


Next Up:
Wall-E

Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 47: Meet the Robinsons

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Series Intro: This is Part 47 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Meet the Robinsons
Release: March 23, 2007
Running Time: 95 minutes
Estimated Cost: n/a
Estimated Revenue: $169.34 million (ouch!)
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Orphan child, Lewis, is a poor inventor, but on his way to stardom, when one day he meets a boy from the future, Wilbur. Because of the Bowler Hat Guy, Wilbur and Lewis wind up in the future. Lewis finally feels like he’s part of a family while he works on the time machine at Wilbur’s. Things turn bad when Bowler Hat Guy follows Lewis into the future, bent on stealing Lewis’ inventions. It’s revealed that the Wilbur’s family is actually Lewis’ family, in the future. And Bowler Hat Guy is Lewis’ roommate from the orphanage. Lewis’ inventions save the day, and as his dream of seeing his birth mother (before she left him on the steps of the orphanage) becomes reality, he realizes that the past is behind him and he mist “keep moving forward” and think of his future family. Lewis is adopted by the judge of the science fair, and we can see how his future family evolved out of the people surrounding him during the science fair.

Songs:
Not a musical, but a great score.


Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Overall, I enjoyed this movie.


Animation Rating: 2 out of 5
WDAS did up it’s game. The animation was less bulky and more fluid than Chicken Little, but was still amatureistic when compared to PIXAR’s current release Cars. In fact, the animation was reminiscent of 1997’s Toy Story.

The Test of Time:
Hasn’t stood up at all!

Through the Modern Lens
PIXAR’s John Lasseter took over this film and rewrote about 60% of it. That would explain why the plot was SOO much better than Chicken, but not as to why the animation wasn’t up to par. I LOVED the future world (think about it). There were lots of nods to the Tomorrowland areas of Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. Not only was there Space Mountain and the Astro-Orbiters, but the bit that sent me rocketing, was the People Movers (last time I was in WDW, I road the People Mover about three times a night across three or four nights). Plus, “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” (from Carousel of Progress).


Next Up:
Bolt

PIXAR Animation Studios: Part 7: Cars

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Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 7 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Cars
Release: June 9, 2006
Running Time: 117 minutes (another long “kids” movie)
Estimated Cost: $120 million
Estimated Revenue: $461.98 million (about $150 million less than The Incredibles)
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Hotshot, rookie race-car, Lighting McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), ties for first with two other cars in a huge race. But on his way to the tie-breaking race, he gets pulled over and arrested for speeding, in a backwoods, former Route 66 glory town, Radiator Springs. The residents of Radiator Springs are proud of their depressed town and force McQueen to stay and repair the road he tore up when trying to escape his prison sentence. Being a racing-car he wasn’t built for hauling loads and finds this task very difficult. As he, begrudgingly, fixes the road, he becomes friends with the eclectic residents and possibly falls in love with Sally Carrera. But Doc Hudson, former race car champ himself, sees through McQueen and tells the media where to find him. McQueen makes it to the race on time, without saying “good-bye” to his new friends. During the race, the residents arrive to be McQueen’s pit crew (fulfilling some of their dreams). One of the race-cars, Chick Hicks, cheats his way to the finish line, by crashing into forerunner Strip “The King” Weathers. McQueen refuses to cross the finish line first as The King is unable to finish the race. Hicks crosses first, to boos from the audience, while McQueen (thinking of Doc) helps The King cross the line – McQueen coming in third. Dinoco, who was to sponsor the winner of the race, refuses to sponsor Hicks, but offers the job to McQueen. McQueen turns it down to return to Radiator Springs and put it back on the map!

Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Overall, it was an excellent movie, but I hated McQueen for over half the movie. He was just a jerk. I was routing for him to be arrested and enjoyed watching him struggle in Radiator Springs. This is generally not what one wants from a hero.


Animation Rating: 5 out of 5
PIXAR has done it again, there were moments that I truly forgot this was a cartoon, as some of the cars looked real (except of the anthropomorphic aspect)!

The Test of Time:
A new land in Disney’s California Adventure, a sequel, a possible tv series in the works plus my Kindergarteners still carrying Cars lunch boxes. I believe Cars has stood the short test of time it has faced.


Next Up:
Ratatouille

Walt Disney Animation Studios: Part 46: Chicken Little

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Series Intro: This is Part 46 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Chicken Little
Release: October 3, 2005
Running Time: 81 minutes
Estimated Cost: $150 million
Estimated Revenue: $314.43 million
Overall Rating: 1 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Story of Chicken Little, plus a fat pig that made me feel uncomfortable and aliens.

Songs:
It there were any, I was distracted by the bad animation and iffy plot.


Plot Rating: 1 stars out of 5
I am happy to never watch this movie again.


Animation Rating: 1 out of 5
WDAS had such a beautiful movie in Home, and here the cartoony animation reminded me of when Walt himself brought the feature length to the big screen. There just was too much “Saturday morning” for my tastes.

The Test of Time:
Happy to not see this movie standing the test of time.

Through the Modern Lens
That fat pig really did make me feel awkward. And why couldn't the fish talk?


Next Up:
Meet the Robinsons

PIXAR Animation: Part 6: The Incredibles

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Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 6 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: The Incredibles
Release: November 5, 2004
Running Time: 115 minutes (pushing two hours!)
Estimated Cost: $92 million (about $10 million less than Home On The Range
Estimated Revenue: $631.44 million (about$500 million more than Home on The Range
Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
The movie opens in the 1920s, the heyday of the superhero! However, times change (as times often do) and the “Supers” are no longer allowed to practice vigilante justice, as ordered by federal law. Mr. Incredible (the hottests “Super” of the day, settles down for a civilian life with his new bride, Elastagirl, and they have a few kids. Times continues to move forward and Mr. Incredible, now just Bob, finds himself itching to be a Super again. And he takes a highly suspicious job that requires him to fight robots on a tropical island. The job turns sour as it is revealed that Mr. Incredible’s new “boss” is really a spurned lacky who has now turned evil, wanting to be the only and most power Super – he goes by the name, Syndrome. Mrs. Incredible discovers that Bob is in trouble and she hauls to the island to find him (with the older children as stowaways – these children also have super powers). The family works together to escape the island, and back in the city they work together to defeat the robot (who is no longer under Syndrome’s control). After defeating the robot, they return home to find that Syndrome has kidnapped the baby (who up until now has not shown any super powers). The baby, saves himself, with the newfound powers and Supers are welcome back into society.

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Wow! What a great movie! The story was enthralling, and the characters were three dimensional (and I’m not talking about the animation). One of the best parts of this movie, were how real the characters are – Mr. and Mrs. Incredible have a domestic dispute!


Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
The hair, the faces… all wonderful. The movie really pushed the envelope for animation. It’s going to be really interesting watching what Disney will do with their first CGI movie as compared to this.

The Test of Time:
A few years ago, when I was at WDW, the Incredibles characters has one of the longest waits (just about the same as the Up characters. However, I don’t see continued use of the franchise since the movie’s ended.



Next Up:
Cars

Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 45: Home on the Range

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Series Intro: This is Part 45 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Home on the Range
Release: April 2, 2004 (side note: I turned 20 that day). This date also broke away from either a Christmas or Summer release
Running Time: 76 minutes (short!)
Estimated Cost: $110 million
Estimated Revenue: $103.95 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Maggie, a show cow, voiced by Roseanne, has to leave her home after all the cattle are stolen and the farm has to go up for auction. She is sold to a neighboring farm, A Little Patch of Heaven. No sooner then when Maggie arrive does the sheriff tell Patch of Heaven’s owner that the mortgage must be paid up, a whole $750.
Maggie convinces the other cows on the farm, Grace and Mrs. Calloway, to go into town and ask for an extension on the mortgage so all the animals can enter contests at the fair. No extension can be given, so Maggie decides that the cows should capture cattle thief Slim (the same man who stole Maggie’s friends) and use the money to pay the mortgage. Reluctantly, bossy Mrs. Calloway and dim-witted Grace agree.
Their misadventure begin and along the way they meet a thick headed horse, Buck, and a wooden-legged rabbit, Lucky Jack.
The cows discover that Slim can yodel, which is intoxicating to all cow except Grace (she believes this is because she has perfect pitch, however the other cows and the audience know that she is tone deaf). They use this fact to their advantage during the big fight scene between the cows and Slim.
The fight goes down as planned, except Buck ruins things, and Slim escapes to buy Piece of Heaven. However, just as he is about to sign the deed, the cows come home on a run away train and capture him, collect the reward and save the farm.
Mrs. Calloway tells Grace how great Maggie has been, and wishes she could stay – despite Mrs. Calloway and Maggie being at odds throughout the movie. Maggie hears this and decides to stay.
In the epilogue, all the animals won 1st place at the fair, thus giving Piece of Heaven a buffer of money comfort zone.


Songs:
So nice to have a musical again (though this was more like Tarzan in the way of most of the music was sung by a narrator.
(You Ain't) Home On The Range - Chorus
Little Patch of Heaven - k.d. lang
Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo - Randy Quaid and Chorus
Will The Sun Ever Shine Again - Bonnie Raitt
(You Ain't) Home On The Range - Echo Mine Reprise - Chorus
Wherever The Trail May Lead - Tim McGraw
Anytime You Need A Friend - The Beu Sisters

The music was very reminiscent of old west. Great job to Alan Menken (of Little Mermaid) for breaking out of the musical theatre genre.


Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5
This was a great story. As I’ve said before, the buddy movies usually have wonderful plot and a good story to tell. This really broke the mold of buddy movies by having all three leads be female.
The only thing I didn’t like about the plot was how Maggie was so gun-ho about saving Little Piece of Heaven, when she was there only after one day. What did she do to try to save her farm? (Watching the behind the scene answered my question. Originally, Maggie was supposed be part of the Piece of Heaven farm, but the story people decided they wanted her to be the new girl, to give Mrs. Calloway more reasons not to trust her. The movie was about half finished when they made this choice, and there are scenes where you can see the gaps of where Maggie was/would have been).


Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
Beautiful. This film evoked feelings of the West, with it’s colors and lines. It even looked like previous Walt cartoons about the same period. Not much CG stood out, meaning it blended nicely in with the matted colors and simple designs.
This was the last WDAS film to use the CPAS system first used in The Rescuers

The Test of Time:
Nothing. This movie sits with other forgotten movies. The only reason I can guess, is because it’s about cows. That was my hesitation about this movie. Who wants to watch a movie about cows?
If it had done better in the box office, I could imagine seeing Maggie, Mrs. Calloway and Grace as staples in Frontierland in the Disney Parks.

Through the Modern Lens
Marketed as the LAST hand drawn animated film, WDAS did leave on a bang. Granted, it wasn’t the scope of a Beauty and the Beast but a great film. However, we know that this was not the last hand drawn film. After three movies, WDAS returned to hand drawn for Princess and the Frog
Also note, this was the last WDAS movie to be released on VHS.


Next Up:
Chicken Little

Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 44: Brother Bear

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Series Intro: This is Part 44 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Brother Bear
Release: November 1, 2003
Running Time: 85 minutes
Estimated Cost: unavailable
Estimated Revenue: $250.40 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Kenai, an American Native in a pre-historic North America, has trouble accepting his spirit guide, a bear for love. He tries to prove that he is stronger than “love” and chases after a bear, that results in the death of his oldest brother, Sitka.
Sitka, from the spirit world, turns Kenai into a bear after his fight with the bear. Kenai’s other brother, Denahi, thinks the turned Kenai is the bear that killed Kenai, and vows revenge against it.
Kenai discovers he must go to the mountain to where the sprits can be found and ask Sitka to return him to his human form. On his way to the mountain he befriends a young bear, Koda, and some moose, Rutt and Turk. The four are on the run from Denahi.
The four split up so the bears can meet the other bears for the salmon run. Kenai realizes that he killed Koda’s mother. And when he tells Koda this, Koda leaves him. Koda runs into Rutt and Turk (who had been fighting) and they make up encouraging Koda to make up with Kenai.
All is revealed in a big fight between Koda, Kenai and Denahi. Sitka turns Kenai into a human at the last second, before being stabbed by Denahi. But when Kenai sees how sad Koda is, he asks Sitka to return him to the bear form.
Kenai is now considered a man by his tribe and his paw print is placed on the wall of all the hands of the men. Kenai has truly learned how to show love through his animal spirit.

Songs:
Not a musical but some really nice songs by Phil Collins

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5
A buddy movie with a much more serious plot that Emperor’s New Groove. these buddy movies are really good.

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5
Most of the film was beautiful. I enjoyed watching it (there were just a few places where the CG effects became distracting – the fish is the most stand out place). This was the final fillm to be drawn at Disney MGM Studios in Orlando.

The Test of Time:
A direct to video sequel and a few video games, but I don’t see this around the parks or in merchandizing.

Through the Modern Lens
It was a nice movie, with a great plot. Not much to say about it.

Next Up:
Home on the Range

Pixar Animation: Part 5: Finding Nemo

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 5 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Finding Nemo
Release: May 30, 2003
Running Time: 100 minutes
Estimated Cost: $94 million
Estimated Revenue: $867.89 million
Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Plot Summary
Nemo, an Australian clown fish, doesn’t like being controlled and reprimanded by his farther on the first day of school. Marlin, Nemo’s dad, is over protective of his only child because Nemo’s mom and all of the eggs were killed before Nemo’s birth.

Nemo, showing off to his new friends, goes to touch a boat, but is captured by “P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. Scared for the fate of his son, Marlin sets out to find Nemo.

Along the way, he meets a regal tang named Dori, who has an incredibly short memory. Dori and Marlin have several misadventures while Nemo discovers a new group of adult fish friends in a dentist office. Nemo and his friends try to escape so Nemo doesn’t do home with the dentist’s fish-killing niece. After several failed attempts, they are able to free Nemo back to the ocean.

Dori and Marlin, after successfully avoiding sharks, jelly fish and being eaten by a whale, meet up with Nemo, only to be caught by a commercial fishing ship. Nemo takes what he learned with his friends “just swim down together” to save Dori.

Dori, Marlin and Nemo successfully make it back to the reef, and begin a new, less protective life.

A cut scene shows the fish from the dentist’s tank escaping, but soon they realize they are trapped in plastic bags.

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5

This movie has everything that one can ask for: comedy, drama, action, suspense and Ellen DeGeneres! From the moment the movie begins until it ends, I was actively engaged in the plot.

Animation Rating: 5 out of 5

The way the fish moved, the colors, the different ways the water moved/reflected. Once again, PIXAR uses 3D animation nearly flawlessly to tell a story.

The Test of Time:
Multiple theme park attractions – including the rethemed EPCOT pavilion, millions of dollars in merchandize, and my favorite reason to go to Animal Kingdom (Find Nemo the Musical) shows that Nemo is with us for the long hall!

Final Thoughts
Nemo was awesome!

Next Up:
The Incredibles

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 43: Treasure Planet

Series Intro: This is Part 43 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Treasure Planet
Release: November 27, 2002 (Second release this year!)
Running Time: 85 minutes
Estimated Cost: $140 million
Estimated Revenue: $109.59million (we haven’t seen a box office flop since Black Cauldron)
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Jim Hawkins, a rebellious teen, finds a map to Treasure Planet where pirate Captain Flint has buried all of his treasures. Jim’s mom allows him to go on this adventure with her explorer friend, Dr. Delbert Doppler.

Doppler hires a space traveling ship and a crew – including Captain Amelia, First Mate: Mr. Arrows and cook: John Silver. Amelia makes Jim Silver’s cabin boy. Silver, who’s right side was mostly robotics, is revealed to be the leader of the mutinous crew. Mr. Arrows is the first victim of the mutiny as the crew pushes him overboard during a solar storm.

Jim, Doppler and Amelia escape from the mutiny onto the treasure planet, but the map was back on the ship. Jim gets kidnapped in trying to rescue the map, as do Amelia and Dopper.

After discovering that the map can create a dimensional transport, Jim leads Silver and the crew to Flint’s treasure. The place was booby-trapped, a fact then B.E.N. – robot guard – only remembers at the last possible second. Silver abandons his crew and the loot to save Jim.

The planet starts to self destruct, but Jim recalculates the map to send them back home. Jim also lets Silver free, as opposed to being tried for mutiny. Silver gives Jim whatever booty he had; which Jim gives to his mom to rebuild her inn.

An epilogue, shows a slightly older Jim return from the Interstellar Academy to a party at the inn. Dopper and Amelia have kittens/pups.

Songs:

Not a musical.

Plot Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Didn’t I just watch this movie? Wasn’t it the basic same plot as Atlantis? What this plot had going for it, was that it got me hooked much sooner than Atlantis

Animation Rating: 3 out of 5

The 70/30 rule was liberally applied to all aspects of this film (both in its design, 70% old/ 30% sci-fi/tech; and in the way it was drawn). That allowed this to be a very visually appealing movie. I must say the best 3D animation from WDAS yet, was Silver’s CG arm! It seamlessly blended with the rest of his body, I had to second guess myself many times.

The Test of Time:

Lost, just like the treasure.


Through the Modern Lens
Retellings, rebootings and sequels are what rule the box office in the early teens. This wasn’t quite the rule in the early aughts.

Through the modern lens, I say WDAS has a lot to live up to for the rest of the their life, making CG segments as wonderful as those in this movie.


Next Up:
Brother Bear

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 42: Lilo & Stitch

Series Intro: This is Part 42 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Lilo & Stitch
Release: June 21, 2002
Running Time: 77 minutes
Estimated Cost: $80 million
Estimated Revenue: $273.14 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Dr. Jumba Jookiba created an indestructible killing machine named 626 (Stitch). 626 has escaped imprisonment and lands on Planet Earth (Hawaii to be exact). He gets captured by the dog pound. Jumba and Agent Pleaklet are sent to retrieve 626.

At the same time, a little girl, Lilo, is traveling around unattended, and it is revealed that she is friendless. She has been living with her older sister, Nani, since the death of their parents. However, social worker Cobra Bubbles doesn’t believe Nani is properly taking care of Lilo.

Lilo adopts a “dog” (Stitch), who makes things worse for the family. Nani looses her job because of him (and Jumba and Pleaklet) and can’t find a new one with Lilo and Stitch in tow.

Captain Cantu, sent by the galactic governing body that imprisoned Stitch, comes to retrieve Stitch no matter what the costs. To him that includes kidnapping Lilo, after Bubbles takes her away.

After a fun chase scene, it is revealed that Bubbles knows about the Galactic Council and is able to convince them that Stitch rightfully belongs to Lilo and can not be removed from her possession. Gantu leaves Earth, Jumba and Pleaklet help Lilo and Nani rebuild their house.

Songs:

Not a musical.

Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5

The plot was hard to sell at first. I was watching the movie and didn’t care for Stitch, I wanted that creature to be captured because he was just causing too much chaos for Nani and Lilo. Even by the end, although I was happy for Lilo that she got to stay with Nani, I wasn’t sure I wanted Stitch to stay.

Animation Rating: 5 out of 5

The water color backgrounds gave this film a tropical feel. It also harkened back to Snow White and Walt’s early films. So far this animation has been the best since the end of the Renaissance.

The Test of Time:

Stitch has taken over the Magic Kingdom. Yes, the movie was highly successful and yes the characters could be loveable, but I find that Disney keeps trying to shove this character down our throats.


Through the Modern Lens

More David is fine.

This movie lacks one thing most other WDAS movies focus on. The love story. Although there was a bit between David and Nani, this was no where near the main plot at all.

Grant it, I would have loved to see more of David. His character was sweat and as attractive as animated characters can get; but it was a buddy movie, in the vain of Fox and Hound.


Next Up:
Treasure Planet

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 41: Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Series Intro: This is Part 41 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Release: June 15, 2001 (Six months between releases)
Running Time: 95 minutes (pretty long)
Estimated Cost: $120 million
Estimated Revenue: $230.05 million (much better than Groove
Overall Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Milo Thatch is a nerdy linguist who works in the basement of a DC museum [Smithsonian?]. His obsession with the lost empire of Atlantis has made him the laughing stock of all the researchers. He tenders his resignation when the board refuses to hear his latest proposal.


Luckily, Milo’s deceased grandfather’s old friend (Preston Whitmore) just happens to be a financier and has recently decided to hand over a book he was supposed to give to Milo “when he is ready,” according to the grandfather. Milo accepts the offer to find Atlantis using the book (written in Atlantean).


Preston puts together an ethnically (and sexually) diverse group of explorers (keep in mind this is 1914!):

• Commander Rourke (aging former military)
• Claudia – second in command (blonde vixen)
• Mole – geologist (Smelly, creepy and French)
• Vinny – demolition expert (Italian)
• Sweet – doctor (African American)
• Audrey – mechanic (Puerto Rican)
• Florence – telephone operator (old nay-sayer)
• Cookie – cook (cowboy-Western)
• additionally dozens to hundreds of unnamed crew for the high-tech submarine

After the sub is attacked by a leviathan (where dozens to hundreds of people die), the team is on there way through the underground highway to Atlantic. Milo uses the book to guide them through. Several misadventures, and Milo finds himself face-to-face with an Atlantean. Kida (and Atlantean Princess) guides Milo around the country and discovers he can read the language (a skill lost to her people hundreds of years ago when the country sank into the ocean).

Suddenly, Milo discovers Rourke and crew are there to take the Atlantean power source. They succeed in stealing it (which has manifested itself in Kida). The crew, except Claudia, decide this is wrong and help Milo retrieve Kida before Rourke can take her to the surface. An epic battle occurs, where both Claudia and Rourke die. The crew return Kida to Atlantis. The Atlantean’s thank them by giving them untold amounts of gold for them to return with to the surface. Milo stays behind with Kida. Whitmore and the wealthy crew meet to debrief, and decide to never mention Rourke’s betrayal and never say that the energy source was ever found. Milo and Kida live happily ever after.

Songs: Not a musical. (current trend since the end of the Renaissance). The score was not memorable.


Plot Rating: 2 stars out of 5
 By the end, I was hooked into the plot, but the slow movie beginning; the adult themes (sex, death and violence); and the stock characters really made most of this movie drag. However, if this move were produced by a different company it might have received a higher rating. This type of violence and action are not what I expect from a WDAS movie. Here is one of those poor choices they make (like Black Cauldron) when they are trying to break away from the fairy tale/princess theme and they fail.

Animation Rating: 2 out of 5
 I applaud WDAS for trying the new style, more comic book and angular, and if the entire movie were hand drawn, it would have received a higher rating. However, the movie wasn’t all hand drawn and the CG graphics were poor at best. They stood out and were distracting. Where Groove animators had worked hard to make their CG effects look cartoonish, Atlantis animators just didn’t seem to care. This is one of the problems of working on five films in 2 years (Tarzan (released ’99), Fantasia 2000 (’00), Dinosaur (’00), Groove (’00), Atlantis (’01)) (and they were already working on Lilo before the release of Atlanis). The problem is they didn’t give themselves time to fix mistakes from previous movies, or make the next movie better based on what worked with previous ones.

The Test of Time:
 None. This movie was supposed to spawn a TV series and an attraction at Disneyland, but the poor reception made that fall to the wayside.

Through the Modern Lens
Last movie I was calling WDAS out for hiring a famous actor for a voice, but here I very much enjoyed Michael J. Fox as Milo.

 I made a comment above about the diverse group. I understand that by 2001, WDAS was trying to make up for the fact that most characters were white, but this seems a bit unbelievable. 1914 wasn’t that far from the American Civil War and although DC was a “Free ‘state’” there was still a lot of hostilities toward non-white people. Women still did not have the right to vote, but here a group of soldiers are taking orders from Claudia? Very few Disney films give both an historic time and location, and that is what keeps them timeless: this film gives both a time and location, and drew me out of the movie, because I continued to think about the time period the movie is supposed to take place. (Not to mention the crazy machinery/technology that they were using and the gigantic submarine that went miles under the sea!)

  Next Up: Lilo & Stitch

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Pixar Animation: Part 4: Monsters Inc.

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 4 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: Monsters, Inc.
Release: November 2, 2001
Running Time: 92 minutes
Estimated Cost: $150 million
Estimated Revenue: $525.37 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary
The monsters in our closets are real. They come into our children’s rooms at night to scare them and collect the energy of the scream to power their city. And the number one scare-er, Sully, is about to a mile-stone at Monsters Inc.

After doing so he and his partner find themselves in a hilarious situation where a small child (who Sully calls “Boo”) enters Monstropolis. Knowing that monsters at terrified of the germs on children Sully and Mike try to find a way to safely return Boo back to her world.

However, in doing so, they discover a secret plan to steal the screams from children, and hurt them in the process. After a long chase scene through many closet doors, Sully and Mike successfully evade capture from Randle (Sully’s work rival); and leave him stuck in the real world. The manager of Monsters Inc., Waternoose, is also revealed to be the mastermind of the scream stealing.

Boo returns home and her door is destroyed in a tear jerking moment between her and Sully.

Roz, who up until now was just there for a gag, is revealed to be a agent for the CDA and remove Waternoose into custody.

Throughout this ordeal, Sully learns that children’s laughter makes for better energy. He converts the Scare Floor to a Laugh Floor, where Monsters Inc. is more successful than ever.

Mike gives Sully a present. He put Boo’s door back together!

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5

PIXAR seemed to missed a bit with this movie. It had everything one could ask for, but I was left wanting something. Perhaps an ending a bit further in the future, where Boo can be a bit older. Also how long was Boo missing in her world?

Animation Rating: 5 out of 5

Sully’s hair rocked. I was pleased to see such great animation here. Most of the animation was great. I think PIXAR has taken their game to a new level.

The Test of Time:
Three theme park attractions and a Prequel due out next Summer ’13. Again PIXAR makes movies that stand the test of time. I don’t find myself watching a dated movie with outdated ideas of equality.

Final Thoughts
This is was a fun movie. But my final thoughts have to deal with the most recent time I visited WDW. When I met Sully, he silently raised his hand above my head to signify that I’m tall. I took that to mean that he was commenting on how old I was to be so excited to meet these monsters.

Next Up:
Finding Nemo.

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 40: The Emperor's New Groove

Series Intro: This is Part 40 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: The Emperor’s New Groove
Release: December 15, 2000 (Third Release this year!)
Running Time: 78 minutes
Estimated Cost: $100 million
Estimated Revenue: $169.33 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Kuzco is a vain emperor who loves his “groove,” and in the opening number he winds up throwing an old man out the window because he threw off Kuzco’s groove. After the opening number, we are simultaneously introduced to the two plot lines that run through the story: Pacha’s farm is going to be turned into Kuzcotopia (a summer house); and Yzma (Kuzco’s advisor) being fired and enacting her revenge. She turns Kuzco into a llama (thanks to the blundering Kronk who mixed up the poison with the llama potion). Llama Kuzco is knocked out and winds up going home with Pacha.

Pacha only agrees to help Kuzco return to the palace if Kuzco agrees not to tear down Pacha’s house. Kuzco doesn’t agree but Pacha’s good heart leads him to do the right thing. Kuzco and Pacha have several misadventures (almost being caught by Yzma and Kronk in a diner).

Once back at the palace, Kronk changes sides and is almost killed during a hilarious chase scene where Yzma’s potions turn Kuzco into several different animals (including Yzma into a kitty cat). After being returned to normal, Kuzco decides that Pacha’s farm isn’t the best location for Kuzcotopia (but he buys the neighboring farm). Kuzco, Pacha and Pacha’s family play in the farm land while Kronk is leading a scout troupe (with kitten Yzma as one of the scouts). And they all lived happily ever after.

Songs:

Not a musical.

The score was great though, it still felt like a musical with the music actually still moving the plot along.

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This was a great movie! It was much more character driven than plot and the “buddy/buddy – film” was a nice break from the love stories that dominated the 90’s during the Disney Renaissance. There wasn’t an ounce of romance (other than Pacha saying he loved his wife, and even that was made fun of by Pacha himself).

In many ways this harkened back to Peter Pan. It was about the adventure of the heroes!

Animation Rating: 5 out of 5

WOW! Just wow! The traditional animation was, of course, on par with those of the 90’s, but the CG effects were absolutely amazing! I just couldn’t believe that this was the same company that just earlier this year released the horrid Fantasia 2000 and their crappy flying whales.

The Test of Time:

A sequel and two seasons of a prequel TV show, shows that Disney was still running on the Renaissance formula that their movies were hits and everyone wanted more. That just wasn’t the case with this movie (it barely broke even).

Despite the fact that this was my first viewing of this movie, I had seen the TV series and enjoyed it.

Through the Modern Lens
David Spade, really? Here is when Disney knew their films were heading south and were trying to bring in big names to voice their characters.

Although historically inaccurate (which Disney is actually accurate), I thought this film presented a socially enjoyable movie.


Next Up:
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (I’ll finally figure out why it’s not just “Atlantis” - I always thought this was some sort of sequel.)

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