Tag Archives: Disney Movies

Captain America The Winter Soldier Review

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Captain America The Winter Soldier 1While I’ve seen all the Marvel movies released by Disney, I’ve been a bit variable about how much I’ve liked each one.  First Thor and third Iron Man – didn’t like those so much.  Second Thor?  I liked that movie a bunch.  I also thought The Avengers was just fantastic.  The previews didn’t give much away about the newest Marvel installment released on April 4th.  Personally, I tried to stay away from reviews and spoilers before I went to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so I would be a blank slate, so to speak – with no pre-conceived notions about whether the movie would be good or not.  Raymond, who’d read quite a bit about the movie before we saw it Sunday afternoon, was very careful not to give anything away.

Before I get to the mini-review, let me say that I did like Captain America (the original) very much.  It had an Indiana Jones vibe to it and, honestly, since Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my most favorite movies of all time (released when I was in high school) the connection gave Captain America an advantage to me.

It’s hard for a sequel to be better than the original, but with Marvel movies, it seems almost common.  Such was the case with The Winter Soldier.  I don’t want to give anything away, so no spoilers here, but this was a great movie!  Saw it in 3D (which we don’t usually choose) because that was the time we wanted – the 3D effects were good.

If you’ve been on the fence, here are a few reasons to see the new Captain America:

  • Robust plot chock full of surprises, twists and turns.Captain America The Winter Soldier 2
  • Plenty of action without sacrificing the flow of the storyline.
  • Excellent villains.
  • Beloved characters from previous Marvel movies remain true to themselves (this is important to my enjoyment of any sequel).
  • Introduction of new characters that work very well in developing the story and join seamlessly with the existing cast – this was a particular plus for The Winter Soldier with me.

There were thrills, laughs, shocks, and edge-of-your-seat excitement – everything you’d hope for in a Marvel movie plus just a little bit more.  I adored Captain America: The Winter Soldier and I think you will too.  As always, stay ’til the very last credit has rolled.

Have you seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier yet?  What did you think?

 

Voices of Disney – Happy Birthday John Ratzenberger

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Disney-Pixar MoviesEvery time I watch a Disney-Pixar movie and I hear John Ratzenberger’s voice, I still think, “Hey!  Cliff Clavin!”.  I was an avid Cheers fan during the show’s 11-season run on TV (1982-1993) and the show just wouldn’t have been the same without Cliff Clavin – the fact-obsessed, lovably-irritating-know-it-all postal worker.  While the character of Cliff Clavin is how I became a huge fan, John Ratzenberger’s distinctive voice has been adding fun to Disney-Pixar movies from the first.

Since today is John Ratzenberger’s birthday (born April 6, 1947), it’s the perfect opportunity to offer a salute to Mr. Ratzenberger’s contribution to some of the very best, most entertaining movies of all time.

Thank you, John Ratzenberger for these memorable characters:

Toy Story – all three movies:  the voice of Hamm the Piggy Bank.  “Pardon me. I hate to break up the staff meeting, but… they’re here! Birthday guests at three o’clock!” – Hamm, Toy Story

A Bug’s Life – P. T. Flea – the harried, stressed out circus leader.  ” [singing] I’m gonna be rich, rich, rich I’m gonna be rich, rich, rich I’m gonna be the richest flea in the land, ka-ching! The streets will be paved with golden retrievers...” – P. T. Flea

Monsters, Inc. – The Abominable Snowman / Yeti.  “Wasteland? I think you mean “Wonderland”! I mean, how about all this fabulous snow, huh? Oh, and wait until you see the local village, cutest thing in the world. I haven’t mentioned all the free yak’s milk.”

Finding Nemo – The School of Moonfish – that school of fish that stops to help Dory with directions and forms shapes in answer to her questions.  “Hey, hey! You like impressions?” – School of fish

The Incredibles – The Underminer (villain that arrives from underground at the very end of the movie).  “Behold, the Underminer! I’m always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me! I hereby declare war on peace and happiness! Soon, all will tremble before me!” – The UnderminerHamm the Pig in Toy Story

Cars (both) – Mack the Truck – Lightning McQueen’s transportation.  “California, here we come!” – Mac

Ratatouille – Mustafa the waiter –  “It was not a customer. It was a critic…  …She likes the soup.” – Mustafa

WALL-E – John – “Hey… I know that guy! It’s uh, uh… WALL-E! That’s it! Hey – WALL-E! It’s your buddy John!”

Up – Tom the construction worker – “Well just to let you know, my boss would be happy to take this old place off your hands, and for double his last offer. Whaddya say to that?” – Construction Foreman Tom

Brave – Gordon the Guard – I’m sorry I have not quote for this character, but a trivia tidbit instead:  Many people had a hard time finding John Ratzenberger in Brave because the character spoke with a Scottish accent!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Ratzenberger – I can’t wait to see what you surprise us with next!

What’s your favorite Disney-Pixar character voiced by John Ratzenberger? 

 

Voices of Disney – Remembering Eleanor Audley (1905-1991)

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IMG_2518Two of the most wicked, scariest Disney villains of all time have got to be Lady Tremaine and Maleficent.  These two were just perfectly evil!  Devious?  Check.  Arrogant?  Check.  Self-serving, power-hungry schemers?  Double-check!  Long before it was fashionable to be a snarky baddie with comedic one-liners (Scar, Ursula and Hades, for example) – the classic Disney villains were just plain rotten.

How wonderfully perfect that both Lady Tremaine and Maleficent were both voiced by Eleanor Audley.  It says a lot, I think, about what a fantastic job Mrs. Audley did in Cinderella that she got the job voicing a second, dare I say scarier, Disney villain nine years later.  Lady Tremaine and Maleficent have a lot in common, but were completely different in the skills they used to pursue their own agendas.  Both characters inspired such dislike in viewers, their influence and fame live on today in more places than the original films.

Personally, I’m excited to see Maleficent (the movie) in May – I’ll be curious to see how true to the original character this version portrays Sleeping Beauty’s nemesis.  I’m also excited to see, also in May, Lady Tremaine and her darling daughters, Anastasia and Drizella  at 1900 Park Fare’s character dining experience (at Disney’s Grand Floridian).  These memorable (if not beloved) characters would not be so famous and so Maleficent on Sleeping Beauty movie coverpresent today had Eleanor Audley not done such a tremendous job on their first appearances.  The facial features of both villains were based on Mrs. Audley as drawn by Marc Davis.

So, we know that Eleanor Audley did sinister really well – she even voiced Madam Leota (originally) for the Haunted Mansions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but did you know she also appeared in many well-known TV shows of the 50’s and 60’s?  I won’t bore you with an exhaustive list, but the number of different shows for which Mrs. Audley appeared as a recurring (or one-time) character is mind-blowing!  Here are the ones that surprised me the most:

  • Father Knows Best (1956) – bit parts in several episodes
  • I Love Lucy (1957) – two episodes, different characters
  • The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1956-1958) – Four appearances as different characters
  • Dennis the Menace (1960) – One episode
  • Perry Mason (1958-1960) – Two episodes
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1963) – Bit part, one episode, Mrs. Billings in three episodes.
  • The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1964) – Three episodes as Mrs. Millicent Schuyler-Potts
  • The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1965) – One episode
  • Hazel (1961-1965) – Different characters in four episodes
  • Green Acres (1965-1969) – Played Mother Douglas in 14 episodes – Isn’t this GREAT?!!! Awesome!
  • My Three Sons (1969-1970) – Mrs. Vincent in 9 episodes

Well, there you go!  If you grew up on reruns of these shows like I did, isn’t it unbelievable that the lady who voiced Lady Tremaine and Maleficent appeared in so many of these programs?  Did Eleanor Audley’s appearance in any of these surprise you?

 

Muppets Most Wanted – Mostly Great!

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Muppets Most Wanted Movie PosterAfter all the many previews over the months (years?) leading up to the theatrical release of Muppets Most Wanted, it’d be pretty hard to write a review that contains many, if any, spoilers.  All the previews pretty much show what the movie is all about.  I couldn’t wait to see it anyway.  So we caught a Sunday matinee – The Fam plus Meg’s boyfriend, Grant.  Personally, the movie was what I expected.  No more, no less.  A little longer than necessary with a superfluous musical number thrown in here and there, Muppets Most Wanted was exactly as promised – a sequel maybe not as good as the first.  IF the “first” we’re talking about is the original movie debut of the Muppets way back in the 70’s and not the gang’s 2011 picture.

The original (epic, fantastic, classic), 1979 The Muppet Movie, created the perfect mix of humor, sentimentality, music, and the very best in cameo appearances – all in precise balance Muppets Most Wanted Ticket Stubbetween Muppet and human characters.  At 95 minutes, The Muppet Movie told a very basic story about how the actual movie itself came into existence.  By contrast, Muppets Most Wanted, which also tells an excellent story and makes even better use (to me) of cameo appearances, is a little less precise in accomplishing the same goal – using humor, sentimentality, and music less effectively during its 112 minute runtime.  The balance between Muppet and human characters is as perfect as can be, though.

The plot involving the double characters of Kermit and Constantine works very well – Constantine’s selfishness and ego are in perfect opposition to Kermit’s generosity and humility.  The heart of each character from Piggy to Scooter, Walter, and Gonzo (and the rest) remains true to previous movies and TV shows.  They act the way we expect them to in the manner we’ve grown to love over the years.  Surprisingly, many of the original, early Muppets are nearly left out completely, which I found disappointing.  Perhaps this was necessary in order to beef up the cameos – in that case, it was worth it.

Fozzie the Bear Disney PinTo sum it all up – I thought Muppets Most Wanted was entertaining and true to the heart and soul of previous Muppet movies.  I liked it a little more than The Muppets (2011) and a lot less than The Muppet Movie (1979).  There are some clever, wonderfully unforgettable scenes in this newest installment in the Muppet movie lineup.  I can’t help but feel that if the director had tightened it up by dropping a couple of unnecessary scenes and musical numbers, it would have been perfection.  No, it’s not doing well at the box office, but I don’t care.  I’m a Muppet fan like I’m a Disney fan and that means I’m loyal no matter what.

Did you see Muppets Most Wanted this weekend?  What did you think?