Lady and the Tramp - 9 stars out of 10

Lady and the Tramp - 9 stars out of 10

“Lady and the Tramp” has everything that you’d expect from a Disney classic.  Cute characters, comedy, good voice acting, a memorable moment, and a happy ending.  But the details are what set this film apart from the others.  Long before Steven Spielberg had the idea to shoot “E.T. the Extraterrestrial” from a child’s viewpoint by lowering the height of the cameras, Walt Disney animated “Lady and the Tramp” from a dog’s perspective.  The animators created models of the house and took pictures from low angles to help transport us into the dog world.  Very little of the humans’ faces are shown to keep the film’s perspective within the canine community.  This film is Disney animal animation at its finest, highlighting the natural appearance of different dog breeds while characterizing them through their stereotypes (English bulldog, Chihuahua, and my favorite: Jock the Scottish terrier).  The stereotypes extend to the other animals, especially the Siamese cats and the beaver.  The zoo creates a perfect setting for a “Bambi sequence,” in which the animators have a chance to show off their skills through realistic animal movement, while the script ties the scene into the plot through Lady’s muzzle.  The film is very clever, using the shadows in the pound to make all of the dogs appear to be wearing stripes, and creating harmony in the songs through the barking and howling of the characters.  One thing that I love about this story is that it is very honest.  The opening scene where Darling receives Lady in a hat box was inspired by a gift exchange between Walt and his wife, and Walt uses his fond memory to remind us of our own sentimental experiences with dogs.  I also think that the love story is very pure as it is experienced by two dogs that do not have any ulterior motives.  That is why the spaghetti scene has become one of the most iconic love scenes in all of film – their love is completely innocent.  I also believe that this film speaks to adults who can relate to a dog becoming less of a priority once a child arrives, and the writers purposefully cue the adults in to what the change is between Jim Dear and Darling before it is made obvious to children.  The comic treatment of pregnancy is definitely memorable.  The voice acting is fantastic with Barabara Luddy (Kanga, Merryweather, Mother Rabbit in “Robin Hood”) as Lady, Bill Thompson (White Rabbit, Mr. Smee) in five different roles that required five different accents (Cockney, Irish, Scottish, German, and Italian), Verna Felton (Fairy Godmother, Queen of Hearts, Dumbo’s Mother) as Aunt Sarah, and Thurl Ravenscroft (singer in many Disney films) as the alligator.  I believe that a lot of the Disney magic from the 50’s through the 70’s comes from the various combinations of these refined voice actors.  It is also worth noting that Alan Reed (the voice of Fred Flintstone) voiced a character in this film 5 years prior to the release of “The Flintstones.”  While this film doesn’t have a lot of Disney’s most well-known musical hits, the songs are very beautiful.  From the opening sequence that places an original song overtop of Silent Night to the magical atmosphere created by Bella Note and the dog back-up singers in He’s A Tramp, I find this to be one of the most underrated Disney soundtracks.  When you compare this film to “Oliver and Company,” it is amazing how superior one dog film can be to another.  “Lady and the Tramp” is the complete package and should not be looked over when listing the Disney masterpieces.

[Pictured: How could I post any other picture with this review?]

Spice World - 3 stars out of 10

Spice World - 3 stars out of 10

“Spice World” is far from a great film.  These girls aren’t actors and the story is a means to an end.  What “Spice World” DOES accomplish is the cultural preservation of the late 90’s Spice Girls phenomenon.  The film doesn’t really have a plot; in fact, it is more of an anti-plot as the random flashbacks and dream sequences try to create some semblance of a story but just make everything more disjointed than before.  The lack of action brings all of the attention to the personalities of the girls.  If you don’t have a favorite before watching this, you will after (or you will just despise them all, but they are actually pretty likable).  Despite the disdain of critics, this film was a box office smash.  While the Spice Girls have become a forgotten chapter in pop history, I appreciate that this film allows them to live on and serves as a reminder of how big they actually were.  If nothing else, “Spice World” will make you pull out your old Spice Girls cassettes and rock out to Wannabe like it’s 1996.

[Pictured: ...how did this look normal in the 90's?]

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - 10 stars out of 10

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - 10 stars out of 10

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” lives up to the high expectation set by “X-Men: First Class.”  This series, a prequel to the trilogy that was made from 2000-2006, explores the origins of the characters and the challenges faced at Charles Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  However, it is clear that this is more than a stand-alone trilogy.  “Days of Future Past” has creatively connected the dots between the old trilogy and the new trilogy, something that I am not sure has ever been done.  Bryan Singer has somehow found a way to meld the young X-Men into a plot with their elder alter-egos, which could technically make this film a fourth installment in the original trilogy rather than a second installment in the prequel trilogy.  More importantly for X-men fans, this could even explain away the highly controversial main character killing spree in “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006).  I couldn’t help but walk away from this film thinking about how the connection between trilogies is genius (and how the confusing title is actually a perfect description of the film).  The story itself is really interesting too, using knowledge of future events to help Charles pull his life together and to show the duality of Magneto and Charles being friends and foes.  All of the acting is well executed from James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence to Patrick Stewart and Ellen Page.  I think that everybody will fall in love with Quicksilver’s powers as they provide comedy while being integral to the plot and really cool.  His orchestrated escape from the Pentagon is one of the greatest sequences of special effects that I have ever seen.  That will always be the iconic scene of this movie.  I also appreciate that all loose ends were taken care of, particularly the explanation that the altered history’s effects on the future aren’t applied until Wolverine wakes up, and the fact that Hugh Jackman is the only actor to cross over between trilogies since Wolverine ages at such a slow rate.  “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is basically flawless but will be very confusing if you do not have any knowledge of the original trilogy.

[Pictured: One of the best scenes from the entire X-Men franchise]

Five Easy Pieces (1970) - 3 stars out of 10

Five Easy Pieces (1970) - 3 stars out of 10

“Five Easy Pieces” was a total disappointment.  Perhaps I had a false expectation after reading the synopsis, but that is no excuse to create a movie in which nothing really happens.  I had so much hope that the story would use classical music as a means of understanding the characters’ quirks or as redemption for one of them, but their musical fame had nothing to do with who they were or how the story play out.  They could have been professional bowlers or card players for all we care, and the story would’ve worked out the same way.  The biggest draw for this film is its interesting characters; unfortunately, they are unutilized.  The story is composed of uneventful travel, random sex, and sporadic yelling instead of interesting character transformations.  The performances of Jack Nicholson and Karen Black are impressive and their Oscar nominations are understandable, but I have a hard time rationalizing the nomination for Best Picture.  Perhaps I just need to go watch “Music of the Heart” to get my fix of sentimental music journeys, but “Five Easy Pieces” left me wanting more.

[Pictured: One of the only interesting things to happen during this movie]

Boyhood - 10 stars out of 10

Boyhood - 10 stars out of 10

"Boyhood" is one of the boldest and most fascinating film undertakings in cinema history.  Richard Linklater, the innovative director who conceptualized the "Before Sunrise" trilogy (whose characters and actors age nine years between each film) has used that idea to make a much bigger statement. I have always been blown away by the experience of watching his characters at three different stages of their lives and with "Boyhood," you have the opportunity to literally watch two children grow up on-screen.  It is like looking through a photo album of these children’s lives from first grade through graduation.  While watching these characters grow up, we also get to see the world progress around them. Everything from the music to the politics to the hair styles change with each new scene.  This is the story of our culture – not the Hollywood stereotype, but the culture of our everyday lives.  Beyond the conceptual genius of this film, the story is fascinating.  The script was adapted throughout the years, sometimes even on the night before shooting, to harness the emotions that Ellar Coltrane was experiencing in his life.  We don't always realize the impact of one small event on a child's life, but this story uses a mixture of significant and insignificant events as a window through which we see the child develop.  The candid dialogue creates a documentary feel but more importantly shows the evolution of the characters’ personalities, priorities, and aspirations.  The performances by Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Marco Perella are stunning, particularly Arquette’s emotional commentary on how quickly life passes by.  It is interesting to see how the parents rotate from being the good parent to the bad parent and back again throughout the years.  It really makes you consider how much selfishness and selflessness affect parenting.  There are certainly moments where the acting of the kids falls short of expectation but, since we have never watched a child play one role for twelve years, it is natural to expect stronger and weaker movements throughout the film.  It was actually pretty fun to see Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater’s acting chops mature throughout the movie.  The movie is a bit of a marathon since there isn’t much action in this 165-minute, conversation-driven story.  I wasn't terribly impressed with the first half hour, but then the full scope of the film started to set in. You can't help but continually say "Can you believe that this is the same kid from the beginning!?!?"  This film is destined to take home some Oscars, particularly Best Original Screenplay.  The sheer undertaking of this project and the final product are absolutely stunning.  When Linklater and these actors began this 12-year project in May 2002, there is no way that they could have anticipated the true magic of watching these characters age.  Some of the drug usage and strong language is unfortunate because I wish that this was a family-friendly film that everybody could experience; however, the ups and downs of “Boyhood” are what make it such a true telling of the formative years and I believe that it will forever remain a significant landmark in the history of film.

[Pictured: When this movie begins, you can’t imagine what this child will look like at age 18]

Interstellar (2014) - 10 stars out of 10

Interstellar (2014) - 10 stars out of 10

“Interstellar” left me speechless.  Just a year after “Gravity” blew audiences away and took home seven Oscars, Christopher Nolan’s space epic has captivated audiences and become the must-see film of 2014.  Nolan is known for his thought-provoking stories (“Memento,” “The Prestige,” “Inception”), but all of the mind-blowing concepts in this film are entirely supported by physics.  It feels very sci-fi but the entire film is theoretically possible!  Wormholes, relativity, and fifth-dimensional portals become a part of our vocabulary through Jonathan Nolan’s script, which works as a subconscious textbook that explains and creates understanding of these challenging concepts.  While you expect to see a story about space travel, this is actually a story about the love of a father for his daughter.  Your mind will be processing a new perception of time and space as you walk out of the theater, but you will find yourself talking about Cooper and Murphy.  I believe that this is what makes this movie so appealing - regardless of your interest in space exploration and physics, every heart aches for this father to return to his daughter.  This incredible display of acting makes the story resonate with each of us, as if we are the ones saying goodbye.  When did Matthew McConaughey become such an amazing actor?  He has separated himself from his romantic comedy reputation through roles in “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” and now this emotional performance.  His chemistry with Mackenzie Foy drives the entire film, even though they only appear together for a small percentage of the story.  The goodbye scene will surely leave you in tears.  Once you add in the rest of this acting all-star team, which includes Jessica Chastain (wow.), John Lithgow, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, and Matt Damon, it is no surprise that we are emotionally engaged from start to finish.  The film has been criticized for its three-hour runtime, but so much happens that it never feels like three hours.  The story, which stretches from a small family on Earth to an isolated man in another dimension, is tied together through Hans Zimmer’s inspired musical score.  I have never heard a Zimmer score like this and you can tell that he tapped into his love for his own children to get to the heart of this story.  His use of organ is stunning.  He exploits the instrument’s ability to play without any dissipation of sound to create tension in the most important moments of the film.  The music becomes unrelenting in the goodbye scene as it continually builds without ever backing off.  Unlike the epic themes that we expect from Zimmer, this score creates an ambient background for space.  His unique instrumentation includes 4 pianos and a 60-voice choir facing away from the microphones.  Perhaps the only thing more breathtaking than the musical score is the contrasting silence of outer space when the music disappears.  This film takes us to places in the universe that have never been seen by human eyes.  The visual effects artists really hit a homerun with the spherical wormhole, giant tidal waves, ice clouds, and planet-like black hole.  The effects are so impressive and there is so much to see that it is easy to forget that TARS (the robot) isn't real.  This film is so much more than it seems, introducing us to new perspectives of time but also serving as a commentary on our misled societal priorities (overemphasis of wasteful spending and sports, under-appreciation of farmers and natural resources).  “Interstellar” may seem intimidating with its long running length and advanced physics principles, but the heart of this story leaves a lasting impression that you will want to take with you forever.

[Pictured: This is what Interstellar is actually about]

The Sword in the Stone - 4 stars out of 10

The Sword in the Stone - 4 stars out of 10

“The Sword in the Stone” is an interesting chapter in the Disney Canon.  It has Disney’s entertaining characters and classic animation style, but the story did not transition well from the novel to the animated adaptation.  It is more like an episode of Tom and Jerry than a Disney Animated Classic.  Merlin’s transformation of Arthur into different animals to educate him seems perfect for Disney, but instead it compartmentalizes the story into different segments, each of which eventually includes a chase sequence between different animals.  This interrupts any flow of Arthur’s childhood journey.  The antagonists are barely even in the movie because the story is so often interrupted by extended educational lessons with Merlin.  These school-like sequences make the film seem overly kiddish, almost like Disney’s version of School House Rock.  The lack of consistency from beginning to end is also echoed in the characters who only appear for a brief amount of time or disappear from the story without much explanation.  A prime example is The Wolf, who chases Arthur in several early scenes and is never heard from again.  Another example is Madam Mim, who is one of the more interesting characters in the story but is only present for one sequence.  That being said, the Wizard’s Duel is probably the most creative part of the movie.  This is the moment where our Disney expectation is met as the animators take two character personalities and transform them into many different animals.  It is pretty random in the grand scheme of the story, but the writers set it up so that it fits perfectly.  This sequence, along with the main characters, are the reason to watch this film.  The comedic interpretation of Merlin is awesome.  His references to modern culture are too much at times (particularly the whole Bermuda thing), but his character gives us something to cling on to amidst the bland story.  I find Junius Matthews’ voicing of Archimedes to be the highlight of the film.  We have all known a curmudgeon in our life and that’s why we can relate to this owl’s negativity with so much whimsy.  One of the most bothersome parts of this film is that three different actors voiced Arthur.  You can literally hear his voice change from a kid to a teenager in puberty and back again, all in one scene!  I cannot understand why Disney thought that this would be okay because it is incredibly distracting.  However, my biggest issue with “The Sword in the Stone” is that the titular Sword in the Stone is introduced at the beginning of the film and then ignored until a quick resolution in the last five minutes.  They should have named this film “Sing-a-Long Lessons with Merlin” so that we wouldn’t expect the story to actually be about Arthur’s quest.  The film isn’t bad when viewed amidst the history of animated films (as evidenced by a positive critical response), but it does not live up to the Disney standard and it is not a surprise that most kids have never heard of “The Sword in the Stone.”

[Pictured: One of Disney's most iconic moments]