I've seen and enjoyed "Fantasia" several times, the first during its 1990 50th Anniversary theatrical re-release. Yet when I watched it last night I grew restless during some segments, particularly "The Pastoral Symphony" and "Dance of the Hours," both of which feel too long. The dull, flat live action introductions, featuring a stuffy and overly dry Deems Taylor, stop the film cold. I found myself wishing Walt Disney had simply used title cards with a brief summary, which would have made it shorter and sweeter. Having said that, "Fantasia" is certainly one of Disney's most stunning, ambitious, and, for its time, daring achievements. The dual closing segment, "Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria" is the strongest and darkest one, with "Rite of Spring," and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" a close second and third, respectively. Oddly enough, I've enjoyed "Fantasia 2000," though less ambitious and more commercial, more on repeat viewings.
Reviews
3 Reviews
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
(2015–2017)
Beware of dog! Pun intended
25 November 2015
Though I'd never watched the original series, I enjoyed the movie that came out last year enough to want to check out the new Netflix original series. Unfortunately, this was one of the most boring half hour shows I've watched in a long time. It's a never a good sign when you start looking at your watch only ten minutes in. The only positive thing I can say about it is the animation has a cute, old school charm that recalls the nostalgic spirit of the cartoons I grew up with, but nothing else works. The jokes are flat and unfunny. The characters are totally forgettable. In the pilot episode, Mr. Peabody and Sherman are trying to put on their first show but keep getting distracted by nosy, annoying neighbors, all while traveling through time in the WEYBAC to meet historical figures like Napoleon Bonaparte. If any of this was funny, it wouldn't matter that the story line is over the place. I've only watched the first of thirteen episodes but will not be watching the rest and have removed the series from my Netflix watch list.
Ricky
(2013)
Cute, affectionate parody of Rocky
2 June 2014
In "Ricky," Matt Markey, who also wrote the screenplay, plays the title character, a dim- witted but lovable loser whose girlfriend, a shallow, self-centered, utterly vapid rich girl, dumps him because, God forbid, he lacks a broad vocabulary and a chiseled physique. Though her reasons outlined in the message she leaves on his answering are they're simply "too different." To win her back, he enlists the help of his best friend Jane, played by Sabrina Bolin, to get in shape and learn "to talk better," completely oblivious to the fact she loves him and would frankly be a much better companion than the spoiled, bitchy Tracy, played by Jessica Manuel. The "Rocky" references are endless and quite funny. Ricky's pet turtles are named Puff & Stink. One of Tracy's friends is named Brigitte, an obvious but witty jab at Sylvester Stallone's former girlfriend, who played Ivan Drago's wife in "Rocky IV." It takes three attempts for Ricky to eat a raw egg because he can't keep it down. The movie is occasionally repetitive. Ricky & Jane playfully tease each other. ("Look at you! No, look at you.") It's only twice this occurs twice but it quickly becomes tiresome. Ricky has two buddies, one of them with a severe skin problem. It's refreshing to see a character with less than perfect skin. Usually, most movie characters look they stepped out of a Neutrogena commercial. (There's even an Oxy skin cream reference!) It only occurs in a couple of scenes, the friends naturally crack Acne jokes, but this too gets old. Markey is believable because Ricky looks and feels like a real guy, not a stock movie underdog hero. It isn't consistently funny, but the laughs are genuine. Not a great movie but worth watching.
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