Monday, January 30, 2012

Disney Film Project Podcast - Episode 56 - Real Steel


This week the DFPP team heads to the future only to discover that in a world where boxing has gone to the robots only one boy, his robot, and his dad can survive the Japanese YouTube sensation in the 2011 science fiction drama Real Steel.

Listen, download, etc.

Show notes:

Enjoy the show!


Monday, January 23, 2012

Disney Film Project Podcast - Episode 55 - Dead Poets Society


This week, the DFPP team chooses to seize the day, as we take a look at the new Blu Ray release of Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams as John Keating, the professor we all wish we had in school. Join us for tales of dead poets, romance and more, some of it not suitable for the kiddies. (Fair warning.)

Listen, download, etc.

Show notes:

Enjoy the show!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Disney Film Project Podcast - Episode 54 - The Jungle Book


This week the DFPP team finds themselves in the jungles of India in search of the elusive Wolf-Boy who manages save himself from the claws of the Tiger King with the aid of a bear, a panther, and some fire in the 1967 animated classic The Jungle Book.


Show Notes:

Enjoy the show!


Friday, January 6, 2012

Disney Film Project Podcast - Episode 53 - 102 Dalmatians


To kick off their second year the DFPP team goes to visit their old friend Cruella in the asylum only to discover she’s out on parole and still obsessed with spots in the 2000 live action sequel to a live action remake of an animated film 102 Dalmatians.


Show Notes:

Enjoy the show!



Tuesday, January 3, 2012

All In a Nutshell

When watching Donald Duck battle it out with Chip and Dale in All In a Nutshell, it occurred to me that everything would be so much simpler for Donald if he paid protection money of a kind to the chipmunks.  After all, it seems like every time he settles down to a meal or to a business venture, Chip and Dale show up to ruin it.  If he just gave them a little food every time, I imagine he’d be alright.  He usually has more than enough to go around.



In this version of the epic war between these parties, Donald has set up a roadside stand to sell Don’s Nut Butter.  The catch?  His stand is shaped in the form of an acorn, which attracts the attention of the chipmunks rather quickly.  They’re out gathering acorns for food, after Donald has stolen their acorns to make his nut butter.  Hilarity ensues.



What I find somewhat interesting about this version of this long running battle is that most of the short involves Chip and Dale trying to hijack the giant acorn stand, instead of messing with Donald directly.  Their efforts are futile, of course, but they are quite entertaining.  It’s when we finally see the two crack the shell of the acorn that the real fun of working against Donald begins.  But that doesn’t happen until about midway through the short.



While it’s fun to see these little skirmishes between Donald and the chipmunks, it ultimately doesn’t add much to the overall war.  There’s nothing new or original in this short, it falls mostly along the lines of every other Chip and Dale short.  To be fair that’s not a bad thing, as these shorts are generally entertaining.  The fun and whimsy of these shorts make them easy to watch, even when there’s nothing new. 



My problem is that I expect big things of Disney, and there’s not big things in the Chip and Dale shorts.  They are formulaic, lack any sort of breakthrough animation and do not measure up artistically with the earlier shorts.  Again, they’re fun and entertaining, and that counts for a lot.  There are many other companies that produced shorts that were not entertaining during this period.  While I enjoy Chip and Dale, I don’t think it’s enough to make for classic Disney fare.  Enjoy it for the brief escapism that it is.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Disney Film Project Podcast - Episode 52 - 101 Dalmatians



To finish out their first year the DFPP team has a Close call with Cruella De Vil as they discover her passion for little spotted puppies is about as over the top as the rest of her wardrobe in the 1996 live action remake 101 Dalmatians.

Enjoy the show!