Disney Play - A Disney Streaming Service Wish List

It's been no secret that the Disney Company is planning on launching their own television streaming service and recent details have emerged that the service will probably be called Disney Play and will be available sometime in 2019. The new venture is being hailed as a "Netflix-killer" in that it's going to be the first streaming network to really go after taking a chunk of Netflix's market share.

Of course the biggest hit Netflix will immediately take is that most of the Disney programming on Netflix will be gone at the end of this year and assuredly pop up again on Disney Play once it's off the ground. Disney Play also has announced their plans to provide top-notch, buzz-worthy original programs and films to their service. There has already been a live-action Star Wars series announced, as well as a new Marvel show and a series based on Monsters Inc. The slate of original films they have announced includes a live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp.

While I'm sure the majority of Disney Play's marketing will push the big name movies and original programming, there's also the matter of Disney's vast library of film and television that will hopefully have a home on the service as well. As a huge Disney buff, I'm really hoping that the luxury of not having to worry about ratings and the low cost of using stuff from their own library, will lead Disney to provide some obscure, vintage and off-beat materials from their vault. Sure, I'm excited about seeing the latest hit movies in my living room, but I also want to watch a 1959 television special with Walt Disney promoting the Matterhorn at Disneyland. I realize I'm not the exact market they are going for, but it would be great if Disney Buff's had some extra stuff to look forward to.

This is just a personal wish list; but here's 10 things I'd like to be able to have access to once Disney Play is streaming across the internet!

GOLDEN PALACE - With the surprising cult-like success The Golden Girls has found now 30 years after it's debut, it's no wonder we haven't seen more of the show's spin-off continuation. The Golden Palace aired on CBS the fall directly after The Golden Girls closed up shop on NBC. Dorthy had married and moved away, so of course the remaining three ladies went in together and bought a hotel and worked there. They also hired Don Cheadle and Cheech too!  Obviously the show wasn't quite as good as the original series, but I always thought it was pretty darn good too. It was certainly better than saying goodbye all-together to Blanche, Rose and Sophia. It was just as funny as any other show in it's eighth season, alas CBS gave it the boot after one just one year.  Golden Palace has never been released on home video in any format and reruns on television have been scarce. It seems like the classic series in on TV all day long and that people would want to see 22 new-ish episodes. I think this would be a great addition to Disney Play and something they could actually use in promoting the service.

COMPLETE SEASONS OF WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY - The Wonderful World of Disney was the Disney company's signature show which ran for several decades in one form or another under numerous titles. The show was an anthology series made up of original episodes and often theatrical films shown in multiple parts.  While a few vintage episodes of the series have been made available in recent years, the series as a whole has never been offered because honestly, why would anyone want to watch a movie cut up into episodes and shown in black and white!? Well, I don't know how much it costs to make shows available to stream/download but it seems like the format of having a huge back catalog of programming would make an opportune time to finally release a few seasons in their entirety. Now some of this would be only to the appeal of a die-hard Disney fan but for completest sake it would be really cool to be able to watch an entire season of Wonderful World of Disney with all of Walt's intros and the promo's for the next week's episode. Also casual viewers could just drop in on any episode they choose - if they were looking for some classic Mickey Mouse cartoons or a nature documentary, for example.  According to IMDb there are over 30 seasons of the classic Disney anthology series. Obviously we don't need all 30, but a few early seasons would be nice for starters.

THE LITTLE MERMAID SERIES - From 1992 to 1994, CBS ran three seasons of the first animated series to be based off a smash hit Disney animated film. While The Little Mermaid series did not have the same beautiful animation as the feature film, it did sport the entire original voice cast as well as some pretty good storytelling.  The show has been rebroadcast over several of Disney's various cable channels and was fairly recently available on the now defunct Disney Junior app. My daughter and I started watching it but didn't get too far in before it disappeared. We'd love to finish it up sometime soon.

THEME PARK SPECIALS - OLD & NEW - It used to be fairly customary to broadcast a television special each time Disneyland or Walt Disney World hit another five year anniversary. There were also specials when new attractions opened and some park celebrations for various holidays. I'm not the only one who would love for a chance to see some of this vintage theme park footage as well as some new specials to commemorate new developments and anniversaries at the Disney vacation properties. I'm sure there would be quite an audience for a special all about the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opening on both coasts!

THE MOUSE FACTORY - Classic Disney animated shorts staring Mickey Mouse and the gang have to have a place on a Disney streaming service! May I suggest the 1971-1973 syndicated package known as The Mouse Factory? This is a far-out request as the show is very dated, but that's what makes it so good! Each episode consists of a few vintage shorts with a common theme served up by a host, filmed in live-action segments. Don Knotts, Dom DeLuise and even Kurt Russell were just some of the hosts that dropped by The Mouse Factory. This is just good pure fun that we don't see anymore!

MICKEY MOUSE CLUB (ALL 3 VERSIONS) - I don't need all of it (because there is a lot of it!) But I would love to have access to a number of episodes from all three incarnations of the Mickey Mouse Club. There's the classic black and white episodes from the 50's with Cubby and Annette. I want to see the 1977-1979 disco episodes I saw as a child. And I'm a fan of the 90's version, which eventually stared Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake (even though they came after I stopped watching.)

FELICITY - First of all, I love Keri Russell. I first saw her on the Mickey Mouse Club and had a celebrity crush on her ever since. I watched the first season of Felicity when it came on but then bailed in season two, not because she cut her hair but because of whichever guy she chose in the season opener. I don't remember who it was. Anyway, I've always wanted to go back and rewatch season one and then continue through with the other three seasons. Let's make this happen, Disney!!!

EMPTY NEST and NURSES - Empty Nest was a Golden Girls spin-off about the doctor that lived across the street from the girls. Nurses was an Empty Nest spin-off about nurses on another floor of the Empty Nest doctor's hospital. I was never really a big fan of either, but I'm surprised with all the Golden Girls success now that Empty Nest hasn't shown up anywhere in reruns. I'd give them both another look if I had access to them.

THE TORKELSONS/ALMOST HOME - The Torkelsons was a Disney branded sitcom on NBC about a single mother raising a bunch of kids in the south. It was later retooled as Almost Home which added a young Britney Murphy to the cast. Almost Home was ok, but I loved The Torkelsons! If I ever found a way to watch this series again I would jump right in!

Getting this show back would be the most exciting thing to happen to my adult life

THE MUPPETS - The word is that The Muppets will indeed have a home on the new Disney streaming service and that is very exciting. There is some talk of them continuing the very short lived 2015 ABC series which would be amazing or if they do something else similar that would be amazing too. Either way, I would certainly love to have all 18 episodes of the ABC series available to watch again commercial free (they are on the ABC app with advertising). I would also love to see a back catalogue of other Muppets material including specials and the last two seasons of the classic Muppet Show which have still never been released on DVD.

I guess we'll have to wait a year or so to see if any of my wish list has been fulfilled!

10 Favorite Films I Saw in 2015

I was able to see a lot of movies this past year. From classics to new releases - popular films and obscure titles - one thing most of the movies I saw had in common: they are light hearted. At the end of the day, when I have an hour or two to sit and take in a film, the last thing I want to do is use my brain. But here's a list of 10 of the best films that I saw for the first time in 2014.

Airport (1970; dir. George Seaton)

I got into a bit of a disaster film phase earlier in the year and watched a handful of classics in the genre, including all four entries in the Airport series. The first one is a real bang up of a motion picture with about 17 different storylines going on - some of them funny, some of them serious and a whole slew of great actors that I love. Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Maureen Stapleton...and even good ol' Gary Collins show up in this nail biter about an evening at an airport where just about everything goes wrong. It was really cool to see how much the beloved Airplane! (1980) borrowed from Airport in terms of style, pacing and some of the situations and characters. This is a really good movie, it won Best Picture for the year it came out. If you can handle the slower paced action films of the early 70's, this one certainly holds up and I highly recommend it. 

Bad Words (2013; dir. Jason  Bateman)

Jason Bateman finds a loophole in the National Spelling Bee's rules that allows him to enter as an adult and get revenge on the system that made him a looser in his childhood. Painfully funny and fantastic script, this is one of the few films that lays out a really solid story while never forgetting to be laugh out loud hilarious.
 

          Cinderella (2015; dir. Kenneth Branagh)

Kenneth Branagh makes awesome high culture Shakespeare pictures and he is an absolute master at making fantastic popcorn movies. This live-action translation of Disney's beloved animated Cinderella (1950) is both luxurious and playful. So many modern updates of fairytales and cartoons try to deviate from the original source material. Branagh's Cinderella delights in bringing the memories of the cartoon movie to life while filling in some holes and offering alternate vantage points on some of the key story elements. The result is a fresh take on an old tale that is every bit and magical and Disney as the animated film we all grew up with.  

Gone Girl (2014; dir. David Fincher)

Every year, one or two Oscar-worthy films make it into my DVD player. Gone Girl was just an intense thriller with twists and turns and surprises all over the place. A really well made movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was also cool to see supporting players Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry and Casey Wilson in such a high caliber dramatic production.

Inside Out (2015; dirs. Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen)

Inside Out is Pixar running full throttle and doing everything right. Hysterical, touching and wildly creative, this film has everything going for it. There's also perfect cartoon casting with Amy Poehler as the optimistic Joy, The Office's Phyllis Smith as Sadness and even Mindy Kaling (who I usually cant stand) was really good as Disgust. Lewis Black as the fiery haired Anger is one of those rare moments when a comic's physical and creative voice are matched perfectly with an animated character. As with any really good animated film, this one plays equally to children and adults.

 

 

Jurassic World (2105; dir. Colin Trevorrow)

I was never really a fan of the original Jurassic Park but something about this movie looked like it would be a fun Summer afternoon with my kids and boy was I right. I really liked how they completely fleshed out the idea of a theme park this time, showing how a real working tourist attraction with living dinosaurs might actually work out. The performances are great, not only Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard but the really solid comedic pairing of Jake Johnson and Lauren Lapkus as well.

On The Town (1949; dirs. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly)

Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and some other dude are sailors with 24 hours of shore leave in New York City. They step off the boat and then just go at it singing and dancing and chasing girls for two solid hours of entertainment. Unrelenting in it's energy, this was one of the first musicals to be shot on location and it's packed with great shots documenting what The Big Apple looked like in the late 40's. Man, I just enjoyed the hell out of every minute of this film.

 

The Peanuts Movie (2015; dir. Steve Martino)

This was my Facebook post the night I saw The Peanuts Movie: "When they announced years ago that they were making a computer animated Charlie Brown movie, I immediately thought of all the ways they were going to screw it up - like making them look like real kids and farting and crude humor. And then the teaser and eventually the trailer came out....and they relieved my worries somewhat but I still had no faith that a modern movie was going to do justice to a group of friends that have been so near and dear to my heart my entire life. I went into The Peanuts Movie tonight with very high expectations and very little confidence that I would be satisfied. I'm happy to report that every single frame of The Peanuts Movie is wonderful and magical. My boys (who have also grown up with these characters) laughed and giggled with glee throughout the entire movie. I was really proud that my kids loved a movie so simple and wholesome and that somebody created a movie worthy of the legacy of Charles Schulz."

 

Road to Bali (1952; dir. Hal Walker)

This is the year I discovered "the Road pictures," a series of seven super lightweight comedies made between 1940 and 1962. The films don't have much to do with each other but all star Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorthy Lamour. Hope and Crosby always play some sort of scam artists, Lamour is always a beautiful woman they run into somewhere along the way who helps them out of a pickle. The boys always come to blows over the heart of Lamour, there is always singing and dancing and there is never too much of a story. But if I had seen these movies when I was younger, my head would have exploded! There's ad-libbing, breaking the fourth wall, jokes about the movie studio, insults lobbed at each other, super corny bits and gags...they are all just great fun! I managed to track down 6 of the 7 films this past year. They were all really fun, but Bali is the one I saw first so it took me by surprise the most. 

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015; dir. J.J. Abrams)

The new Star Wars did so many things perfectly. It took key ingredients from the first film, reshuffled them and dealt them out with a deck of new ingredients which resulted in a movie which serves as a nice souvenir of all our childhood Star Wars memories and paves the way for new adventures (and merchandising) to come. Force Awakens needed to do about 50 things to live up to it's own hype and serve as a worthy sequel to what is easily the most loved film of all time. It delivered on all 50 of those points, added in another 30 things you didn't even realize you were looking for and then topped it off with about 50 things that made itself a unique and entertaining movie all it's own. Not only has Star Wars: The Force Awakens become the highest grossing movie of all time, it has set the stage for a new wave of nostalgia films that will pay homage to film franchises of the past while attempting to move forward with new chapters. The ripples of the film go far beyond the box office numbers and toy isle sales.

 

 

Honorable Mentions/Almost Made The List: Let's Be Cops (2014) was nothing new, but it was just about the laugh out loud, gut busting, funniest movie I've seen in a long time! Tina Fey narrating the Disneynature documentary Monkey Kingdom (2015) is an inspired idea that accompanies a compelling and fascinating story about a group of monkeys in Asia. Another documentary, I Am Big Bird: The Carol Spinney Story (2014) traces the amazingly cool life of the guy inside the Big Bird suit. And while at 58 minutes it's hardly a movie, but of course I ate up every minute of The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown (2015) even if professional wresting wouldn't by first choice of subject matter for the first new piece of Flintstones animation in 14 years.

 

 

What were your favorites that you saw in 2015?

Hey, Remember Treasure Planet Was A Movie People Paid To See Once

The other night the kids and I popped in Treasure Planet, Disney's 2002 animated futuristic adaption of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel Treasure Island. It's one of the last few Disney animated classics that my kids haven't seen yet, and I myself only saw it once upon it's theatrical release. At the time, it was a rare misstep for Disney Animation but having had another odd flop a few years earlier with Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) it was to signal the end of Disney's decade long reign of producing classic animated fare year after year. Now, Treasure Planet sits on a growing list of titles like Chicken Little, Bolt and Home on the Range as lesser loved and lesser known Disney Animated Films.

So it is with some trepidation that I started up the movie. For me, Disney films are best when they are about princesses and magic and funny animals. They are at their least inviting when they are trying to do something outside of the "Disney Box." Treasure Planet is not a bad film but it's one main flaw runs throughout the entire film. The character design of almost the entire cast is unpleasant and perhaps uninspired.

A dog/man scientist, a cat/person captain, a rock thing is a suit, a lobster, a spider...none of these really played for laughs. The human characters are all bland, and the Long John Silver character is supposed to be half machine half something else...I'm not sure what.

The story is tight, the action is good, there's plenty of humor...although a Star Wars reject character that only speaks through rear-end noises seems a little low brow by Disney standards. I just can't get by how ugly and unappealing the characters look.

Two characters stand out as having a traditional Disney look; a little floating shape shifting blob called Morph and a crazy robot named B.E.N who is voiced by Martin Short. These are the only two characters that could even support any merchandise from this movie. And that's kind of the strange thing about this movie, because even though it's only 12 years old - I don't think the suits at Disney would even finance a movie nowadays that wasn't chockfull of characters that would easily translate into plush toys, action figures, T shirts or the 100 Million other things they need to make a movie a real cash cow nowadays.

In the end, Treasure Planet is not as bad as it's legacy would lead you to believe. It's based on a time tested story retold by master storytellers who chose to step a little too far out of the magical world of Disney for their visual inspiration.

Frozen Breakfast - A Cereal Review

I'm a firm believer that every G and PG rated movie should have their own breakfast cereal. I'd go so far as to say we've even been robbed of Hunger Games Flakes and Guardians of the Galaxy O's too but there certainly is no good reason why it's taken the fine folks at Kellogg's over a year to come out with a breakfast cereal based on the mega hit movie Frozen. But in this day and age of minimal grocery store tie-in's, I shouldn't complain when they finally get some good old fashioned Disney cereal on my breakfast table!

The cereal is simply described on the box as "Sweetened Cereal with Marshmallows." Back in the day, you'd have to come up with how the shape of the cereal related to the franchise it was based on. Ninja nets or Donkey Kong barrels were some good eatin' back then. Now, they don't find the need to come up with anything as long as the colors of the marshmallows follow the scheme of all the other merchandising. The marshmallows however, have been identified as Snow and Ice Crystal Marshmallows. So we got that going for us. The shape of the cereal pieces is a generic square, the exact same mold used for Kellogg's new Jif Peanut Butter cereal. They must really be getting their money out of the new Kellogg's Square Cereal Machine!

 

Frozen cereal tastes about as average as any other quick cash grab cereal would. Not quite as tasty as Lucky Charms, but pretty similar. The squares have a little bit of a sweetened varnish that keeps them from getting soggy and gives the little squares a nice flavor. The mini marshmallows are standard fare and will remind you of all the mashmallow based cereals you had as a kid.

Of course there is no prize inside the box, but what is really a let down is that the box has a cover image on both sides. There are no Frozen Fun Facts or a maze or nothing on the back of the box, and having something to read at breakfast time is a must! The box is a self-proclaimed Collector's Edition, it is shinny which is kind of cool...but at least a maze helping Olaf find his carrot nose or something would have liven up the clip art filled box.

Bottom line: My two year old daughter was beyond overjoyed when I took the box out of the grocery bag and she danced around the kitchen hugging it and singing "Let It Go" for 20 minutes - and I suppose that's what it really is all about...and not something to please a 41 year old guy obsessed with cereal based on movies.

Another Pointless List of Every Movie I Watched Last Year - 2014 Edition

Man, I watched a lot of Super Hero movies this year!

Edited 2/5/2015: Per request by a reader, I have added the date of each screening and took it one step further and also added the venue or source for each film. DVDs from Netflix are labeled Netflix DVD, while Netflix is used for films streamed through their service. Simply DVD is used for films from my own personal library.

So here we go with the complete list of every movie I watched in 2014:

1.  Saving Mr. Banks (2013) 1/2 Frank Gettysburg 10
2. High Noon (1952) 1/6 Netflix
3. We're The Millers (2013) 1/9 Netflix DVD
4. Fantastic Four (2005) 1/10 DVD
5. The Way Way Back (2013) 1/12 Netflix DVD
6. Lovelace (2013) 1/13 Netflix
7. Mel (1998) 1/14 DVD
8. Critters 2 (1988) 1/16 DVD
9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) 1/16 DVD
10. The Lone Ranger (2013) 1/18 Netflix DVD
11. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) 1/19 DVD
12. Turbo (2013) 1/19 Netflix DVD
13. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) 1/21 DVD
14. Loving Annabelle (2006) 1/21 Netflix
15. Meet The Spartans (2008) 1/22 DVD
16. Blue Jasmine (2013) 1/23 Netflix DVD
17. Daredevil (2003) 1/24 DVD
18. The Starving Games (2013) 1/26 Redbox DVD
19. Secretary (2002) 1/27 Netflix DVD
20. Don Jon (2013) 1/30 Netflix DVD
21. Doctor Strange (2007) 1/31 Netflix
22. In A World... (2013) 2/3 Netflix DVD
23. A.C.O.D. (2013) 2/3 Netflix DVD
24. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) 2/6 Netflix DVD
25. The Lego Movie (2014) 2/11 R/C Hanover Movies
26. Flowers in the Attic (2014) 2/11 Lifetime
27. The Rescuers (1977) 2/13 DVD
28. The Rescuers Down Under (1990) 2/14 DVD
29. Enough Said (2013) 2/18 Netflix DVD
30. The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2014: Animation (2014) 1/20 The Majestic Theater, Gettysburg
31. Iron Man &  Hulk: Heroes United (2013) 2/21 Netflix
32. Austenland (2013) 2/23 Netflix DVD
33. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) 2/24 Netflix DVD
34. Caddyshack (1980) 2/27 DVD
35. Ass Backwards (2013) 3/3 Netflix DVD
36. Dallas Buyers Club (2013) 3/4 Netflix DVD
37. Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2011) 3/6 M-Go
38. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) 3/10 R/C Hanover Movies
39. Sleeping Beauty (1959) 3/14 DVD
40. Frozen (2013) 3/18 DVD
41. Muppets Most Wanted (2014) 3/26 R/C Hanover Movies
42. Escapade in Florence (1962) 4/10 DVD
43. Condorman (1981) 4/11 DVD
44. The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) 4/15 DVD
45. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) 4/17 R/C Hanover Movies
46. A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) 4/18 DVD
47. Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953) 4/21 VHS
48. Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery (2014) 4/25 Netflix DVD
49. Honey, I Blew Up The Kid (1992) 5/3 DVD
50. Rescue From Gilliagan's Island (1978) 5/5 Netflix DVD
51. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) 5/7 R/C Hanover Movies
52. Josie and the Pussycats (2001) 5/9 DVD
53. Iron Man 2 (2010) 5/10 DVD
54. She's All That (1999) 5/12 Netflix
55. Godzilla (2014) 5/15 R/C Hanover Movies
56. Captain America (1979) 5/20 DVD
57. Iron Man 3 (2013) 5/30 DVD
58. C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979) 5/31 DVD
59. The Flintstones (1994) 5/31 DVD
60. Bananas (1971) 6/2 DVD
61. Escape From Tomorrow (2013) 6/5 Netflix
62. X-Men (2000) 6/12 DVD
63. Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014) 6/12 Netflix DVD
64. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) 6/20 Netflix DVD
65. Dear Mr. Watterson (2013) 6/21 Netflix
66. Ernest Goes To Camp (1987) 6/26 DVD
67. All's Faire in Love (2009) 6/27 Netflix
68. Planes (2013) 6/30 DVD
69. Good Burger (1997) 7/3 Netflix
70. I Know That Voice (2013) 7/3 Amazon Prime
71. The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000) 7/5 DVD
72. RoboCop (2014) 7/9 Netflix DVD
73. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) 7/14 DVD
74. Ernest & Celestine (2012) 7/17 Netflix DVD
75. Smokey and the Bandit (1977) 7/19 DVD
76. Summer Rental (1985) 7/26 DVD
77. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) 7/30 DVD
78. Yogi Bear (2010) 7/31 DVD
79. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 7/31 R/C Hanover Movies
80. Captain Ron (1992) 8/1 DVD
81. Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) 8/10 YouTube
82. It Felt Like Love (2013) 8/11 Netflix
83. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) 8/13 R/C Hanover Movies
84. Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) 8/14 Frank Gettysburg 10
85. Fierce Creatures (1997) 8/15 DVD
86. Cross My Heart (1987) 8/18 DVD
87. Heaven Is For Real (2014) 8/24 Netflix DVD
88. Angel (1984) 8/25 DVD
89. Ping Pong Summer (2014) 8/27 Netflix DVD
90. Back to School (1986) 8/29 DVD
91. Every Other Day Is Halloween (2009) 8/30 Amazon Prime
92. They Came Together (2014) 9/1 Netflix DVD
93. The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story (2014) 9/3 Lifetime
94. Trust Me (2013) 9/4 Netflix DVD
95. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) 9/5 DVD
96. UHF (1989) 9/6 DVD
97. Up The Creek (1984) 9/7 MGM HD
98. Divergent (2014) 9/10 Netflix DVD
99. Waiting For Guffman (1996) 9/11 HD Net Movies
100. Bears (2014) 9/12 Netflix DVD
101. The Other Woman (2014) 9/17 Netflix DVD
102. Dumbo (1941) 9/21 DVD (outdoor screening)
103. Non-Stop (2014) 9/25 Netflix DVD
104. Stay Tuned (1992) 9/28 Netflix DVD
105. Quick Change (1990) 9/29 HBO
106. Fed Up (2014) 10/1 Netflix DVD
107. Space Station 76 (2014) 10/5 Redbox
108. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014) 10/26 R/C Hanover Movies
109. Hocus Pocus (1993) 10/27 Lifetime
110. Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) 10/29 DVD
111. Sex Tape (2014) 11/5 Netflix DVD
112. Her (2013) 11/6 Netflix DVD
113. Jitterbugs (1943) 11/8 Netflix DVD
114. A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014) 11/10 Hallmark Channel
115. Big Hero 6 (2014) 11/14 R/C Hanover Movies
116. Snow Bride (2013) 11/24 Hallmark Channel
117. Video Games: The Movie (2014) 11/25 Netflix
118. Ducktales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990) 11/28 DVD
119. Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (2014) 11/30 Lifetime
120. Farewell Mr. Kringle (2010) 12/2 Hallmark Channel
121. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) 12/3 R/C Hanover Movies
122. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) 12/4 DVD
123. Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013) 12/7 Netflix DVD
124. Jingle Bell Rocks! (2013) 12/16 Amazon Instant
125. A Very Brady Christmas (1988) 12/18 ABC Family On Demand
126. Jingle All The Way 2 (2014) 12/21 USA
127. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) 12/23 DVD
128. Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas (2011) 12/24 DVD
129. Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas (2004) 12/28 DVD
130. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) 12/28 DVD
131. It's A Wonderful Life (1946) 12/28 DVD
132. The Road to Christmas (2006) 12/31 Lifetime

10 Favorite Films From 2014

It just wouldn't be a blog without some sort of year-end review of the best movies in 2014. Since I don't see anywhere near a sampling of all the movies to come out in a year, I always do a list of the 10 best movies that I saw for the first time in the past year. This year's list is exclusively made up of titles released in the last year or so. I only saw 132 movies this past year, in contrast to the previous years 200+ counts, and I relied on alot of old favorites throughout the year. Plus, as I've mentioned last year - having a baby in the house cuts down significantly on movie watching time!

Saving Mr.Banks (2013; dir. John Lee Hancock)

Of course a movie featuring Walt Disney as a character is going to make this list of best films of the year. Tom Hanks brings my idol to life opposite Emma Thompson as PL Travers, the author of Mary Poppins. It was neat to see a number of people who I've spent my life reading about portrayed in dramatic fashion by an all-star cast. The film is actually more about PL Travers than Walt Disney, but it's still a charming tear-jerker of film.

Non-Stop (2014; dir. Jaume Collet-Serra)

A super tight thriller with Liam Neeson as an air marshal being framed for a terrorist attack that is about to happen on the plane he is on. There's so many quick little shots in this superb movie that throw you off the trail of who's behind the crime that it becomes an exhilarating ride from most of the film's run time. They also employ quite a few neat techniques to make texting an interesting thing to watch in a movie. This is Liam Neeson's best action film since the fantastic first Taken picture.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014; dir. James Gunn)

This is a popcorn blockbuster done to absolute perfection. Everyone in the cast is fantastic, the action is top-notch, the story easy to follow, and even the somewhat familiar space opera settings seem fresh this time around. What stood out the most for me with this movie, was the relentless sense of humor running throughout the entire flick. Even straight-up comedies have trouble keeping the entire movie funny, and this Marvel blockbuster was just painfully funny all the way through. I loved it! Easily the funniest of the Marvel films, and also the most accessible to those who haven't followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014; dirs. Anthony & Joe Russo)
One of the coolest events of the past movie year was how much this Captain America sequel tied in with Marvel's Agents of SHIELD TV show. Although I would have liked to have seen more characters from the small screen crossover to the big screen, it was still a hoot to have this big budget action/thriller wrapped up with one of my favorite television shows. The action sequences here are top notch and the storyline relevant to today's headlines. This was a real tense, action-packed film that also had a great sense of humor throughout.

 

Don Jon (2013; dir. Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

A funny and delightfully vulgar romantic comedy with a great cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly and Brie Larson.

 

 

The Lego Movie (2014; dirs. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller)

As you've probably heard by now, there is no reason a movie based on building block toys should be so darn good. Yet, pretty much everyone agrees that The Lego Movie was one of the most fantastic movies of the past year. The movies manages to take us to a place we've never been, and give us a really good story mixed with hilarious humor from beginning to end. Unlike other toy based movies, it's only later when you are walking through the isles of Wal-Mart do you realize how much product they were selling us.

 Dallas Buyers Club (2013; dir. Jean-Marc Vallee)

Simply put, this is one of the only Oscar-contender kind of flicks I watched this past year and it was really good. Matthew McConaughey is fantastic as real life Ron Woodroof, a guy who contracts AIDS and helps other AIDS patients get the medicine they need. Jennifer Garner is also in this, she's always very good and Jared Leto is superb in this as well. I had no idea who Leto was before watching this, but he won the Oscar for best supporting actor - so you know he's good. McConaughey was also awarded an Oscar for her performance here.

Muppets Most Wanted (2014; dir. James Bobin)

The Muppet's 8th big screen outing was my favorite movie of the past year! It's not at the top of my list just because it's a Muppets movie, it's because 24 years after the death of Jim Henson - they finally nailed a Muppets production in the exact style of the old Muppet movies and shows. Gone are the literary adaptions or reunion attempts of the past four movies and instead is a zany, music filled crime caper that's big on laughs and little on plot development. There's at least a dozen superstar cameos, a soundtrack filled with goofy toe-tapping tunes, and the zany and irreverent sense of humor that made the Muppets a household name back in the 70's. Muppets Most Wanted is easily the best Muppets production since the passing of Jim Henson in 1990, and even though their last film, The Muppets (2011),  has it's loyal fans...as a life long Muppets aficionado I declare this film ten times better!

They Came Together (2014; dir David Wain)

True parody is dead. Over the last 10 years of so, parody has been watered down to just pointing something out or making a pop culture reference and leaving it at that. Then along comes They Came Together, which not only pokes fun of every contrivance of the modern romantic comedy, it also offers up zany puns, visual gags and hilarious set pieces to boot. Hands down the funniest movie of the year, this under-the-radar comedy is destined to find it's fans one day.

Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (2014; dir. Tim Hill)

I saved this one for last because I know it's inclusion pretty much negates my entire list but hear me out...This was a funny movie! Now, honestly the 10th spot on my list should have gone to We're The Millers or Enough Said or even High Noon but I wanted to include Grumpy Cat because when was the last time a TV movie (on Lifetime no less) tried to be silly and zany AND actually pull it off?! The Christmas TV movie has become a genre which is here to stay. There are literally dozens of new Xmas made for TV movies each year now. Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever attempts to skewer those flicks with this silly caper about a mall robbery and a young girl who befriends Grumpy Cat and tries to save the day. I had zero interest in Grumpy Cat before this movie, but my kids and I laughed out loud several times at the feline festivities. (Also, it was directed by the same guy who did Muppets From Space!) This will definitely be required holiday viewing next Christmas time in our household!

What were some of your favorite film discoveries of 2014?

Disneyland Guests "Sing Let It Go"

Disney put out this video where they had guests at their California park sing the (now) Oscar Winning song from Frozen. I love this video because, not only is it a great song, it shows what Disney Parks do best and that's allowing people to let their guard down and just be a big kid!

11 Favorite Films From 2013

Once again, for your interneting pleasure, a list of my favorite movies that I saw for the first time last year. Most of them are recent flicks, but there's a few oldies tucked in here too. And yes, there is more than one animated film on the list...

 

Argo (2012; dir. Ben Affleck)

Political thrillers aren't usually my thing, but this tight little flick had me gasping for air and on the edge of my seat. What's more is the playful undertone of the whole film about a government plot to rescue a handful of Americans during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. Ben Affleck masterfully directs and stars along an all-star cast. The film won the Best Picture award at last year's Oscars.

 

Batman Begins (2005, dir. Christopher Nolan)

I'm going to go on record as saying that "Batman and Robin" is still my favorite Batman movie, but I was finally able to bring myself to watch this darker more adult reincarnation of the Caped Crusader and I really liked it. I plan on hitting up the other two in the Dark Knight trilogy very soon.

 

Blackfish (2013; dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite)

Who knew CNN had a film releasing arm? Well, they do and they put out this utterly fascinating and deeply moving documentary which chronicles the horrible lives of the many killer whales who play Shamu at Sea World. I'm not really an animal person but after watching this jaw-dropping film I wanted to go out and hug a whale. I found the inhumane way animals are treated appalling and the behind the scenes look at amusement parks utterly enthralling. Blackfish was just added to Netflix Streaming.

 

Frozen (2013; dirs. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee)

Frozen is, perhaps, Disney Animation's return to perfection in the art of animated film making. While 2009's The Princess and the Frog was beautifully hand animated, it lacked in the story department. And 2011's Tangled was wonderful but felt a little tinged by modern, sarcastic humor and computer animation. Now we come to Frozen which is computer animated but absolutely lovely to look at. The animation compliments a story that is full of twists and turns, great music and some solid laughs. This is the only film I saw in the theater this year that I wanted to go back and see again almost immediately.

 

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984; dir. Steven Spielberg)

Hard to believe I didn't see Indy 2 until almost 30 years after it came out. I probably don't need to tell you - it's great fun. At this point I should see Last Crusade in 2018.

Iron Man 2 (2010; dir. Jon Favreau)

This is the year that I really embraced the Super Hero movie, especially the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I've loved all the Marvel movies but this one especially struck a cord in me. Tony Stark's (Iron Man) father in this movie is an obvious homage to Walt Disney - done so well! 

 

The Noose Hangs High (1948; Charles Barton)

I've seen a ton of Abbott and Costello's films but this one stood out a really good outing for the boys. There's a ton of their top-notch routines hung on a pretty solid story about A&C getting mixed up with the mob.

Planes (2013; dir. Klay Hall)

Here's something of a rarity in today's movie marketplace - a low key animated film. Disney wasn't trying to make a huge blockbuster film with this Cars spin-off, in fact they were making a direct-to-DVD movie. Without the pressure to produce a mega blockbuster, Disney turned out an almost quiet and very charming little cartoon...and it still went on to make them a ton of money. (There's a sequel on the way this summer.)

Rock of Ages (2012; dir. Adam Shankman)

If you were around in the 80's then you can't help but at least tap your feet to this jukebox musical which takes at least a dozen and a half chart topping tunes from the Me Decade and weaves them into a rock and roll saga. Great cast, great fun!

Scooby-Doo! The Mask of the Blue Falcon (2012; dir. Michael Goguen)

These Scooby-Doo DVD movies keep getting better and better. In the gang's 19th animated flick, they find themselves wrapped up in mystery at Comic-Con. Not only are they so many neat references to the entire Hanna-Barbera stable of characters, the film also cleverly parodies comic book culture, modern adaptions of classic properties and the current state of internet users obsessing over every detail of a movie before it comes out. This cartoon is much more sophisticated than you'd think.

This Is The End (2013; dir. Seth Rogan & Evan Goldberg)

Probably the funniest movie of the year.

My Week In Movies - Did You Hear the One About the Tramp and the Fat Kid?

Dirty Girl (2011) It's rare that I see a trailer for a film on a DVD and then end up watching that movie a week or so later, but such is the case with Dirty Girl. I thought the trailer looked pretty cool and it just so happened that it was released to DVD on that same week. I popped it on my Netflix queue and it was in my mailbox the next week. And I'm glad it was because I really enjoyed it. It's the 1980's and the class slut gets paired up with the class fat kid to do one of those projects where they have to pretend to be married and take care of a sack of flower. I always thought that was a cool project, and they did it in the 8th grade at my school...except the year I was in the 8th grade they decided to take a break from it. So, I never got fake married. But I was the class fat kid and I would have been all about being fake married to the class slut. So perhaps in a way, this is kind of a fantasy piece for me - but the movie is really good besides that point. There's a great 80's soundtrack and some genuinely funny and touching moments as these two kids from opposite ends of the high school hierarchy become good friends. I'm always a sucker for a happy film with an upbeat pace, and I'm always a sucker for movies about friendship...and sluts.

(500) Days of Summer (2009) I also loved this odd romantic comedy that actually manages to break the conventions of a romantic comedy. Zooey Deschanel is perfectly cast as the beautiful new girl in the office, Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes a liking to Summer and she likes him, but she is quick to point out that she's not interested in a relationship. Eventually, the two arrive at a crossroads where one wants more than the other. The story is told out of sequence, but not in a confusing way. There are several clever scenes that play with the audience's expectations of storytelling. It's all a really fun movie and well done all around. I could not have enjoyed it more.

Beauty and the Beast (1991) OK, I love this movie...I think we all know that. It's easily in my top 5 favorite Disney films of all time, possibly in the top 3. I've been super jazzed about seeing it in 3D but alas with one kid afraid of 3D movies and a busy schedule between my wife and I, it just worked out better that I took the kids to see it at a theatre in the next town over that had one 2D showing a day. And you know what, I don't think I need the 3D...even though it would be cool to see the ballroom scene in three dimensions. When my buddies and I were young animation geeks, the computer generated chandelier in the ballroom scene just about literally made our jaws drop! I've seen Beauty and the Beast in the theatre 5 times now, not to mention an additional time on the IMAX screen back in 2001. Plus I've seen the Broadway production, the Ice Show, the Walt Disney World stage version...I've seen this story in many mediums, but you just can't beat seeing on the big screen - 3D glasses or not!

The Hangover Part Two (2011) By now you've probably heard that this follow up wasn't that good. It's pretty darn funny, almost as funny as the original. The real problem is that the story is EXACTLY the same as the first movie. Sure, the guys get into different wacky misadventures but the story structure is just a retread of the first film as the same three guys go back and try to piece together the drug induced antics of the night before. Same story, different town (Bangkok this time) and equal laughs, but just not a good sequel.



Cindy and Donna (1970) Another drive-in "classic" that I was thrilled to get a chance to see. Yet again, this trashy drive-in flick is just about completely unwatchable except that the ending is so great. I'll give it away because I'm sure no one reading this is ever going to see it. Cindy and Donna are stepsisters, Donna is slutty and Cindy is just discovering her womanhood. Cindy watches her sister get it on with everyone from her boyfriend, her boyfriend's friends and yes, even Cindy's father. Cindy's father is also having an affair with a teenage prostitute, that storyline literally goes nowhere but I thought I'd mention it. So then Cindy decides she is ready to make the big move into adulthood and it turns out Donna's boyfriend is more than happy to help out. While they are getting it on on the sofa, Donna walks in and sees them. Donna's boyfriend takes a moment from having sex with her sister to pick Donna up and violently toss her outside. Donna cries and runs into the street where she is promptly hit by a car and dies. Cut to Cindy riding on a swing, for one last panty shot...THE END. It's profound, people!

Cinderella (1950) Simply put, a masterpiece of film making and the epitome of everything that a Disney animated film should be!

Class (1983) This flick doesn't know if it wants to be a raunchy teenage comedy or a mid-life crisis drama. It's neither, as Andrew McCarthy unknowingly has an affair with his roommate's (Rob Lowe) mother. There's no point to this movie although I suspect to 1983 audiences seeing Jacqueline Bisset's naked body roll around in the sheets with a guy half her age was a point worthy enough of a ticket price.

Toy Tinkers (1949)

Do you remember a few years ago I told you about Sweden's Christmas Eve tradition with Donald Duck? No!? Well, you should click here and read it! Anywho, here's a Donald Duck Christmas Cartoon to make your spirits bright...

edTunes - When We're Human

Trailer Tuesday - Lilo & Stitch (2002)

My Week In Movies - Hot Summer Flicks

Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Just a helpful tip for any young filmmakers out there: if you want to guarantee at least one person sees your movie, include a scene where a grown man talks to a can of vegetables. Have the can's lid serve as it's mouth for speaking purposes. If you do this, I will be certain to watch your film and enjoy at least the scene with the talking prepackaged produce. In addition to a talking can of vegetables, this great summer camp spoof sports an incredible cast including Paul Rudd, Amy Pohler, Elizabeth Banks, Janeane Garofalo and Molly Shannon...just to name a few. The film plays as both a summer camp flick and a slightly off-center parody of such flicks. I saw it ten years ago when it came out and really enjoyed it, I finally got around to watching it again and enjoyed it just as much. Approaching it's tenth anniversary, Wet Hot has achieved somewhat of a cult status. Available on Netflix streaming.


North Shore (1987) Gotta admit, I'm kinda psyched to see Blue Crush 2 which is out on DVD now (I'll wait for my Netflix DVD to show up) but in the meantime I queued up this 80's surfer flick which tosses up a handful of surfing movie cliches and offers nothing much new in the process. Nia Peeples costars as the attractive local Hawaiian who catches the eye of the visiting surf wannabe. You might remember Peeples from her stint hosting Nia Peeple's Dance Machine which was on right after Arsenio Hall. No? You don't remember Nia Peeple's Dance Machine. Well, then you have absolutely no reason to see this movie.


The Jungle Book (1967) This has got to be one of my all-time favorite Disney films. I knew we were due for a screening when I was helping my kids pick up the playroom the other day. "Put the Mowgli figure back on the shelf," I said to one of my kids. "What's a Moogy?," he responded. I knew then that I had failed my children as a parent. The Jungle Book is near the top of my list for it's great songs, awesome voice work and it's swinging 60's score and lingo. Even though this might be one of Disney's most dated animated films, it still plays like a timeless world of it's own.

Seven Shows I'd Like To See On Broadway

Last week when I was putting together my list of Vegas shows that I'd like to see, I got to thinking...it takes me less time to drive to New York City than it does to fly to Las Vegas! I should really get up to New York more often, especially since I enjoys me some live theatre. I've only ever been to one, actually honest-to-goodness Broadway performance. When I was a senior in high school we took a bus trip up to see Les Miserables. I didn't understand a second of it. Years later, Debbie Gibson took over one of the lead roles and I would have been delighted to see her in it but all I got out of it was somebody stealing a piece of bread, a spinning stage and the French Revolution! I also saw the touring company production of Disney's Beauty & The Beast, which was one of the earlier dates my wife and I went on. That was a memorable evening.

I really, really wanted to see the stage version of The Little Mermaid, and had every intention of doing so but then it closed so quickly! Sadness. Anywho...here's some stuff that's playing now on The Great White Way that I'd love to see:

The Book of Mormon - Eugine O'Neill Theatre All I need to know about this show (and just about all I really know) is it was written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the guys behind South Park. I pretty much don't pay much attention to South Park anymore, but Parker and Stone are two brilliant and funny guys. You might not be able to get past their obsession with obscenity, but they are masterful when it comes to parody. The South Park movie blows me away every time I see it. They are also responsible for a hilarious marionette action film Team America World Police which is painfully funny in so many directions. Their Broadway debut takes aim at religion in this country and as with all their work, it backed by what I'm sure is some fantastic music.

The Lion King - Minskoff Theatre It seems everybody has seen a production of this Disney hit but me. If Disney is setting up shop somewhere, I'm in. I'd love to see this show which is just about as critically acclaimed as a show can get yet I still haven't seen it. It's also running in Las Vegas, but this kind of a thing doesn't really feel like a Vegas type show. I'll stick to comedy and boobs out there and hopefully make a concerted effort to catch Simba & Co. next time the touring company comes around.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark - Foxwoods Theatre I don't care what the media has been shoving down our throats for the last couple of months, I think this show looks awesome. I'd pay some big bucks to see a fight take place above my head. I'd also really love to take my older son to see this, I think he'd think it was awesome too. I'm not sure his appreciation for the show would match the ticket prices. I'd probably be better off just waiting for Spidey to make an appearance at a car show.

Mary Poppins - New Amsterdam Theatre I know what you're thinking - Ed, you'll go see anything with the Disney name slapped on it. Well, not necessarily true as I wasn't really hankering to ever catch a glimpse of Disney's Broadway version of Tarzan. But when it does come to Disney, Mary Poppins is at the core of everything that is great about the Wonderful World of Walt Disney. I'm sure this would be as spectacular as an evening in one of their theme parks.

The Addams Family - Lunt Fontanne Theatre I'm not a huge Addams Family fan, but I bet this would be a fun show. The stage show is more inspired by the original comic strip than the popular television series, but it still has the good sense to retain the TV show's theme song. A simple step that shows they're doing something right. I've heard Broadway Addams is alot of fun!

Avenue Q - New World Stages Here's the rub, my brother couldn't basically give two rat's behinds about theatre and he's seen this show! It's an off-color, puppet filled take-off on Sesame Street. Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy the art of puppetry? There's a touring company of this show too. When they scheduled a performance near the WWoB offices I tried to sell my wife on justifying forking over the dough to go see it. I knew going in that it was an uphill battle trying to get her to go to a $50 puppet show...and still I have not seen this show.

Gazillion Bubble Show - New World Stages You're going to do a show where you just blow bubbles? Lots and lots of bubbles? For 90 minutes, you're just going to blow bubbles. Bubbles of all sizes you say? Like a gazillion of them? Who do I make my check out to?