Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 23rd to 30th, 2025 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/28 to 11/30/2025 weekend box office is Disney's "Zootopia 2" with an estimated gross of 96.8 million dollars.

MOVIES - From THR:  Scarlett Johansson will star in director Mike Flanagan's reboot or re-imagining of the 1973 film "The Exorcist" for Universal and Blumhouse.  This new film is an attempt to reviver "The Exorcist" franchise in the wake of Universal/Blumhouse's ill-fated film, "The Exorcist: Believer" (2023).

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Apparently with a push from President Trump, "Rush Hour 4" is happening.  Brett Ratner is returning to direct Jackie Chan (as Inspector Lee) and Chris Tucker (as Detective Carter) in the film.  Paramount Pictures will distribute with Warner Bros.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  It’s been nearly two years since Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson announced he would be executive producing a documentary about imprisoned music impresario, Sean "Diddy" Combs. The project finally has a release date. The four-episode project titled "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" will drop globally on Netflix on December 2, 2025.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/21 to 11/23/2025 weekend box office is Universal Pictures' "Wicked: For Good" with an estimated total of $150 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Grammy-winning rapper, Kendrick Lamar, and "South Park" creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, are working on a live-action comedy. The movie will not meet its March 20, 2026 and is on indefinite delay. Lamar says they are working hard on the film.

OBITS:

From Variety:  The Czech-born, English playwright and screenwriter, Tom Stoppard, has died at the age of 88, November 2025.  Stoppard was nominated eight times for the "Best Play" Tony Award, and he won five times, including for "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" (1968).  He was twice nominated for the "Best Original Screenplay" Oscar.  He won for "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) and was nominated for "Brazil" (1985).  He also received an Emmy nomination for his work on the BBC miniseries, "Parade's End" (2012-13).

From Deadline:  Former American child actor, John Eimen, has died at the age of 76, Friday, November 21, 2025.  Eimen's career ran from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s during a time fans consider the "classic TV era."  Eimen is best known for the role of "Cadet Monk Roberts" in the former NBC children's sitcom, "McKeever and Company," appearing in 11 episodes.  Eimen appearances in such classic 50s and 60s television series as "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Leave It to Beaver," "Petticoat Junction," "The Twilight Zone," and "Wagon Train," to name a few.

From Reuters:  Jamaican multi-instrumentalist, musician, singers, songwriter, and actor, Jimmy Cliff, has died at the age of 81, Monday, November 24, 2025.  Cliff was a legendary Jamaican singer who, along with Bob Marley, popularized the Jamaican music genres: reggae, ska and rocksteady music, doing so over a six decade career.  Cliff's best known songs include "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970), "The Harder They Come" (1972), and also for two covers songs he did: Cat Stevens' "Wild World" (1970) and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" (1993).  Cliff starred in the 1972 Jamaican crime film, "The Harder They Come," which helped popularize reggae worldwide through its soundtrack.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2010.  He was a a seven-time Grammy Awards nominee and won twice.  Cliff's wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his death on Facebook on Monday.

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MOVIE AWARDS 2025-26:

From AwardsWatch:  Twenty films have made crossed the first hurdle in the race for the "Best Visual Effects" Oscar.  Those films include "Avatar: Fire and Ash," "Captain America: Brave New World," "Frankenstein," and "Sinners."  In a little under two weeks, those 20 will be cut down to 10.

From AwardsWatch:  The site has a list of all 322 films eligible for Oscar consideration in the animated, documentary, and international film categories.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 38th European Film Awards have been announced.  the winners will be announced at the 38th European Film Awards ceremony, which takes place January 17, 2026.

From Deadline:  Last week (Oct. 14th), the European Film Academy shortlisted the 67 films were available to receive nominations for the 38th European Film Awards, taking place on January 17, 2026.  The shortlist included 44 feature films, 15 documentary films, and eight animated feature films.  Among the list of feature films were "Bugonia" and "Sound of Falling."  The nominations are scheduled to be announced today (Oct. 18th).

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Films Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" tops the list of nominees with a record six nominations, including "Best Feature" and "Best Director" for Anderson.  The winners will be announced December 1, 2025.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 8th to 14th, 2025 - UPDATE #15

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Stars of the original "Spaceballs" film, Rick Moranis and Bill Pullman, will return as their respective roles, "Dark Helmet" (Moranis) and "Lone Starr" (Pullman), for Amazon MGM Studios' planned sequel "Spaceballs 2."  Pullman's son, rising star Lewis Pullman, and also Keke Palmer will join the cast, according to Deadline.

DISNEY - From Variety:  At the Annecy Animation Festival, Pixar offers the first preview of "Gatto," the new animated film from "Luca" director, Enrico Casarosa, that is due in 2027.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix has released a trailer for Tyler Perry's upcoming "Madea" film, "Madea's Destination Wedding."  Debuting July 11th, it is Perry's 13th "Madea" film and his 30th feature film overall.

STAR TREK - From THR:  Ahead of the debut of Season 3, Paramount+ has announced that "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" will end with a shortened six-episode Season 5, which won't arrive until 2027 or 2028.

AMAZON - From Variety: So Amazon MGM Studios is developing a sequel to Mel Brooks' 1987 "Star Wars" parody, "Spaceballs."  The sequel will be led by actor Josh Gad and is slated for a 2027 release.  Mel Brooks will return as the "Yoda" parody, "Yogurt."

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Chaos reigns at the New York sexual assault retrial of former movie studio mogul, Harvey Weinstein.  Yesterday (June 11th), Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sexual act in the first degree against Miriam Haley, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years.  However, he was found not guilty of the same charge against Kaja Sokola. The jury did not deliver a verdict on a similar charge involving Jessica Mann.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Gloria Reuben has joined the growing cast of "Boston Blue," the spinoff of the long-running CBS police drama, "Blue Bloods" (2010-24).  Donnie Wahlberg will reprise his "Blue Bloods" role as "Detective Danny Reagan" in the series which to debut Fall 2025.

BUSINESS - From Variety:  Warner Bros Discovery is splitting into 2 companies.  One company, Streaming & Studios, will control WB Television, WB Pictures, WB Games, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max + their film & TV libraries.  The second company, Global Networks, will control cable networks: CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery, Discovery+ & other TV networks.  David Zaslav, current President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, will serve as President and CEO of Streaming & Studios. Gunnar Wiedenfels, current CFO of Warner Bros. Discovery, will serve as President and CEO of Global Networks. Both will continue in their present roles at WBD until the separation sometime in mid-2026.

From THR:  When Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is split into two companies in the coming year, the second company, "Global Networks" will be saddled with 37 BILLION DOLLARS of WBD debt.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Super television creator, producer, writer, Taylor Sheridan ("Yellowstone"), has entered the bidding war for the rights to the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/6 to 6/8/2025 weekend box office is Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" with an estimated take of 32.5 million dollars.

TELEVISION/STREAMING - From Variety:  The documentary series, "Couples Therapy," has been renewed for a fifth season on the "Showtime" cable network and for the "Paramount+" streaming service.

OBITS:

From RollingStone:  American recording artist, singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, Brian Wilson, has died at the age of 82, Wednesday, June 11, 2025.  He is best known as founding member of the influential rock band, "The Beach Boys."  Considered a genius, Wilson became known for his novel songwriting, song arrangements, productions values, and recording techniques.  "The Beach Boys" had a string of hits, including "Surf City" (1963), "California Girls," and "Good Vibrations" (1966), to name a very few.  Wilson received four Grammy nominations for his work with The Beach Boys, all of them having to do with "Good Vibrations" at the 9th Annual Grammy Awards in 1967.  He received five other Grammy nominations and won two of those.

From TheNewYorkTimes:  American recording artist, songwriter, singer, musician, and record producer, Sly Stone, has died at the age of 82, Monday, June 9, 2025.  Born Sylvester Stewart, Stone was best known as the leader of the band, "Sly and the Family Stone" (active: 1966-83), which was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, R&B, rock, and psychedelic music.  They were the first band to have a racially-integrated, mixed-gender lineup.  The band scored multiple hits, including the #1 singles, "Everyday People," "Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Again)"/"Everybody is a Star," and "Family Affair."  In addition to the 10 albums Stone recorded with Sly and the Family Stone, he also released two solo albums.

From BBC:  The English novelist and journalist, Frederick Forsyth, has died at the age of 86, Monday, June 9, 2025.  At least six of Forsyth's film were adapted for film or television, including "The Odessa File" (1972 novel, 1974 film).  Forsyth's 1971 novel, "The Day of the Jackal," has been adapted several times.  The best known are the 1973 film by director Fred Zinnemann and screenwriter Kenneth Ross and the current Sky/Peacock TV series, "The Day of the Jackal." 

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 1st to 7th, 2025 - UPDATE #7

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

ANIMATION - From Variety:  The Oscar-winning, Latvian animated film, "Flow," continues its historic global box office run with 57 million dollar gross and counting.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Samuel L. Jackson will star in "NOLA King," a spinoff of the Paramount+ series, "Tulsa King," which stars Sylvester Stallone. "NOLA King" further expands the universe of super-producer Taylor Sheridan's universe of television series.  Jackson will appear in multiple episodes of the upcoming third season of "Tulsa King" before moving on to "NOLA King."

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Michael B. Jordan says that Denzel Washington warning him that overexposure hurts movie stars in reference to being on social media all the time.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney's latest round of layoffs involving such departments as film and TV marketing, casting and development, and its corporate financial operations.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/30 to 6/1/2025 weekend box office is Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" with an estimated take of 63 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety: During an interview for his new film, "Karate Kid: Legends," Jackie Chan talks about the "Rush Hour" film trilogy, in which he starred with Chris Tucker. He talks about which film was his favorite and which is his least favorite.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film executive, Jason Constantine, has died at the age of 55, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.  Constantine was best known for his long time association with Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.  Constantine was a big proponent of the original "Saw" (2004), which spawned a franchise.  Constantine was also involved with such Oscar-winning films as "Crash" (2005) and "Precious" (2009).

From Variety:  American actor and voice performer, Jonathan Joss, has died at the age of 59, Sunday, June 1, 2025.  Jonathan was shot to death near his home during an argument.  Joss was best known for providing the voice of the character "John Redcorn" on the former Fox Network animated television series, "King of the Hill" from Season 2 through Season 13 (1998-2009). Joss replaced the original voice of John Redcorn, "Victor Aaron," who died as the result of a car crash.  Joss also had recurring roles on such TV series as "Parks and Recreation," "Ray Donovan," and "Tulsa King."  Joss also appeared in two "Lonesome Dove" related miniseries, "Dead Man's Walk" (ABC, 1996) and "Comanche Moon" (CBS, 2008).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 25th to 31st, 2025 - UPDATE #15

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix sets November 26, 2025 for the arrival of "Stranger Things" Season 5.

MUSIC - From APNews:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Taylor Swift, has bought back the rights to and control of her first six studio albums from the private equity firm, "Shamrock Capital," which has purchased them from their original record label, "Big Machine Records."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Colin Trevorrow ("Jurassic World") and producer Ryan Reynolds team up with Paramount Pictures for a conspiracy about "Area 51," the infamous and highly-classified United States Air Force facility that has become part of UFO folklore.

BROADWAY - From Deadline:  According to the "Broadway League," tickets sales for the 2024-25 season set an all-times record of 1.89 billion dollars, surpassing 2018-19's 1.82 billion dollars.

HARRY POTTER - From THR:  HBO’s "Harry Potter" television series has found its Harry, Ron and Hermione. The trio of Hogwarts freshmen are newcomers to Hollywood.  Dominic McLaughlin will play "Harry Potter."  Arabella Stanton is "Hermione Granger."  Alastair Stout is "Ron Weasley."

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel and DC Comics will each publish a one-shot comic book featuring a crossover between "Deadpool" and "Batman." Marvel's one shot, "Deadpool/Batman," which will arrive Sept 17th, 2025, will including contributions from a number of star comic book creators, including sometimes comics creator, film director Kevin Smith.  DC Comics' "Batman/Deadpool," which is due next year, will be produced by writer Grant Morrison and artist Dan Mora.

From ComicsBulletin:  Writer Mark Millar and artist John Romita, Jr. created the comic book, "Kick-Ass," which became a movie franchise and spawned merchandising. Their latest comic book project is "Psychic Sam," which just launched on "Kickstarter."

BOX OFFICE - From THR:  The winner of the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend (5/23 to 5/26/2025) is Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" with an estimated take of 183 million dollars, a new record.  The previous record holder was "Tom Gun: Maverick" at 160 million dollars.

From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the three-day (5/23 to 5/25/2025) Memorial Day weekend is Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" with an estimated take of 145.5 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Michael Douglas will be celebrated with a lifetime achievement award by Italy’s "Taormina Film Festival."  On June 10th, the festival is also going to screen a restored copy of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the film for which Douglas shared a "Best Picture" Oscar win with producer Saul Zaentz.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Zachary Levi discusses the next steps in his acting career, which includes raising capital to build a 100-million dollar movie studio in Austin, Texas.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American stage and television actress, Loretta Swit, has died at the age of 87, Friday, May 30, 2025.  Swit is best known for the roll of "Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan" on the former CBS sitcom, "M*A*S*H" (1972-83).  Swit and fellow cast member, Alan Alda ("Benjamin 'Hawkeye' Pierce") were the only cast members to appear in the pilot episode of the series and the series finale.  Swit appeared in almost all of the series' episodes.  For playing "Hot Lips," Swit was nominated for 10 Primetime Emmy Awards, and won "Outstand Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series" twice.  From 1973 to 1979, Swit appeared in multiple episodes as a panelist on the game shows, "Pyramid" (CBS) and "Match Game" (NBC).

From Deadline:  American actor and stunt performer, Ed Gale, has died at the age of 61, Tuesday, May 27, 2025.  Born with "dwarfism," Gale is best known for playing the physical role of the killer doll, "Chucky," in the film's "Child's Play" (1988), "Child's Play 2" (1990), and "Bride of Chucky" (1998). Actor Brad Dourif provided Chucky's speaking voice.  

From Variety:  American martial artists and film and television actor, Peter Kwong, has died at the age of 73, May 27, 2025.  Kwong was best known for the role of the elemental master, "Rain," one of the "Three Storms" in John Carpenter's 1986 action-fantasy film, "Big Trouble in Little China." He also had roles in such films as "The Golden Child" (1986), and "The Presidio" (1988).  This TV roles included appearances in "JAG," "My Wife and Kids," and "The Wayans Bros." Kwong was also active in film industry politics and in actor's union activism, including being a member of the SAG National Board of Directors for a decade.

From Deadline:  South African actor, Presley Chweneyagae, has died at the age of 40, Tuesday, May 27, 2025.  Presley was best known for playing the lead role of "David" in director Gavin Hood's 2005 film, Tsotsi, which was the "Best Foreign Language Film" Oscar at the 78th Academy Awards (2006).

From Deadline:  Algerian film director and screenwriter, Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, has died at the age of 91, Friday, May 23, 2025.  Lakhdar-Hamina for his film, "Chronicles of the Years of Fire," which won the "Palme d'Or" at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.  It was the first Arab and African film to win the honor, and it remains the only film from the African continent to win the "Palme d'Or."

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Review: Disney's "MOANA 2" Sails Towards New Horizons

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 55 of 2024 (No. 1999) by Leroy Douresseaux

Moana 2 (2024)

Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40)

MPA – PG for action/peril

DIRECTORS:  David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller

WRITERS:  Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller;  Jared Bush & Dana Ledoux Miller and Bek Smith

PRODUCERS:  Christina Chen and Yvette Merino

EDITORS:  Michael Louis Hill and Jeremy Milton

ORIGINAL SONGS:  Opetaia Foa'il, Mark Mancina, Abigail Barlow, and Emily Bear

COMPOSER:  Mark Mancina

ANIMATION/FANTASY/MUSICAL and FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Hualalai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Amhimai Fraser, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Gerald Ramsey, and Alan Tudyk

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

Moana 2 is not as inspired as the original film, but this sequel charts its own path towards adventure

The title character, Moana, is still a hero who takes her friends and the audience on the greatest of adventures, and that is more than enough reason for fans of the original film to come back for more in Moana 2

Moana 2 is a 2024 American computer-animated, fantasy-adventure, and musical film directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller.  It is produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios – the 63rd full-length animated feature film produced by that studio, and it is a Walt Disney Pictures release.  The film is a direct sequel to the 2016 animated feature, Moana.  Moana 2 finds Moana and Maui on a journey to find a lost island that could reunite the people of the ocean.

Moana 2 opens three years after the adventures Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) had with the demigod, Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and the island goddess of Te Fiti (as seen in Moana).  Moana is now officially her people's “wayfinder.”  She has spent the time since then exploring the islands near her home island of Motunui in the hope that she will find other people connected to the ocean.

During a celebration, Moana has a vision of her wayfinding ancestor, Tautai Vasa (Gerald Ramsey).  He reveals why none of those peoples are connected anymore.  A long time ago, the malicious storm god, Nalo, wanted power over the mortals.  To gain that power, Nalo sunk a legendary island called “Motufetu,” the island which connected all islands and the people of the sea, down to the depths of the ocean.  Tautai also warns Moana that the people of Motunui will go extinct in the future if Moana cannot find a way to raise Motufetu.

Moana assembles a wayfinding crew of people from Motunui:  the clever craftswoman, Loto (Rose Matafeo); the tribal historian and Maui fanboy, Moni (Haulalai Chung); and a grumpy elderly farmer, Keke (David Fane), alongside her pet pig, Pua, and pet rooster, Heihei.  They set off in a boat designed and built by Loto, to follow the path of a meteor that Tautai says will blaze a trail across the ocean towards Motufetu.  But first, Moana and her crew must find Maui, who just so happens is being held prisoner by the forces aligned against Moana's quest.

I wrote this in my recent review of the first film, Moana:  I always struggle with writing reviews of modern Disney computer-animated feature films.  The animation is always superb.  The character design is consistently imaginative and inventive, and the character animation – regardless of whether the characters are human, animals, creatures of fantasy, or machines – is flawless.  The production design, art direction, set decoration, and graphic design are so good that just about every Disney animated movie gets its own art book – deservedly so.

Well, I don't have to struggle with my review of Moana 2 because it looks just as good as the first film.  While the tattoos on Maui's body are still good, they don't get as much screen time as they did in the original film, so they can't steal the show.  Instead, Moana has a little sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert Tsuda), who does that in several scenes set on Motunui.

Moana 2 is very entertaining, but it is not quite as good as the original film.  Because we know many of the characters, especially Moana and Maui, there is not the same joy of discovery.  The call to adventure is not as complicated in Moana 2 as it was the first time.  It is pretty straightforward here: find Motufetu.  And the big showdown in Moana 2 is not quite the showdown the first film offered.  Moana 2 simply lacks the inspiration of Moana.

That said, Moana 2 offers stunning imagery that overrides the moments when the story drags or goes adrift, and the film moves towards new horizons for the franchise.  Moana, once again superbly given voice by actress Auli'i Cravalho, and Maui, once again made cool by Dwayne Johnson's voice performance, are still great characters.  And they go on the best adventures.

Moana 2 is the kind of big, colorful, soaring animated adventure that we expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios.  It is not perfect, but it is the kind of film that keeps me loving the world's longest-running animation studio.  Fans of Moana and of Disney Animation will not want to miss Moana 2.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Saturday, December 7, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "MOANA" Sails on a Sea of Delights

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 of 2024 (No. 1997) by Leroy Douresseaux

Moana (2016)

Running time:  107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)

MPAA – PG for peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements

DIRECTORS:  Ron Clements and John Musker with Don Hall and Chris Williams (co-directors)

WRITERS:  Jared Bush; from a story by Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams, Pamela Ribon, and Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell

PRODUCER:  Osnat Shurer

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Alessandro Jacomini, Daniel Rice, and Nathan Warner

EDITOR:  Jeff Draheim

ORIGINAL SONGS:  Opetaia Foa'il, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

COMPOSER:  Mark Mancina

Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk, and Troy Polamalu

Moana is a 2016 American computer-animated, fantasy-adventure, and musical film directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.  It was produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios – the 56th full-length animated feature film produced by that studio, and it was released by Walt Disney Pictures.  Moana follows a girl who heeds the Ocean's call that she find a lost demigod and force him to help her end the terrible curse that he incurred in the distant past.

Moana introduces Moana (Auli'i Cravalho), a girl who lives in ancient Polynesian on the island of Motunui.  She is also the daughter of Motunui's Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison).  The inhabitants of the island worship Te Fiti, the mother island.  Long ago, Te Fiti brought life to the ocean using a stone called “the heart of Te Fiti” as the source of her power.  Then, along came Maui (Dwayne Johnson).  He was a demigod of the wind and sea, a warrior, a trickster, and a shape-shifter who used a huge magical fish hook to wield his shape-shifting powers.  Maui stole the heart and caused Te Fiti to disintegrate, but he immediately attacked by the volcanic demon “ Te Kā.”  Maui lost both the heart and his magic fish hook to the depths of the sea.

A thousand years later, blight strikes Motunui and begins to kill the vegetation and shrink the number of fish available for the islanders to catch.  The Ocean gives Moana the heart of Te Fiti and chooses her to find Maui and force him to restore what he took from Te Fiti.  Only then, will Motunui and other islands be saved from the destroying blight, which is apparently a curse from Te Kā.  In order to do that, Moana must do something she always wanted to do, but was also afraid to do.  She must cross the barrier reef that surrounds Motunui and sale far into an ocean full of danger.  That danger includes the kind of waves that can destroy the small boat upon which Moana sets sail.

I always struggle with writing reviews of modern Disney computer-animated feature films.  The animation is always superb.  The character design consistently is imaginative and inventive, and the character animation – regardless of whether the characters are human, animals, creatures of fantasy, or machines – is flawless.  The production design, art direction, set decoration, and graphic design are so good that just about every Disney movie gets its own art book – deservedly so.  That said, the tattoos on Maui's body steal the show; it's like they are their own film reel of hype men and Greek choruses.

Moana offers Disney's time-tested formula, telling the story of a girl who goes on a journey of discovery about what she expects of herself after living a life of doing what others expect of her.  It has popped up recently in such films as Frozen (2013) and Zootopia (2016).  Of late, Disney has offered girls who are not white or European as the stars of such stories, as seen here in Moana and also in Encanto (2021), a film released several years after Moana.  The visual elements of this film might say non-white girl, but the voice actors bring a universal appeal to their voice performances that emphasizes the Moana's broad themes of bravery and redemption and also of the struggle between tradition (represented by Moana's father, Tui) and progress (represented by Moana herself).

By the way, Moana's original songs, written by Opetaia Foa'il, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the film score by Mancina are some of the best Disney music produced this century.  It is hard to pick a favorite song from this film, but I like Mancina and Miranda's “Shiny” as much as like Miranda's “How Far I'll Go,” which is essentially the film's theme.

I avoided Moana when it was first released to theaters in 2016, and I finally decided to see it because Moana 2 is due this month (November 2024).  I would have loved to have seen it on the big screen.  Although I think the film drags a little in its last act, I really enjoyed its story and its bouncy songs and soaring score.  Moana is one of Disney's great recent adventure films – live-action or animation – and I think fans of animated feature films – Disney or otherwise – are denying themselves an exceptional work if they don't see it.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, November 26, 2027

NOTES:

2017 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” (Ron Clements, John Musker, and Osnat Shurer) and “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Song” (Lin-Manuel Miranda for the song, “How Far I'll Go”)

2017 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Ron Clements and John Musker)

2017 Golden Globe Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Original Song-Motion Picture” (Lin-Manuel Miranda for the song, “How Far I'll Go”) and “Best Motion Picture - Animated”

2017 NAACP Image Awards: 1 nomination: “Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance-Television or Film” (Dwayne Johnson)

2017 Black Reel Awards:  1 nomination: “Outstanding Voice Performance” (Dwayne Johnson)

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Pixar's "TURNING RED" is Universal and Unique

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2024 (No. 1952) by Leroy Douresseaux

Turning Red (2022)

Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPA –  PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language

DIRECTOR:  Domee Shi

WRITERS:  Domee Shi and Julie Cho; from a story by Domee Shi, Julie Cho, and Sarah Streicher

PRODUCER:  Lindsey Collins

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Mahyar Abousaeedi and Jonathan Pytko

EDITORS:  Nicholas C. Smith with Steve Bloom

COMPOSER: Ludwig Goransson

SONGS: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O'Connell, and James Hong

Turning Red is a 2022 animated fantasy and comedy-drama film directed by Domee Shi and produced by Pixar Animation Studios.  It is Pixar's 25th full-length animated feature film, and it is the first to be solely directed by a woman.  Turning Red focuses on a teen girl who is dealing with her demanding mother and the changes of adolescence when she suddenly discovers that becoming really excited causes her to turn into a giant red panda.

Turning Red opens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2002.  It introduces a Chinese-Canadian girl, 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang).  She lives with her parents, mother Ming (Sandra Oh) and father Jin (Orion Lee).  Mei is a dutiful daughter to her mother who calls her “Mei-Mei,” and she helps take care of the family's temple, “the Lee Family Temple,” one of the the oldest temples in Toronto.  The temple honors the Lee family ancestors instead of gods, and it is dedicated to Mei's maternal ancestor Sun Yee.

Mei is also dedicated to a trio of girl friends:  Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park), and all three of them are dedicated fans of the boy band, “4*Town.”  Life is busy, but it's about to get complicated.  The morning after a night of humiliation, Mei wakes up to discover that she has been transformed into a giant red panda.  This is a condition that happens when Mei is overly excited, but it can be cured.  But what does Mei really want?

In the early days of the Disney+ streaming service and in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Walt Disney Company released three Pixar feature films as direct-to-streaming releases:  Soul (2020), Luca (2021), and Turning Red, declining wide theatrical releases for the films.  These were and still are three of Pixar's greatest films, but they are finally getting belated theatrical releases in early 2024.  [Soul in January 2024; Turning Red in February 2024; and Luca in March 2024.]

Turning Red is an incredible coming-of-age story, and like Pixar's Oscar-winning Brave (2012), it is a story of transformations and of mother-daughter relationships and all the love and support and trials and tribulations that come with it.  Its beautiful, terracotta-like colors amplify the film's sense of magic and magical realism.  The variety of faces, body types, skin colors, hair styles, and clothes and costumes are a testament of how culturally expansive Pixar's films set in the human world are.  Everything about Turning Red invites the entire world of moviegoers to come along on this timeless, universal tale of a child coming into her own and learning to love herself as she is becoming and to love her parents for what they were, are, and can be.

Domee Shi and her co-writers, Julie Cho and Sarah Streicher, have created a character, a world, and a scenario of which I believe I can be a part.  I am an old-ass Black man, a million miles away from a 13-year-old Canadian girl of Chinese descent, but Turning Red makes me understand that what the girl experiences are in some ways similar to what I've experienced.  In a way, I am jealous of Turning Red and of Meilin Lee because I could never embrace the messy strangeness in me to the extent that she does.  I definitely did not want my freak flag fluttering in the wind too much.

There is so much to like in this film.  As usual, the animation is up to Pixar's astronomical standards, and Ludwig Goransson's score infuses itself into the film so much that it seems as if the animation is performing a concert.  Speaking of music, I'm embarrassed to admit that I like 4*Town, the band, and its three songs performed in the movie, which are written by the sister-brother team of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell.  And I couldn't love the movie if I wasn't crazy about actress Rosalie Chiang's multi-layered and energetic voice performance as Mei.  Chiang makes Mei feel like a real girl, genuine child in the throes of change and transformation.

Some have said that Turning Red's setting and its lead character, Mei, make the film not timeless and universal like Pixar's other films.  They can go screw themselves.  Turning Red is universal like other Pixar films and also unlike other Pixar films.  Turning Red is Pixar high art and Disney magic, and it is a truly great film that I plan on watching again and again.

10 of 10

Sunday, February 11, 2024

NOTES:

2023 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 BAFTA Film Awards:  1 nominee: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nominee:  “Best Motion Picture – Animated”

2023 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 nominee: “Outstanding Animated Motion Picture”

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Walt Disney's "ROBIN HOOD" is the Non-Classic Disney Classic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 44 of 2023 (No. 1933) by Leroy Douresseaux

Robin Hood (1973) – animation

Running time:  83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)

MPAA – G

PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Wolfgang Reitherman

WRITERS:  Larry Clemons; based on story and character concepts by Ken Anderson

EDITORS:  Tom Acosta and Jim Melton

COMPOSER:  George Bruns

Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY

Starring:  (voices) Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Peter Ustinov, Terry-Thomas, Monica Evans, Andy Devine, Carole Shelley, Pat Buttram, George Lindsey, and Ken Curtis

Robin Hood is a 1973 animated musical-comedy and fantasy-adventure film produced and directed by Wolfgang Reitherman.  It is also the twenty-first feature-length animated film from Walt Disney Productions, part of a line also known as the “Disney Classics.”  The film is based on the English folklore character, Robin Hood, and the stories that have grown around the character.  Disney's 1953 Robin Hood film depicts the legendary outlaw and the cast of characters around his legend as anthropomorphic animals (animals that talk and act like humans)

Robin Hood opens with the story's narrator, Alan-a-Dale – The Rooster (Roger Miller), saying that there are many stories of Robin Hood, but that the one he is about to tell takes place in the world of animals.  He introduces Robin Hood – A Fox (Brian Bedford) and Little John – A Brown Bear (Phil Harris).  They are outlaws and live in Sherwood Forest.  They rob from the rich in order to give gold coins to the overtaxed citizens of the town of Nottingham.

The Sheriff of Nottingham – A Wolf (Pat Buttram) tries to catch the two, but he fails every time.  The sheriff's failure to capture the outlaws irritates Prince John – A Lion (Peter Ustinov).  John is the “Prince Regent” of England while his older brother, King Richard – A Lion (Peter Ustinov), is out of the country fighting in the Third Crusade.  Prince John and his advisor, Sir Hiss – A Snake (Terry-Thomas), plot to end the nuisance of Robin Hood.  Prince John also demands that the Sheriff tax the poor townsfolk of Nottingham excessively, driving many to abject poverty.

Meanwhile, Robin's attention is not entirely focused on robbing the rich.  He wishes to reunite with his love interest, Maid Marian – A Vixen (Monica Evans), who is also the niece of King Richard.  And Prince John's latest plot to catch Robin Hood may just reunite Robin and Marian.  Can their love survive an increasingly enraged Prince John?

As “DVD Netflix” prepares to shutdown, I've been racing to catch up on certain films that I have never seen or have not seen in a long time.  I recently decided to sample some films in which 2023 is the fiftieth anniversary of their original theatrical releases.  That includes such films as Woody Allen's Sleeper, George Lucas' American Graffiti, and the Bruce Lee classic, Enter the Dragon.

Walt Disney's Robin Hood is one of those films celebrating a 50th anniversary, and it is one of the Disney animated classics that I had never seen prior to now.  I am a fan of Robin Hood films, especially the 1991 Kevin Costner vehicle, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.  I also like Ridley Scott's 2010 film, Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe in the title role.  I found some enjoyment in Tom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry Mouse, a 2012 direct-to-DVD film.  [Robin Hood makes a small appearance in director Richard Thorpe's “Best Picture” Oscar nominee, Ivanhoe (1952), which I have seen a few times on Turner Classic Movies.]

Disney's Robin Hood is an odd film.  First, it isn't an origin story, and takes place, apparently, well into Robin's career as an outlaw.  While Alan-o-Dale mentions “the Merry Men,” Robin's legendary band of outlaws, Little John is the only one that appears in this film.  Friar Tuck – A Badger (Andy Devine) does appear, but he seems to be purely the priest of Nottingham – more a beneficiary of Robin's outlaw activities than a participant.  For me, this makes the film seem under-developed, as if it we are getting half of the intended story.

Apparently, using the the American “Deep South” as a setting for this film was considered, but ultimately the chosen locale was Robin Hood's traditional English setting.  However, Roger Miller, who provides the talking and singing voice of Alan-o-Dale, is best known for his honky-tonk inflected country music and novelty songs, so much of Miller's performance here seems out of place.  Miller's Alan-o-Dale has the flavors of America's rural South, which somewhat clashes with the English setting.  Still, I tend to like Miller's narrating and singing in Robin Hood, although this film's best song is the Oscar-nominated “Love,” written by George Bruns and Floyd Huddleston.

To begin, Robin Hood feels muddled, and it really does not find its narrative flow until about 37 minutes into the film.  At that point, the characters really emerge as they take their places within the story.  The action turns lively, and the animation and animation effects start to stand out.  The voice performances overall are good, but not great – nothing that I would call memorable in the context of the great performances in other Disney animated classics.  Walt Disney's Robin Hood does not exactly miss the mark, but it does not hit the bullseye, either.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

NOTES:

1974 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Song” (George Bruns-music and Floyd Huddleston-lyrics for the song “Love”)

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "Disney Villains: SCAR #1" Reveals Different Side of "The Lion King"

DISNEY VILLAINS: SCAR #1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Chuck Brown

ART: Trevor Fraley

COLORS: Chiara Di Francia

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Nate Cosby

COVER: Jahnoy Lindsay

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2023)

Rated “All Ages”

Scar is a fictional character and is the main villain in Walt Disney's Oscar-winning, animated feature film, The Lion King (1994), also appearing in the subsequent movies that comprise The Lion King film franchise.  Scar is the ruthless, power-hungry younger brother of King Mufasa, ruler of the Pride Lands.  Scar was originally first-in-line to Mufasa's throne, but he is suddenly replaced when Simba, Mufasa's son, is born.  Scar eventually launches a plot to kill Mufasa and exile Simba, allowing him to rule the Pride Lands from Pride Rock.

Dynamite Entertainment's latest licensed Disney comic book series is Disney Villains: Scar.  The series offers a new vision of one of Disney's greatest film villains.  The series is written by Chuck Brown; drawn by Trevor Fraley; colored by Chiara Di Francia; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.

Disney Villains: Scar #1 opens in the Pride Lands and centers on an enraged Scar.  He is unable to accept that he will never be king – not so long as Mufasa and his new son, Simba, inhabit Pride Rock.  Can Rafiki, shaman of the Pride Lands, talks some sense into him?  In the meantime, potential allies are hatching a plan to capture Scar's corrupt mind.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Disney Villains: Scar #1 is the first comic book based on The Lion King that I have read.  And yes, there have been a few.

Simply put, writer Chuck Brown and artist Trevor Fraley offer a delightful 27-page introduction to the tale of Scar.  Brown really digs into Scar's personality and into his way of thinking, often playing it against the believes and actions of the Pride Lands' other animal characters.  Trevor Fraley's art has a kids' comic book graphical style, and Chiara Di Francia's colors add a fairy tale quality to this first issue.  Jeff Eckleberry's letters also give the story a nice pace, even the few intense moments.

I think that readers who didn't know that they wanted a comic book set in the world of The Lion King may find a treat here.  I'm curious to see where this series goes.  It seems to be a combination of prequel, back story, and side story to The Lion King, and that is intriguing.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite Entertainment's Disney comic book series will want to read Disney Villains: Scar.

[This comic book includes a Q&A with Chuck Brown and Trevor Fraley, featuring character designs by Fraley.]

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Disney's "ENCANTO" Spins Its Own Special Magic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 of 2023 (No. 1901) by Leroy Douresseaux

Encanto (2021)

Running time:  102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)

MPAA – PG for some thematic elements and mild peril

DIRECTORS:  Jared Bush and Byron Howard with Charise Castro Smith (co-director)

WRITERS:  Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith; from a story by Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

PRODUCERS:  Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Alessandro Jacomini, Daniel Rice, and Nathan Warner

EDITOR:  Jeremy Milton

ORIGINAL SONGS:  Lin-Manuel Miranda

COMPOSER:  Germaine Franco

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama, Rhenzy Feliz, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Adassa, Maluma, Rose Portillo, Alan Tudyk, and Noemi Josefina Flores

Encanto is a 2021 computer-animated fantasy film from directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard and produced Walt Disney Animation Studios.  It is the 60th animated feature film in the “Walt Disney Animated Classics” line.  Encanto focuses on a teenage girl who must deal with being the only member of her family without magical powers even as the family's magic begins to fade.

Encanto introduces Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz), a teen girl who is part of the multi-generational "la familia Madrigal" (the Madrigal family).  Fifty years ago, her grandfather and grandmother, Pedro and Alma Madrigal (Maria Cecilia Botero), were forced to flee their home village in rural Columbia.  They took their infant triplets, Julieta, Pepa and Bruno, and escaped into the countryside, but their pursuers killed Pedro, but Alma had a candle that suddenly released magic and repelled the attackers.  The magic also created, “Casita,” a living or sentient house for Alma and her children.  The home is located in “Encanto,” a magical realm bordered by high mountains.  A village of newcomers now thrives under the candle's protection, shining its light from an upper room in the Madrigal home, “La Casa Madrigal.”

But all is not well.  The children and grandchildren of Abuela Alma were all granted magical gifts that each one uses to serve the villagers.  For instance, Mirabel's oldest sister, Isabela (Diane Guerrero), can make flowers grow anywhere, and her second oldest sister, Luisa (Jessica Darrow), has superhuman strength.  However, Mirabel did not receive any powers from the candle, and her Abuela Alma seems to act as if Mirabel is an obstacle in the way of the rest of the family.  Mirabel is almost as cursed as her mysterious uncle, Bruno (John Leguizamo), who disappeared years ago.  When Mirabel learns that her family members are losing their magic, she is determined to find out what is happening, although everyone else is in a state a denial about it.

I won't waste too much time telling you, dear readers, how beautiful Encanto looks.  That is standard for animated films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.  The art direction yields beautiful sets and environments, and the costume designs results in colorful costumes that are dazzling, colorful, and imaginative.  The visual effects go off like fireworks, and it makes the magic seem … well, really magical.  Even the character design stands out, making Encanto one of the few mainstream American films set in Latin American or are Latino-themed that actually recognize that there are dark-skinned and black Latinos.  Not every Latino has light skin tones, light enough to front as white.

Encanto plays with notions of “magical realism,” a story that is realistic, but is infused with magic and the supernatural.  However, the world of Encanto barely looks realistic, as many animation films don't.  In fact, Encanto is one of the most magically-infused Disney films in years.

However, Encanto is like many Disney animated films – a coming of age film that focuses on the lead character, in this case, Mirabel.  The film's first dominant theme involves the struggle between tradition and change, the former embodied by Alma, who holds onto Madrigals' tradition of magic, and the latter by Mirabel, who clearly and correctly senses that something is wrong.  The second main theme is the conflict between family obligations and individual desires.  I think audiences will enjoy that, through Mirabel, Encanto shows that the family and the individual can work together for the benefit of everyone and each one.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's lively song score makes Encanto's narrative flow like an energetic stream, and the hit, “We Don't Talk About Bruno,” isn't the only excellent song.  Encanto stands out because it celebrates people overcoming suffering and life's trials and tribulations.  Also, one should take notice of the film's diversity and representation.  That makes Encanto stand out as special and as a place worth visiting time and again.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, March 9, 2023

NOTES:

2022 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino, and Clark Spencer); 2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Score” (Germaine Franco) and “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Song” (Lin-Manuel Miranda-music and lyric for the song “Dos Oruguitas”)

2022 BAFTA Awards:  1 win: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Clark Spencer, Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Yvett Merino)

2022 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Motion Picture – Animated;” 2 nominations: “Best Original Score-Motion Picture” (Germaine Franco) and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Lin-Manuel Miranda for the song “Dos Oruguitas”)

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Walt Disney's "TARZAN" is Something Old, Something New, and Sometimes Amazing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 114 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tarzan (1999)

Running time:  88 minutes ( hour, 28 minutes)

MPAA – G

DIRECTORS:  Chris Buck and Kevin Lima

WRITERS:  Tab Murphy and Bob Tzudiker & Noni White; from a story by numerous writers (based upon the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel Tarzan of the Apes)

PRODUCER:  Bonnie Arnold

EDITOR:  Gregory Perler

COMPOSER:  Mark Mancina

SONGS:  Phil Collins

Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/ACTION/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring:  (voices) Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Brian Blessed, Lance Henriksen, Wayne Knight, Alex D. Linz, Rosie O’Donnell, and Nigel Hawthorne

The subject of this movie review is Tarzan, a 1999 animation fantasy-adventure film and musical directed by Chris Buck and Kevin Lima.  The film is based on Tarzan of the Apes, the first Tarzan novel written by Tarzan creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs.  Walt Disney’s Tarzan focuses on a man who was raised by gorillas, but who must decide where he really belongs when he discovers that he is a human.

Tarzan, Walt Disney’s animated version of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic character Tarzan, was one of the best films of the year 1999.  In fact, it was better than the Academy Award winner for Best Picture that year, American Beauty.  Many film fans and critics point to 1989’s The Little Mermaid as Disney’s return to the kind of high quality animation that made the studio so famous from the later 1930’s to the early 1950’s.  From 1989 to 2004 (when Disney stopped making feature length animated films for theatrical release, for the foreseeable future), Tarzan stands as a high water mark, being one of the best efforts of that second golden age of Disney animation (known as the “Disney Renaissance”).

However, the film isn’t just a great effort in animation, it’s also a great film, period.  Like classic Disney films, there is something for everyone.  The drama, humor, action, and adventure reach across generations to entertain anyone, especially if adults have open minds about opening up to the story of an animated film.

In this version of the classic tale, the gorilla Kala (Glenn Close) rescues an orphaned human after she finds its parents’ murdered bodies.  She names him Tarzan (Alex D. Linz) and takes him as her own because she is left childless after a leopard killed her infant.  Years later, the adult Tarzan (Tony Goldwyn) discovers he is human when he falls in love with Jane Porter (Minnie Driver), who comes to Tarzan’s jungle home with her father, Professor Porter (Nigel Hawthorne).  His love for Jane forces Tarzan to decide where he belongs when he has to choose between staying with his gorilla family or following Jane back to England.

Unlike many Disney animated films, Tarzan is thoroughly a boys’ action/adventure tale filled as it is with jungle chases over trees and through dense foliage and with combat fought to the death.  He is a boy’s man, having fun all day, surfing by his feet over thick and long tree branches, and he’s a whirling dervish of flips, twists, spins, leaps, dives, etc.  The film is, however, also quite poignant in its drama, particularly in the romance between Tarzan and Jane and in the relationship between Tarzan and his mother, Kala.

What would a Disney cartoon be without laughter and songs?  There is plenty of humor, some of it surprisingly provided by Rosie O’Donnell as Tarzan’s gorilla playmate, Terk (performed when she was still the “Queen of Nice.”).  The musical score is also very good, soaring and emotional.  However, it is Phil Collins’ song score that really makes the film, and Collins finally won his long sought after “Best Music, Original Song” Oscar® for a track entitled, “You’ll Be in My Heart.”

9 of 10

A+

NOTES:

2000 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Music, Original Song” (Phil Collins for the song “You'll Be In My Heart”)

2000 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Phil Collins for the song “You'll Be In My Heart”)

Updated:  Saturday, August 02, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Twenty-Six Animated Films Compete for Five Oscar Nominations at the 94th Academy Awards

ANIMATED FEATURE FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR 94TH OSCARS® ANNOUNCED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced feature films eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 94th Academy Awards®.  Eligibility lists by category can be viewed at Oscars.org/94thFeatureEligibility.  Complete 94th Academy Awards rules can be found at Oscars.org/rules.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Twenty-six features are eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 94th Academy Awards.  Some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfill that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.

To determine the five nominees, members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are automatically eligible to vote in the category.  Academy members outside of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are invited to opt in to participate and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.  Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture.

94TH ACADEMY AWARDS® ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM CATEGORY:

“The Addams Family 2”

“The Ape Star”

“Back to the Outback”

“Belle”

“Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People”

“The Boss Baby: Family Business”

“Cryptozoo”

“Encanto”

“Flee”

“Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko”

“Josee, the Tiger and the Fish”

“The Laws of the Universe – The Age of Elohim”

“Luca”

“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”

“My Sunny Maad”

“Paw Patrol The Movie”

“Pompo the Cinephile”

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”

“Raya and the Last Dragon”

“Ron’s Gone Wrong”

“Sing 2”

“The Spine of Night”

“Spirit Untamed”

“The Summit of the Gods”

“Vivo”

“Wish Dragon

Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

The 94th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland® in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

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Movie Review: "RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON" Has Lovable Characters

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 41 of 2021 (No. 1779) by Leroy Douresseaux

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Running time:  107 minutes
MPAA – PG for some violence, action and thematic elements
DIRECTORS:  Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada with Paul Briggs and John Ripa (co-directors)
WRITERS:  Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim; from a story by Paul Briggs, Don Hall, Adele Lim, Carlos López Estrada, Kiel Murray, Qui Nguyen, John Ripa, and Dean Wellins
PRODUCERS:  Peter Del Vecho and Osnat Shurer
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Rob Dressel
EDITORS:  Fabienne Rawley and Shannon Stein
COMPOSER:  James Newton Howard

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY/ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  (voices) Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Izaac Wang, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong, Jona Xiao, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Song, and Alan Tudyk

Raya and the Last Dragon is a 2021 computer-animated fantasy film from directors Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada and is produced Walt Disney Animation Studios.  It is the 59th animated feature film in the “Walt Disney Animated Classics” line.  Raya and the Last Dragon is set in a magical realm where a young princess searches for the whereabouts of the last dragon in order to save her world.

Raya and the Last Dragon opens in the realm of “Kumandra.”  Five hundred years earlier, Kumandra was ravaged by the “Druun,” a mindless plague of evil spirits that consumed life and turned everything and everyone they touched into stone.  Kumandra had been made prosperous by the presence of dragons, magical creatures who brought water, rain, and peace.  The Druun manage to petrify all the dragons, except the last one, “Sisudatu,” who used a magical gem to banish the Druun.  However, a power struggle for the “Dragon Gem” divided Kumandra's people into five tribes:  Heart, Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang.

Five hundred years later, Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim) of the Heart tribe trains his daughter, Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), in the fighting skills she will need in order to become a “Guardian of the Dragon Gem,” like her father.  Benja also steadfastly believes that the five tribes can be united, so he decides to hold a feast for the leadership of all five tribes.  During the feast, Raya is betrayed in a plot to steal the Dragon Gem, but this leads to the gem being broken into five pieces during the scuffle to possess it.  The four other tribes each steals a piece of the gem, which reawakens the Druun, who promptly go on a rampage and begin turning people into stone.

For the next six years, Raya and Tuk Tuk (Alan Tudyk), Raya's best friend and trusty steed (a mix of an armadillo and a pill bug), continue their search for the resting place of Sisudatu, also known as “Sisu” (Awkwafina).  After she finds Sisu, Raya must obtain the other four pieces of the Dragon Gem so that Sisu, the last dragon, can revive Kumandra.  Joining Raya and Sisu are the boy captain, Boun (Izaac Wang); a warrior from Spine, Tong (Benedict Wong); and a toddler con artist, Little Noi (Thalia Tran), and her trio of monkey-like companions, the Ongis.  But standing in her way is an old rival, Namaari (Gemma Chan), and the land of Fang.

Honestly, Raya and the Last Dragon would be little more than a version of The Lord of the Rings based on Southeastern Asian culture, myth, and religion … if not for this Disney's film's great characters.  Every character, from Raya and her friends to her rivals and enemies, is honestly wonderful.  I couldn't get enough of them.  I think Namaari, both the child and older version, should have her own stories.  I could see her as the star of her own movie.  Little Noi and her Ongis are so cute that they make it impossible for me to really find fault with this movie.  Noi and her monkey-like companions are the kind of great supporting characters that only the magic of Disney storytelling can create.  Boun is also adorable and wholly capable of having his own stories.  Benedict Wong gives the most layered and nuanced voice performance, in a film full of exemplary voice performances, in creating Tong as a fully developed, three-dimensional character.

Kelly Marie Tran, who was a social media punching bag over her role in the Star Wars “sequel films,” does as much as Raya and the Last Dragon's great animators in making Raya a believable hero on a journey of learning and of discovery.  Tran transforms Raya into a great female hero, on par with the best live-action female action movie heroes.

Like the typical Walt Disney animated feature film, Raya the Last Dragon has gorgeous animation that moves in seemingly impossible ways, and the colors are dazzling.  The themes of trust and hope permeate this film and feel genuine.  I will say that Kumandra's basic concepts and myths feel contrived.  I expected something different and more imaginative from a film inspired by Southeast Asia.  Still, Raya and the Last Dragon is dazzling entertainment.  And like the best Walt Disney animated classics, I see it having a long, long life, entertaining generations of movie audiences.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, June 20, 2021


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Women Make History with Walt Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon"

Press release:

Making History While Making "Raya and the Last Dragon"

The warrior at the center of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest film, Raya and the Last Dragon, is brave and resilient; Sisu, the titular dragon of legend, is also a bold hero in her own right, filled with optimism, hope and a disarming sense of humor. These strong women have been brought to life in the film—which debuted in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access Friday, March 5, 2021—by a talented team of writers, artists and technologists anchored by women leaders who are pretty inspiring themselves. Produced by Osnat Shurer, Raya and the Last Dragon was developed under the leadership of Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee; with co-writer Adele Lim, head of story Fawn Veerasunthorn and co-head of animation Amy Smeed among the women leading the creative charge. Additionally, the film boasts an all-female technical leadership team led by technical supervisor, Kelsey Hurley, and associate technical supervisors, Gabriela Hernandez and Shweta Viswanathan.

The creative, technology and production leads on Raya and the Last Dragon were the best in their areas, Shurer states, and she believes that diversity in leadership “behind the camera” at Disney Animation is essential. She praises the studio’s efforts to increase representation on its films, noting, “The more people of different genders, backgrounds and ethnicities are in the room, the more of ourselves we’ll see on the screen, which is incredibly exciting. There is so much we can learn from each other, which in turn serves to deepen our empathy for one another, and our ability to all work together, embracing our unique contributions, to make a better world. What could be a more timely message?”

The technical leadership team oversees all technology needs for the film, ensuring the artists have the tools and technical resources they need to achieve the directors’ vision. “Our job is a bit behind- the-scenes but just as important,” Hernandez says. “It feels nice when that comes across in the artists’ gratitude when working together.”

“As technical supervisor, it’s my job to ensure we have everything we need from a technical standpoint to create the film. This ranges from making sure we have the tool sets needed, to making sure we have enough render capacity and disk space,” Hurley explains. Along with Hernandez and Viswanathan, the women lead a team of technical directors (TDs) who provide troubleshooting support for artists as well as develop new tools for them.

Raya and the Last Dragon takes viewers to the fantasy world of Kumandra—whose five lands are all filled with their own distinct cultures and creatures. “Each has a unique look and feel, and one of the challenges we faced was representing how large this world really is,” Hurley explains. “Raya brings together all the technologies we’ve created over the last 10 years together. Using Hyperion (our in-house renderer) that we first saw on Big Hero 6, fur simulation made for Zootopia, water tools from Moana and an upgraded volumetric system and environment toolset from Frozen 2, we are able to showcase a large world with a diverse set of characters and landscapes.”

While the technologists were able to draw from previous films to inspire innovations on screen in Raya and the Last Dragon, there was no reference for the shift they had to orchestrate when the pandemic forced production to continue remotely. “The entire team had to hit the ground running. We’re fortunate that our studio already enabled us to work from home to promote work-life balance. The main problem that needed to be solved was with regards to scale—we never had the entire studio need to log on at the same time before,” Hurley recalls. “Within just two weeks, we went from needing to have a rotation for when artists could work, to enabling the entire studio to log on all at once. The technology team at Disney did quick, amazing work which let the movie continue without missing a beat.”

Hurley describes being part of an all-female technology leadership team as “an incredible experience. Not long ago our TD department only had a few women, and now we’re at about equal gender representation in the department and in leadership,” she says. Viswanathan concurs, sharing, “I feel fortunate to have joined Disney, and honestly to have started working at a time where there isn’t a lot of emphasis on my gender, and my success and advancement is purely based on my merit.”

As Hurley, Hernandez and Viswanathan have grown in their tech careers, they praise the studio for fostering an environment that’s collaborative and rich with opportunities to learn from their fellow employees. “There are still some days where I wake up and I am just so stunned to work here alongside folks who made the movies I grew up on, folks whose works we studied in CG courses at university,” Viswanathan shares. “And now, nearly a decade later, I feel so blessed to be able to be here and make my own mark here. The studio truly is so collaborative, nothing is about the ‘I,’ but rather how ‘we’ can all work together to bring the movie to the world.”

Hernandez is grateful to her fellow technology leads for their mentorship and partnership in making Raya, and tried to pay that forward on her own team. “It was my first time being a supervisor, and Kelsey and Shweta always had my back. They trusted me, gave me the space to find my voice and style, and were there if I ever needed them. We grew together,” she says, adding, “I hope the team feels the same. It was very important to me and was one of my goals to give the TDs the best opportunities to grow and shine, too.”

“It’s inspiring working with all the artists and technologists in the studio,” Hurley says. “As someone with a computer science background, I love seeing our work translate to making a movie.” The technologist says she always had an interest in art and computers, but only discovered while she was in college that it was possible to pursue a career that combined the two seemingly disparate fields. “While I love art, I’m not a strong artist, so when I found out that this job acts as a bridge between art and technology, I felt like it was the perfect fit,” she notes.

Hernandez also discovered computer science in college. “That’s when I realized that I love problem solving and creative environments. Being a TD at Disney is perfect for that. Every day there’s a new problem to solve,” she recalls. “Growing up as a Dominican girl from The Bronx and watching Disney movies, I never imagined I would be working at Walt Disney Animation Studios.”

When asked what words of encouragement she has for women who are thinking of pursuing a similar path in animation technology, Hernandez urges, “Don’t be afraid to speak up and take up space. Believe in yourself. We, too, deserve a seat at the table.”

Viswanathan acknowledges the importance of a programming background—essential in building the tools that allow the artists to create—but also stresses, “Be curious and open-minded, and don’t be afraid to ask questions, because that’s a great way to learn. Having mentoring or tutoring experience also goes a long way, since a lot of our day is people-facing; having good soft skills is a huge plus.”

“Be confident in yourself and find your voice,” Hurley stresses. “Those are the two things that have changed my life and let me go out for different opportunities, even when they scared me.”

Shurer, who joined Disney Animation in 2012 and who previous produced the Oscar®-nominated Moana, underscores the importance of perseverance, especially when things are difficult. Her advice to women who are just starting out in animation is, “If you encounter setbacks along the way, take a moment to feel what you feel, and then get back into it,” she says. “Your story, our stories, are valuable and important and need to be told, and your voice in shaping these stories is essential.”

Disney Animation has a long history of stories featuring women in aspirational roles, Shurer points out, and it excites her to see an ever-growing number of equally strong women working behind the scenes at the studio. She shares, “As we move forward, our studio—led creatively by Jenn Lee, a woman who is a creative force in her own right, joined by women in leadership at every level—continues to lead the way towards greater inclusion on the screen and behind the camera. How cool is that?!”

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