Good day folks. How are you? Good? Me too, I’m great!
In fact I have never been better. I mean that’s not true, but you don’t need to
know that.
Shit, I guess you do know that now. Oh well, I’m ok.
Not great not bad just ok. Thanks for asking though.
Now that we got our politeness out of the way let us
talk about what we are doing her today and that is another installment of ‘Movies
That You Should All Sit Down and Watch Because I said So’. Today is another special
edition topical adventure. Today I bring to you Animation Domination.
I hope 21st Century Fox doesn’t have that
term copy written or I’ll be facing a lawsuit. Just in case you can all send me
checks or money orders. Email me and I’ll give you the address to send them to.
Thanks in advance.
Anyway, today I compiled a list ten animated films
that you should watch if you haven’t already. I tried my best to not make it
entirely dominated by Disney and Pixar, though 6 of the ten are from those
studios, so I guess I didn’t do that great of a job. Fuck it, those two studios
make brilliant animated films and they deserve to dominate animation
domination.
Enough idle chit chat let’s get into it.
The Yellow Submarine (1968)- George Dunning; Apple Corps, King Features Production, TVC London
I will start today’s edition with a trippy exploration
with the Beatles and Captain Fred to a land under the sea aboard a yellow submarine.
Deep under the sea is a land known as Pepperland
which is being controlled by the music hating bastards the Blue Meanies, and
only the Beatles can save them from the oppression. This is all based off of a
true story* and must be passed down in history classes as a perfect real life
example to fight for our freedom.
The film has great Beatles music, humor, and fantastic
animation so what’s not to love?
An American Tail (1986)- Don Bluth; Universal, U-drive, Sullivan Studios, Amblin Ent., Don Bluth Pro.
If anyone wants to watch a film that demonstrates
the struggles that faced immigrants coming to America along with the heart ache
of being alone in an unfamiliar place An
American Tail is a movie I highly suggest. The film starts out with Fievel
and his family in Russia thinking of the land of freedom when their village was
attacked (seems like the Russian Civil War, so I figure we can place this film
in the late 19teens). This attack prompts them to head to America, but along
the way Fievel gets separated and the family fear he is dead, but he survived
the fall over board and arrives in America alone and in search of his family.
If you have feelings this movie will tug the heart strings as you watch the
family and Fievel struggle to live out the American Dream.
I almost didn’t mention that the movie also stars
Dom DeLuise as the cat who befriends Fievel and helps him find his family.
Anything with Dom DeLuise being Dom DeLuise doing Dom DeLuise things gets my
stamp of approval.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)- Roberet Zemeckis; Touchstone, Amblin Ent., Silver Screen Partners
I really had no idea what to do with this film.
Should it be on a list of animated films, or should I save it for another installment
of this blog. I had this internal debate for weeks before I decided to include
it today.
Who
Framed Roger Rabbit seamlessly meshes classic animation with
live action and sprinkles in a little bit of film noir and turned it into an all-time
favorite of mine. Bob Hoskins (RIP) was cast perfectly as the hard on his luck alcoholic
toon hating detective who reluctantly gets hired by Roger Rabbit to find out
who is framing him for the murder of Marvin Acme. Hoskins hatred for toon’s
stems from his brother being killed by one, but he helps Roger for a paycheck.
Bring in Christopher Lloyd as the villain and the
Judge presiding over Toontown who has the goal to kill toons with his new
chemical compound called dip. Christopher Lloyd is brilliant in this film as
the main antagonist. He is just downright evil and plays it perfectly. Why wasn’t
he given an Oscar for best supporting actor? He wasn’t even nominated which is a
travesty; though the film won three.
I have the sweet special edition if anyone wants to
watch with me; preferably a single woman.
Aladdin (1992)- Ron Clements, John Musker; Walt Disney Pictures
The prince of thieves, his monkey, and his genie try
to regain the love of Princess Jasmine and fight off that bastard Jafar who is
the second most bad ass villain in the Disneyverse. This is my favorite Robin
Williams role considering I hated him as an actor and most of his acting roles
were just crap, but as a voice actor I liked him. The one thing that disappoints
me about this film is that though we have an Arab hero and Arab Princess all
the voice actors are white, which I guess considering Walt Disney was a racists
and anti-Semite (If I say and apparently Meryl Streep agrees who are you to argue?) he would have rolled over in his grave had they cast any
authentic voices.
Also, I think I speak for every male my age when I say
that Jasmine was our first crush. She was exotic, rich, and a princess what
wasn’t to love?
The Lion King (1994)- Rogers Allers, Rob Minkoff; Walt Disney Pictures
Jeremy Irons was a perfect choice for a villain and
Scar remains the best villain in Disney film history (in my not so humble
opinion). I mean he hilariously killed Mustafa and made Simba think it was his
fault and forced him to run away while he banged Simba’s mom and the rest of
the lionesses.
Scar ruled that shit like a badass motherfucker. Meanwhile Simba
goes from being teen sensation JTT to lame old Matthew Broderick. So who is
really winning there? I mean I guess Simba does in the end, but I still like
Scar better. I think I’ll write a sequel to look into Scar’s life during the
time Simba was gone. Disney, would you like to buy the rights to that idea
right now? Email me.
Toy Story (1995)- John Lasseter; Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
This is one of the best films of all time forget
just cartoons. Who didn’t pretend their toys were alive when they were kids? I
know I made my stuffed animals all act alive, shit they even played basketball
and baseball, so this movie hit home. This is the first of three (as of now)
adventures for Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, and the rest of the world’s favorite
toys and it still remains my favorite. With the voices of Tom Hanks, a non-coked
up Tim Allen, Don Rickles, among many
more Pixar hit a homerun with this film. I could watch it every day of my life,
ok maybe not every day, but I can watch it a lot.
James and the Giant Peach (1996)- Henry Selick; Walt Disney Pictures, Allied Filmakers, Skellington Pro. Inc.
Growing up my two favorite books were Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and James and the Giant Peach, both of which
were made into films which I thoroughly enjoyed. While Cloudy was great and I loved the movie it was nothing like the book
I remember, while James and his peach were pretty much the same. It also came
out when I was still young while Cloudy didn’t
come out until I was already an old fart. So, James and the Giant Peach gets the place on this list. Just a
wonderful story of a boy struggling with life at home and seeks acceptance and
he finds it on a trip to New York City aboard a massive peach along with his
giant insect counterparts. I think watching this movie as kid marked the first
time I really despised a character in a movie, both the aunts just giant
bitches I wanted to slap.
The Iron Giant (1999)- Brad Bird; Warner Bros.
Without a doubt one of Vin Diesel’s top two acting
jobs right behind Saving Private Ryan which
is only his best because he dies like a moron. He should die in more of his
films it would make them so much better. He is an awful actor. Not even
slightly decent, but he has a distinctive voice and I don’t mind him as a voice
actor especially for a massive robot. It just fits him perfectly. This is a
childhood favorite of mine which I haven’t seen in many years, so I think it is
time to watch it. You guys bring the popcorn.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)- Peter Doctor, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich; Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar
really can’t do wrong in my eyes. Monsters
Inc. teams John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, and James Coburn and
with those actors signed up together with the brilliant script the many Pixar
writers it makes for one of Pixar’s top films. I mean that’s debatable since
they have so many movies that are brilliant and could be in consideration. The
best part of Monsters is it finally
answers why the hell those bastards were always hiding in my close—I mean that
and everything else about it.
.jpg)
A
wonderfully done animated film, as most Pixar films are. Edward Asner provides
the voice behind Carl, a widowed elderly man who is being forced to leave his
home for a retirement home. Instead of accepting his fate he floats his home
away to try and get to Paradise Falls: a destination he wanted to go to with
his wife. The montage of Carl and Ellie's relationship is both lovely and sad.
Their relationship goes through many ups and downs, yet their love remains
strong even after Ellie's death Carl is dedicated to her. The brilliant script
and animation are as always with Pixar films, backed by an impeccable score.
One of the best animated films of all time and more than worthy of joining Beauty and the Beast as (as of the 2009 awards, Toy
Story 3 later joined the
exclusive club) as the only animated films to be nominated for the Academy
Award for Best Picture.
*may not actually be based off of a true adventure of the Beatles, but your not going to fact check me.
*may not actually be based off of a true adventure of the Beatles, but your not going to fact check me.
No comments:
Post a Comment