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DisneyPixar’s Luca Teaser Trailer

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Disney Pixar Luca posterI will admit, this movie snuck up on me! I had no idea this was in the works, so it was exciting to see a new image released yesterday and now a teaser trailer. If you haven’t heard what Luca is all about, here’s the scoop so far:

Disney and Pixar’s upcoming original feature film “Luca” is a fun and heartwarming story about friendship, stepping out of your comfort zone and two teenage sea monsters who experience a life-changing summer. Directed by Academy Award® nominee Enrico Casarosa (“La Luna”) and produced by Andrea Warren (“Lava,” “Cars 3”), “Luca” features a remarkable voice cast.

  • Jacob Tremblay (“Room,” “Wonder”) lends his voice to Luca Paguro, a bright and inventive 13-year-old sea monster with endless curiosity—especially when it comes to the mysterious world above the sea.
  • Jack Dylan Grazer (“We Are Who We Are,” “Shazam”) voices Alberto Scorfano, an independent, free-spirited teenage sea monster with unbridled enthusiasm for the human world.
  • Emma Berman provides the voice of Giulia, an outgoing and charming adventurer who befriends Luca and Alberto.
  • Maya Rudolph (“Bridesmaids,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Big Mouth”) voices Daniela, Luca’s mother.
  • Marco Barricelli voices Massimo, Giulia’s father.
  • Jim Gaffigan (“The Pale Tourist,” “Troop Zero”) voices Lorenzo, Luca’s father.

Fun fact, I almost named my son Gio Luca but settled on Giovanni with the understanding that he’d be called Gio. But I have always loved that name, probably since Suzanne Vega’s “Luka” back in 1987, but I’m dating myself haha. Anyway, here’s the Luca trailer:

 

 

What I find very interesting is the art style for Pixar has kind of morphed a little. To me, this definitely has a look similar to Sony Animation’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs style. It looks very pretty to look at and the story definitely seems fun.

Disney Pixar Luca

Here’s some commentary from director Enrico Casarosa from a recent Variety interview:

“This is a deeply personal story for me, not only because it’s set on the Italian Riviera where I grew up, but because at the core of this film is a celebration of friendship. Childhood friendships often set the course of who we want to become and it is those bonds that are at the heart of our story in ‘Luca,’” Casarosa said in a statement. “So in addition to the beauty and charm of the Italian seaside, our film will feature an unforgettable summer adventure that will fundamentally change Luca.”

Disney Pixar Luca
Concept art from Pixar

“Luca” releases Summer 2021. What do you think of the new trailer for Luca?

You can follow along on their social channels:

http://instagram.com/pixarluca/

https://twitter.com/pixarluca

http://facebook.com/pixarluca

Hashtag: #PixarLuca

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Closest Hotel to Disney Springs – We Explore the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

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Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

If you’re like me, you have driven by the hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd. near Disney Springs (in my case, way back to when it was called the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village and later Disney Village Marketplace), but never really stopped to investigate the amazing resorts that exist, minutes from the shopping and dining action. One example of that is The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort Complex, which just announced the completion of its reimagination and $14 million-dollar guest room renovations and poolside dining. Even better, the rates right now are some of the lowest the property has ever seen – some nights are under $100 a night (yes you read that right).

Situated around 5 minutes (yes you read that right too) from Disney Springs, the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and its sister property, the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista are conveniently accessible by the recently installed pedestrian bridges crossing East Buena Vista Drive. No need to worry about cars in your way or waiting for crosswalks to be clear. However, if you want to park in the Disney Springs parking garages, those are really close too!

We were recently invited to tour the newly remodeled rooms and Oasis restaurant and were pleasantly surprised. For those history buffs, the Wyndham property was actually the 3rd resort to open at Walt Disney World. It has a storied history, opening as the Dutch Inn, which later rebranded as the Americana Dutch Resort, before being sold to Grosvenor and becoming the Grosvenor Resort, renamed to the Regal Sun Resort, and then merged with the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and became what it is today. In between all of those name changes, there have been several multi-million dollar renovations, so you would never know walking into the lobby or a room, the history of the resort! The resort now features open air, socially distanced dining in the Oasis Restaurant adjacent to the new kids’ pool section of their massive aquatic center.

The two official Walt Disney World Resort hotels, the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista are packed with many shared amenities. This guest room renovation includes 394 newly reimagined garden-themed rooms for the value-minded guest and another 232 rooms in the upscale 19-story tower overlooking Disney Springs, which features a lake house motif.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista lobby

“Just in time for your holiday vacation and weekend staycation planning, we have completed a significant transformation that has been several years in the making, said Jay Leonard, General Manager of the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort Complex. We are grateful to those who have pardoned our dust as we worked with top designers and builders to create what we believe will be a great guest experience.”

 

See You at The All New Oasis Restaurant

Open daily for lunch and dinner, it’s ideal for everyone who wants to soak up a day’s worth of the Florida sun or simply delight in a refreshing beverage or satisfying meal while watching sports on the big screens in their all-weather dining room.

Handcrafted cocktails, frozen drinks, beer and wine selections and a delicious menu of dining options await poolside. From mouthwatering fish tacos to some of the best chicken wings in town, you will find what you seek at the Oasis Restaurant. Fresh baked pizza, a variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads are prepared to order as you relax at the pool or recharge after an early start at the theme parks. Hidden Mickey fans will also find quite a few to hunt down and spot! 

Click on a photo below to enlarge and see the updated restaurant and amazing pool area:

 

Reimagined Tower and Garden Rooms

Interior Image Group drew the inspiration for the design concepts from the hotel’s lobby area, continuing the lake house theme from the tower into the garden guest rooms.  These newly recreated rooms allow guests to unwind and relax with the feeling of being in their very own garden retreat.

Jamie Malays served as lead creative designer on both hotel offerings and applied her expertise using multiple fabric textures, wood finishes and a minimal color palette in the garden concept.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Tower Room
King room at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Tower Room
Queen tower room
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Tower Room Disney Springs view
A Disney Springs view tower room at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

Upon entering a reimagined garden room, guests will find themselves in a serene and inviting space. The main design features are the all-white, laminate wood, built-in storage bench unit that is back lit and accented with decorative aviary hooks to hang caps and jackets. This is where functionality meets beauty; it is aesthetically pleasing, and also acts as a multifunctional storage space with room to place luggage and hideaway shoes in the under-bench area.

Hidden spaces have also been created within the built-in entertainment center, which conceal a coffee maker and mini refrigerator (much larger than the Disney value resort fridges), and come standard in each room.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Garden Room
Garden room at Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

The 55” TV is displayed on a backlit wood finish entertainment wall conveniently opening the space on the new quartz countertops. Maintaining the functional design, the built-in unit has an ample amount of storage space with three large drawers.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Garden room
Garden wing room window overlooking the pool area

Carrying the minimalistic theme over onto the sleeping area, a soft green wood headboard awaits guests, accented with modern light fixtures. The vanity and bathroom also received a significant facelift, starting at the entrance with a new rolling white barn door and a frosted edge back-lit mirror that hangs over the spacious vanity.

The large picture windows feature a privacy and a blackout shade. The blackout shade is actually decorated with a relaxing garden motif so when closed, it looks like a beautifully pained picture on the wall.

The best part is perhaps the quick walk to Disney Springs, knowing that this beautiful room is waiting for you on your return. I was so impressed with the new room designs, and at this price point, how could you not to stay here?

Walking over to Disney Springs really reminded me of staying in Disneyland, and walking over from Harbor Blvd. to Downtown Disney. That’s a pretty common practice when staying off-property in Disneyland, so it really makes sense that it would work here in Walt Disney World Resort too! So many people want to stay in a Disney hotel, but the comfort and amenities found here are hard to beat – you still receive Extra Magic Hours, FastPass+ (under normal circumstances) and other Magical Extras.

What impressed me most at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista was the people. Everyone we met was like family, ready to welcome you to their home. They were justifiably  proud of their beautiful hotel, and the wonderful amenities it has to offer guests. It truly is a hidden secret on Walt Disney World property and definitely worth investigating for your next stay. Head to Wyndham Lake Buena Vista for more info and to book your stay today!

*Disclosure: The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista invited us out to tour their rooms and pool area, and walked us across to Disney Springs and we experienced some of the shops and dining there. You can see more on my Wyndham LBV instagram story from the day! As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for reading! 

 

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Hilton Bonnet Creek & Waldorf Astoria Food & Wine Weekends Return

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Hilton Bonnet Creek Myth BarOne of the best kept secrets among Walt Disney World visitors is the resorts that are on Disney property, but not Disney-run hotels. Two exceptional examples of this is the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. I have visited, stayed, and dined at these properties for the past 5 years or so, and am consistently impressed with the quality, service and surroundings. I understand that everyone seems to want that Disney experience, but these properties really have so much to offer, you’ll wonder why you didn’t stay here before…

Hilton Bonnet Creek lazy river
Just part of the Hilton Bonnet Creek views and lazy river

If by chance you do not know where these resorts are located…if you are coming from Disney Springs, heading toward the rest of the Disney parks, you will take a left off of Buena Vista Drive onto Chelonia Parkway. The Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando are about a mile down on the right. There is a central parking garage for both properties, but you can valet at either spot too, for a fee. If you are just dining, you can have your parking ticket validated for free parking as well.  You can read more about staying here in my previous Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria posts. For now, though, we are discussing FOOD (and wine)!

Waldorf Bar du Chocolat

You may recall last year I was invited out to experience the Food & Wine Weekends that the Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Orlando put on. I then went back on my own to experience it again, and I’m still thinking about that food. Food & Wine Weekends have officially returned, and though the experience is slightly modified, it is still a spectacular time. This year, Zeta Asia has sadly not reopened yet due to the pandemic. Our fingers are crossed it will be returning soon. However La Luce and Bull & Bear still have an amazing 4 or 5 course offering for the Weekends, and better still, they have full vegan menus for both locations!

La Luce® is Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek’s signature restaurant, inspired by famed Napa Valley chef and restaurateur Donna Scala. I have yet to have a less than stellar meal there. Additionally, the servers, bartenders, managers, and more all go above and beyond to ensure you are taken care of, you know about all of the offerings, and you are enjoying yourself. It’s something we forget exists sometimes, that servers can really go above and beyond with every guest. And yes, a few of my visits have been as an invited guest of the hotel, but others have not, and I’ve still been impressed every time. It really is worth a trip over there to experience the service and food. Here is what is included with your Food & Wine Weekends menu:

La Luce Food & Wine Weekends Menu

La Luce Food & Wine Weekends VEGAN Menu

We started our our meal at La Luce with some cocktails, but then decided to get the wine pairings as well. I will say that I am in no way a wine connoisseur or even really a wine person, however each of these pairings went so well with the menu items, it really made me consider being a wine person!

For the regular menu, there are some choices to be made from the Taste of La Luce menu. Christian chose the Bruschetta, the farfalle, and the Risotto, which came with a seared filet mignon. The other options were a roasted red pepper and tomato soup, Cacio e Pepe (an amazing dish which I included a photo of even tho Christian didn’t pick it – they serve it in a bowl made from parmesan cheese!), and a salmon filet. Then for dessert the choices are between Sugar Bombolini and a Nutella cake. He chose the Nutella cake. We aren’t including photos of all the regular menu items here because we have everything on the video.

I didn’t have any choices with the vegan menu, but I was not disappointed. Even the Spaghetti Primavera, which I wasn’t super excited about because I’m not a regular ol’ tomato sauce kind of person, was wonderful. You could tell it was made fresh in the back and bursting with flavor. The risotto was also amazingly flavored. Just the right amount of pepper added. Also, I had a lot of leftovers, which I was very happy about.

The dessert, a macaron, normally made with egg whites, was made with aqua fava (the liquid left in a can of chickpeas) and you really couldn’t tell that it was vegan at all. As you can see, the portions were huge as well. Our server also recommended we try a vegan pizza, made in their 700 degree brick oven, and it was hard not to finish the whole pizza. They used a chickpea paste in place of tomato sauce, and it made for a great flavor combination with the crispy crust. There was also an absolutely amazing sunset view, as you can see below.

 

Bull & Bear has a reputation for comfortable elegance. Where you are taken care of from the moment you step food inside, and the food and drink quality match that service. Unlike some other upscale dining locations, you don’t feel out of place or stuffy in this atmosphere. You do feel like your every desire (as far as dinner goes) will be taken care of. Named one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the United States by Open Table, Bull & Bear offers a menu featuring re-imagined steakhouse classics and trend-setting fare including a signature 32-Day Dry-Aged Tomahawk Rib Eye. You wouldn’t exactly expect a place with that sort of reputation to offer a vegan option – but they DO! And, they do it well. Here is the breakdown of what’s included for Food & Wine Weekends:

Bull & Bear Food & Wine Weekends Menu

Bull & Bear Food & Wine Weekends VEGAN Menu

We started again with cocktails and bread service. Here everything but the brioche is vegan. The ciabatta bread I had was so good, it didn’t even need butter of any kind. The amuse bouche here was quite simply, amazing. I know they like their Pasta Explosion here, but to me, this was the real explosion of flavors, it was SO good. The mushroom soup was also very hearty and flavorful. The wedge salad was a little dry for both of us but I was happy to have something light in between courses.

Bull and Bear cocktails
Gold Smoke and Mary Pickford cocktails

Next up was a tomato tart for me, which was super unique in flavor and very tasty. A thick crust with chickpea sauce inside and heirloom tomatoes on top. Then, pasta explosion time. It was basically mushroom ravioli. I’m not sure if ours were just sitting there for too long or what, but they didn’t really explode for either of us in the regular or vegan version. It was quite busy and I think there was a bit of a mix up with what the 3rd and 4th courses were for us, so that may have been the issue.

Lastly, the vegan fall vegetable fricassee was my favorite. It paired distinctly fall vegetable flavors with Asian seasoning, and made for a warm and hearty combination. I want to attempt to make this at home! The dessert here was also the vegan macaron but with passionfruit sorbet inside. Of the two macaron desserts, I preferred the limoncello.

Of the two experiences, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I think for what you get, vegan-wise, La Luce was the winner. Christian agreed for the regular menu as well. We both loved the atmosphere and surroundings in Bull and Bear though. I would go back to either in a heartbeat. In addition to my review here, Christian and I also have a fun video of our experience. We hope you enjoy watching it to see first hand what it’s like at each resort’s location. Please like and subscribe to see more of our fun Orlando and Disney vlogs!

 

Here is the rundown of Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando Food & Wine Weekends dates and info:

October 16-November 22, 2020

Bull & Bear Chef’s Table – Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm – 10pm
Experience an exclusive multiple course Chef’s Tasting Menu for $145 (plus tax and gratuity). Suggested
wine pairings are available for $45 additional. Reservations recommended. View Menu.

Taste of La Luce – Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm – 10pm
From the kitchen of La Luce, enjoy an exclusive four-course menu for $55 (plus tax and gratuity).
Suggested wine pairing available for $30 additional. Reservation recommended.

NEW: Vegan Tasting Menus
Available at Bull & Bear and La Luce, Friday and Saturdays.

Sip, Swirl & Savor: A Wine Tasting Experience – Fridays & Saturdays, 5:30pm – 7pm,
La Luce Entrance
Regardless of your wine knowledge, this is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy samples of wine and learn
from an experienced sommelier. Complimentary.

Bonnet Creek Beer Garden – Saturdays, 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Hilton Lobby
Join us for an exclusive tour of Florida’s top craft breweries with samples of their award-winning beers.
Complimentary.

Bar Du Chocolate and Champagne Tasting – Saturdays, 6:30pm – 10:30pm, Peacock Alley
A decadent selection of à la carte chocolate treats hand-crafted by Waldorf Astoria Orlando’s world-class pastry chefs. (watch our video above for more of this amazing display!)

You can reserve any of the dining experiences at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek or Waldorf Astoria Orlando on Open Table. If you are vegan and want to order off the regular menu, I’d recommend letting the restaurant know ahead of time and the talented chefs will be happy to accommodate you! I’d go back just for the vegan pizza any time! 

Have you stayed at either of these properties, or enjoyed their Food and Wine Weekends, or their stellar dining options?
Waldorf Astoria Orlando

I’d love to hear your thoughts or if you plan to check it out. Let me know in the comments below or drop me a line on social media, I’d love to chat about it! Thanks for reading.

 

Disclosure: As mentioned, I was hosted by Hilton for this event, but my thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own. 

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND TEAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 

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Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks Book Review – Up the Waterfall

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Everyone loves Disney books, and Scott has made no secret that it is his greatest passion. I recently bought him a couple of new releases that came out, and we were given a new holiday book to review – Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks. This book looked so amazing that I thought it deserved its own episode to share the fun and spread the word of this great new title. While we certainly could’ve devoted an entire hour to this one book (it’s THAT chock-full of Disney holiday nuggets), we added a few more recent titles, like the Disney Monorail book and Disney Maps of favorite movies.

As promised, here is a rundown of the books we discussed. The links are affiliate links, which means no extra cost to you, but we will get a very small commission amount, which helps offset the costs to run Zannaland and Up the Waterfall. We appreciate your help and consideration. Just click on the book title or cover image to go to the link to purchase.

Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World, by Andreas Dejas:

A companion book to a recent exhibition at the phenomenal Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, this book details the global phenomenon of the Walt Disney Original, Mickey Mouse, and his contributions to the world, including black and white and color cartoons and films, merchandise, comic books, and even modern art. This book and all the other companion books for all the previous retrospective exhibitions at this first-rate museum are excellent keepsakes showcasing amazing displays. Very highly recommended.Mickey Mouse Dejas book

The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky, by Jeff Kurtti, Vanessa Hunt, et al.:

This book is a fantastic must-have addition to anyone’s Disney book collection. It is filled with not only the history of the monorail itself, but also how Walt Disney became interested in transportation, futurism, and the desire to bring monorails to the parks. Here are some photos from the book (not high-quality scans, just to give you an idea of what lies in store!).

Disney Monorail concept art panorama
The Disney Monorails book inside jacket – as mentioned on the show! – sorry for the quality, but you get the idea.

Disney Maps: A Magical Atlas of the Movies We Know and Love, by Disney Book Group:

This is a fun book that families will love. I know Gio would love getting his hands on this book to explore the various lands we know and love from Disney animated movies. It provides a character list and fun facts about each film too. Here is an example of the Ratatouille pages:

 

Entertaining with Disney: Exceptional Events From Mickey Mouse to Moana! by Amy Croushorn:

This book is like Pinterest in book form. Entertaining with Disney is all organized by theme and has detailed instructions for creating the crafts, making the snacks, and setting the scene for your exceptional Disney events. I got this book for Scott as kind of a joke because he’s not really an entertainer in any way, but he is a completist, so he can cross this one off his list. However, *I* love it, and even if I don’t make any of these super cool themed parties, it’s really relaxing and fun to look at! Here’s the Peter Pan spread:

Entertaining with Disney Peter Pan

 

The Art of Disney Costuming – Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between, by Jeff Kurtti and the Staff of the Walt Disney Archives:

This book is a companion piece to the D23 Expo Archives exhibit from the most recent Expo in 2019. There are spectacular close-ups of the many beautiful and detailed costumes displayed there, as well as backstories. There are also sections on the costumes created for Disney parks, really fascinating stuff. Here are a couple of pages from the book:

 

 

Holiday Magic at Disney Parks: by Graham Allan, Rebecca Cline, and Charlie Price:

The headliner of this episode, Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks (out October 20, available for pre-order now) is a must-have for any collection. Packed with nearly 1,900 amazing photographs, it truly is an encyclopedia of information, detailing the history of the Fall and Winter holidays at Disney parks. This includes decorations, snacks and food items, parades, spectaculars, parties, and rethemed attractions at ALL of the Disney Parks, and Disney resorts as well.

Featuring comprehensive descriptions and photos, the authors have documented the history of these holiday offerings from Disneyland’s earliest years to present day. This book is a great way to see all the holiday fun and remember the magic. We can’t say enough about this masterpiece. Here are just a few of the many, many, pages of documentation:

Disneyland holidays Tomorrowland
How amazing is this vintage Tomorrowland photo from Disneyland??

Again, these are not high-quality scans, just some photos to show you the treasures that lie inside these books. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on them myself and dig into this Disney history. We hope you enjoyed this book-filled episode. If so tell us in the comments below, leave us a review wherever you watch or listen, give us a thumbs up on Zannaland’s YouTube and Subscribe to see all our other videos. Thank you as always for watching and listening! We’d love to know if you pick up any of these titles for your Disney book collection! You can watch this week’s episode right here:

Ways to Help Laid Off Cast Members: 

As we mentioned on the end of the show, it is such a devastating time for so many. As locals, and a Cast Member family, we want to spread the word as much as possible about ways to help if you can. 

Cast Member Pantry Facebook group for Orlando area Cast Members

Ear for Each Other Facebook group featuring Cast Members from both coasts offering their services or talents for sale

Google Sheet with Cast Member run Small Shops and businesses

Also check out our friends Sarah and Tom Bricker’s post on ways to help, including donating to the Second Harvest Food Bank in both Orlando and Orange County, California. Thank you for reading, and thank you for helping the magic makers. 

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these movie choices, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

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Disney Halloween Movie Must-See List – Up the Waterfall Episode 40

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This week we are discussing favorite Disney Halloween movies that you MUST SEE! Scott and I each share a list of our personal favorites and we try to cram as much in as we can to cover all of the Disney Halloween themed shows, movies and more!

Disney Must Watch Halloween Movies

There is a huge catalog of Disney titles, from animated shorts to full-length films to Disney Channel Originals to choose from. We have a good mix of all of them I think, but you’ll have to see if we included your picks too! Did we miss a Halloween classic that’s on your Must-Watch list? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to answer the trivia question too!

You can watch the episode below and see some fun images and video of the movies we discuss. You can of course listen too. We’ll include all the places to listen and connect with us below the video:

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these movie choices, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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REVIEW: MULAN 2020 is The Highest Budget Hallmark Movie

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Mulan 2020 movie poster On Thursday, March 19th, 2020, I was scheduled to attend a press screening of Disney’s Mulan. I thought this would be a totally normal event – and the last screening I attended was not too long prior: The Hunt (a movie so egregiously bad I couldn’t even bring myself to review it). But on March 12th, I was informed that the screening had been cancelled as the release of the film had been postponed. Needless to say, a few other significant events have taken place since then.

Because of this, Mulan 2020 kept piquing my interest. I was already invested into the concept of the film: the original 1998 film is a classic, and while this one was certainly different, I thought the trailer looked really good. In any event, when the time finally came for its release, I couldn’t wait to take a look.

HONORING THE PAST

2020’s Mulan is a testament to Disney’s in-house production teams’ ability to make only one kind of film anymore: the high-budget, low-effort blockbuster. This is really all you can find looking back at their previous releases. From shot-for-shot live action remakes of their animated successes, to 22 superhero stories that they know will draw an audience just because of the Marvel name. They know that if the poster says ‘Disney’ on it, people will buy it, and because of that, they really don’t have to try.

So can you tell I wasn’t the biggest fan of Mulan 2020?

Mulan 2020The movie also draws upon its recent predecessors stylistically. That is to say, even though the tone of the plot is very different, if this movie came on during a Marvel movie marathon, it wouldn’t be all too jarring. It’s shot in the same way: big establishing shots of the lush CGI world they built, faster-than-you-can-blink cuts during action sequences, and shots that are staged almost exclusively with trailers or promotional videos in mind.

I will give them this: in our home theater, we have a very good screen, and this movie was a great way to showcase that. Most of the recent releases on Disney+ are presented in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision, so even a shot of a bug crawling on the ground looks fantastic. 

BE TRUE

Mulan 2020One of the biggest headlines about this movie before it even came out was that it was a more ‘realistic’ telling of the Mulan legend. They nixed the songs, the dragon sidekick, and all the other cartoon-y choices that the 1998 version added themselves. 

I was very interested in this as soon as this was announced. Yes, the soundtrack to the 1998 version is good, but it only has four songs anyway, so I wouldn’t miss them (sidenote, if you like the soundtrack of the original, do yourself a favor and research how much of a mess it apparently was to make). And while Mushu is a fun character, I’m always in favor of changing that type of thing for realism – I’m a big fan of how it was done in Aladdin on Broadway to change the monkey sidekick into three human friends of Aladdin.

However, maybe the biggest reason I was looking forward to a new take on the plot, was following the recent Lion King movie – a full blown shot-for-shot remake of the original with almost nothing added and almost nothing removed. A new telling of the story means that it’s more likely to justify its purpose as a live action remake, something that none of them have been able to do thus far.

Ultimately, this was not the result. The movie relies very heavily on its audience’s pre-existing knowledge of the original film, despite being so starkly and, honestly, harshly different from it. It’s loaded with visual references to the original. Something will happen, and the film will pause for a beat, and wait for the audience to say “Hey, that’s the thing from the original movie, I remember that!” Or the soundtrack, which, while not including the lyricized songs from the original, plays the instrumentals of them in emotional moments, so you again say “Aww, I remember that.”

I say it comes off as harsh because while the movie devotes so much time to profiting off of the audiences memory of the first, it’s also completely different plot-wise. While we hear the powerful instrumental of ‘Reflection’ from the first film, we watch our new Mulan use the force to kick arrows into the chest of a nameless enemy.

Yeah, I guess we should talk about the force.

MULAN’S MIDI-CHLORIANS ARE OFF THE CHARTS

Mulan 2020 villains1998’s Mulan is a movie that empowers young girls to take a stand, and shows them that even if the world says they’re of less value, they can be just as strong and powerful as those that hold them down. You would think that, in (current year), 2020’s Mulan would try to do the same. And to an extent, it does, but it does so oh-so strangely.

From literally the very first scene, Mulan is described as using Chi. Now, I’m aware that chi is a real thing in Chinese culture. It’s described as an underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine or martial arts. And, while it is a ‘force’ that is in tune with your energy flow, the movie treats it as a midi-chlorian-style ‘force that binds us’ that can be used to grant someone jedi-like abilities in dexterity.

It’s underlying message may be one of female-empowerment, but the movie pushes very heavily that Mulan can only succeed because she has some innate supernatural ability. She is a weak fighter – everyone in the Imperial Army seems to be. But by harnessing her ‘inner Chi’ she can be ‘just as good as the men.’ It’s very bizarre, and honestly belittles her character. She’s never able to take down opponents one-on-one: every single fight she takes part in ends with her “controlling her Chi” to do a flip-kick and toss a spear or an arrow back into them.

The film even does a Revenge of the Sith-level side plot where a villain who has mastered their Chi tries to influence Mulan into joining the ‘dark side,’ so that she can realize the full potential of her power.

THE HIGHEST BUDGET HALLMARK MOVIE

Obviously I felt strongly enough about this to make it the title of the review, but it’s true. The movie is all around just pretty mediocre. We followed up our viewing of Mulan by watching 2019’s The Lion King, which, let’s just say, I’m notably not a fan of. At least with The Lion King (while upsetting that it exists), it is still just ‘The Lion King’ so it’s a fun story with fun songs and is just fun in general. Mulan 2020 is really very different from the original film in about every aspect. This upsets me, because like I said before, that normally would be a reason that I would enjoy it. But it’s different in a few too many ways.

This is a humourless, bland, movie. There is action, the music is good. It’s very pretty to look at. Most of the costumes are nice. But I don’t think I would ever bother watching it again because most unfortunately of all, it’s just boring.

This Mulan is the equivalent of, instead of watching the original film, someone just describes to you the original Ballad of Mulan upon which it is based. The pacing is very strange, so it feels like someone just telling the story in a very haphazard way. And, despite starring seasoned vets like Donnie Yen and Jet Li, the acting is notably bad. Aside from Jason Scott Lee, every actor here gives the most lackluster boring performances of their career. For some, like Jet Li, it feels like the only filmed one take before he just walked off set and they had to use it.

Mulan 2020 EmperorBecause of all of this, it truly feels like a Hallmark movie in both it’s plot and it’s production. The acting is subpar, the plot and writing is very low-quality, the special effects feel rushed, the list honestly goes on.

There’s more I could say about the plot alone, like how the villains (specifically the witch Xian Lang) are legitimately the only redeemable characters. Every member of the Imperial Army and of her own family dislikes and belittles Mulan, and she relentlessly follows them to the ends of the earth regardless. Meanwhile, the villains of the movie, donned in all black, with mysterious intent and magical witch in tow, provide a Palpatine-esque alternative that actually sounds way more appealing than what any of the other characters are offering Mulan.

IN CONCLUSION

I don’t want it to sound like this is a terrible terrible movie that is not worth anyone’s time. It’s not. It’s, at worst, “okay.” But it’s also the -nth “okay” movie that Disney has released in a row, and it’s tiresome at this point. This is objectively a better film than The Lion King, for example, but it’s so boring and bizarre that that’s like saying an ant bite is better than a bee sting – I’d still rather not have either.

What makes it worse, is that it’s thirty freaking dollars – or at least $29.99. Not including the Disney+ subscription that everyone who will watch this movie undoubtedly already has. Very, very few movies are worth that much, and there is absolutely no universe at all in which this one is.

Mulan 2020

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Howard – A Documentary

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The 1980’s were a transformative time not only personally, but as a Disney fan as well. My interests of course changed as I grew. I went from being obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake and Barbie dolls, to being obsessed with movies like Annie and E.T. In the animation realm, I was more into The Last Unicorn and The Secret of NIMH. I guess I felt Disney animation wasn’t for me anymore, and as a result, I still haven’t seen The Great Mouse Detective.

In non-movie terms, I was newly discovering EPCOT Center in 1983 and falling in love with Figment and Walt Disney World in general. I left my interest in animated Disney movies behind, and it seems like I was not alone in that feeling, based on the numbers those early 80’s films pulled in.

By my sophomore year in high school, I had been in 5 different schools in 3 different states in 5 years (my parents liked to move around). I was firmly ensconced in the “theatre kid” life as a coping mechanism. I watched and listened to musicals, I was in drama club and several school productions and competitions.  At my 5th and last school, I arrived in the middle of sophomore year, wondering if I could yet again make a new set of friends and start over. It was their production of Little Shop of Horrors that pushed me to audition for the next show. I was (and still am) absolutely in love with Little Shop, “Somewhere That’s Green” and “Suddenly, Seymour” are two of the best written and most pure musical numbers of all time.

Before the days of wikipedia (or me paying attention perhaps), I had no idea that the brilliant minds behind one of my favorite shows were working on something that would put Disney animation back on the map and change it forever. The Little Mermaid appeared on the horizon and looked and sounded unlike anything I’d seen before. It was the perfect time for this brand new relatable princess, with a soundtrack that told the story of the entire movie, with memorable, sing-along-to songs, to completely win me over.

I was also particularly obsessed with Phantom of the Opera and the Beauty and the Beast television series, as well as Labyrinth. I was fully embracing the villain-turned-good-guy storyline. (Okay, maybe Jareth in Labyrinth wasn’t ever a good guy, but come on, it was David Bowie…what’s a teenage girl supposed to think?) I distinctly remember Beauty and the Beast coming out at just the right time in my 17-year-old life and being so captivating that it was an instant classic. Again, I wasn’t alone.

What these new films managed to do was combine my love of Disney, musicals, and animation, as well as really cement my Disney fandom, even if I mostly kept it to myself at that point. Sure, Disney parks were full of animated movie references and attractions, but they were all at least 20 years old by then. These compelling tales gave life to various shows, parades, and attractions, while this new generation of fans felt at home with their new-found favorites represented in the parks. We didn’t realize it at the time, but this was the second golden age of Disney animation – the renaissance, if you will. And really, we have Howard Ashman to thank for that.
Howard documentary

All of this personal backstory leads me to Howard, Don Hahn’s latest documentary chronicling the life and times of Howard Ashman. Even casual fans have heard of the Ashman and Menken duo, and seen the dedication on Beauty and the Beast: “To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991.” But who is the man behind that dedication? What is his story? Die-hard fans have heard some bits and pieces from those who were there, but what Howard does is tell us where that man came from, and how his life was tragically cut short.

We recently discussed Don Hahn’s previous look at this time period, Waking Sleeping Beauty, on our Up the Waterfall podcast. I wanted to revisit it as a precursor to this new film, as it really sets the stage for when and how Howard came into the Disney realm. More than just that, we are treated to first-hand accounts of his childhood from the mouths of his sister and mother. Stories of his work ethic and dreams from his close friends. Tales from Disney and former Disney colleagues of the process of coming to Disney, and creating the stories that would soon live on forever. Heartbreaking memories from his partner, Bill. Howard is truly a love letter to all fans of Disney certainly, but also to those who are filled with creative spirit; a love letter to those with a dream.

More than just a dry documentary with talking heads and old still photos, Howard is crafted to draw you in and make you feel as if you are a part of the story. As Howard’s sister shares a moment in time when Howard created a whole other world for her from cowboy and Indian figures and whatever else lay about the room, the memory is recreated before you on screen. You hear his sister’s wistful remembrance and know how important this point on a timeline is, in explaining who Howard Ashman became.

Particularly poignant is the scene when Howard and Alan Menken were invited to speak at the 92nd Street Y in New York. We hear the event’s audio, we see the crowd in the audience, but we look at empty chairs on the stage. Knowing that right before this is when Howard learned of his HIV diagnosis makes the scene that much more powerful. You hear the difference in Howard’s voice, the weary uncertainty of what his future holds.

Beyond his time at Disney, Howard truly takes you on the journey of Howard Ashman’s life. From his childhood antics to children’s theatre performances in Baltimore, through his varied education and bold moves to open a theatre in derelict New York City of the 70’s – and make a success of it. He built a black box theatre from nothing, and put on some amazing shows, including, of course, Little Shop of Horrors. That success led to a failure, when he worked with Marvin Hamlisch to create Smile, which made it to Broadway, but was a flop. It was on the coattails of that failed dream, that his story led him to Disney.

Howard Ashman and Paige O'hara

We also aren’t shielded from his personal life, which does play an important role. Don Hahn created this film back in 2018, without “Disneyfying” and it is now being shared on Disney+ as it was envisioned by the director. Howard Ashman’s past comes into play, his diagnosis is shared, and of course, the tragic end of his life is covered. We share in Howard’s fears of sharing his HIV news with colleagues, we hear his worry about sending in his demo tape of “Belle” for Beauty and the Beast. Rumors of Howard representing himself as “The Beast” due to his diagnosis are quelled. All in all, it is a fully fleshed out story and one that you won’t want to miss.

Howard AshmanHoward premieres August 7 on Disney+, which if you haven’t yet subscribed to, this is certainly reason enough to go for it. There are a handful of true gems within this Disney+ platform, Howard and Waking Sleeping Beauty among them. On a recent press call with Don, I asked if we could look forward to any “extras” or “bonus features” from the cutting room floor with the Howard release. Don said that in revisiting the film, he did find so much more content and he hopes to someday release them, perhaps as a webseries. So fingers crossed that all gets the green light.

On a personal note, I am truly grateful that we have people like Don who not only were there when this history played out, but have the incredible talent to share these gifts of knowledge and understanding with us all. People often ask “why Disney?” “why are you so into it, it’s just for kids” but stories like this one prove that behind every fairy tale is a lot of hard work, a lot of heartbreak, and almost always, the answer to the “reason why” we love what we love. Thank you, Don, and thank you, Howard.

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Waking Sleeping Beauty – Disney Animation Renaissance – Up The Waterfall Episode 34

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Eleven years may have passed since the 2009 Don Hahn directed documentary release, Waking Sleeping Beauty. Don Hahn has another documentary coming out in just a couple of days on Disney+. Howard, which premiers on Disney+ August 7 and tells the story of Howard Ashman. Howard is of course half of the Ashman/Menken duo that really played an integral part in the Walt Disney Animation renaissance of the late 80’s and early 90’s. I recently got the chance to be on a press call for Howard with Don Hahn, and view the film in advance. I’ll have an article reviewing Howard coming up so keep an eye out. For now, we thought discussing Waking Sleeping Beauty on our Up the Waterfall podcast would be a great way to set the stage for the upcoming Howard Ashman film.

waking sleeping beauty

On this week’s episode, we discuss just that; the importance of this time period in Disney and Disney animation history and the impact these major changes and shake-ups within the company had on the animation side things. Hear our thoughts and some insights as we recall this time and its representation in this fly-on-the-wall documentary.

As mentioned on the podcast, there is an upcoming Evening with Alan Menken concert with Lin-Manuel Miranda put on as a fundraiser for the Walt Disney Family Museum. It is taking place this Thursday August 6 at 5pm pacific time. If you are able to donate, it is such a wonderful foundation, but if not, there is a free registration option as well.

We hope you enjoy this week’s show – give us a comment below if you’ve seen Waking Sleeping Beauty and tell us your favorite part of the film. Are you looking forward to Howard on August 7? Don’t forget to listen and answer our trivia question too! You can email zanna with your trivia answers before next week!

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our LIVE show, starting Monday, August 3, 2020. We’ll be broadcasting live from the Zannaland facebook page, so be sure you are following along there and like the page to be notified when we go live!

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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Up the Waterfall Set Tour and Disney History Book List – Episode 30

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We are now 30 whole episodes in to our passion project, Up the Waterfall podcast. We initially had a different topic planned for today, to mark this momentous occasion, with our first GUEST and everything! However, the tiki gods were angered by all our celebrating, so some pesky technical issues have put a delay on that. Instead we are bringing you a fun little episode where we give you a tour of all the little knick-knacks and collectibles we have around our podcast set.

In addition, Scott gives us a quick overview of the stack of Disney history books he has on display on the shelves behind us on our set. Who doesn’t need more Disney history books, right? As a bonus, there is a LOT of our resident kitty, Stella in this episode. What can we say, she loves Disney books as much as we do.

As promised on the episode, we are sharing links for every book he discusses so you can investigate picking up a copy for your Disney library if you don’t already have one. Some of them may be out of print and being sold by third party marketplace sellers, or you can find them on eBay or your local independent bookseller as well, but now you’ll have the list right here below:

Of course, due to the sheer number of books in this episode, Scott just gives a general overview of their contents. We will do other episodes focusing on one or two books in-depth. Do you have a favorite book you’d like us to discuss? What about our silly collectibles? What are some of your favorite Disney collectibles to display? We’d love to hear from you!

Up the Waterfall Podcast set

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

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Top 10 Underrated Disney Animated Films – Up the Waterfall Episode 28

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This week on Up the Waterfall, we take a lighthearted look at our favorite Underrated Disney Animated Films. Will our picks match yours? Did we forget a favorite animated feature that you think deserves some more love? Let us know!

If you missed last week’s episode on Jules Verne’s influence in Disney Parks and Films, in it I brought up one of my favorite animated films, Atlantis, and how that definitely had a Jules Verne feel to it. That sparked the idea for this week’s show: Underrated Disney Animated Films! Scott and I each share our top 5 picks, and of course, some runners-up along the way.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire
image via Disney

 

Our criteria for “underrated” may differ from yours, so we welcome discussion once you hear and see our picks. It definitely made us both want to head to Disney+ and watch all of these beloved films once again.

We also mentioned some books from Scott’s library at the end of the show, so I’ve listed them below in case you want to give them a look.

A quick note and apology…

Each week we record the audio separately from the video of our show and our producer, Christian uploads the audio and matches it to our 3 camera angles of video for the video version of the show. Unfortunately this week the audio file was corrupted and short of re-recording, we could not fix that track. So, we had to use the camera audio, which isn’t too terrible on its own, but when we switch cameras, there is a quick moment where the audio is noticeably different.

We do apologize for that, I really didn’t want to re-record the show because I kind of loved this one and how it unfolded. I didn’t want to ‘fake’ that magic by re-recording, so I hope everyone understands and bears with us for this week. We’ll have it fixed next week!

Thank you as always for listening or watching!

Books we discussed on the show:

Click to view them on Amazon – as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

 

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

Up the Waterfall logo

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