Disney movie reviews

REVIEW: Maleficent: Mistress of Lazy Filmmaking

16 October 2019 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

As soon as I sat down to watch this movie I regretted not re-watching the original 2014 film Maleficent to refresh my memory of the plot (as it stands, I actually remembered absolutely none of it). But as I got to thinking, I realized it was actually okay that I hadn’t done this. I assume that most people don’t really remember the plot of Maleficent, and that they too would be going in relatively blind.

If you’ve read any other film review I’ve written for this site, you’ll know they all largely follow the same basic theme: I don’t really care for the movie and think it has a lot of poorly executed elements, but in the end, it’s at least mildly entertaining. So it should be no surprise that I think Maleficent: Mistress of Evil really fits that mold too.

In passing I’ve definitely said previously that the original Maleficent was my favorite live-action remake. I feel like I need to clarify this. I don’t like the original Maleficent very much either, but I liked what it attempted to be – something that wasn’t just a 1:1 remake of an animated movie from several decades ago. It had its own perspective and take on the original story that could’ve made for something very compelling. Ultimately though, personally, I don’t think that idea was seen through very well at all.

My issue at this point is that all of these movies are extremely safe and marketable. The ‘live-action’ remakes yes, but even Disney’s seldom seen original IP are stale and worry-free. An avid viewer of such movies would be quick to point out something like The Nutcracker and The Four Realms; a unique take on a classic with a bold choice in design and fresh new elements. But this too sees the shortcomings of Disney’s safe/marketable rules. A new idea like Nutcracker is heavily constrained in its budget, and ultimately can’t do very much other than simply play it safe. Now, do I think that if Nutcracker hadn’t been so constrained it would’ve been good? No, but that’s beside the point.

Obviously it’s within Disney’s best interests to play to their biggest markets and try to make as much money as possible. They can’t necessarily do that if they were to make one-off films with a unique plot that breaks the mold – it’s way too risky. They’re in the business of making money, and every movie that has left Disney’s production team for at least the past five years has been well crafted to be perfectly safe.

Maleficent: Mistress of Confusing Art Design

Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

I assume you can begin to gauge my opinion of Mistress of Evil from that alone. It took no risks, had no groundbreaking plot, made no profound statement.

I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to just criticize every aspect of the movie though – there were some things that I really did enjoy. I thought a lot of the art design was VERY good. Locations like the homeland of the Fae (from which Maleficent herself originates), felt straight out of Pandora: The World of Avatar – and ironically made me really look forward to Avatar 2.

But it would seem that no good deed goes unpunished, because I absolutely could NOT stand the design of the fairies/creatures of the Moors. Looking at them made me want to turn the movie off. I seriously wish that a photo of them had been publicly released or sent to us. For those who do see the movie, I’m talking about the strange hedgehog girl and the bizarre mushroom boy. For those who don’t see the movie, I’m sorry that I sound crazy right now. Those two examples are just so odd looking that I hated them, but people who’ve seen the first Maleficent may remember the incredibly uncanny valley Fairy Godmother characters. Be advised that the first 10 minutes of this movie are dedicated to full CGI establishing shots that are teeming with more and more of these weird and uncomfortable creatures that I did not very much care for.

Character-design-rant aside, I also happened to enjoy the soundtrack. It fell into the background a bit more than I would’ve liked, but there were some moments when I thought it was used in a very compelling way. In a similar vein, the sound design itself was actually pretty notable. There’s a lot of odd creatures in this movie but they all manage to sound exactly like how you’d expect them to.

I had never heard of the director before, and looking at his work again now, the only notable thing he’s made was 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Again, I enjoyed that movie – a bit more than Mistress of Evil – but it really just stayed the course of safe-bet movies.

Maleficent: Mistress of Unnecessary

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

So what do we take away from this? If you’re Disney, apparently nothing. I saw yesterday that on October 18th (opening day of the movie), my local theater is showing Mistress of Evil 28 separate times. It will definitely make money, unfortunately. Disney has placed all of their filming-eggs into one very safe and secure metaphorical basket.

Sure, Mistress of Evil was yet again moderately entertaining. But to me personally, so much of the movie felt poorly executed or lazily done that I came away from it not liking it at all. Even down to the structure of the plot, it felt like a direct-to-DVD sequel from the late 90s. The only difference is that this one had a massive budget and was shown to me in an IMAX theater.

I think lazy is the best way to describe Mistress of Evil. When asking around to my friends, over half of them didn’t even know that the movie was being made, let alone coming out in two days. Before the film started we were greeted with a few short promos of upcoming Disney productions to look forward to. Of these, Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2, a Disney Channel Original sequel to a movie I’ve never seen, made for an age group I’m way too old for, piqued my interest far more than any part of Mistress of Evil did.

I’ll end it off by saying this: I don’t think Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is worth seeing. Normally I would add, “but that’s just me”, but this time, I really don’t think it’s just me. The Disney formula is growing old, and sure, it’s a profitable one, but for how long? Mistress of Evil probably would’ve worked better as a Disney Channel Original Movie (and from the production of it, it would’ve fit right in stylistically) or even a Disney+ Original. Especially given that it’s an unnecessary sequel to an unmemorable movie from five years ago.

REVIEW: Black Panther – the Movie We All Needed

15 February 2018 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Oh hi, Zannaland readers, readers, readers…hmm, bit of an echo. I’m prefacing this review with a touch of editorial mea culpa. I’ve been embarrassingly absent from my beloved site, focusing mostly on instagram to share my mini-blog posts and thoughts and pretty photos. In addition, I’ve been working full-time, as I’ve mentioned before, but I really shouldn’t use that as an excuse for neglecting this place. Before opening up this “Add New Post” page, I re-read my cathartic 2014 post The State of Zannaland (don’t read it now, it’s really long and we have a movie to discuss. But if you want later, feel free.) and I was shocked at how 4 years later, I could’ve written the same thoughts today. Basically, I get too busy to post, rely on the quick and easy places, then get down on myself and wonder if I should continue writing at all. It’s a vicious circle, which, as I read my own words expressing the same emotions years later, was a bit of a wake-up call. I’ll get into more of that in a future post. For now I’m just acknowledging that yes, I’ve neglected this place, and I’m really going to try my best at more writing and less neglecting. And now, Black Panther!

I am a Marvel fan. I’m not, however, a Marvel nerd, by which I mean, I don’t know all the backstories and original comics and what parts in the movies are canon vs. artistic interpretation – though I will admit to looking many things up in the Marvel Universe to better educate myself before and after movies because, let’s face it, there are some confusing storylines and characters out there. After watching Thor: Ragnarok in theatres, which I loved, I felt the need to re-watch Doctor Strange (and look stuff up online), because hey, Doctor Strange was in there and everything’s connected and wow…so yeah, that’s where I am on the scale of Marvel fangirl.

When I first saw a preview for Black Panther, I was IN. Actually, I was in when he appeared in Captain America: Civil War and as he first appeared and was trying to kill “the good guys” I thought “oh no please let him be a good guy I love him and want him to be a hero not a villain!” Which really, says a lot about heroes and villains because as Civil War pointed out, who’s to say what is on the side of “right” and the side of “wrong?” Sometimes there are various indistinguishable shades, and just as half the internet may see a dress as blue, the other half sees it as gold. And certainly in this real-world of political divisiveness, taking a knee, gun control, healthcare, taxes, and more, we often see people on both sides who believe without a doubt that they are fighting for what’s “right” and “good” even if, in our minds, they are completely wrong. Before I get into that, I will just say again, I was very excited to see trailers for the Black Panther full length film.

Now, dear reader, we come to a bit of a difficult point. I am, as most of you know, a suburban, white, middle-aged (gah that’s the first time I’ve admitted that one), wife and mom. The emotions I felt and the thoughts I have been trying to organize regarding this film, left me saying, “who am I, to have an opinion on this? Who am I to have a say in the themes presented on the screen? How can I rally in support of things I have had pretty much zero experience with in my real life? I don’t want to sound, as is so easy to do, like the person that says, ‘some of my best friends are (insert character descriptor here)!’ ‘Some of my favorite shows are Atlanta and Insecure!’ ‘I love Kendrick Lamar!’ or look like a bad YouTube video of someone trying desperately to be hip and relevant.” It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable. My thoughts are my thoughts and my opinions and acceptances and loves are my own, but do they matter in a real-world environment of discrimination and brutality and defamation of character that by default I was born into the wrong side of? And then I realized, this is the point. This is the purpose. To feel uncomfortable. To get to that point where all you want to do is shout from the rooftops how amazing something is, even if you look like a fool for doing it, because it’s the right thing to do. To have the thoughts that make you question the way things are. To see the world from a different perspective. With discomfort comes growth. If we are comfortable with the way things always were, we will forever be living with the way things are vs. how they could be. So yes, here I am, a middle-aged (nope, still stings) white lady, discussing the film which is life-changing for many people of color and I’m just going to do it and it’s going to be a good time, I promise.

You may be starting to think, “Is this still a review for a Marvel super hero movie or did I accidentally click on a HuffPo link? It’s *just* a movie. A fun, action flick, not a commentary on the real world.” Yes, and the Princess and the Frog is just another animated cartoon. To many. To many more, it was the first time they got to go to a store and get a costume representing a character that looks like them. A princess that isn’t blonde with blue eyes with fair skin. A super hero that doesn’t look like he is a Viking god (sorry Thor). A friend of mine in the Disney community (I asked her permission to link to her 🙂 ) went with her sister and her nephew to DragonCon this past year, where he proudly dressed up as Black Panther. They took a group photo of all the Black Panthers there at the convention that day, and he was among all the other little guys looking like a mini army of Wakandan princes. And I teared up seeing the photos she shared because I felt just one tiny, miniscule, microscopic fragment of the pride of representation that they were feeling, and a big ol’ chunk of happiness. I don’t think I ever told her that, because, well, I felt dumb and again, like it wasn’t my place to celebrate that victory. That’s the thing with privilege, even if you don’t think you display it, seeing an instance where generations have gone without it, is very eye-opening. A little uncomfortable. And in that discomfort, you grow in understanding. This is not just an action movie.

Imagine a world, where a country was able to rely only on itself and its people, rich in resources, dependent on no one for trade, or benefits of any kind. Where your land and your people were not a place to be, in their terms: colonized, civilized, converted, saved – in our terms: exploited, suppressed, and oppressed. A place where your land, your people, your culture, your traditions, and your history was preserved, celebrated, venerated, expanded upon, magnified, glorified. This is more than just a list of adjectives, this is Wakanda.

In the Marvel universe, Wakanda is the richest nation in the world. Completely self-sufficient, it has never been colonized, and more than that, because of their great wealth and technological power, they have for the most part hidden themselves from the rest of the world. Why? Because they didn’t need us. To see the downtown city of Wakanda is to imagine our cities, if they weren’t built by people with no cultural traditions, no history to celebrate. I know that I’m painting the developed world with a very broad brush, but it’s true. You can’t celebrate traditions and history and tear it down to build the next biggest high rise full of multi-million dollar condos. You just can’t. We only see this downtown area briefly, but that is the “what if?” that struck me. How the modern was mixed with the traditional. You have a skyscraper with a thatched roof added on to the side or on top, because that is how your traditional buildings were built. The people of the different tribes of the country might wear the traditional attire and markings of their ancestors, or a modern suit paired with a lower lip plate and stretched earlobes. It is literally the best of both worlds, the past and the future living in cultural harmony and peace. I watched in awe and wished I could live in Wakanda. Sadly, this place is fictional, but it certainly makes you wonder, at least it did me, what if. What if centuries of colonization and conquering and oppression and yes, slavery, hadn’t taught the world how “progress” worked.

Now imagine our reality and the world we live in, with the struggles, and persecution, and keeping down of marginalized peoples. And as a marginalized person, you discover that Wakanda exists. Would you want to move there and live out your days? Or would you want to expose the overflowing resources and seemingly endless solutions to the problems the rest of the world faces, in hopes of creating a perfect world everywhere, at any cost? Therein lies the dilemma of Black Panther. Some of these same sentiments are felt by citizens of Wakanda as well. So the new king, T’Challa, must decide how he is going to rule. Will he save the world, or protect Wakanda?

That’s all I’m going to discuss in the way of plot details, I won’t spoil this for anyone because there were some great surprise moments in the film. I will say that Black Pantheris enjoyable from start to finish. From the sweeping Wakandan visuals, to the uber cool Black Panther tech, to the up to date(ish) pop culture references, it’s smart, funny, and everything you’d expect from a Marvel movie. With one token white guy. Martin Freeman is a great foil against the typical “token” character and I love how the movie embraces that, making us white folk squirm just a teensy bit, and doesn’t just pretend that isn’t a reality of the situation in this world.

The performances by all the actors were amazing. I loved the character development and the juxtaposition of the modern outside world against Wakanda’s isolated one. I loved the costumes – so many details. I can only imagine the amount of research that went into each tribe’s backstory, traditional garb and appearance. There is a whole Wakandan language that is spoken and written! The level of realism to create the country of Wakanda and all its history is a standalone success even without the acting, writing, backgrounds, and music too. And I loved the messages throughout the film. They are all important. It was wonderful to see strong (physically and emotionally) women represented on film without a second thought as well. This film on a whole is a great commentary on culture, traditions, rituals, and family; how even the mightiest of men can be flawed and, at the end of the day, we are our choices, so make good ones. And, it’s never too late to make up for the sins of the past and attempt to heal the damage done – and, to be open to new solutions.

So there you have it. My review, peppered with the lightest of social commentaries. I am not 100% sure I have expressed everything I wanted to express about Black Panther, but I am going to see the movie again tomorrow with my 17 year-old daughter, who is also dying to see it, so I may have more to add to this post. I look forward to hearing her perspective on it, as a member of the generation that has been a part of more social change and inclusion since perhaps the 60’s. Things like how the standard of beauty has done a 180 from a generation ago. The standard of human rights and representation is growing exponentially. We still have a long way to go, and I think we have seen recently that what has been the ‘norm’ cannot be the norm anymore. Change is afoot, and movies like Black Panther are the stepping stones to those changes.

Edited to add one more thing: IF I have, in fact, offended anyone, please – let me know. I tried to be completely open, honest, and transparent with some very important real world issues, but I completely understand if I have overstepped any bounds or if my tone did not come across as intended. I come in peace and love, and I hope that’s how it appears. I have had people I know tell me that they actually had no desire to see this movie, and when I asked why, they said (and I’m not making this up – I wish I was), “I’m just not a fan of the urban-ness of it all…” and that, my friends, is a very sad sentiment, which unfortunately is still all too common in 2018. So if anything, I wanted to show whoever did read this, that this IS an important and fun movie and if you can’t handle the “urban-ness” of a country full of peaceful, technologically advanced beyond anyone on the planet, and ridiculously rich citizens, then perhaps it’s time to move to a new galaxy.

WAKANDA FOREVER!

Like BLACK PANTHER on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackPantherMovie

Follow BLACK PANTHER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theblackpanther

Follow Marvel Studios on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marvelstudios/

BLACK PANTHER arrives in theatres everywhere on February 16, 2018!

Disney’s Maleficent Offers a Twist on Sleeping Beauty

30 May 2014 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Like many others, I was completely on board and excited for Disney’s live-action Maleficent, a new look at the “real story” of the dark fairy who we first meet in the classic Sleeping Beauty tale. I had previously fallen in love with the Wicked book series by Gregory Maguire, and thought the way in which it totally turned our thoughts and ideas of “good” and “evil” upside-down and gave us a whole new anti-hero to love. I had high hopes that Maleficent would do something similar and we would find a new appreciation and understanding of this mistress of evil. Unfortunately this was not exactly the case.

As a way of warning, I will note that while I usually keep my movie reviews spoiler-free or with a huge warning ahead of the spoiler parts, I am going to forego that this time, in favor of informing everyone exactly what to expect. If you’d prefer a spoiler-free review, I will not be offended if you leave now and find your information elsewhere. That said, there be spoilers ahead!

To summarize Maleficent, it is the tale of two lands, one is ruled by kings and men and we can understand it instantly as a generic European kingdom. The other is the Moor, a marshy forest full of magical and fantastical creatures of varying size and ability. Maleficent has sort of made herself the protector of the Moor and all who dwell within, who only want peace and to be undisturbed by humans. But a small boy appears, trying to steal a jewel. In pardoning him, Maleficent and the boy, Stephan, form a friendship that grows over the years until, on Maleficent’s 16th birthday, it blossoms into love in the form of a kiss. After that, Stephan disappears and is left to the kingdom of men and its corruption. What follows then is the familiar story with a few twists thrown in. She saves a raven, by transforming him into a man, who then becomes her servant as he owes her a life debt. It isn’t until after Maleficent’s spell is cast on the baby Aurora that the story begins to change and Maleficent’s hardened and betrayed heart soon grows again as she watches over Aurora. I’ll leave it at that, saying that it may not end the way you are expecting and it will certainly challenge your views of good and evil. And now on to my thoughts on Maleficent…

First, the Pros:

Angelina Jolie. She is a perfect, perfect choice for this role, as if she were born to play it, and I’d be happy if she walked around the rest of her life in her Maleficent attire saying “Well, well” whenever it seems to fit. I think, given the story she had to work with, she brought Maleficent to life in a charming, beguiling way and she truly makes the movie worth seeing, if nothing else.

The Special Effects. They are top notch, and definitely fun to watch…they don’t necessarily always make sense or get explained and sometimes seem to be used just for the sake of “look at this cool creature we can make!” but they should be appreciated nonetheless.

Maleficent’s Redemption. I’m all about redemption and second chances and understanding the misunderstood. I love that Maleficent is redeemed and isn’t labeled a villain and evil by movie’s end. I think the audience will be able to identify with most of her story and feel for her.

The Cons:

Character Development. This saddens me the most about this film, and is what dashed my hopes more than anything else. There was such an amazing chance to retell this story well, giving each character a solid backstory and enough development to be understood and appreciated. That simply didn’t happen. We get brief glimpses of a young Maleficent as well as a young Stephan, but there are still so many questions left unanswered. What happened to Maleficent’s parents? What happened to Stephan’s? Why is Maleficent the only fairy of her kind? What are the other kinds of creatures in the Moor all about? Why is Stephan so easily swayed to betray Maleficent and forget about their childhood experiences?

In addition, I think the use of Diavel as the raven we all know from Sleeping Beauty as Diablo, was almost a crutch to allow Maleficent to do anything she needed to do. If she had infinite magic, she could’ve done anything, but instead she used Diavle almost to the point of him wanting to leave. That said, I almost feel as though his character is the most solid. He has the conscience and keeps Maleficent in check when her anger or irresponsibility goes too far, before she sees the error of her ways.

The Special Effects. I know, I just put them in the “pros” section. But really, there are so many cool effects and creatures created for this film that we just can’t appreciate because we know nothing about them. I was reminded of Oz the Great and Powerful and the random creatures that first appear when Oz lands. I was definitely left with a “what was the point of that?” with many of the effects, both Maleficent’s powers and the creatures we see. I’m not saying taking the time to explain each creature and give it a backstory would’ve been the answer, but perhaps most of them just weren’t even necessary…focus on the characters and let the power of the story carry the film.

The Story. I could lump this together with character development but I think it needs its own section. I loved Maleficent’s story. I even loved Aurora’s story, though she doesn’t have much to do with it herself. But everything else happening around it, just left me disappointed. The three fairies who “care” for Aurora are so unlikable and annoying, I began to cringe every time they came on screen. The same with King Stephan. We don’t know enough about him to warrant his decent into a mad king who will stop at nothing to “protect” his daughter, though when confronted with her toward the end, shows absolutely no fatherly love whatsoever. Everyone but Maleficent was very frustrating to watch, and even then, there are many unanswered questions with her as well.

PARENTS GUIDE: In my opinion, this is NOT a young-family-friendly Disney film. It is not bloody or full of gore, but as a mom of a pretty tough 5 year-old, I know I’d be dealing with nightmares from the tree and root creatures alone, not to mention some pretty tough scenes to watch like Maleficent waking up to discover her wings gone and the various fight scenes. It is definitely not a film for younger fans of Sleeping Beauty. I would place it on par with Lord of the Rings-type of action minus the gore. I’d compare it to Harry Potter, but the focus is not on children and their experiences, so I can’t say it would be received the same way to kids as the first few Potter films. Obviously each parent knows their kids the best and can decide with their children what they can handle, but I think some research should be done before blindly going in because it is based on a Disney princess movie.

So overall, I was sadly disappointed with Maleficent. I wish it could’ve been done better and been a film which would stand the test of time and offer a new sort of fairy tale and inspire kids and adults alike to look at things from a different point of view. As it stands, I can’t in good conscience recommend the film. Even if I’d read this review myself before seeing the film, I would’ve still seen it because I am a fan of Angelina Jolie and I would’ve wanted to see the story myself, but keep your expectations low if you choose to go to Maleficent this summer.

John Carter – The Greatest Movie You Don’t Want to See

6 March 2012 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

When buzz first surfaced about John Carter, I took little notice. I thought it was cool that Andrew Stanton was branching out from Pixar animated films, the fact that it was an Edgar Rice Burroughs story piqued my interest slightly, but seeing the first teaser trailer, it was lost again quickly. To me, it seemed too similar to stories we’ve seen before; man gets transported somewhere foreign to him, must fight his way out/back/defend a race of people. Avatar or Gladiator on Mars. And in a nutshell, yes, that is what the film is. What I wish I knew going in, was that this film has a heart, a compelling story within it. From the sounds of the feedback before and after seeing the film, I don’t think I’m alone in my reservations and praise of John Carter.

The story opens in Arizona, where John Carter is instantly identified as a valiant Civil War soldier from the Confederate Army in Virginia, who has now left the service. For some reason we don’t yet know, has no desire to return to service, even when imprisoned as a last resort. John Carter has his sights set on a different purpose, however, and nothing will stop him. He is looking for his cave of gold, which makes him the laughing stock of his fellow frontiersmen. We learn in a chase scene that he has no ‘side’ in the war anymore, and can speak in Native American tongue. He is out for himself, and no one else. Or so it seems.

Escaping soldiers and Native Americans he does find his cave of gold and with it someone from Mars, who he shoots and in the process ends up on Mars itself. It is here that our real story begins. John Carter discovers he has the power to jump great distances. That excitement is tampered by the fact that he is soon captured by tall green alien creatures, with four arms and tusks – the Tharks. I won’t go into a play-by-play of the movie plot, but the story here parallels that on earth; he does not want to fight or defend anyone, but is drawn in to defend those he considers defenseless, in the course of trying to get back home.

At this point, we still don’t know why John Carter is who he is, or why he so strongly defies choosing a side and fighting in a war. We are treated to various flashbacks as the central characters make their way to what John hopes will be a way home. This culminates in a fight scene when a rival tribe of Tharks has been called in to destroy him. John makes his companions go as he stays to fight, in one of the most powerful and emotional scenes I have seen on film in a long time. It brought tears to my eyes, and it is what sums up John Carter’s character, purpose, and hatred of war. It is beautifully edited and worth seeing the film for that alone, in my opinion.

After this turning point, John Carter is then on the side of good on Mars, or Barsoom as it is known by its people, and the battles continue to save the planet and get John home. However, John then falls in love with Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium – the most human-like of Barsoom’s inhabitants. This leads to several other twists and plot turns as John Carter fights for their lives. Just when all seems well, John is sent back to Earth. Yet another battle then begins – where John must seek out a way to return to Mars and his love. Since those details tie up the final points of the film, I won’t reveal them here, but rest assured, they are well done.

I’m not sure why the marketing for John Carter has been so confusing and poorly received, even in reading twitter streams after seeing the premier, there was a lot of silly chatter about Disney daring to make an action film. Maybe audiences are just used to the Disney marketing machine being the same, whether the film delivers or not, but in this case, it is sad to see such bad pre-press about a film I really had no problems with. Well, I take that back. In the beginning, John Carter’s voice and tone seem a little like a bad John Wayne impression, but by the end of the movie, I attributed it to the mannerisms of the time, and was okay with it, overall.

I didn’t want to see this movie. I was going to send my husband and son in my stead. I was completely won over and I plan to see it again once it opens officially on March 9th. It has all the elements of a wonderful film, Disney or otherwise: a story you want to hear, characters you care about, and just enough special effects and eye candy to make you ooh and ahh. More than just an action sci-fi flick, I had no idea it had a steampunk feel to it, and as a fan of that style, I was thrilled to see its use on Barsoom. It is appropriate for all tweens and up, with minimal up-close violence and gore, with a great message about preserving our world and doing the right thing. Go see John Carter of Mars – even if you don’t want to.

REVIEW: The Muppets – Together Again

21 November 2011 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

Muppet Show lunchbox — First day of school, with my Muppet Show lunch box, 1978

I can’t remember which came first, my stuffed Kermit doll that rarely ever left my arms, or watching The Muppet Show each Sunday night, like clockwork. What I do know is that I fell instantly in love. Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, kids growing up didn’t think the Muppets were real, they knew they were.

It was a simpler time of rainbows and unicorns and the Muppets let kids know it was okay to dream. Way before I knew of a magical place called Walt Disney World, I knew of the magical place called The Muppet Theatre. I wanted so badly to be able to sit in the audience, or better yet, visit backstage with Scooter.

When The Muppet Movie was released back in 1979, we were able to see where the Muppets came from and they became even more endeared to us. Famed film critic Roger Ebert had this to say about the original Muppet Movie:

“They turn out, somehow, to have many of the same emotions and motivations that we do. They are vain and hopeful, selfish and generous, complicated and true. They mirror ourselves, except that they’re a little nicer.“

So very true.

For fans like me, the Muppets never really went away, but I can understand how an entire generation really doesn’t have that Muppet upbringing to draw from. When Jim Henson passed away in 1990, I actually grieved. I was about to graduate high school in the coming year and it was as if my childhood was ending in more ways than one. We were lucky to soon have the Muppets living on at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but it wasn’t quite the same as having those jokes and skits each week, or full-length feature films of our favorite furry friends (aside from the themed movies putting the Muppets into classic tales). For that reason, I am so grateful to Jason Segel for making it his mission to bring the Muppets back to the big screen. {Some spoilers may be contained below, continue reading at your own risk}

The Muppets cast — The cast of characters, old and new

I was lucky enough to attend a media screening of The Muppets last Saturday. I am already a fan of Jason Segel’s writing and acting, so I was excited to see where The Muppets took us. I was not disappointed. The Muppets opens with the story of Walter and Gary, brothers who grew up doing everything together. While Gary (Jason Segel) continued to grow in height, Walter stayed the same. Walter bares more resemblance to say, Scooter than he does Gary, so things got a little tough for him. When Walter and Gary discovered The Muppet Show on their television, Walter found a new reason for living. He became the Muppets biggest fan.

Similar to the original three Muppet films, The Muppets focuses more on the Muppets story than the humans. With the usual musical and dance numbers, the Muppet and human cast acknowledge that there is an audience watching. It lets us not only get in on the joke, but be a part of it. The story then focuses on Gary’s trip to Los Angeles with his girlfriend of 10 years, Mary, (Amy Adams). Gary brings his brother along for the vacation and Walter’s dreams of taking the Muppet Studios tour is about to come true. The Studios are the first stop, and Walter is shocked to see they have fallen into disrepair and are for the most part abandoned.

Walter sneaks into Kermit’s old office where he overhears the villain of the story, oil barron Tex Richman, discussing his plans to demolish the studios and drill for oil. When the loophole of the “Standard Rich and Famous Contract” is brought to light, I couldn’t help but smile at the reference to the original Muppet Movie. Walter knows they have to find Kermit and save the Studios, no small task as the price to buy it back is 10 million dollars, and no one knows where the Muppets are today. As they travel across the globe to retrieve Muppets and put on a Muppet telethon, we see pieces of Muppet history from the movies and show, mixed with slapstick humor and puns.

The rest of the film is full of heartwarming nods to the past that older fans will recognize, and plenty of laughs for a new generation. Lines like “may I suggest we save time and pick up the rest of the Muppets in a montage?” and “we can travel by map!” let you know these are the Muppets we know and love. Some fun new moments for me included the Swedish Chef and Camilla the Chicken getting subtitles, so we finally knew what they were saying. While there are a host of guest star cameos and a subplot about Gary and Mary, the real story is about the Muppets, friendship, and how growing up doesn’t have to mean growing apart.

I won’t give away all of the movie, but I will admit to tearing up when the Muppet telethon begins with the original Muppet Show opening. It was truly magical to see it unfold live before your eyes, and to know that my children will now love and appreciate the Muppets and learn from them as I did so many years ago.

Kermit sang those famous words 32 years ago; “Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection…” while Gonzo later crooned, “I’m going to go back there someday…” Well, I think we’ve done both. Welcome back, Muppets. We’re so happy you are Together Again.

The 7-minute short which precedes The Muppets is a hysterical piece of work from Pixar, featuring the Toy Story gang back again, including Bonnie, beneficiary to Andy’s toys. “Small Fry” takes a look at some fast food kids meal toys, and how they just want to be played with too. Jane Lynch stars as the voice of Neptuna, a discarded mermaid warrior toy and leader of the discarded toy support group. The names and types of abandoned toys got laugh after laugh in the theatre; pure genius! Make sure you arrive on time to the theatre so you don’t miss this one!

The Muppets opens nationwide on November 23.

Prep & Landing on DVD? That’s SO Tinsel!

18 November 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

I remember the excitement surrounding Prep & Landing when it first appeared on television a few years ago as ABC’s first ever animated special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios first ever animated . Now Prep & Landing has come out on DVD, for the whole family to enjoy whenever they need a little TINSEL! If you haven’t seen Prep & Landing, here’s an overview: Prep & Landing is an adorable holiday story about a high-tech team of elves who ensure homes around the world are properly prepared for their visit from Santa. After working for a tireless 227 years, an elf named Wayne (voiced by Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion. Instead he is partnered with an idealistic rookie elf named Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) to execute a special Christmas Eve mission. While on their journey, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits and ultimately threaten Christmas for children around the world. But in the end, these two elves work together to guide Santa through a raging snowstorm in order to save Christmas.

And here’s a clip from the bonus features:Since Prep & Landing is only 22 minutes in length, the DVD is chock full of fun bonus features; two Stocking Stuffer Shorts and some Prep & Landing Kringle Academy Training videos. The best part is that the bonus features auto-play so you get to see all the fun without pressing a button. Prep & Landing is arriving from the workshop on November 22nd and makes a perfect backdrop for holiday gatherings and an even better stocking stuffer!

Tangled DVD+Prize Pack GIVEAWAY!

28 March 2011 by Suzannah Otis 107 Comments

I recently received the Tangled DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack and I can tell you it’s been playing non-stop in ZannaLand ever since it arrived! I’d forgotten how simply beautiful the animation was in this film, not to mention the wonderful songs and funny lines. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite Disney films, if not the favorite. I know it’s my 10 year old daughter’s fav! (In fact, it’s playing right now as I write this!!)

We’ve been enjoying the bonus features as well, seeing the deleted scenes in a sketched animation format is really cool. Finding out that “The Snuggly Duckling” was almost “The Jaunty Moose” was great! There are some wonderful commentaries as well, so even if by chance you get tired of playing on repeat in your home, you can switch it up and find out some great behind-the-scenes facts about the process.

And who can forget faithful sidekicks Maximus and Pascal??

Tangled is now available on DVD, Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack AND 3D Blu-Ray/Blu-Ray/DVD and Digital Copy 4 disc set —

Thanks to the Tangled promotional team, I can offer a giveaway of a Tangled dvd and a surprise bonus gift (one of the following: a Pascal Beanie Baby, Flynn Ryder or Rapunzel T-Shirts, or Official Disney Paper Lanterns) to one lucky reader!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Rapunzel discovers that she is a strong woman and can take care of herself outside of the tower. Check out the Tangled Widget below and explore your family’s hidden talents. What are your hidden strengths? Comment below sharing your strengths or talents.

Contest now over, thanks to all who entered and spread the word!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Tony Mendyk who was picked from random.org as the winner!

Additional entries:

2. “Like” ZannaLand on facebook. Leave a separate comment letting me know.
3. Follow @zannaland on twitter and tweet the following:

“I just entered to win #Disney’s #Tangled on dvd from @zannaland and you can too! http://bit.ly/tangledgiveaway #giveaway #contest“

Leave a separate comment letting me know. You can tweet as many times as you like, but don’t spam your twitter friends!) 😉
4. Subscribe to ZannaLand posts via email or RSS feed (email box is to the right) and comment letting me know.
5. Share this this contest link on facebook, stumble it, or share it any other way you’d like and comment letting me know. (there are buttons to share on popular sites below this post)

Each entry must be in a separate comment. Winner will be chosen on Friday, April 1 (no April Fool’s joke, I promise!) using random.org and announced on this entry. Item will be mailed directly from the Tangled team. Good luck!!