Week 4: Oliver and Company (1988)

 

This is a cute story and the movie has a fairly decent Disney-esque soundtrack. But it wouldn’t make my top-ten list. The Lion King aside, it seems I vastly prefer the Disney movies where the main characters are people rather than those that are animals. I will say, though, that the cat and dogs in this movie are absolutely adorable – except for Jenny’s poodle, Georgette – she’s kind of an egomaniac.

 Plot Summary: A lost and alone kitten joins a gang of dogs engaged in petty larceny in New York. (www.imdb.com)

 Fun Fact: There are at least three cameos of other animated characters in this movie. In one of the opening scenes, where a large group of dogs are marching after Dodger – we see Peg from Lady and the Tramp. Then later, when we see Georgette’s room and all the pictures on her dresser of her suitors, we see Scooby Doo. Finally, later in the movie, we see one of the dogs has cornered Marie (Aristocats) up a tree.

 Favourite Character: Dodger

 Favourite Song: Why Should I Worry? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb7kJ-j_dKA)

 Quotable Quotes:

Absitively posolutely!

“You’re not being fair!” “Fairs are for tourists, kid.”

It seems rather dangerous to use one’s entire vocabulary in a single sentence.

After you, my little croissant.

 Final Thoughts:

You just never know who you might be able to count on.

 3 Mickeys out of 5:

 Next Week’s Movie: Pocahontas

 

Advertisement

Week Off

I’m taking a break from the blog this week because I borrowed Roots from the library…and, well, it takes some time to work through. I am really enjoying Kunta Kinte’s story (I’m on Episode 4 now.) Happy Easter, everyone, and I’ll be back next week with Oliver and Company!

Week 3: The Lion King (1994)

If I had to make a top ten list of Disney movies, this would be very close to the top. I am surprised my VHS copy did not fall apart from how many times we watched it. Also, fun fact, I had a matchy-matchy Lion King sweatsuit too – it was my favourite outfit at eight/nine years old. This is a movie I can quote almost in its entirety – and I can definitely sing the words to all the songs. (And I will. If no one is there to hear…haha.)  Fun fact #2: my brother and I once spent an entire weekend at my aunt and uncle’s house trying to pass the Lion King video game. We failed.

Plot Summary: Lion cub and future king Simba searches for his identity. His eagerness to please others and penchant for testing his boundaries sometimes gets him into trouble. (www.imdb.com)

 Fun Fact: Rafiki leads Simba to a lake claiming to show him Mufasa. Simba looks up from the lake when he hears Mufasa in the sky. He never moves all the while talking to Mufasa, which means he should be standing at the edge of the lake. But when Mufasa fades away Simba runs forward and we realize Simba was nowhere near the lake, but on a grassland. If he was near the lake, he should have fallen into it when he ran forward. (www.imdb.com)

 Favourite Character: Pumbaa

Favourite Song:

Just Can’t Wait to be King (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywjX6AF6oVc)

Hakuna Matata (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5ceAruYrI)

Quotable Quotes:

He’s as mad as a hippo with a hernia.

Yuck. I can’t marry her! She’s my friend!

That’s MISTER Banana Beak to you, Fuzzy.

You gotta put your behind in your past.

Home is where your rump rests.

Your Majesty! I gravel at your feet.

You can either run from your past or learn from it.

 Final Thoughts: Running away from your problems doesn’t make them go away. All running away does is hurt the people you love – it’s better to “stick your behind in your past” and move forward trying to do better. The lessons you learned in the past should influence your future.

Five Mickeys out of five:

Next Week’s Movie: Oliver and Company

Week 2: Finding Nemo (2003)

This movie came out the year I graduated high school – yup, just told you all how old I am. I never saw it in theaters, but remember watching it about a year after it came out on “The Wonderful World of Disney”. That was my usual Sunday night ritual. I very much enjoy this movie, but find it somewhat disappointing that there are no earworm-type songs to get stuck in my head.

Plot Summary: After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home. (www.imdb.com)

Fun Fact: Among the toys in the waiting room are the jack-in-the-box and Buzz Lightyear and, on a shelf, the plane he used to “fly” in Toy Story (1995) and Pixar’s trademark ball from Luxo Jr. (1986). (www.imdb.com)

Favourite Character: Dory

Favourite Song: Interestingly enough, not your typical Disney soundtrack. Other than Dory’s sing-songy “Just Keep Swimming”, there are no lyrics to any of the music in this movie.

Quotable Quotes:

You know, for a clownfish, he really isn’t that funny.

Fish are friends, not food.

Just keep swimming.

All drains lead to the ocean.

I look at you and I’m home.

Final Thoughts: Just keep swimming. Keep moving towards your dreams, goals, that crazy idea you have in your mind. You’ll get there if you just keep moving in that direction.

3.5 Mickeys out of 5:

Next Week’s Movie: The Lion King