Hocus Pocus 2 Review

Another glorious morning... makes me sick!  

It's already been 10 days since Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney+ on September 30th.  Since then, it seems like it's all anyone is talking about online.  I have seen so many mixed reviews, and I haven't wanted to write anything sooner since I wanted everyone to have a chance to see it and make up their own mind.  But since it's been a week and a half now, I figured it was high time that I finally add my thoughts to the mix.

Honestly, I really loved the movie.  I thought it was funny, silly, just the right amount of spooky, and fun.  And before I say anything else, here's my warning about spoilers!!!  

Continue reading this post at your own risk...  

Don't say that I didn't warn you... 

Seriously, this is your last chance to turn back... 

Still here?  Ok, let's dive in!

I should start by letting you know that I've watched the movie 2.5 times now.  I watched it the night it came out, then watched the second part of it a second time when Eliot got home from work that night.  He was only able to watch part of it during his lunch break, so I agreed to watch again so he could finish it.  We watched it again this past Friday night, but I still haven't watched Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 back-to-back yet.

The second thing you should know is that I've been really excited about this ever since they first announced that a sequel was actually happening.  Hocus Pocus is a classic for us.  I was never really into it as a kid, but it's become a must watch for me as an adult.  I couldn't wait for the Sanderson sisters to return to Salem!

The thing that I was most excited for was the storyline of the movie.  Obviously, I had seen the trailer so I knew that a new group of teenagers were going to summon the Sanderson sisters using a black flame candle.  But I didn't know what the rest of the story would be.  I thought it was clever to show the flashback of the sisters when they were younger.  I think it set up the part about the reverend really well for when his descendants were living in today's Salem.  I also like how it included a young Billy Butcherson and included his backstory a little.  And the addition of Gilbert and how his story tied back to 29 years ago worked out well too.  I think that's the tie that really makes the second story make sense... and work with the first one.

The story was helped along with the music.  The music from this film reminded me a lot of the soundtrack from the first film.  And of course there were musical numbers.  I've seen a lot lot of people complain online that they were disappointed there were any original songs in the movie... but I disagree with that.  "I Put a Spell On You" was made iconic from Hocus Pocus, but it was originally sung back in 1966 by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.  Yes, Hocus Pocus is how I know the song too, but it wasn't an original song for the movie back in 1993.  I think Hocus Pocus 2 and the soundtrack were perfect, and a great nod to the original film.  Plus, it still had an iconic Sanderson performance, with an iconic song that you can bet people will be bopping along to.

Another part of live action movies that always catches my attention is the costumes.  I didn't really notice them much in this film, and I think that's probably a good thing.  In period pieces (Beauty and the Beast) or places far away (Aladdin), I always notice the clothing because it's so different from what everyone wears today.  Since the movie is set in 2022, the clothing of the majority of the characters is literally what we'd wear so it didn't jump out at me.  However the Sanderson sisters iconic costumes were just as amazing as always.  And Mother Witch had a great look too!

Another thing that impressed me was the Old Salem set.  I was very much paying attention to the details of Hocus Pocus 2 filming.  I'm actually in a Hocus Pocus fan Facebook group and people who were local to Rhode Island, where the sequel was filmed, where posting photos of the sets.  I was really interested in the Old Salem set since it was literally built in a giant field.  None of the houses were fully built, only their fronts and part of the side.  Then, they were artistically weathered to make them look old.  I couldn't wait to see how it actually looked on film and I was absolutely blown away at the before and after movie magic!

Something else that I was excited to see how it played out was the humor.  Hocus Pocus always makes me laugh, no matter how many times I've seen it.  There are so many funny and iconic lines in it.  I was really happy with how the humor was injected into this movie.  There were still some of those same funny lines and sayings from the first film, but there were a lot of other jokes as well.  I also think the second film did a great job of poking fun of the first one... like the kid asking Gilbert what a virgin was.  I think that's an awkward moment many have experienced after the first film's release so it was definitely relatable and amusing for those of us watching who are adults now.  

For me, some of the things that made me giggle the most were courtesy of the 29 year time jump between the two movies.  Obviously, none of us would have known what a "selfie" or a Roomba were back in the 90's.  Mary flying on her "broomies" was one of my favorite parts of the entire film.  And the Walgreen's scene with all of the beauty products also had me completely in stitches laughing.

At the end of the day, it's the characters that make the movie, and these ones didn't disappoint.  I was excited to see the Sanderson sisters again after 29 years.  I was also happy that they included Billy in the sequel.  I won't lie, like many I was also wondering what Max, Dani and Allison were up to nowadays, but I understand why they didn't include them.  These new characters were a great addition to the story.  Now that they have introduced them, there might be more places the storylines can go as well...?

I think there are definite possibilities.  If you saw the movie, you probably noticed that there was a bird just like Mother Witch following the girls as they walked off into the night.  I was excited about that addition thinking that there might be another part to come.  Then, I mindlessly had the credits on while I started doing something on my phone or computer.  But I'm glad that I didn't turn it off though... because, if you watch until the end, you saw another short scene.

Cobweb, Gilbert's black cat, jumps up to the bookshelf where there's a box that says B.F. Candle #2.  There's another black flame candle!  The Sanderson sisters could come back one more time even though it appeared they were gone for good!  Both of these subtle hints leave enough of a door open that Disney could potentially make another movie in the next few years.  And it seems as if the three Sanderson sisters themselves would be on board if the right script came along!

It appears that there are a lot of possibilities for the future, but right now I'm just really grateful.  Bette Midler is 76, Kathy Najimy is 65 and Sarah Jessica Parker is 57.  These three wonderful actresses came back to give us, the fans of the first film, one more chance to see the Sanderson sisters running amok in Salem.  They gave us all an incredible gift, and if this is the end of the films, it was a wonderful adventure.

But, I'm sure that Disney will come up with something, if not another full length film, then perhaps a show series.  Maybe they will go into more depth with the new coven of teenage witches in Salem.  Or, after the rave reviews from the sequel, maybe they'll go back in time again... because I have to say it... 

My favorite part of the entire movie was the beginning with the younger Sanderson sisters.  Those young actresses had their mannerisms down perfectly.  And I think that young Winnifred completely stole the show!  I've read so many comments online about people hoping that Disney makes a follow-up Disney+ series (or even a full movie) about them in their youth and how they started practicing magic.  I count myself with the masses, because I would love to watch something with the three of them!

Whatever Disney has in store for the future of the Hocus Pocus, I'm on board!

Overall, I think Hocus Pocus 2 was a wonderful sequel and a great nod to the first movie.  It was nostalgic for those of us who loved the first movie, and it was also a great film for today's generation being introduced to the Sanderson sisters.

If you haven't seen the new movie yet, give it a chance... and go into it with an open mind.  It will never be the original, but I really did enjoy it for everything it was.  And speaking for Eliot and me, watching Hocus Pocus 2 is going to become another annual Halloween season tradition in our house.  °o°

Photo Credit: All photos are from Disney's official Hocus Pocus Facebook page.

Encanto Movie Review

This past Sunday, Eliot and I finally sat down and watched Encanto on Disney+.  

Honestly, I wish we'd watched it sooner.  Jeremy and Eliot really wanted to watch it when it came out on Christmas, but since it was Christmas Day I had insisted that we watch a holiday movie, so we watched Noelle.  Everyone enjoyed it, and I don't regret not watching Encanto then, but I wish we'd seen it sooner.  Between Christmas and leaving for Pittsburg a few days later, Eliot and I have been too busy to watch movies.

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This one was incredible.  I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Everything that I had seen regarding the movie had kind of flown out of my head, so I was like a clean slate- free from expectations.  I knew the music would be incredible because Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote it, but other than that, I was going into it with an open mind.

I could not have been more impressed with Encanto.  The animation was so beautiful and detailed.  The colors were fun, bright and vibrant.  The characters were all well-developed.  The story had me completely entranced the entire time, needing to know what happens next.  And the music was everything I wanted and more.

After watching it Sunday, the songs were stuck in my head.  Late Monday afternoon, I wasn't feeling very well and Eliot still had to be at work for a few hours.  I decided that I needed to watch the movie again and I was just as entranced as the first time.

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I really love the magical house.  Obviously, as an interior design major, the house is something that I'm paying attention to.  But this was also a magical house that could move and I loved it.  The house was it's own special character and the animators did a great job of bringing it to life.  No spoilers, but I was so happy at the end of the movie!

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I also liked getting to know each of the characters in the Madrigal family.  In so many movies, it feels like you get to know the main character but not the others.  In Encanto, each of the characters' relationship to the main character was very much a part of the story.  I also really liked how there was no traditional villain in the movie.  The real villain was intergenerational trauma and family expectations.  It felt more realistic.

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The attention to detail was also astounding.  I read something that said Dolores claps with her fingers because the sound of herself clapping is too loud for her ears.  Now, I'm dying to watch the movie again so I can look for that part.  There are also reports that you can see the character we don't talk about in the background of many of the scenes.  (If you look closely on most of the movie posters with the family, he's there!)

Of course, as a Disney nut, I was also keeping an eye out for the Easter eggs.  I was so enthralled with the movie that I didn't really think about them the first time I watched it, but the second time I caught a few.  I swear I saw a young Mama Coco walking into the casita, and I definitely caught the "Let It Go" reference both times.  I missed the Wall-E boot with the plant, but I'll be looking next time!  (Read about more here.)

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I also loved the symbolism with the butterflies throughout the movie.  I don't speak Spanish, but I looked up the English translation of "Dos Oruguitas" this afternoon and it tells the story of two caterpillars who have to separate and make their own paths; then, they turn into butterflies and still have to make their own way.  It was so beautiful, yet heartbreaking, much like the story of Alma and Pedro in Encanto itself.

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The music will stay with you long after the movie ends.  I knew it would be amazing, and it definitely was.  After listening to Hamilton so much, I could definitely hear Lin-Manuel Miranda in certain parts of the songs.  I knew there would be a great variety of styles, and speeds to the songs.  Much like Hamilton, it didn't take long for the medleys to get stuck, even if I had no idea what the lyrics were.  (More on that later this week.)

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Overall, I was deeply enchanted by the magic that is Encanto.  Honestly, the only thing that I'm really disappointed about is how Disney hasn't realized that we'd like an adult size skirt like Mirabel's.  Maybe one is coming soon and they're all stuck out on a ship somewhere, but if not, get on that Disney!  There are a lot of ladies in my Dress Shop Facebook group ready to shell out for our own Mirabel skirts!

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If you haven't seen Disney's Encanto yet, do yourself a favor and go watch it.  I'm sure you will absolutely love it!  In the meantime, I've gotta restart the soundtrack!  °o°

Hamilton Review

It's been 10 days since Eliot and I joined everyone in the phenomenon of the Hamilton musical.  Like many others, we flocked to Disney+ to experience the film version of the theatrical musical the weekend it was released.  Late in the evening on the 4th of July, we finally sat down to watch... and I was completely captivated for 2.5 hours.

Wow.  Brilliant.  Amazing.  Incredible.  Thought Provoking.  Ear-wormy.  Just... WOW.

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I can't believe that Eliot and I didn't see it sooner.  Now, I really wish that we'd seen it live on Broadway.  I know that someday we will be able to see it live... when the world is right side up again.  And I very much look forward to that day.

Going into watching Hamilton, I didn't know the music.  All I knew about the music was that it was a lot of rap and hip hop and that it might be hard to follow along and catch everything.  But everyone was obsessed with the soundtrack, so I knew it would be good.  I also knew the musical was about founding father Alexander Hamilton.  I knew everyone who had seen it live thought it was amazing... and that's all I had to go on.

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I specifically didn't listen to the soundtrack because I didn't want to ruin anything for myself.  I don't regret this decision.  While there were a few places that I didn't catch what was being said the first time, I quickly committed some of the more popular songs to memory after one viewing.  I listened to the soundtrack and watched the movie again on Monday the 6th while Eliot was at work.  The Hamilton soundtrack has been my go-to playlist since Eliot and I first watched it on July 4th.  Now, even more of the songs are stuck in my head on repeat.

I haven't watched it for a third time... yet.  Eliot's sister Elissa is here with us for the week, so if we have time, she and I might watch it one afternoon while he's at work.  If we don't watch it, I'll definitely be putting it on again next week after she leaves.

Ever since I watched Hamilton, I can't get enough of it.  At this point, Facebook knows about my obsession because it keeps suggesting articles and videos about the history, cast, and story behind the making of the hit musical.  Videos of the cast performing outside of their Broadway theater also keep popping up.  I'm not complaining.

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I knew when I settled into the couch and we first saw the stage that I was going to be hooked.  The seemingly simple stage design transported me back to revolutionary times.  They used simple, historically accurate props, keeping the viewers main focus on the cast, choreography and most importantly- the music.  The stage also had a rotating platform or turntable.  It was used to help move the story along and it brought so much life to the performance.  Finally, I was excited to see more staircases on wheels- much like I the ones in "Frozen Live at the Hyperion" at California Adventure.

The costumes were also historically appropriate.  At first glance, they didn't seem very important but you could easily tell the main cast members apart because of their costumes.  The simple costumes the ensemble members wore made it easy for them to change into different characters- like Revolutionary or British soldiers... depending on where you were in the story.  You could also see how Hamilton grew in importance (and presumably also in wealth) based on his clothing.  It seems so simple, and yet, the clothing choices were also subtly helping to move the story along.

Another aspect that I was impressed with was the choreography.  I had no idea what to expect but it blew me away.  I loved the way it brought the story to life.  The ensemble's dancing was flawless.  The dance style was mostly dictated by the music... and the two were seamless.  The stage turntable and choreography worked together harmoniously as well.  I was so impressed by how well it all came together visually.

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Which brings me to the cast of Hamilton... the original Broadway cast of Hamilton was perfection.  Each of the cast members were perfect for their role.  I completely believed each of them was the character they were portraying and that I had magically gone back in time to witness the founding of our country firsthand.  The casts' voices, acting, dancing... everything just blew me away.  I was also impressed to see such a diverse cast.  I didn't know that Hamilton was known for how it cast African-Americans, Latinos and Asians in the roles of the white Founding Fathers and their female counterparts.  I thought this was brilliant, and it seemed especially relevant that Hamilton was released on Disney+ right now with everything happening in our country.

The story and writing was what impressed me most.  I've since read that it took 5 years for Lin-Manuel Miranda to write all of Hamilton.  It doesn't surprise me.  It was amazing and I'm sure it took a lot of time to get it perfect.  The storyline was pretty historically factual, with a few things added to help with the storyline, and a few things taken out because you can't fit everything from history into a 2.5 hour musical.  The craziest part of all of this is that almost the entire 2.5 hour musical is music.

The entire show is told through the music.  If you listen to the soundtrack, it's 2 hours and 23 minutes long- that's most of the show.  One song flows seamlessly into the next.  The music styles might be different, but they all fit together perfectly.  Some of the songs at the end echo parts of previous songs.  In the end, the entire soundtrack of 46 songs fits together in a gift wrapped box of perfection.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda is brilliant   I've always admired his work, but now I can fully attest to his absolute brilliance.  I should have known that he'd completely blow me away.  I was very impressed with the Moana soundtrack.  I can't wait to see what he does for the live action The Little Mermaid music.  (I hope he continues working with Disney!)

The Hamilton movie has found a perfect home on Disney+.  Disney and Pixar are known for their incredible storytelling- and this fits that model.  The amount of details that make the Hamilton story come alive make me feel like it's a live action Disney movie.  You can feel the love, time and care that was put into creating it.  Disney and Pixar are also known for hiding Easter eggs in their movies, and Hamilton has many little things to look for when you watch it over and over.  (I'm going to have to look into these each time I watch the movie to see if I can spot them!)

Long story short, Hamilton was incredible.  The easiest way to explain it is that, "it's the story of America then, told by America now," as stated by Thomas Kail, the director of Hamilton.  If you like American history, musical theater, amazing costuming, dynamic choreography and marvelous performers- you have to see it.  Even if you aren't sure if you'll like it, it's worth taking 2.5 hours of your life to watch it and find out.

If you haven't seen Hamilton yet, do yourself a favor and watch it.  If you don't have Disney+, go get the free trial.  You need to be in the room where it happened.  °o°

Onward Movie Review

Yesterday, Disney Pixar's Onward officially joined the Disney+ family.  I've really been wanting to see it, but with everything happening, Eliot and I weren't able to see it in theaters before they all closed.  I was so excited when I found out that Disney was bringing it directly to Disney+ early!  It's so generous of Disney to bring it to their streaming service early when it was only released in theaters on March 6th!

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Eliot and I made plans to watch Onward together last night after he came home from work.  We figured it would be our Friday night plans- pizza and a movie.  However, when Eliot woke up with a massive headache, those plans changed a little.  (He was in a lot of pain and he'd had a headache since Wednesday night.)  Instead, Eliot emailed his boss and told him that he was staying home.  Then, he took some more Tylenol and went back to bed.  We ended up being lazy and sleeping in until past noon.

Once we were well rested, we decided it was time to get up and start our day.  Eliot still wasn't feeling great, but he was doing a little better.  Instead of waiting until late in the day, we decided to watch Onward while eating our "breakfast"!  So around 2:00 in the afternoon, we finally sat down with our Eggo waffles and started on our Onward quest.

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The movie was mostly what I expected it to be plot wise.  However, Onward was way better than I was expecting.  The previews didn't do it any favors.  It's not going to be one of my all time favorites, but I really did enjoy it.  Pixar is king of storytelling and I swear that I cry during every single one of their movies.  They really know how to bring the viewer into the story so that they connect with the characters on an emotional level.

The animation was superb, as always, but it didn't stand out to me as much as other movies with more complex surroundings like the city of the dead in Coco.  I also didn't notice as many of the small details like I did in Finding Dory or Toy Story but I think part of that was experiencing it on our television at home versus in a theater.  We have a large television, but it's still not big enough to completely surround you in the world.

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The best part of the movie was the characters.  Like I said, you really got connected to them on an emotional level.  I found myself wanting Ian and Barley to see their Dad and get to talk to him more than anything and I really didn't know how the movie would end until it was happening.  It was refreshing to not know how the plot would finish.  I won't spoil it, but I did like the ending- even though it made me shed a few tears.

Overall, I really enjoyed Onward and I'm sure we'll be watching it again in the next few days.  If you have Disney+, be sure to watch and let me know what you think!  And a very big thank you to everyone at Pixar and Disney+ who brought it to us early!  °o°

Going to the Drive-In

It's no secret that Eliot and I have been super busy as of late, but we've still tried to make time to have a bit of fun.  The past few summers have flown by and I typically find myself wondering where it went once the calendar switches to September.  Thus, we've been carving out time to do a few summer activities in between all of the crazy.

With all of the new Disney movies coming out over the past few months, there's been a lot of potential to go to the movie theater.  We don't usually go that often, but we've been trying to make an effort.  (Even then... it took us about a month and a half before we finally saw Toy Story 4 in theaters.)  Instead of sitting inside the theaters to see a few movies, we've been able to go to our local drive-in theater!

Going to the drive-in has always been a treat for us as neither Eliot or I went to one as children.  (I also didn't grow up near one.)  Both my parents remember going to the drive-in as kids, but we didn't go to our first drive-in movie until Eliot and I moved up to Maine.  I remember driving by the one in Saco all the time when my family used to go camping in Old Orchard Beach, but for some reason, we never went to the theater.

This summer, we were really excited as the Saco Drive-In announced their schedule and there were a few weeks with back-to-back Disney movie showings!  Plus, it's only $20 per car to see both movies... which works out to $5 for each of us per movie- that's a steal!  So not only is it a fun experience, but it's also a good way to have fun without spending a ton of money.  (Gotta save up money to visit the mouse where we can!)

We usually make a plan to meet up so we can go into the drive-in theater in Eliot's car because it's taller than mine.  (He has a Jeep Patriot.)  This summer, both times we went, we also stopped in at a local favorite of ours (Amato's) to grab pizzas, drinks and snacks.  Then, we went to the drive-in early to get a good parking spot, get settled in and to enjoy a meal before our movies start.  It makes for a nice night out together!

The first back-to-back showing that we went to was Lion King and Aladdin.

I was so excited when I found out that the drive-in was playing a double feature of Aladdin and The Lion King.  I've been dying to see Aladdin again but I knew Eliot didn't want to pay to see it in a theater for the third time.  The week we went, The Lion King was the first movie at 8:45 followed by Aladdin at 10:55.

I dressed for the occasion with my new Aladdin t-shirt from Pixie Lee & Co along with my Simba necklace from Hot Topic.  A lot of people told me that they loved my outfit.

Eliot and I had a great time, even though the movies got out super late.  It was a bit hard to see The Lion King at the drive-in the first time as it's easy to get distracted by everyone around you.  Still, we enjoyed it.  Eliot dozed a few times during Aladdin but I soaked in every single second.  It was all I could do to not sing along to the songs since I had bought the soundtrack before seeing it this time.

The second back-to-back showing we saw was Toy Story 4 and the Lion King.

We decided to return to the Saco Drive-In to see another back-to-back Disney showing of Toy Story 4 at 8:35 and The Lion King at 10:25.  We really wanted to see The Lion King as the second movie since we had a hard time seeing it on the drive-in's screen the first time around.  (It wasn't dark enough outside.)

For this Disney double-feature, I wore my Toy Story Land t-shirt from BoxLunch.  I got a lot of compliments on my shirt this time too!

Eliot and I enjoyed seeing both the movies a second time.  We caught a lot more of The Lion King this time.  I was glad to see Toy Story again, even though we'd seen it the theater just days before going to the drive-in.  It was nice to hear all of the jokes again.  This time around, I was able to catch more of them since I knew the storyline.  I was still upset at the ending, but it wasn't as harsh because I knew it was coming.

As of right now, there aren't any more Disney double features scheduled so this is probably be it for us this drive-in movie season.  Both nights were a lot of fun and I'm glad that we made a little bit of time for ourselves to take a break from orders!  °o°

Lion King Movie Review

"Remember who you are..."

There are some movie quotes that just stay with you.  This is one of them.  Anyone who has seen The Lion King remembers the iconic words spoken by Mufasa.  That's exactly what the 2019 re-make of The Lion King did... it remembered who (or in this case, what) it was when it originally debuted in 1994.

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I was excited when I found out that Disney was making a "live-action" like version of The Lion King.  Eliot and I had seen The Jungle Book and I was amazed at how life-like the CGI animated animals were.  I was interested to see how that would play out with another CGI re-make of an iconic Disney movie.

The Lion King was pretty much the same as the original.  The greatest differences were a few of the quotes from Timon and Pumbaa, but they were hilarious.  My favorite part of the movie was actually the replacement to Timon's hula dance.  (I won't spoil it if you haven't seen the movie... but I was roaring in laughter both times I saw it.)

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Of course, the parts that were the most iconic in the original were the most iconic in this movie.  I got chills and teared up quite a bit during the opening scene with all of the animals in the Circle of Life intro.  The other part that was a bit emotional for me was when Simba takes his place as king and walks up Pride rock after defeating Scar.

I'm always a sucker for the music and costumes, but since they're all animals, there weren't any costumes to drool over.  The scenery was beautiful and life-like.  The music was good.  I'm not sure if I'll go out and buy the soundtrack but I might get it eventually.  (It wasn't like Aladdin when I left the theater on a mission to purchase a CD of the soundtrack immediately.)  I did enjoy The Circle of Life, Hakuna Matata and Can You Feel the Love Tonight.  I missed Scar's song, Be Prepared, but they way they did it made sense in this movie.  I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

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I think the biggest complaint that I've read is that due to the animals "realistic" look, they aren't able to emote as well as an animated version.  I have to admit, I agree with this thought.  I wasn't sucked into the animals emotions as much because they looked like real lions.  The animals weren't able to convey feeling through the looks on their faces and that made it hard to get as into it as I was in the original 1994 movie.

Overall, I enjoyed the re-make of The Lion King.  The animators did a great job of making the movie look like it was filmed in Africa with real animals.  Did it leave room for improvement?  I wouldn't say that, but I wasn't as emotionally invested as I was in the original.  I'm sure that I'll watch it again but it probably won't be one of the Disney movies that I watch on repeat over and over again.  °o°

Toy Story 4 Review

Eliot and I did it... we FINALLY saw Toy Story 4 over the weekend!!!  I've been looking forward to seeing this movie all summer.  Yet, when I saw social media posts about how many of my friends cried when they saw it... I realized that maybe I shouldn't be in such a rush to have my heart ripped out of my chest.  I'd already bawled my eyes out at the end of Toy Story 3 after all.  Naturally, Eliot and I have been crazy busy, but we finally set aside some time to go to the movie theater to see it.

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I was correct in my assumption that it would be an emotional movie.  Thankfully, we were at the super late movie and there were only four groups in the theater- all young adults.  I don't mind going to movies with kids in the audience, but I wanted to really soak this movie in.  And I didn't want to be sobbing in front of a bunch of children who wouldn't get the deep emotional connection that we have to the characters.  After all, these characters have been part of our lives for 24 years.

I liked the movie... I want to say that I loved it, but the ending shook me.  However, it was everything that I expected it to be.  I can't say that I was surprised by the ending.  I think deep down, I knew it was coming.  I had heard that this was being considered the last of the Toy Story movies... unless they found a really good story to tell for a 5th installment.  I won't lie, I'd love to see another movie 10 years from now with Andy somehow getting Woody and the gang back to give to his children.  Talk about tears!

The animation was spectacular.  It never ceases to amaze me how animators can make the toys and world totally come to life.  You can see the world from a human perspective, but they flawlessly make you enter the world from a toys point of view as well.  The montage with Andy and Bonnie and the toys was beautiful.  It was a great way to recap everything that had happened over the past 3 movies.

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The new characters in Toy Story 4 were fun.  I found myself growing more attached to them than I have with the introduction to Bonnie's toys and the Sunnyside Daycare toys.  Ducky and Bunny were so funny.  They brought a lot of much needed humor to the storyline.  I also enjoyed Duke Caboom, Giggle McDimples and Bo Peep's sheep- Billy, Goat and Gruff.  It was also nice to see Bo Peep in a strong female role.

My absolute favorite part of the story was Forky.  I knew that I'd love him.  I could tell from the previews that he would be funny.  I found myself roaring with laughter at his antics.  He had the best lines.  I couldn't help but fall for the cute little utensil.  And the ending scene in the credits with Bonnie's other new toy... priceless.

My love for Forky was so strong that we'd already bought a few Forky things before I'd even seen the movie.  I have a keychain that my brother Jeremy gave me.  Eliot and I bought a few Pop Vinyl figures.  Then, I bought us matching Forky t-shirts a few weeks ago.  Eliot surprised me with a little Forky figurine when he came home from work one night.  And another night he brought home a Toy Story 4 t-shirt for me and a Forky t-shirt for himself.  In fact, we wore those when we went to see the movie!

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All-in-all, I did enjoy the movie.  I can't say that it's one of my favorites but I did like it.  It was a great way to tie everything up for the characters.  And, as much as the ending completely broke my heart, it was the only way to end the story.

Thank you Woody, Buzz and gang for welcoming us into your world and giving us 24 years of magic.  I will always love you to infinity and beyond.  °o°

Live Action Mulan Trailer

The official teaser trailer for Mulan was released over the weekend and all I can say is "wow!"  If you haven't seen it yet, here it is!

I know reviews of the trailer have been mixed.  I've personally enjoyed all of the live action movies that Disney's made so far, some of them more than others.  (Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin are my top favorites right now.)  But, there is still something about this movie that really excites me.

This movie looks like it'll be more historically accurate to the time in which the movie took place.  Like all of the other live action movies, I've enjoyed the authentic costumes and scenery.  This looks like it'll stray more from the animated version's storyline, but I'm willing to give it a chance.  I'm sure it'll work with the essence of the original movie.

As far as most of the complaints, people are probably correct in the assumption that this live action movie probably won't feel as "magical" as some of the others, but I'm ok with that.  Mulan is about her being a warrior and while I'll miss Mushu and the songs, I think this will still be a great movie.  I'm confident that they'll still have an instrumental version of a lot of the songs anyways.  But, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss "I'll Make a Man Out of You"... that's my go to butt kicking song.

The answers to our questions will be answered in March of 2020.  In the meantime, I'll be over here singing "Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns..."  °o°

Aladdin Movie Review

Well, it's been another crazy week here.  Things have definitely calmed down since our San Jose Sharks got knocked out of the hockey playoffs a week ago.  (Although, I would have gladly kept up the late night game watching routine if it would have led to them winning the Stanley Cup.)  Instead, Eliot and I have spent our evenings working hard on mouse ear orders and cleaning the house.

We did get to take a bit of a break this past weekend.  Eliot, myself and my brother Jeremy all went to my parents' house over the holiday weekend to help them with a few projects- mostly with helping to clean out my Nana's camp down east, but also to move a few heavy things around their house.  It was a whirlwind, but we enjoyed visiting with them- especially since we all haven't been together since Christmas.

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The best part was that the three of us kids had decided we were going to go see the live action Aladdin together.  We weren't sure if it would be Friday night before going up to our parents' house or on Monday afternoon while on our way back home.  After both Eliot and Jeremy got to our house pretty late Friday, it was decided that we'd go see it at one of the theaters on our ride home Monday.

Aladdin was my absolute favorite Disney film growing up.  I loved the original animated movie and everything about it.  To this day, I still quote it randomly.  When I watch it, I'm pretty sure I recite it line for line even when I'm not trying to.  As a child, Jasmine was my favorite princess.  My favorite song was "A Whole New World" and I was also obsessed with tigers- probably because of Rajah.

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In fact, it left a pretty big impression on our extended family as well.  When we started doing skits with my cousins, we always went back to Aladdin.  I remember three different times we performed our rendition of it.  I was always Jasmine and my cousin Kaitlin was Rajah.  Jeremy was the Genie.  Then, Matthew and Lucas took turns being Aladdin, Jafar and the palace guards.  Aladdin was a big part of my childhood.

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I was so excited when I found out Disney was making a live action version.  I know everyone had an opinion about it... and not all of them were good.  I think everyone was most worried about how the Genie would be portrayed.  There will never be another Robin Williams, so would Will Smith be able to do the part justice?

After seeing the movie yesterday, I think the answer is yes.  Will Smith did a great job with making the Genie come to life.  There were still some jokes from the original movie, but he was able to put his own twist on it.  Genie was still the same character, but with a different flair.  I also like how he had a bigger role in this film.

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The storyline was pretty similar to the original.  I feel like the parts that were changed or added only added to the storyline.  (I love this fierce and intellectual version of Princess Jasmine!)  I also felt like this film was more accurate with the details of a Middle Eastern country.  The sets, dancing, music and costumes were more detailed than they were able to do in the animated version.

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I absolutely loved all of the bright colors.  I don't think I realized how drab the original film looked (compared to this) until I saw all of the beautiful colors in this one.  The costumes, sets, flower petals... they all really made the film come to life.

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The costumes were spectacular... and I know I say this all the time.  But, as a designer, I really appreciate all of the hard work that goes into the costumes and the sets.  This movie did not disappoint.  I loved all of Jasmine's outfits and the textures and detailing on them.  I hope they'll put them on display somewhere like they did with the live action Beauty and the Beast costumes.  I'd love to see them in person!

Finally, the part that really brought the film to life were the songs.  These songs from Aladdin were my childhood.  I've been anxiously waiting for the soundtrack, but I didn't want to listen to it until after I'd seen the movie.  Now that I've seen it, I've been looking for it in the stores.  It was fun to see the little changes they made, but they worked with the film.  Then, there was the "A Whole New World" scene... it was perfection.

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However, the best part was that I got to go see the movie with my entire family.  When we told my parents we were going to see it in Bangor, Dad suggested that he, Mom and Nana join us.  They drove up separately, so after the movie we could all depart in our own directions.  We didn't get to sit all together- Mom and Nana were in the wheelchair row and then Jeremy, Dad, Eliot and I were seated two rows above them- but I was really glad that they got to experience it with us.  I even had to chuckle.  I was seated on the end (Eliot was between Dad and me) but I could still hear Dad humming along to "A Whole New World".  Clearly, Aladdin has left an impression on them too.

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All in all, it was a great film and a true love letter to the animated version.  I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go see it again!  I'm really hoping the local drive-in theater does a double feature with it and Toy Story 4 later this summer- I'd be there at least once that week... maybe more.  If you go to see it, please give it a chance and keep an open mind!  I'm sure you'll end up loving it too!  °o°