Confession: It’s been months now since I watched this. I took so long to sit down and write this review, that I can’t really remember exactly what happened in the movie or what most of my notes are trying to tell me. I suppose I could do a re-re-watch, but…I don’t wanna. There’s a reason I wasn’t really enthusiastic about writing up this review in the first place, after all. This is one of those weird times when I actually prefer the sequel. Anyway, I’m just gonna jump in and hopefully, this review will make some kind of coherent sense.
I’ve always been shy. It’s sometimes hard for me to speak up for myself or get angry with people who deserve it, because I avoid conflict like it’s my job. So I love seeing women–real or fictional–who aren’t afraid to speak up or get angry. These kick-ass ladies become my role models. They inspire me to stop being shy and to stand up for myself. And without a doubt, one of these women I aspire to be is Julia Sugarbaker.
I loved watching Designing Women reruns back when they were on Lifetime, and my favorite episodes were the ones where Julia got to yell at someone and be awesome while doing so. She stood up for herself, for her sister, for her friends. She was their champion, the one who never backed down or let anyone treat them without the respect they deserved. She was a wonderful comedic character, but she was also one of my role models. And no one could have played her like Dixie Carter.
So thank you, Dixie Carter, for giving such life and spirit to one of my favorite fictional ladies. You’ll be missed. Rest in peace.
Yes, yes, I’ve already obsessed over Peter O’Toole. Just be happy you don’t know me in real life, because I talk about this dude all the time. (Sorry about that. Except not really at all.) This post has been brought to you by my random discovery on YouTube that Peter O’Toole was in a Pizza Hut commerical in the 90s. In which he recited Shakespeare. Backwards.
I’m pretty sure I should be sad that his talent has been wasted on commercials for crappy pizza, but I can’t stop playing this over and over again and then clapping my hands in delight and wonder. Shut up, this is the only place I can see him reciting Hamlet.
We all have favorite movies that we have no shame in telling people about. Blah blah, Citizen Kane, you say, blah blah The Godfather. And other people will hopefully be impressed by how good your taste is. But there’s that other list, too–the list of movies that you love even though you know, down in your heart, that they truly suck. The list of movies you don’t mention when people ask you what your favorite movies are, because it would take far too long to justify them and explain yourself. This, my friends, is my list of sucky movies that I love even though (or possibly because) they are horrible.
I’m familiar with Winnie the Pooh and his pals. Of course, I am–who isn’t? But this was my first time watching this movie. And I didn’t really understand how that could be, because I’ve definitely seen parts of this movie before–I’ve watched Pooh pretend to be a raincloud, and I’ve seen him get stuck in Rabbit’s door. And then I read that this “movie” is actually a compilation of three Winnie the Pooh shorts that were made forever ago, and that made a whole lot more sense. And it made me feel a little less weird for not having seen the movie in its entirety. (And yet, I don’t want to think about how much Winnie the Pooh-related merchandise I own…including an Eeyore keychain…)
Man, I love this movie. I’ve gotten used to hating the character of Robin Hood with all my heart and soul because I really despised him on the BBC show Robin Hood, but this Robin makes my heart flutter. It’s one of those things no one admits until someone else says it first, so I’ll just put it out there: the Disney Robin Hood is a fox. I mean, yes, he’s literally an anthropomorphized fox, but…he’s also a fox, if you know what I mean. And yeah, you do know. Don’t deny it. If you were also an anthropomorphized fox, you’d be all over that.
Carmhelga may hate me for this, because she’s still mourning the imminent departure of David Tennant on Doctor Who, but after seeing this new trailer, I am SUPER EXCITED for series five.
Some things I’m flailing about:
1) I can’t even tell you how much the Doctor’s bow tie has swayed my opinion. After Matt Smith was first announced as the eleventh doctor, I was so afraid we were going to go in some kind of emo-kid direction with the Doctor. But then the bow tie gave me hope that they’re going to make Eleven kind of a dork. That would be really okay with me. I’m hoping for some social awkwardness with a side of badass. I have this feeling I’m actually going to love Eleven, and I’m not really sure where it comes from (other than the bow tie).
2) Karen Gillan’s hair entrances me. Again, I was worried at first since they were making both the Doctor and his companion so young, but…I’m sorry, I’m too distracted by her shiny red hair to even care anymore. But I don’t want there to be another romance a la the Doctor/Rose angstfest, please. Some casual flirting is allowed. I’m not worried about the kiss in the trailer, because they ALWAYS come up with a way for the Doctor and his companion to kiss. Even Donna kissed him.
3) THE ANGELS FROM “BLINK” ARE BACK. Steven Moffat, your episodes are always my favorites, but I also like sleeping at night. Please keep that in mind.
4) Actually, that’s the one thing that always makes me excited about the new season. Moffat’s episodes from the last four seasons have been so consistently wonderful, and I’m insanely excited to see what he does with the show.
Until then, I’m gonna go cry some more over Tennant.
Bonjour! Today, we have an underrated Disney classic. If The Aristocats were the first Disney movie I had seen, I would probably think it was genius. As it is, I’m very fond of this movie, but much of the time, it really does seem like 101 Dalmatians + Lady and the Tramp + Cats. It’s still adorable and a lot of fun, but I definitely get deja vu while watching it.
Remember Jungle Cubs? It was that other Disney Channel cartoon spin-off of The Jungle Book, and it followed Baloo, Bagheera, Louie, Shere Khan, and Kaa, but you know, when they were younger. Cubs, if you will. And stuff happened, but I don’t really remember what. I don’t think it lasted for very long, and no one ever excitedly mentions Jungle Cubs the way they do with Talespin. Anyway, the point of all this is that Jungle Book spin-offs never have Mowgli in them. The Aladdin TV show had Aladdin, The Little Mermaid had Ariel, and Simba had some cameos in Timon and Pumbaa, but no Mowgli, so far as I remember. They could have followed his jungle years living among the wolves, but they didn’t. You know why? Because Mowgli is annoying.
Today would have been Richard Burton’s 84th birthday. He is one of my very favorite actors, and it’s a shame that his personal life has always overshadowed his talent. (Not that I’m not also fascinated with his personal life.) Perhaps Hamlet is not the most appropriate play for a birthday, but it’s the best showcase for Richard Burton’s talent as an actor.
