The Shape of Water (2017)

A director’s job is more than just coming up with wild shots. It is also more than developing a very deliberate color palette. A director’s main job is to answer questions. This hat or that hat? Happy or sad? Faster or slower? The correct answer to any of these questions depends on the director’s taste. Guillermo Del Toro is a director of exquisite taste. Like a master chef, he knows just how much of each ingredient to include in the dish. Just the right amount of comedy. Just the right amount of gore. Just the right amount of sex. On paper, The Shape Of Water should not work. In other hands, the story of a mute woman falling in love with a gill-man would induce ridicule and laughter. But under the guidance of a master like Del Toro, it is a front-runner for numerous awards. This is all thanks to Guillermo’s excellent taste.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

People like to make a lot of noise about the Star Wars Universe's roots in myth, legend and pulp fiction, but there's a flip side to that coin that is often forgotten -  the series' roots in revolution. Like the rest of his draft minded generation, George Lucas was steeped in the politics of Vietnam and his student films Freiheit and Electronic Labyrinth THX1138 4EB vividly reflect this in both style and substance. Yet by the time he got around to crafting his little Space Opera, all the messy politics of a rebellion were pushed to the background so that a story of family and succession could take the fore. Even the aesthetics were sanitized to purely functional storytelling. Rogue One goes a long way to restoring balance to The Force. Here we get a rebellion that is split into factions and far from a united Front. Here we get protagonists who have no qualms about killing someone who might draw unwanted attention. Here we get a film that owes a visual debt to The Battle of Algiers and the cinema of Costa-Gavras. It's far from perfect, but in a universe so preoccupied with cycles and repetition, it is a welcome breath of messy air.

The City of Lost Children (1995)

In many ways this feels like the last truly great international film. Watching the opening credits I found myself constantly remarking, “Oh man, I forgot [so and so] was in/worked on this film!” David Lynch’s composer! Woody Allen’s future cinematographer! The director of Catwoman! And of course, Ron Perlman as One. It’s also fitting/subversive that Jean-Louis Trintignat is being used exclusively for his voice when that voice was famously dubbed over in oh so many Italian films. This is the kind of co-production you used to see all the time in the 60’s and 70’s, but I can’t really remember the last time I saw anything of this level in recent times. Maybe the failure of Alien: Resurrection and the aforementioned Catwoman caused producers to get a little gun-shy. Oh wait, I just remembered the career of Timur Bekmambetov. So I guess I’m full of shit. Still, this film is a great example of people coming together from all over to make something awesome. I want more of that!

Ever After > Cinderella

It's silly to compare such different movies, but this is just for fun. And this will likely turn into a rant! 1998's Ever After is all about the "real" story of Cinderella, so it lacks all the pumpkin-into-carriage and mice-into-horses bits that the new live-action Cinderella wanted to capture. This year's version is basically a (barely) updated version of the 1950 animated film, magic intact. Since I am both a 90s girl at heart and have an unshakable aversion to CGI, it's kind of a given that I prefer Ever After. But let's compare the two anyway, shall we? Spoilers abound!

 

Danielle vs Ella
Okay, Drew Barrymore's accent is all over the place. And Lily James is undeniably lovely. But COME ON. Danielle blows Ella out of the water in the personality department. "Have courage and be kind"? That's nice and all, but Ella basically would have been satisfied to sit in her attic singing forever while slowly starving to death. Danielle speaks up! She gets things done and she PUNCHES HER STEPSISTER IN THE FACE. Having a Cinderella (made in 2015! Come on!) take so much abuse and just wait around for someone to rescue her is ridiculous.

The Stepsisters
I actually enjoyed the stepsisters from the new Cinderella. They were funny (wonderfully acted by Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) and totally over the top. But what I really like about Ever After is that one of the stepsisters (played by the always amazing Melanie Lynskey) is really sweet. She is pushed aside by her mother for her more beautiful and shrewish sister (Megan Dodds) and really feels for Danielle, becoming a valuable friend and ally to her. Sisters helping sisters, I love it!

Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent vs Lady Tremaine
Anjelica Huston versus Cate Blanchett. How can I choose? Okay, Lady Tremaine definitely gets the fashion points (although I do love the Baroness's ball outfit). Truth be told, Cinderella's costumes were the primary reason I went to see this film at all. They both act the hell out of their roles, and I cannot choose. We'll call this one a draw. I have to give a Sick Burn Point to Huston for her delivery of this line: when Danielle asks if she ever loved her, she responds "How can anyone love a pebble in their shoe?" OUCH.

The "Fairy Godmothers"
Ella's fairy godmother doesn't show up during any other hard time in her life. She just shows up to let her go to a dance. Danielle's "fairy godmother" is Leonardo Da Vinci, and they have a friendship throughout the film. Yes, he helps her get out of a tough spot, but she ultimately does her own rescuing. The winner here is obvious.

 

The Princes
Princes are princes. They're generally boring, and they're boring in both of these films. However, Ever After's prince at least gets in several meetings with her before they run off and get hitched. She throws an apple at him, he's annoyed. She shows up at court, they share words, he's intrigued. He meets her again while she's swimming like a lovely water nymph. And then they have a wonderful all-nighter where they fight and then befriend gypsies, and talk about books and life goals and then kiss and fall in love. Ella has one conversation with her prince in the forest, and then he pretty much has his mind made up that SHE'S THE ONE. And of course she feels the same way because she's totally sheltered. Sigh.

The Dress!
Cinderella's costumes are pretty breathtaking. While I was originally a little underwhelmed by Ella's blue dress, it's definitely grown on me.  However, lovely as it is, it's your fairly standard ball gown. Danielle's dress has wings! WINGS! And let's talk about the shoes for a second. I'm sorry, but no human foot could comfortably fit in Ella's shoe. That thing looks like fetish wear.

The bottom line:
I'm not trying to dismiss all fairytales or all love stories. I can somewhat accept a passive heroine back in the 1950s. But in 2015, with renewed interest in building up our girls to be more than just pretty faces, I'm looking for my princesses to pack a little punch. Ever After shows that a girl can suffer through abuse and survive, go to the ball, and get her prince, and still be strong and outspoken and do her own rescuing. Ella, you're nice and pretty but you've got a LOT of growing up to do.

The Fall (2006)

Little Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) is recovering from a broken arm in a hospital where she befriends Roy (Lee Pace), a stuntman suffering from paralysis. He tells her an elaborate story about five men on a grand quest, and uses her trust to persuade her to find morphine for him.

When I first saw this film, it grabbed my attention from the very beginning: a silent film stunt played in slow motion, set to Beethoven's 7th symphony. It was so arresting. Visually, this film is stunning. STUNNING. From the landscapes to the costumes, I can't think of a film that took my breath away from the visuals alone more than this one. It's poetry for your eyes. Filming took place in 28 different countries over the course of four years, and it has the same surreal global quality as Baraka or Samsara, for example, with a touch more fantasy. It's absolutely gorgeous. 

The little girl who plays Alexandria gives this film such spirit and heart. This was her first credited role and she's so natural, and she has such good chemistry with Lee Pace. The entire film is a feat of movie-making magic in its purest form. It's sweet, it's sad, it's exquisitely told, and I can't recommend it enough.

Give this one a go if your life has been feeling, well, a bit too real lately.  It's definitely worth a watch.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Excellent, another Disney film added to my collection! I usually wait until after the holidays to grab whatever Disney film just came out of the "vault" because I'm hoping somebody will get it for me for Christmas. And guess what was under the tree! 

Most girls (and boys) of a certain age have very fond memories of this movie. I remember having a little stuffed Flounder that I would hold by its fins like Ariel did. I would swim in my grandparents' pool and pretend I was a mermaid. You know, typical little girl stuff. What's nice about a lot of these classic Disney films is that while you grow up loving them for one reason, you can revisit them as an adult and appreciate them on a totally different level. What makes this movie great for me now is the amazing musical work by Howard Ashman (RIP) and Alan Menken. Those songs! I hate to think of a world without "Under the Sea". And let's not forget the hilariously violent "Les Poissons" sequence! The blu-ray is pretty great, featuring a great making-of documentary and lots of other fun behind-the-scenes tidbits for superfans. Did you know Ursula the sea witch was based on Divine? Awesome! I'm so glad Ashman's legacy will live on as people continue to love this movie. And with a great voice cast (Jodi Benson as Ariel is flawless), beautiful animation, and top-notch music, there will be no shortage of love for The Little Mermaid anytime soon.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington is feeling a little bored and restless in his role as the Pumpkin King in Halloween Town when he stumbles into Christmas Town and has his little skeleton mind BLOWN. He is inspired to claim Christmas as his own, to the delight of some, and the dismay of others.

This movie takes me back to 10th grade. I was going through my little goth phase, I had a Jack Skellington lunchbox, and Disneyland had just opened their Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween/Christmas makeover on the Haunted Mansion ride. Ah, those were the days! It's true that merchandise for this movie seems to be EVERYWHERE now and it can get kinda seen-one-seen-them-all, but if you look at just the film by itself it's really quite extraordinary. First of all, the amount of work that went into this film is mind-boggling.  I can't wrap my head around the dedication and patience required to make a stop-motion film. The voice actors are top notch, the music is wonderful (well done, Danny Elfman!), and the combined talents of Tim Burton and Henry Selick make this film shine. There's something comfortable and familiar about these songs and these characters. Whenever I feel too snobby and abandon this movie for a few years, it waits, patiently, for me to come back. Like an old friend. For Jack, Sally, Zero, even Oogie Boogie, I'll always come back.

Mary Poppins (1964)

Like many of my friends, I am eagerly anticipating the new film about the making of Mary Poppins, Saving Mr. Banks, so I thought I'd sing the praises of the beloved original film. But where do I even start? All the actors are so incredibly fantastic and wonderful and memorable. Every single face in this film makes me feel like I'm looking at an old friend, especially David Tomlinson as Mr. Banks. Maybe it's because there's a quality about him that reminds me of my own father, but when I look at him I feel like I've known him my entire life. The entire cast is great. Say what you will about Dick Van Dyke's questionable Cockney accent, but his dancing and physical comedy is absolutely top-notch. And Julie Andrews! She needs no explanation; she's "practically perfect in every way."

Can we talk about the music for a second? Every single song in this movie is a classic. Even the songs I found kinda boring as a kid are my favorites now..."Stay Awake" and "Feed the Birds" are just sublime. Those Sherman Brothers, man. That's a whole lot of talent right there. "Let's Go Fly a Kite"? Such a great song! "Jolly Holiday"? Marvelous! Every song is so good!

I'm trying not to gush over this movie, but it's more difficult than I thought. There's a lot to take in - frolicking in chalk drawings, dancing with chimney sweeps, winning a horse race, laughing on the ceiling, cleaning a room with the snap of your fingers - but I guess at the end of the day there's only one word to describe this film...

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Oh come on, you knew that was coming.

Arabian Nights (1974)

A bawdy and joyous adaptation of a few of the Arab folk-tails commonly known as One Thousand and One Nights.

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When it was originally released in the early/mid-70's Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Trilogy of Life" (The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales and Arabian Nights) was meant as a celebration of humanity via the bodily functions we have in common. Taro Gomi got it right with the title to the classic children's book Everyone Poops. An alternate title for these films could easily have been: Everyone Pees, Poops, Farts and Has Sex. But as cool and hippie as this message was for its time, I would argue that it is even more important now. Since 9/11, anti-Muslim/anti-Arab sentiment has been at record highs. Conservative media and religious leaders add to this by spending so much time detailing the sundry ways in which the two cultures are different. It's much easier to hate someone you feel you have nothing in common with. During The Cold War we had The Reds to serve as the exotic "other" to be feared, now it's Muslims. Too bad Arabian Nights is rated NC-17, I think prudish, ignorant hate-mongers would really get something out of it. They'd finally learn the simple fact that everyone poops, everyone pees, everyone farts, everyone has sex, and (most importantly) everyone loves.

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

The children of the world are protected by immortal "guardians," defenders of those children who believe in them.  North (Santa Claus), the Sandman, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy must band together when Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, threatens the children with endless nightmares that will cause them to lose their innocent belief in their protectors. Things get interesting when the unlikely Jack Frost is chosen to join their ranks.

I haven't been so pleasantly surprised by a movie in a long time! My sister picked it to watch last Sunday night and I was kind of like "Okaaaaay..." but I got sucked right in! The story is creative, the animation is excellent and I loved the original take on our beloved childhood characters. Santa Claus with tattoos? An Australian Easter bunny? Yes please! I had a lot of fun watching this. I really appreciate when children's films aren't afraid to be dark and scary at times. It's good for them! I might have to add this one to my future child's collection of good-but-scary films, along with ParaNorman and Coraline. And now I want to read the books too!

If you're a fan of good animation or just like an interesting story, I very much recommend this one. It's not flawless, but it's surprisingly enjoyable and reminds us all to hold onto that sense of wonder we all had as kids! Enjoy!

The Flight of Dragons (1982)

The power of magic is fading in a world of reason and logic. The wizard Carolinus (Harry Morgan) summons his three brothers in hopes that together they can create a haven for all magical creatures, safe from the outside world. The evil fourth brother Ommadon (James Earl Jones) refuses to hide away and instead vows to use his powers to control and destroy mankind. Carolinus then organizes a quest, headed by a 20th century man of science (John Ritter), to steal Ommadon's crown, the source of his power.

This film is one of the few non-Disney animated films I grew up with. I've met very few people who have seen this film, so I'm always defending it despite the fact that it's all over the place. Once you get past the somewhat wonky animation and crazy monsters, it's actually an interesting story about magic versus science. One could even look at it as a story of religion's place in the modern world ruled by logic. Can the two coexist? This film also gets props for being the only movie I've seen that attempts to scientifically explain dragon fire and flight. Not bad for a little cartoon from the 80s!

You'll have a tough time finding this one without purchasing it outright, but you can watch individual clips on YouTube if you're interested. At least get it for the kids!

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

With the Spanish Civil War raging all around her, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) escapes into a horrific yet beautiful fantasy world of fantasy and horror.

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Whenever Pan's Labyrinth comes up in conversation (which is actually quite often if you're a film lover and love Guillermo Del Toro) I'm always surprised to hear, "Oh yeah, I love that movie!" It seems that regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, education, etc. people have seen and adore this movie. And it's not like this is Roadhouse which gets shown five times every weekend on cable either. This is a foreign film, with weird creatures, a political subtext and a less than happy ending. Nothing about that last sentence screams, "mass market appeal!" Yet my highly informal research method doesn't lie: People love this movie. So what is it that keeps them coming back? Maybe it's as simple as the extremely well-designed creatures, or maybe it's something more primal? Perhaps it has something to do with our collective unconscious? I don't really have any answers and I'm kind of glad I don't. To over-analyze the appeal of this film seems like a sure-fire way to make the magic disappear.  All I know for certain is that Guillermo Del Toro struck gold with this one. From an astounding and ever expanding filmography, this is the one he will be remembered for.

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Forget Aladdin! Okay not really, that movie is awesome, but if you're looking for a visually stimulating film based on "The Arabian Nights," this one is for you. I remember seeing this on TV all the time as a kid, and it was pure magic to me: flying horses, flying carpets, a murderous multi-armed mechanical woman, blue roses, a thief-turned-dog, a HUGE genie, two soulmates, and gorrrrrgeous color.

Prince Ahmad (John Justin) has been stripped of his rightful place of king and blinded by the evil Jaffar (Conrad Veidt, whose penetrating stare alone could kill you). Ahmad teams up with the scrappy young thief Abu (played by Sabu...that's funny, right?) to reclaim his place on the throne, win the heart of the beautiful princess (June Duprez), and have awesome adventures!

This is pure fantasy at its finest. Sabu is really charismatic, the whole film is colorful and beautiful, and it's a real treat for anyone used to the Disney treatment of the story. Criterion released this film a few years ago and they did a fantastic job (as usual). Let this film take you over sideways and under on a magic carpet ride, a whole new wooooooorld....oh damn.

Listening to Amélie (2001)

Amélie is the tale of a sweet and quirky young woman living in Paris, who has recently decided to be a do-gooder and win the heart of a man she doesn't really know. The movie is colorful, whimsical, a bit like a fairy-tale, and it has a beautiful soundtrack to match (original music by Yann Tiersen).

The score to this film has a special place in my heart, because I actually bought the soundtrack before I had ever seen the film. When I was able to finally watch the movie it had a special sense of familiarity hearing the wonderful music again...it was like revisiting an old friend.

The music transports you right to a picture perfect ideal of Paris. You hear the accordions, and your mind's eye sees the little French cafes, the Eiffel Tower, the ferris wheels. Some of the tracks are upbeat, energetic, but my favorites are the piano pieces. They are truly gorgeous, melodic and more peaceful. I actually use a few of the pieces on a playlist I made for my job as a toddler teacher during naptime. The soundtrack also throws in a couple pre-1950s songs to add some vintage charm to the overall feel of the film. All in all it's a wonderful score that perfectly complements the film, but just as easily stands on its own.

I was going to find a youtube of a track from the film to share, and then I remembered that I uploaded a video of myself playing a piece from the film back in January! Pardon my slip-ups, and enjoy!

What's Your Fantasy?

So you’ve decided to hold a Mystical 1980s Movie Night viewing party. Good for you. I don’t know why you’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and delve into an era of pure, unadulterated fantasy goodness, but this is your party, I’m only attending in the hopes of cleaning out your liquor cabinet and getting the chance to riff on some crazy, nostalgic 80s film goodness.

Anyway, now that we’ve got that out of the way, we need to decide which classic fantasy films you’ll be showing off at this little shindig of yours. Will you go straight for the jugular with the likes of Conan the Barbarian or Dragon Slayer? What about Excalibur? Of course you could toss those films in, but for the purposes of this list I’ve selected one film per year — a mix of the obvious with a few obscures thrown in for good measure. All right Johnny, take it away!

Flash Gordon - 1980

This 1980 beefcake-fest has it all: racist caricatures for villains, Brian Blessed as a freakin’ hawk-man, and a soundtrack by Queen. Did you hear me? I said a fucking soundtrack by Queen. ‘Nuff said.

Clash of the Titans – 1981

Here is a film that manages to combine Greek mythology with a Norse monster, the Kraken, and make it look cool. The great cinematic icon Ray Harryhausen provided all the incredible stop-motion beasties before they were butchered by CGI in the remake. The best part, though, is Sir Laurence Olivier’s somber delivery of the infamous ‘Release the Kraken’ line that carries far more weight than Liam Neeson’s unnecessarily over-the-top delivery in the 2010 reimagining.

The Dark Crystal – 1982 

Not gonna lie, Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 film The Dark Crystal kinda freaked me out as a kid...but in a good way. There is some truly jaw-dropping work by Jim Henson and his Muppeteers in this film as well as some unforgettable imagery and ideas. Only Henson and his team could deliver a fantasy of this scope with just Muppets (even if it is just Lord of the Rings minus the ring).

Krull – 1983 

No movie screams ‘This shit just got real!’ quite like Krull. This movie is one heck of a trip, it even costars a young Liam Neeson! If you see one movie in your life with a badass glaive in it, see Krull (not to be mistaken for the Kevin Sorbo film of a similar title, Kull the Conqueror). When evil aliens kidnap a princess, it’s up to one dude, his glaive, and a whole slew of expendable characters, to save her and the day. Oh and this film also features those red suits of armor worn by that high-pitched actor on the Warner Brothers lot in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Go figure.

The Neverending Story – 1984

Saddle up your Luck Dragons kids (especially since your horse was weak and couldn’t make it through the Swamps of Sadness); it’s time for the German classic that is The Neverending Story! It’s 1984, and the world of Fantasia needs the help of an easily bullied kid whose fate is tied to a book that claims to be never-ending yet appears to be about the same length as a copy of The Dummies Guide to Colonoscopies. Lies about length aside, this film features Deep Roy who — surprise, surprise — is dubbed over. Don’t tell me you couldn’t see that coming.

Ladyhawke – 1985

Only Richard Donner, the man who made you believe a man could fly with Superman, could also make you believe that a man could be a wolf by night while his lady fair took the form of a hawk by day, never for the two to meet. Oh yeah, and a young Mathew Broderick is in this film too, constantly breaking the fourth wall and generally being a reluctant hero. Ladyhawke: it’s a lot like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off minus Ben Stein’s droll voice.

Labyrinth – 1986 

Script by Terry Jones of Monty Python, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie’s codpiece; yep, that’s Labyrinth.

The Princess Bride – 1987 

After watching The Princess Bride as a child (and getting over Peter Faulk’s glass eye) I wanted nothing more than to be a young Fred Savage and to have the most awesome fantasy/love story ever told to me while sick in bed. Ladies, you can have Wesley. Give me Fezzik, and we will offer EVERYONE a peanut, even when death is on the line.

Willow – 1988

Before Frodo and Sam escorted the One Ring to Mordor, Willow and Madmartigan escorted a baby through a treacherous world of trolls, brownies (when you refuse to buy their cookies, they can be downright vicious), and rat-dogs. This film holds a special place in my heart, as it is one of the only films on this list that I was old enough to see in theaters when it first came out. I also have a bit of a soft spot for films that feature armies of soldiers transformed into pigs. I know, I have a real weakness. 

Kiki’s Delivery Service – 1989

You have to have a heart of stone if you don’t find Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature about a young witch in training, to be a charming delight. Kiki’s Delivery Service is downright adorable and, like everything Studio Ghibli releases, is extremely well done. While the Disney-produced release has some amazing American acting talent lending their voices to the dubbing, you simply can’t beat this film in the original Japanese with subtitles.

Well that’s it for this fantasy-fest. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a castle to storm and some wizards to ward off.

NOTE: Three of my all time favorite 80s fantasy films (Time Bandits, Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen) were intentionally excluded from this list. Be not afraid, I intend to visit them in a later post. Yes, they’re just awesome enough to warrant their own essay. So until next time kids and cadets, keep watching the screen…

- Colin 

(the Devourer of Worlds)

The Iron Giant (1999)

Young Hogarth is full of mischief and loves adventure and make-believe. But when he stumbles upon and befriends a massive robot with a big personality, he has no idea that he's about to go on the biggest adventure of his life. With help from hepcat artist Dean (Harry Connick Jr.), he's able to avoid his mother's (Jennifer Aniston) prying eyes and, for a while, stay one step ahead of government stooge Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald). But the Iron Giant is too big to hide forever...

I love love LOVE this movie. It's written beautifully (by director Brad Bird, who went on to write/direct The Incredibles and Ratatouille), we laugh, we cry, the whole bit. And did you know that the Iron Giant is voiced by Vin Diesel?? Easily the best thing he's ever done. The Giant reminds me of the old Universal monsters, Frankenstein specifically. He's stumbling around, unsure of where he belongs or what he's supposed to do, and accidentally causing destruction. But he's got a lot of heart and ultimately is evolved enough to make selfless choices.

Despite being animated, this one isn't "just for kids" and I very highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. It's currently streaming on Netflix! Bring a box of tissues...or is it just me who bawls at movies about giant robots?

Enjoy!

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

We've all seen this move, right? Right? Go rent it immediately if you haven't. Hell, BUY IT. In case you haven't...

An old inventor (Vincent Price) makes a man named Edward (Johnny Depp), but dies before he can give him hands (how he ended up with scissor hands, I'll never know). An "Avon Lady" (Dianne Wiest) discovers him living alone in a crumbling castle, and brings him to live with her and her family in pastel-suburbia. The neighbors accept him with open arms...at first.

This film is so very very special to me. It really speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast, like they didn't belong. Whenever I watch it I immediately feel reconnected to my high school self. I remember watching it at my friend's house when I was a freshman, and being so captivated by the images I was seeing: the groomed shrubbery, dogs, and women's hairstyles, Winona Ryder dancing in the swirling ice, the blades of Edward's "hands" catching the light as he tries to hold the girl he loves, the tears in his eyes when he tells her he can't. Edward is basically my generation's Frankenstein monster. He didn't ask to be created, he's just trying to figure out where he belongs and inadvertently causes destruction. A beautiful film, truly, I can't say much else about it.

I wish Tim Burton would read this. I miss the spirit of his older work so much, as I ranted about at length here. Hopefully his new Frankenweenie film will be a step in the right direction. I guess we'll see.

Happy watching!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

It's up to Hellboy (Ron Pearlman) and the gang at the BPRD to stop an all-out war between the human world and the world of magic.

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A common truism in the world of film, is that the sequel is never as good as the original. It's really hard to repeat success. Everyone is trying to slavishly repeat the original while at the same time trying also trying to top it. Both paths often lead to failure. But sometimes there are exceptions. Comic book movies tend to be one of those exceptions. Sure there's stuff like Iron Man 2 that crashes and burns, but then there is also Superman 2, X2: X-Men United, Spider-Man 2 and of course, Hellboy II: The Golden Army. All the heavy lifting has been done by the first film. The characters have been set up and we understand the rules to the world our story takes place in. Now it's time to just have some serious fun!

Tangled (2010)

Okay, okay, I'm on a major Disney kick right now, so forgive me. But! I finally watched "Tangled" and it was a lot better than I expected. I'm kind of a snob about my Disneyness, and haven't seen many Disney animated films since "The Emperor's New Groove." Glad I gave this one a chance, as it was actually pretty damn cute.

It's the story of Rapunzel, kidnapped from her royal parents by an old crone who has discovered that Rapunzel's hair holds the secret to eternal youth. Kept in captivity in a tower, she yearns to escape. Luckily for her, a charming outlaw stumbles upon her hideaway and becomes her guide in the outside world.

This movie isn't high art in any way, and it doesn't need to be. It's sweet, it's funny (there's a horse character in particular that's HILARIOUS), and has some visually beautiful moments. The photo above is from a scene where they watch hundreds of colorful floating lanterns and the effect is breathtaking.

So give this one a go if you're feeling like some sweet Disney fluff, and watch out for that horse!

Hocus Pocus (1993)

This film is a Halloween MUST for me! I watch it every year. It's silly, it's quotable, and it's really really fun.

Winnie (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker) are three witch sisters who were hung for their evil ways 300 years ago. Thanks to a very handy spell, they're back to wreak havoc on a new generation. Max Dennison and his little sister Dani are new to Salem (yes, THAT Salem) and with their new friend Allison, both accidentally bring back and set out to destroy the three witches.

This movie has it all! Witchcraft! Trick or treating! A zombie! A talking cat! While some of the acting is pretty laughable (I'm looking at you, Max!), the three leading ladies are really funny and appeared to have a lot of fun playing their parts. Bette Midler even has a shining moment as she gleefully sings "I Put a Spell on You" to cast a spell on all the parents in town. A young Thora Birch plays the little sister Dani, and she's very cute and embarrasses her brother Max for the entire movie (even to the point of telling her brother's crush that he likes her "yabos"!).

So if you want to watch something lighthearted while you carve your pumpkin this Halloween, I suggest giving Hocus Pocus a watch. Just don't go lighting any black flame candles!