Retro Week In Cinema: July 18-24, 2013

The one with the long hair doesn’t always win, remember that folks!

A lot of fantasy this time around,

Night At The Museum (2006, Shawn Levy, United Kingdom/United States Of America) ***

It’s far from the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen or the funniest, but it is funny, like funnier than I thought it would be. I especially liked Owen Wilson in this, and in breaking news my girlfriend who is sitting right next to me thinks this movie is really cute. And back to our regularly scheduled program, yeah, this is funny. It flies by, it doesn’t need to make sense really because it doesn’t worry about that, it throws a lot of jokes at the wall and the ones that stick made me laugh and that’s good enough for me.

Tangled (2010, Nathan Greno & Byron Howard, United States Of America) ***1/2

Really liked this actually, it only really lost me in a few areas. The animation was top notch, I loved the chameleon and the horse and I loved how committed the film was to being a slapstick comedy. I really enjoyed the story, basically I enjoyed all of it except for, 1) I really didn’t like the way Disney handled the magical flower in the beginning. They took a plant that could have saved/helped millions and used it to save a mother and daughter, who happened to be rich and elite. For some reason this really rubbed me the wrong way, I think if the film hadn’t of celebrated the action of taking the flower it wouldn’t have bothered me as much. 2) Rapunzel’s realization that she was the princess was way too abrupt and 3) the death of the mom did strike me as a bit of a cop out. Otherwise, like I said, I really liked it, and my girlfriend’s four year old daughter absolutely loved it and since she is the final word on these things anyone who says differently can go suck it!

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008, Raja Gosnell, United States Of America) **

My girlfriend’s four year old daughter loves this, and you know what it’s actually not terrible. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not good, but it moves by at a fast clip, has some genuinely funny moments and is corny in a pretty cute way. I’ve seen far, far worse fare, especially designed for kids.

Anastasia (1997, Don Bluth & Gary Goldman, United States Of America) ***1/2

Absolutely gorgeous. The story is a common one, and if there’s any drawback to the film that would be it. Otherwise, it’s wonderfully animated, and the characters are vibrant in their interactions. The train sequence in particular is a stand out, all in all another example of great non-Disney animation that was often overlooked simply because it wasn’t Disney. I’d easily put this ahead of most Disney from the 90’s, just saying.

The Adventures of André and Wally B. (1984, Alvy Ray Smith, United States Of America) ***

Not much to say here, as a short it’s nothing spectacular, neither is the animation, but it’s the beginning and for the infinitesimal time it is on screen it made me chuckle.

Wrap-Up:

For as much as I have grown to really love Tangled upon repeated viewings, it’s no Anastasia. That’s why Anastasia takes home retro movie of the week honors. I’ll be back next week with five more retro capsule reviews!

Cheers,
Bill