I can understand why Disney loves Studio Ghibli so much. Many of their epic films revolve around death and lack of parental units in the lives of youngsters, and Hayao Miyazaki quite often depicts a world where children are either without a mother and father, or are at risk of losing their mother and father. Like many of Studio Ghibli’s animated works, there’s an entirely vast and amazing world that many never explore unless they’re given that privilege.
Tag Archives: Disney
Hocus Pocus (1993)
I remember the summer of 1993 fondly. It was the year I went to see the “Coneheads” movie and recall thinking back to the release of “Hocus Pocus” wondering why it wasn’t slated for an October release. Disney is usually smart with release dates, and “Hocus Pocus” ended up becoming one of the most revered holiday classics of all time. For Disney-philes, “Hocus Pocus” has enough menace to be considered a horror movie, but not so much where it’s impossible for the kids to watch. Twenty years later, “Hocus Pocus” is that classic horror film for kids that has yet to show its age at all, even when you consider adorable Thora Birch turned in to a gorgeous woman many years later. “Hocus Pocus” hearkens back to the most entertaining element of the Halloween season: the threat of witches.
Toy Story of Terror! (2013)
Disney keep their favorite little toys alive with yet another short adventure, this time in the vein of Halloween. While, it’s not a full length narrative, it does present the same stakes and personal back story that the three feature films have, and is an entertaining look in to the lives of the toys with their new owner Bonnie. After watching a horror movie while on the road with Bonnie, her mom and she stop at a local motel where Mr. Pricklepants is convinced horror awaits them.
Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)
I think one of the reasons why the DCOM “Phantom of the Megaplex” has now gone on to basic obscurity is that it’s one of the weirder movies the Disney Channel ever produced. It’s not just an ode to the love of movies, but it’s a call back to “The Phantom of the Opera.” Not only does the film draw heavily from the original story, sans the violence and murder, but it actually influences its audience to check out the Lon Chaney masterpiece. “Phantom of the Megaplex” is a busy and often messy horror fantasy, but one that works, mainly because the writers of the film clearly love movies as much as we do.
Creature Crypt, Week Two: The Gargoyles; Darkness
“Creature Crypt” is a four part weekly column that spotlights two creatures from our childhood that made us in to rabid horror fans. These are the creatures that scared us, wowed us, made us cry, and made us hope they weren’t under our bed.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
Though it’s often thought of as the film that helped revive the animated film boom from Disney in the nineties, predating a string of hit films from the studio, “The Little Mermaid” is much like “Bambi.” It has amazing animation, and a wonderful soundtrack, but in the narrative frame, it’s unspectacular. While the former film garnered a nearly non-existent storyline with a simple resolution stretched in to ninety minutes, “The Little Mermaid” has almost nothing in the way of reasoning or logic for its heroine’s motives toward happiness.
5 Shows We're Not Afraid to Admit We're Nerdy About
I often get the “Really? You like this?!” response whenever I speak about my enjoyment for Disney shows. You know what? Some people watch reality shows to pass the time, I watch Disney sitcoms and cartoons to escape from reality, and it offers some genuinely good laughs and entertainment. You’re only as old as you feel, and I am very experimental when it comes to kids’ shows. They’re not always winners, but when I hit one that entertains me, I tune in regularly. These are five we love without shame.