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matt_zimmerAlso a review for the DVD of Have Yourself A Goofy Little Christmas.
Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes
I'm a little bit surprised at how much I liked it.
The book was something I could take or leave. But maybe because I'm familiar with the story it hits better the second time out. Or maybe the fact that I did a double feature with this and The Watcher In The Woods means I can tell it is the far superior "Disney Dark Period" production. The Watcher In The Woods has its charms, but despite it starring Bette Davis, the tone and script, and yes ACTING play very much like a TV movie of the era. As far as this movie goes, it very much feels like a legit movie.
The acting is great. Jason Robards plays the role of the greatest dad ever perfectly. And Jonathan Pryce is shockingly scary as Mr. Dark. The Watcher In The Woods was definitely a thriller. But it was under the same restrictions as other Disney stuff. Something Wicked The Way Comes REALLY leans into the PG rating with blood, exotic dancers, even cursing. The dialogue is outstanding, especially for an 80's movie.
If somebody told me that they should figure out a way for the Walt Disney Company to adapt one of the most famous horror novels of all time, and get the actual Author to write the screenplay, this is pretty much the only solution. Even reading the book, knowing it became a Disney movie, I could totally see it. And the adaptation didn't let me down. I'm going to reread the book at some point. I'm starting to dig it.
This is an actual movie. It's actually scary. And most shocking of all, it's actually GOOD. How about that? Maybe Disney's Dark Age wasn't really dark after all. ****1/2.
Blu-Ray Menu
Still with music. The disc has no special features. **.
Have Yourself A Goofy Little Christmas
Goof Troop was by far the worst Disney Afternoon show. But Darkwing Duck was kind of shitty too and their Christmas Special was above average. And TaleSpin's was amazing. Is it possible Goof Troop would up its game for the holiday?
The animation is above average (because the studio Walt Disney Animation France is above average) but there are several things in it that look cruddy anyways.
The script? Terrible as usual. It's been a long time since I've seen this show, but has any critic ever pointed out that Goofy is exactly as damaging and annoying as Pete says he is, and we're supposed to think Pete is a total asshole for the sin of being completely right? I had a similar revelation about Rabbit and Tigger recently watching some Winnie The Pooh stuff, but despite being fussy and put-upon, I don't think the Winnie the Pooh producers wanted us to loathe Rabbit. They partly wanted us to sympathize with him (which I did 100% because Tigger is a total jag and a menace).
Pete? I'm supposed to be mad at him for being pissed off Goofy destroyed everybody's Christmas. I mean when the tree goes up in flames the show sucks for Peg blaming Pete for pushing the button as if Goofy wasn't the one who irresponsibly set up the lights wrong. I'm supposed to think Goofy a saint for fucking things up and Pete a sinner for being righteously pissed off. Nope.
I hated the last time I watch A Goofy Movie. But one of the interesting notes I had is that as mean as Pete was, he was absolutely 100% right that Max was playing Goofy for a sap the entire movie. He was right about his shitty kid then, and he's right about the shitty father now. Usually when they do The Complainer Is Always Wrong, the complainer is supposed to be fucking wrong! You can't tell me Pete is supposedly as insufferable as Brainy Smurf when he's right about what a fuck-up Goofy is.
Any other things to note? I feel like Pistol saying the lines "Don't have a cow," and "Cowabunga!" were designed to be an in-joke since Nancy Cartwright voices her. But the joke isn't remotely funny, so I'm just gonna declare that bit a total comedy whiff. "A reference is not a joke." -- Lois Griffin.
Max and P.J.'s daggy 90's shit is still annoying. More-so outside of the 90's.
Terrible, which is par for the course for the franchise. 1/2.
Disney Trailer:
Back in the 90's and aughts, Disney REALLY laid it on thick with their "magic" bullshit. How did Jeff Smith put it? They'd shove that crap down your throat while screaming "You will believe this is magic!!" Yeah, no. Tim Allen's The Shaggy Dog is not magic. The Walt Disney Company is a stupid piece of shit if it expects me to believe differently. 0.
DVD Menu
Music but a still screen. No special features either. *1/2.
Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes
I'm a little bit surprised at how much I liked it.
The book was something I could take or leave. But maybe because I'm familiar with the story it hits better the second time out. Or maybe the fact that I did a double feature with this and The Watcher In The Woods means I can tell it is the far superior "Disney Dark Period" production. The Watcher In The Woods has its charms, but despite it starring Bette Davis, the tone and script, and yes ACTING play very much like a TV movie of the era. As far as this movie goes, it very much feels like a legit movie.
The acting is great. Jason Robards plays the role of the greatest dad ever perfectly. And Jonathan Pryce is shockingly scary as Mr. Dark. The Watcher In The Woods was definitely a thriller. But it was under the same restrictions as other Disney stuff. Something Wicked The Way Comes REALLY leans into the PG rating with blood, exotic dancers, even cursing. The dialogue is outstanding, especially for an 80's movie.
If somebody told me that they should figure out a way for the Walt Disney Company to adapt one of the most famous horror novels of all time, and get the actual Author to write the screenplay, this is pretty much the only solution. Even reading the book, knowing it became a Disney movie, I could totally see it. And the adaptation didn't let me down. I'm going to reread the book at some point. I'm starting to dig it.
This is an actual movie. It's actually scary. And most shocking of all, it's actually GOOD. How about that? Maybe Disney's Dark Age wasn't really dark after all. ****1/2.
Blu-Ray Menu
Still with music. The disc has no special features. **.
Have Yourself A Goofy Little Christmas
Goof Troop was by far the worst Disney Afternoon show. But Darkwing Duck was kind of shitty too and their Christmas Special was above average. And TaleSpin's was amazing. Is it possible Goof Troop would up its game for the holiday?
The animation is above average (because the studio Walt Disney Animation France is above average) but there are several things in it that look cruddy anyways.
The script? Terrible as usual. It's been a long time since I've seen this show, but has any critic ever pointed out that Goofy is exactly as damaging and annoying as Pete says he is, and we're supposed to think Pete is a total asshole for the sin of being completely right? I had a similar revelation about Rabbit and Tigger recently watching some Winnie The Pooh stuff, but despite being fussy and put-upon, I don't think the Winnie the Pooh producers wanted us to loathe Rabbit. They partly wanted us to sympathize with him (which I did 100% because Tigger is a total jag and a menace).
Pete? I'm supposed to be mad at him for being pissed off Goofy destroyed everybody's Christmas. I mean when the tree goes up in flames the show sucks for Peg blaming Pete for pushing the button as if Goofy wasn't the one who irresponsibly set up the lights wrong. I'm supposed to think Goofy a saint for fucking things up and Pete a sinner for being righteously pissed off. Nope.
I hated the last time I watch A Goofy Movie. But one of the interesting notes I had is that as mean as Pete was, he was absolutely 100% right that Max was playing Goofy for a sap the entire movie. He was right about his shitty kid then, and he's right about the shitty father now. Usually when they do The Complainer Is Always Wrong, the complainer is supposed to be fucking wrong! You can't tell me Pete is supposedly as insufferable as Brainy Smurf when he's right about what a fuck-up Goofy is.
Any other things to note? I feel like Pistol saying the lines "Don't have a cow," and "Cowabunga!" were designed to be an in-joke since Nancy Cartwright voices her. But the joke isn't remotely funny, so I'm just gonna declare that bit a total comedy whiff. "A reference is not a joke." -- Lois Griffin.
Max and P.J.'s daggy 90's shit is still annoying. More-so outside of the 90's.
Terrible, which is par for the course for the franchise. 1/2.
Disney Trailer:
Back in the 90's and aughts, Disney REALLY laid it on thick with their "magic" bullshit. How did Jeff Smith put it? They'd shove that crap down your throat while screaming "You will believe this is magic!!" Yeah, no. Tim Allen's The Shaggy Dog is not magic. The Walt Disney Company is a stupid piece of shit if it expects me to believe differently. 0.
DVD Menu
Music but a still screen. No special features either. *1/2.
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