I don’t think anyone would argue that times are now (March 2020 – now, August 2021) and the foreseeable future are rife with change. To have gone from a lifestyle where one could go as they pleased to having to… Read More ›
Walt Disney Studios
To be as Blunt as a river Rock, “Jungle Cruise” is a fun-filled family ride.
When it comes to selling movies, there’s nothing better than a well-known IP. Audiences already possess a connection with it and it makes selling it even easier for the filmmakers. There’s less risk here as most of the work is… Read More ›
“Cruella” is brilliant and mad in all the right places, but is mostly frustrating.
In the spirit of past Walt Disney live action remakes or reimaginations such as Maleficent or Dumbo, comes Cruella, directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and starring the talented Emma Stone (The Favourite), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), Mark Strong (Sherlock… Read More ›
The exploration of social trust in Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy “Raya and the Last Dragon” hits close to home.
The latest Walt Disney Animation project, Raya and the Last Dragon, could not be coming at a more appropriate time. After years in development, the final version slated for theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on March 5th, 2021, is an… Read More ›
Open Dialogue with “Mulan” actor Rosalind Chao.
Rosalind Chao has been working in the entertainment industry for decades. From stage, to TV, to film, Chao has given her all. With classic TV series and spin-offs connected to M*A*S*H and Star Trek, and films like The Joy Luck… Read More ›
The Cine-Men, Episode 41: Favorite Disney Live-Action Adaptations.
With the live-action adaptation of Mulan hitting shelves on November 10th, we thought it would be fun to discuss our favorite of the adaptations Disney has released over the last few years. Now Darryl and I couldn’t do that alone… Read More ›
Disney+’s “The One and Only Ivan” is a bittersweet tale that’ll encourage empathic development in younger audiences.
Sometime around 1964, an infant silverback gorilla was rescued from poachers, was brought to the U.S., and lived with a family in their home until he grew too large. At that point, the silverback, called Ivan, became the headlining act… Read More ›
With Don Hahn’s “Howard,” the world becomes the custodian to Howard Ashman’s legacy.
For every actor, director, writer, composer, there’s typically a singular piece they call back to as the thing, the object that inspired within them the need to create. If you mention Little Shop of Horrors (1986), The Little Mermaid (1989),… Read More ›
The world must have turned upside down because “Hamilton” is coming home via Disney+.
In case you’re coming to this unclear on what actor/playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is about, the play follows significant moments of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton’s (Miranda) life from surviving severe illness as a child; coming to American from the Caribbean;… Read More ›
Don’t let the delays fool you, “Artemis Fowl” is an adventure worth taking.
First slated for August 2019, the adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s young adult novel series Artemis Foul seemed bound for trouble when it was delayed into 2020. Then pushed again. Then COVID-19 hit and all bets were off. Making matters worse,… Read More ›
A Conversation with Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Noel T. Manning II interviews Jeffrey Katzenberg (former Disney chair, co-founder of Dreamworks Animation) about his most ambitious project Quibi. Katzenberg believes that audiences are ready for programming developed for the smartphone. Meet me at the Movies airs each week… Read More ›
With the home release of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” the Skywalker Saga comes to a close.
Excluding television programs, there are 14 films and one holiday special that are considered canon within the Star Wars universe. Each one adds new perspectives to the larger universe, but all of them are connected by a single storyline explored… Read More ›
There’s more than a few surprises within “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” now available on home video.
Of the various Disney live-action adaptations, few have really struck a chord beyond the “I remember that thing!” moments that occasionally occur. There’s some debate as to whether this is a result of the adaptations not bringing anything new other… Read More ›
The echoes of the past in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” will have you laugh, cry, gasp, and cheer like you’re a kid again.
As written two years ago, Star Wars fans are notoriously hard to please. It seems as though, with every new release, the Fandom finds some aspect to develop disdain for as though these films are serious dramas and not space… Read More ›