Photosensitivity Warning: There are a few scenes of refracted light that may be triggering for sensitive viewers. In August 2020, a video of 11-year-old Anthony Mmesoma Madu dancing outside of his ballet school went viral, garnering attention not just from… Read More ›
Walt Disney Studios
Explore under the sea and out of the water in the home release edition of Rob Marshall’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.”
Over the last several years, Walt Disney Studios has made a point to adapt one of their well-regarded animated films into live action. Appreciation for each one ultimately comes down to two things: what relationship the audience has to the… Read More ›
“The Little Mermaid” falls in line with the fun-but-underwhelming Disney Live Action remakes.
Disney’s track record of live-action remakes of animated classics has given mixed results. Certain live-action adaptations garnered praise, like Jungle Book (2016) and Cinderella (2015). Others, like The Lion King from 2019, were met with a more divisive response from… Read More ›
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Digital Code Giveaway
On February 1st, Marvel Studios released Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on digital-to-own and Disney+, following a week later with a physical release. Thanks to a digital code provided by Walt Disney Studios, I was able to explore the… Read More ›
Creature feature “Strange World” astounds in artistic concept where it lacks in original story.
This year Walt Disney Studios asked audiences to go on an internal journey with Meilin Lee (Turning Red) as she came into her own while addressing a generational blessing, and then look to the stars with the adventurous and introspective-resistant… Read More ›
No case too big, no case too small: “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” return in an adult-centric adventure.
Originally introduced in 1943, animated chipmunks Chip and Dale made the jump from animated shorts to home release tales and then, in 1989, to broadcast television when the duo was remade into detectives for the series Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue… Read More ›
Available on home video, you can ride or die with “Turning Red” never leaving your side.
After landing on Disney+ in March to a largely positive bang, director Domee Shi’s feature-length debut Turning Red is headed home for purchase. Much like the Oscar-winning Encanto from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Shi’s Pixar film explores generational trauma through… Read More ›
Exploring emotions and interpersonal relationships, Domee Shi’s “Turning Red” adds another top release to Pixar’s catalogue.
In front of Pixar’s Incredibles 2 (2018) was writer/director Domee Shi’s directorial debut Bao, a bittersweet story of parenthood and letting go. It’s not too surprising that Shi’s feature-length debut, Turning Red, follows a similar trajectory, just from a different… Read More ›
No more waiting on a miracle. “Encanto” is available for home viewing.
Walt Disney Studio’s 60th animated film released in November with the same promise of any of its predecessors: 90-ish minutes of adventure, magic, and wonder. Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard (Zootopia) and co-director Charise Castro Smith (who shares co-writing… Read More ›
If puns, cursed conquistadors, and a ride down the Amazon River sound like a good time, then book a ticket on the home release of “Jungle Cruise.”
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in 1955, the premier ride, the main attraction of the entire park, was a water tour ride called “Jungle Cruise.” The ride enabled park attendees to pretend to visit exotic regions around the globe from… Read More ›
Coming to home video, first-time feature director Enrico Casarosa’s “Luca” is a lovely exploration of friendship all us underdogs can understand.
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 ›
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 ›