Posts tagged family
“The Princess and the Frog” Too Sophisticated for Its Own Good
Jan 13th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Hotshots Movie Reviews
Too Sophisticated for Its Own Good
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG is the latest animated film from the Walt Disney Studios, and it received a lot of publicity for having the appearance of the first Disney African-American princess.
Well, not exactly.
That may be true at the end of the movie, but what is probably more noteworthy is that at the beginning of the movie there is the appearance of one of the main characters who is an African-American prince.
And although the story is inspired by a fairy tale and contains many bits of fantasy, it is not a fairy tale, but takes place in the reality-based early 1900s down in New Orleans.
The story contains stereotypes right and left, and it panders to children up and down, and then you realize that the stereotypes were all mostly created by old Disney movies to begin with. In fact, this movie even steals from old movies.
When it opens, we see two young children, Tiana and Charlotte, who love to be told the story of “The Frog Prince.” Tiana is black, Charlotte is white, and through the magic of movie editing they become grown up, and the story becomes nothing more than “Cinderella” turned upside down, inside out, and inverted.
In addition, it contains messages that adults might consider suspect to be taught to children, such as you can get what you want just by wishing for it.
One character says to another, “The real power in this world ain’t magic.
It’s money.”
And then you realize that this movie isn’t for kids. It is for adults under the guise of being for kids. That fact is made obvious by all the drinking that is shown, and I don’t mean milk and juice.
To its credit, however, the movie redeems itself about the money bit and even the bit about wishing for what you want.
However, forget about any moral of “Love conquers all.” The moral of this movie that makes you wonder if Disney even tries anymore is “Magic conquers all.”
And as further proof that this movie isn’t really for kids, the children in the theater at the showing that I attended all got bored during it and started running all around the auditorium.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG is too sophisticated for its own good, which makes it perfect for adults.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
The Princess and the Frog – Movie Trailer
Jan 10th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Movie Trailers
Set in New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century, The Princess and the Frog concerns a poor African-American girl named Tiana who has a knack for cooking, and dreams of opening her own restaurant. Her best friend since childhood is a privileged white girl whose wealthy father employs Tiana’s mother as a dressmaker. When the friend’s family hosts a party for Prince Naveen of Maldonia, Dr. Facilier, an expert in black magic, turns the visiting royal into a frog. The now amphibious Naveen convinces Tiana that a kiss will reverse the spell, and if she obliges him he’ll provide the money she needs to open her dream eatery. However, their smooch not only fails to turn him back into a human, but transforms Tiana into a frog as well. The duo then sets out to find a voodoo priestess who can set everything right.
“Brothers” Ending All Wrong
Dec 9th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Hotshots Movie Reviews
Ending All Wrong
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
BROTHERS is a remake of a 2004 Danish film, and you just might want to rent that earlier film than see this muddled mess.
Sure, this one stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Sam Shepard, and Mare Winningham, but there are holes in the story, unresolved issues, and problems that continue up until the very ending.
Now, these problems might be the result of the version released in theaters, perhaps because of studio pressure, and a preferred “director’s cut” is waiting in the can for its DVD release and that bane of all writers: the “alternate ending.”
Until then, we are stuck with this one.
The time is 2007, and Gyllenhaal and Maguire play brothers Tommy and Sam Cahill, who are polar opposites. Tommy was always the family screwup, whereas Sam was a star football player in high school, married his high-school sweetheart, and followed in their father’s footsteps to become a captain in the U.S. Marines.
In fact, as the movie opens, Sam is getting ready to be deployed to Afghanistan for his fourth tour of duty, and Tommy has just been released from prison.
Sam tells Tommy, “Stay out of trouble.” And Tommy replies, “All right. You be safe over there, all right?”
Before he leaves, Sam writes a letter to his wife, Grace, that he hopes won’t have to be delivered. But shortly after his arrival in Afghanistan, Sam’s helicopter is shot down by Taliban rebels, and Sam is presumed dead.
Back home, Grace takes the news of Sam’s death hard, and Tommy steps into the surprising role of comforting her and her two young daughters.
However, in spite of what the publicity would have you believe, it isn’t what you think.
Meanwhile, Sam wasn’t killed, but was captured by the Taliban and held prisoner, during which time he does something horrible.
So, when Sam is rescued and comes home, he is carrying a terrible guilt, and his arrival disrupts the new, surprising arrangement at home.
Now, if you do see this theatrical release of the film, ask yourself these questions: Does Grace read the entire contents of Sam’s letter for the audience?
Are we told everything that happened between Tommy and Grace? And does Sam reveal the whole story of his imprisonment?
BROTHERS doesn’t answer these questions, and the ending is all wrong.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”