There are some spoilers below, so be forewarned:
So, I have been picking all available classic Disney films on Blu-Ray; these include Snow White, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.
I love the classic animation styles and have enjoyed seeing how each film shows the progression of animation over the years. Just lovely and seeing these films again made me realize that I miss the classic Disney style fantasy fairy tale. Sure we still have them but they are all CGI. There is also too much of a modern sensibility within them; either in language (slang), or the manner in which the characters behave. Will there ever be a gay Disney film I wonder?! I highly doubt it but these will suffice for now. LOL
Legend with Tom Cruise: There are two versions of the film here. This was an attempt I think in part by Ridley Scott to make a live action Disney film. I love hearing about the behind the scenes stories and how the original story was actually far more darker in tone than what eventually ended up on screen. In fact, I wish that Ridley would remake this film himself and give it that dark fairy tale that he and his writers originally intended to do. Other notes on the film; Tim Curry's darkness is the coolest looking makeup and holds up quite well after all these years. The music by Tangerine Dream is still awesome if a bit cheesy. I like Goldman's score but I saw the Theatrical version years ago and it's left an impression on my childhood memories of the film. The film is a bit overloaded with kiddy moments, the elves and dwarves and fairies, bubbles and glitter. You never quite get the darker tones of the film since the evil henchmen are played for laughs.
Labyrinth with David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly: Does anyone remember when David Bowie was considered sexy back then? I do, my sister loved this film because he was in it. I loved it because of the world they created within it. David looked rather gay too me back then with the crazy hair do, the make up and his overly tight pants and his junk bunched up to his chest. LOL
The big hairy monster is cool, the little snippy dog riding the other fluffy dog is hilarious too.
The Dark Crystal: This film is rather ugly in terms of the design aesthetic, the Skeksis are quite disgusting to be honest. They represent the ugliness of the beings that become one at the end. Whereas the Mystics represent the benevolent side, or opposite of the Skeksis. The elf like creatures themselves look incredibly creepy with their expressionless faces, yes I know they are puppets. They look like plastic surgery victims. I remember those big insect-like creatures giving me nightmares as a children. Its funny to look at them now and realize how obvious they are today. That fat little midget female character was hilarious though, she should have been heavily featured but I think she appears in Labyrinth, cross-over much?
Vanishing on 7th Street: A great premise ruined by irrational behaviour of characters and the heavy-handed nature of the film's plot to ensure this or that character does this or that. Hayden Christiansen is actually quite attractive in this film than he was in the Star Wars films. I wish they had more characters and a more interesting location rather than some bar. I also felt that having one character try to explain what is happening ruins any of the mystery, they try to over explain the situation. There are some genuinely creeping segments like the one with Hayden's character at the news station hallway. Everything else including the use of shadows and sound is genuinely good, I just wish that they had put more thought into it. This film reminds me of Prometheus, irrational characters, heavy handed plot that dispatches character here and there... good to decent premise. Next!
The Last Unicorn: I only purchased this because of all the high praise I was seeing for the film. I'll be more discerning when I order something but I followed their praise and my expectations were high; the film is a very incoherent story with weird character design. The story is what I would call, scatter brained. Its trying to be so many things yet it never quite feels engrossing. As I was saying, the character design in some aspects is good but also quite atrocious. I did not need to see a giant bird with multiple breasts attached to it, nor did my nephews and nieces. I also felt that the story should have had focus on the Unicorns and less bizarreness all around. The animation is not bad but not quite the level of a Disney film but it is serviceable. The whole experiences for me was just... meh! Perhaps if my expectations were negligible then I would have enjoyed the film a little more.
The Impossible: Great performances in this film, loved Ewan McGregor but then it's not really that hard to love that guy. The special effects sequences which depict the tsunami were quite astonishing and likely the most accurate depiction of any disaster related sequence that I have ever seen in any other film. Naomi Watts was also amazing as was the young actor who carries the film. To be honest its a type of film that you can only watch once because if you see it again, it becomes a little too sweet... sentimental.
Merlin Season 5: "sigh" Okay... not the best way to end a series. Actually scratch that, this is the worst way to end a television series. The last episode felt like a bunch of things just being checked off of a laundry list. There is no sense of satisfaction or a sense of connection that felt natural, it was rushed. Mordred is dispatched, Quinivere becomes Queen, Arthur is dying, Qwaine dies, and Morgana is killed in one of the most unsatisfying ways imaginable. Oh god did I want to see her die in a horrifying way where she was her own means of death, one of her spells turns on her or that young Dragon Aithusa turns on her or something but no... she gets jabbed with a magical sword. Merlin is supposed to be this great sorcerer and yet, its completely bs because when he should be using it to either kill Mordred, Morgana or what, he doesn't! Oh and Arthur dies never seeing the Kingdom of Camelot or the Land of Albion united but whatever. I can understand now why they decided to end the series because they literally ran out of ideas and or were feeling too tired to continue.
To be honest, the series was not that great because it was somewhat two-dimensional. Morgana's hatred was never fully explored. Merlin should have come out to Arthur earlier to give the series something to chew on but then they never really explored things when they introduced them did they, case in point the pointless introductory episode story with the Diamir or whatever its called. That alien being thing that lives in the tower/mountain cave whatever that Morgana was looking for. That's the other thing, Merlin has had some many opportunities to kill Morgana in fact the Dragon told him to do so at the beginning of the Series. The reason he did not was the heavy-handedness of the writing team.
Throughout the series, everyone tells Merlin that he is to be this most powerful sorcerer yet he cannot save his friend.
When he turns to powerful Merlin and destroys Morgana's army, he goes back to being regular Merlin. WTF is that.
He is told by Gaius that he cannot remove that magical blade bit in Arthur's heart or something... umm wasn't he supposed to be this all great and powerful sorcerer and healer?
They make up this shit about Merlin having to take Arthur to Avalon, to heal him as it is the only option. At that point I was fucking screaming at the screen saying "Call that DRAGON you stupid shit!"
What does he do? Nothing!
They spend several nights riding through fields, forests, hills, mountains and spend several nights pouring their hearts out, fucking stupid.
Anyway, I was half expecting Merlin or Arthur to make out during that shoreline scene. Arthur or Merlin could have at least fucking uttered that he loved the other but no... that would be too gay for the American audience watching.
So, this is how not to end your Series!
Oh btw, he does eventually call that Dragon but only after Arthur dies. Yeah... that's like LOTR where they could have called those eagles to fly Frodo to mount Doom so he could you know, drop the ring into the volcano! Stuff that would have made sense to intelligent thinking individuals. :O
Star Trek TNG: Seasons 1, 2, & 3:
Okay I'm showing my geekiness here but its pretty much a requirement to own these. Anyway, the show looks amazing in high definition and a lot of the effects look amazing and to be honest, somewhat cheesy by today's standard. The sets themselves look occasionally amazing even though the planet based sets look ridiculously fake. The high-definition really brings out the skin pores especially on poor Wesley whose pimpliness becomes far too obvious by season 3.
There are quite a few nitpicks to contend with and I don't agree with the Blu-Ray remastering team about keeping the original compositions the way they were originally put together. Some lee-way should have been enacted especially since they do that one some aspects of the special effects. An example; the way the light hits the ship when featured against a space background with a CG or matte painted planet behind it. The star or sunlight that lights the ship comes from a completely different direction than the planet behind it... these are things that they could have fixed. A different shot of the ship the ship should have been used which would compliment that background plate of the planet. These things tend to distract especially in a very heated moment in the story.
Still, the work done here is marvelous and I look forward to the future seasons and remastered series!
That is all for now.
