Musicals On Streaming - Spellbound (2024)

Netflix, 2024

Voices of Rachel Ziegler, John Lithgow, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem

Directed by Vicky Jenson

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glen Slater

This one apparently has been a long time coming. It was announced in July 2017 as a theatrical project from new animation studio Skydance, to be released by Paramount. In 2020, Apple TV replaced Paramount and released their first movie, Luck. Three years later, Skydance ended its deal with Apple and switched to Netflix, where it was finally released last week. Menken knows something about animated fantasies. Does this reach the height of Disney's animated fairy tales, or should it be changed into a beast? Let's begin with Princess Ellian of Lumbria (Ziegler) in the air as she flies with her friends and find out...

The Story: But Ellian doesn't have time for friends, or much of anything besides ruling her kingdom. The year before, a strange dark magic transformed her parents into uncontrollable monsters who wreck havoc on the castle. Ellian and her parents' advisors Bolivar (Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) have tried to keep the public from finding out, but they're becoming harder to control. Bolivar and Nazara think she should give up hope and be crowned queen, but Ellian is determined to find someone who will change them back.

She finally gets through to two powerful beings known as the Oracles, Sunny (Tituss Burgess) and Luno (Nathan Lane), only for her parents to scare them off. They do leave behind a powerful magic amulet called "the Fob" that can work their magic. The Captain of the Guard Genera Cardona (Olga Merediz) believes the monsters have stolen the princess and goes after them. They flee to the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness to find the Oracles, with Bolivar switching his body with that of Ellian's pet rodent Fink (Dee Bradly Baker) on the way. 

The Oracles can't restore her parents, but they claim the Lake of Light can. As the quartet travel across quicksand-laden deserts and echoing forests, Ellian helps her parents rediscover their humanity and learns why they lost it to begin with. When they do arrive at the Lake, she finally snaps...and they're reminded that, whether together or separate, their daughter is the most important thing in their lives, and they love her even if they're no longer meant to be a couple.

The Animation: Gorgeous, as per the fantasy milieu. The Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness is not aptly named, as it's colorful and stunning, with its wild backgrounds. The colors glow here, and the details are incredible. Humans look a bit selfish, but everyone moves well, and the diverse cast is well-rendered. Perhaps because John Lasseter runs Skydance, this does feel a bit derivative of Disney, mainly in those elaborate backgrounds.

The Song and Dance: The animation and score are probably the best thing about this one. Menken crafted some decent music here, especially for Ziegler. She does fairly well as the upbeat teenager who just wants her parents back, despite some clunky dialogue. Lithgow also has some funny moments as the stuffy advisor who learns to cut loose and see silver linings when he switches bodies, and Burgess and Lane are hilarious as the Oracles. I like the idea of her parents rediscovering their humanity throughout the film, and despite it being awkwardly handled, I commend them for even attempting to deal with a mature subject like divorce in an animated film at all. 

The Numbers: Ellian explains that "My Parents are Monsters" as she shows the chaos they've created in the castle during the opening number. Bolivar and Nazara claim they'll return the kingdom to normal "Step By Step" and make Ellian queen. The Oracles explain "How to Break the Spell" before the king and queen burst in. Ellian laments that she just wants things to be "The Way They Were Before" when her parents were human and knew she was their daughter. 

She's told to "Look for the Light" by the Oracles when they arrive at the Dark Forest. Her parents start "Remembering" their past life as they follow the lights and she encourages them to recall their past life. Bolivar happily claims "I Could Get Used to This" when he finally befriends the finks who think he's one of them. After they say they won't change back at the Lake of Light, Ellian finally snaps, wonder "What About Me?" and why they never seem to notice her in their fights. They all reprise "What About Us?" and "The Way It Was Before" as Bolivar helps save them and they realize how important their daughter is. Ellian reprises "My Parents are Monsters" in the end, and we get "The Way It Was Before" over the end credits.

What I Don't Like: While I appreciate the discussion of a topic like divorce here, it could have been integrated better. It comes out of nowhere in the second half and doesn't work well with the fantasy elements. There's also subjects like divorce and mixed marriages being extremely controversial. Some parents may not appreciate a movie where it's basically shoved down their throats. The music isn't bad but isn't especially memorable, either. The whole thing just seems like it's been thrown together from spare parts of better Disney and Dreamworks movies and is cliched to high heck other than the divorce talk. 

The Big Finale: Not the greatest thing ever, but not nearly as bad as some critics claim, either. If their parents aren't offended by some of the more mature elements, elementary-school-age girls like my niece might be the best audience for this. They'll enjoy the fairy tale story and be able to ignore the awkward message and clunky dialogue.

Home Media: Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Family Fun Saturday - The Little Mermaid (2023)

Disney, 2023

Starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy

Directed by Ken Marshall

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Lin-Manuel Miranda

Let's revisit that world under the sea in Disney's latest live-action remake. I've had mixed feelings on these movies, which range from good as the original to unnecessary and why in the heck did they bother? It doesn't help that the original animated Disney Little Mermaid has its good points, but was never a huge favorite of mine. Is this one also good as the original, or should they have left this sleeping dogfish alone? Let's once again begin with Prince Eric (Hauer-King) and his men on his ship as they glide across the sea and find out...

The Story: Ariel (Bailey), a mermaid, is obsessed with the world of humans on the surface. She goes to the surface of the water to see fireworks, and ends up rescuing Eric when his ship runs against rocks during a storm. Her father King Triton (Javier Bardem) understands neither her interest in humans, nor her collection of objects from above. After he destroys her collection, Ariel goes to the sea witch Ursula (McCarthy) to help her get above. Ursula agrees to give her legs for three days, but only if she gives up her voice. If she can get Eric to kiss her, she'll stay a human. If she doesn't, she belongs to Ursula. Ariel's friends Scuttle the Northen Gannet (Awkardfina), Sebastian the crab (Daveed Digs), and Flounder (Jacob Tremblay) do everything they can to help her kiss him...but Ursula isn't going to make things easy...

The Song and Dance: Bailey is the thing here. She's a perfect Little Mermaid - sweet, spunky, and curious about everything. The more realistic designs and animation mostly work well with the actual humans around them. Somehow, Sebastian looks cuter as a real crab than he did as an animated one, and Ursula's eels are a lot scarier when you can really see their teeth. McCarthy has a ball as a delectably over-the-top Ursula, Bardem is a commanding Triton, and Hauer-King has a lot more spirit than Eric did in the original movie. I also appreciate that Ariel is a tad more proactive here, doing things herself that other characters did for her in the original film, including taking on Ursula in the finale.

Favorite Number: We open with "Part Of Your World" this time as Ariel explores her treasures with Flounder and wishes she could be with those who originally used them. "Mysterious Fathoms Below" is now a short drinking song for Eric and his men onboard ship before the storm. "Under the Sea" remains a showstopper with more realistic sea creatures dancing and swimming in Busby Berkeley routines. I like that Ariel takes a bigger part in the number here, dancing and singing with the others. Eric has the big ballad "Wild Uncharted Waters" after his mother Queen Selina (Noma Dumezweni) tells him he needs to focus on land and stop going out to sea, looking for girls that don't exist. 

"Poor Unfortunate Souls" is also more-or-less the same here, with McCarthy throwing herself into it just as much. "For the First Time" is a charming number for Ariel when she's on the surface and wondering about everything she sees, from corsets to riding into town. "Kiss the Girl" is also pretty much the same, if maybe a bit smaller, with fewer animals flitting around and Scuttle more integrated into the number. Awkardfina gets the other new number, the rap "The Scuttlebut" as Scuttle tells her friends what's happening and how Ursula tricked Eric.

What I Don't Like: Some problems from the original film remain. This still doesn't have much in common with the original Hans Christian Andersen "Little Mermaid," and letting Ariel and Eric go around the world instead of just getting married doesn't make it less of a cop-out. Other than Eric's "Wild Uncharted Waters," Miranda's rap and R&B don't really fit in with the more traditional Ashman-Menken Broadway tunes. Awkwardfina's "Scuttlebut" sounds especially ridiculous. The special effects are disappointing. The animals look more realistic, but the watery backgrounds are dark, dreary, and look like the CGI they are. The extra scenes are mainly padding and draw the movie out for way, wayyy too long. 

The Big Finale: This seems to have garnered mixed reviews all around...including from me. For everything they got wrong, there's a lot they got right, including some excellent performances. Not horrible, but as with all of the Disney remakes, simply not necessary. Recommended mainly for families with mermaid-or-ocean-crazy kids and those who loved the original movie. 

Home Media: As a brand-new movie, this is easily found in all major formats. It's now on Disney Plus with a subscription.

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Disney Plus

Animation Celebration Saturday - Tangled

Disney, 2010

Voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, and Brad Garrett

Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater

The idea of Disney doing the Grimm's fairy tale Rapunzel apparently went back to 2001, but then-CEO Michael Eisner wanted it to be computer-animated. The original idea was to have two normal kids end up playing the roles of Rapunzel and her prince, but this was dropped around  in favor of something somewhat closer to the original fairy tale. It went over well enough in 2010, but how does it look now, after other fairy tale stories from Disney and elsewhere have come and gone? Let's begin with thief Flynn Rider (Levi) narrating the story of how he died...and how a king and queen lost their child and her magical hair to a vain witch...and find out...

The Story: Rapunzel (Moore) has never known any home but the tower she was reared in. Her adoptive mother Gothel (Murphy) has convinced her that the world is a terrible place filled with people who will only want her long, golden, magical hair that can glow and heal. She finally gets her chance to see the outside world when she catches Flynn hiding the tiara that belongs to the lost princess in her tower. If Flynn wants the tiara back, he has to take her to see the floating lights that appear every year on her birthday. 

He agrees to it in order to get the tiara back...but as they travel through the countryside and into town, they gradually fall in love. Gothel is determined to get her ticket to immortality back and follows her, claiming Flynn isn't loyal. Rapunzel and Flynn have to dodge Gothel and Flynn's former partners before they learn that some dreams are worth sacrificing for, especially when they're dreamed for the ones you care about.

The Animation: Part of the reason this took almost 10 years to debut was Disney couldn't decide how they wanted it. The directors wanted it to be two-dimensional, and the executives wanted computer animation. They finally decided on computer animated, but with a glowing, painterly look like in the work of romantic European artists. They certainly did that. The artwork here is still very good, glowing with jewel tones and the brilliant shine of Rapunzel's flowing tresses. The characters have faces that are just as expressive and detailed as 2-D - check out the wild and weird thugs at the Snuggly Duckling, for instance, or Flynn's perpetual deadpan smirks. 

The Song and Dance: Along with the animation and music, the major selling points are the wonderful performances. Moore badly wanted to play a Disney princess since childhood, and she's adorable as the eager, hopeful teen who dreams of seeing the lights and learning more about the outside world. Levi is hilariously snarky as the thief who claims he only wants riches, but may have more dreams in mind than chasing money.  Jeffery Tambour and Brad Garrett are among the seemingly frightening thugs at the Snuggly Duckling who turn out to be far less scary than they appear at first. 

And there's Mother Gothel, one of Disney's nastier female villains. She's not as over-the-top as some other Disney bad people, but that makes her even more effective. She's the ultimate abusive parent, manipulating Rapunzel back into her tower by claiming the world outside is selfish and evil...when the only really evil character around is her and her overriding vanity. 

Favorite Number: Our first proper number is "When Will My Life Begin?" as we see Rapunzel go about her daily chores. She tries to fill her day with activities, but the truth is, she's bored and longs for adventure. Gothel's "Mother Knows Best" sounds like concern, but her only real concern is keeping her teen daughter from running off with the golden hair that's her ticket to immortality. Its reprise is even more manipulative as she claims Flynn only cares about the tiara. Rapunzel sings to the thugs at the Snuggly Duckling how "I've Got a Dream." They're so charmed by her, they tell her about their secret wishes, and even manage to get Flynn to reveal his. 

"I See the Light" is the big ballad as Rapunzel admits how happy she is to see the lights...but even more, how even happier to be with Flynn alone on the lake as they admit their feelings for one another. The movie ends on an upbeat note with the bright but unmemorable pop song "Something I Want" sung over the credits by Grace Potter.

Trivia: While it was only a mild hit critically, it went over far better with audiences. It was the third highest grossing animated movie of 2010 (behind Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3), and was even more popular on home media. It was that success that led to the short Tangled Ever After in 2012, the TV movie Tangled: Before Ever After in 2017, and the TV show Tangled: The Series (later Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures) a year after that. 

What I Don't Like: I really wish this was more of a musical. I suspect Disney may have been wary of out-and-out musicals after The Princess and the Frog didn't perform to their expectations at the box office. There's only four full numbers and an instrumental dance routine in town, plus the pop song "Something I Want" over the end credits. Of the songs, only the Oscar-nominated "I See the Light" is really up to the standards of Menken's earlier work. 

And no, this doesn't have anything in common with the original fairy tale, other than a girl with long hair who was kidnapped in infancy by a witch and locked in a tower. In the original story, Rapunzel was the daughter of a peasant who stole the witch's greens for his pregnant wife. The witch was so offended, she took their child. The guy who rescued her was a prince; the witch blinded him for invading the tower after she knocked him in the windows. In some versions, Rapunzel even has his children after being abandoned in the desert, which really wasn't going to fly in a Disney movie.

The Big Finale: Adorable characters and gorgeous animation makes this one of Disney's better animated films of the last decade or so. Check it out with your favorite little princess or thief.

Home Media: Easily found in all formats. Disney Plus currently has it, Tangled Forever After, Tangled: Before Ever After, and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures with a subscription. 

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Musicals On Streaming - Disenchanted

Disney, 2022

Starring Amy Adams, Maya Rudolph, Patrick Dempsey, and Gabriella Baladacchio

Directed by Adam Shankman

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Talk of a sequel to Enchanted began early as 2010...but it got kicked around to various authors until 2020, when the script was finally ready after over a decade. In the interim, Disney and the movie industry had gone through enormous changes. Disney was back on top, thanks to a series of hits that questioned their older fairy tale tropes (Frozen, Tangled) or ignored them all together (Wreck It Ralph, Zootopia)...but the 2020 pandemic hit them hard. With family movies frequently faltering at the box office, Disney released Disnenchanted to its streaming service Disney Plus. Does the mixture of fantasy, reality, music, and animation still work after over a decade, or should it be shoved back into Andalusia? Let's begin with Pip (Griffin Neuman) the chipmunk explaining how Giselle (Adams) ended up moving her family to the suburbs and find out...

The Story: Giselle is thrilled to move her family to the seemingly bucolic suburb Monroeville, but her husband Robert (Dempsey) and stepdaughter Morgan (Baldacchio) aren't as thrilled. Their Victorian home is falling apart, Robert has to commute long hours to work, and Morgan doesn't get along in her new school. Giselle tries to promote Morgan as the queen of the town's upcoming fairy tale ball. In her enthusiasm, she ends up embarrassing Morgan and causing trouble with Malvina Monroe (Maya Randolph), the head of the town council. She wants her son Tyson (Kolton Stewart) to be prince of the ball.

King Edward (James Marsden) and Queen Nancy (Idina Mentzel) brought a wish-making magic wand from Andalusia as a housewarming gift. Giselle uses it to wish she had a perfect fairy tale life, with no missing husbands or pouting teens. It works...too well. Giselle didn't expect the fairy tale she'd end up in would be Cinderella. Now she's turning into a genuine wicked stepmother who mistreats her daughter, Robert is a knight who is too busy slaying dragons to have time for her, and Malvina is the even nastier queen. Giselle has to remember who she is and why she loves her family before the clock chimes midnight...and Andelusia disappears permanently.

The Animation: Not used as much this time around, and maybe it's just as well. I suspect that, while it still looks 2D, it may have been done by a computer. It's not as lush, with less details in the background and on the characters. It looks less like a Disney movie of the 50's and more like one of their recent TV shows.

The Song and Dance: Adams is really the only reason to see this one. She's having a grand time, swirling around with the chorus and trying to make the best of the situation, even when her family has to live in the master bedroom because their new home is still being worked on. She plays off well against the more dour Balacchio. Randolph does almost as well as the stuck-up head of the town council who isn't used to newcomers challenging her and the spoiled queen who wants to hang on to her power in any way possible. The costumes and sets remain gorgeous; the latter were filmed in a real Irish small town made to look like upstate New York. 

Favorite Number: We open with Pip singing about how things are going in "Andelusia," and giving us the origins of Giselle before and after she came to New York. Giselle sings about how Monroeville will be "Even More Enchanted," but with construction workers moving all around her, her stepdaughter doesn't buy it. Edward and Nancy tell them about "The Magic of Andelusia" and how the wishing wand works. Giselle wants desperately to return to "Fairy Tale Life"...and thinks she has when she wakes up and the appliances and chorus of peasants join in. 

Morgan claims everything is "Perfect" as she shops for flowers in town...then wishes that maybe it wasn't quite so much. Marvina and Giselle contrast and compare their evil powers, as they desire to be "Badder"...and better than the other. Nancy finally gets a number, "Love Power," as she reveals to Morgan how she can restore her stepmother to normal.

What I Don't Like: Nothing else works. Most of the other actors, including Dempsey and Stewart, don't have enough to do. We don't really see enough of Morgan or Tyson to understand why she has a crush on him or why she's acting the way she is, other than the move. There's a kernel of a good idea here, but it's lost under a morass of silly references that aren't worked nearly as well into the script and half-baked characterizations. Not to mention, fairy tale satire is really overworked now, especially with Disney having embraced other types of fantasy and other tropes. 

The Big Finale: Truth be told, the reason I put off reviewing this for so long is I suspected the moment they announced a sequel that it wouldn't work. They tried too hard to make the movie magical, only for it to end up being mundane. Only worth checking out for major fans of Adams, the cast, or the first film. 

Home Media: It's a Disney Plus exclusive at the moment. 

Disney Plus

Family Fun Saturday - Enchanted

Disney, 2007

Starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Timothy Spall

Directed by Kevin Lima

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Enchanted began in 1997 as a far racier script, inspired by R-rated comedies of the 80's and 90's like Fast Times at Ridgemont High. It was reworked in 2005 into something more family friendly and closer to the Disney fantasies of old. It's also Disney's first live action/animated hybrid since Who Framed Roger Rabbit from 1988 and a satire on the cliches inherent in Disney movies in particular and fairy tales in general, from the prince and the damsel falling in love in an instant after meeting to the princess being the one rescued. Is it worth saving from an ogre, or should it be left in Times Square? Let's begin in animation with typical Disney damsel Giselle (Adams), waiting for her true love with her animal friends, and find out...

The Story: Giselle first encounters handsome Prince Edward (Marsden) when he saves her from an ogre. They fall in love the moment she lands in his arms and agree to wed the next day. Edward's stepmother Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) will lose the throne if her son marries, so right before her wedding, she shoves Giselle down a well.

When Giselle comes up through the well, she finds herself stepping through a man hole cover in Times Square. Now a live-action woman, Giselle wanders lost and alone through the streets of Manhattan until she's found by cynical divorce lawyer Robert Phillip (Dempsey) and his daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey). Morgan loves fairy tales and believes she's a princess. Robert doesn't believe it initially. He stopped believing in fairy tales after his wife abandoned him and their daughter. Optimistic Giselle, who sees beauty and romance in every squalid corner of the city, shows him New York through her eyes...and gradually, they fall in love. 

Edward and his servant Nathaniel (Timothy Squall) have followed her, though, along with her chipmunk Pip (Jeff Bennett). Edward wants to find his true love and continue the wedding, while Robert's harried girlfriend Nancy (Idina Menzel) just questions what he's doing with this woman. Giselle is learning that, messy as the "real world" can be, it also allows a princess to not only save herself, but those she loves as well.

The Animation: The opening and about a minute or so of the closing sequences are done in 2-D animation that's likely meant to ape the 50's Disney films Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. While not as lush as those films, Andelusia is still colorful and lovely to look at. The animated characters flow well and do resemble their live-action counterparts, and the backdrops are pretty and detailed. It's enough to make me wish Disney had continued turning out full 2D animated films.

The Song and Dance: Adams is the perfect Disney princess in this hilarious homage to their earlier animated films. She's sweet without being cloying, kind without being pushy, and is a ball of sunshine. The sequence where she quarrels with Robert and feels anger for the first time is especially adorable. The opening alone is hilarious, with its literal fall into love plot and stunning animation. Marsden and Squall have almost as much fun as the prince charming who will do anything to get his lady fair back and mousy servant who learns that there's more to life than just following a queen's orders. The gorgeous costumes and authentic New York location shooting adds a great deal of intimacy and elegance to the goofy story.

Favorite Number: We open in animation, with Giselle and her animal friends creating a scarecrow representing her perfect prince. She sings "True Love's Kiss," which Edward eventually finishes before and after the arrival of the ogre. "Happy Working Song" is Giselle cleaning up Robert and Morgan's apartment with the help of the wild animals of New York City - pigeons, rats, mice, and cockroaches. Seeing all those vermin scrubbing toilets would be almost gross if it wasn't so darn funny. 

"That's How You Know" is the big chorus number in Central Park. Giselle starts by singing along with a couple of strolling marimba players as she explains to Robert why he has to tell Nancy that he loves her. It gradually spreads through the whole park, taking in everything from a wedding to tourists relaxing on benches. Robert doesn't get it, but Giselle and everyone else around her happily rolls with the cheerful and adorable song. The remaining two numbers are sung over the soundtrack. The ballad "So Close" provides the backdrop for Giselle and Robert's dance at the ball, while the uptempo Carrie Underwood ballad "Ever Ever After" plays under the closing credits.

Trivia: "So Close," "That's How You Know," and "Happy Working Song" were nominated for Oscars, but they ended up canceling each other out. The winner was "Falling Slowly" from Once. 

What I Don't Like: For all the comic trappings, the story in and of itself is nothing new...which, honestly, is kind of the point. Some of the tropes it discusses, like True Love's Kiss and falling in love at first sight, had already vanished from 90's Disney princess movies like Beauty and the Beast and would be further deconstructed in Tangled and Frozen over the next five years or so. The Shrek movies went into similar fairy tale satire territory earlier in the 2000's, including True Love's Kiss and the damsel in distress who isn't that distressed.

The Big Finale: Bright and fun, with some of Menken and Schwartz's best music and a delightful starring turn by Amy Adams, this is highly recommended for musical fans, princess lovers, and those who have ever wanted to see Disney take their high-falutin' fantasy epics down a peg or two.

Home Media: Easily found in all formats, often for under ten dollars. Disney Plus has it with a subscription. (It also has its sequel, Disenchanted, which we'll discuss next Saturday.) 

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Musicals on TV - Polly (1989)

Disney/NBC, 1989

Starring Keisha Knight Pullman, Phylicia Rashad, Dorian Harewood, and Vanessa Bell Calloway

Directed by Debbie Allen

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Jack Feldman

Pollyanna debuted in 1913 and was an instant sensation. The story of "The Glad Girl" who befriended an entire town and spread joy and happiness wherever she went, only for her positive outlook to be tested when tragedy strikes, resonated with people of every age and class. It became so popular, the word "Pollyanna" remains a slang term for an overly cheerful and optimistic person. Disney already had one go-around with this story in live-action in its hit 1960 version with Haley Mills. They dusted it off for their Magical World of Disney anthology series in 1989, with a mostly-black cast and a revised plot based on the 1960 film. How does a somewhat updated "Glad Girl" look now? Let's begin on the bus to Harrington, Alabama, in the 1950's with a sleepy Polly Whittier (Pullman) and find out...

The Story: After the death of her parents, Polly's sent from Detroit to live with her Aunt Polly (Rashad), a descendant of a founder of Harrington and the richest woman in town. Aunt Polly is proud of being able to provide the townspeople with anything they may need...but in her attempt to show how strong she is, she's shut everything else out, including music and laughter. Little Polly brings a great deal both to the depressed townspeople. She befriends orphan Jimmy Bean (Brandon Quintin Adams) when he makes fun of her for being rich, brings menacing Mr. Pendergast (Brock Peters) out of hiding, and convinces meek Reverend Gillis (Larry Riley) to write  his own sermon that lifts people up rather than damning their souls. 

Harrington is all-black because a bridge connecting the black and white sides of the town burned down in the 1930's. No one knew who did it. Miss Snow (Celeste Holm), the head of the white side of the town, blamed the black side, and Aunt Polly blamed Miss Snow and her people. It's Polly who finally brings the two sides together when she makes amends with Miss Snow. Aunt Polly's furious when the town holds a bazaar to raise money for music instruction for the orphans without her approval. It's not until her niece is grievously injured while sneaking out that Polly realizes how much her rigid and unfeeling behavior has hurt not only her niece, but both sides of the town.

The Song and Dance: Pullman and Rashad, then stars of the hit NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, are the thing here. Pullman is hilarious, charming with her aunt and the townspeople and an absolute riot with Jimmy, claiming she can spit further and run faster than him! Rashad comes off best of the adults as the tough woman who's coldness hides her belief that the only way people will love her is to make them fear her. Holm and Peters also do well as a far more frightening version of the shut-in older hermits Pollyanna cheers up in the book and the 1960 film. The costumes and sets are fairly lavish for 1989 television and go a long way towards showing off the world of rural 1950's Georgia and how segregation affected it. 

Favorite Number: Polly insists to her new friends, the cook Mrs. Conley (Barbara Montgomery) and maid Nancy (Calloway) that she's "By Your Side" when they bring her up to her small but clean and cute room. "Honey Ain't Got Nothin' On You" is the big girl-group number on the radio that has Polly and the saleswomen at the dress shop dancing along when she insists they put on that "be boppin' Detroit sound." Jimmy Bean and his fellow orphans really get going outside the church with "Sweet Little Angel Eyes." Polly even joins in, but Aunt Polly isn't as impressed. 

Aunt Polly tells herself she shouldn't want "Something More" after arguing with Dr. Shannon (Dorian Heywood) about letting go of her hold over the town...but the truth is, what she wants is to be loved. Polly sings about a "Rainbow Maker" after she goes to sleep...but she, Nancy, and her aunt sing about three very different ideas of having a rainbow in your life. Dr. Shannon, Nancy's sweetheart George (T.K Carter), and Mayor Warren (Ken Page) encourage the townspeople to "Shine a Light" and find it in themselves to defy the Harringtons. Likewise, when the Reverend finally trades in the gloomy fire-and-brimstone sermons for one based around "the glad texts," he encourages the entire congregation to "Stand Up!" in the film's best dance routine. 

Trivia: Last movie for film legend Butterfly McQueen, who plays one of the fussy ladies in the town. 

What I Don't Like: This has even less to do with the original book than the 1960 film. In the book, Pollyanna was hit by a car. Poor Polly doesn't even make it to the bazaar here. Aunt Polly was rich but not a rigid businesswoman, and the town wasn't under her control and didn't put on a bazaar. No bridge, either - that was invented purely for this movie, probably to emphasize the civil rights theme. Speaking of, that theme is hammered home with all the subtlety of a picnic basket to the face. The music is good, but not terribly memorable, especially compared to some of Menken's other work in this era. 

The Big Finale: Charming and sweet fare for families and lovers of Menken's other work if you can find it.

Home Media: You'd think this would be a natural for Disney Plus, but to date, it's only release was a now-expensive DVD put out for the Disney Movie Club in 2008. You're better-off looking for this one used. 

DVD

Animation Celebration Saturday - Hercules (1997)

Disney, 1997

Voices of Tate Donovan, Danny DiVito, James Woods, and Susan Egan

Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by David Zippel

By the late 90's, Disney and their movies were nothing less than gods at the box office. Even with the underperformace of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney remained on top, thanks to their earlier successes and the popularity of the theme parks. Reacting to complaints that Hunchback and Pocahontas were beautiful to look at but lacked humor, they opted to turn the myths of the Greek strongman into a wacky action musical not far removed from Aladdin. Does that approach still work today, or should it be knocked into the River Styx? Let's begin with the Muses, the singing guardians of the arts, who prepare us for Hercules' story and the comic tone, and find out...

The Story: There's much rejoicing on Mount Olympus when Hercules is born, by everyone except God of the Underworld Hades (Woods). In 18 years, a planetary alignment will allow him to release former Olympus adversaries the Titans, but only if there's no interference. He orders his minions Pain (Bobcat Golthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer) to give the baby a potion that'll make him mortal and kill him. Hercules doesn't drink the last drop, and is able to retain his strength and get rid of the minions. They leave him to be adopted by a mortal couple.

Teen Hercules (Josh Keaton) can't control his great strength and doesn't fit in among the residents of the Greek countryside. After his parents reveal his Olympus origins, he travels to the arena of Philocetes (DiVito) to be trained. Phil isn't thrilled at first, until he sees what Hercules can do. He's so impressed, he takes him to the city of Thebes, where Hercules proceeds to smash through every monster Hades puts up against him.

Phil and the citizens of Thebes aren't the only ones who are impressed. Meg (Egan) is another one of Hades' minions, but she was forced into his services after she sold her soul to him to save her lover who abandoned her. To her surprise, she ends up falling for this sweet muscle man. Hades, however, still has his own plans, and Zeus won't let Hercules into Mount Olympus until he proves he can do more than sell merchandise. It'll take an act of true sacrifice - from Meg and Hercules - to prove that being a real hero comes from what's inside of you. 

The Animation: Sharp and edgy, it obviously has its basis in the Greek urns used as stone newspapers throughout the film. Some early CGI sticks out like sore thumbs, notably when Hercules fights the Hydra and in the finale with the Titans. On the other hand, the spare style allows for a nice flow and terrific character movements - check out the dances from the Muses during "Zero to Hero" and "I Won't Say I'm In Love."

The Song and Dance: Oh boy, did Disney have fun with this one. This is one of the funniest movies they ever did, and second to Aladdin as the funniest film of the Disney Renaissance Era. Special kudos to Egan as Disney's most sarcastic anti-heroine, and Woods as one of their best villains. Hades comes off as the fast-talking, overly-ambitious used car salesman you love to hate. Woods' vocal dexterity and his hilarious expressions makes him one of the most popular bad guys in any Disney animated feature. Broadway favorite Egan more than matches him as the mouthy femme fatale who learns that there are some guys out there who really will say they're in love...and prove it, too. 

Favorite Number: We open with the Muses narrating "The Gospel Truth," showing Hercules birth and how he ended up on Earth. "Go the Distance" is Hercules' big "I Want Song" as he sings to his desire to find his place to the Gods. We get a hilarious training montage as Phil tells Hercules how he's his "One Last Hope" to hit the big time, and see howHerc grows from a skinny teen into a strapping man. "Zero to Hero" is the Muses' big uptempo number, another montage depicting how Hercules destroyed the monsters Hades sent and won the heart of everyone in Thebes. The Muses return to prove how "A Star Is Born" in the finale and reveal Hercules literally ascending to heaven. 

My favorite number is the other big ballad. Meg thinks "I Won't Say I'm In Love" with Hercules, but the Muses know better. They appear as various statuary and details on outdoor decorations, encouraging Meg to give in to her feelings. 

Trivia: Woods' Hades got such good reviews, he's considered to be the second-most-popular Disney villain after Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. He's turned up in countless cartoons and Disney media since then, always with Woods playing him. 

The movie had a hard time competing with Men In Black at the summer box office in 1997 and was considered a disappointment. It did much better when released on video that fall, well enough to inspire a direct-to-video midquel Hercules: Zero to Hero and a Saturday morning TV show with Hercules as a student at Prometheus Academy, Hercules: The Animated Series. An actual direct-to-video sequel was  scrapped when John Lasseter ended production on all animated sequels. 

Their stage version debuted in Central Park in 2019 as part of their Shakespeare in the Park festival. A revised version is scheduled to play the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in February 2023. 

Disney has announced they're currently developing a live-action version. 

What I Don't Like: The Greeks were really offended by how this plays fast and loose with their mythology. I'll start with Hercules wasn't entirely heroic and actually killed his wife Megara (accidentally), and end with Zeus' many affairs Disney naturally wasn't willing to discuss. Obviously, this isn't for mythology purists or those who might likewise not appreciate the film's distorting of history. The goofy tone also lacks some of the more majestic qualities of their earlier films like Beauty and the Beast, and some of the CGI hasn't dated well. Not to mention, for all of the build-up on how much of a hero he is, Hercules can seem like a standard pretty boy to a lot of people, especially compared to the far more interesting Hades and Meg.

The Big Finale: I consider this to be one of Disney's most underrated films, and their second-most underrated film of the 90's after Hunchback of Notre Dame. If you're looking for a good action comedy and don't mind the mythological fudging or are looking for a fun film for pre-teen boys, you'll have a great time with the biggest hero in Greece. 

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD. Even its original "Limited Edition" release from 2000 can often be found for cheap. It's on Disney Plus with a subscription. 

DVD

Disney Plus

Musicals On TV - The Little Mermaid Live!

Disney/ABC, 2019

Starring Auli'i Cravalho, Graham Phillips, Queen Latifah, and Shaggy

Directed by Hamish Hamilton

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Disney took its sweet time getting into the live musical craze. It was 2017 before they announced a live version of their beloved 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid as ABC's next big special. Technical difficulties caused it to be pushed off the schedule for two years, until it finally made it to the air in November 2019 in time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original film. With another live-action Mermaid coming out next year, how does this initial attempt at doing the story with living actors fare? Let's begin with dancing sailors singing about the stories of mermaids and fantastical creatures who live in the "Mysterious Fathoms Below" and find out...

The Story: Ariel (Cravalho) is a mermaid who lives under the sea, but she longs to see the world on land. After she falls for the human Prince Eric (Phillips), she goes to the sea witch Ursula (Queen Latifah) to give her legs. Ursula will, but for the price of her beautiful voice. Eric only heard her sing and doesn't recognize her as a human. Now she and her friends Flounder the fish, Skuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab (Shaggy) have to find a way to prove to Eric she's the real deal, whether she can sing about it or not.

The Song and Dance: I really wish Disney didn't chicken out on the technical problems and went full-on live with this. What we see of the physical production is gorgeous and creative, with some nifty costumes for the mermaids and Ursula and incredible oversized sets. The split "If Only" ballad for Ariel and Eric, showing her wishing she could sing for him in her bedroom while he's "outside" on the other side, was very well done. 

Favorite Number: "Mysterious Fathoms Below" turns the opening number into an elaborately choreographed routine for Prince Eric and his sailors as he returns home and they tell him about mermaids and their siren voices. Amber Reily introduces the "Daughters of Triton" in their flashy sequined mermaid costumes. Cravalho pours her heart into a lovely "Part of Your World" in a beautifully recreated and detailed underwater grotto. "Under the Sea" has Shaggy in a simple red jacket wiggling through pure chaos as we see everything from acrobats on the ceiling to puppet fish to people in huge foam fish costumes playing "the toot of soul." 

"Poor Unfortunate Souls" is staged largely the same as in the film, with a gold light representing Ariel's voice and two huge puppets standing in for Ursula's eels. Making their debuts here are "Her Voice," a touching solo for Eric after Grimsby reminds him that he's just chasing a fantasy, and "If Only," a duet for Ariel and Eric where he wishes he could find that dream girl, and she wishes she could tell him. "Les Poissons" becomes a huge dance routine for everyone in the kitchen as they chase huge crabs in foam costumes for dinner, including John Stamos as the crazed Chef Louis.

Trivia: "If Only," "Her Voice," and the reprise of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" are from the stage Little Mermaid that debuted on Broadway in 2007. 

What I Don't Like: Once again, I really wish Disney had gone full-on live. As much as I enjoy the animated film, it really takes away from the stage production. They either should have let the stage show stand on its own, or ditched the live version permanently and just re-ran the animated film. It's too bad, because some of the performances are excellent. Latifiah in particular has a ball as Ursula, and Cravalaho makes a charming and sweet Ariel.

The Big Finale: This is cute, but could have been so much more. You're better off showing your kids the animated film again and waiting for the live-action version to come out next year. 

Home Media: Streaming exclusive at the moment. Disney Plus has it with a subscription.

Disney Plus

Aladdin (2019)

Disney, 2019
Starring Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott, and Marwan Kenzari
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Directed by Guy Ritchie

This was the second of the three remakes Disney made last year. The original 1992 Aladdin is one of their most popular animated films, and a lot of people questioned whether this one could live up to it, especially without the late Robin Williams as the Genie. Did they succeed, or at least come off better than the Lion King remake did? Let's hit the open ocean, where we begin with a fisherman (Smith) telling stories to his children, and find out...

The Story: Aladdin (Massoud) is a street urchin in Agrabah, a city in an Arabian country. One day, he encounters Jasmine (Scott) in the marketplace and saves her from losing her late mother's bracelet. When it turns out she's the princess of the land, he snitches the bracelet and follows her to the palace. Her father the Sultan (Naveed Negahban) wants her to marry silly Prince Anders (Billy Magnussen), but she'd rather rule the country herself after seeing how her people suffer.

Aladdin returns to the palace to give her the bracelet back, but he's caught by Jafar (Kenzari), the Sultan's second-in-command. Jafar wants him to find a special lamp in the Cave of Wonders, where only a "diamond in the rough" may enter. He and his monkey Abu do make it in, but they end up stranded when Abu tries to take more than the lamp. That lamp turns out to house a genie (Smith) who gets them out and promises Aladdin three wishes. Aladdin uses his second wish to make him a prince in order to marry Jasmine. She, however, is not impressed. As Aladdin tries to figure out how he can get her attention, he learns that he may have even bigger problems. Jafar has pierced his disguise, and if he gets his hands on the lamp, he's going to wish for a lot more than a fancy outfit and a duet with a girl.

The Song and Dance: The big question is - how well does Smith fill Williams' oversized blue Arabian shoes? Rather well, actually. He's a lot less wild than Williams, tossing out fewer references and gags, but he's also more subtle and has great chemistry with Massoud and Nasim Petrad as Jasmine's sarcastic but loyal handmaiden Dalia. Massoud is a perfect Aladdin - he looks the part, sings beautifully, works well with Scott and Smith, and is energetic and a lot of fun to watch whether he's fleeing the guards or adorably awkward at the party. The special effects are downright amazing, especially in the musical numbers and the big action sequences. Special kudos to the colorful and glittery costumes that nicely reflect both the brilliant world of Agrabah's castle and the vibrant street life in the city.

Favorite Number: "Friend Like Me" comes off almost as well here, with the CGI working just as quickly to morph along with the Genie. "Prince Ali" is a great showcase of those amazing costumes as the Genie shows off amid the crowds and the court. There's some nice choreography here and in the big dance party finale over the credits. "One Jump Ahead" is moved to after Aladdin meets Jasmine, but it's otherwise just as much fun to watch both of them evade the guards.

The sole new number is "Speechless," Jasmine's two solos on how she'll never let anyone silence her voice. While it sounds a bit pop-ish, it's also has some topical aspects, as many young women begin to find their own voices away from stereotypes and expectations.

What I Don't Like: The villains are the problem here. Despite the increased emphasis on his backstory, Kenzari lacks the charisma and menace Johnathan Freeman brought to the role in 1992. Alan Tudyk's Iago is less annoying that Gilbert Gottfried, but he's also less funny and has less of a role. Aladdin also spends less time around him - and doesn't get to fight him in the end. Scott brings the appropriate spunk to Jasmine, but she's also a little less feisty than her 1992 counterpart and takes less part in the action.

And there's once again the remake deal. As with pretty much every remake Disney did...we just did not need this. No matter how hard they try, I don't think they'll ever really be able to recreate the simple spark that made these movies so popular in the first place.

The Big Finale: With that caveat, I still think this was the best of the three remakes Disney did last year. More fun than the dull Lion King or dark and overwrought Dumbo, this is still worth a look if you're a fan of Smith, Arabian Nights stories, or the original film.

Home Media: As one of the most recent releases I've covered, this is easily found in all formats; they just added it to Disney Plus if you have a subscription there (that's how I saw it).

DVD
Blu-Ray
4K Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)

Family Fun Saturday - Newsies

Disney, 1992
Starring Christian Bale, David Moscow, Bill Pullman, and Robert Duvall
Directed by Kenny Ortega
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Jack Feldman

This is a childhood favorite of mine. It debuted just as I began to develop an interest in musicals and their history, as well as the history of film and the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries. It eventually picked up a rather large fandom of teen girls who admired the music, dances, and cast of handsome young men. Were they right, or should we stop the presses on this unusual story? Let's head to a home for New York newsboys, just as they're getting ready to go on their daily rounds, and find out...

The Story: Jack Kelly (Bale) is the group's unofficial leader and one of the older boys. He and the other boys hawk "papes" for the World, owned by media magnate Joseph Pulitzer (Duvall). One day in July 1899, Jack takes two new "newsies" under his wing. David (Moscow) and Les (Luke Edwards) come from a loving family and are trying to make money after their father his hurt in an accident.

In an attempt to raise revenue and cut costs, Pulitzer and his board of directors increase the amount that the Newsies spend to buy their papers. Inspired by a trolley strike and David mentioning that his father was fired because he had no union to back him, Jack encourages a work stoppage. The story attracts the attention of Bryan Denton (Pullman), a journalist on the lookout for a unique story, and Snyder (Kevin Tigne), the head of the "Refuge," an abusive boys home that Jack escaped from. Now the boys have to stay in the papers...and show Pulitzer and all of the newspaper barons in New York that even the smallest voice can make the biggest difference.

The Song and Dance: And "dance" is the operative word. The movie is probably best known for its energetic and creative ensemble numbers by Kenny Ortega, many of which foreshadow another Disney film he did featuring talented young performers in massive ensembles, High School Musical. Bale shows much of the charisma he would later display in the Christopher Nolan Batman films and many indie dramas as the head of the strike who thinks he doesn't need anything but his dreams, and Moscow wasn't bad as the straight-laced David, who learns to loosen up as he slowly befriends Jack and the "newsies." The other boys were also a lot of fun to watch, especially Aaron Mohr as Mush and dapper Gabriel Damon as head Brookyn Newsie Spot Conlon.

Extra kudos for the awesome sets that ably recreate the grimy New York of the late 19th century. I suspect most of the backgrounds were probably done with early CGI, but they still look good, even today.

Favorite Number: The opening version of "Carrying the Banner" sets the tone, with the boys showing off their daily routine as they dance their way through waking up, washing, getting their breakfast, and picking up papers. "The World Will Know" is Jack encouraging the others, especially David, to start striking. David performs "Seize the Day" as the other Newsies prepare to destroy the newspapers and get the "scabbers" (strikebreakers) to stop selling. Bale's heartfelt "Santa Fe" has him explaining how badly he wants to move out west; it includes some terrific cowboy moves, and even a ride on a horse.

My favorite song and number from this one has always been "King of New York." Not only is the song the film's best, but the boys really go to town with it, tap dancing on table tops and even taking a ride on a ceiling fan in the end. They're obviously having a great time, and it's just such a blast to watch.

Trivia: This was originally intended to be a drama, but the positive response to the animated musicals Disney put out in the early 90's prompted executives to make it a full live-action musical.

The film was a huge flop at the box office in 1992, but it went on to pick up a substantial fan base of musical nuts and teen girls who ogled the attractive cast when it was released on video and cable. It became so popular, Disney adapted it as a stage musical in 2011. With a revised story and more songs, it debuted on Broadway at the Nederlander Theater and ran for two years, becoming the surprise smash of 2012. After the tour ended, the production was filmed and saw a limited release in theaters and a wider one online.

What I Don't Like: Most of the adult characters besides Denton and Ann Margaret's chanteuse feel like afterthoughts. Duvall is an appropriately gruff Pulitzer, but he really doesn't have much to do after raising the Newsies' prices. The villains don't even have a song. The movie is a lot less fun in the second half, when Jack's story and the melodrama take over. David and Les' pretty sister Sarah is nothing more than a bland love interest for Jack until the third act, when she helps the boys and Denton send the word about the strike to all the working kids in New York.

And if you know anything about the real newsboys' strike, you'll realize that the end is a bit prettied up for a sweet, happy finale. The boys did get their paper decrease, but very little else changed...or would change in their working conditions or in the lives of child laborers for at least another 20 years.

The Big Finale: The critics then and now don't seem to know what to make of this one...and I have never understood why. With it's "underdogs against the corporation" theme and dynamic dance routines, I suspect it was just ahead of its time. This is still highly recommended, especially if you have teen girls of your own who may love the music and cast.

Home Media: Out of print on DVD, but the Blu-Ray can be found for under 10 dollars, and it's on many streaming services. (I watched it on Disney Plus.)

DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime

Family Fun Saturday - Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Disney, 2017
Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin Kline, and Emma Thompson
Directed by Bill Condon
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

I was more than a little concerned when Disney announced they were remaking this one. While I do like the stage musical, the original animated film is one of my favorite movies of all time. I actually went to see this in the theater as a birthday present to myself in April 2017. Is it as enchanting as its animated predecessor, or does it shrivel up like a dying rose? Let's return to that small town in 18th century France and find out...

The Story: Belle (Watson) is an outcast in the tiny town of Villeneuve. She's the daughter of Maurice (Kline), an inventor and artist, and loves books, reading, and adventure. The dull and illiterate citizens of the town regard her as an uppity child who doesn't know her place. Former soldier Gaston (Luke Evans) wants to marry her, not because he loves her, but because he believes the handsomest man in town should have the most beautiful wife. Belle thinks he's an idiot and brushes him off.

Her life changes when she learns that her father has been imprisoned in a dark, spooky castle after trying to bring her a rose. She convinces the terrifying Beast (Stevens) who captured him to let her take his place. With the encouragement of the moving objects who act as his servants, they begin to gradually understand and befriend one another.

Back in town, Gaston still hasn't given up on taking Belle for his wife...whether she wants it or not. He first abandons Maurice in the woods, but the town hermit Agathe (Hattie Morahan) rescues him. When the old inventor shows up ranting about a Beast, he has him sent to an insane asylum. Belle gets the Beast to let her go long enough to go after her father...but Gaston intercepts her and, convincing the townspeople that the Beast will hurt them, takes them to raid the castle. Only Belle can truly end the curse on the Beast and show everyone that real love means a lot more than admiring the first pretty face that comes along.

The Song and Dance: Absolutely gorgeous, possibly the best-produced of the Disney live-action remakes. The meticulous details on everything from the grimy small town to the Beast's shadowy  monstrosity of a castle, along with some of the best special effects of any recent Disney film, make this a delight for the eyes. The cast is fantastic, too. Thompson makes a warm and wise Mrs. Potts, Watson is a charming Belle, Stevens more than matches her as a more intelligent Beast, and Evans is a hoot as the vain and selfish Gaston. Josh Gad also has a lot of fun as LaFou, Gaston's oblivious and adoring best friend.

At the very least, they did try to do some things that would set it apart from the animated film (unlike the remake of The Lion King). I like that they re-added some details from the original French fairy tale  like Maurice stealing the rose, as well as the greater emphasis on how Belle and the Beast's education set them apart from the illiterate townspeople (including Gaston) and their backstories.

Favorite Number: "Be Our Guest" is nearly as much fun to watch here as it was in the original, with Ewan MacGregor as Lumeire swirling around dancing black and white feather dusters and delicate tea cups. The pub-set stomp to "Gaston" is even better. showing off terrific choreography as Gad and Evans sings the praises of being macho. "Something There" gets a lovely montage as Belle and the Beast realize that they have a lot more in common than previously suspected, and "Beauty and the Beast" is just as swirling and romantic here.

Three new songs were written directly for the film. "Days In the Sun" has Belle, the Beast, and the Enchanted Objects sadly recalling lost childhood memories or days of glory. "Evermore" is the Beast's tortured ballad when Belle leaves to save her father and he thinks he's lost her forever. "How Does a Moment Last Forever" is a touching ballad first sung by Maurice to the accompaniment of a music box as he recalls his late wife, and then by Belle after she learns how her mother died.

What I Don't Like: Did Disney really need to remake this? Frankly,  no. As lovely as it is, it still lacks a lot of the simple spark and charm that made the original so wildly popular, not to mention its Broadway-worthy cast. Watson is wonderful in the book scenes, but she's not really much of a singer or a dancer, and Stevens lacks Robby Benson's gruff charisma. I also wish they could have used at least some of the songs from the stage show. "Home" and "No Matter What" might have been especially nice here.

The Big Finale: It may not be necessary, but that doesn't mean it isn't lovely, romantic, and exquisite. This is by far my favorite of the Disney live-action remakes I've seen, and the only one to be anywhere near as delightful as its source material.

Home Media: As one of the more recent films I've reviewed and the second-biggest hit of 2017, this is easily found in all formats.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Google Play

Cult Flops - Little Shop of Horrors

Warner Bros, 1986
Starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, and Steve Martin
Directed by Frank Oz
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman

Our next scare-fest comes to us from off-Broadway. This goofy comedy was not without its filming problems, including a totally re-shot ending. How does the original version look now? Let's head to Skid Row, where a black girl-group chorus is introducing us to the concept and the residents of the street, and find out...

The Story: Seymour Krelbourn (Moranis) works in a low-rent flower shop on Skid Row that's about to go under. Desperate to save his job and that of his crush Audrey (Greene), he brings out an "exotic" fly trap-like plant he's been nurturing and puts it in the window. He named the plant Audrey II (voice of Levi Stubbs) after the woman he loves. Turns out Audrey has no interest in flies. He wants blood, the fresher, the better. He thinks he's found a perfect candidate in Audrey I's obnoxious laughing gas-sniffing dentist boyfriend Orin (Martin). Pretty soon, Audrey II's popularity is spreading, even as the police investigate Orin's disappearance. Now Seymour has to stop Audrey II from gobbling everything in sight, before the fiendish flytrap can execute its plan for world domination!

The Song and Dance: I've never been the biggest horror fan, and this was still one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. Hilarious performances all around, especially from Moranis as the nebbish florist who just wants to impress his girl and Martin as the sadistic dentist we've all had nightmares about. The cameos that pop up add to the fun, including Bill Murray as a pain-loving patient and John Candy as a radio talk show host.

Even to this day, the Audrey II puppet still looks awesome. You really believe this is a talking plant out to eat its way across the planet. I'm not surprised the movie got an Oscar nomination for Visual Effects.

Favorite Number: Seymour gets two great solos, "Da Doo" as he explains how he aquired Audrey II, and "Grow for Me" when he's trying to figure out what to feed it to make it get bigger. The human Audrey explains what she really wants - a typical home with her true love - in "Somewhere That's Green" and gets an impassioned duet with said crush towards the end, "Suddenly Seymour." The girl group chorus opens the film in vigorous fashion with the dynamic title song and join Orin as he explains how much he loves his job in "Dentist!"

The movie's coolest number was written for the film. Audrey II reveals that he's a "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" in the finale as he tells Seymour how he and his sprouts plan on conquering the Earth. The puppeteering work on those tiny sprouts and the action-packed final routine is beautifully done.

Trivia: The original off-Broadway show debuted in 1982 and was a huge hit, running five years. While the London version didn't run quite that long, it still did fairly well in a larger theater, running three years. A Broadway version in 2003 didn't do quite as well, running a year. Greene was Audrey in the original run, as well as in a critically acclaimed Encore! concert in 2015.

The original ending had Audrey II eating Seymour and Audrey I and running amok in New York, eventually ending up on top of the Statue of Liberty. There was also a longer "Meek Shall Inherit" montage, with an elaborate dream sequence for Seymour. Both were cut after negative test screenings and thought lost until 2012, when work in progress reels were found and restored for DVD.

A disappointment in the theater, the movie was a top-seller when it came out on video. A short-lived cartoon based on this film and the original 1960 Roger Corman movie debuted in 1991.

What I Don't Like: Although I don't really have problems the current ending, many people find it too be too sentimental, going against the grain of the mostly satirical and relatively dark film. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if they'd stuck to Oz's original vision and stuck to the scarier finale.

Several songs from the original show were cut, including the one that went along with that darker ending, "Don't Feed the Plants."

The Big Finale: I loved this movie as a child, and it's every bit as enjoyable today. If you're looking for something that's scary and yet very funny, with a terrific cast and still-impressive special effects, you'll want to head downtown and check this one out.

Home Media: The original theatrical version that I reviewed and the "director's cut" with the original ending are widely available in all formats.

DVD
DVD - The Director's Cut
Blu-Ray - The Director's Cut
Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Aladdin (1992)

Disney, 1992
Voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, and Johnathan Freeman
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

In honor of the release of the live-action version of Aladdin yesterday, I'm going to cover the original. Disney's first venture into Arabian Nights lore was an even bigger hit at the box office than Beauty and the Beast, the top-grossing film of 1992. Does the tale of a young Arabian thief who discovers he's a "diamond in the rough" with the help of a wisecracking genie still hold up today? Let's take a flying carpet to the desert city of Agrabah and find out...

The Story: Aladdin (Weinger) is a cunning young thief with a kind heart who spends his days stealing his daily bread and avoiding the guards on the streets of Agrabah. One day, he encounters a beautiful and intelligent young woman (Larkin) who claims to have run away from home. Turns out she's the Princess Jasmine, who fled the castle when she was being forced to choose a prince to marry. Aladdin is arrested by the guards and by the sultan's second-in-command Jafar (Freeman) and his obnoxious talking parrot Iago (Gilbert Gottfried) and tossed in the dungeon.

Jafar poses as an old prisoner in the dungeon and agrees to help him out, if he finds a certain lamp in the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin and his monkey Abu (Frank Welker) do, Jafar abandons him in the Cave. Turns out the lamp holds a magical, wisecracking genie (Williams), who not only helps them out of the cave, but is able to grant wishes. Aladdin wants nothing more than to be able to court the princess. The Genie makes him into a prince, but Jafar has his suspicions, and the Genie is upset when Aladdin may not free him. It takes nearly losing everything he holds dear to make Aladdin understand that one makes their own magic...and you don't need magic to be a good and brave person.

The Animation: Disney wanted to push themselves even further after the success of Beast, and they certainly did that. The Cave of Wonders was one of their earlier ventures into CGI, and it doesn't look half-bad today. The colors are rich and gorgeous, as per the Arabian Knights setting, and some of the expressions are hilarious. Just the way the animators are able to keep up with Williams' stream of lunacy is awesome.

The Song and Dance: Williams was the biggest reason for this movie's success in 1992, and while he's still funny, there's other things worth mentioning. Jasmine is one of Disney's stronger princesses of the era, determined to have love her way, no matter what. Gottfried, as annoying as he can be, does get some good lines as the ever-sarcastic parrot, and Freeman oozes menace as the oily second-in-command who cares about nothing but power.

Favorite Number: Jasmine and Aladdin's big ballad "A Whole New World" picked up the Oscar and "Friend Like Me" was Williams' big showcase, but my favorite song from this one is Aladdin's introduction, "One Jump Ahead." The rollicking tune perfectly introduces Aladdin, Abu, and their life as thieves in Agrabah and is one of the more fun numbers in the score.

Trivia: Unlike Beast and The Little Mermaid, this one had only been in development since the late 80's. It was Howard Ashman's idea and his baby, but he didn't live to see it's completion. Most of the songs he and Menken wrote didn't make it into the film (other than "Prince Ali"). Executives demanded it be completely re-written, eliminating the character of the mother and building up Jasmine and the romance.

A stage musical opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater in 2014 and is still running there at press time.

Disney would do two sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and a TV show.  I may review the sequels somewhere along the line if I ever run into them; I seem to remember that what little I saw of the TV show was actually a lot of fun, even if they didn't use most of the original voices.

What I Don't Like: Many of Williams' pop culture references are recognizable only to people who were around in the early 90's nowadays, making him maybe a bit less funny than he was in 1992. While the Cave of Wonders generally looks decent, the CGI action sequence is more obvious. Aladdin and Jasmine both look and sound kind of generic and not especially Arabic. I have no idea what's with the opening with Williams as a random peddler introducing the lamp and the story. It has nothing in common with the rest of the movie, and other than allowing Williams to sing "Arabian Nights."

While this has more things in common with the original story than some other adaptations, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if this had retained both Aladdin's mother and the original Chinese setting from the Arabian Nights story.

The Big Finale: I don't love this one as much as I do Beauty and the Beast, but I still like it a lot. It's still one of Disney's funnier movies, and one of their best for grade school-age boys who are turned off by more overtly-"princessy" Disney animated films.

Home Media: Technically out of print, but not that hard to find, including on several streaming services.

DVD
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)

Musicals on TV - A Christmas Carol: The Musical

Hallmark Entertainment/NBC, 2004
Starring Kelsey Grammer, Jane Krakowski, Edward Gower, and Jesse L. Martin
Directed by Arthur Allen Sederman
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Lynn Aherns

The early years of television coincided with the Golden Age of Stage Musicals in the 1950's and 60's. Barely a year went by between roughly 1950 and 1969 without at least one new musical appearing on TV, either a live adaptation of a Broadway show, or more rarely, an original work. While this died down by the early 70's, musicals began to turn up more frequently again about a decade ago. This one was adapted from a long-running mid-90's hit that ran at the theater at Madison Square Garden in midtown New York and made into NBC's big holiday event for 2004. Let's head to the London Exchange to see how Scrooge is getting on...and how different this retelling is from other versions of this story...

The Story: Ebeneezer Scrooge (Grammer) is the most miserly man in London. He refuses to help a poor family, only grudgingly gives his clerk Bob Cratchit (Gower) Christmas Day off, and tells his nephew Fred (Julian Ovenden) that he will not dine with him on Christmas. He doesn't want anything to do with the holiday, charity, or people. A female lamplighter, a barker for a pantomime, and a beggar woman all warn Scrooge that he needs to change his ways. He doesn't consider it...until the ghost of his late partner Jacob Marley (Jason Alexander) turns up with a group of ghouls who insist that Scrooge will become one of them if he doesn't change soon.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Krakowski) arrives first, showing Scrooge his troubled days as a poor youth whose father was arrested for his debts. He insists that his son make a fortune and hang onto it. Scrooge finally makes his way to old Fezziwig's (Brian Bedford) bank, where he falls in love with the beautiful Emily (Jennifer Love Hewitt). After the death of his mother, and then his sister, he throws himself into his lending business...at the expense of his relationships. He buys Fezziwig out and loses Emily, and then Marley when he dies at the office.

The boisterous Ghost of Christmas Present (Martin) has a happier vision for Scrooge. He takes him to see his nephew Fred's party and the Cratchit family's tender and happy meal. Scrooge is especially taken by their small cripped son Tim (Jacob Collier). He's shocked when the ethereal Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Geraldine Chaplin) shows him a future that's less than pleasant - if he doesn't reform, he'll die, unmourned and unloved. But perhaps there's hope for Scrooge after all..

The Song and Dance: I really like some of the ideas on display here. The Wizard of Oz-like use of the lamplighter, barker, and beggar to double as the ghosts and reveal Scrooge's feelings of guilt actually works pretty well with the story. Jesse L. Martin has a blast as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Gower and Linzi Hateley are lovely as the Cratchit parents. I also like that they work in some details that other family-oriented adaptations leave out, like the ragged Want and Ignorance children under the Ghost of Christmas Present's cloak, the ghouls appearing with Marley, and the emphasis on Scrooge's sister.

Favorite Number: The Cratchit family gets two good ones. Tim and Bob sing the charming "You Mean More to Me" as they shop for Christmas dinner, and the family sings "Christmas Together" when they're having their much-anticipated meal.  The best of the chorus numbers is the well-choreographed "Mr. Fezziwig's Annual Christmas Ball," with it's leaping dancers and whirling couples.

What I Didn't Like: First of all, other than the songs I just mentioned, the score just isn't that memorable. The opening chorus number "Jolly Good Time" is especially bland. "Abundance and Charity," with Martin and the Rockettes, is basically there to give the dancers something to do. Marley's "Link By Link" is actually pretty good...until we get to the dancing ghouls, with rattling chains and rolling heads. They look like six dancing Beetlejuices. What was wrong with the book version, with Scrooge staring out the window and seeing wandering ghosts?

For that matter, what was wrong with the book version of Scrooge's past? Scrooge being a child neglected by his father because his mother died giving birth to him suits the story far better. It feels like they gave Scrooge Charles Dickens' real-life back story instead, and it's just too much. And I know Jane Krakowski is quite attractive, but did her number really need to involve pole dancing around Scrooge's bed, and what was with the skimpy costume? She didn't look like a Ghost. She looked like she got lost on the way to Las Vegas.

The Future segment is even more off. It feels rushed, like they just wanted to get the whole thing out of the way in three numbers or less. Geraldine Chapman looks more like the book Ghost of Christmas Past than Future. (Admittedly, Grammer, who pretty much sleepwalks through this movie, does seem to wake up for this segment; his performance of "Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Today" is truly impassioned and is by far his best moment.)

The Big Finale: Might make nice background music while working on your Christmas cookies if it's on TV or online, and it's not bad for fans of Grammer or the songwriters. Otherwise, it's nothing you need to go out of your way to see.

Home Media: It's currently out-of-print on disc; your best bet is likely digging it up on cable or on streaming services like Amazon Prime (where it's free with the service).

DVD
Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Beauty and the Beast

Disney, 1991
Voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Angela Landsbury, and Jerry Orbach
Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman

If The Little Mermaid kicked off the Disney Renaissance of the 90's, the tremendous success of this movie codified it. This was one of the biggest hits of 1991, the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and one of the most talked-about films of the early 90's. Is it worthy of that legacy, or should it be run out of the castle? Let's head to a small town in France and find out...

The Story: Belle (O'Hara) may live up to her name, but she's still an outcast in her town, due to her love of books and sharp mind. Most of the residents don't know what to make of her. Handsome but obnoxious hunter Gaston (Richard White) wants to marry her, not because he's especially interested in her, but because she's the prettiest girl and he's the best-looking guy. She wants to expand her horizons, and she gets her chance when her inventor father (Rex Everheart) is held prisoner by a fearsome beast (Benson). She offers herself in exchange. She's upset and lonely at first, until she meets the moving objects who acts at as the Beast's servants, including Lumiere the candelabra (Orbach), Mrs. Potts the teapot (Landsbury), and Cogsworth the clock (David Ogden Stiers). The entire castle is under a spell, and all the objects are desperately hoping that Belle is the one who will break it and get through to the Beast. Gaston, however, has his own plans for Belle and her father...

The Song and Dance: I've loved this movie since my family went to see it on it's release in November 1991. Belle is still one of Disney's best princesses. She's not only smart and beautiful, but is sensible enough to figure (most) of what's going on with the castle and the enchantment well before the end of the film.

It also has one of the best male villains of any Disney movie. I used to dismiss Gaston as a vainglorious idiot when I was younger, but after having seen the live-action version, I've come to realize that he's one of the most frightening antagonists in the Disney canon. He's scary because not only because people like him exist, but because they're considered normal, where good people like Belle and the Beast who don't look or act as society dictates are not. The entire town follows him without question after one glimpse at the mirror, just because he says the Beast is bad, and they encourage his pursuit of Belle despite her obvious disinterest.

The Animation: Bold and colorful, the fabulous work on this movie was a big part of the reason for that Oscar nomination. From the sweeping shots of the Beast's gloomy Gothic castle to the bustle of the town, every detail is as perfect as one could wish. The animation on the human characters is even better. I've always loved Belle's facial expressions; she's still one of the most expressive female Disney characters. She says more with raise of an eyebrow than most animated characters say with tons of dialogue.

Favorite Number: The music codified the Broadway style of Disney films for the rest of the decade. As lovely as the Oscar-winning title song is (and the swirling pas de deux performed during it), my favorite song has always been the rollicking Busby Berkley parody "Be Our Guest." I have to hand it to the enchanted objects. For things that have barely been used in 10 years, they sure can put on one heck of a show! I'm also fond of the charming "Something There" for Belle and the Beast, and the opening number that introduces Belle, Gaston, and most of the town.

Trivia: Walt considered Beauty and the Beast for an animated film after the success of Snow White in 1937, but the studio couldn't figure out the story then and shelved it. They tried again briefly in the 1950's, but decided it was too close to Cinderella. It started up again after Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a hit in 1987, but was originally scripted as an action fantasy, not a musical. The music didn't come in until after the success of The Little Mermaid in 1989.

Lyricist Howard Ashman was ill with AIDS during the pre-production of Beauty and the Beast. He died in March 1991 and never got to see the finished film. The movie is dedicated to him, in a moving line at the end of the credits.

Along with the Best Picture nomination, the movie was nominated for Best Sound and won for Best Score and Best Song ("Beauty and the Beast"). "Be Our Guest" and "Belle" were also nominated.

What I Don't Like: The blending of CGI and 2-D animated elements was revolutionary in 1991, but it occasionally looks fake or weird nowadays. I always wondered exactly what Belle does in the town, besides read and help her father. We don't get to know many of the other objects in the castle besides Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, and Cogsworth.

The Big Finale: Not only one of my favorite animated movies, but one of my favorite movies, period. I loved the 2017 live-action version too, but this is the one you really need to see.

Home Media: Probably thanks to the release of the live-action version last year, this one is currently in print and is very easy to find in most formats.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)

There's more Beauty and the Beast to come! Look for the direct-to-home media follow up Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas later this month!

Animation Celebration Double Feature - The Little Mermaid and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea

We head under the waves to take a look at one of Disney's most beloved films, the one that kicked off it's 90's Renaissance. We're also going to take a look at it's sequel, part of the infamous series of direct-to-home-media follow-ups to many of it's classic animated films that Disney churned out in from the mid-90's to the mid-2000's. How does the original film hold up "under the sea," and does its follow-up deserve the notoriety? Let's take a look and see...

The Little Mermaid
Disney, 1989
Voices of Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Buddy Hackett, and Christopher Daniel Barnes
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman

The Story: Ariel (Benson) is a teenage mermaid, the daughter of the sea king Triton (Kenneth Mars). She's been forbidden to go above the surface for fear she'll be seen by humans, but she's obsessed with the world above and collects everything about it she can. One night, during a story, she rescues the handsome Prince Eric (Barnes) and falls head over fins for him. After her father discovers her treasures and destroys them, she turns to the sea witch Ursula (Carroll) to make her dreams come true. Ursula does turn her into a human, but takes her voice as payment. With the help of her father's crab composer Sebastian (Samuel Wright), the fish Flounder (Jason Marin), and the goofy seagull Scuttle (Hackett), Ariel has three days to make Eric fall in love with her in return and kiss her, or she'll end up a slave to the witch.

The Animation: The impressive animation, especially in the under the sea sequences, have always been a big part of the draw here. You really do feel like you're under the sea; everything just glows with colors so brilliant, they make the rainbow in the finale look pale. The sequences on land aren't as colorful, but are just as well-done. The details, both under and over the sea, are amazing. The musical numbers have so much going on in them, you can spend a viewing just checking out all the craziness.

The Song and Dance: While Benson's appropriately winsome as the naive title character, the real winners here are the character actors. Mars brings a great deal of authority to his role of the stubborn king who just wants to protect his daughter. Carroll is pitch-perfect as Ursula, the voluptuous, scheming octopus who is one of Disney's best villains. Wright and Hackett have a lot of fun as Ariel's two of Ariel's best friends in the sea and on land respectively.

I've always liked how the father-daughter situation is handled here. As a kid (I was 10 when this came out), I sided with Ariel. Now that I'm older, I can understand Triton's point of view. It doesn't make what he did to her collection right, but I can see why he did it. Disney doesn't often go into father-daughter relationships, making this aspect of the movie actually rather unique in animation.

Favorite Number: "Under the Sea" doesn't really have much to do with the story, but it's so infectious, and the sequence is so well-done, I can totally see why it won an Oscar. "Part of Your World," Ariel's solo as she tries to explain her feelings about the world above to Flounder, is one of the best (and most iconic) "I Want" songs in musical history.

My personal favorite has always been "Kiss the Girl." Not only is the song the best in the film, but it's performed beautifully by Wright and the chorus and has some of the film's best effects, with the bird dancing around them and the glittering water gliding under the boat.

Trivia: Like Cinderella, this was a return to form for Disney after two decades of movies that ranged from fun-but-underrated to so-so. It was such a smash, the merchandising and video releases alone supplied Disney with the money to make most of its animated films for the rest of the 90's.

"Part of Your World" was almost removed due to negative early test screenings, but the directors pushed to keep it as the movie neared completion. It worked with later audiences, and it stayed.

This was the last Disney film to be made with traditional hand-painted cells, and even this movie has some CGI effects (mostly in the climatic finale with Ursula and the ships). From The Rescuers Down Under onwards, all Disney animated movies would be colored and filmed digitally.

"Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" were both nominated for Oscars; "Under the Sea" won. The movie also won for Original Score.

What I Don't Like: While she was praised for her independence and quick mind in 1989, Ariel doesn't always come off as the brightest starfish in the sea today, especially compared to later, more mature Disney ladies like Belle and Tiana. Prince Eric also has a tad bit more character than most of the Disney leading men who came before him, but is mostly pretty bland.

Like most Disney animated fairy tale retellings, this really doesn't have that much in common with the original Hans Christian Anderson Little Mermaid, especially the ending. I always found the happy ending to be a bit of a cop-out. While Ursula's flat-out villainy is hilarious, I did always like that the sea witch in the original story was ambiguous. She does what's asked of her because she's asked to do it, not because of any animosity.

The Big Finale: It's not one of my all-time favorite Disney movies, but it's still beloved among many animation lovers and mermaid-crazy girls for it's lush animation, memorable characters, and classic soundtrack. Give it a shot and make it "Part of Your World," too.

Home Media: Alas, this is another Disney movie that's currently on moratorium and is expensive on DVD and Blu-Ray. Once again, your best bet would likely be to look for it used on eBay or elsewhere.

DVD
Blu-Ray

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
Disney, 2000
Voices of Jodi Benson, Tara Cherendoff (Strong), Pat Carroll, and Buddy Hackett
Directed by Jim Kammerud and Brian Smith
Music by Michael and Patty Silversher and others

The Story: Melody (Cherendoff) is Ariel and Eric's daughter. At her christening, she's given a locket by her grandfather Triton to remind her that a part of her will always belong to the sea. Unfortunately, she also becomes the target of the scheming Morgana (Carroll), who wants to avenge her sister Ursula and take over Triton's kingdom. Hoping to protect her daughter, Ariel builds a wall to cut her off from the sea. It works no better than trying to keep Ariel from the surface did. Melody frequently swims under it, befriending Sebastian (Wright) and Scuttle (Hackett). Having found the locket, Melody wants to know more about it, but Ariel is afraid to answer her questions.

After a disastrous party, Melody takes off in a boat to learn more about her heritage. Morgana's underling Undertow (Clancy Brown) brings the girl to his mistress. Morgana does make Melody's legs into a tail, but says she'll only stay that way if she steals the trident from Triton (claiming he stole it from her). As she searches for the trident, Melody befriends Tip (Max Casella) and Dash (Stephan Furst), a penguin and a walrus respectively who are looking to be more heroic in the eyes of their families.

The Animation: A disappointing comedown from the original. This was animated by the Disney Television Animation studios (like most of the other direct-to-home-media movies of this time), and it shows. The animation is colorful, but lacks the detail and fluidity of the original. The underwater effects look flat and dull, and the scenes around the ice flows pretty much look all the same.

The Song and Dance: What I like here is the relationship between daughter and mother. Ariel is the only Disney princess to date who has been shown as a mother, even in the direct-to-home-media sequels. She's not as harsh as her father was, and you can understand why she's being so protective...but smothering is still smothering. When she says in the finale that she realizes she made some bad decisions regarding raising Melody and regrets it, you really feel that hurt. Melody, for her part, isn't even a rebellious teenager. She's just a confused kid who feels like she belongs in one place but is being kept in another.

Favorite Number: None, really. Other than the opening "Down to the Sea" with the cast celebrating Ariel and Eric's arrival, none of the new songs were even remotely memorable. Tip and Dash's big number with Melody was probably supposed to be a comic ditty on the lines of "Hakuna Matata," but comes off more annoying than anything. Which brings us to...

What I Don't Like: Too bad all that mother-daughter bonding is wasted on a rehash of the first movie. Couldn't they have come up with at least a slightly more original plot and a better villain? Morgana is basically just a thinner version of Ursula who wants attention, and the whole thing with her trying to get Undertow back to his regular size (he's supposed to be a shark, but Triton shrunk him) is basically filler. Tip and Dash are annoying, obnoxious, and contribute next-to-nothing to the plot. They're probably just there to be the hip, funny side characters. A lot of the dialogue sounds a bit too hip and modern for a fairy tale (probably showing some of the influence of Shrek from earlier in 2000). Eric's even less in this than he was in the original movie.

The Big Finale: I do know some kids who grew up with this on video in the early 2000's who have a soft spot for it. For anyone else, it's completely avoidable unless you're a massive Little Mermaid fan.

Home Media: Same deal. This is also out of print; once again, you're better off checking used DVD stores and other venues. Your best bet is to look for this one as a 2-pack with the prequel Ariel's Beginning.

2-Movie Collection (with Ariel's Beginning) DVD
2-Movie Collection (with Ariel's Beginning) Blu-Ray