Summer Movie Round-Up

Hi, Readers!

I know, it's been months! I'm so sorry for the hiatus.  I had job change (yay!) and between adjusting and a few minor roadblocks, I've been thinking about posts and...not posting. But here we are, reunited to talk about how Disney did this summer at the movies.

In Defense of Solo: A Star Wars Story

Let's start with the bad news. Solo did not do well at the box office during its Memorial Day weekend release date.

That is NOT because the movie was bad.  It was great. It was the release date. We just had a Star Wars movie six months ago, and we won't have another one until December 2019? This was just a ridiculous idea and I'm glad Bob Iger has taken responsibility for it.  Bob, these are not Marvel movies you can just toss at us constantly.  The canon material is technically much smaller than Marvel's. These needed to be treated carefully and this is where you screw up? I won't lie, I'm darn mad about that.  But I'm glad Iger seems to have learned the lesson quickly.

That being said, I really thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and to be honest, wouldn't mind more of young Solo. OK, let's be honest, what I want is 25,000 movies of young Lando.  He is not only one of my favorite characters but also, I've been watching Donald Glover since Community and there was no one else to play young Lando, and if anything, I feel he got short changed a little.

So, in case you haven't seen Solo, please do so, you won't regret it.

The Incredibles 2 and Bao

The big event of Disney's summer season was the Incredibles 2.  Now, I'm in what appears to be the minority in that I wasn't really chomping at the bit for a sequel.  I like the original fine, but it's not at the top of my Pixar list.  Not at the bottom either, just not up top.

That being said, this was a more than worthy sequel.  PLEASE NOTE HOLLYWOOD, this is how you do a proper follow-up to a movie.  It doesn't rehash the original story beats.  It takes what made the original interesting and unique and pulled that forward.  The movie is still so much about Mr. Incredible's yearning for the glory days and struggles to be a "normal family man", it just tackles a different end of the same concept.

And, having seen it with my 7 year old niece AND 73 year old grandmother, I can say with certainty that Jack Jack is the standout star of Incredibles 2. I'm dying for the short coming with the DVD, "Auntie Edna".

I would be remiss if I didn't pause a moment to speak about the short released with Incredibles 2, Bao. I saw the movie with my aunt's three children, adopted from China and Korea, and it meant a lot to watch a short about their culture with them.  Not to mention the Pixar shorts crew earns every award they're going to get for this short, with all the emotion and subtlety they packed into a film with no dialogue.

Pixar, please don't ever get rid of the Shorts division. Release one with every theatrical feature! There is more than one way to tell a story and I'm so glad Pixar keeps this going.  Short stories are just a different muscle from features and allowing your staff to work on and understand both is truly the step to cultural diversity behind the scenes.  Plus, it's like getting 2 for 1 when you go to the movies, and Pixar also has a great sense of something contrasting to put in front of their features.

Christopher Robin

In all honesty, Christopher Robin is what held me up from doing this blog post because I hadn't had a chance to see it yet.

If it's any indication the wide audience this movie had, my nephew, my Star Wars loving nephew told us this movie was his #1 priority.  He couldn't wait to see it.  Which struck us as funny, because there wasn't a gun shown in the entire trailer.... (he likes weapons).

I have to admit, this movie was a real surprise.  And again, I have a message for Disney. KEEP DOING THIS!  What I found so fascinating about this movie is that despite being about Pooh....well, it's really about Christopher Robin as a grown up.  It felt a little like Bedknobs & Broomsticks or Mary Poppins, where a character is asked to remember not just his childhood but the person he was as a child, deep in his heart.  It saddens me that we still live in a world where this is a necessary lesson, but it gives me hope for the Walt Disney Company that they allowed this movie to be made. And it suits the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise so well.  This is what Disney can and should do if they're going to remake so many of their animated films, go ahead and take it into a new space, again, while maintaining the integrity of the themes of the franchise.

And to be honest, isn't Pooh in a way a mascot of Disney? Not just that he's a well-recognized character in the Disney company, but that the idea of being in touch with your inner child is not just a theme of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, but the philosophy of Walt Disney's life, keeping in touch with the child at heart.

Small Note: The Avengers

OK, as consistent readers know (despite my being an inconsistent writer) I'm not a Marvel fan.  I'm vaguely considering doing a marathon watch of all the Marvel movies just so I understand what's coming to the Marvel land at DCA, but it's on the back burner.

No one in my house likes Marvel movies.  But I have a little anecdote just to share.

 my grandmother loves movies, little movies, big movies, depressing movies, Star Wars Movies, animated, pretty much all of it.  She loves special effects movies.  We tease her because after some of those big movies she always wonders aloud, "How Do They DO That?!"

My grandmother was at my aunt's house to help her out with something. My aunt's children were trying to keep her from leaving and asked her to watch Avengers: Infinity War with them (I think it was Infinity War, she wouldn't know the difference...). She agreed to, but didn't last long....she HATED it.

And it wasn't really because she didn't understand it.  I've known her to understand a movie better coming in from the middle (seriously!).  She HATED the special effects.  She came home and told my mother and me how awful it looked.  Now, we haven't convinced her of anything, even if we did, she wouldn't remember. She just knew in that moment what she saw and she hated it.

I was surprised she said it looked so bad because, as previously mentioned, she's not averse to effects movies (really, talk to her about King Kong, she's hilarious). This is another thing that makes me think I need to see the Marvel movies.  We all three enjoyed Black Panther, and it didn't look that bad.  Can a Marvel movie person enlighten me? Go ahead and do so in the comments at the bottom of the page.

So, a short dip but I hope one that opens conversation.  Anything to add? Disagree with? Go ahead and do so in the comments.

Just a reminder, we've got social media coverage. 

Twitter: @MouseShadowBlog
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The Instagram is still fairly quiet, but we'll keep building! 

Have a great day! 

The Early Debut of the Incredibles Paint the Night Float!

Alright this is going to be a short post, so buckle up!

I happened to be at the Paint the Night parade viewing where Disney unexpectedly debuted the NEW Incredibles themed float!!

I was sitting up front with my aunt's daughters, but my mother and grandmother were further back on a bench, where my mother reported a BUNCH of Disney suits watching the reaction of the crowd.

It's a great, dynamic float that fits into the parade very well.  It's also an excuse to excuse Ana and Elsa for a while...

I'm just sayin', is all...

Now, without further ado.....

Can I use the Curse Word Now? - Pirates of the Caribbean

Hi, everyone!

Again, sorry for the lack of posting.  The blog is going to shift a little.  We're going to be covering current events still, but with more...philosophical posts. I hope what I have to offer still interests you all.

That being said, I've held my tongue long enough regarding the upcoming refurbishment of Pirates of the Caribbean, which intends to alter the auction scene, making it more "politically correct".

My grandfather loved a saying, "I'd rather be historically accurate than politically correct." He was a history teacher, and understood the value of seeing things as they were, not as we'd like them to be seen.

Here is the original article from last year, informing the public that all versions of Pirates (starting with Paris, then Walt Disney World, and soon Disneyland's original) will be getting this "updated" scene.  And...an uproar ensued.  Myself included.

Now, just in case you need a refresher, back in the 1997, Pirates experienced a similar refurbishment, intending to soften the Pirates'...antics.  In the "chasing wenches" scene after the auction, the pirates and women were given food and goods, to imply these women were not being sexually threatened, but robbed.

And then, back in 2006, Jack Sparrow was added to the attraction, but no changes were made regarding the potentially problematic issues with the characters.......

So, now the auction scene is being changed, and the Red Head ("We wants the Red Head!") is no longer a piece of...goods, but will be a Pirate lass assisting her male counterparts in collecting from the townspeople to auction off their possessions.

Now, why, you ask, is the Bride Auction problematic?

The supposed complaint from guests (and seriously, I'd love to see the numbers on this) communicates a discomfort at the concept of sex slavery occurring in a Disney theme park.

Alright.  Let's pull this apart.  I'm just going to list numerically (though in no particular order) why this is just....ridiculous.

1. Mental Gymnastics

One of the main complaints is drawing a parallel to more contemporary instances of sex trafficking and slavery throughout the world. 

Why are you making that far a mental leap into sex trafficking and slavery? Now, I don't have a lot of information on the state of such a trade at the time the attraction was built, but do you really think if the company, and Walt Disney himself, had known this was a problem THEN, they would have made another decision regarding this scene? The answer is yes.

And, hearing that complaint, I wonder (and this is more of a general question) whether people understand how old this attraction is.  It's not recent.  It's not intended to reflect NOW. I get the impression a LOT of the complaints about this scene (assuming the formal complaints exist) come from people with some kind of lack of understanding of the attraction and company's history as a whole.

Disney is not "for kids".  It's for FAMILIES, which includes adults.  It's not a babysitting enterprise, it's a STORYTELLING enterprise. THIS is a story being told.  And you need certain elements for a story. The piece of the story the auction fills is that "Sodom and Gomorrah" phase of the Pirates story, if you will.  We're seeing these characters at their highest indulgence, their arrogance.  They need to rise to certain heights in order to fall into jails and drunken gun fights.


And are we forgetting the portrait of the redhead in the earlier scene with the drinking skelton pirates? That's supposed to be her, not lookin' particularly PC there either because the timeline of the story is technically backwards. So, was she always a slinky pirate? Or just a greedy pirate? That indicated she married a pirate and then, seemingly, became one herself.  How is that an oppressed sex slave?

The changes being made do NOT add to the narrative.  It only diminishes that storyline.

2. Let's Be Real...

On the DIS Unplugged podcast, a host told a story from a Cast member friend at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.  A guest asked after the attraction, "Why would Disney show something like this"?

Uh, because it HAPPENED?

You think these were self-aware Pirates? You think these were nice Pirates? I don't understand what people think pirates were like that this astonishes them.  Yeah, Disney attractions aren't meant to be the whole song and story of a subject, but they are meant to at least excite your interest in study and research on a subject.  How can you do that when you're not telling the truth on the subject?

Partially, this goes back to the complete lack of understanding of what Disney is supposed to be, a storytelling enterprise, not just a sweetness and light factory.

A deviation to show my point:
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling told a story about a woman who wrote to her after Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released, asking to make the next books "happier". And her response to the women on camera was "you might want to quit now, because it's only going to get worse."

What people don't seem to realize is the need for darkness in stories.  Find me a story that doesn't have darkness in it, and I'll show you a story that has FAILED.  Snow White made children in the theater wet their pants in its initial theatrical run. Did parents complain to this degree then? I doubt it.

So here's my minor point I'd like to ask Disney....WHY are you bowing to those who obviously have no comprehension of how storytelling works? Why? Are you all so spineless, that you couldn't give your Cast Members a nice little blurb explaining that? Stories have bad and good in them. You need to see the dark to appreciate the light.

Which kind of dovetails into yet another point in how people seem to be complaining about the scene.  "You are glorifying this behavior".

Explain to me how portraying a situation is glorifying it? Please, I beg you. Does any horror movie glorify the killer/slasher/villain? How does that even make sense?

Which brings me to my next main point

3. Nothing bad ever happens in the movies....

Yes, the sex trade and kidnappings in sex slavery happen in many places around the world.  That's a horrible and hopefully temporary fact of the world we currently live.  But, again, you're making a big leap from this little scene to the current issue we face in the world.

For example, In Back to the Future, let's face it, Biff attempts to rape Lorraine. Thank God George McFly intervenes.  Point being, because a rape is attempted, and rape is still an issue in our society NOW, does that mean we should never watch that movie ever again?

Of course not, that's ridiculous.

And this goes back to the "glorifying" argument. Biff's attempt is not a glorification, it's a plot point. It has to happen in order for George McFly to come to her rescue and seem like a hero.  It's necessary.  It's STORYTELLING.

Duh.

4. Enough is too much! 

As previously mentioned, the ride was refurbished in 1997 in order to make the pirates less...less...Pirate-y.

And there was an uproar then.  And here we are again. How long are we going to do this until we are singing "It's a Small World" dressed as pirates? And even THEN people will complain about how the song is somehow racist. (I'm serious, I've heard Small World criticized for being racist. Why are people allowed to talk? Why?!)

Again, we're diminishing the story until there is none.  

And I can already hear some of the other history people telling me, "Yes, but X. Atencio said himself there is no real story!" Yes, I know. It's more of a general portrayal than one singular linear story.  This is how good Disney Imagineering was in the 1960s that they think there is no story here and there totally is. This IS a story of the consequences for these Pirates. Dead on a sandy beach, doomed forever to ride a ship as a skeleton, somehow buried amongst your riches. And to the survivors taking over the town, jailed and drunk, pathetic has beens for their crimes against women and property. 

5. Fat-ism?

Now, in the press releases and official statements from the company, we're worried about the poratrayal of women as objects.... but you weren't at all worried about the auctioneer pirate describing the little chubby bride for sale as a ship? Thanks a bunch, fellas! 

And why is SHE so happy to be sold off anyway? Is there an implication that this is the only way she'd get a husband?

I'm just pointing it out, I wouldn't have any actual problem with it, but let's just put it all out there. 

Adding to that, while the little ladies in the background seem scared, the Red Head and this little lady don't seem upset at all.  There is something to discuss about that portrayal. What was the intention? Do they want to be Pirates? Part of the fun is the ability to figure out the deeper potential contexts. 

6.  Picking and choosing.

So, I'm going to have to pick at that old wound...Tower of Terror's transition to Guardians of the Galaxy....

You didn't care a lick when people expressed (and continue to express) anger at the change to Guardians.  And for many (myself included) the issue wasn't just the "contemporary" IP, and the garishly ugly exterior design, but the "Bye, Felicia" money grabs that were themed t-shirts and food to "celebrate" the removal of the perfectly logical theme.

The uproar was shockingly louder than the nonexistent complaints about the auction scene. And, like I said, they make no sense. So why are you listening to these people and not those with legitimate concerns about the overall theme of your parks? 

Not to mention, in the last few years, there has been a "We wants the Redhead!" shirt for sale in the parks.  So, you were happy to profit off the potentially problematic scene just recently, but NOW you're not? Make up your mind, Iger! 

7. A Better Solution

OK...so let's say this is a genuine problem that needs to be....addressed.  This was the stupidest way to address it. 

"Oh, we have a piece of artwork from Marc Davis showing female pirates". (See below)

Yeah, I also found a piece IN the D23 Expo exhibit of the females sort of tempting and messing with the Pirates.  You couldn't have used THAT? 

Another good solution was to further alter the chase scene that occurs next.  You already messed it up once.  Turn the women around to CHASE the Pirates.  Make them fight back! It's an interesting twist.  All you need is Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and you have a moment, there! 

8. Rubbing More Salt in the Wound

So....there has been fan "feedback". And what is Disney's solution?

Introducing "Redd" as a character to meet in the parks.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/new-pirate-redd-will-be-wandering-disneylands-new-orleans-square-this-summer/

Now, read this "interview" the Disney Park Blog did with Redd:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/05/brassy-buccaneer-sailing-into-disneyland-park-this-summer/

Now, Disney executives? Are you there? Are you listening? Come closer....
Closer.....

HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!?!

I mean, who proofread this? And I don't blame the writer, this poor guy has a terrible job to do, trying to make this idea palatable. But really? This is straight from the interview.

Are you anyone’s bride? 
M’ only love is profits, dear.

Thank you.  Thank you for making it CLEAR she's NOT a bride. So you need to hit the nail on the head THAT hard? I'm sorry, but this could have been an opportunity to make her cheeky and interesting.  No, instead we're doing EXACTLY what I feared, making her bland and boring but TELLING us she's brave and independent. Yeah, no. I'm not buying it, fellas...

That's all I can think of at the moment.  You want to add to the argument? Want to complain? Make your voice heard and add to the comments below. 

Just a reminder, we've got social media coverage. 

Twitter: @MouseShadowBlog
Facebook: Shadow of the Mouse 
Instagram: @TheShadowoftheMouse

The Instagram is fairly new but we'll build it up.

Have a great week! 

My First Marvel Movie: BLACK PANTHER

Hi, everyone!

I know, it's been forever.  I've had an issue resulting in limited...geographic mobility, and then over the holiday season I got sick. I honestly didn't even get to go see the parks at Christmas, which is a first for me in a long time.

But, I'm back because I absolutely have to talk to you all about Black Panther.

Those who know me, know that I'm...anti-Marvel. Generally, not a comic or superhero person overall. OK, a little bit of Batman, but that's about it.

My recent interest in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is probably a story for another day (and a therapist), but Black Panther was certainly the catalyst.  For one thing, look at this cast! Chadwick Boseman (who has inexplicably been ignored by the Academy for playing Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall), Oscar ® Winners Lupita Nyong'o and Forest Whitaker, Nominees Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett (how has this woman not won?! I blame Meryl), Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown, and Michael B. Jordan, who also has snubs on his record with Creed and Fruitvale Station.

Now, even while watching, I knew there was no way to cover everything I felt about this film and all thing worthy of discussion about the movie in one post. Plus, again, being a novice to Marvel, I'm sure I'm going to miss something (yes, I stayed for the end credits scenes, I know that much!).

Therefore, I'm just going to sum up a little, and address a couple of things I'd like noted.

OK.....first the obvious part.  This movie is the story of, and populated by, a group/nation, of intelligent, strong BLACK leaders. This is a bit of an anomaly in Hollywood (I know, big piece of news here). And it's making money hand over fist.

I have kind of a mixed perspective on the concept of representation.  As a kid, I didn't really need it, because there wasn't someone who looked like me.  I look white, but I'm Hispanic. I just never really thought about it as much as it seems other do. When I was 8, I was a Ghostbuster for Halloween, not because I saw my race or my gender in these characters, but because I liked them and wanted to be with them. I don't know where or why my own perspective comes from (but just in case, I'll thank my mom) but I'm grateful to have such a healthy lack of concern.

On the other hand, I can understand why those who feel underrepresented feel the way they do about it. Where is your world? Your perspective? I can sympathize with that.  Frankly, a good representation of the neighborhood I grew up in is Stand and Deliver! (I know, old reference. I'm old.)

While I agree representation is a great thing, I don't believe in making it the #1 priority over story.  I'm a screenwriter.  Story is paramount! And you see a lot of movies come and go trying to be a United Colors of Benetton catalog, neglecting the story.  I feel like this sort of thing hurts the cause.  If you can make a great movie with various peoples, you have the potential to do so much more in the long run.

At this point, I'd like to declare this movie a TRIUMPH of representation.  These characters are intelligent, thoughtful, three dimensional, funny, interesting, and will ALL equally kick your ass.  Even Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger has his own sympathetic side. He's not just a straight villain.  The women of this movie aren't just set pieces (though these are the epitome of beautiful strong black women), they drive the story, and they provide the assistance T'Challa needs.  Literally, Black Panther would just be an eccentric king in a lame cat suit if not for his mother, sister, love interest, and general.

Now, this is incredible for Black Cinema. I think (and hope) this signals a turn of the tide, although I also get the feeling an up tick in "ethnic themes and characters" in mainstream film and television has previously come and gone in waves.  Let's hope this tide is here to stay.  And I'll tell you why....

This is a victory for Black culture.  No doubt. And in what I'm about to say, I am not in any way intending to take that away from anybody.

But this is a victory for ALL people of color.

I've long felt like black representation in film and television is, in a way, a representation of ALL people of color in film and television.  I can only speak from my own experience, but I've always kind of perceived it that way. Any person of color represents ALL people of color.

There is a great flip side to the concept of a black superhero.  Yes, it goes without saying how awesome it is that a black child can go to this movie and take their pick of role models.  But even before the movie was released, star Chadwick Boseman mentioned in an interview that (white) executives in Hollywood told him how excited their kids were to be Black Panther for Halloween.  And he was delighted at that response.  Yes, he's gratified to be a role model to young black people, but the idea we live in a world where white kids can look at a black man as a hero was just as exciting to him. I've seen comments online from people insisting that white people restrict their potential costumes to the white characters, but these people are obviously missing the point. And I have even more respect for Boseman that he can see the forest for the trees.

In the days running up to the release of the movie, it was getting rave reviews.  But there were also concerns that the reviews were so glowing just because it was a black cast and a black superhero.  I can tell you, as a skeptical non-Marvel person who hates representation with lazy story, that wasn't the case.  And to those on social media who insisted anyone critical of the movie is racist, shame on you (though I doubt you're reading this). This film deserves to be viewed on its own merits, and comments like that reinforce the idea that this movie was well-reviewed for reasons other than its filmmaking and storytelling.

That being said, it's a great movie.  Full of action, interesting characters, snappy dialogue, a multi-layered story.  If I got the impression the MCU movies were like this, I'd be more inclined to see them.

At the moment, I think that's all I have to cover at the moment.  Again, if I missed something, I'm sorry. I'm new at this! Please, if you haven't, go see this movie.  It is proof Hollywood can make a movie with people of color in front and behind the camera that is engaging and smart.

P.S. To all the people who went to the theater dressed as characters from Coming to America, you are fabulous!