Inside Out

Last week, my sister and I went to see the latest Disney/Pixar production, Inside Out.  If, by some chance, you haven’t heard of it, it’s a delightful and colorful animated feature about five of our basic emotions: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear.  At first, I wasn’t sure what I would think of it, but as I heard more and more people talk about the great discussions and lines of communication, particularly about mental illness, that it opened up, I found myself eager to see it.

I wasn’t disappointed.  Inside Out teaches the valuable lesson that while you always want your loved ones, and yourself, to be happy, it’s okay, and even healthy, to feel sadness.  You should never keep your emotions pent up inside you.  You need all of them.

My favorite element of Inside Out, however, were the Islands of Personality.  For example, Riley, the girl in whose head the whole movie is centered, has a Hockey Island, a Friendship Island, a Family Island, etc…  As my sister and I drove home from the theater that night, we got to thinking about what our own Islands of Personality might be.

Of course, there are the obvious ones like Family and Friends.  And Pets!  I know I have a Pet Island in there somewhere.  My life revolves far too much around loving my cat and hoping for parakeets not to have a Pet Island.  Family is obviously the most important of the Islands.  I’d do anything for my parents and my sister and I know they’d do anything for me.  That goes for my friends as well.

I definitely have a Book Island.  This Island includes books that I’ve read, books that I’ve written, and books that I have yet to write.  Let’s face it, a good deal of my life is dedicated to reading and writing books.  And I love it.  I love it so, so, so much.

There’s also most certainly a Photography Island.  Besides writing, photography is my other great love.  As any of my friends will tell you, I am addicted to all forms of photography, from professional to Instagram.  I love capturing moments and I love sharing the world as seen through the lens.

Right next door to Photography Island is Exploration, Nature, and Adventure Island.  These Islands, like the others, are fairly self-explanatory.  I love being outside and exploring and traveling and experiencing new things and seeing new places.  I live for moments spent hiking beneath the trees, stargazing, and swimming in the ocean.  I would love to be known as a NYT Bestselling Author, but I would also love to be known as an explorer and adventurer.

Finally, there’s Fantasy Island.  I’m a daydreamer.  I think about the future far more than I dwell on the past (which is saying something, because I have been known to be a dweller).  Fantasy Island is also home to Mystery City, which includes a fascination with things that can’t be explained.  I love the idea that we don’t have everything figured out yet.  I love that we, as a human race, still have things that we have yet to learn and discover.  I love the idea of being curious and being thrilled and being absolutely blown away by things that we can’t even begin to fathom.

I’m sure there are others too, but I think those are my most dominant personality Islands.  What are yours?

Double Feature at the Drive-In

Last night, one of my lifelong dreams came true.  I finally got to see a movie at the drive-in!  And wouldn’t you know it, it turned out to be a double feature!  Two movies for six bucks?  Why doesn’t everyone go to the drive-in all the time?

Well, bugs and rain and really disgusting food, but I’ll get to that later.

All in all, my first experience at the drive-in was super amazingly fun.  I went with a group of my best friends, we set out a blanket, watched the sunset, and laughed about the disgusting food that I ordered.

As you all may know, sometimes when I go see movies, I like to write reviews.  Not like, actual reviews because I don’t have that kind of depth or patience.  But my own personal thoughts about the movie.  For example: https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/12/24/double-movie-day/.

Before I talk about the movies, however, I want to tell you a little more about the drive-in itself.

It is so cool, y’all.  It’s like taking a step back through time.  It’s also set in a wide open field under the stars.  I love being outside, so this was was totally my ideal setting.

After we parked and set up our blankets, we headed over to the refreshment stand.  I hadn’t eaten dinner, so I ordered a hot dog and some fries.

Big.  Mistake.

The fries were fine but that hot dog?  I’m fairly certain it was just cooked Play Dough.  I’m not kidding you.  It was a weird neon fuchsia color and it felt like plastic.  It also had these weird cooked plastic blisters on it (gross, I know), and when we broke it apart to see what it looked like inside, it was white.  I’m telling you, no part of that hot dog used to be alive.  I have no idea what kind of “mystery meat” nastiness it was, but it was not a real animal.  Needless to say, as someone with a near-crippling phobia of being sick to my stomach, I tossed that plastic piece of grossness into the grass.  I knew I’d made the right decision when even the ants left it alone.

Long story short, if I had eaten it, I’d probably be dead.

Unlike their fake animal byproducts, however, their popcorn was high quality.  Good thing, too, because I ended up not having dinner.

The experience itself of watching a movie outside is, altogether, awesome.  True, our speakers didn’t work and we had to use the car’s radio, but that’s what you usually do at the drive-in anyway.  Aside from that minor hiccup, I loved sitting out under the sunset, enjoying the summer breeze, and watching movies with my friends. It was simply magical.

Now.  For the good part.  The movies themselves.

The first movie featured was Disney’s Tomorrowland.  This was not a movie I had planned on seeing.  But since it was Disney and it was a double feature and I was with friends who wanted to see it, I was happy to give it a shot.  It wasn’t a bad movie, but to be totally honest with you, I’m still not entirely sure what it was about.

So, in the spirit of previous movie reviews, here are my thoughts on Tomorrowland in no particular order.

*WARNING*

THIS POST WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS.  PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Thoughts on Tomorrowland

* Yay Disney! I love Disney!

* For some reason, seeing George Clooney in a kids’ movie is really awkward.

* This is not the World’s Fair.  This is Disney World.  Do not even try to pretend.

* OMG IT’S HUGH LAURIE. HUGH I LOVE YOU. HOUSE!

* Creepy little girl. Is she a vampire? I bet she’s a vampire.

* The It’s a Small World ride. Come on, Disney. You know you’re not fooling anyone.

* I’d be SO mad if some chick I barely knew tricked me into going to a future filled with scary robots.  I don’t like robots.

* I love this flying sequence.  I wish I could fly.

* I’m still not entirely sure when this movie is supposed to be set.

* Casey, I don’t know why, but I really don’t care about what you’re trying to do.

* Okay, I recognize this whole cornfield sequence from the commercials. It’s pretty much the only scene I kind of understand.

* Is anyone’s little brother actually that smart?  Especially at that age?  What is this kid, five?

* Creepy vampire girl is back.

* The lady in this Disney-Is-Totally-Rubbing-The-Fact-That-They-Own-Star-Wars-Now-In-Our-Faces store is dressed like an odd combination of Princess Leia and Ms. Frizzle.  I’m confused.

* I bet she and her husband smoke a lot of pot.

* Oh no they don’t!  They’re robots!

* This movie is doing very bad things for my robot phobia.

* Are people out on the street not noticing all these explosions?

* OMG the creepy little girl is a robot too!  I knew she was something weird.

* Bathroom break. Also need popcorn since hot dog turned out to not be actual food.

* Casey has managed to break into George Clooney’s house and I’m very afraid there will be some weird I-Used-To-Have-A-Crush-On-You-When-We-Were-Kids-Even-Though-You’re-A-Robot tension between him and the creepy vampire robot girl.

* Eiffel Tower is actually a rocket.  Okay.

* I love how absolutely no one is freaking out about this.  They’re all just taking pictures of it on their iPhones.  If it were me, I’d probably be peeing my pants or something.

* Yay Hugh Laurie is back!  I love him and his sexy accent and Mr. Fine Wine good looks.  Although I’m fairly certain he’s the bad guy and I’m not supposed to like him.

* Actually no, I take that back.  I think the real antagonist here is the human condition.  See, I can be deep too.

* Spacey, sci-fi, robot stuff. Not really holding my attention.  Going to check social media.

* Hugh Laurie giving speech in his sexy accent about how we need to save butterflies and bees. I approve. Yet somehow, he’s still the bad guy. I can tell because his outfit is just too badass for a protagonist.

* More spacey sci-fi stuff.  Disney is really milking the Star Wars thing for all it’s worth.

* Beach?  I like beaches.  Let’s stay on the beach.  Also, why are there so few trees in the future?  See, this is why I’d never want to live there.  I like trees.

* HUGH LAURIE NO!  Why is it always your leg?!

* I KNEW IT!  George Clooney and that creepy robot girl are having a moment!  This is so awkward!

* Robot girl turned out to be a bomb.  This is kind of disturbing.

* Reunion Tower just crushed Hugh Laurie.  Very sad.  He was the only character I really connected with.

* I think I just watched a very long infomercial for innovation.  That’s not a bad thing.  I’m a big fan of creativity and thinking outside the box.  But still.

So yeah, that was Tomorrowland in a nutshell.  It was okay.  Probably not one I’ll watch again.  Robots just aren’t my thing.  I much prefer dinosaurs.  Which is why I was super stoked to see the next movie in the double feature…

JURASSIC WORLD!

Like the rest of the world, I’ve been itching to see the long-awaited fourth installment in the Jurassic Park saga.  I absolutely love the first movie.  I’ve seen it at least a thousand times and can quote it like nobody’s business.  The second and third?  Eh, they’re okay.  But I was expecting big things for this fourth movie.  For the most part, it did not disappoint.  I only say that because as good as it was, nothing can live up to the first one.  It puts forth a decent effort, however.

Again.  Spoilers.  You have been warmed.

Thoughts on Jurassic World

* Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, dinosaurs.  Bring me dinosaurs!

* I didn’t know Judy Greer was in this movie.

* Ah, her kid is such a little NERD. Look at all his dinosaurs and space stuff. So cute.

* Older kid pouting because he has to leave his girlfriend for a WHOLE weekend to go see dinosaurs. Wow Zach, your life sucks.  Poor you.

* Though to be honest, if I were their mother, I would not let my kids go to an island full of dinosaurs alone.  I probably wouldn’t let them go period.

* Return to Jurassic Park sequence + Original Score = All the Chills

* BD WONG.  HENRY.  OMG.  YOU STILL WORK HERE.  BLESS YOUR LITTLE HEART.  THIS JUST MADE MY WHOLE DAY.

* Bryce Dallas Howard is their aunt?  That’s so cool.  I like her.  Especially because this isn’t the first movie where she and Judy Greer have played sisters.  M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village anyone?

* Her character in this movie, however, seems like kind of a flake.

* Oh yeah, there he is.  Chris Pratt.  Hello, handsome.  I’ve heard good things about you.

* OMG he’s training the velociraptors!  WHY is that cute?!  Are raptors supposed to be cute?  Or is just because he’s their trainer?!

* I want a trained velociraptor.

* Evil guy who wants to use the dinosaurs for warfare.  I bet you’re gonna die.

* That raptor trying to get at the dweeby guy through the bars. Is that Blue?  Or Delta?  Or maybe Charlie?

* Is it weird that the raptors remind me of my cat?

* NO I DON’T WANT A TRAINED VELOCIRAPTOR I WANT A BABY BRACHIOSAURUS THAT IS THE CUTEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN OMG.

* Dumb kids ditching their babysitter.  You’re gonna get eaten.

* Dinosaur eats a shark.  Where’d they get the shark?

* Super genetically enhanced hybrid T-Rex.  There is no way this will end badly.

* Oh hello hunky Chris Pratt at your rugged, outdoorsman bungalow.  I like that rugged, outdoorsman shirt you’re wearing.

* Bryce Dallas Howard, no! Don’t make him change! Why would you do that?

* Oh look at that.  Your mutant escaped.  #Fail

* And now your dumb nephews are out there all alone with the escaped mutant. #DoubleFail

* Jimmy Fallon is in this movie? LOL

* I guess they’re still “sparing no expense.”

* Guys go out to try to control this escaped super dinoaur and of course, they all die.  Honestly, who would sign up for this job?!  Does it come with really awesome benefits that you never get to use because you don’t live long enough to actually take advantage of them?

* I hope BD Wong doesn’t die.  He’s the voice of Captain Shang in Mulan.  And Howard Weinstein.

* Children.  No.  Do not go off-road in a park full of dinosaurs.  Especially after you KNOW that something has gone wrong and all the rides are supposed to be shut down.  Are you stupid?  You must be stupid.

* I kind of hope the older one gets eaten.  He’s too stupid to survive on this island.  Survival of the fittest.

* He probably won’t though.  Hollywood and all that.

* Mutant dinosaur with lots of teeth.  There is no way they will survive this encounter.  And yet, they do.

* No!  No, don’t let that sweet brachiosaurus die!  No, this is too sad!  I don’t like this.  😥

* That mutant dinosaur is a douchebag.

* Kids find the old Jurassic Park.  The Dinosaurs of the World sign.  The piano music in the background.  I feel like this movie is designed to feed on our generation’s nostalgia.  And it’s working.

* Good thing this movie also has a genius little brother who somehow knows how to fix a car that stopped working at least ten years before he was born.

* Pterodactyls on the loose. Do they eat people?

* Somehow, I feel like this is all those kids’ faults.  I don’t know why.  I just blame them.

* It turns out yes, Pterodactyls do eat people.  At least the big ones anyway.

* Hold up.  Does that Pterodactyl have a Tyrannosaurus head?  What the heck is that?!  Is that another mutant? Are they cross-breeding now?

* Oops.  There goes the babysitter.

* Dumb kids finally reuniting with their hella lucky aunt who just got to make out with Chris Pratt. 

* Tech guy, you’d do better with the ladies if you shaved off that creepy mustache.

Note: Throughout all of this, it started raining so we retreated back to the cars.  I was alone with my friend and her boyfriend.  They were in the front seats so I sat in the back, but I’m too tall and couldn’t see the movie from the backseat.  So I sat down on the floor in between the back seat and front seat.  Oddly enough, it’s a lot more comfortable than you’d think it’d be.  I couldn’t help but wonder how weird it must have looked though.  At first glance, it looks like two cute people on a date.  Then, after a second glance, you see this third person’s head creeping down in the shadows, just peaking out in between them.  That’s how I felt. 

* Chris Pratt is the Velociraptor’s Alpha.  That’s hot.

* Thanks to this movie, I will settle for nothing less than a man who can ride a motorcycle and herd velociraptors.

* I might be single for a while.

* YOU KILLED CHRIS PRATT’S BABY RAPTOR IN FRONT OF HIM.  NO.  WHAT ARE YOU DOING.

* I don’t like this movie!  It’s sad!

* Bryce Dallas Howard lighting up a flair and getting the T-Rex to chase her, I can accept.  But Bryce Dallas Howard lighting up a flair and getting the T-Rex to chase her in those heels?  I’m sorry, this movie is far too unrealistic.

* YOU KILLED DELTA HOW COULD YOU.

* STOP LETTING CHRIS PRATT’S BABIES DIE. WHAT IS THIS.

* It’s the ultimate T-Rex showdown.  I also like how the T-Rex and Blue the Raptor seem to have a mutual respect and understanding that they have to work together to kill the mutant.

* HA!  The giant water dinosaur saved the day!  That was awesome!

* Okay, now that mutant is dead, there’s still the whole issue of having a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Velociraptor loose in the park.  I feel like you just solved one problem by creating another.

* Oh.  The T-Rex and Raptor have achieved a higher sense of understanding and go back home on their own.  That’s convenient.

* You know, I still don’t understand why any of these people think that dinosaurs are a good idea.  Except the baby brachiosaurus.  That is the best idea in the history of ever.

* And the movie ends, as usual, with T-Rex lording over her territory.

All in all, good movie.  I will definitely see it again.  Not as good as the first by any means, but you know, what is?  That movie is a classic, a cinematic masterpiece.  Nothing will ever live up to it.  But this movie comes awfully close.

A Dream is A Wish

As many of you probably know, Disney’s live action Cinderella hits theaters Friday.  I am ecstatic.  I’ve already bought the soundtrack, the background on my phone is Ella and the Prince, I am already obsessed with this movie and I haven’t even seen it yet.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I love Disney, and I especially love Disney Princesses.  I always have.  I always will.  My mom had me watching all the old Disney classics before I could talk.

Case in point:

I mean, I really didn’t have a choice.  I was indoctrinated.  But I’m happy that I was.  Disney was a huge part of my childhood and it remains a source of magic, love, and inspiration in my life to this day.

I’ve heard all the arguments.  Disney gives young girls unrealistic expectations in love.  All Disney Princesses want is a man to save them.  Disney teaches girls to give up everything for guys they barely know.

Obviously, I don’t agree with these arguments.  I was raised on Disney Princesses (heck, I was raised thinking I was a Disney Princess) and I have never felt inclined to throw everything away for a man.  I never thought that my life should revolve around finding a husband.  I never wanted it to.  Instead, all those Disney Princesses I so loved and admired inspired me to dream of a life full of adventures and magic and yes, love.  But love doesn’t necessarily have to mean romantic love.

My favorite Princess was always Ariel.  I’ve made this known countless times here on this blog and on Twitter and in my everyday life.  I loved her because she was different and because she wasn’t afraid to dream.  I’ve heard the argument that she gave up everything for a man.  While that is true, it’s also true that she was dreaming of the world above long before she met Prince Eric.  She was curious, she was adventurous, and she was determined.  That’s why I continue to admire her to this day.

I could sit here and make cases for Disney Princesses all day.  Jasmine taught me to be independent.  Meg taught me that good people sometimes make bad choices.  Even Snow White taught me that chores are so much more tolerable with a little bit of music.  Although I will admit, Snow White really isn’t that smart.  In fact, she’s a downright ditz.  But oh well.

For me, Disney will always be a reminder to me to believe in magic and to believe in possibilities.  And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.  After all, if those who came before us had not dared to believe in the impossible, who knows where we would be today?  Would man have walked on the moon?  Would we have our modern medicine and scientific wonders?  I don’t know.  But I like to think that we, as a global community, will continue to believe in the impossible.

A Dream is a Wish

So, I know I said I wouldn’t be posting at all today, but I got out of jury duty at 11.  Seriously, it was so uneventful.  I sat for three hours in this enormous room and reread Mockingjay for three hours.  It was so boring, in fact, that it does not deserve its own blog post.  But you know, when it comes to jury duty, I’m okay with boring.  My number wasn’t even called.  Never had to go back.  I will take it.

That’s why, instead of writing about the three hours I spent doing absolutely nothing, I’m going to write about the new Cinderella movie coming out next month.

Y’all, it looks AMAZING.

Now, I didn’t see Disney’s first fairy tale brought to life, Maleficent, for a few reasons.  First of all, I heard there was a lot of CGI battles and those bore me.  Second, I don’t like the idea of trying to redeem the self-proclaimed Mistress of all Evil.  That was part of what made her such a great villain in the original. She was so evil that she threatened to kill this kid just because her parents snubbed her.  That’s EVIL.  I don’t like that they tried to make goofy King Stefan the bad guy or make it seem like Maleficent really loved Aurora.  Sorry, that just doesn’t work for me.  But onto Cinderella.

This movie looks awesome.  First off, there’s no CGI or crazy battles.  That’s an automatic plus for me.  Second, the previews are absolutely gorgeous.  Colorful, magical, amazing costumes, scenery, set designs… If nothing else, this will be a very aesthetically pleasing movie.  The music in the previews is incredible as well.  I get chills every time I watch the trailer (and I’ve watched it several times).  It looks that good.

For another thing, it features an all-star cast.  I was excited enough to see Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) as the Fairy Godmother and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) as Lady Tremaine, the evil step-mother.  But then I realized that Rob Stark (Richard Madden) is Prince Charming (he’s also SCOTTISH) and I thought my inner fangirl might actually keel over from all the amazing.  What finally did her in, however, was finding out that Derek Jacobi, AKA the BBC’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, AKA the greatest Shakespearian actor of modern times, if not all history, is playing the King.  I cannot handle the greatness.  I actually cannot.

As if all of that wasn’t enough of a reason to completely freak out over this movie, it’s directed by Kenneth Branagh.  Not only another phenomenal Shakespearian actor (he played Hamlet in a film adaptation which also starred – wouldn’t you know it – Derek Jacobi as Claudius!), Mr. Branagh is also known in the Potterverse as the one and only GILDEROY LOCKHART.  I’m telling y’all, I really don’t think my fangirl heart can take much more.

So, there you have it.  My list of reasons why I am absolutely ecstatic about Disney’s latest cinematic masterpiece, and I do truly believe this will be a masterpiece.

Frozen Fever

This might be the most controversial blog post I’ve ever written, but it is something that I feel needs to be said.  I hope I don’t offend any of my readers or lose any friends over this, but I can’t hold it back anymore.  I’ve got to let it go.

I do not think Frozen is the best Disney animated film of all time.  In fact, I don’t even think it’s in the top ten.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Frozen a lot.  My sister and I saw it together and, since it was about sisters, naturally we both cried and loved it.  Leaving the theater, I remember thinking, “Aw, I like Olaf.  And I like Elsa’s dress.  Definitely a cute story.  I’d see it again.”

But then the hype started.  Suddenly, everyone everywhere was all about Frozen.  Buzzfeed articles, Pinterest boards, list upon list of why Frozen is the best thing Disney has ever done in the history of ever.  I’ve never seen so many YouTube cover videos in my life.  I like Let It Go, but if I hear one more person who ISN’T Idina Menzel trying to sing it, I might just punch someone.  In the face.  With a computer.

Today, the newest Disney short, Frozen Fever was announced and naturally, the Internet is completely losing it over the impending arrival.  I’m not upset about the upcoming short.  I love Disney.  And like I said, I really do like Frozen.  I just like lots of other Disney movies a whole lot more.

Mulan

Let’s begin with my sister’s favorite Disney movie of all time, Mulan.  Mulan ROCKS.  For some reason everyone seems to think that Frozen is this groundbreaking movie that proves that women don’t need a man to save them.  Um, HELLO people.  Mulan saved ALL OF CHINA.  She also saved Captain Shang and her entire army of men like, fifty times.  Mulan also features one of the most iconic Disney songs ever recorded (I’ll Make a Man Out of You), an ingenious script (“I’m doomed! And all because Miss Man decided to take her little drag show on the road!”), and more GIRL POWER than all five of the Spice Girls put together.

The Lion King

Talk about a classic.  Featuring the voice talents of James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons AND a soundtrack by Sir Elton John, The Lion King is easily one of the best Disney movies out there.  On top of that, it’s based off of Hamlet.  This is Shakespeare with lions and meerkats and Rafiki.  Sorry, Elsa, but you can’t beat that.  And that scene when Mufasa comes back to talk to Simba?  Does anyone NOT tear up at that moment?

“Remember who you are…” 

Brother Bear

This might be one of the most underrated Disney movie of all time, but it also happens to be one of my absolute favorites.  This is just a beautiful story with beautiful animation, a fantastic soundtrack by Phil Collins (one of the best), and so many beautifully bittersweet moments that I never make it through a viewing without crying.  There are also killer whales in it.  HOW can you beat a movie with KILLER WHALES?  It’s one of the most moving Disney films out there if you ask me.

Hercules

Okay, I’ve already dedicated an entire blog post to Hades and how he’s my absolute favorite Disney Villain of all time (https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/why-hades-is-actually-the-best-disney-villain/), but if you ask me, Hercules itself is near the top as far as Disney’s best animated features go.  Greek Mythology is cool.  That is pretty much indisputable.  And Disney took those cool stories and made them bright, colorful, and kid-friendly, all the while keeping them surprisingly historically accurate (speaking as someone who yes, used to watch the animated TV series on Disney Channel).  In my oh so humble opinion, Hercules is one of Disney’s most clever and creative franchises.

Aladdin

It’s hard to think about this one without drawing a few tears, especially due to recent events.  Aladdin truly will never be the same without our beloved Genie, but it has always held a special place in my heart, even before the late, great Robin Williams’ departure.  I loved Aladdin so much as a child that I named my first kitten Jasmine after Princess Jasmine.  She also recently passed and I got a tattoo of Jasmine flowers on my ankle in her honor.  But all that sadness aside, Aladdin is one of the most awesome, colorful, and FUN Disney movies out there.  Heartwarming with high adventure, magic, great music, and probably one of the most charming Disney Princes in history, Aladdin wins all the way around.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

This is another of my favorite Disney films that is SO completely underrated.  This is a beautiful movie with a touching story, a heartwarming hero, a completely kick-butt heroine, and one of the best soundtracks with some of the best vocal performances that Disney has EVER created.  I could listen to the opening number, Bells of Notre Dame, on repeat.  In fact, I have.  But seriously, let’s talk about Esmeralda for a minute.  She is the BOMB.  She stands up for what she believes in, is brave, smart, snarky, she sees the inner beauty in people, and she sings one of the most beautiful songs in Disney’s repertoire, God Help the Outcasts.

Meet The Robinsons

I feel like a lot of people forget that this is a Disney movie, but again, it is one of my absolute favorites.  I love everything about this movie.  The characters are wonderful, the script is brilliant, and the ending makes me cry every single time I watch it.  It’s such a wonderful film and again, so underrated.  I wish they would make a sequel to this one!  I’d watch it in a heartbeat.

Beauty and the Beast

Of course, this has to be on the list.  It’s the tale as old as time, one of the most beautiful animated classics of all time, and the first ever animated film to be up for an Academy Award for best picture.  I understand that Frozen won a few Academy Awards, but Beauty and the Beast was a film ahead of its time.  And it’s just beautiful.  Is there a scene or a song more beautiful than the ballroom scene?  Or more chilling than the fight between Gaston and the Beast on the roof?  Or more magical than the Beast’s transformation back into a Prince?

Not even close, Frozen.

Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella 

These three are all together because story-wise, none of them are stellar.  However, as far as storytelling and animation goes, these are MASTERPIECES of their time.  The work of GENIUS.  The heroines, true, are not all that much.  In fact, Snow White is dumber than the apple that almost killed her.  But they were all true works of art and will remain historic classics for all time.  These were the movies that broke down barriers, the magic that started it all.  Disney would not be where it is today without the early Princesses.

All of Pixar.  Ever.

True, these are not just the work of Disney, but Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, UP, all rise above and beyond Frozen in terms of pretty much everything.

Finally, the Best of All…

THE LITTLE MERMAID

I think I’ve made it pretty clear how I feel about The Little Mermaid, but if anyone doesn’t know, you can just check out this blog post here…

https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/under-the-sea/

Growing up, I truly believed that Ariel was one of my best friends.  I loved everything about The Little Mermaid, and to this day, I can’t hear the opening theme without getting the chills.  Ariel was absolutely my hero growing up.  She was beautiful, she was brave, she followed her heart even when everyone else thought she was weird, and she ALSO saved her Prince (eh-hem… did not need a man to rescue her).  And she was a mermaid and come on, what little girl didn’t want to be a mermaid?  Not to mention Ariel got three movies, her own television series, AND her own Broadway musical.  I think it’s pretty clear that she is the ultimate winner of best Disney Princess ever.

So, that’s just to name a few of the movies which, in my opinion, beat out Frozen as far as best Disney animated classics go.  I didn’t even get to all of them. Tarzan, Atlantis, and Princess and the Frog are also on the list. But I’m afraid if I type any more, my computer might actually explode.

Frozen was great.  Again, I’m not trying to say it wasn’t.  But when I look back and really compare it to other Disney films, I’m afraid it pales in comparison.

Why Hades is Actually the Best Disney Villain

Maleficent, the movie that Disney nerds far and wide have been anticipating for months is finally here.  I have not yet seen the movie, but its release, of course, has got me thinking about Disney Villains.  From what I’ve heard about the movie, it explores the backstory the self-proclaimed Mistress of All Evil and includes a lot of CGI.

In the spirit of celebrating Evil Disney Characters, I thought I’d pay a little tribute to my favorite Disney Villain of all time, Hades, Lord of the Dead.

This guy is just the best.  True, I have a slight bias because I’m also a huge fan of Greek Mythology, but even if I didn’t, Hades would still be one of my favorites.  From his awesome fiery blue hair to his sassy sense of humor to his tendency to call everybody “Babe,” Hades just rules.  And he knows it.

If you need any more reasons to be Team Hades, look at the facts.  This guy is a god.  That means he can’t die.  He can’t be defeated.  EVER.  Yeah, at the end of Hercules, we see him being flushed away in the River Styx, but he’s immortal.  He runs the Underworld.  And mortals are always going to die.  He might hit a few bumps in the road, but he’s going to have the last laugh in the end.

Also, his hatred of his brother, Zeus, is totally justified.  True, in the original myth, Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon drew lots for their roles, but in the Disney movie, Hades is assigned to the Underworld by Zeus.  What a lousy gig!  Not only does he have to deal with all those dead people, he has to be bossed around by his baby brother?!  Yes, Zeus is the youngest of the five children of Kronos and Rhea.  Not only is Zeus Hades’ little brother, he’s also absolutely terrible at what he does.  He is he the ruler of all the Gods, the God of the entire Universe, and he can’t even keep track of his own kid?  Come on. Seriously, that guy is a tool.  Hades, you deserve to be the King of Olympus.

Don’t even get me started on how all the other jack-wagon gods treat him.  They treat this poor guy like he’s got some kind of disease!  It’s not his fault that he’s the Lord of the Dead and that death happens to be the one thing that mortals fear above all else!  He’s just playing the hand he was dealt… BY ZEUS.

Just because Hades is the best Disney Villain, however, doesn’t mean he’s alone on his pedestal.  There are other Disney Villains who are (almost) just as totally awesome.

Scar, for example, is a close second in my book.  Not only is he voiced by the agelessly sexy Jeremy Irons, he also gets the best song in the history of Disney Villainness.  “Be Prepared” is so sinister and yet so catchy, you can’t help but root for him, even though you hate him for plotting to kill Mufasa.  Mufasa, unlike Zeus, was actually the best King ever.

Since we’re on the topic of Villains that are Also Big Cats, let’s talk about Shere Khan.

I love this guy!  Growing up, I never understood why he was the bad guy.  Yeah, he tried to attack Mowgli, but he’s a tiger!  Tigers aren’t supposed to be tame.  They’re supposed to be regal and ferocious and wild.  We’d all be disappointed if he was Mowgli’s friend like Bagheera.  I mean, I love Bagheera too, but he’s nowhere near as cool as Shere Khan.  In fact, Bagheera is kind of a stick-in-the-mud, which I think Baloo might even point out at one point.

You know who’s not a stick-in-the-mud though?  Gaston.

Yes, he’s a jerk who borders on misogynistic, but when you think about it, Belle is literally the only person in the entire village who doesn’t like Gaston and, as they all keenly point out, she’s kind of weird.  The townspeople even sing an entire song about how great he is!  And if we’re being honest, the Beast isn’t really any less of a jerk.  Heck, he was turned into a BEAST because he was a spoiled brat.  I don’t see any enchantresses showing up to turn Gaston into an animal.

Speaking of enchanters…

Jafar is pretty darn evil, and he’s pretty darn good at it.  For a little while, he actually gets everything he set out to achieve.  He even gets a kiss from Jasmine, which is farther than any other Villain has ever gotten (true, Hans was engaged to Anna, but he never got to be King.  Besides, my sister and I aren’t ENTIRELY convinced he’s all evil… but that’s a whole other post).  He also gets the best sidekick ever in Iago, the snarky parrot.  No, Sultan, he doesn’t want the stupid cracker.  You’re not a very good ruler either.  Or a very good Dad for that matter.  Who keeps their kid under house arrest for 16 years?  I’m surprised she hadn’t tried to run away before you started forcing all those men on her.

Taking it back a few generations, we have the greatest Disney Villain that Neverland has ever known, Captain Hook.

He’s nowhere near attractive like Colin O’Donoghue’s sexy pirate, but the classic Hook is still a pretty cool villain.  He’s got a great ship, a kickin’ outfit, and really, who can blame him for wanting to shoot Peter Pan?  He chopped his hand off and fed it to a freaking crocodile!  Besides, Peter Pan is kind of a twerp.

Finally, the award for my favorite Disney Villain in recent years goes to the Shadow Man, Dr. Facilier.

This guy is just cool, if you ignore the fact that he’s a total schemer and sells his soul to the creepy shadow demons just to earn a few extra bucks.  But seriously, he’s got the top hat, he’s got the cane, and he’s got the snazzy jacket.  And he’s got a great voice (the incomparable Keith David).  No arguments, this guy has got style.  And if we’re being honest, Prince Naveen was kind of an easy target.  I’d probably try to scam him too if I was a Villain.

The. End.

Thoughts on Adulthood

Today was a good day.  I drove out to Addison to meet a friend for lunch and on the way, I saw a train!  I’m not sure if 26 year old women are still supposed to get excited about seeing trains, but I love them! 

Seeing the train kind of got me thinking about what it means to be an adult.  I grew up thinking, “Okay… once I reach a certain age or cross a certain line, then I will be an adult.”  I believed that being an adult was something that would just eventually happen.  One day, I’d wake up and I’d prefer documentaries to Disney.  I’d stop geeking out over passing trains.  I’d stop secretly pretending to be a super hero while I work out.  I’d enjoy things like going out to bars and clubs more than I enjoy sitting at home with a book.  I’d start to appreciate the value of things like taxes and mortgages and new refrigerators.  I’d prefer heels and cute flats to bare feet and flip flops.

None of that has happened yet.  And you know, frankly, I’m not sure I want it to happen.  I like who I am.  And that doesn’t make me any less of an adult.  I know plenty of adults who love Disney and who prefer comfort to style and who don’t know the first things about taxes.  Life itself is a learning process.  We don’t reach a point where we’re full grown and suddenly we’ve got everything figured out, and I don’t think we’re meant to.  How boring would that be, to have all the answers all the time?

So, I will continue to go about my life, delighting over trains, marathoning Disney movies, and saving the world from my elliptical.

Oh, and building extravagant blanket forts for my cat.

Carry on, friends.

Under The Sea

My family loves attending musicals.  We live in Dallas, home to the largest Arts District in the nation, which is pretty cool since when people think of musicals and the arts, they usually think of New York or maybe California.  Just another example of how everything is bigger and better in Texas.

Sorry, but you know, it’s a running gag and has to be said.

Anyway, as I said, we are big musical fans.  My sister is even studying vocal performance at college and will constantly text me to let me know just what professional female vocalists are doing wrong.  Me?  Well, I just enjoy singing and dancing and a fun storyline.  Especially if that storyline happens to include my favorite Disney Princess of all time.

I know I’ve spent a lot of time on this blog talking about my love for Harry Potter and The Hunger Games and Tolkien, but I feel I’ve only touched on my love for Disney, especially The Little Mermaid.  The Little Mermaid came out the year after I was born, so I literally grew up with Ariel.

My childhood revolved around Disney.  My bird was named Belle, my sweet kitty Jazzy was named after Princess Jasmine, but Ariel was always my favorite.  I know a lot of girls my age really connect with Belle, and in ways, I do too.  I’m a brunette and I think books are super cool, but I always wanted to be Ariel.

For one thing, she’s a mermaid, and come on, who would not want to be a mermaid?  I honestly never understood why she would want to leave the ocean, but she’s still the best.

Ariel was never the perfect daughter or the perfect Princess.  She’s adventurous, she’s stubborn, she likes to find things out for herself, she’s curious, she’s rebellious, and she follows her heart even when everyone else tells her she’s wrong.  Ariel literally swims against the tide.  She also never lets anyone or anything stop her from having fun.

Finally, Ariel is just super awkward and adorable.  Could any other Princess actually get away with combing her hair with a fork – excuse me, a dingle hopper – at the dinner table, in front of a handsome Prince?  I don’t think so.

As soon as I heard that the musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid was heading to Dallas, I wasted no time in purchasing tickets.  Long story short: best money I ever spent.

Seeing Ariel brought to life in front of my eyes was nothing short of magical.  Unlike the original Broadway production where the mermaids all had tails and “swam” around on roller skates, Ariel and King Triton actually floated across the stage like they were swimming.  The set and costumes were beautiful, dazzling, and, not to sound girly here or anything, very sparkly!

Ariel was portrayed by Broadway alum (and a member of the original TLM cast) Chelsea Morgan Stock.  She was incredible.  I’ll admit I had a hard time warming up to Sierra Boggess.  I’m not sure why.  Probably because she wasn’t Jodi Benson.  But Miss Stock was amazing.  Her Ariel was just as adventurous and warm and stubborn and adorable as she’s always been.  I especially loved her scenes with Eric Kunze AKA the dashing and dreamy Prince Eric (with an equally amazing singing voice).  I’m tempted to say I liked their relationship more in the musical than I did in the movie.  Blasphemy, I know, but they were so cute.  I don’t want to give away any spoilers for those who haven’t seen the musical, just know that I cried at the end.

There were a few things that they changed from the movie that I would have recommended they left alone.  For example, I’m not sure if this is the way it was in the original Broadway production (I know they made a few alterations), but Flounder, Ariel’s best little fish friend, had a huge crush on Ariel!   I’m sorry, but I found that odd.  My best friend has been trying to convince me for years that the Flounder in the movie had a crush on Ariel and I always told her that she was crazy because A) Flounder is like Ariel’s little brother or maybe even her talking pet and B) HE’S A FISH.  But she remained convinced that Flounder was just pining for Ariel the entire movie.  I was very reluctant to admit to her that the musical people apparently agree with her.

With this Trident Pen, I shall finally rule the Seven Seas.

And after I was done crying my eyes out over the beautiful ending, my family and I went to eat delicious Texas Barbecue.

If anyone should wish to contact me, I shall be in my pajamas, marathoning every Disney movie I own.  Especially The Little Mermaid.

Just For Fun

In honor of Friday, I thought I’d take the day off of business stuff and just post something fun.  Okay, it’s still sort of about writing, but it’s silly and cute, not “hey, go buy my book” and miniature progress reports.

I was going through some of my old stuff the other day and I found a few of the first books that I ever wrote.  They’re not actually my books, more like little kid versions of Disney movies, but I did find one book that I wrote called, A Scary Book for Halloween.  It went something like…

“Mummies scare people on Halloween night.

Spiders bite on Halloween night.

Pumpkin faces glow bright on Halloween night.

Meow go Halloween cats.

Ghosts arise on Halloween night.

Witches go back and forth through the air.

Frankenstein.”

I have to admit, I cracked up.  I spent an entire book (or like, six pages) writing about all these monsters and what they do and I ended it with “Frankenstein.”  Smart kid.

A few other gems include lines such a page from my Dallas book, “This is a cactus that is sharp,” and “This is a tortilla growing in a tortilla patch.”  Now, I don’t know if I thought I was being funny or if I actually believed that tortillas grew in tortilla patches, but I still got a pretty good laugh out of it.

I also found an old alphabet book that I wrote.  I was particularly impressed by my choice for O.

It’s kind of cute.  I was smart enough to know what an opal was but not smart enough to know not to write my lower case a’s backwards.

I also found a few of my Disney books…

I was so obsessed with Ariel.

This one was written before I figured out that J and L are not the same letter.

Apparently, Prince Philip was not important enough for color.

“Prick your finger!”

But the first book I ever “wrote” was inspired by Donald Crews’ Shortcut.  I still remember my pre-k teacher reading it to us like it was yesterday.  It was about a group of kids who had stayed out past dark, so they decided to take a shortcut home along the railroad tracks.  Near the end of their journey, they heard a train whistling in the distance, and they knew it would be coming along the tracks.  In my head, that train whistle in the night was so eerie, and I remember feeling chilled and a little scared.  It was the first time a book had gotten to me like that, and I was fascinated by the idea that words on a page could be so powerful.  I decided right then and there that I had to have that book, but instead of going out and buying it, I wanted to recreate it for myself.

So, there you have it.  A small glimpse into the early days of my writing career.  Hey, we all have to start somewhere.  You know, I didn’t realize that writing was what I wanted to do with my life until my junior year of college.  Looking back, I can’t believe it took me that long to figure it out.  I’ve been writing for fun and therapy since the day I learned the alphabet.  Granted, it took me a while to master a few letters, but overall, I think I’ve got them down.  Though I’m still a little iffy on 5’s if I’m being totally honest.  My hand has just never felt comfortable writing 5’s.

Anyway, before I sign off for the day, I also wanted to share this adorable picture of my kitties when they were babies.  Sadly, my sweet Rusty (the orange one) is no longer with us, but Jazzy (the one with the tongue) is still alive and happy, even though my sister says that in this picture, she looks like an “aloof doofus.”  Mean.

Have a happy weekend, everyone!

Geeking Out

Okay, guys.  So yesterday, I was scrolling through Tumblr, browsing the Harry Potter tag, and I came across something about two of my favorite actors from the franchise, James and Oliver Phelps.  I think I’ve mentioned before how much I love the Weasley twins, how Fred was my fictional boyfriend for like eight years before JK Rowling MURDERED him, and how I actually felt like I’d lost a friend after I finished reading the seventh book.  Fortunately, I can live happily knowing that James and Oliver are actually both alive and well.

They are also apparently going to be starring together in a new movie.  A remake of Hamlet.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2349632/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1

I don’t know if I’ve told y’all this… BUT I LOVE SHAKESPEARE.  I especially love Hamlet.  It’s one of my favorite plays.  I also love Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Twelfth Night, Macbeth (I could write a whole blog post about why I love Macbeth, and maybe I will someday), etc…

I’m not sure how he did it, buy my high school English teacher had this way of teaching all of us Shakespeare, among other great things, in a way that made all of us love it.  We even ended our first semester with a trip to Shakespeare in the Park where we all had an absolute blast.  That love for the Bard stayed with me all the way through college.  I even wrote and illustrated an ABC Shakespeare children’s book for a Children’s Literature class.

Desdemona and Othello.

Romeo and Juliet’s nurse.

The Weird Sisters from Macbeth. Fair is foul and foul is fair…

Anyway, James and Oliver are going to be playing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in new version of Hamlet, at least according to that IMDB link.  If you’ve only read or seen Hamlet, you might not think a whole lot of those roles.  Their scenes with Hamlet are amusing, but that’s more due to Hamlet pretending to be mad than any sort of character development or connection to Rosencrantz or Guildenstern, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I didn’t really care when I heard they’d been killed at the end of the play.  Easy come, easy go.

However, if you’ve read or seen Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, you’ll know that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two of the greatest (and most philosophical) characters in the entire play!  Reading the play was a complete and utter joy, but the movie, staring Tim Roth and Sirius Bla – I mean, Gary Oldman, is just about the best thing ever.

I wish, more than anything, that once they’re done shooting Hamlet, then James and Oliver would star in their own version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.  Still, having my two favorite twins from my favorite series ever starring in one of my favorite plays ever… I will not complain!

Weasley Twins + Shakespeare = Pure Happiness

In other good geeky news, I found these AMAZING pictures on Pinterest.

As if the glorified combination of Harry Potter and Shakespeare wasn’t enough, now I get Disney and Van Gogh?!  Is it my birthday?!  Seriously, I thought I couldn’t love anything more than Fred and George as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but these pictures are SO BEAUTIFUL and I love Disney Princesses almost more than anything and I don’t know a soul who doesn’t love the art of Van Gogh.  Or that one Dr. Who episode?

I’m not even much of a Dr. Who fan and I could watch that episode over and over and over again.  And Matt Smith is actually the cutest human being alive.

Alright, well, I’ll let you all enjoy the rest of your evening while I sit here in all my geeky glory.  Chapter 27 of CT2 is coming along nicely.  For all the Luke Rainer fans, he gets a little bit of the narrative in this one!  I’m excited!  He’s such a fun character to write.  Good night, all!