Animated Movie Review: ***^ Hoodwinked (2005)

 Hoodwinked is a retelling of the classic Red Riding Hood Story from the perspectives of Red (Anne Hathaway), Granny (Glen Close), The Woodsman (Jim Belushi) and the Wolf (Patrick Warburton).  They are telling the story to the detective, Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers).  Everyone has their own secrets which aren't part of the original story.  Grandma is over a cookie/bakery store, but spends her time playing.  She likes adventure.  Wolf is a reporter investigating the goodie bandit.  Red resents delivering Grandma's cookies.  And Woodsman is an aspiring actor who works on a food truck.  The bandit is not any of them, but a bad bunny, Boingo (Andy Dick).  Lots of animated adventure and fun and being saved from impossible danger.  Sometimes what we see isn't always what is so.  

Animated Movie Review: *** Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

 There is a new actor in town, Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) .  She is attacking Penguin's (David Ogden Stiers) organization who are smuggling weapons to outside the country.  He is preparing for a big shipment.  Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Robin (Eli Marienthal) Are trying to figure out who Batwoman is, even though they have the same aims to a degree.  But in truth there are three women who make up the Batwoman.  Kathy Duquesne (Kimberly Brooks) is the daughter of Carlton Duquesne (Kevin Michael Richardson), Penguin's security.  Penguin's henchman Bane (Hector Elizondo) destroyed the business of detective Sonia's (Elisa Gabrielli) parents, and the tech geek, Rocky (Kelly Ripa) is struggling because Penguin framed her fiancé and he is in jail.  All three are motivated to take down the Penguin.  But it doesn't happen without th efforts of all three, and Batman and Robin.  Alfred (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is valways present and always supporting Batman.  

I enjoyed this animated feature.  Each of the women had their own talents and they worked well as a team.   

Movie Review: **^Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005)

This movie covers the theme of what happens if more of the egg pods, which hatched Stitch, start hatching.  How will they keep from causing terrible damage.  It also pits the evil people  from the empire trying to get revenge on Stitch and the others, and regain them for their own evil designs.  In this movie again relationships are tested.  Stitch is hard to live with at times, and Lilo seems to get blamed for some of his troubles.  However by the end, they are an official finding of alien creatures team.
Dakota Fanning takes over the role of Lilo, Stitch is voiced by Chris Sanders, David Ogden Stiers plays the misguided professor.

****Disney Movie Review: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

This is an animated musical version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame a Victor Hugo story.  The Hunchback, Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) looks down on the city, but never is able to join in because of his confinement to Notre Dame, put on him by his master Frollo, the Minister of Justice (Tony Jay).  Frollo is obsessed with ridding the city of gypsies.  Frollo resents the sanctity of the Church, but had been forced to accept it when he killed Quasimodo's mother, a gypsy, and wanted to do the same with Quasimodo.  the Archdeacon (David Ogden Stiers) had intervened.  One of the people Quasimodo watches is Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer (Demi Moore and Heidi Mollenhauer.  Frollo also watches her, and is filled with passion which haunts him.  The last character is the Captain of the Guard, Phoebus (Kevin Kline).  He helps her escape from soldiers harassing gypsies.  Quasimodo finally ventures out of the church on All Fools Day.  Esmeralda discovers him, and promotes him for King of Fools, thinking it is a good thing.  However the people tie him up, and start pelting him with fruit.  He cries for relief from his master, who insists there is a lesson be learned.  It is Esmeralda who shows compassion, and challenges the Minister, freeing Quasimodo.  The Minister orders her arrest, and the Captain reluctantly pursues her.  She enters the church to hide, and when he The Captain finds her there, insists she claim sanctuary.  In this way she spends time with Quasimodo, who helps her to escape.  The reaction from the minister is to burn the city looking for her.  He is obsessed.  Either she is his, or she is dead, he cannot see any other way.  The final can only be tragic with such obsessive compassion haunted the Minister.
The highlight of the movie is the song from Esmeralda as she prays for nothing for herself but for her people the down trodden:
Esmeralda
I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You would listen
To a gypsie's prayer
Yes, I know I'm just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I see Your face and wonder...
Were You once an outcast too?

God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth

Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth
God help my people
We look to You still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will

Esmeralda
I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
Please help my people
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God
God help the outcasts
Children of God

Alan Menken wrote the music with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.  The production was nominated for several Academy awards including best music.  The colors of the show make this film a work of art.  they use stained glass, and colors of the street, and the fire very effectively.  Also effective are the miniature figures and scene the Hunchback produces. 

Disney Movie Review: Pocahantas (1995)

***^ Pocahontas (1995): This movie portrays the conflict between two cultures.  It has the wicked colonists who are seeking freedom; and gold.  It also shows the people of Pocahontas, who are in perfect harmony with nature and the earth, even though they have their own conflicts between peoples.  Mel Gibson gives voice to John Smith, and Irene Bedard to Pocahontas.  Judy Kuhn provides the vocals for Pocahontas.  David Ogden Stiers is the gold-seeking governor.  Pocahontas is coming to a crossroads in her life, and has to decide whether or not to marry Kocoum, the warrior.  She consults the willow tree to get direction.
    The best part of this show is the meeting of John Smith and Pocahontas in the mist of the waterfall, and the relationship that follows. Another highlight is "Colors of the Wind:"
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
A beautiful song.

Disney Musical Movie Review: ***^ Pocahontas (1995):

 This movie portrays the conflict between two cultures.  It has the wicked colonists who are seeking freedom; and gold.  It also shows the people of Pocahontas, who are in perfect harmony with nature and the earth, even though they have their own conflicts between peoples.  Mel Gibson gives voice to John Smith, and Irene Bedard to Pocahontas.  Judy Kuhn provides the vocals for Pocahontas.  David Ogden Stiers is the gold-seeking governor.  Pocahontas is coming to a crossroads in her life, and has to decide whether or not to marry Kocoum, the warrior.  She consults the willow tree to get direction.
    The best part of this show is the meeting of John Smith and Pocahontas in the mist of the waterfall, and the relationship that follows. Another highlight is "Colors of the Wind:"
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
A beautiful song.

Movie Review: ***^ Pocahantas II: Journey to a New World (1998)

This movie I found on Instant Netflix.  I enjoyed this movie for the most part.  John Smith goes into self banishment, and it is assumed he has died.  However he is in hiding as Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) has gained influence with the king, and wants to take an armada to wipe out the Indians and get his gold. This movie introduces John Rolfe, who goes to America to invite the leader of the Native  Americans to come to England to meet the King.  Pohantan does not wish to go, but Pocahantas decides to go in his place.  She goes as a princess.  Pocahantas is jailed after protecting a bear from torture.  John Smith and John Rolfe team up to rescue her, but then she confronts the king again.  She convinces the king there is no Gold, and Ratcliffe is thwarted.

This movie works with the relationships between Pocahantas (Irene Bedard) and the men.  Ratcliffe continues to be evil.  The animals are no longer cute, the willow tree thing is old, the music is forgetable.  The Native American who travels with Pocahantas is funny in his regal manner.  The artwork leaves no doubt this is 2nd tier Disney.  However the thing that works the best is the relationship between Pocahantas and John Rolfe (Billy Zane).