Day 1260: A First Look at Moana

The Tony Awards offered the perfect chance for a first look at the newest addition to the Walt Disney Animation Line-Up, Moana. Of course, if you know anything about this movie and it's instant connection to musicals, you'll know that Lin-Manuel Miranda, famed creator and star of the hit musical Hamilton, did some of the music for the film, and you can actually hear him in the trailer. Because how else were they going to get the entire Hamilton fandom super excited about this new film? And I guarantee that much of that same fandom will go check out the movie just to support him. I don't blame them. Lin is a really awesome guy. 

As for the rest of the trailer, I think I feel about the same now as I do with most of the new Disney films: a little confused, and a lot suspicious. After all, before Wreck-It Ralph I figured it would be a confusing mess of candy, and Zootopia was one I couldn't wrap my head around. Even as far back as The Princess and the Frog, and probably before that, I would sit, super suspicious of whatever Disney had planned next. 

Still, every film manages to impress me, and I'm certain that Moana will be no exception. I'm particularly excited for the opportunities this might bring to the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World, because you know it will appear sooner or later there. Personally, I love the Poly, and I love the inclusion of Polynesian culture and mythology in a full length animated film even more. 

Plus, how can you not be excited about Dwayne Johnson being a part of this cast? 

Have a magical day! 

Day 689: Cinderella

I'm not the first and I'm certainly not going to be the last to discuss this. It seems that when there's news in the world of Disney, everyone covers it. I debated blogging about this for that same reason, but since I'm a huge fan of both Disney and fairy tales, it seemed like a natural thing for me to discuss today. I am, of course, talking about the trailer for the new live action version of Cinderella, which my roommates and I are all super excited about.

Here's the trailer if you haven't seen it yet:

First off, I love the trailer. It's the perfect combination of action, story, characters and classic scenes. I love it. But can we just stop for a second and talk about the music? I don't know who works on the music for these Disney trailers, but they nail it Every. Single. Time. I'm constantly amazed with the music in the trailers for all of the Disney movies, live action and animated. It's going to be stuck in my head all night now. 

But that's not the only thing I'm loving about this movie and trailer so far. The costume design is beautiful, for one. I'm so used to seeing wonderful costumes on Once that I'm prety sure I have higher standards now than I did before. And of course, they got it ever so right here. Cinderella's ball gown, for instance, is stunning, and I'm quite happy to see a scene depicting the animation in the original animated film. 

Other things I love? The fact that they bring her mother into the story. Such a grand idea. I feel like there's always so much debate about where that mother went (although in many of the stories, she dies, and it seems to be that case here), so it's nice to see some extra backstory. Second, I adore the fact that her name isn't "Cinderella," but simply "Ella." In the fairy tale itself (or at least many of those original versions), her name isn't Cinderella at all. Sometimes it's Ella and sometimes it's actually Ashley, but either way it isn't Cinderella. A nice touch indeed.

And finally, let's just stop for a moment and discuss how odd it is to see Helena Bonham Carter playing the Fairy Godmother. We're all so used to seeing her in darker roles that you almost miss it when she appears in the trailer and then you second guess yourself for thinking it was her when really, it was! 

Regardless, I'm very excited to see this movie, as I am all the other new films coming from Disney lately. I'm also pretty excited that my roommates are excited. It means that we might be able to go see the film together, and that's something that sadly doesn't happen very often. We spend a ton of time together in our room though (and boy do we have adventures), but it seems to me that this is the perfect movie for a March weekend. 

Have a magical day!

Day 128: In Order

Yesterday I posted a video on my Youtube series of posts called "The Wonders of Disney Animation," and if you haven't seen it, go back and watch that first, because like I said before, I really feel it's one of the most underrated Disney youtube videos out there. It's just great.

Anyway, so while working on that post yesterday I probably watched that video at least 10 times, because like I said, I could watch it all day long and never get bored. I also mentioned how it really makes you want to go back and watch all the Disney films over again.

Now, I've tried a couple of times to go back and watch them all in order and it just didn't work...but you know what. I've said a few times that this summer has to be awesome, since it's my last summer before college, and watching all 52 in order would totally just top it all off (it will get tricky since I probably don't have 52 days free to watch them, which means some days I'll have to watch two, but who's really complaining?).

And so, I've decided that this summer I'm going to watch all of them, in order, and watch as the Disney magic unfolds before my eyes, because watching them in order, just like watching that video, really showcases just how far Disney has come, and how far the art of animation as gone, starting with just a little mouse on a drawing pad to the first cartoon with synchronized sound, to the first in color, and then the first full-length animated picture.

To think, that everything in that video started with a man and a mouse, and all of it almost never happened.

Here's today's Disney History: 1926: Legendary comedian/actor Don Rickles - the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Pixar's Toy Story films and the voice of William in Disney World's Enchanted Tiki Room attraction - is born in Queens, New York. Rickles' Mr. Potato Head is also featured in the Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction at both Disney's California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Have a magical day!