Beauty and The Beast - 2017

No one spits like Gaston…he’s especially good at expec---torating and there’s no Fou, like Le Fou as portrayed by Josh Gad.  This is, in one word, delightful.  I’m a Disney fan from the word “go” and I’m excited that I don’t have to wait very much longer for a copy of this tale as olde as tyme.  The talent taking this from animated to live action is perfect.  Even if Emma Watson and all of the others lip synched or were auto-tuned to perfection, I don’t think I would have cared.  I was just glad to see a Disney “princess” portrayed as a strong person of character.  I’ve never seen any films with actor Dan Stevens, however, I do know him from the Downton Abbey Series and was quiet surprised that he was chosen to be The Beast.  It was a good choice.  The animated version was heavily computer-driven and, as you may expect, this version relies heavily on special effects, seamless CGI, and the ability of the voice actors to convincingly portray inanimate objects being decidedly animated.  I’d like to compare the two, side-by-side, scene-by-scene as both are Disney driven, just like The Jungle Book of last year and its counterpart back in the 70’s.  The production numbers are spectacular.    I was particularly pleased to see Kevin Kline as Maurice. Belle’s father, and I think it’s safe to say that not all, but most of the productions he’s associated with, are top-notch.  So, put the kettle on and be our guest for an experience you won’t forget….Rating:  4 stars

Moana

Here’s a great example of Disney using mythology (this time Polynesian), to tell the story of how the islands were formed and how the people settled in the exotic locations of Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii, Guam and the like.  The tone is that of Hercules and Mulan with another demi-god taking the reins this time (Maui) to guide and assist the hero in making the long journey to restore the “heart” he stole from Mother Earth, also known as Te’fiti.  The hero is a heroine, Moana, a feisty headstrong chief’s daughter, who we see age from toddler to teenager on a mission, and the sidekick, HeiHei, is a pop-eyed chicken.  There’s action and adventure, heart-string pulling with sage advice from Grandma, a couple of nasty demons who would do anything to stop the heart from going home, some under the sea action and a bit of the parting of the waves and magic that makes this whole story, in a weird way, believable from a mythological point of view.  The songs are catchy, most notably “You’re Welcome” and “How Far I’ll Go”, now that you have “Let It Go” out of your head, I guess it’s time to put a new catch phrase back in there.  Could be worse, it could be a terrible song and sung by a not so great singer.  Fortunately, the voice and singer of Moana is a newcomer,  16 year-old Auli'i Cravalho, and Maui, as portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.  What’s sort of surprising is the chicken, Hei Hei, is voiced by actor Alan Tuydek (Serenity, Firefly, A Knight's Tale), although he has no dialogue, just squawking.  There are credits at the end of the film that you’ll want to see and a classic line from Jemaine Clement (Tamatoa) that refers to another Disney crustacean.  Priceless.  Rating:  (4 stars) A lovely bunch of coconuts, a nautilus shell, some breadfruit, and red sails in the sunset.         

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I’ve been listening to the Awesome Mixtape Vol. 2 for this much anticipated sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.  Last night, the long wait was over and I attended the film with old friends.  Star-Lord (Peter Quill), Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and this time, Baby Groot, are on a mission to protect the batteries needed to produce golden humanoids from a particularly nasty predator who could wipe out their genetically engineered population prospects. Diverting disaster is one thing, but you have to remember, the members of this odd family have a penchant for not always doing the right thing and the consequences aren’t necessarily taken into account by mutated forest creatures or creatures that mutate from the forest.  We get to see how this bunch is very much centered around the concept of “family”.  It’s funny, enlightening, colorful, explosive, brash, violent, and seriously addictive.  The music is integral to the story, as much as, if not more than, the first Awesome Mixtape.  We’ve met most of the players that have become Peter’s pals, but now we’re going to answer a couple of key questions such as, “who’s your daddy?” and why does Peter relate to music from the 70’s and 80’s so strongly?  Both answers will surprise you and I’m delighted to report that the series will continue.  So, sit back, strap-in, grab your favorite treat, and prepare to be amazed. Rating:  3.89 infinity stones  (sorry, but not for the little ones – it’s PG-13 for a reason)