A Delayed D23 Expo 2015 - Films Post

Hello dear readers! It's been a while.

I had the privilege of going to the D23 Expo in Anaheim this year, and in terms of getting into presentations and panels, this was my most successful trip yet! I was able to make it into all of the major ones I wanted: Animation on Friday, Live Action and Parks and Resorts on Saturday, and Gaming on Sunday. I;m not going to go over everything here, but if you want a more detailed play-by-play, my boyfriend and I did 2 podcasts, one regarding Friday, and the other for Saturday.

I skipped on dressing up this year. As much as I love doing it, it's very time consuming and we were already getting up incredibly early to see things. I am hoping to procure a live action Cinderella ballgown at some point in the near future, though :)

Speaking of which, the Kenneth Branagh directed film exceeded my expectations. The marketing for the film seemed to play up the camp, but the film feels honest and true, and is a very worthwhile re-telling of the classic story that we all know and love. Audiences agreed, too - the film did exceptionally well at the Box Office. I am eager to add the film to my Blu-Ray collection soon.

Cinderella and Maleficent are some of the first few live-action re-tellings of classic Disney animated films, and while some reported titles have made Disney fans nervous (I, admittedly, being one of them), I am happy to report that what little I did see for The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast have me very excited to visit theaters when they are released. In the hands of the right writers, directors and producers, these films can be truly magical.

Beauty and the Beast has a strong celebrity cast, with notables such as Emma Watson and Josh Gad, and is appropriately a musical - it will be taking many cues from not just the animated film, but possibly even more so from the Broadway version. The film will most certainly be a beautiful spectacle, and if Cinderella's performance was any indication, I have faith that the film will do exceptionally well at the Box Office. But we have a while to wait - the film is not coming out until 2017.

Jungle Book is coming sooner, with a release date of April 15th, 2016, and folks, the film looks wonderful. I was especially nervous about this film before, but the footage that I've seen is truly magical. There's definitely a lot of TLC that has been put into this project, and it is obvious that Disney is really making sure that everything comes out just right. They have had to essentially double-shoot everything with their Mowgli (Neel Sethi) to get the look of him interacting with the animal characters and the environment of the jungle just right. But what struck me most is how they are truly keeping the spirit of the animated film with this new version (yes, you will hear a mention of "bear necessities"), and going so far as to re-creating some of those classic shots, but now with a truly living, breathing and wild jungle.

One of the fabulous freebies from D23

The last true standout that I want to talk about is, of course, Moana. Ever since the internet first heard word that Disney was making a Hawaiian "princess" film, fans flooded the internet with their imagined concept art, other making their awkward teen instagram posts lamenting that it took Disney this long to make this film and also noting that they were concerned about how they would treat the character.

Well, the good news is that this film looks to be shaping up to be Disney's next Little Mermaid, and I mean that literally - it's the same two men that shaped the 1989 favorite that are helming the Moana project as well. And it takes place heavily on the ocean. And you have a young girl who is eager to explore the world while her father, the chief, wants her to stay home where it's safe. And the mother is dead. Formulas.

Be excited for the Rock, who plays Maui, a burly demi-god that is trying to prove himself by helping Moana on her journey to be a navigator. Be excited for Moana's adorable piglet. Be excited that Moana looks to have more realistic body proportions! And definitely be excited for the animation. All accross the board, Disney has truly stepped up in the animation and CGI department. The realism is truly astounding. We're in for a treat.

There was a lot of new information and cool things at the Expo, and these are just some of the highlights. If you're looking for something more in-depth, I really encourage you to listen to the two podcasts I made (the details were more fresh in my mind when I recorded), and there's a lot of other details and films that I didn't mention here.

Stay tuned for one additional post regarding the Parks and Resorts news from D23 - lots of photos to come! 

Disneyland's Fantasy Faire Simply Magical!

The new princess meet and greet for Disneyland, entitled 'Fantasy Faire' opened Tuesday, having gone through different sets of previews last week. I decided to enjoy it like the average visitor instead and had quite a lovely time on opening day, and wrote a review for it here.

As this is a princess blog, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise that I love the new offerings. But I am a die-hard Disneyland fan, so I'm also from a group of fans that tend to get a little picky about things like theming, paint and whether or not that audio-animatronic is working properly. When a figure from its a small world goes missing since before the holiday overlay last year, I notice (I'm looking at you, yodelers).

That said, we fans debate on these issues extensively and do not always agree. I've noticed a significant amount of griping coming from MiceChat over this new area, and I have to say that on this issue, I have to disagree with them. I hear complaints ranging from the new Royal Theatre tent's colors being too bright that it intrudes on Sleeping Beauty Castle drawing your eye to criticizing the area for aiming specifically towards girls, to which I say the California sun will tarnish that tent's colors rather quickly and that as we are a patriarchal society, we constantly devalue anything that is inherently geared towards the female gender while ignoring the fact that most things we do have are aimed at a white male audience (Carsland, anyone?) and receive very little criticism for it.

Look, we're not all going to enjoy the same things. It is impossible to please everyone at the same time. Walt was very noble in attempting to create a place where families can enjoy something together as a family, and even though not all of you will appreciate the new Fantasy Faire, there will be many more that do, and Disneyland is still a place where families can go and enjoy the day together. I'm sorry that the Carnation stage is underneath everything and swing dancing has been moved to Downtown Disney, but really, is it honestly the end of the world when a prime piece of Disneyland real estate remains dead for most of the day and suddenly gets some new life into it that we all know will be enjoyed by a significant percentage of visitors? There are plenty of places to swing dance. Honestly, you could swing dance anywhere if you really wanted to. My boyfriend has chosen to be cute on many occasions by randomly dancing with me in places like the mall parking lot. But you can't meet Belle from Beauty and the Beast just anywhere, and it's cruel to expect families to wait in 45 minute lines out in the Anaheim heat with no protection or relief from the elements while Aurora is dying in her velvety heavy long-sleeved gown.

Swing dancing may still come back to the area - Disney hasn't made any sort of official announcement yet. This is a new area that they are displaying to guests and they need time to access the area for any tweaking or additions they wish to make before complicating things with dancing on the floor every night. Then add to the fact that the new Tangled Tower has a very beautiful effect at night that you can only really appreciate if it's quiet and not too bright out there. Let the new area stretch it's legs a bit before crying foul play.

In short, I'm sorry you're upset if you feel a piece of Disneyland history has been taken away from you, or that a tradition that you've celebrated in that area is no more, or at least on hiatus for the time being. But Disneyland is not just for you, it's for everyone, and Disney has to play to it's major audiences. Far more critical to the Disneyland experience is meeting your favorite characters, and for a great deal of people they are the princesses. This gives the heroines a royal set-up for families to enjoy, and it has been themed very well. The stage is now also actively being used and is doing what a theatre should do - bringing the magic of live performance to an audience. The new shows are actually very well done, and you should come out to see them, no matter what age or demographic you are.

Disneyland will continue to change. It cannot stay the same forever if Disney wants to continue to entertain guests. That doesn't mean that change should happen for change's sake. In this case, the change was logical and has proven to be a successful one. Now if you really want to gripe, just take a look at Tomorrowland and look at the remnants of 1998... ;)


Thanks for taking the time to stop by. Be sure to subscribe to me here and at my new site (you'll find the link through the link at the top of the article)! See you at Fantasy Faire!

Beauty and the Beast 3D, Tangled Ever After, and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace That Won't Go Away

I recently visited the movie theater to let my nostalgia get the best of me and watch Beauty and the Beast in 3D. It seems like only yesterday that I detailed here the drama that seemed to be unraveling with this particular release. I’m just thankful that it is finally back in American theaters, entertaining new and old audiences.

Tale as old as time, but still entertaining audiences.

I was very excited for the pre-show, too. In a turn of marketing genius, Disney decided to create a Tangled short featuring Eugene and Rapunzel’s wedding.

Disney Bridal by Alfred Angelo: Rapunzel Dress

Disney Bridal by Alfred Angelo: Rapunzel Veil

The short was like any good old-fashioned Disney short: short, sweet, and full of slapstick and clever gags. One that didn’t hit me until later was Rapunzel’s veil. In many ways, it has bothered me that Tangled seems to suggest that Rapunzel’s hair can’t grow at all now that it has all been chopped off. Eugene acted very nobly, to be sure, and it had to be done, but because of his cutting tool he did a fairly choppy job (which is realistic, and I honestly respect the animators for the end result). But just because Rapunzel lost the flower power doesn’t mean that her hair is just dead. I would prefer to look at it as her being reborn, getting to start her life anew with the family that she’s been separated from this whole time. And while the poor girl has been through a lot and has more important things to concern herself with than hair, it must have still been hard to come to terms with the loss of her long, golden locks. She put her hair to good use and could do things with it that no one else could do. And just in general, when a woman gets a drastic hair cut, it can have a strong effect on her emotionally and psychologically. Therefore, I have a hard time believing that Rapunzel was 100% fine with the way her hair looked on her wedding day. But the length of her veil says everything, in a sweet and subtle way…while Rapunzel decided to mostly skip having a train for her wedding gown, her veil takes up the length that her hair would have. It was clever, symbolic and beautiful. Overall, the short was a fun addition to my evening.

The blonde doll is available now, but you will have to wait until March 28th for the brunette (and pay a lot more).

 But now, on to Beauty and the Beast. I detailed here before that the prologue had supposedly been altered in Australia and New Zealand. I am happy to report, however, that the original prologue is what is playing in movie theaters across America today: “If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return…” In fact, the film is exactly like the original (meaning no “Human Again” add-on) except it is in 3D and the film quality has been greatly enhanced.

 As for the 3D itself? Not too shabby. It really opened up the scenes (which were, of course, dynamic to begin with, but enhanced with the 3D). Beauty and the Beast is filled with detailed, beautiful and sweeping environments, so it was really cool to see it popping out a bit more. It was by no means gimmicky or in-your-face, and felt fairly natural to watch. It was rare that the 3D bothered me…the two most notable moments were when Belle enters Beast’s castle for the first time and looks up into the ceiling (her face ended up looking completely flat for some reason, which looked odd) and during “Gaston” at a time where the trio of blondes stood together but were completely still (I had never noticed their lack of animation at that moment before, but the 3D made it very apparent). With that in mind, I will probably go back to the theater to see this at least one more time, as Beauty and the Beast is my favorite film and I enjoyed noticing all sorts of things that I hadn’t seen before.

3D, but tasteful!

 Would I be willing to go see another Disney film re-done in 3D again? Depending on the film, yes. This fall Finding Nemo is slated to be released in 3D. I know it will look gorgeous…so this will essentially have the same appeal as Avatar (which got way more attention than it deserved, in my opinion). But if Disney thinks I’m going to want to see every Pixar film in 3D, they are seriously mistaken. I sincerely hope that the Cars franchise stays far, far away. Hopefully they learned something from the second film doing abysmally at the box office. They can have their fun with Carsland at Disney California Adventure, but let’s leave it at that, shall we?

There is another film being shown in 3D format for the first time next week: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Do I really need to see this film in 3D? Yes and no. No because Disneyland already has the attraction Star Tours in 3D, which opened last summer to great fanfare and utilizes many possible scenarios from the prequels, like podracing. I am not a fan of the prequels…and if you think they are worthy of a significant amount of praise, then I suggest you head on over to RedLetterMedia (be forewarned – this guy does some really bizarre vignettes for his character and it is by no means child-friendly, and he has a weird sense of humor, but the guy knows what he’s talking about).

So why do I have to see this disgrace to the Star Wars legacy and movies in general? If this release does not do well, then NONE of the other Star Wars films will be released in 3D. Granted, this saves any of the films from being tampered even more by George Lucas (well, temporarily, anyway), who seems completely determined to ruin his own franchise…but I’d be lying if I said I was not interested in seeing the original trilogy in 3D (even with the recent tragic addition of Vader crying “Nooo!” when he grabs the Emperor in Return of the Jedi). They really should have started with the release of the original trilogy (IV, V and VI), but of course they couldn’t possibly do that! Ugh…so, of course, Lucas and his band of cronies who don’t dare tell the man that he’s making bad choices force fans like myself (and, honestly, the majority of true Star Wars fans) to shell out money for films we do not want to see in order to have the opportunity to see the ones we really love. Greedy gungans (or gungas, according to George in an interview).

Hey Ani!!! I'm obnoxious!!!

 So, as much as I hate to advertise for this abomination, as a Star Wars fan I am asking you to go out and see this film so that we have a chance to see the real Star Wars films (that we’re not ashamed to call ourselves fans of) in 3D.

The “Deal” With Beauty and the Beast Right Now

Okay. So by now, you have probably heard that "for the first time ever, in high definition," Disney is taking Beauty and the Beast back out of the Disney Vault and releasing the film on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Perhaps even a few of you know that you can currently visit the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood to see this classic return to the big screen (now through October 7^th).


But that's not in 3D, which we've all been waiting for many years now. Disney showed a clip of "Belle" in 3D 2 Comic Cons ago. The 3D version was supposed to debut February 2010 as per advertised on their website.


But February came and went, and Disney never openly addressed the situation.

So instead, we have speculation.


This is a typical Disney case of double-dipping. Beauty and the Beast is quite probably their strongest animated film property, and they want to milk it for all it's worth. So, they will re-release it as many times as they can get away with.

 Copyright Disney

I don't take any issue with having the option to see a much-beloved film on the big screen again. Nor do I take issue with seeing that film turned 3D. But it looks like Disney may want to re-release this property up to 4 times within a very short period of time, and that just doesn't seem right to me.


But here's the real kicker – the 3D version has apparently already been released in New Zealand and Australia. From what I've been reading, the typical 3D haters aren't happy because the film wasn't originally designed in 3D or thought of in 3D, so it didn't need to be done…and everyone else is just happy to see this new look of the film, which is all cleaned and pumped up in color, sound and definition.

There is one controversial change to the opening prologue. As we originally know it: "If he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell…" The change: "If he could learn to love a woman, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell…" Really, Disney? If we're talking about unnecessary choices here, let's take a look at this one! Obviously Beast ends up with Belle (a woman)…do we really need to walk on eggshells here to further "comfort" conservatives? I don't think so. The public was perfectly happy with the original prologue. You might as well be spitting on Howard Ashman's grave. Nice, really nice. Personally, I think the original wording sounds nicer, anyway…


This proves that Disney is really trying to get every penny out of America, folks.

And we still don't know when Disney plans on releasing the 3D version in America! There are merely rumors that the 3D version will come out in 2012 or later, so that when Disney releases the 3.0 version of the "home video," more people will have purchased 3D TV's for their homes by then.


Which now brings me to another troubling question – if Disney altered the prologue for the 3D release, then have they altered the prologue for this upcoming Blu-Ray/DVD release as well? It comes out October 5^th, so we don't have to wait too long to find out.


Not all of the merchandise being released with this current set of offerings is bad, by the way. There are a few neat collector's items I found at Disney's official online store, along with an amazing new book called Tale As Old As Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast. And reportedly, this new Blu-Ray/DVD set will contain bonus materials that will go more in-depth and dirty with the behind-the-scenes drama (as this project was originally very different and in others' hands).


But here is my advice to my readers out there: prioritize how you will spend your money. Check things out. Decide what is realistically best for your budget and your home. If you hate 3D or you don't plan on having a 3D screen in your home anytime remotely soon, then perhaps you should get this upcoming release. If not, then perhaps you should wait.


Or you might be like me…totally on the fence.