Disney movie that contains no snow in December. Meh, my list of "not Christmas but during Christmas" flicks are running pretty thin, unless i dig into the "make people suffer this trash" tiers or someone introduces me to some I don't know. At any rate, get your "culturally insensitive" safari hats (because that's the world we live in) on, it's time to hop in the jungle and learn that even in nature, cats are still jerks even when every other animal can talk are friendlier than most people.
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With leaves falling in waves, I figured we'd capitalize on it by showing a surf movie! If anyone saw that coming, you best consider yourself psychic and start going after some lottery tickets or something, cause you've got a gift. A gift, much like our titular Surf Ninjas! As always, feeling obligated to leave a cliffhanger to further draw you in to the opinion piece, I'll throw in a pun here so I can (largely) spare you them later. Is this reel most excellent, or will it be all washed up?
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I promised people some nostalgia, I give some nostalgia. Goosebumps is one of those things that I'd be hard pressed to imagine a person not hearing about. The books that we all used to read as kids, the television show, even just the fundamental premise of spooky stories that aren't so hard-laced as to be unapproachable by children - things of nightmare, and yet still child-like. Certainly, what once haunted us as kids could be left behind as age stacks like the volumes of books available though, only to find one day an old name coming back to the light as something new. Tonight's entry - the 2015 Goosebumps movie. I'll try not to pun you to death.
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It wouldn't be a proper trip down memory lane for most people if it didn't involve in some shape or form Disney. I can only conceive some Disney thinkers surrounding a cauldron, mixing in some typical formulas, some kid actors, some Halloween spirit, and someone just bumbles in the Three Stooges prompting them all to look on in shock and awe as their brew comes to life. Is it awesome, or is it awful? Did it withstand the test of time when years later that haunting nostalgia gets added to the witching brew? Saddle your broom and lets find out.
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There are plenty of superheros out there these days. Heck, they are all over the place, and super popular with the mainstream audiences if box office draws are anything to say about it. It's almost safe to wager that about half or more are probably even spat out by the Marvel set, which ironically is owned by Disney (as far as film studios go). Some would even say that this is when "comic movies finally started to get good," but some might forget that Disney's done superheros before. On today's sprawl, we check out one such of those movies - try not to get Elton John stuck in your head.
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What, don't look at me like that. Sometimes a grown man just feels like watching some Scooby-Doo. I admit, it is a change of pace from recent movies, but that's never a bad thing. Anyways, seems like the Scooby gang has gotten themselves mixed up in a mystery that involves a popular (at least to people old as I) rock band. Will it rock your world?
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If you check these out on a weekly basis, then it should be no surprise to you that this movie comes as the butt of a pun that I've spread across the entire month (showing horror movies dealing with Christmas-time only to be followed up by the Nightmare before Christmas on the night before Christmas). Gotta respect a guy for the effort, right? At this point in time, there is already a pretty sizable audience that has already at the very least heard of this movie, so it seems a bit redundant to even put up opinions for it - but then I always remember that even something as recent as 1993 can be new to someone in a time future, so I do it anyways. Slap on your red suits and rattle your bones, let's see if Halloween took over Christmas, or Christmas took over Halloween.
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My sister got married just last weekend, so I decided to use it as an excuse to break out another one of the "old guns" for this week. Even if you haven't seen it, I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard someone quoting it and just not known what they where on about. The real question isn't if this is a good movie - of that I'll go into detail later - but does it hold up well enough that it would still be a good movie for a newer generation. I'd argue that it should just fine, but at the same time if you look at some modern movie goers surely a little resistance wouldn't be Inconceivable!
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Are you a big fan of Cinco de Mayo? Maybe you love marionettes? Perhaps your even just bedazzled by fabulous wooden mustaches? This movie might have something for you if you nodded furiously for any of those question. Either way, lets find out if this movie can really pull your strings the right way, or if it's colorful best is found to just be a giant bull.
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There are a lot of people that know of Speed Racer - most are probably familiar with the old school anime/cartoon with hyper-fast monologs and nigh seizure inducing two-frame backgrounds. Some of us may have enjoyed it, and some of us may not. There's even a set of people out there that will punch you for singing the theme song (just trust me on that one, okay?). To little fanfare, someone decided they had to turn this into a live-action movie with some heavy CG. Will it race it's way into your heart, or will your attention speed on by?
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Disney, the place of magic. Even a macho man can find something they like amidst the ever-growing licenses nestled under Disney's imaginative wings. BH6 has a pitch that interests me - superheros, animation, and of course robots. I love robots - small robots, big robots, boxing robots, shooting robots, intelligent robots and controlled robots - to the point that I can recall a certain line such as "Chicks dig giant robots," regardless of how accurate that may or may not be. The question here is if I can find it in my heart to love a squishy Disney robot. Will it be the big hero Disney deserves, or just another in the 6-dozen other Disney movies on your shelf?
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I like to mention the fact that I love some practical effects. It's that love of practical effects (and certainly some distant memories floating around in my scattered brain) that leads me to movies such as The Dark Crystal. Most people (at least in my age bracket) will recognize the name Jim Henson - and too some, his work has had a profound impact on their lives. Granted, it takes more than just some well made effects and puppetry to make a good movie, so can this crystal shine with the radiance of a true gem, or will you anxiously await getting out of the dark and doing something else?
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Tons of movies get remade these days. Sometimes the only thing even remotely resembling the movie it's being remade from ends up being a title. Earth to Echo, from all pre-gathered trailer knowledge, strives to not be a remake in the strictest of senses, but instead be a bit of a modern take on the last generations big kids and alien friendship movies - E.T. Can a bit of new polish make it warm it's out of this world little way into your heart, or will you wish this too to be buried deep in a desert landfill? Yes, I know that was just the Atari game and not the movie, but I feel the compulsory need to make bad jokes, so just give it to me this time.
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Do you pine for the days of old, where cartoons had awesome rock music and vibrant lasers flying everywhere? A time before Michael Bay tried to recreate everything with trademark explosions, slow motion spinning cameras, and action that's nearly impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys during it's hectic dancing of CG? Let's go back in time and visit our old (and some new) friends in the Autobots and Decepticons in all their animated glory. Will it be more than meets the eye, or will you wish you had rolled out before it started?
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Get in the Christmas spirit with a tale about Martians finding what it means to have the Christmas spirit! Most will remember this one from MST3K well before they remember it by itself I would wager, but it's at least certainly something different from the normal stable of television-run Christmas flicks. Different is good, right? He may conquer the martians, but find out if good ole Santy Clause can conquer your heart too.
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I like anime. It doesn't always crop up in movies though, as I feel the vast majority of it is actually pretty well serial based as opposed to movie based. That being said, with a title like Legend of the Millennium Dragon, I couldn't resist. Dragons, and legends? How could it go wrong? Well, we'll just need to find out if its a legendary experience or just one of those movies that drag on
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Muppets go way back with plenty of the young adult to semi-adult audience, and at the very least are a generally recognizable by name. I'm sure some younger audience members may have been introduced by their parents, possibly their friends, and I'm not even going to wager on the actual audience distribution as far as gender and age as a whole. That being said, it's obviously going to be a family-friendly movie - as I don't think a Muppet movie has ever not been - with at least one number of song and dance in it. Normally these aren't my things, but ever now and then I like to diversify my viewing experience, but the real question is whether or not this was something that makes me want to add it to the wanted list, or send it to a Siberian prison and hope I never see it again.
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Although I guess my family is somehow related to the original author or some such thing, I've never really been incredibly fond of The Wizard of Oz. I know there's tons of people who love it, including my mother, but it never really quite grabbed me enough where it's a movie that I'll sit down and watch intentionally. That being said, it might seem an odd choice for me to decide to watch Oz, but we all know I'm pretty non-judgemental when I first go into a movie regardless of what I expect since I've been surprised by a flick on more than one occasion. It helps that the sultry vixen Mila Kunis is in there too, I can assure you that. Of course, I get ahead of myself - it's not a matter of why I decided to watch the movie that you are here to learn, but rather what I thought of it. Did it soar on the winds like a hot air balloon, or did I find it to turn a little green in the face?
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Childhood dreams were quite the focus back in the 80's, which led to a lot of movies that a lot of people can relate to. Of course, when I say relate to, I don't think a lot of us ever had the events of the movies happen to us, but who hasn't gotten slightly restless and wanted to journey the world or fantasized about being famous or important? It's a wonderful little starting point to get us involved in the fun entertainment about to unfold, even when the experiences are out of this world. Starfighter tells you mostly everything you need to know in the title, so with luck you've already decide that that much sounds at least interesting enough to read this.
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"Hey you guys!" A line that is possibly the most recognizable and quoted movie line ever heard, The Goonies is all about adventure and excitement in a family friendly romp. A natural classic that bewilders the minds of those who love it, and hardly ever not liked (although there are some out there who don't seem to like it as much, but to each their own). It is a tale that stands up to time, even if at times it's age shines through the camera.
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