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twistedtummies2 · 1 year

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Fifteen Days of Disney Magic - Number 9

Welcome to Fifteen Days of Disney Magic! In honor of the company’s 100th Anniversary, I am counting down my Top 15 Favorite Movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios! If you hoped today’s entry would make the cut on my list, then wish granted! Number 9 is…Aladdin.

“Aladdin” has become a slightly controversial film in recent years, for reasons I won’t go into. However, for most people, I think it’s fair to say it’s one of Disney’s most popular and well-respected franchises, and it’s definitely one of the most wild. The film takes a deliberately more comedic, free-spirited kind of look at its source material; from Robin Williams as the pop-culture-reference-spouting Genie, to Gilbert Gottfried as the loudmouth Iago, to various visual and musical elements that feel more like a cross between Las Vegas and stereotypical Bollywood than any sort of authentic interpretation of Arabian culture. It’s a very modern and comical sort of feature, when compared to the more timeless take on things with “Beauty and the Beast.” This film is essentially the precursor to movies like “Hercules” and “The Emperor’s New Groove,” which also take on a more humorous, almost satirical sort of tone with their stories and aesthetic elements. What I think sets Aladdin apart from those two films, however, and what makes it better than so many later movies that would take inspiration from it, is its heart. Which isn't to say those later films DIDN'T have heart, but I think Aladdin's soft center is much more pronounced, so to speak. The lessons it teaches are simple ones, but handled very interestingly. It’s a story about honesty, destiny, acceptance, and a willingness to change things for the betterment of the world around you. Aladdin, himself, is quite possibly one of my favorite Disney protagonists: he’s a very human character, as from start to finish we sympathize with him. Even when he makes choices we don’t agree with, we understand why he’s making them and we hope he’ll figure out a way to manage things. He’s also a classic underdog character, as he starts off as someone at the bottom of the ladder and has to find ways to reach the top. Once he falls off again, however, he’s quick to use his wits, courage, and personal skills to make sure things are fixed. The other characters are very memorable, too: Jafar is one of Disney’s most popular villains, and one of my Top 10 favorites, for good reason. Jasmine is a strong female presence in the story, the Sultan is loveably redonculous, Iago is fun, Abu is cute…and do I even need to say that the Genie is probably Robin Williams’ single greatest movie performance of all time? (Well…aside from maybe Mrs. Doubtfire.) Just like the movie, the character was influential on a lot of later films, both by Disney and even by other rival companies. Off topic from the characters, the visual style – while obviously exaggerative – is honestly one of my favorite parts of the film. The use of shapes and colors really gives this a uniquely dense, rich sense of aesthetics.

Honestly, I think this is also one of those films I love not only for its own sake, but also for its multitude of spin-offs: as a kid, I watched the Aladdin TV series, and the two direct-to-video sequels to this movie set in that universe, about a bajillion times. As an adult I see the flaws in all of them, but they are still fun and adventurous pieces of work that, in my opinion, do credit to the original. And the original, to this day, is still a Disney film I hold a special place for in my heart. As I said in an earlier entry, choosing between this, “Beauty and the Beast,” "Peter Pan," and one other film was quite tricky. I had to go through a list of criteria to ultimately decide which was really my favorite. “Aladdin” is a movie I refer to a lot in my day-to-day life, and of all the Disney movies out there…honestly, when it comes to the stage versions, there isn’t a single Disney play I think I would want to do more than Aladdin, simply because there are no less than four characters whom I would love to portray and would feel perfectly joyful playing. That’s more than any other stage-from-film version you can find, I think, at least in current existence! And as I said, my general nostalgia for not only this movie, but also its franchise as a whole, is quite pronounced. HOWEVER, Aladdin takes a backseat from the one movie above it because it does falter in one attribute: my writing. I’m not really in a hurry to write anything set in or based on this world, in any way – whether it be my own original work inspired by it, or fanfics I’m commissioned to create – so it loses out for that reason and that reason only. This is, of course, discounting Jamil & Kalim from Twisted Wonderland. I’ll happily write for them any day of the week. ;) Tomorrow, we reach the halfway point of the countdown, with my 8th Favorite Disney Movie! HINT: It Proves the Quote, “The Past Is Never Dead. It Isn’t Even Past.”

#disney #disney 100 #disney 100 special #list #countdown #top 15 disney animated movies #fifteen days of disney magic #number 10 #aladdin #aladdin 1992

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bridoesotherjunk · 2 years

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Please, no more celebrity VAs for the Sonic series. Bring back their original game and cartoon voices. Stop trying to shoehorn the likes of Keanu Reeves or Robert Pattinson or Benedict Cumberbatch in for the role of Shadow, this kind of mentality is the reason poor Colleen O'Shaughnessy keeps getting left out of promotions despite voicing Tails for a decade: because in the public eye, she isn't a "real" actress, she's "just" a voice.

Idris Elba and Ben Schwartz both do GREAT at their respective roles. They were both really great choices. But that's clearly because time and thought and effort went into casting them and then even more time and thought and effort went into portraying them properly. It wasn't just a half-assed "pick random popular celeb of the month" type situation.

All these celeb suggestions I keep seeing really feel like that.

Idris genuinely felt like he was almost at the level of Robin Williams as Genie to me. Everyone kept saying "oh it will just be Idris's voice coming out of the character. It will be too distracting" but it wasn't at all! I honestly forgot quite a few times. He just WAS Knuckles. Just like Colleen IS Tails. There's just an energy and a performance that can't be matched. They BECOME the characters. Voice actors do this so incredibly well. It's why Tom Kenny gets asked to record messages for kids on phones all the time.

Other films it's distracting to hear a misplaced celebrity voice come out of a character. Tina Fey in Soul? Absolutely not. Couldn't NOT see Tina Fey's face. Zendaya in Space Jam 2? Not even close. Very bad choice. Or the infamous one of Rosie O'Donnell in Tarzan. It just takes you out if the choice is wrong. And it is wrong QUITE OFTEN. (Chris Pratt as Mario? Are you kidding me? 🤮)

Do I think someone like Pattinson could do a good job? Yeah. He probably could. But I honestly don't know if he's right for the role. It would be fun for sure, but would it be SHADOW or just Robert Pattinson doing his Batman voice?

#Sonic #Sonic movie 2 #sonic movie 2 spoilers #Sonic the hedgehog #Shadow the hedgehog #Knuckles the echidna #Tails the fox #Sega #Voice actors

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all-or-nothing-baby · 2 years

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Every night you dream that you talk to a genie, when you wake up you can't remember what you wished for. One morning you wake up with a giant crab pincer replacing your right arm. What do you do?

I call Kafka on his mobile and ask how best to proceed. Only Kafka doesn't answer, the shit. He never answers.

So. I phone in sick to the garage—thanking Mexican baby Jesus and Philip K. Dick for the invention of the speaker phone because, you know, only one hand—and try to get dressed without hacking off any skin with the new serrated limb. But then it hits me: why on earth am I getting dressed? Am I really going to leave the house like this? No, I realise, I most certainly am not.

Instead, I call up my good buddy Cate Blanchett, because she gets the best dope. Cate is filming but I ask her assistant if they can drop me off some Salvia, pronto, which they do; I have to get high af if I'm to figure out what to do next.

Smoking with a pincer is actually easier and cooler than you might imagine.

While off by tits and talking to a chair, I realise that I'm talking to a chair, and it then tells me to get my damn shit together. Thinking really, really hard (honestly it almost hurts in this state), the solution to the issue of WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK DO I DO NOW?! hits me: dreamwalking. Obviously.

Humming like George Harrison playing a sitar, I manage to drift off...

"Nanu-Nanu!" says Mork of Mork & Mindy fame when I open my eyes.

I smile and answer, "Wrong Robin Williams character! Sorry, Dream Robin Williams!" and swim away through the dream to the next realm...

"Oh captain! My captain!"...

"To Live would be an awfully big adventure!"...

"Make your life spectacular!"...

Floating, floating.

Until, finally, "To be my own master..."

"Genie! It's me, Crab Dream boy!"

The genie sighs, deep and audible. How very out of character, you think.

"Oh, yay. You're back. What do you want this time, hmm? Knees of an ant? A snake's chin?" He laughs to himself, a little cruelly.

Something is very wrong.

"I don't remember how I remember but somehow, I know this: you tricked me into asking for the pincer, didn't you?"

"Why, watever do you mean, child?"

A sick feeling washes over me. "You're not him, are you? " but it's not really a question, and the so-called genie, they know it.

And it's at that moment that Thor, the God of Thunder (MCU version) arrives on the bifrost, wielding Stormbreaker which, yeah, is cool af and everything, but in all honesty you'd be lying through your perfectly straight teeth if you said you weren't just a little disappointed it isn't Mjolnir.

He looks at me. Looks at my pincer-hand. Looks at the 'genie'.

Then, like a lightning bolt slicing through the atmosphere, it clicks.

The genie tricked me. The genie is mean. The genie is blue (and yeah, okay, that last bit tracks but still).

"Loki!" both Thor and I exclaim simultaneously.

... and that's where I wake, the sound of maniacal yet loveable laughter already fading like the sound of ocean the crab pincer came from swooshing in an invisible seashell.

A dream within a dream. How very Inception of me.

Blinking furiously, the laptop comes into still blurry view.

"Back in the walking world I see, Parrish."

Ronan.

"Barely. Ego had mirabilem somnia..."

Ro looks at me like I'm a clown.

"You had the strangest of dreams. Really."

Ronan had up dreamed live crabs only last month, filled my dorm room with them. Along with my new motorbike. Being the boyfriend of a dreamer who actually brings back the objects he drabs shit does have its advantages, as well as the opposite.

"Do you think it's possible my dreams feel more real when I sleep next to you?"

Ronan scoffs. "If they are, that has to be the least weird thing about us, Adam."

I smile. "The least weird thing about us, Ronan Lynch, is the combined amount of time you spend on Tumblr while in a magical farm yard, and how many times I can half-consume the Marvel movies while studying for never ending tests and at the same time manage to low-key vibe with local leylines," I tell him.

"Touché."

As Ronan texts Gansey, Blue and Henry, I attempt to get back to my trifecta of unrelated tasks, trying my very best not to fall asleep again.

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365days365movies · 3 years

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April 12, 2021: Mrs. Doubtfire (1992) (Recap)

Hey, Robin Williams. Been a while.

I’m sorry that I haven’t watched your movies for a while, and that I always skip your comedy stand-up when my phone’s on shuffle. I just...let me explain. Since I was a kid, you were one of my favorite entertainers. That might as well have started the day I was born, because...well, we share a birthday, fun fact. But it definitely continued with the first movie I ever saw in theatres.

While I don’t quite remember the first time I saw it, Aladdin was one of my favorite childhood movies, and I knew that you were the voice of the Genie from an early age. You might have actually been the first actor I ever knew by name. Which makes sense, because your stardom during the ‘90s was nearly unparalleled.

The next film I remember seeing (and hearing) you in was Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. That also starred Tim Curry, who would also be a major figure of my childhood. It also wasn’t the best movie, in hindsight, but it is the only time I’ve heard you rap since.

But eventually, I watched your forays into live-action, too. Jumanji, Hook, even the objectively bad Flubber, are all movies that I vividly remember watching during childhood. I was really excited for Flubber, even, and I LOVED Jumanji growing up. I liked Hook, too, but I appreciated that more as I got older.

Of course, during this time period, you also made less family-friendly films. The Fisher King, Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, and What Dreams May Come were all very successful, and cemented your reputation as an actor. I also haven’t seen any of them. In fact...I don’t think I’ve seen any of your dramatic roles, and that’s something that I’ll fix this year. Hell, in a few days, I’ll watch The Birdcage, another of your big hits of the ‘90s.

But why haven’t I seen them up to now? Well...I was going to watch these films, about seven years ago. But...I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it. Because it hurts. A lot.

I know that this is a downer, but my relationship with Robin Williams today is tainted by his tragic death. I was fucking BROKEN when his death was announced, and I really haven’t been able to watch him since. I’ve seen Aladdin recently, but that’s about all I could stand to watch. I mean, the guy shares a birthday with me! I’ve always loved his comedy stylings, and his improvisational skills are something I’ve internalized to a certain degree.

So, yeah. This one’s tough. But, it’s about time I moved on, and celebrated the man’s career for what it was: stellar. And that also brings up an important question, that some of you have probably asked by now:

HOW HAVE I MISSED MRS. DOUBTFIRE, WHAT THE FUCK

I KNOW I KNOW OK?

Look, I’m not entirely sure how I haven’t seen this movie, because I’m MORE than aware of it! I remember it airing during the ‘90s, my Dad AND girlfriend love this movie, and I know FOR A FACT that my family owned both the DVD AND THE VHS of this movie! So, how? HOW HAVE I NOT SEEN IT BY NOW?

I honestly have no idea, but let’s fix it now, huh? Yet one more man-dresses-as-woman movie this month! And no, I am not watching White Chicks...because I’ve already seen White Chicks. Also, it’s...problematic.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) is a voice-actor, and a good one. Which, given that it’s Robin Williams, isn’t entirely inaccurate. He’s also a voice actor with a spine, as he morally objects to a scene in the cartoon that he’s performing for, in which the main character smokes. By the way, I’m 99% sure that this cartoon is animated by Chuck Jones, and it looks well-made.

Anyway, this leads to him quitting the cartoon altogether, and allows him to pick up his kids early from school. These kids are Lydia (Lisa Hykub), Chris (Matthew Lawrence), and Natalie (Mara Wilson), and it’s Chris’ 12th birthday. Daniel arranges a...surprisingly large party, given that it’s completely impromptu, and it comes with a petting zoo and complete trappings. However, it’s not a party of which his wife will approve.

This wife is Miranda (Sally Field), a successful architect and the breadwinner of the family. After getting a call from the neighbor about the party, she comes home and busts the outrageous party. And for the record, I’m entirely on Miranda’s side here. This party is INSANE, and very irresponsible, given the fact that Daniel currently has no job. And yeah, he’s a very loving father, and a good person, but...it’s too much.

Miranda feels the same, and after 14 years of frustration, she realizes that she no longer loves Daniel. In a genuinely sad scene, she tells him that she wants a divorce. And she goes through with it MUCH to Daniel’s detriment. He has no home, as he’s staying with his brother, Frank (Harvey Fierstein) and his partner Jack (Scott Capurro). He also still has no job, meaning that he has no way to provide for his children. This means that he has no ability to provide, and the judge awards Miranda full custody. Oof.

However, this is a conditional arrangement, as another hearing for joint custody will be held in 3 months, and if Daniel can get a home and job in that time, he has a chance. He performs a litany of voices and impressions with his court liason, Mrs. Sellner (Anne Haney), which amuses me, but not her, and he gets a job in order to be with his kids for more than one day a week.

Meanwhile, Miranda IMMEDIATELY starts dating fellow designer and old flame Stuart Dunmeyer (Pierce Brosnan), like, almost before Daniel leaves the house. He bids a heartfelt goodbye to his kids, with the promise that he’ll see them on Saturdays. And now begins the absolute hatred and petty bitchiness of Daniel and Miranda! Seriously, it’s...it’s fucking terrible, and it takes away from my sympathy from either side. I get that divorce is rough and ugly, but GODDAMN, neither of them perform the act with any form of tact or grace.

This is put on display during the kids’ visitation to Daniel’s semi-crappy new apartment, which doesn’t even seem that bad, to be honest. Miranda dropped them off late and picked them up early, as if to slowly starve Daniel of time with his kids, which is extraordinarily shitty of her, fuck me. Daniel’s not taking it well, understandably, but then does something...really dumb, when you think about it.

See, Miranda’s looking for a nanny, to help watch the kids and clean the house during the week. Daniel volunteers his services, which is actually a good idea, but Miranda says she’ll think about it, which we ALL know means no. I DO NOT like Miranda, even if I understand the initial reasons for the divorce. She’s being especially spiteful, and it’s not a good look.

Daniel’s stupid idea, though, is to change the phone number on the ad for the nanny, which Miranda shows him before she takes the kids. Instead, he calls her number, and pretends to be various terrible applicants, until finally supplying his own applicant: the completely fictional Euphegenia Doubtfire (Daniel Hillard).

Daniel plays Mrs. Doubtfire as an elderly British woman, and a seasoned nanny in her day. Which is why it’s weird to me that, when he does to Frank and Jack to help him make an elaborate disguise as Mrs. Doubtfire, that they go through various other impressions and get-ups. Which, yes, is goddamn hilarious, but also makes NO SENSE, given that they’ve already established her character to Miranda. Funny, but nonsensical.

But, regardless, Euphegenis Doubtfire comes into being, and introduces herself to Miranda and the kids. Mrs. Doubtfire is exactly what Miranda’s looking for, although the kids aren’t exactly overjoyed, ESPECIALLY the oldest, Lydia. Also, during this first meeting, Miranda openly bad-mouths Daniel in front of the kids, in just the WORST fuckin’ way. I genuinely dislike Miranda A LOT. Again, the divorce was certainly justified, but I REALLY don’t like her. Daniel loves his kids, and they’re HIS kids, TOO. Stop using them as weapons against him, OOOOOOOOOOOH I DON’T LIKE MIRANDA

Anyway, that evening, after she’s officially been hired by Miranda, Mrs. Doubtfire heads home, only to find court liason Mrs. Sellner waiting to speak with Daniel. After a litany of puns, and a humorous changing scene, Daniel accidentally throws the Mrs. Doubtfire mask out of the window, and is forced to improvise through equally humorous circumstances. Hence, the above meringue mask scene. Has anybody tried that, by the way? Could that work as a groundbreaking beauty technique? Or would the sugar just feed the skin bacteria and give you acne? Genuinely curious.

Now going between his job as Daniel and the nanny job as Doubtfire, Daniel’s not doing too badly for himself. The nanny job begins, and Mrs. Doubtfire IMMEDIATELY contrasts with Daniel, creating a disciplinarian atmosphere in place of Daniel’s formerly loosey-goosey attitude. Which is interesting, and it works! I mean, it’s not how I would parent, but it does work. Doubtfire makes the kids to their homework, rather than watch TV, and then attempts to make dinner. Instead, though, the dinner’s ruined, and Daniel orders takeout and makes it LOOK like homemade food. And it looks good, too! Daniel’s full of hidden talents.

After dinner, as Mrs. Doubtfire’s leaving, Lydia apologizes for backtalking her earlier, and thanks her for making her mom happy with everything she did that evening. he also says that she’s still a bit messed up about her dad being gone. And yeah, it’s sweet-but-sad.

Going forward (and in a montage set to Aerosmith’s Dude Looks Like a Lady), Mrs. Doubtfire takes care of the family, and Daniel even betters himself to become a better Mrs. Doubtfire. Which...to be honest, Daniel REALLY should’ve done this before. I get that he needed the pressure of losing the kids to do this, but...look, Daniel really wasn’t that responsible of a parent, and the fact that THIS is how he learns to be so is...not great. Like, here’s an example, OK: take Donald Trump.

Yeah, I know, what’s this politics doing in my peanut butter? And WOW, that reference is older than me, but anyway. Let’s say that, in two years, a new politician comes on the scene, and her name is Karyn Walldottir. She has somewhat centrist views, and behaves in a way that’s inclusive to the majority, and backs up her claims and promises with evidence (at least true enough for us to suspend our disbelief). This is, of course, Donald Trump disguised as a woman in order to gain custody of the United States of America again. Naturally.

Karyn Walldottir gets elected in 2024, and all of her policies are markedly different from Trump’s and Biden’s, but leaning closer to Biden in progressive standpoints (assuming that that worked for him come 2024). While Trump is doing this specifically to be president again, he ends up revising his personal policies, and being a better person and president for the country. A literal impossibility, I know. But suspend your disbelief to ask this question:

WHY THE FUCK WOULDN’T HE DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE? IT MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE!

OK, now that that dumbass (and mildly horrifying) thought process is concluded, let’s get back to Mrs. Doubtfire. In the process of Mrs. Doubtfire’s ingratiation with the family, Miranda’s been dating Stu, whom Mrs. Doubtfire subtly insults when they meet. And yeah, Daniel’s being a little petty here, but it makes a bit of sense at least.

That night, after an accidental intrusion by Chris when Mrs. Doubtfire is going to the bathroom, Daniel’s basically forced to tell Chris and Lydia his little secret, which Lydia’s happy about, but Chris is understandably weirded out about. But, they agree to keep the secret from their mom and younger sister.

At his OTHER job, delivering film reels from a TV station, he witnesses the filming of an extremely boring kids educational TV show, and comments as such to another man watching. As he quickly learns, this is the owner of the station, Jonathan Lundy (Robert Prosky), on whom Daniel makes a good impression.

In the meantime, Mrs. Doubtfire has a talk with Miranda about their love lives, real and fictional. Daniel realizes how badly Miranda had been suffering in their marriage, which she never told him because...well, he never seemed to take anything seriously. Which is entirely fair...but this is why Miranda’s a tricky-ass character. She’s got two sides: there’s the justified caring mother and strong woman, and there’s the PETTY ASSHOLE who genuinely doesn’t care about Daniel or his feelings AT ALL. Jesus.

And Stu...look, Stu is LITERALLY a Gary Stu, who’s mostly perfect. Sure, he’s not always been that way, but he definitely is now! He’s responsible, wealthy, in love with Miranda AND her kids. And yeah, at a country club that he’s a member of (OF COURSE he is), he privately badmouth Daniel in front of Mrs. Doubtfire, calling him a loser, and...yeah, he’s not really unjustified in that statement. Fact of the matter is, Stu is barely even a plot device.

Meanwhile, in Daniel’s day job, he finds himself alone in the studio, where the toy dinosaurs from the TV show are still sitting on the table. He plays with them, gives them voices, sings some songs, and impresses Mr. Lundy, who’s there in the shadows after all that. He’s impressed, and invites Daniel to dinner to talk about a potential future show at the network.

But then, it’s also Miranda’s birthday coming up, and Stu’s holding a dinner for her, to which Mrs. Doubtfire is invited. Trouble is, it’s at the OH FUCK IT. YOU know what this is. It’s at the same time and place as the Mr. Lund meeting yaddayaddayadda LOOK. We ALL know how this is going to end. It’s the GODDAMN LIAR REVEALED TROPE AGAIN. And here’s the thing:

I FUGGIN’ HAAAAAATE THE LIAR REVEALED TROPE

You know, that thing in movies (especially family movies of the ‘90s) where somebody starts off a situation with a lie, they get deeper and deeper into that lie, grow close to people under false pretenses, and then OH NO! THE LIAR IS REVEALED! And everybody’s angry and/or sad, the liar slumps off, defeated and broken, but then realizes the error of his ways, while everybody else realizes the same thing, and he comes back to vindicate himself, and is welcomed back with open arms. And it introduces unneeded tension AND I HAVE ALWAYS FUCKING HATED IT.

Let’s list the examples, shall we? A Bug’s Life, Aladdin, Mulan, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken Run, How to Train Your Dragon, Klaus, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Megamind (SUBVERSIVE MY ASS), Over the Hedge, Rango, Toy Story, Steven Universe (the whole Pearl/Sardonyx arc, which went on for WAY too long), the list goes on and fucking on. And I GODDAMN HATE IT. Not to say it can’t be done well. Disney actually usually does a pretty good job with it, and Dreamworks uses it A LOT, but almost always pretty well. But sometimes...GOD. Either way, it’s still used FAR too fucking much. And look. Here’s another one. Joy.

Look, at this point...I will freely admit that I'm biased against this trope, but it’s also obvious where this is headed. Basically, Daniel switches back and forth between the dinner with the family, and the dinner with Mr. Lundy. With Mr. Lundy, he gets absolutely SMASHED. Great. Great decision, Daniel.

So, yeah, Mrs. Doubtfire’s also smashed, which is pretty goddamn apparent to them all. At this point, I’m wondering why Daniel, as Mrs. Doubtfire, didn’t just say she was sick as hell, and had to go home. Or, considering the fact that Daniel proposes her as a show idea regardless, the switch wasn’t even necessary! And that means that none of what’s about to happen, happens. Or, here’s a crazy thought, maybe Daniel shouldn’t have POISONED STU’S FOOD WITH CAYENNE PEPPER THAT HE’S ALLERGIC TO!

YEAH! Because that causes Stu to go into anaphylactic shock for a hot sec, causing him to choke. Mrs. Doubtfire does the right thing and gives him the Heimlich maneuver, and in the process, SURPRISE! IT’S BEEN DANIEL ALL ALONG! BUH BUH BUHHHHH DA DA DA DAAAAA DA

Yeah, so Miranda is understandably ENRAGED by this revelation, and it’s all over. Daniel represents himself in court at the custody hearing, but the judge deems his “lifestyle” dangerous for children. Which...yikes, Judge, that statement didn’t age well AT FUCKING ALL. But, given Daniel’s admitted stupidity with this whole idea, he’s not wrong about the dangerous part. But, I have to say, Daniel’s speech in his own defense is nice...although he also says he’s addicted to his children, so let’s throw a second yikes on there for good measure.

The speech moves Miranda...but not enough to prevent Daniel has his custody stripped away from him! GOD THEY BOTH SUUUUUUUUCK. Daniel’s a broken man, and Miranda and the kids are similarly broken without him and Mrs. Doubtfire. However...Daniel’s career isn’t broken AT ALL, as Mrs. Doubtfire is now a kid’s show host! Yeah! And she’s a hit! And again, it brings me to wonder why Daniel DIDN’T APPLY HIS OBVIOUS TALENTS LIKE THIS IN THE FIRST GODDAMN PLACE

Realizing that she made a mistake, she goes to the set during the filming of a show. She congratulates him on the show, and he replies by stating how broken he is now! Thanks, Miranda! Well, after an argument, and after Miranda sees how badly she’s messed up someone she used to care for, they come to an agreement: joint custody. FINALLY GODDAMN IT

And good, because I don’t want them back together. I have to give this film props for that: they acknowledge that these two are NOT good for each other, and they deliver a message in the end: families are families, no matter how they’re shaped. One mom, one dad, uncle or aunt, grandparents, adoption, two separated or divorced parents...oh, also, two dads or two moms. Yeah, that isn’t said in Mrs. Doubtfire’s final monologue, which is odd considering Daniel’s brother and his life partner...but it’s also kid’s TV in the ‘90s, so I guess that sadly makes sense. And with that, and their new family arrangement, Daniel takes his kids on an afternoon out, as himself.

...Look. That’s Mrs. Doubtfire, yaddayaddayadda LOOK. I don’t dislike this movie. In fact, here: have this mini-Review:

Cast and Acting - 9/10: Good, although Brosnan was a little stiff.

Plot and Writing - 5/10: It’s an idiot plot, what can I say? It’s actually based off of a book, which was a surprise to me, but it was adapted by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, and...eh. Still an idiot plot.

Directing and Cinematography - 8/10: It’s Chris Columbus, you get what you get. Definitely has that Home Alone flair to it.

Production and Art Design - 8/10: I mean, yeah, the Doubtfire disguise was good most of the time, but...I dunno, I could still tell it was Robin. But, still, it was good. Took 4 hours of makeup, fun fact.

Music and Editing - 8/10: Music by Howard Shore (ooh, Howard Shore!) was pretty nice, especially the ending theme. Editing by Raja Gosnell was...RAJA GOSNELL???

OH GOD. Yeah, OK, I see what happened here. Also, I didn’t know he was an editor! I just know him as the director of the Scooby-Doo films, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, The Smurfs films, Big Momma’s...

...OK, no, I am not doing Big Momma’s House OR the Madea movies. THE TROPE-BUCK STOPS HERE! I am moving on to something else! But, of course, I have to sum this up in a Review. See you there!

#mrs. doubtfire #mrs doubtfire #chris columbus #robin williams #sally field #pierce brosnan #harvey fierstein #robert prosky #mara wilson #comedy april #user365 #365days365movies #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365 movies a year #moviegifs

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letoscrawls · 4 years

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What are your Extremely Italian Opinions? Anything from politics to pasta, drop some hot takes

mmmmm good question! even though i'm not a proud italian as i'm very critical of this country and i'd love to live abroad in the future, i do have typical italian opinions that i'm ready to die for. I’m sure these will be mainly about food, but let’s see:

-say whatever you want, but italian food is the best food in the entire world, not only it’s healthy but it’s also delicious and no nation can compare :) no you can’t change my mind :) every time i watch Ratatouille i cringe so bad at the beginning when they say that French cuisine is known to be the best in the world??? that’s so false and i don’t even find it funny, we italians take food so seriously and if you dare criticize something about our food we take it very personal, yes, IT IS THAT DEEP.

-idk if it's a take but i find it funny that we don't use ice that much?? like i was so shocked to learn that smoothies are made WITH ICE?? we almost never use it, we definitely don't put it in coffee and we have this strange belief that ice gives you stomachache, especially if you want to take a bath, we usually wait two or three hours before taking a bath after a meal, especially if there's ice in it somewhere lol i think it's a typical Italian Grandma Advice but we all follow it religiously. Even though i know it's bizarre i can't help but wait at least two hours after my meal before having any kind of contact with water

-No one dubs movies and cartoons like italians. Our voice actors are superior (but the italian Rebels dub is terrible, don’t watch Rebels in italian, everyone sounds very bad except for Thrawn, surprisingly his voice better than the original and i've already talked about this in my ig stories some time ago haha) and i often watch shows and movies in italian even tho it's "trendy" nowadays to watch everything in english. Tbh i think that a country with a strong tradition of voice acting shouldn't neglect it in favor of the original language, just because something was made in english it doesn't make it better. For example, the prequel trilogy is insanely better in italian, while i love Hayden's performance as Anakin i think that sometimes...it lacks emotion? the italian dub makes up for those parts, i couldn't understand why international fans used to despise the PT so much at first, especially the acting. There isn't one single character in the prequels that sounds bad, really. Same thing goes for Disney classics, i find them 100% funnier in italian (the most memorable example is Emperor's New Groove, the main characters are voiced by some of the funniest comedians we have, they all did an amazing job), even tho some characters are voiced by celebrities who don't do voice acting on a regular basis the result is always phenomenal. Honorable mention to the Genie in Aladdin who is voiced by Gigi Proietti, an actor and comedian of immesurable talent who passed away a few days ago, his performance is on the same level of Robin Williams' imo. So yeah, i'm a huge fan of italian voice acting in case you didn't notice

-regarding politics, lots of people here say that we have the "best democracy in the world" or something like that.........eh, i highly doubt it. I hate this country because there is no meritocracy, you're most likely to succeed if you have good connections or a powerful family. The worst part is that this applies to EVERYTHING and it's terrible. Also there's a big imbalance between North Italy and South Italy, so it's hard to succeed and have access to a good education if you're born in the South and you're poor. And it's a shame. I was lucky enough to live near a very good university so i pay for taxes and nothing else, but only those who are born in wealthy families in the south can afford university in the north as universities in the south are not that good in general. it's really a shame bc south italy is freaking beautiful but the government doesn't spend the same amount of time, energy and money and that's also one of the reasons crime rates are so high there. truly every single issue in Italy could be resolved by funding our education system but most politicians don't give a flying fuck about it and it shows :/

-University in italy is considered a privilege, something that people do because they are too lazy to go to work and get "a real job". we have one of the lowest rates of student getting a degree in europe and yet a lot of people are expected to be jobless for years after graduating uni. it's crazy. there is no respect or consideration for university students since you're not obliged by law to attend one but it's your choice. university professors are terrible, they act like we don't have a personal life and in most cases will make everything so hard that you'll need to take an exam even 15 times before passing it. a friend of mine who is a prodigy in Math attended a really good university in Switzerland and he told me that you can take exams a max of 3 times there but you usually don't need to because they are much easier to pass?? also exams are so hard to pass, my degree is a living hell, you have to take multiple tests, do projects and assignments to pass one freaking exam, while the entire world has the paper system, so you basically write a paper and then the teacher grades it and guess what??? YOU LEARN STUFF ANYWAY. i hate that university in italy takes so much years, tears and mental energy to finish and this leads me to my next point

-healthcare. Italy has one of the best healthcare systems in the world because, well, it's free! You have some kind of bills to pay, but they are not as expensive as in the US, the country got a huge debt at some point in the 60s/70s (i guess??) to afford free healthcare but it was really worth it!! HOWEVER, i think it's pointless to have free healthcare for literally anything besides mental health. sadly, mental health is a tough topic here, if you suffer from a mental illness you're considered crazy, an attention seeker, incapable of being a normal citizen and stuff like that. therapists are super expensive and only wealthy people can afford them. personally, i can't afford one and i would love to since i suffer from anxiety and maybe other things (but i guess i'll never know since my country doesn't give a fuck lmao). and university students are most likely to have mental health issues due to the terrible conditions we live in, yet society ignores us, this results in very high suicide rates among students in their twenties. i honestly hate it so fucking much, especially because studying psychology is considered "easy" and you'll probably be jobless after your degree. psychologists are doctors, they deserve to be paid like any other doctor because they save lives, for real.

So uhm this was supposed to be funny but ended being very critical hahahaha

#ask #long post #THIS TOOK ME WEEKS TO WRITE WTF #hahahaha

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magenta-fantasies · 3 years

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Magenta Fantasies Reviews and Ranks Disney Sequel Films: Aladdin and the King of Thieves

And just in case you didn’t notice, it stars Robin Williams!

Hello and welcome to Magenta Fantasies Reviews and Ranks Disney Sequel Films!

Today I’ll discuss the third Disney animated sequel film, Aladdin and the King of Thieves! This is also the first (and one of the few) Disney films that is a sequel to a sequel. Curiously, both bookended the Aladdin TV series (which I vaguely recall watching as a child.) Aladdin II: The Return of Jafar served as an indirect pilot, while Aladdin and the King of Thieves served as the finale. Which is the better of the two sequels, you ask? Keep reading!

Have I seen this film before?

Yes, but it was a very long time ago. I don’t remember much of what happened, other than a reveal that I won’t divulge until a little later.

Anticipation: 6/10

I remember enjoying this film, but it’s not as fresh in my mind as Aladdin II: The Return of Jafar.

Opinion of the Original Film: 10/10

See my previous post.

Favorite Moment

The fight to the death between Aladdin and Saluk is delightfully tense, and has some dynamic cinematography reminiscent of that in the fight between Simba and Scar in The Lion King. It’s a surprisingly violent scene for a G-rated film, even if no one really gets hurt. Saluk fights off a shark and swims to shore, and Aladdin is winded, but not injured.

Least Favorite Moment

No. Just no. I understand the symbolic gesture of Aladdin’s father (I never said these reviews would be spoiler-free!) throwing away the Hand of Midas: he is releasing his own dreams and rejecting greed in favor of having his son back in his life. However, it makes absolutely no sense at the point in the scene where it happens, AFTER they already escaped the chamber. To make this scene work, there should have been a moment where Aladdin’s father had to choose between the treasure and Aladdin. For example, let’s say he was standing on a ledge above the rushing water with both Aladdin and the Hand of Midas within reach. He would feel conflicted about which to choose: to complete his lifelong quest and grant himself endless riches or to save his son who has just returned into his life? Then he would reach for Aladdin, using both hands to pull him free from the water while the Hand of Midas sinks beneath the waves.

Other Observations

There are even more Disney references in this film than in the original Aladdin. There are so many that it would take multiple posts to share them all. This particular sequence had some of the Genie’s best visual gags in the film.

As I jokingly pointed out at the beginning of this review, Disney really wanted to emphasize Robin Williams’ presence in the film. It’s almost unheard of for Disney to emphasize a particular voice actor with their animated films.

Plot: 5.5/10

How well-written is the film? Does the pacing flow well or does the film lag or feel rushed in areas? Is the plot cliché or original?

A few thought-provoking questions drive the plot. First is the premise of the wand: if you could ask any one question and get a definitive answer, what would you ask? Truthfully, I’m not sure what I would ask, probably something about my future or the future in general. Second is the theme of finding something you sought and realizing it is not what you thought: Aladdin seeks to find his father, but his father is the King of Thieves and creates conflict for Aladdin throughout the film. Would Aladdin have been better off not knowing or searching for his father? Aladdin even says, “Everything was perfect before he came into my life.”

Aside from a few scenes of contrivance and stupidity (Aladdin and co. didn’t think to tie up, lock up or otherwise incapacitate Saluk on the Vanishing Isle after they first catch him off guard? Even though Aladdin and his father successfully escaped together with the Hand of Midas, they throw it into the sea anyways?) the plot is mostly solid.

However, I hated the ending, other than the brief scene where Aladdin and Jasmine encounter the merchant whose narration starts the first Aladdin film. Having Aladdin’s father (and even worse, Iago, which undoes his character arc from the last film) leave Aladdin goes completely against the themes of forgiveness and valuing the people around you that run throughout the film. Surely Jasmine could have convinced the Sultan to give Aladdin’s father a lighter punishment and visits with his son, with some hope of Aladdin and his father eventually having a full reunion. I have to deduct a couple points from the Plot score simply for the terrible ending.

Characters: 7/10

How well-written are the characters? Is their behavior consistent with the original film? Does this film expand or detract from the characters?

I find it interesting in a negative sense how Aladdin is visibly repulsed by the 40 Thieves during “Welcome to the 40 Thieves” and afterward when his father shows him the boat that was touched by the hand of Midas. In this scene, he doesn’t seem conflicted at all about being reunited with his long-lost father versus being surrounded by unscrupulous thieves and being a part of their group. Perhaps the writers were afraid of making Aladdin morally gray (he was a little bit as a thief in the original film, although his thefts were largely harmless) or thought it would be out-of-character. Having him feel more torn between what he thought his father would be like and reality would have strengthened the conflict in this scene. This makes for a very jarring shift in Aladdin’s character when he soon after brings his father back to the palace and clearly trusts him on his own. As the Genie later says, “Leaving him alone with the parrot, that was stupid.”

Speaking of the Genie, I love that Disney was able to get Robin Williams to do his voice again. Dan Castellaneta is a good replacement, both in Aladdin II and in the animated series, but he doesn’t lend the Genie the same manic energy as Robin Williams. Retrospectively I’m a little surprised, since Robin Williams has since gone on record saying he didn’t have a good experience working with Disney on the original Aladdin.

Connection to Original Film: 8.5/10

How well does this film compare to its original film? Does it add anything or detract from the original? Does it feel out of place or dissonant with the original film? Is the tone different from the original film, and if so, is that an improvement or a flaw?

Aladdin and Jasmine’s wedding ties up a major loose end. Even in the original film, much of Jasmine’s character revolved around getting married and the conflict this created for her. There are also some call backs to the previous Aladdin films, such as when Aladdin’s father is shown locked up in the palace dungeon. The rat running by and the camera angles parallel the scene in the original film where Aladdin himself is locked up.

A more subtle connection is the idea of people accessing and misusing mystical power. In the first film, part of why Aladdin frees the Genie is not just that it would mean the world to the Genie, but because Aladdin saw how Jafar misused the Genie’s power for evil. Likewise, we see a ship that was transformed into gold by the Hand of Midas, then Saluk is transformed into gold by mishandling it (no pun intended) later. This prompts Aladdin’s father to get rid of the Hand of Midas, although the timing of this would have been far more plausible if he had acted earlier in the scene instead of having Aladdin go through the trouble of escaping with it just to get rid of it a few minutes later.

Heart: 8/10

Did the film make me feel anything? What were my emotions throughout the film? If I felt a negative emotion, was it from a scene intended to make me feel that way?

The conflict between Aladdin and his father is at the core of the film. There is some well-written tension between Aladdin and his father in several scenes. Some of my favorite scenes between them include the scene where his father tells him about the 40 Thieves and his goal to find the Hand of Midas, and after Aladdin helps his father escape imprisonment and they temporarily part ways.

Production Values/Aesthetic Appeal: 8/10

What is the quality of the animation? Is the voice acting done well? Is the visual style different from the original film, and is that positive or negative?

The animation is somewhat better quality than that of Aladdin II: The Return of Jafar, though it still is lower quality than the original film. There are a few impressive scenes, such as when the King of Thieves uses “Open Sesame” to part the sea and reveal the 40 Thieves’ hideout and when the Vanishing Isle fills up with water.

Music: 6.5/10

Are the songs and background music memorable? Is the music annoying or pleasant to listen to throughout?

“Party in Agrabah” is the poor man’s version of “Prince Ali” from the original film. It’s mildly annoying and the visual gags don’t work anywhere near as well as in “Prince Ali.” Like with Aladdin II, the songs are decent, but ultimately forgettable.

Replay Value: 7.5/10

Is the film worth re-watching? Is there anything I noticed by watching this film that I didn’t notice the first time?

Like with Aladdin II, I enjoyed this film and would rewatch it. There are plenty of fun references to other films (especially Disney films) hidden throughout the Genie’s scenes, and these overall add to the film.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Aladdin and the King of Thieves is a second solid sequel to Aladdin. Of the two sequels, The Return of Jafar is marginally better. The best moments in both films are equivalent, and the parts that bothered me in The Return of Jafar didn’t bother me anywhere near as much as those in Aladdin and the King of Thieves. While neither sequel reaches the heights of the original film, they are nonetheless very enjoyable in their own right and two of the best Disney sequel films.

Next time, just slightly after Christmas, I will review Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas!

#Aladdin and the King of Thieves #review #film review #movie review #Disney #Disney films #Disney movies #sequel #sequels #Disney sequels #Disney animation #Disney fandom #Disney fan #long post #screenshot

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insanityclause · 3 years

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I think it was probably Robin Williams who set off a trend of celebrities doing voice work in Disney films and for the longest time I hated it because that celebrity wasn’t doing anything interesting with the voice, just speaking in their normal way. Williams had a gift that most other actors that were brought in just didn’t have. I thought of all the great voice actors who got misplaced as I was watching these films distracted by the fact I was listening to so and so instead of paying attention to the story. I haven’t had an issue with Marvel because it’s not quite the same as voicing an animated character. But I still don’t want TS to do it. I’ll be honest here-I’m a fan of her more recent music, even if I can’t stand her personally. But girl can’t act. She can’t even sell me when she’s playing “herself”. So I hope this is false. I just can’t see it working. Anyway, why get bent out of shape over a Reddit rumor? I even wonder if I would recognize her speaking voice? I don’t think I’ve ever had the patience to hear her talk.

Well, RW was a really good actor - I’ll take his Genie over almost anything, tbh.

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themurphyzone · 5 years

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PatB Oneshot: A Whole New World

AN: Well I did have an angst story in mind which I do have a basic outline for but I feel like I gotta balance some of the more despair-driven stories with some fluff.

I decided to use a HC I posted a few days ago: That Pinky would serenade Brain with A Whole New World. Just with a small modification to help the story flow better. Cause it’s cute and adorable and just let them be happy please.

FFN

Pinky loved endings. Happy endings, teary endings, pencil endings. They were just fun to chew on even if they left a rubbery taste in his mouth!

And when Aladdin and Jasmine kissed on a starlit night filled with fireworks and flew off on their magic carpet, it was so magicafantastical! Or was the right word beauwondersicle? And then the moon turned out to be the Genie the entire time! He never would’ve guessed!

The moon outside was just as big and beautiful as the one in the movie, except it was made of cheese instead of genies. And there was a funny face in the cheese too. Maybe a moon mouse carved it so earth mice would have something to laugh at and brighten up their nights!

That was really kind of them to help cheer Brain up. And hard work deserved a reward! What kind of cheeses and scented soaps did moon mice like?

Making a gift basket would have to be number lollipop on his to-do list though. For now, there was a lovely reprise of A Whole New World. It was such a romantic song, and it didn’t take long before Pinky was swaying and humming along to Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s vocals.

The counter was a magic carpet, and the walls twinkled with countless stars. Pinky let his movements flow like a gentle breeze, making sure to keep his limbs tucked inside the magic carpet at all times.

A body cuddling close, warm compared to the cool night air. The warmth spread through his chest, making him tingly and melty and a thousand other things at once, like the time he’d tried plugging a broken cord from one of Brain’s whatchamajigs into an outlet and gotten shocked. Only this was a good tingly and not a painful one.

“Pinky, put me down at once!” a hand clamped around Pinky’s snout and yanked insistently.

Pinky stood on his tiptoes as the song went into the next verse, and the next tug made him slip and tumble. Pinky laughed as his face smooshed against the countertop.

There was an ‘oof’ from underneath him, which was a strange sound for his tummy to make. It usually made more of a ‘gurgurgur’ noise.

“Zort! Tummy, you’ve got it all wrong!” Pinky scolded. “You’re supposed to growl and grumble like something that’s good at being growly and grumbly!”

Pinky had eaten his dinner during the movie, but his tummy growled anyway.

“That’s a good one, tummy! You sound almost exactly like Brain!” Pinky giggled. He arched his back, bending his head so he could get a good look at his tummy, but sneezed when his nose brushed against the fur on Brain’s chubby head.

Brain scowled, fixing Pinky with his best warning glare. “Pinky, if you don’t let me up in the next five seconds, I shall have to hurt you after I finish hurting you for pulling me into your ridiculous dance.”

Pinky stepped aside and helped Brain up, giggling at how Brain’s face resembled a tomato. Brain could turn his entire face red, and Pinky wondered how he could make his own face turn different colors. Maybe a nice indigo? That was his favorite crayon after all.

And so were aquamarine and periwinkle and scarlet and maroon and…well, picking a favorite crayon was harder than he thought. They were all fun colors!

And a sharp pain to his head let him see even more colors. Olive green, smiley face yellow, and there was even a pretty chartreuse!

“Narf…” Pinky murmured, transfixed by all the swirling hues.

Pinky stumbled, landing flat on his face again. After a few seconds, his head stopped swirling and he could see Brain setting his pen down and trying to rub the red out of his face.

“Zort! I saw so many colors! You should try it sometime!” Pinky exclaimed.

Brain shoved his hands into his pockets, and Pinky remembered that he kept meaning to ask Brain about that because he wasn’t wearing pants.

“I’ll have to decline your offer, Pinky,” Brain replied, his fur back to its usual white. “I’m still debating if I should be more concerned about the objects you put into your mouth.”

“Don’t worry, it was just food pellets. We’re all out of moldy cheese and lint balls, remember?” Pinky said.

“Thank you for proving my point,” Brain muttered as he hit the off button on the remote. The cheery music from a car commercial faded away.

“You’re welcome, Brain!”

Brain grabbed Pinky by the arm and half-dragged, half-led him across the counter to where a notepad was propped up by a stack of books for supersmart mice. Great pictures, but how did x get lost from the rest of the letters and wind up in Numberland anyway? It was a mystery that Pinky still hadn’t solved.

“It’s time to focus on tonight’s plan,” Brain declared, lightly tracing a series of music notes with a pencil. “We’ll broadcast our hypnotic emotional song across the airwaves. This song contains lyrics with double meanings designed to pull at a human’s natural curiosity. They’ll have to listen many times in order to understand what I desire to accomplish, and with each repetition, the suggestion will continue to grow until every human on earth comes to the lab on bended knee and a willingness to make me their ruler.”

“Egad, Brain! Brilliant!” Pinky clapped his hands in delight, grinning when he caught a small lopsided ‘I know I’m smart’ smile on Brain’s face. “Oh wait, didn’t we already try this with Spinatra?”

Brain waved his hand dismissively. “Already accounted for. I was too concerned with vocals in that plan. The background instrumentals will have a much more important role this time. I’m even including a swelling crescendo and key change towards the end.”

Pinky gasped. “That poor croissant! It needs cream to help with that swelling!”

“I need cream for the headache you’re inevitably going to cause,” Brain sighed.

“Does this mean you’re singing again? Can you sing it right now?” Pinky asked. “Cause I love it when you sing, Brain!”

Brain squirmed, the redness creeping into his face again. He was funny about singing, acting like he didn’t enjoy it. If the world ruler thing didn’t pan out, then singing would be a great back-up career. Pinky could just picture it!

Brain Maine, the blond international singing sensation whose stage name was a US state for some reason who dealt with normal people things like being a genetically altered lab mouse in his private life!

“We’ll broadcast the song over the radio,” Brain said, avoiding Pinky’s eyes while he busied himself by adding several squiggly lines into the margins around his lyrics. “Yes, this plan requires me to sing. As for your other question…”

He trailed off, mumbling something Pinky couldn’t make out.

Pinky raised a hand to his ear, wondering if he needed to clean it again. He could never find the Q-tips though. “Sorry, Brain. Didn’t quite catch that. Did you say they’re making Goodnight Moon into a Jelly Belly flavor? Because I don’t think paper and jelly beans go well together, poit.”

“No, Pinky,” Brain scowled. “I’m at an impasse. My lyrics are thought-provoking and profound. My notations are highly technical and intricate, logically designed to invoke a strong emotional reaction in listeners based on precedents set by great composers and music theorists in the past. But for all this excellence, I haven’t been able to organize my lyrics into a configuration that will appeal to the auditory pathways.”

Pinky blinked. He knew Brain liked to hide behind big words. That was just how he played hide-and-seek, like how Pinky enjoyed hiding in a paper towel roll. “That’s a lotta big words, Brain. I just want a teensy tiny sneak peek of the song. Unless you still need time on that part. That’s okay, I’ll just run on my wheel while I wait.”

Brain sighed as he crossed out several music notes. “Precisely, Pinky. I’m well-versed in being objective. However, objectivity falls short when a plan hinges on people’s…feelings. The final product needs to be emotional, but I can’t induce a reaction until I know what sounds will produce a maximum effect!”

He threw down the pencil and kicked it away.

Pinky tilted his head, taking in the numerous edits spread over the page. Brain really poured his heart out for these pretty-looking words. Like his heart just tipped out of his chest and he was trying to cover it up again while scolding it for being visible in the first place. And being upset because he couldn’t find the tune for his heart’s song.

Wait…

A heartsong!

“Just like the penguins who saved the South Pole with the power of tap dancing and singing and Robin Williams!” Pinky exclaimed, grabbing Brain by the shoulders. Brain tried to shrug him off, but Pinky clung on. “Brain, that’s what you need! A tune for your heartsong!”

“Pinky, now you’re just babbling,” Brain said, crossing his arms and leaning back as far as he could without falling over. “And don’t describe my hard work as a ‘heartsong’. You’re making it sound like sentimental sap.”

“Sounds delicious!” Pinky replied. “But all you need is just a little inspiration, Brain! Let me help you find a tune so you can feel everything and help the world feel your song too! Please with a maraca cherry on top?”

“Maraschino cherries, as much as it pains me to acknowledge such a childish form of pleading,” Brain corrected. “I assume you’re not letting this, or by extension, me…go until I indulge you.”

“Nope!” Pinky said.

“Very well. I resign myself to whatever you have in your unconventional mind, Pinky.”

O – O – O – O – O

In the end, the setup was just a stereo and a Disney CD with their most popular movie songs. Pinky had decided against wearing his fedora, since Brain didn’t seem to care for his Donald O’Connor impression very much.

Since the CD case had a coffee stain on it that prevented him from finding the song number, Pinky took a moment to listen to the first few notes of each song before pressing the next button. As much as Pinky loved Hakuna Matata, it just wasn’t what Brain needed right now. He’d save that one in case they ever got dropped into the jungle again. It took about nine, or maybe twelveteen tries before Pinky found what he was looking for.

Satsified, Pinky paused the song and turned back to Brain, who was drawing several neat lines on a yellow sticky note.

“What’s that, Brain?” Pinky asked, leaning over Brain’s head for balance so he could get a closer look.

Brain tilted his head to the right and Pinky slipped off, laughing when he landed on his elbow. “I’m setting up my notes, Pinky.”

“We only need music notes, Brain. Not notes-notes or sticky notes,” Pinky said. Sometimes Brain could be a little confused. Why would he need notes for his heartsong?

“Oh yes, Pinky. How silly of me. The notes will just magically write themselves after all.”

Well, of course they would write themselves. But Brain still wouldn’t budge from his sticky note and pencil.

So Pinky decided to resort to drastic measures.

“Chase me!” Pinky shouted, snatching the sticky note and pencil from Brain and dashing around to the back of the stereo as fast as he could while his paws were full. There was an angry growl from behind him, but Pinky had a good head start on Brain. Normally, Pinky slowed his running speed to give Brain a fair chance at catching him, because it just wasn’t fun if the chaser couldn’t catch up to the chasee.

But this time around, Brain would need to listen closely to his feelings, whatever they were. And he couldn’t do that with notes that weren’t music notes.

“Give those back, Pinky!” Brain yelled, rounding the corner just as Pinky stuck one side of the sticky note into his mouth and grabbed a knobby thing from the back of the stereo, hauling himself up with one paw clutched firmly around the pencil.

“Not ‘til after the song!” Pinky meant to say, but it came out more like ‘nafthang’ because of the sticky note. Brain’s paw clamped around the middle of his tail and threatened to pull him down when he was halfway to the top. Pinky clung to his handhold tightly, keeping his legs spread for balance.

The tip of Pinky’s tail flicked against Brain’s nose, and Brain’s grip loosened. Encouraged by this, Pinky let his tail go wild, brushing it against Brain’s eyes, nose, and fur. Pinky glanced down just as his tail lightly danced around the outside of Brain’s ear, watching Brain let go to bat the rest of the offending appendage away.

Brain really did resemble a white and red tomato with ears now that Pinky had a top view. Pinky couldn’t enjoy it for long though. Quickly pulling himself to the top, Pinky laid the note down, taking a few seconds to spit the sticky stuff out of his mouth. Then he braced the pencil against the handle, making sure it wouldn’t roll away.

“I hope you’re happy,” Brain muttered, crossing his arms as Pinky hopped down. “I wouldn’t be so tolerant of your antics if I didn’t need this for research purposes.”

“Oh, I’m plenty happy,” Pinky chirped. “Are you ready for the song now?”

“We’re delayed by ninety minutes,” Brain said. “I suppose I have no choice if this plan is to be implemented in time for morning rush hour.”

“Okey-dokey then! You’ll dance with me?” Pinky said, rushing back to the front of the stereo. His hand hovered over the start button, glancing at Brain for the go-ahead.

Brain opened his mouth to reply, but then it suddenly snapped shut again. He did this several more times, and Pinky realized he probably didn’t know what to say next.

Brain wasn’t familiar with non-smarty mouse stuff, though Pinky knew he could hand Brain a bunch of numbers and letters and squiggles and Brain would find an answer faster than Pinky could blink.

Pinky decided to borrow a page out of Aladdin’s book, making a mental note to return the page later, because what if Aladdin was reading it and the page was important to the story? Pretending he was Aladdin inviting Princess Jasmine onto his magic carpet, Pinky held his hand out to Brain.

“Do you trust me?” Pinky asked, giving Brain his best reassuring smile.

Brain just stared down at Pinky’s hand like it was covered in really icky goo.

“Do you trust me, Brain?” Pinky repeated.

“With certain things more than others,” Brain admitted after a long moment, slipping his hand into Pinky’s. “Remember, this is strictly for research purposes only.”

Pinky hit the play button, and a gentle piano melody flowed out of the speakers.

The lab quickly melted away and they were dancing on a magic carpet, a starry sky above and a bustling city below. Romantic music flew by, supported by a gentle breeze.

“I can show you the world-“

Brain jerked slightly, eyes wide as the wind sweetly sang about the world beyond the lab and domination. Pinky carefully reeled him in, helping him balance until he could find his footing again.

The world was bathed in silvery moonlight, and the shadows weren’t so scary when they flew by on their magic carpet. Pinky’s fur brushed against Brain, sending millions of tingly little sparks through his body as they weaved around brick and stone and steel, not wanting even a single building to interrupt their dance.

And they were going up, so high that Pinky could reach out and touch the clouds. He’d always wanted to dance on fluffy, cottony clouds. The ground was a million miles below, but Pinky wasn’t afraid. Brain and the magic carpet wouldn’t let him fall.

Then Pinky was tugged in a completely different direction from where he’d been trying to go, only for the step to be hastily corrected at the last second. Brain’s eyes flicked down when Pinky looked at him, so Pinky gave his hands a squeeze to let him know it was alright if he wanted to lead now.

Brain liked control, and Pinky wanted to return his efforts in kind.

With newfound confidence, Brain swept Pinky into a wide arc. Every step precise, every turn sharp. The world blurred around them, Pinky’s heart beating rapidly as he kept up with Brain’s commands.

Forests, oceans, deserts, and mountains disappeared into the distance just as fast as they came by. Pinky saw the sprawling Great Wall of China, the huge Empire State Building, the wavy Sydney Opera House, and numerous other landmarks he couldn’t remember the names of. All part of this world, and they would belong to Brain someday.

Brain’s breathing grew heavier, coming out in little puffs of air, and Pinky’s throat felt tight. Tight like he’d just run so fast, so far, without stopping to catch his breath.

The lab came back into view, the last of the stars fading into the dark walls.

The stereo played the first line of I’ll Make a Man Out of You, so Pinky turned it off. They weren’t ready for a fast-paced training montage.

They headed back to their cage for a much-needed drink of water, and Brain guzzled down nearly half the bottle before letting Pinky have his turn. While Pinky drank his fill, Brain’s attention returned to his notebook, filling in the pages with renewed vigor.

“Did you find your heartsong, Brain?” Pinky called, rushing over to find a bunch of music notes and squiggly lines that hadn’t been there before. “Zort! That’s a lot of circles!”

Brain drew several more lines, filling the spaces with even more music notes. “Whole notes, Pinky. I’m including several long ones to help enhance the emotional quality of my work. However, there’s one significant change I’d like…no, need to make before we broadcast it over the radio.”

Pinky waited, noticing that Brain swallowed a very huge gulp down his throat. “Um, Brain? I think something’s stuck in your throat. Are you okay?”

“Iwanttomakeitaduet,” Brain mumbled.

Pinky blinked. “Is that another big word?”

“I said I want to make it a duet, Pinky!” Brain shouted. Then he took a moment to rub his big head, sighing heavily. “Apologies.”

“Gesundheit,” Pinky grinned.

Brain paced around, murmuring to himself. “Hydrogen bonding. A hydrogen and oxygen atom forming a bond…no, it’s more covalent than hydrogen. Hydrogen bonds are weak unless there’s millions to create surface tension. Covalent bonds are much stronger. And a duet is chemistry in lyrical form, showcasing the singers’ covalent bond-“

“I can’t wait to duet with you, Brain,” Pinky declared, pouring every ounce of feeling into his words as he could. “What am I singing?”

“-like carbon with hydrogen, or even just two of the same element. And you’ll need to know your part. Of course.”

Brain copied the song onto a separate sheet of paper, then grabbed a pink highlighter from a drawer and drew it across two verses and the refrain. Pinky’s parts in pink for easy remembering! This was gonna be a fun plan!

“Pinky?”

Pinky looked up from his paper. Brain was half-turned to his notebook, half-turned to Pinky.

“If you want to know how I felt earlier, the best description I can think of is…weightless.”

He felt happy feelings when Brain’s eyes gleamed in triumph at an idea. Scared feelings when he was trapped in a maze without Brain to guide him. Sad feelings when Brain yelled and grumped and cried because he thought Pinky didn’t want to be with him anymore.

And weightless feelings?

Pinky thought of dancing in the sky and the rush of happiness he felt when Brain took the lead. Cuddling together if the lab grew too cold, listening to big words, imagining what they would do when Brain took over the world.

“That’s a good feeling to have, Brain.”

“Yes, Pinky. It is.”

AN: I think I’ve listened to way too many 90s love songs. I tried watching the Pinky POV to help me get into Pinky’s mindset, and wow that episode is weirder than I remember it. I’m sorry, but Pinky was visualizing a thong on Brain I don’t know what to say that XDXDXD

So, references. I’m not very good when it comes to pop culture outside of animation, musicals, and animated musicals but yeah. Robin Williams voiced Lovelace in Happy Feet and of course Genie in Aladdin (we don’t talk about the live action one here). Pinky would totally love the concept of the heartsong.

Honestly, the Brain Maine thing came about because I was thinking, ‘hey, Maine rhymes with Brain’. That’s it. My mind just be like that.

Donald O’Connor sang Make Em’ Laugh in Singin’ in the Rain, which the segment Just Say Narf parodies.

And of course, Aladdin, but that doesn’t bear repeating here I think.

I need to find a new song now. I lost track of how many times I listened to A Whole New World in the past few days.

#pinky and the brain #fanfiction #oneshot #brinky

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stan-denbrough · 5 years

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stan,mike, and bill couple costume ideas

Bill and Mike go as Chippendale’s dancers, Stan goes as the pole. Bill and Mike both lackadaisically grab the fake pol and walk in a circle.

Stan goes as a cowboy, Mike and Bill go as the horse, I’m not saying Stan literally rides them but...

Bill goes as Ash, Mike goes as Brock, Stan goes as Misty (Mr. Chips is Pikachu).

Basically any Disney trio you can think of, with Stan as the princess, Mike as the prince, and Bill as the sidekick or even the villain. Stan is Jasmine, Mike is Aladdin, Bill is the genie (he almost went as the monkey). Stan is Belle, Mike is the Beast, Bill is Gaston. You get the idea.

They go as their D&D characters (Bill is a rogue, Mike is a druid, Stan is an elf).

Once they’re lazy, so they wear the suits they were already wearing and put a lapel pin on Stan and got sunglasses and little in ears and went as the President and the secret service.

Because I don’t want Stan to be the only one who goes in drag, Bill goes as Batman, Stan goes as Robin, and Mike goes as Catwoman, but like, the 60s versions, and the gimmick is that Bill and Mike flirt and make out at parties while Stan pretends to be shocked and betrayed. “Holy prepubescence Batman, that’s our sworn enemy!” And Bill gets to do an Adam West impression? It’s perfect.

Stan goes as a rabbi, Mike goes as a priest, Bill wears a giant question mark and he keeps sounding way too proud of himself when he explains “It’s like the joke, except for the last part, you fill in whatever you want, because there’s no one standard version of the joke,” and Stan and Mike are like, facepalming so hard, Bill’s not allowed to choose themes anymore. I mean they love his stupid dumb absolutely moronic ass, but this is a fail in their books.

One year the Losers do Star Wars, so stanlonbrough go along with it of course, and Bill claims Han Solo, Mike is just assumed to be Lando, but he’s cool with it, he gets to do his Billy Dee Williams impression, and Stan is basically forced to be C3PO, which he complains about. “Good job Stan, keep in character,” Richie says with a thumb’s up. For the record, Ben is Luke, Bev is Leia, Richie is Chewbacca, and Eddie is Obi Wan Kenobi (they almost made him be R2 because he’s short and he was ready to throw hands).

And the thought of Stan grumpily walking around in this

fills me with so much glee!

I mean at least he and Richie can commiserate because they both look terrible because their costumes seriously look like ass, and Richie isn’t even supposed to be able to speak, which is a personal insult in his book, and he wanted to be Boba Fett but they said no bad guys, and Stan is seriously going to throw hands that they made him drop $20 on this garbage.

I don’t know, would Richie show up wearing this?

Probably.

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deadanddeactivated · 5 years

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Land-o-tized

Fandom: Sanders Sides, Mermaid AU Pairing: Intrulogical Characters: Logan, Remus, Virgil Notes: Day 13 of the fluffuary event being hosted by @tsshipmonth2020 - Intrulogical Summary: Logan wants to help Virgil, instead he's stuck on land with Remus. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

AO3

“I’m coming with you.” Logan argues for what feels the thousandth time. And for the thousandth time, Virgil sighs.

“It’s too dangerous.” He claims.

“I know it’s dangerous!” Logan snaps before forcing himself to take a deep breath of air he’s still not quite used to. Throwing a tantrum isn’t going to convince Virgil he can handle this. “I have been fighting Uncle longer than you.” He points out, hoping he sounds calmer and not bitter. Because he’s not bitter. Except that he’s just spent weeks getting his brother back and now virgil wants to swim off and leave him once more.

“You’ve been fighting him on land,” Virgil argues, “and without him really being aware.”

“He has his suspicions.” Logan mumbles.

“All the more reason you shouldn’t come with me.” Virgil says. “If you’re there, I’ll lose the element of surprise.”

“And if I’m not there, you could get hurt!” Logan snaps. Shit, he’d lost his cool again. And now Virgil is giving him that smile, the smile that means Logan has already lost.

“Hey, who’s the older brother here?” Virgil asks. “You’ve done enough looking after me Logan, let me take care of you.”

“That’s not fair.” Logan mutters.

“Besides,” Virgil adds, nodding towards something behind them, “you have a wish to grant.”

“Pardon?” Logan frowns. Looking back he sees a figure fumbling in the sand towards them, a figure that’s grown very familiar in the past few weeks.

“I thought you two left without me.” Remus pants when he reaches them. “That’s rude.”

“Sorry, I was trying to leave before Logan got up.” Virgil chuckles.

“I would have just followed you.” Logan claims.

“I’d have stopped you.” Remus says, wrapping an arm around Logan’s shoulders. “I can’t lose my wish before I make it Logan, I need to abuse cosmic power.”

“It’s not cosmic power.” Logan sighs, even though he knows the words are falling on deaf ears.

“I’m glad I can trust you to keep Logan safe. And dry.” Virgil says, very pointedly.

“Can do chief!” Remus assures, giving Virgil a salute.

“It’s my kingdom too.” Logan huffs. He knows he isn’t going with Virgil, he knows he’s lost the argument. That doesn’t mean he can’t protest.

“I know. And assuming all goes well, you’ll help me rule it. But it’s my job to reclaim it.” Virgil says. “So just, stay safe, okay?”

“Fine.” Logan begrudgingly agrees. “But only if you do too.”

“I promise to try.” Virgil says. He leans over and kisses Logan’s forehead, then turns to Remus who opened his free arm for a hug. Laughing to himself, Virgil gives it. “Thanks for being the best fake childhood friend a mermaid could ask for.” He jokes.

“Thanks for being a mermaid.” Remus grins back.

“When everything’s sorted I’ll come meet you here, or I’ll send Patton.” Virgil says, taking a step back.

“Don’t take too long.” Logan says, hoping it sounds more like an order and less like the plea it is. Virgil gives him one last kiss to the forehead before walking into the waves. He dives below and he doesn’t resurface, returning to the oceans people that thought him a runaway and the false king that banished him.

Returned to fight a war, and he wouldn’t even let Logan come with him.

“Well that was dramatic.” Remus announces, pulling Logan from his thoughts and almost making them stumble in the sand as Remus leans his full weight on the shorter Logan.

“I suppose you could call it that.” Logan sighs, ducking out of Remus’ hold. “This won’t get you a second wish, you know.” He says, starting back towards the apartment in hope he won’t turn and run into the waves.

“I don’t know, maybe Virgil’ll give me one.” Remus shrugs, following after. “But I don’t really need it, I have one from you.”

“You do.” Logan confirms. Not sounding bitter. Because he’s not bitter. He asked for Remus’ help in exchange for a wish, as is mermaid tradition. Why would it hurt that Remus is asking for his wish? It doesn’t. “So, what do you wish for?”

“Hmmm,” Remus seems to think for a moment, his foot falls heavy and dramatic in the sand. “I’m not sure yet.”

“You’ve had a thousand thoughts since we met.” Logan points out.

“Yes, a thousand. But I only get one wish. Oh! Can I wish for more wishes?” Remus asks.

“No.” Logan refuses, rolling his eyes.

“Dang, is this Robin Williams, best genie there ever was, rules?” Remus asks.

“Pardon?” Logan frowns. The wrong answer, apparently, as Remus gasps in horror.

“That’s it, we’re doing a disney marathon!” He decides.

“What is Disney?” Logan dares to ask and then immediately regrets it. He definitely regrets it.

Virgil doesn’t come back the next morning. Patton doesn’t stop by either.

Which Logan wasn’t expecting. Because it takes more than a night to overthrow a want-to-be King.

He’s still a little disappointed.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Remus doesn’t bother to greet him, he rarely does. Simply plops down next to Logan in the sand.

“Of course he is.” Logan claims, as though he has no doubt. “Virgil is heir to the sea, there’s no doubt he’ll defeat our uncle. Do you know what you want to wish for?” He asks, wanting to change the topic even if he wouldn’t admit it. Remus is quiet for longer than Logan has even known him to be, making Logan slightly concerned he’s vanished. When he looks over Remus is still there, staring at Logan with concern.

“Can I wish that Virgil wins?” He asks.

For a moment Logan is taken back, then he’s hopefully but… no, he can feel in his soul that that won’t work. Which makes sense, even magic can set the future in stone.

“No.” He says, sighing. “Besides, you’d be wasting your wish.”

“I don’t know. Virgil’s my friend, even if most of that was just like a magical memory spell or whatever. I want him to come back.” Remus says.

“He won’t come back to land, he has a kingdom to rule.” Logan points out. Again, Remus pauses for a bit too long before he continues.

“I know.”

A week passes and Virgil still hasn’t come back. Logan waits at the ocean every morning, just in case. He’d wait there all day but Remus always comes to pull him away. They stay in the apartment, despite Remus’ attempts to pull him away from it. Logan will have none of it. With the balcony door open, he can still hear the ocean from Remus’ apartment. He’ll be able to hear if Virgil or Patton come by.

“At least I’ll get to show you all the Disney then.” Remus sighs, then grins. “Even the ones Disney doesn’t want you to watch!”

Remus doesn’t make his wish the first week.

The next week, Logan begrudgingly leaves the apartment for reasons other than the ocean.

“I’ve already been through town.” He claims as Remus leds him on, intent on showing him ‘all the great things about land’.

“You were too worried about Virgil last time.” Remus argues. “You didn’t get to have fun.”

“I’m still worried about Virgil.” Logan mumbles. Except for a moment, as Remus shows him around, he forgets that. Just a little.

Logan doesn’t think of Remus’ wish.

The third week, Logan… Logan forgets to walk to the beach in the morning.

It’s not that he’s not worried anymore. He’s still worried about Virgil, he’s still keeping an ear out for his brothers call.

Rather, waiting by the water is not his first thought of the day. His first thought of the day is about the little cafe he and Remus went to a few days, and the fact that it would be nice to have breakfast there.

When he realizes that, Logan immediately panics. Is this what happened when Virgil was cursed? Did he just stop thinking of home? But no, Logan studied Virgil’s curse. It wasn’t nearly so slow. Then what? There were legends of mermaids getting hypnotized by the land, is that it?

“Logan?” Remus calls, only in his pjs as he joins Logan this time. “You look more stressed than usual, somethin’ happen?”

“I’m becoming land-o-tized!” Logan announces. That’s what it was called in the stories, right?

“Huh?” Remus asks, frowning.

“My first thought this morning was of the land, not home!” Logan claims.

“And that’s… a bad thing?” Remus confirms.

“Yes!” Logan claims. “What if I’m forgetting home?!”

“Or…” Remus starts, taking a step closer and grabbing Logan’s arms to stop his pacing, “maybe you’re enjoying it up here?”

“Enjoying it up here?” Logan repeats, frowning. “Why would I be enjoying it up here? Nothing about my being up here has been on good terms.” He argues.

“Well yeah but…” Remus trails off again, like he’s waiting for Logan to fill in the blank. Logan can’t. He finds it impossible to fill in the blanks with Remus. “Maybe you enjoy spending time with me.” Remus finally finishes. Logan frowns a little deeper. Of course he was enjoying spending time with Remus.

Wait, he was enjoying spending time with Remus?

Before he can think further on the thought, there’s a splash.

“Logan!” Virgil’s voice calls out and Logan turns, feeling a weight lift off his shoulder when he sees his brother in the waves, tail and scales back. “Please tell you haven’t been waiting here the whole time.”

“He hasn’t been!” Remus assures, his hands gone from Logan’s sides. “We watched Disney!”

“Oh sweet.” Virgil says.

“Is everything back home alright?” Logan asks.

“If by ‘alright’ you mean I’m officially King now then, yes.” Virgil nods. “It’s safe to come home.”

“So… you’re leaving then, right?” Remus fills the sudden silence. “Both of you.”

“Sorry Remus.” Virgil manages, and he does really sound sorry. “I want to say I’ll visit, but I don’t know if I’ll have the time.” He admits.

“Nah, that’s cool. You’re a king now.” Remus shrugs. “That’s like, two full time jobs right?”

“And then some.” Virgil says.

“Will you have time to visit?” Remus asks Logan. Although he isn’t good at social interactions, Logan gets the sense that this answer is going to mean a lot more than the question suggests. With that in mind, he gives himself a minute before he answers.

“You haven’t made your wish yet.” Logan points out. “I’ll have to visit.”

“Unless I make my wish right now.” Remus elbroates. “What if I wish to stay with you forever?”

“You’d wish for that?” Is all Logan can manage, face flushing against his will.

“It’s the only thing I want to wish for.” Remus nods.

“You don’t have to wish for that.” Logan says. “You could just… ask.”

“Would you say yes?” Remus asks. Logan thinks he should take a minute, thinks he should need to consider his answer.

Instead it comes to him instinctually.

“Yes.”

The kiss that follows is interrupted by Virgil clearing his throat. Oh my gods, Logan thinks as his cheeks flush darker.

“So,” Virgil says, “Are you coming back Logan or are you staying up here?”

“Pardon?” Logan asks.

“But I can’t come with if you go.” Remus pouts. He wraps his arms around Logan like he has a thousand times. Somehow it feels… different now.

“Sure you can.” Virgil says. “Just wish to become a mermaid, Logan can do that.”

“Oh! Yeah, I want to wish for that!” Remus jumps on board immediantly.

“Remus, you have a life up here!” Logan argues. “Gaining legs isn’t as easy as Virgil and I make it seem.”

“My life up here was largely tied to mermaid I hadn’t actually meet, and then you.” Remus argues.

“Still, what if you regret it.” Logan frets. What if you hate it, and end up hating me?

“Okay, I wish to be able to turn into a mermaid at will. My will. And to be able to turn back.” Remus says. “Does that work better babe?” Logan almost forgets to check, caught up in that babe. He manages to collect himself enough to feel the wish settle in his chest, to feel his magic wrap around it and accept it. So long as he accepts it.

“Yes.” He says. “Wish granted.”

Swimming home, getting to watch Remus marvel at the water like a gubby - only pausing to kiss Logan every so often, it’s… well, it’s worth all the teasing Virgil can give.

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britesparc · 4 years

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Weekend Top Ten #455

Top Ten Comedy Sidekicks

Ha, LOL, ROFL, guffaw, snort. Comedy, eh? You’ve got to love it, unless you somehow fall through a timewarp into a late-seventies working men’s club in Blackburn and you find yourself choking to death on second-hand smoke, mother-in-law jokes, and a simmering undercurrent of racist violence. Good times!

Anyway, it’s fairly common that even in the most serious of narratives and with the most serious of protagonists, we need a little chuckle very now and again (nobody tell Zack Snyder – actually, no, scratch that, somebody definitely tell Zack Snyder). It lightens the load, makes the world more nuanced and realistic, and even makes the truly dark moments stand out all the stronger. Most films have a bit of a joke every once in a while (and, of course, Shakespeare’s tragedies are full of comic characters or bits of business), and one very common trope is the Comedy Sidekick.

What is a Comedy Sidekick? Well, it’s a supporting character who offers comic relief, basically. sometimes this can be obviously discernible – Luis in Ant-Man, for example, may function as a plot engine from time to time, but has little in the way of actual character development and is mostly there to be funny whilst the heroes do hero stuff. Sometimes it’s harder to define; I mean, are either of the Blues Brothers a comedy sidekick? Arguably Jake is the lead and Elwood is a bit more of a “turn” (he’s almost eternally deadpan and unemotional), but I’d never say one was inherently funnier or “straighter” than the other. And the you get onto films like Aladdin: sure, Aladdin himself is obviously the protagonist, and there’s an argument to be made that the Genie is a comic relief supporting character, but I feel in this case he’s far too integral to the plot, played by a significantly more famous actor, and really just dominates the film to the extent that he becomes the de facto lead (see also: Captain Jack Sparrow). Again, in Men in Black, Will Smith’s J is clearly the “funny” one, but Smith is also the bigger star and the audience entry point; plus, Tommy Lee Jones is hilarious as the deadpan K. So it’s not as simple as it may first appear.

Anyway, the ten in this list are ones I define as definitely being supporting characters. They may be big characters, in terms of plot or development, but they’re definitely there in support of another protagonist. And whilst they may be fully-rounded characters with their own arcs, their primary function is to be funny; they’re the ones who deliver the comedy lines back to the main character, or crack a joke at the end of a serious bit.

Right, I think that’s my usual ridiculous caveats out of the way. Now let’s make ‘em laugh.

Baldrick (Tony Robinson, Blackadder series, 1983-99): Baldrick is one of the supreme comic idiots in all of fiction. Serving as a perfect foil to Blackadder, he is not only supremely stupid but also his niceness and naiveté serves to undercut his master’s wickedness; plus his idiocy is often the undoing of Blackadder’s villainous plans. But he is also charmingly fully-rounded, oblivious to his own stupidity, possessed of “cunning plans”, and with a great love of turnips. A phenomenal turn from Robinson.

Sir John Falstaff (various plays by William Shakespeare, from 1597): is it cheating to include as significant and iconic a literary figure as Falstaff? Feels a bit like it, especially as he's practically a lead (and, indeed, becomes one in Merry Wives). But really he’s the archetype: a supremely vain and self-serving comic foil, but one with vast hidden depths as he’s keenly aware of his own frailties and the inevitable end of his good times with Prince Hal.

Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O’Hanlon, Father Ted 1995-98): in many ways he’s a slightly watered-down version of Baldrick’s comic idiot; but Dougal is, if anything, even stupider, and less self-aware. He’s like a perfect idiot, a beautiful naïve fool, a supreme man-child with his Masters of the Universe duvet. And he’s divine, just incredibly hilarious throughout; and, like Baldrick, serves as the perfect foil for his more duplicitous and cynical elder.

Donkey (Eddie Murphy, Shrek, 2001): animated sidekicks are very often the comic relief, and I’d argue that Murphy’s Donkey is as good as they come. I actually think Murphy’s prior turn as Mushu in Mulan is probably the better character, but Donkey is just a comic force of nature, a creature who exists only to make everything dafter and funnier. It allowed Murphy a chance to go all-out in a way he hadn’t on screen for quite some time, and it was something we’d rarely seen in animation (arguably only Robin Williams’ Genie is in the same ballpark). Plus, he actually is a good friend to Shrek, bringing out his better nature. Well done, Eddie!

Danny Butterman (Nick Frost, Hot Fuzz, 2007): another of those characters who really skirts the edges of “supporting comic relief” and is really a deuteragonist. But I feel like most of Frost’s characters in his partnerships with Simon Pegg are, essentially, supportive; Pegg is almost always the lead. In this film, despite Danny having some great development and functioning almost as a romantic partner for Pegg’s Nick Angel, he’s usually presented as a beautiful comic foil, his folksy, slobby demeanour contrasting perfectly with Angel’s straitlaced professionalism. And – for the second film in a row – he gets a tremendous C-bomb.

Luis (Michael Peña, Ant-Man, 2015): another comic fool, Luis is the silly, charming, endearing, loveable thorn in the side of Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang. He’s daft, yeah, and comes across as a bit dim, but his permanently-smiling demeanour means we just keep on loving him, even when we can see how annoying he would be. but what cements his position is his rapid-fire OTT explanations, and how the movie presents them; pieces of comedic joy in the MCU.

Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor, Singin’ in the Rain, 1952): Singin’ is one of those great Golden Age movies full of witty dialogue (as well as great songs, natch), and by its nature Gene Kelly is the lead and therefore straight man, whereas O’Connor’s Cosmo can be wackier and funnier, and in doing so get to the truth of what his friend is feeling. But what really gets him in this list is his performance of “Make ‘Em Laugh”, running up walls like he’s in The Matrix or something, and feeling like a Bugs Bunny cartoon brought to life.

Silent Bob (Kevin Smith, View Askiewniverse, from 1994): I guess you could argue that both Bob and his less-silent colleague Jay are, as a twosome, the comedy sidekicks in whichever films they’re in (apart from the two they headline, I guess); but if you take the pair on their own, I’d say Bob is the comic of the duo. Yeah, it’s Jay who’s the mile-a-minute loudmouth, cracking jokes and being explosively filthy. But who really gets the laughs? For my money it’s Smith’s perfectly-judged expressions, punctuating the pomposity or reinforcing the eccentricity of whatever Jay’s on about. And then every now and again he gets to speak, and delivers a great one-liner (“no ticket!”) or serious, heartfelt monologue (cf. Chasing Amy).

Semmi (Arsenio Hall, Coming to America, 1988): Semmi is supposed to be a loyal and devoted servant to Prince Akeem, and he is, I guess; but he’s also a true friend. Akeem’s quest to find love in New York is genuine, and despite the film’s high joke quantity, Eddie Murphy has to be relatively restrained in his lead role. Hall’s Semmi, on the other hand, gets to be acerbic, throwing shade and barbs at his lord, questing their quest and seeking his own share of wealth and, well, women. And we all love his line “you sweat from a baboon’s balls”.

Dory (Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo, 2003): as discussed above, comedy cartoon sidekicks are a cinematic staple. They’re not often female, however, and even more rare is a female character who gets to be both funnier and seemingly dumber/goofier than the lead. Of course, Dory is full of pathos, a borderline tragic character whose chronic memory loss has a dreadful impact on her day-to-day life. It’s her sunny optimism (“just keep swimming!”) that makes her endearing more than her humour, however; and, of course, it’s this optimism that begins to chip away at Marlin’s (Albert Brooks’) flinty suit of armour. Funny, warm, makes our hero a better person, but can be a little bit sad – perfect comedy sidekick.

There are two that I’m annoyed that I couldn’t fit in so I'll mention them here: Carrie Fisher in When Harry Met Sally and Danny Kaye in White Christmas. In the former case, whilst Fisher’s Marie is hilarious throughout, and definitely comic relief when put alongside the relatively straight Sally, the fact that everyone, really, gets a lot of funny lines in what is a consistently funny film kinda knocked her down the rankings a little bit, even though I feel bad about it, because everything is always better if Carrie FIsher is in it, including these lists. Kaye’s Phil Davis in White Christmas absolutely steals that film from Bing Crosby, with fast-paced witty wordplay and some supreme physical comedy, and the running gag about how he saved the life of Crosby’s Bob Wallace is golden. But, I dunno, he just kept slipping down the list, despite being my favourite thing in that film. Sorry, Danny.

#top ten #comedy sidekicks #comedy #foil #comic relief #father dougal #shrek #donkey #falstaff #baldrick #blackadder #pixar #coming 2 america #silent bob #kevin smith

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that-shamrock-vibe · 4 years

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Disney+ What To Watch: My Top 10 Favourite Direct-To-Video Disney Sequels

#7. The Return of Jafar

I give this movie credit for not only being the first Direct-to-Video sequel Disney released but also trying to continue one of Disney’s most loved properties without the inclusion of potentially the original movie’s strongest asset which was Robin Williams as the voice of the Genie.

That being said, I have often said that if you take this movie out of continuity and go straight from the first movie to the third movie, there will be nothing lost in terms of story or development.

While Aladdin is one of Disney’s only properties to have its own trilogy and a television series tied in, there is unfortunately never an extended part of the franchise that compares to the original movie.

Having said that, this movie does deliver on the promise of its title which is showing the return of Jafar, one of Disney’s best villains.

An undisclosed length of time has passed from the first movie and Iago has managed to escape the prison of Jafar’s lamp and attempts to find a better life for himself away from Jafar who he dumps in a well.

Aladdin meanwhile is first seen robbing new antagonist Abis Mal and his cronies which sets the new bumbling villain on a vendetta against the street rat.

In the marketplace, Iago crosses paths with Aladdin and Abu after angering the entire marketplace and begs for a second chance claiming he has changed. This causes tension at the Palace though as when it is revealed that Aladdin is harbouring Iago, the Sultan and Jasmine find it hard to forgive him based on his actions in the first movie.

Meanwhile Abis Mal comes into possession of Jafar’s lamp and the Red Genie emerges promising Abis Mal riches and glory if he assists him in defeating their mutual enemy Aladdin.

What follows is a somewhat moderate evil scheme where Jafar apprehends the Genie and enlists Iago as his minion once again, Abis Mal and his cronies apprehend the Sultan and frames Aladdin for his supposed murder which leads to him almost being executed before Iago has a change of heart.and frees the Genie so he can save him and their friends before they devise a battle plan to defeat Jafar.

The ending of the movie is definitely one of the most dramatic in these direct-to-video movies not only with a Maleficent-style arena showdown where the heroes try to destroy Jafar’s lamp but are constantly thwarted, but also the culmination of Iago’s redemption story where he gets badly beaten by his former master but is still able to knock the lamp into the lava finally putting an end to Jafar...aside from a future one-off appearance in the Hercules animated series.

The final scenes of the movie see Aladdin being offered the role of the Sultan’s new royal vizier but rejecting it in order to travel the world, to which Jasmine decides to travel with him.

This sets up the television series that follows complete with Homer Simpson returning to voice the Genie and the same poor animation of this movie.

There is nothing really likeable about this movie. Aladdin had a certain edge to him in the first movie that Mena Massoud managed to capture for the live-action remake, here though he becomes the standard Disney hero with nothing more to him other than being the good guy.

Jasmine is relegated to simply being the girlfriend and Abu, Carpet and Genie are very poor comic relief.

But the movie being titled The Return of Jafar should mean that Jafar is the main character is Jafar and for the most part he is, but I don’t know if it is to do with the animation or the fact that he is partnered with Abis Mal but there is something slightly goofy about him in this movie. This works for him when he is later partnered with Hades but despite here knowing he is the one in charge even though he is the servant officially he doesn’t dominate the same presence as in the original movie.

The songs are really bad, not only is Homer Simpson singing (yes I know he has an actual name but its Homer Simpson as the Genie) a pale imitation of “Friend Like Me”, but also Gilbert Godfried effectively singing a love ballad is possibly more earsplitting than Cats.

With all this said, why is this #7 on my list? Well not only is this the first direct-to-video Disney sequel but this was also one of the first VHS’ I was a part of buying, I was excited to see Jafar back given that he is one of my favourite Disney Villains and I was happy to see the Aladdin series continue despite never quite living up to the original.

So what do you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Disney+ What to Watch Top 10s as well as more Top 10 Lists and other posts.

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