Doc and Bob's Disney Adventures

  Release Date: November 2, 2018 Watch Date: March 29 - March 30, 2023 "Bohemian Rhapsody is an enthralling celebration of Queen, their music, and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, who defied stereotypes and convention to become on of history's most beloved entertainers. Following Queen's meteoric rise, their revolutionary sound and Freddie's solo career, the film also chronicles the band's reunion, and one of the greatest performances in rock history."     Earlier this month, for fun, which is thing that we still somehow manage to do, Bob and I watched 'Rocketman' the biopic about Elton John. Now you may be wondering why I mention this, because 'Rocketman' is in no way owned by Disney, is not on Disney+ and the title of this particular post is 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. But there's usually a method to my madness, and today is no different.     I bring up 'Rocketman' not just because I liked it more, which I did, bu...

  Release Date: October 22, 2021 Watch Date: March 27 - March 28, 2023 "20th Century Studios and Locksmith Animation's 'Ron's Gone Wrong' is the story of Barney, a socially awkward middle-schooler, and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally connected device, which is supposed to be his 'best friend out of the box.' Ron's hilarious malfunctions - set against the backdrop of the social media age - launch Barney and Ron into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship."     Ron has absolutely not gone wrong.     It feels like it might be my mission in life to spread the gospel of 'Ron's Gone Wrong' because not enough people saw it, not enough people cared about it, or something. Something happened and 'Ron's Gone Wrong' did not get the respect that it deserved, and it's a tragedy and one that I would love to correct if possible.     First off, this movie ha...

  Release Date: 2010 Watch Date: March 28, 2023 "In 'My 9/11,' National Geographic revisits that day with a collection of powerful, immersive stories of people who were intricately associated with and impacted by the event: people in the highest echelons attempting to prevent and stop the attacks; ordinary people caught in the middle, like the window washer cleaning the windows of the 93rd floor of the World Trade Center just moments before the attack; and people who still cannot shake how the events of that morning altered their worlds forever."     Bob is not only a Puerto Rican, he's an American, and he's not only an American, he's a New Yorker, which, if he's to believed is a very special type of American, unique and quite possibly better than others? I mean he spent the latter half of his time in Kansas, so maybe he has the ability to compare which I do not? Who knows. He's proud of being from New York.     One thing that being proud of from N...

  Release Date: March 11, 2005 Watch Date: March 25 - March 26, 2023 "For the first time ever, an animated feature presents a totally imagined world - a wondrously clanky universe populated solely by mechanical beings."     Bob loves this movie, I mean really loves it, it's one of his childhood favorites, another one he used to watch often with his father. If it's got Robin Williams in it there's a really strong chance he watched it, obsessed over it, and it's become an extremely influential film in his life.     Now, usually, I can see the beauty in these movies that he loves so much, really I can. But this movie was...a little bit harder. If I squint at it, I can see it. Robin Williams' character obviously steals the show, and his one liners and interactions are probably the main draw of this film because otherwise...it's really not doing that much for me.     The villains, a mother and son duo, are pretty weak. The son is unintimidating, and the mot...

  Release Date: June 19, 1998 Watch Date: March 21 - March 25, 2023 "Clever Mulan proves her worth outside of her tradition-bound society when, disguised as male soldier 'Ping,' she bravely takes her father's place in China's Imperial Army. Helped by her outrageously funny guardian dragon Mushu and a lucky cricket named Cri-Kee, Mulan strives to earn the respect of her fellow warriors and their courageous Captain Shang. Mulan's adventures lead to a climactic battle atop the Imperial Palace, where her family's honour and the fate of the Emperor and all of China rests in her hands."     Somehow, Bob had never seen Mulan.     Don't ask me how. I'll never understand the weird gaps in his Disney knowledge. How has one never seen Mulan? I mean he's heard the song, everyone's heard the song, but he'd never seen the movie, so how do you even have context for how good the song is? This man was deprived in childhood, honestly.     So Mulan, h...

  Release Date: June 16, 1995 Watch Date: March 25, 2023 "The extraordinary life and indomitable spirt of a truly remarkable Native American heroine inspired the artistry and storytelling magic of Walt Disney Animation Studios' Pocahontas. This musical adventure combines historical fact with popular folklore and legend to present the compelling tale of a brave, compassionate and dynamic young woman who 'listens with her heart' to help her choose which path to follow. With the guidance and wisdom of her beloved Grandmother Willow and the friendship of Captain John Smith, Pocahontas is inspired by a real-life American legend."     Pocahontas gets a bad wrap. It was a huge financial sink for Disney that did not get the returns it was expected to. A lot of people have an issue because they took a real life historical woman who had a hard life and was treated and used poorly by people who didn't understand her culture, and turned it into a fairy tale, where she fal...

  Release Date: December 25, 2010 Watch Date: March 20, 2023 "Jack Black is larger than life in this epic comedy-adventure based on the classic tale. When a shipwreck lands a mailroom clerk named Gulliver (Black) on the fantastical island of Lilliput, he transforms into a giant. Gulliver's tall tales and heroic deeds win the hearts of the tiny Lilliputians, but when he carelessly puts his newfound friends in peril, Gulliver must find a way to fix things."     Bob and I have this weird thing that we like to do, maybe it's not weird but in the context of how old we are it does make me feel like we might be a sixty-year old married couple instead of one in our mid twenties, where we like to read novels together. I have this set of classic novels that I was given as a child for Christmas, because yes, I was old even then and at age eight a set of classic novels that included Moby Dick and Oliver Twist and The Jungle Book was actually a great present for me. So, why not, w...

  Release Date: June 26, 1959 Watch Date: March 19, 2023 "Take a wee bit of ancient folklore, mix in some spectacular special effects, then add a magical cast...and you've got one of the most enchanting fantasies of all time. A frisky old storyteller named Darby O'Gill is desperately seeking the proverbial pot of gold. There's just one tiny thing standing in his way: a 21-inch leprechaun named King Brian. To get the gold, Darby must match his wits against the shrewd little trickster - which proves no small task, indeed - in this fun-filled evening of magic, mirth, and nonstop shenanigans."     Let's go watch a film where Sean Connery sings, an old man engages in a battle of wits with a leprechaun king, and it all works out in the end - said no one ever.     But more people should, because Darby O'Gill is just pure fun. Full of magic. You can't stop smiling through the entire experience.     Darby isn't ridiculed and mocked in his town for his belie...

  Release Date: December 16, 1959 Watch Date: March 16 - March 18, 2023 "The film follows a Scottish professor, Oliver Lindenbrook, who accidentally discovers a map of sorts with directions on how to reach the center of the Earth through an Icelandic crater. When the professor looks to his colleague Alec McEwen to verify his discovery, Alec turns on him and the two engage in a race to see who will reach the center of the Earth first."     We've had a lot of racism, so why not add sexism to the list?     This was an attempt, a failed one, by a studio not yet owned by Disney, to capture the magic of '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea'. And here's the thing - I think that this is a better, more engaging offering than Disney's attempt at Jules Verne. A surprising statement about a film mostly set in a cave.     But here's the thing, the cavern system, weirdly, has more variety than the ocean we were shown in '20,000 Leagues'. Each scene has it's own...

  Release Date: March 17, 2017 Watch Date: March 14 - March 16, 2023 "The story and characters you know and love come to life in the spectacular live-action adaption of Disney's animated classic Beauty and the Beast, celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Experience the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who sets off to rescue her father but is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior to realize the kind heart of the true Prince within."     You might immediately notice, if you've been paying attention, that this movie is out of sequence and not during our ten days of rotating picks. So what happened?     Well, for a few days Bob was sick, and my job was boring. So what are you going to do? Disney+ has a group watch feature for a reason, so why not take advantage of it on my breaks and enter...

  Release Date: July 22, 1959 Watch Date: March 15, 2023 "A young wife (Beverly Garland) is abandoned by her husband on their wedding day. Distraught, she traces him to his ancestral home in the bayous of Louisiana, where, amid the swamps and deadly undergrowth, she discovers a terrible secret. Her husband was saved from death by an experimental medical procedure involving serum derived from alligators and now he's developing horrifying side-effects. She'll face any danger to help him, but soon discovers her love may not be enough."     Our first horror movie.     I hate it. I would hate this movie even if it was good. I hate horror movies. I don't see the appeal. Who scares themselves for fun? Who wants to be scared? I have generalized anxiety disorder. I'm scared all the time already? Why would anyone want to make elicit that feeling on purpose? My husband. Hiding out every October while he does his annual slasher film marathon, that's my own annual trad...

Release Date: January 29, 1959 Watch Date: March 13, 2023 "Sleeping Beauty tells the story of Princess Aurora and the evil curse placed on her by vengeful fairy Maleficent. According to the prophecy, Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep slumber on her 16th birthday, from which only the kiss of her true love can awaken her. Three doting fairies - Flora, Fauna and Merryweather - pose as peasant women to raise the young princess, whom they call Briar Rose, and live deep in the forest where Maleficent cannot find her. One day while riding in the woods, Prince Philip catches sight of Briar Rose and the two fall in love at first sight. But Rose learns from the fairies that she is a princess and must return to the castle immediately to fulfill her royal duties. There, Maleficent discovers Aurora alone in the tower. The prince rushes to the castle to rescue Aurora, but first he must battle Maleficent, who assumes the form of a fierce, fire-s...

  Release Date: December 25, 1957 Watch Date: March 11, 2023 "No film better portrays the powerful emotions of hope, courage and friendship. When his younger brother adopts a frisky, lop-eared stray dog, 15-year-old Travis (Tommy Kirk), acting 'man-of-the-house,' tried to shoo him away. But Old Yeller soon proves he is anything but 'yellow' when he protects the family farm and saves Travis' life."     Every person on the planet happens to know exactly how Old Yeller ends, and equipped with that knowledge and having once owned a yellow lab and currently owning a chocolate one. I wasn't super excited to watch this film.     But I knew that if I vetoed this film I was only prolonging the inevitable. So here we were, ready to watch what we both knew would be an incredibly emotional film that I think we both were trying to call each other's bluff on. Who was going to crack before the film started and we could no longer use the veto.     But the movie di...

  Release Date: August 28, 1957 Watch Date: March 10, 2023 "A live action 'fantasy' which relates the story of a little Pine Squirrel named Perri and her life in the forest from childhood to maturity."     Now this isn't a True-Life Adventure it's a True-Life Fantasy, which is different in that it's a documentary within a story, instead of a story within a documentary. Very complicated stuff, and entirely different.     Perri is basically a live action version of Bambi, if Bambi was about a squirrel and not a deer. It has pretty much the exact same feel to it. Lost baby animal without parents survives a year in a North American forest, there are traumatic events - another forest fire - and finds love, continuing the species.     There's nothing wrong with that. Bambi was a relaxing, quiet movie and Perri is too. If anything, Perris is more violent, with an animal dying every other scene - or at least that's how it feels. Bambi is obviously more dra...

  Release Date: July 19, 1957 Watch Date: March 6 - March 7, 2023 "In this poignant and humorous love story nominated for four Academy Awards, Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) and Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) meet on an ocean liner and fall deeply in love. Though each is engaged to someone else, they agree to meet six months later at the Empire State Building if they still feel the same way about each other. But tragic accident prevents their rendezvous and the lover's future takes an emotional and uncertain turn."     I think this might be our first official 'chick flick'.     Forget for a second that this film is a classic, which it is. Meet me at the top of the Empire State Building? C'mon, movies have been copying that concept ever since. This movie is a little too sweet, a little too slowly paced for any guy I've ever watched it with to enjoy it - and unfortunately I do have to include Bob.     It does make me feel dreamy and super affectionate afterwar...

  Release Date: September 4, 1956 Watch Date: March 5, 2023 "Survival and reproduction. Two dilemmas confronting every form of life on this planet. How are these problems solved by microscopic organisms? By marine creatures? Insects? Plant life? What causes the restless Earth to continually shape and reshape itself? Eighteen expert Disney photographers use innovative and state-of-the-art film techniques to bring you the fascinating answers."     My hope was misplaced because, unfortunately for everyone involved, True-Life Adventures did get worse. I think there's only one left after this, and I doubt very much that the momentum will be picked back up sufficiently this late in the game.     Look, I don't know what was happening in documentary film back when this was originally released. Maybe time lapse photography and super minute close ups was new and exciting technology. It had to be at some point, right? But it's not today and for better or for worse it is th...

Release Date: July 18, 1956 Watch Date: March 4, 2023 "A rip roaring adventure with Davy Crockett, legendary 'King of the Wild Frontier' and his trusty companion George as they had downriver to New Orleans! The two encounter dangerous rapids, treacherous river pirates and excitement at every turn. Combining the grand tradition of adventure with the greatest folk hero of them all, DAVY CROCKETT AND THE RIVER PIRATES is one ride you'll want to take again and again!"     Davy Crockett was a real person. I'm not going to go on a rant about it again. Especially because this movie is not about Davy Crockett, the real life historical figure, they make that very clear from the get go - this is just another addition to the myth of Davy Crockett. Something the actual historical figure would have hated, but I digress.     This is another racist movie, again towards the indigenous population of America. Let me say this: a major plot point of this film is that white men ar...

  Release Date: October 11, 1955 Watch Date: March 1 - March 3, 2023 "There's a box social coming up, and Curly (Gordon MacRae) asks Laurey (Shirley Jones) if she'll be his date. Trouble is, Laurey thinks he's waited too long, and in a fit of pique accepts an offer from the boorish Jud (Rod Steiger) instead. Meanwhile, Laurey's friend Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame) is also torn between two men: a cowboy named Will (Gene Nelson) and a foreign peddler, Ali Hakim (Eddie Albert). Both women struggle to know their own hearts before it's too late."     Finally, a musical!     Now is it the best musical in the world? No. But it is a classic? I mean, who doesn't know Oklahoma's OK?     Bob. The answer is Bob.     But you know what? He gave it the old college try. He really did. And he didn't immediately dismiss it, which I was halfway expecting. He gave it an honest shot, and I don't think he totally hated it. Not completely anyways.     Ado An...

  Release Date: June 22, 1955 Watch Date: March 1, 2023 "Fall in love with Walt Disney's beloved classic. Experience the thrilling adventures of Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold. This heartwarming tale now charms a new generation of families and fans with its exquisite animation, unforgettable songs and one of the greatest love stories of all time."     Ah, a classic movie full of racially charged stereotypes that you're not sure whether to appreciate for the wrong side of the tracks romance or feel incredibly uncomfortable with.     Now, racial stereotypes are always, always bad. They should be avoided, at best they're examples of lazy writing, at worst highly offensive. I will endeavor to say that, in the case of Lady and the Tramp, the stereotyping was at least meant to have a purpose. Doesn't excuse it, but there you go. The hound is Southern, the Scottish terrier is Scottish, the Laika is Rus...

  Release Date: May 27, 2022 Watch Date: February 27 - February 28, 2023 "This animated, big-screen, musical comedy-mystery-adventure is based on the long-running Emmy-winning series. The story begins when a ruptured water main creates an enormous sinkhole right in front of Bob's Burgers, blocking the entrance indefinitely and ruining the Belchers' plans for a successful summer. While Bob and Linda struggle to keep the business afloat, the kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family's restaurant. As the dangers mount, these underdogs help each other find hope and fight to get back behind the counter, where they belong."     I may have grown up watching The Simpsons, but as an adult Bob's Burgers has become my true animated love. And can you blame me? It's realistic, but wacky, the characters are relatable and deep, the family has troubles but loves each other, and there is no child abuse of any kind. Unless you count three children working at ...