I originally started RU-vid as a hobby, so a lot of my content is born out of stuff I love. I never expected that anyone would actually watch my videos...
On this channel, I make video essays, reviews, and retrospectives about all the things that made my childhood memorable. I happen to be a professional writer too, so I love using my channel as a way to talk about storytelling and the mechanics of plot. I use Disney films as simple illustrations for expressing these principles.
I’m also a fan of cinema in general, and I enjoy studying film history, so that shows up a lot in my work. I try to do a lot of research for my videos and consider a film from multiple different angles, including from the perspective of the artists themselves. Hopefully, everyone can walk away with something from my videos that they can use, whether they liked the movie that I’m talking about or not. Thank you for taking this journey with me!
This is my absolute favourite Disney film ever, one of my favourite films period. I love Victor Hugo's novel, but I also love what they did with the Disney film. Even though it captures the themes and tone of the book, it's still a family-friendly film because it has adult appeal, but doesn't have any scenes that are violently graphic or sexually explicit, and, unless you count hell as a swear word, no strong language. I will also defend the gargoyles to the death. Having humour and lighter moments blended with a serious tone, and dark themes can work because it can create a sense of hope and feeling of goodness amongst dark and depressing times. They're present to remind Quasimodo that he's human and encourage him to be good, contrary to Frollo raising him to believe that he's a monster
One of my most emotional moments.. am middle aged, married late, lost the relationships in a wink and now going through life back in my lonely way.. with a permanent emotional scar added to my already complex life i had before i got married.. this movie and the life that Carl and Ellie led.. is something of an aspiration for me.. thanks for the makers.. i guess i ll grow old with this visualisation of a dream i had for my life..
understand that underrated is such a bad like word for this movie; as a kid This was the best in my opinion or 1 of the best like films movies i had ever seen actually and now as i am older I want to buy it to keep it forever
Why is Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) is labeled as tonally inconsistent when they share the same exact tone as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1990), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995/1997-2000), X-Men: The Animated Series (1994-2000), Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2002), Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1996-2002), Justice League: The Animated Series (2002-2005), Batman: Mask of The Phantasm (1993), Gargoyles (1994-1996), Corpse Bride (2005), Cowboy Bebop (1999-2002), and Naruto (2002-2005)? Isn't this a clear double standard? Have you guys seen Eddie Murphy's 'The Haunted Mansion' (2003) or the overrated shitty Toy Story 3 (2010)? Those movies epitomize tonal inconsistency far more than Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).
Question how many of you have played the Donkey Kong games follow up Question wouldn't it be crazy if Disney made an Alice in Wonderland game where Alice gets captured by a giant ape who throws barrels and wears a tie
The movie Up is an adventure and comedy movie produced by Disney Pixar in 2009. It has a very high rating for not only its story, but the beautiful animation that was put into producing the film. The movie is about a man named Carl who fell in love with a girl named Ellie. They get married and they create an “adventure book” with the goal of moving to Paradise Falls in South America. The movie shows them go through struggles that prevented them from being able to travel and then it leads to Ellie dying at an old age. Carl, still having the dream in mind to travel and move for Ellie, decides to take his house there carried by balloons. In the process, he accidently takes a young boy named Russell who was hiding on his porch. The movie shows the adventure of them trying to get his house to Paradise Falls and the obstacles they run into along the way, mainly trying to save a bird from being kidnapped. First Media Key: Balance “Without balance, without a willingness to look at media from every possible angle, we can’t possibly form right judgements” (Gan 22). Up gives the viewer a variety of emotions throughout the movie from sad to laughing to scared to relatable. A movie that only is intended to give off one emotion does not give the viewer the right takeaway. Up portrays a couple losing a child, losing a spouse, but it also shows the humor in Russell and Doug in the things that they say and it shows the adventure of the dogs and Charles trying to kidnap Kevin. It shows that everything in life needs balance. We need a little bit of each emotion. A life full of sadness, or a life full of humor, or living in fear is not suitable. We need all the emotions in our life, we need to see things from different points of view, and that is what experiencing all the emotions helps us to do. Someone who is always sad or always happy can not possibly see things from a different point of view and Up helps the viewer to experience all those emotions so that they can see things from different points of view. Being able to see different views, different experiences from different people, helps the viewer to form right judgements because they see where each person is coming from, and they have the outside perspective to make their judgments. Second Media Key: Attitude Awareness “We’re susceptible to the media’s message because we’re sensory creatures. We’re spirit and flesh. What comes to us through the flesh- through our eyes, noses, ears, and hands-affects our spirit” (Gan 38). Up does a wonderful job at grabbing the viewer's attention and helping them experience different emotions. When Carl and Ellie lose their child it causes the viewer to feel sympathy for them. It helps the viewer realize the pain couples go through with the loss of a child. The movie also shows Russell appear in Carl’s life and act, or portray, as the child/grandchild that Carl never got. Seeing the relationship they build and seeing Carl take over as a father role, for Russell whose dad left him, makes the viewer see that God can give us friendships in a way we never would have imagined. Third Media Key: The Dignity of the Human Person According to Gan, “All media should reflect, uphold, and enhance human dignity. It should…reverence the human body and the human spirit. It should bring people together…it should shed light on what makes the human person unique in all creation…media should help us to understand our dignity and the dignity of others” (Gan 52). This is portrayed in the movie Up in a couple of different scenarios. The first being the enduring love Carl had for Ellie. Even after she passed, he was determined to get the house to Paradise Falls in honor of Ellie. He was not in a good health condition, but he loved Ellie so much, he valued her dignity, that he was determined to do it for her. Another example of how Up shows value of the dignity of the human person is how Carl basically “adopts” Russell on their adventure and cares deeply about him. Throughout the movie, Carl grows to love Russell, and he cares for him, making sure he is safe and listening to him when he tells him that his dad was never there for him. When Carl and Russell are trying to leave “The Spirit of Adventure” Russell appears to have fallen off and Carl, witnessing this, screams “Russell!” with fear and sadness on his face. Carl values the dignity of Russell, and because of this, they grow to have a solid relationship throughout the movie, he saw the value in Russell and upheld his dignity. Finally, the movie Up shows the media key, the dignity of the human person in Carl, Doug, and Russell’s determination to keep the bird safe. Especially after they found out that the bird was a parent, they were determined to get her back to her babies. Though the bird is not a person, it still shows that they valued the bird, and knew that the bird had worth, and dignity and they wanted to help in any way they could. Fourth Media Key: Truth-Filled In his book, Gan states that media should be filled with the truth, whether it be good or bad. He states, “the media we watch, listen to, read, and play should be filled with truth. It should not tell lies about God or about the human condition…not all truths media conveys must be pleasant” (Gan 68). Up opens with Carl and Ellie getting married and them trying to have a child, but they end up miscarrying the baby. It shows the joy and excitement that being pregnant brings a couple, preparing for the arrival of their child, but then the heartbreak that a miscarriage can bring. It is a heartbreaking scene, but it happens. It shows the truth and what couples go through after losing a child. In addition, after Ellie dies it shows the heartbreak that someone goes through after losing a spouse. Carl is sad and lonely after his wife dies, but it is the truth. Death happens and people grieve. Up does a great job at showing how people deal with deaths. The movie shows the truth about real life experiences, and it can even offer hope for some people, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that is the truth. Every storm has a rainbow.
Fifth Media Key: Inspiring The fifth media key “reminds us that there is more to media than simply being entertained or killing time. It challenges us to use media to inspire and be inspired, to draw closer to God and draw others closer to Him as well” (Gan 94). The producers of Up did a wonderful job at portraying this media key. Throughout the movie, Charles and his dogs are attempting to kidnap a bird and he was paranoid that anyone who came to Paradise Falls was also after the bird. When Carl and Russell came to Paradise Falls to attempt to achieve Carl and Ellie’s dream of visiting, they found the bird, that Russell named “Kevin” and he was determined to keep him safe from being kidnapped and killed by Charles and his dogs. This goes far beyond just entertaining the audience, but it inspires the audience to look to God in times of trouble. Russell could not keep the bird safe on his own, he needed higher help, and that help comes from God. This teaches the audience that we can not do everything on our own, we need to rely on God, we need to look to God to help us get through our adventures. With the help of God, with the help of others, it helps us to get through things a little bit easier because we know that we have someone to lean on, someone who we know will be there to support us and to cheer us on. The movie Up also shows the fifth media key, inspiring, with Carl. Carl is old and not in the best health condition, but he is determined to get his house to Paradise Falls. Ellie has wanted to do this ever since she was a child. His determination throughout the movie is very inspiring, showing that age and health does not deter you from attempting to achieve your goal. Sixth Media Key: Skillfully Developed “By ‘best’ they mean…the films with the most professional editing, convincing acting, thoughtful directing, and engaging writing” (Gan 99). The producers of Up did a fantastic job with skillfully developing the movie. With the bright colors of the balloons on Carl’s house, to the specific details put onto the wilderness explorer patches on Russell’s uniform, it is clear that time and effort was put into producing this movie. The emotion that is shown throughout the movie portrays how people would deal with them in real life situations. For example, when Ellie was dying, the emotion on Carl’s face was that of losing someone who means a lot to you, which is what happened. Likewise, it shows the loneliness someone can experience after losing a loved one. The producers also did an excellent job with the animation of the jungle scenes. The time it took to skillfully produce something as simple as a leaf was done so well. Similarly, Kevin, the bird, has beautiful designs as well. Her feathers and even how she runs portrays birds in the real world jungle. The producers took their time with this editing and it shows with the popularity and positive reviews of it. The editing creates a fun experience and environment for the viewer and that reflects well on the movie overall. Seventh Media Key: Motivated by and Relevant to Experience “It gives us characters with depth, who resemble ourselves, or people we know with all our hopes, dreams, strengths, talents, and quirks. It also places those characters in situations that, at their heart, are similar to situations we find ourselves in” (Gan 118). Up gives so many different scenes that a huge variety of people can relate to. For example, everyone either has, or will have to experience, dealing with the loss of a loved one. Seeing it portrayed in a movie helps people relate to the characters because it is something that they have lived through, they know the feeling, and thus, they can relate to it because of their experience. Another way the movie portrays this media key is the life situations Carl and Russell are in. Carl was never able to have children, and Russell has an absent dad who never answers his calls. When they meet, Russell portrays the role as the child Carl never had, and Carl acts as a father figure for Russell, as the dad he never really had. This can catch the attention of those who also were not able to have children, or for children who were raised by a single parent. People watching this movie who have experience with those themes can not only relate to the characters, but also see what they characters do to overcome it, and it might inspire or motivate them to do the same. Up shows the ups and downs of life which can make it known and make it realistic for the person watching the movie. The movie portrays grieving, but also healing, and that there is always hope after a loved one dies. In conclusion, the movie Up is a wonderful move for everyone. It portrays real life situations that people have either gone through, or will go through at some point. The producers did a wonderful job at creating a movie that is engaging, but also top terrier animation skills. The colors match the mood of each scene, for example, lots of bright colors for happy scenes, and dark colors for more serious and heartful scenes. I think the general audience would appreciate the movie being reviewed the way I did because it gives people new insights. It helps them realize a connection or a hidden theme that they wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Overall, Up is a great movie, and I recommend it for people who want a movie that will not only make them laugh, but also make them think, and relate on an emotional level to the characters.
I recently watched it with my kids, and something I never realized when I first saw it as a kid is that the quality of the voice acting and the musical style makes it firmly 60s-folksy and almost beatnik. It makes them weirdly very relatable and charming. Like they're all just having good fun for most of the movie.
It depends on how you're framing it. I also like the Gargoyles to. But I can't stand Dory in Finding Nemo (2003), yeah I went there (Even when I was a kid I hated Dory) (However I hated the Gargoyles in Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002) but that's a rant for another time). I know a lot of people anecdotally who like the Gargoyles. But let's be honest most the hate for the Gargoyles comes from the internet. Sure I'm not the only who likes the Gargoyles and while they do have their fans and defenders, but they are in the minority (or possibly silent majority). If you're talking about the internet than yeah a majority of people hate the Gargoyles. If you're talking about in non-internet circles than you'll find a decent amount of people who do like them and aren't just bandwagoners (I'm not saying everyone who hates the Gargoyles are bandwagoners, and if people genuinely don't like them than that's ok and I'm not shaming them for it. But let's be honest. A lot of them are bandwagoners).
I know I’m three years late, but I just want to say thank you. Thank you so much for making this video. As a Pooh fan and child at heart, this is how I feel. Everything you said is spot on. Winnie the Pooh isn’t just a kids movie. I believe he can be for anyone! Winnie the Pooh reminds me that I don’t always have to mold myself into what Society wants me to be as an adult. It’s okay to do “nothing.” It’s okay to run through the meadows. It’s okay to just… be in the present moment and just enjoy life.
Thank you so much for making this video and giving the film the recognition it deserves! It is one of the best films I have ever seen and leaves you with the feeling that you have seen something that is MORE. Something that goes beyond ordinary entertainment, something that rattles the stars....
i'm teaching Treasure Planet this week in an intro to film class and this video was so helpful for someone who mostly studies live action film! thank you for this, three years later haha
I'm honoured that my video could help you so much! I'm pleasantly surprised and thankful that so many people are still watching my older essays. :) Thank you for the kind words!
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories ever, I've read the book and watched the Disney movie several times, and you captured my feelings about the animated movie exactly in just the intro alone Edit: The rest of the video sums up my feelings just as well as the intro did. 10/10 video!
I dont care what any person says i dont like Lion King its a D or rather 65.4% Robin Hoood/ Aladdin/ Return of Jafar and Sword in the stone are my #1 all 4 tied equally fav Disney movies one reason i like it is it simple fun,even if rehash stuff who really cares, Robin Hood for instance on the movie is funny, charm, good morals, heart, soul . Most are all about Music or death .. which the over disney songs can be .. well .. good but not really important to me Sword in Stone for instance helps Arthur to be smart, have courage and educate him to be a better person. Love the castle theme the characters are unique differentwhich makes them so good to me. Lion King tries too hard to be colorful sad, and tries to be alover the place, but comes off as Simba wants his dad dead without thinking then when happens blames himself then he wants to make pork with hs long time friend when lateron then rushes into a fast pace revenge. And has2 fart jokesters that just there. Ron Hood is 1 of4 of my fav Disney movies i dont care what people say. This movie is A+ Disney same as the other 3. ALice in Wonderland 64.3% and Lion King way down there. of the classic ones.
What a well thought out and executed video! This is “Robin Hood Month” because of the 50th so I’ve been making/watching videos about this classic which is one of my absolute favorites! 🦊🏹
I’ve always loved the unique, dark, and moody coloring and stylizing of this film. But beyond that, I think it’s a fundamental, timeless, and beautiful story that flies in the face of modern propaganda in a perfect way. Radical feminism has turned into telling women that they don’t need men and _shouldn’t want one_ - but the fact that this exact story lives on in insanely popular modern romance novels tells a different story. It’s just something we long for! Being whisked away by a strong and righteous man. And that’s not wrong! The fact that more and more people nowadays say there is no absolute moral right and wrong… and yet you can perfectly see it here, and everyone cheers for it. There IS good and evil. And the fact that it’s not wrong or of-the-devil to have a heterosexual romance as the main plot point. It’s an innate biological human desire to find a mate! That’s not wrong either! It’s a tale as old as time because our core desires DON’T CHANGE.
I definitely plan on doing one eventually! :) I LOVE Tarzan so much. I have some other projects lined up first (some already in their editing phase), so it might be a little while before I can get to it unfortunately.
I love this film, it's my favorite of the Disney-renaissance. I've seen the musical adaptation last year, and I'm still shocked how much darker the story originally is. the musical leans much more into the original book, and even the film diverts much more from the source material, I prefer the lighter tone and the hopeful ending of the movie.
You call Treasure Planet flawed and say that it has multiple plot holes, but you never pointed out any any specific examples or explained why. All you said was that Ben might be too overbearing. I don’t think this movie is flawed or has any plot holes. In fact, I think it’s one of the best (if not the best) Disney movies for its ingenuity and heartwarming father-son story.
In my opinion, this film has one of the best scores in animated history! This film's soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece. I am so excited to talk more about that in future videos that I'm working on! :)
I remember fighting people regarding the artistry of UP. To this day, it's my most favorite PIXAR film. For some odd reason, for some people, the second Carl takes off in his house, certain people check out. I will never understand that. The grandest part of the film is , Carl....ADVENTURING!
