DVDizzy Forum

Lazario wrote:The characters and events are exactly what they should have been in this film. And it's anything but boring. It's one of the most beautiful Disney animated movies from the 90s. Though I must say the music was a bit of a disappointment, upon my latest viewing. The vocals didn't seem as solid as perhaps they should have. Disney sure handled this plot better than the one for Fox and the Hound.

I actually like the Fox and the Hound better myself. I just had no emotional connection with the story of Pocahontas. I found it way too forced. Crying about racism and protecting nature was just a little too overdone in this movie. The only scene I liked was "Savages." However, Ratcliffe was such a lousy villain that the movie kind of fell for me. The hero/ine is only as strong as the villain/ess. And he was pretty weak. Sure, he was selfish and racist and greedy, but what villain isn't? He had nothing remotely interesting, individual or memorable about him. He just fell behind all the villains that were created before him. While he was better than, say, Edgar from the Aristocats, he still came about rather short.

And Pocahontas, while being an admirable heroine, wasn't rather unique either. I did like the fact that her voice and design was clearly different than all the heroines before her, but, besides that, I didn't really like her much. She was powerful and WAS a hero, but I still think that the explanation for her being able to speak English was pretty pathetic. "Listen with your heart." While sappiness comes with movies that focus on emotion as Disney movies do, most of these newer movies try too hard to try and make you feel for the main characters or cry for them. The only other notable thing about the movie was that they didn't make Meeko, Flik and Percy speak. While some movies have reasons for why animals can be understood by humans (like Ariel being half-fish in TLM for example), I'm glad they didn't make them speak for the heck of it like they made those gargoyles in HoND.

Besides, this movie is just full of formulas that everyone complains about as well (which, coincidentally, seems to mostly come from TLM). Things alike: Disagreeable father figure, best friend that's more rooted to their lives than the main character (and often tries to warn the main character of the possible mistakes they're making), girl wanting to learn about people that are unlike her, falls in love with them, breaks hate between two races by defeating a villain while they both hurt people for selfish ("love") reasons. The only difference to me is that Pocahontas didn't have the typical "Happy Ending." Which, while being original for a Disney movie, falls short because of all the bad parts of the film. In the end, Pocahontas isn't necessarily a terrible film. Just rather bland, with overused ideas from the same company, overdone plot ideas and songs from uninspiring characters.

Of course, that is just all my opinion.

Disney's Divinity wrote:Besides, this movie is just full of formulas that everyone complains about as well (which, coincidentally, seems to mostly come from TLM). Things alike: Disagreeable father figure, best friend that's more rooted to their lives than the main character (and often tries to warn the main character of the possible mistakes they're making), girl wanting to learn about people that are unlike her, falls in love with them, breaks hate between two races by defeating a villain while they both hurt people for selfish ("love") reasons. The only difference to me is that Pocahontas didn't have the typical "Happy Ending." Which, while being original for a Disney movie, falls short because of all the bad parts of the film. In the end, Pocahontas isn't necessarily a terrible film. Just rather bland, with overused ideas from the same company, overdone plot ideas and songs from uninspiring characters.

I never thought of that. You may have a point.

However, The Little Mermaid seems to me to be in the end, less about the love that grows between Ariel and Eric, and more about a triumph of good over evil 'with a little help from your friends'. Of course, Little Mermaid and Pocahontas are not in the same league, I think The Little Mermaid is the standard by which all Disney films of the 90s should be judged (I know TLM was '89, but you get the point). Pocahontas was overall about how the love and understanding that grew between John and Pocahontas conquered all, by itself. And I don't know about you, but when I watched the ending, I bought it. It really does seem as though love itself conquered hatred and ignorance. This is aided of course, by the other amazing assets of the film like the amazing natural settings' colors and the way the lyrics in the songs really resonated with what was happening with the characters. Another great thing about the songs, they're telling advanced parts of the stories and giving us a full feel for the characters, even shading in parts of the peoples' lives that we didn't see. The movie also truly feels complete. And I can't explain how important that is.

You say The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas feel too much alike. I think they couldn't be more different. Other than the stereotypical father. The role of Pocahontas's talking friends are unbelievably miniscule. So I'd say there isn't enough time for the friend to take on characterstics from Sabastien or Flounder. Also, there's no character in the whole of The Little Mermaid that's anything like Willow, the talking tree. All the scenes to do with Willow are amazing.

Every Disney movie has evil in it. Is there a disney movie without a Villian.
I cant think of any

memnv wrote:Every Disney movie has evil in it. Is there a disney movie without a Villian.
I cant think of any

The Winnie The Pooh Movies. I haven't seen a villian in any of them.

good point but wasnt there one where the forest was disappearing. Winnie the Pooh is probably the only Disney toons I dont like, But Tigger is cool, He was the symbol for my second son who was born premature and had to stay in the hospital 3 weeks. But he bounced back

Nala wrote:

memnv wrote:Every Disney movie has evil in it. Is there a disney movie without a Villian.
I cant think of any

The Winnie The Pooh Movies. I haven't seen a villian in any of them.

What about the honey stealing Heffalumps and Woozles! They could be considered as villians, even though they weren't real!

good point

Brother Bear didn't reeeally have a villain in it, unless you would consider Kenai's brother a villain because he was threatening in some scenes..

In Brother Bear there was a lot of evil, To the Bears Man was evil, To Man the Bears were evil, no body was a clear cut bad guy. But in each others eyes they were bad

Timon/Pumba fan wrote:What about the honey stealing Heffalumps and Woozles! They could be considered as villians, even though they weren't real!

I wouldn't consider them villains. Not because they were real or not, but they were just being playful. But anyway, the honey they were stealing wasn't real, so that's what I look at. They weren't really nice but they weren't mean either.

Bambi

I actually fell asleep watching this!

Alan wrote:Bambi

I actually fell asleep watching this!

WOW ALAN! That is the most amazing thing to be said on all of UD. Thanks for bumping this thread, we all needed to read this! (Sorry Luke for stealing your on-going joke).

Alan it's alright if you didn't like Bambi, but like the mods have been saying it would be nice if you put a little more thought into your posts.

Fine, if you want be to elaborate on my statement, I will. I fell asleep because I was bored. There wasn't any plot, which was probably the main reason why it was boring. It didn't make me emotional.

HOME ON THE RANGE


1. The story: you could tell the story was way wrong when they changed it like 4 times before deciding on this.


2. The animation: you can tell me all you want that it is just a different style, more simple and that doesn't make it wrong. Well, that could be true but The Emperor's New Groove was also simple in style and looked so much better.

3. The jokes where so dumb and flat; and I don't even want to go into the 30 seconds belching scene.

4. Buck is the most annoying character EVER on a Disney movie. WAY OVER THE TOP and not even funny.

... and I thought Pegasus was bad.


5. It is so sad that the only really good part of the movie was the last part in the mines, and that is pathetic because it is the part where the movie makes less sense.


6. The villains where so not there.

7. The last scene where Grace kicks the bell.... was just when the movie really hit the bottom.


8. Not just that Disney decided to give green light to this, but also that having to choose between Brother Bear, Treasure Planet or this.... They could have chosen any of the other 2 to end the animated classics. (Most people might not like them, but you'd have to admit that they're so much better in comparison)



... the others I like least:

1. The Aristocats; watched it from a friend and that's one of the reasons I'm not going to buy it. Didn't like at all.


2. The Great Mouse Detective: not that I hate it but I don't like it that much. It bores me everytime... hope it grows on me eventually, tough.


3. Atlantis: GREAT opening scene. Nice animation.... but what happens with the whole story?



... different categories:

Tarzan (not the movie but because I never liked the story) and Dumbo (good when I was a kid, very so so now).


And Dinosaur I really dislike... but it is not an animated classic.

Home on the Range!

It´s awful!

Bad draws, bad songs (forgive me Alan Menken, but for the first time I really don't like them), bad story (is there really a story in that movie?!).
I can't really believe what disney have done with their classic movies...
I feel that this is the new dark period of Disney... I'm afraid that Chiken Little will be even worst since it is a CGI movie!

I think that Disney should get back to their roots, with real draws (non CGI), good musical numbers and above all good stories to animate (they should get back to their old formula with Rapunzel, and don't miss that great chance, creating a copy of Shrek)!

Alan wrote:Fine, if you want be to elaborate on my statement, I will. I fell asleep because I was bored. There wasn't any plot, which was probably the main reason why it was boring. It didn't make me emotional.

You should watch the extras on the DVD,there is explained the main plot of this movie

I really didn't enjoy Atlantis: The Lost Empire. It bored me to tears. Mulan and Hercules also hold less appeal for me.

Let me add one more:

Sleeping Beauty: I've tried my best to like it more... but I just can't. I appreciate the work done but the movie is too long or what it has. It bores me whenever I try to watch it.

1. There's not enough of Maleficent (the best character in the whole movie).

2. While the fairies are fun to watch.... the movie is NOT about them. So they shouldn't have the more screen time.

3. The kings fight scene: I might think the movie has to be shorter and that there are scenes that are too long.... but as soon as this scene shows up, the movie just stops.


In general, this movie needed editing so bad.

PS

Plus the movie is so dark. I don't mind that but in contrast to Snow White and Cinderella, the movie seems like not meant to fit as a princess fairy tale story.

Very few movies have I ever really disliked, but

ATLANTIS - I just couldn't watch it...BORING, IMO

and the only other ones I have not seen I can't pass judgement On

Pocahantas,
The Black Couldron,
Fantasia

I watched Brother Bear again last night, and that is the one movie i'm going to put in this thread. I don't like the songs, I found Koda annoying, and Rutt and Tuke we're even more annoying.