I haven't watched as many Disney movies lately as I used to, mainly because I have spent a lot of time studying (hence my absence from UD) and because I've also been watching lots of non-Disney movies lately (mostly old classics which everybody but me have watched, hehe).
The last Disney movies I watched were (I'm making a list of all the movies I'm watching this year, hehe):
Bambi: An absolute classic which I hadn't seen in a few years prior to its DVD release, but which has always been a favorite of mine. Is there anything about it that I can say that hasn't been said already?!
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Yeah, it is one of Disney's most famous live-action movies and it has inventive visuals and special effects, but in the end it is a mostly lackluster movie. There is no chemistry among the kids and it has always bottered me that Rick Moranis and his wife never really seem to care about the safety of their children and that they ignore the fact that they may not even survive out there. Yeah, it is a family film, but that doesn't convince me.
Well, I bought the DVD anyway... it was cheap and the movie is anamorphically-enhanced.
Treasure Planet: this film is a beauty to behold. It may have some story problems but, damn it, you've got to admit it is one of the most technically-perfect animated films ever made. The art direction, the backgrounds (they're all digital but they look like oil paintings!), the special effects, the animation (I'm always impressed by the power and mass of Keane's John Silver and the class and sueltry of Ken Duncan's Capitain Amelia)... there are way too many good things in this movie for it to be considered a failure. Some may think it is too slow-paced at times, but I actually think it is a good thing, since there is more character development and it shows the filmmakers weren't desperately trying to please the kids. The only thing I really don't like in the movie is the design of some of the pirates in Silver's crew... yeah, they may be creative, but they aren't (to use a Walt Disney term) plausible impossible. Come on... a head with legs is too much of a stretch of the imagination, hehe.
Pollyanna: one of Disney's all-time bests! All the cast is really given a chance to shine, specially Karl Malden and his unforgetable reverend (I still think Richard Egan looks wooden and flat, though). But, of course, this movie belongs to Hayley Mills. Without her, the central character could have become too sugary and importune, but she gives Pollyanna a real spark and portrays her a real girl. This is a perfect film in almost every way. And what a DVD!
The Sword In The Stone: most may think of "Sword" as one of the lesser Disney films, and while I understand why, I think the film holds up pretty well, mostly because of its colorful supporting characters (Wart, the protagonist, is one of the flattest characters, in my opinion). While the story may seem too fragmented and the ending too anticlimatic, it has its moments. Tecnically, this is one of Disney's best as far as character animation goes. It shows the Nine Old Man at the top of their games, and the retro xerox style and colorful backgrounds influenced by cubist art are quite refreshing to watch. Even if it's a flawed film, I preffer it over (gasp!) "The Jungle Book" and most of Disney's work from the 70s and early 80s.
Saludos Amigos: this is such a simple movie that is is difficult to rank it alongside the other animated classics, but I think it's a fun and innofensive flick (innofensive on the surfice, we all know the reasons it was made). It includes two of my all-time favorites Donald Duck and Goofy shorts and, of course, it was the movie that introduced Joe Carioca to the world!! Even if "Pedro" is the slowest segment of the film, when you hear the first notes of "Aquarela do Brasil" you can't help but forget about all the flaws the film might have. It is really an impressive work of art, and the song is one of most beautiful ever written.
Pixar has sure improved alot from it's first film