it's genuinely good, y'all. i was too tired to focus through all of it (the second half hour is a blur of things i only sort of heard as i was sort of dozing in and out), but here are a few things that i really liked about it:
- from the giddyup, it's very clear that it's trying to capture the spirit and culture of new orleans. it's a sort of stereotypical disney wash of it (large, fat southern man who's rich! obnoxious but kind daughter who's hyper and wants to be a princess! poorer black woman who is their seamstress! VOODOO!) but i like it. have they really had an american disney fairy tale yet? i don't think so.
- it's pretty predictable, in terms of the storyline, but i like that they tried to come up with new characters. the animals? gator and firefly. AWESOME. if you live anywhere close to the south they depict, you know that's the true way. and these animal characters? probably my favorite since the little mermaid.
- the ending. i loved it. there was no question of race. race sort of played a part in it, but it didn't at the same time. it was from the outside that it became an issue--people doubting tia's ability to reach her dream, people both black and white--but it never, ever was mentioned in her relationship with the prince. granted, this is disney, but i very much like that. i want my kids to believe that it's love and compassion and sacrifice that brings happiness, not necessarily a shared cultural background.
any movie suggestions for us? we don't watch anything with a higher rating than PG13, so no R movies please. but anything you've seen that you think would be worth a netflix gander?
Uh, Forrest Gump. And? The Blind Side, if you haven't already watched it.
ReplyDeleteFinally, "Bandits" with BIlly Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis and Cate Blanchett. No one knows about this movie for some reason, but I think it is so stinking funny. It's pg-13 and has a few *ahem* moments, but the ending scene is so awesome that it's worth it.