Post by Martin Stett on Nov 26, 2018 17:44:19 GMT
Star Wars (1977 rewatch) -- First time watching the theatrical edition, and my goodness, Greedo not shooting makes everything so much better. That aside, this is pretty much the perfect adventure movie, with sizzling banter, perfectly filmed action scenes, and evoking a sense of stakes that makes everything matter. I still don't get how everyone dried out so quickly getting out of that garbage compactor, but who cares. 10/10
Tangled (2010 rewatch) -- Ouch, this suffered on a rewatch. I still think it's pretty fantastic, but I held this as my favorite animated Disney movie, and it doesn't hold that title anymore. The problem is that the comedy doesn't mesh with the drama; both are really good on their own merits, but there are gears screeching whenever we have a change from to the other. Mother Gothel is still a fascinating villain, Maximus is still a blast, but they don't belong in subsequent scenes. 8/10
Aparajito (1956) -- An excellent drama that succeeds in one area where Pather Panchali did not: a sense of forward momentum. It actually felt like every scene was in the same movie, and that they mattered to the narrative. It can drag a bit when it gets too melodramatic (and this happens too often, I'm afraid), but this was a story of growing up, whereas Pather Panchali was merely a series of really good moments pinned together and meaning nothing. 7/10
The Empire Strikes Back (1980 rewatch) -- Again, first time watching the theatrical edition. This time, I don't mind the changes Lucas made in the SE: I have nothing against a fuller view of the Wampa, and opening up Cloud City was a good touch, imo. As for the movie itself, it's jawdroppingly great. The dialogue is searing, the plot zips along (despite going nowhere on paper), and the deeper looks into the character's psyches is welcome. It doesn't put a step wrong, and is better than I ever remember it being. 10/10
Little Women (1933) -- A decent (if slow and overly genteel) little slice of life drama that brought down by a ruinously overacted Katharine Hepburn performance. 4/10
Fat Girl (2001) -- I refuse. Fuck this movie, I refuse to even speak of this garbage. If I could wipe its existence from the world, I would. 1/10
Tangled (2010 rewatch) -- Ouch, this suffered on a rewatch. I still think it's pretty fantastic, but I held this as my favorite animated Disney movie, and it doesn't hold that title anymore. The problem is that the comedy doesn't mesh with the drama; both are really good on their own merits, but there are gears screeching whenever we have a change from to the other. Mother Gothel is still a fascinating villain, Maximus is still a blast, but they don't belong in subsequent scenes. 8/10
Aparajito (1956) -- An excellent drama that succeeds in one area where Pather Panchali did not: a sense of forward momentum. It actually felt like every scene was in the same movie, and that they mattered to the narrative. It can drag a bit when it gets too melodramatic (and this happens too often, I'm afraid), but this was a story of growing up, whereas Pather Panchali was merely a series of really good moments pinned together and meaning nothing. 7/10
The Empire Strikes Back (1980 rewatch) -- Again, first time watching the theatrical edition. This time, I don't mind the changes Lucas made in the SE: I have nothing against a fuller view of the Wampa, and opening up Cloud City was a good touch, imo. As for the movie itself, it's jawdroppingly great. The dialogue is searing, the plot zips along (despite going nowhere on paper), and the deeper looks into the character's psyches is welcome. It doesn't put a step wrong, and is better than I ever remember it being. 10/10
Little Women (1933) -- A decent (if slow and overly genteel) little slice of life drama that brought down by a ruinously overacted Katharine Hepburn performance. 4/10
Fat Girl (2001) -- I refuse. Fuck this movie, I refuse to even speak of this garbage. If I could wipe its existence from the world, I would. 1/10
