Lilo and Stitch

 I know it's been a long time since I've posted, but life is quite busy. However, now, I am all yours (lucky you). Also, I will be posting on Mondays now. 

                                                               

                                                                  Lilo and Stitch

     The movie opens at the Galactic Federation Headquarters. I'm only assuming that this is something you would capitalize. Also, I would assume this is something you would make into an abbreviation. The GFH for instance, because that just sounds so much more secretive and awesome. The GFH is located on planet Turo...which is really just a big space ship. Oh, and everything is blue....because all aliens are blue.

   

                          Not so original now are you, Mr. Cameron?

   So this mad scientist named Jumba is on trial for creating this lil' blue guy named Experiment 626 (spoiler: he's Stitch). Poor guy is only a number. Also, does this mean that Jumba has made 625 other live creations? If so, where are they and why is the government only finding out about it now? Come on, GFH! Get your act together.

     The grand councilwoman accuses Jumba of creating a monster.

                     

                                 I'm trembling with fear right now.

   So a bunch of excitement happens and this guy...no joke because I'm not creative enough to make this up...vomits metal pieces! I swear it. I couldn't find a picture but if you need proof watch the opening of Lilo and Stitch. You won't be disappointed.

    The grand councilwoman (kudos to Turo for promoting women in leadership...even if she does have disgusting cheek bones and is racist against blue guys) declares 626 a product of a deranged mind (sorry Jumba) and sentences 626 to termination and Jumba to prison. So that's a bummer. 626, however, valiantly escapes, kicks some galactic butt, and blows this metaphorical popsicle stand. Who's the product of a deranged mind now, suckers? 626, struggling with an oafish creature named Captain Gantu, manages to steal the smaller ship off of the mother ship because the gaurd, as per movie security guard conduct, is sleeping. Thus begins a space battle that would put Star Wars to shame. 626, being the boss he is, manages to escape the grumpy space people and fly down to our humble little planet Earth. 

       Grand Councilwoman is not happy. Who knows if she's mad at Stitch or is just upset to be born        with those cheekbones. 

         So 626 plummets down to Earth...more specifically Hawaii. I'd like to take a moment to express how truly unfair this is. Most of us save our whole lives for a trip to Hawaii and still sometimes don't get there. This random alien experiment falls out of the sky and just so happens to land in Hawaii. HAWAII! 

        Back to the subject...on planet Turo, the grand councilwoman, wallowing in her anger and unrealistic bone structure, consults a scientist named Pleakley who seems to be an expert on Earth. In fact, he confesses that they've been using Earth to rebuild the mosquito population. Thanks for that. Obviously they cannot send a one-eyed goofball to Earth alone to retrieve a "dangerous" product of a deranged mind, so they do the only reasonable thing and decide to send Jumba with him. That's right, the deranged mind himself. 

               You know how the saying goes: five eyes are better than one.

     Then we meet the most adorable little whippersnapper that Disney's ever seen. Unfortunately this whippersnapper happens to be late for a hula recital (no cliche here). This opening should remind you of a certain red-headed mermaid. That's right, only Disney can make allusions to itself. We also have the first appearance of the famous mysterious tan line guy:

                                        

       I'm actually quite impressed with how his flip flops match his shorts. That's classy. 

Let's talk a little about the importance of Lilo for a moment. Disney specializes in teenagers and young adults. Now they are introducing a spirited, independent heroine much younger than usual. Most people forget that it's highly important to have a young, relatable role model for children as children are Disney's main demographic. Children can look up to Cinderella and Mulan but they can't relate. Children understand Lilo and share many of her problems. They understand the feeling of exclusion from the adult world and being underestimated. Lilo is a much-needed, should-be Disney princess that speaks to the younger generations.

       Lilo makes it to the hula recital (not on time but better late than never). The other little girls give her some hate for it though, to which she provides the decent excuse of having to buy peanut butter for a weather-controlling fish who rejects cannibalism (once again, not making this up). Lilo's determination to feed Pudge, and to feed him properly, foreshadows one of her greatest qualities: loyalty. 

       Lilo is called weird by this annoying soulless ginger (please do not take offense if you are indeed of the fire-haired persuasion), and a fight ensues which ends in Lilo sitting alone on the steps waiting for her sister to come pick her up. This ultimately reinforces the idea of how hard it is to be a child. No-one is ever able to see your way of thinking because children think differently. Too many forget what it's like to be young and consequentially don't know how to treat young people. 

        Lilo, being the little fireball that she is, follows the other girls and makes a genuine apology which they reject because they're stupid. She even shows them her doll that she handmade herself.

      

                           I like how there is a literal button where the belly button goes. Genius.

     Scrump is made out of all sorts of stuff that Lilo scrounged up, and even though she is flawed and not like other dolls, she is beautiful to Lilo and still just as fun and worthy. In other words, Scrump is a metaphor for Lilo. They are both imperfect but beautiful. They stand out and have a hard time fitting in, but in the end they are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

      Lilo is upset with the other girls rejection of Scrump so she throws her down but then comes back. The retrieval of Scrump is, once again, reinforcing Lilo's strong sense of loyalty.

       Nani, Lilo's older sister, then comes to pick Lilo up and is frustrated to learn that Lilo left. Let's talk about Nani, shall we? Nani is my personal hero. This lady is taking care of her younger sister without any legal obligation to, working, probably struggling financially, and grieving for her deceased parents. This woman is magical, let me tell you. So many would crack under that kind of pressure but this woman stays strong and still rocks the crop top. Which is another point: This movie, in contrast to many other Disney movies, features heroes and heroines who look real. This movie shows men and women who are confident in their average bodies and gives viewers something to relate to.

       Back to the plot...please take note that on her hurried way home to find Lilo, Nani does some damage to an anonymous car. She's only human. When she gets home, Lilo has locked her out, because why not. A man appears at the door who is supposedly a social worker named Mr. Bubbles (seriously?). 

       

     I think he looks like he just got back from taking a bullet for the president or something like that.

This scene is just nonstop comedy. It's classic sibling rivalry and shenanigans that everyone feels comfortable with and understands. Mr. Bubbles is taking a peek around the house when he finds Lilo with a voodoo book and a pickle jar and such. "My friends need to be punished." The fact that Lilo still refers to the group of girls who ostracized and ridiculed her as friends adds to the confirmation of her loyalty.

      After the huge Nani/Lilo fight scene the two inevitably make up. Try and think about how genuinely hard it would be to have to be a sister AND a mother. I don't even know if it's possible. There has to be such a precise balance of authority and friendship; plus you don't want authority to blur your sibling relationship. 

      Jumba finds 626 who promptly evades him by hiding in an animal shelter. Plot twist! Nani and Lilo decide to get a dog! Now we're getting somewhere. It is interesting, however, to think about how Nani and Lilo already have a dog door, meaning they had a dog, yet since they do not have one now, it must be dead. That means that not only do these two ladies have to mourn their parents but they also have to deal with the death of a pet. This is actually a pretty sad movie if you look at it a certain way.

       Lilo looks through the shelter and sees 626 and, thinking he is a dog, wants to buy him. 

                     

                                                       ....seems legit 

     I think that the major attraction to 626 was his oddities. Lilo is different and weird and so is 626. They are both misfits and both a perfect match. It wouldn't have been right for Lilo to get a normal dog. Lilo declares that she will name him Stitch to which the manager says, "That's not a real name." Can I just say, never, ever, ever devalue a child's creativity, originality, or ideas! They have young minds and are often more complicated than adults, yet so many feel the need to correct them on silly things like what they can and cannot name their pets. To people who do things like that: go sulk in your stupid reality and shut up while the rest of us indulge in perfect silliness.

     Stitch is just as important of a character as Lilo. He has a hard time fitting in and is in a completely new place. He was cast aside by his own people and is constantly told he's a monster. I'm going to get to this more later.

      Time moves on, Lilo makes an effort to become friends with the idiotic mean girls and learns the hard lesson that some people just suck and there isn't anything you can do about it. Pleakley and Jumba are stalking Stitch in hopes that they can catch him and return him to the GFH. They come up with some really convincing disguises too. 

    Another question that has been bothering me: HOW THE HECK DO ALL OF THE ORGANS FIT IN PLEAKLEY'S BODY??!! He must have super exclusive space organs that only aliens have. 

     Then we meet my man, David. David is pretty dang cool. I'll talk about him later.

     Lilo is compensating maternally towards Stitch. Her mother is no longer with her so she feels the need to give Stitch a mother and does so by nurturing him. Nani is working hard in this scene but also tells David that she does not have the time to go out with him which highlights the sacrifices she makes for Lilo. Lilo mentions reading Nani's diary. The fact that Nani keeps a diary as a probable adult shows that she is still a child at heart and probably still suffers a lot of the things Lilo does. Nani just has to pretend to be strong for both of their sakes.

      Trouble ensues as a result of Stitch and Nani gets fired from her job. Nani entertains Lilo's childhood fantasies by telling her that the manager is a vampire. This is the second time Nani has allowed Lilo to cherish her youthful imagination because we already know from the beginning of the film that Nani was making Lilo peanut butter sandwiches for the weather-manipulating fish every morning. Nani's role as the protector of Lilo's youth is very important because so far everyone has been trying to crush it (which is a fairly realistic don't you think?). She was scolded by the hula instructor for tardiness, told she was too weird for having a decent imagination by her peers, and was even told her naming abilities were not adequate by the pet adoption lady. Nani is the only thing allowing Lilo to have her childhood.

       Nani is angry with Stitch (he did get her fired after all) and decides to throw him out. This is where the famous Ohana quote comes into play. "Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten." Grab your hankies, folks.  Needless to say, Nani decides to keep Stitch, once again accommodating Lilo's youthfulness. 

     Meanwhile Pleakley and Jumba are camping outside of their house and stalking them which isn't creepy at all, by the way. Pleakley also learns the truth about mosquitoes the hard way. 

     Lilo tells Stitch that to be good, all he needs is a purpose. I find this interesting because this is the same predicament with children. They feel purposeless a lot of times which explains why they feel the need to take care of dolls (like Scrump) and help out. They are always trying to participate because society does not make their purpose known. Stitch and Lilo are ultimately perfect companions because they can relate to each other. 

     Then the Ugly Duckling analogy comes into play. This version is mostly about the duckling being lost and apart from his family, which is true for Stitch. Stitch does not have anyone to call family, and before Lilo he didn't have a single person on his side. Lilo fits the traditional ugly duckling story really well. She is rejected by the other girls for being different and has a hard time fitting in, yet despite the circumstances, she is still beautiful and lovable.

      Mr. Bubbles makes another unwelcome appearance, and let's just say he doesn't "get" Stitch. The thing I like most about this movie is it faces real-world struggles as opposed to the normal Disney princess struggles. Jasmine's only struggle was that she didn't want to live in a palace or get married, for goodness sakes! Nani has a hard time getting a job, has to care for her younger sister, is grieving for deceased parents, faces the thought of having her sister taken away to be raised by strangers, tries to impress a jerk-face social worker, has to consistently turn down the greatest guy ever, not to mention having to find a way to afford taking care of herself and her little sister without any known form of experience. Your life doesn't seem so complicated now, does it?

       David, in his awesome self, suggests some surfing to take her mind off of her problems. I will now proceed to make a list of reasons why David is the ideal man.

1. He's funny...maybe in a goofy way but isn't any way of making a girl laugh amazing?

2. He's talented. What girl doesn't want a professional fire dancer? 

3. He's pragmatic. When Nani is feeling down he checks up on her and finds ways to solve her problems. Even if there's nothing he can do he will find something to take her mind off it.

4. He looks good shirtless. 'Nuff said?

5. He's nice to her little sister. We see this in the surf scene and is there really anything more attractive than a guy who's good with kids?

6. He's responsible. He takes care of Nani and Lilo.

7. He takes initiative. Initiative is what REAL men have. I will get to this later. 

8. He sticks around when times get tough. When Nani's life goes up in flames, he is still there for her, regardless of her baggage.

9. He's brave. The dude works with fire for a living.

10. He's selfless. He puts Nani before himself.

11. He's persistent. No matter how much Nani rejects him, he is still platonically there for her while pursuing her romantically. He never gives up because she says no. He sticks with her and has patience.

                                                  Bonus picture!

    So the surfing scene...

     

                        How great of a song is "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"?

    Two orphans, a bachelor, and an alien surfing. Does life get any better? So Stitch goes under as does Lilo. Guess who comes to the rescue? David! Refer to number 9 on the list. Not only does David save his girl's little sister but he even goes in for her "dog". That is true dedication and love. Disney also gives examples of real-life heroes in this movie. Women can't always count on Aladdin and his magic carpet or Prince Charming and his steed, but David will always be there when you need him. This is the most realistic Disney movie if you disregard the whole alien thing. 

     Mr. Bubbles returns and decides that Nani is not fit to raise Lilo, as he announces that he will pick her up later. There are a number of reasons why this is a bad decision. Even if Nani is financially unstable and inexperienced as a parent, Lilo is suffering so much grief already that being taken away from her sister would be absolutely devastating. That would lower her into a comatose state of depression. Next, Lilo is already having to deal with an unstable life. Turning her entire life upside down would be so psychologically tormenting. And lastly, we already addressed Lilo's lack of purpose. She does find purpose in Nani and Stitch though. Taking that away would be absolutely devastating. It would also rob Nani of her purpose. Let's face it, another family couldn't handle Lilo.

       David expresses his devastation to Stitch. It is absolutely beautiful that David is sad when Nani loses Lilo because that would have been his opportunity to score a date with Nani. Her life would be less complicated and she would have an emotional void that he could fill. However, his sadness proves that Nani's happiness is more important to him than his own.

        Nani and Lilo share this beautiful scene on a hammock on which Nani implies Lilo's departure. They have these flowers in their hands that they release into the air in a symbolic gesture of resolution with their impending separation. 

                                   

                                                            How's that for Ohana?

             Back in Lilo's room Stitch wants to leave and Lilo tells him that he can even though she'd like him to stay. Stitch decides to leave, showing that Lilo did the same for him as Nani did for her. She allowed someone she loved to leave even though she wanted that person there.

             David shows up and says he found Nani a job. HOW PERFECT IS THIS MAN?!?! She just needs to pull this poor guy out of the friend-zone and into a relationship where he belongs. So Nani leaves to go get this job and Lilo is home alone. Big mistake. 

            Stitch is wandering around in the woods all lonely and such and encounters Jumba who basically breaks his heart and the hearts of millions of child audiences across America as he tells Stitch he can never have a family. Stitch obviously doesn't want to go to space prison so he books it for Lilo's house. Now a fight scene in itself is pretty awesome....but a fight scene with Elvis background music is just plain perfect. Stuff happens. Violence, hilarity, a big explosion. Suddenly, there's no house. Bummer, yo. Nani gets to the house and is a little frazzled. Mr. Bubbles also makes an appearance after Lilo calls him. Mr. Bubbles has had enough of Nani's shenanigans and tries to take Lilo away. That smart whippersnapper makes a run for it though while Nani and Bubbles verbally assault each other. Stitch reveals his true alien self to Lilo who is not at all happy. Then Captain Gantu grabs em' both. So that sucks. He sticks them in this little clear tubular thing, hooks it up to the space ship, and leaves. Nani sees and is not at all thrilled. Let's review the pros and cons of her day.

     Pro: She has a job

     Pro: She has a potential boyfriend

     Con: She doesn't have a house

     Con: Her sister has just been abducted by aliens.

           So it's a pretty close toss up. Stitch escapes the tubular thing and leaves Lilo all alone. Let's talk about the tube-y thing shall we?

      

     Lilo is in this glass tube looking at the world below her. This is a strong representation of how children often feel. She is isolated from the adult word and is looking at everyone else live their mature lives as she is forced into this box of who she should be. Children are always isolated because they "aren't old enough" or "not ready" or "too emotional". I'm not implying that these sayings are false and we should let five year olds drink beer and watch Friday the 13th. That's crazy. I am saying, however, that to younger kids, being labeled and not being able to do everything adults do is hurtful. Necessary, but saddening.  Maybe that's how we build our emotional endurance. Also, look who else is seen in a glass tubular structure:

                                                          Ooooh. Parallels.

     Nani almost goes berserk all over Stitch and demands he coughs up some dang information. So Stitch speaks and long story short they hop in a space ship to save Lilo. So here we have this long, intricate space ship chase which ends with a volcanic eruption. At one point, however, Stitch ends up on the highway next to a frog. This is important because Stitch sees this frog at the beginning of the film and tries to shoot it. In this sequence, however, he protects the amphibian, demonstrating his evolution from primitive space monster to adorable family man. 

     After the big fight they land in the ocean and are helped to shore by....DAVID! Who would've guessed? He is always there to help! Always! This guy is a keeper. Anyway, back on shore we see  grand councilwoman high cheekbones. She apparently decided to take the "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself" motto and go get Stitch herself. Shout-out to strong independent woman who work for what they want. Unfortunately this one is our antagonist. Stitch gives his speech, my personal favorite line of the movie. "This is my family. I found it all by myself. It is little and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good." So basically if you're not crying right now, you are an awful human being.

      She's about to escort him off the planet until Lilo hands her a certificate of adoption proving her ownership. Take that! Cheekbone lady's all like "seems legit" and let's Stitch go. She also subtly banishes Pleakely and Jumba. Also there is a mention of Bubbles being in the CIA or something and Roswell and secret stuff. So that's always nice. And they live happily ever after: Lilo, Nani, Stitch, David, Bubbles, Pleakley, and Jumba, proving that even the most unorthodox of families can be absolutely perfect.    

        Here's one for the road:

     

      This is Chris Sanders. He wrote and directed Lilo and Stitch in addition to being the voice of Stitch.

He also wrote the screenplays for The Croods, How to Train Your Dragon, and Mulan. In addition he worked on the story concepts for Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Basically, this man is Disney. Hats off to you, Chris Sanders. 

     

     

Peter Pan

Before We Begin: I apologize for the number of grammatical and structural errors in my last post. I will edit it someday when I am much less lazy. If you have a movie suggestion for next week, I highly encourage you to post it in the comments section. I believe that is all, so let's get this show on the road.

                                                                  Peter Pan

     This week I chose Peter Pan....actually someone else chose it for me. Either way though, I had a blast reliving my childhood in watching this film. It's a classic that I hadn't seen in a while (I have no idea why though because it was AMAZING).

     The movie starts out with the booming voice of the narrator. You remember narrators right?  Well Mr. Narrator (who doesn't appear ever again and the rest the movie. Who knows why) brings us to this delightful house full of chaotic children who spend their time playing pirates and Peter Pan because I guess "cops and robbers" or "cowboys and Indians" weren't as popular in this time frame. The children's father, who evidently is the biggest Peter Pan skeptic ever, is a "practical man".

      Perhaps now is a good time to address the fact that these children have a dog as a nanny. Who's genius idea was that?

                

      You got to hand it to her though; that dog is pretty efficient and much more coordinated than I am. 

      I am just going to say right off the bat that the entire movie focuses around youth and it's contrast with adulthood. There's  nothing wrong with growing older; however, most, when entering adulthood, tend to forget their childhood innocence which puts them out at a disadvantage in life. They get strung up in "practicality" and innocence and fun become fiction. That being said, George Darling becomes the perfect symbol for adulthood accompanied with lost childhood. What is particularly interesting is the contrast with his children. The majority of the children's features seem to be from their mother and none take after their father, neither characteristically nor physically.

      

                                      They do all look like their mother, however.

     If you read my previous post, you know that I like colors! In this film, George Darling wears a sensible black-and-white ensemble and Mrs. Darling (along with Wendy and Michael) are wearing more youthful pastels. This demonstrates their innocence and childlike qualities or simple open-mindedness.

     Back to the plot: George gets completely fed up with all of the Peter Pan "poppycock"(isn't that a fun word?) and tells Wendy that she must move out of the nursery as she is growing older.

       

          Gasp! What?! Move out of the nursery? You can't be serious? I'm only like eleven years old!

     The moving of the rooms is obviously symbolic for Wendy having to grow up. It's pretty self-explanatory. While Mr. Darling is doing unspeakably evil things, like giving his daughter her own room, he also decides that his children shouldn't have a dog as a nanny. This guy just keeps getting crueler and crueler. Taking the "nanny" away is also quite symbolic. It shows that the children are big enough to handle themselves. They are assuming responsibility and growing up. 

       After the Darlings leave (Mr. Darling in an amusing sarcastic fit), we see Peter Pan for the first time:

      

          Don't be afraid if this guy crawls into your bedroom window. It's just the weird flying boy who kidnaps your children and takes them to battle pirates. Honestly though, this is the most painfully creepy picture I have ever seen. 

           We have finally met the title character and his trusty pixie sidekick. In my personal opinion, Tinker Bell represents teenage girls (Peter is children, the Lost Boys are neglected children, Hook and George are adults, etc). She is self-conscious, easily swayed toward boys, jealous, vicious at times, and sometimes taken advantage of. I'll get to this some more later on.

   Haven't we all had those moments, ladies? Although I wish my figure was a little MORE like Tinker Bell's during those "moments".

    We find out that Wendy has Peter's shadow. Who would've guessed? Peter is gallivanting around in a juvenile attitude while Wendy is taking her maternal initiative and sewing Peter's shadow back to his foot. Man, I hate it when I have to sew my shadow back on. 

     Long story short: Wendy really wants to kiss Peter...a lot. She should probably sit down with her mother and have a nice little chat about self-respect and social graces. Tinker Bell decides that she does not like this new girl jumping her man, thus starting a conflict that will flourish throughout the entire movie. 

      Anyway, the children decide to fly to Neverland because why not. And then there's John: 

      Let me just grab my umbrella and top hat. John is the most British child ever, I swear.

      If you notice, however, John is the most mature of the group. He's got that diction down. Heck, in a few years he might be throwing out phrases like "absolute poppycock", just like his father. John also is the only child not in color. He instead mimics his father's black-and-white motif to symbolize his maturity.

      So there is this delightful little song about thinking happy thoughts and flight and all of that jazz.

          .                     

                                                  Grumpy Cat won't be flying today.

                                      Give it some time....you'll regret that one.

      Tinker Bell's jealousy comes out again as she insults Wendy, who promptly retaliates with a genuine compliment. This shows the difference between the teen mentality and the girl mentality. When a young girl sees someone pretty, they are unashamed to say it and usually disregard other factors. The teenagers, however, do not care about how pretty a rival female is. They will, instead, fight them with every fiber of their being (especially if she just tried to make out with your man). Tinker Bell is also taken advantage of quite a bit. She is only wanted for the pixie dust and is very under-appreciated. Tink does have all the metaphorical necessities of childhood though, such as flight, Neverland, and such, so she demonstrates the bridge between childhood and adulthood. 

       Notice that on their way to Neverland, they pass Big Ben (a clock). Clocks have to do with time and therefore age. Hint hint wink wink. 

       Off to Neverland where we meet our villain, Captain Hook. Hook is a very comical villain. It reinforces the childhood themes. Silly villains are often a characteristic of children's stories which is highly appropriate for this film. Also, who does Hook look like?

    

        Both of which are comedic and somewhat antagonistic. They also both stand for adulthood.  Coincidence? I think not! Hook's goal is to kill Peter Pan, who is a symbol of childhood. Hook, in theory, is on a mission to end childhood in which he relates to George here, who is trying to force Wendy to grow up.

     

        Anybody else notice that the map shows Cannibal Cove? How did they forget to mention that there are flippin' CANNIBALS on this island?! And this is where all of these children are supposed to spend their immortal lives? How about no. 

        In other news, Captain Hook just flat-out shoots a guy for being slightly out of key. Maybe he could stand to join Wendy and Mrs. Darling for that chat on social graces. 

        One of the most iconic elements of the film, Hook is always being stalked by this crocodile. The crocodile swallowed a clock and now ticks constantly because of it. Think hard, what is one of the biggest fears of adulthood? Growing old and death. The ticking crocodile could certainly be a metaphor for Hook's fear of old age and and it's inevitability. It is interesting though, given that theory, that adults and children share a fear. 

        Have you ever wondered what Hook's name was before he had a hook for a hand? There is no purpose in that question; I'm just curious.

       Peter Pan and Hook duke it out. Guess who wins? Peter=1. Hook=0. Tough break. Meanwhile Tinker Bell summons the Lost Boys. These boys are the bad type of childhood, the children who are raised incorrectly and act like animals, who have been neglected and don't know the importance of family, and who will always remain juvenile. Anywho, Tinker Bell up and tells them to go shoot Wendy and they're all like, "Sounds legit." So off they go to shoot Wendy. The boys are caught by a disapproving Peter and all feign for attention like neglected children do. Peter gets ticked at Tinker Bell who gladly admits to the crime and doesn't take any of his crap.

                                   So much sass for such a small pixie.

     Tinker Bell gets banished for a week but she doesn't look so concerned about it in that picture. 

     Next they decide to play "Follow the Leader" which isn't really a game. It's just an opportunity for you to boss all of your friends around. This "game" is accompanied by a song that will never ever ever get out of your head. So have fun with that. 

                  See, John? Even the monkeys are making fun of your top hat.

     They decide to come up with a strategy to attack the Indians. Since Michael is somewhat of a runt and easily distracted (I relate), he is excluded from this highly secretive discussion. While this is happening, he discovers an inevitable ambush which he tries to warn the others of but because of his status, the jerks don't listen and then they are all captured, including the teddy bear.

      The movie then proceeds into one of the most politically incorrect scenes of all Disney. These aren't the graceful Pocahontas natives; these are aggressive "savages". 

                      

                             The chief totally stole Governor Ratcliffe's hairstyle.

    Meanwhile, Peter Pan takes Wendy to that mermaid lagoon she was dreaming about. Turns out, these mermaids are really flirtatious. They also bully Wendy quite a bit. 

                                                           No big deal.

After that fiasco, the duo heads to go rescue Tiger Lily from Captain Hook. Hook's got Tiger Lily tied to an anchor in the cave while the crocodile closely watches. Props to Tiger Lily, though. Talk about calm and collected.

   She and Tinker Bell need to form a club for girls who are having none of your shenanigans.

There is this huge scene in which we find out that Peter does very good impressions. Seriously, he could have quite a career ahead of him. Also, Tiger Lily is saved and Captain Hook almost gets eaten by the crocodile. Hook goes home after the near death experience and by the look of things is having a tough time coping. 

                 

                            An accurate depiction of me during finals week.

 What happens next is the most underestimated line in all of Disney: "Brings back the good old days when we was leadin' a normal, healthy life, scuttling ships, cutting throats." Oh, Mr. Smee. I'm fairly certain he is also drunk in this scene. Captain Hook eventually comes to his senses and develops a diabolical plan (because you can't be a decent villain without one). 

     On the other side of Neverland, Peter Pan has returned Tiger Lily and made everyone "heap glad."

They then smoke a peace pipe. I would like to take this opportunity to say, don't smoke at age eleven or whatever the heck Peter is. Not cool. Then there is this song that is really good but will make you feel guilty for liking it. Everyone parties! Dancing! Drum circles! But poor Wendy Darling is sent to get firewood probably because she is a woman or something. Then, lo and behold, Tiger Lily takes that kiss from Peter that Wendy so desperately wanted....and he liked it!  Wendy is about done at this point. Love is cruel. Robbie Heart put it best:

                        

                  If you get nothing else from this post, understand that Love Stinks (yeah yeah).

      Back to Captain Hook. Hook is playing the piano amazingly for a dude who's short 4 appendages. Another point about Tinker Bell representing teenagers: in this scene, we see her seek refuge in an older man who is only using her because she is vulnerable and has something he wants. Once again, feel free to do with that information what you wish. Tink sells out and it turns out that Peter Pan lives in Hangman's Tree. 

               You would think that a tree like this would be just a tad bit suspicious.

 Inside said tree, Wendy has grown into a young lady. She assumes motherly roles and tells the children to "be practical" which is the term used to describe George Darling in the beginning. She has effectively begun to enter adulthood. She tries hard to get the boys to calm down and succeeds. You have to pity her though, it's like frat house Jr. in there. Wendy sings this cotton-candy-sweet song to the boys and John takes the feather from his top hat. The reluctant Peter, however, leaves an entire headdress on. At this point those feathers symbolizes immaturity. John has released his and Peter has not.

                                                    Turns out, we are all Michael.

   This part of the movie is like the rebuttal. Youth is important and imaginative, whimsical fun is important. Remembering those are all important but maturity is necessary. There is a balance that must occur for success in life. 

       The Lost Boys and the Darlings leave the tree to be kidnapped by pirates while Peter plays a melody on his pan flute. It's staccato, spontaneous, and jovial, just like him.

        The children are taken to the pirate ship where they are promised things like free tattoos for signing on to become a pirate. So far the movie has advertised alcohol, smoking, and now tattoos (and who knows what's in that "pixie dust"), all while encouraging childhood innocence. This scene depicts how evil characters are always targeting children. This is because children, as a group, are much more valuable and strong than many think. Hilter had a very active youth program that helped further the Nazi party. 

        Hook's genius plan, it turns out, is to give Pan a box that says "Do not open until six o'clock." 

                                                         Seems legit.

         Tinker Bell comes back and saves the day even though this jerk tried to banish her forever! Congrats to Tink on being the bigger man here. Pan heads off to save his other woman who is currently walking a plank. Oh the suspense. She jumps....and there's no splash. The entire crew is baffled.

       

No one can figure out why there wasn't a splash until Peter Pan makes it painfully clear. The ship plummets into a fight. Smee does the only sensible thing and starts fleeing while Hook and Peter battle. Peter agrees to fight Hook without flying which is stupid because Peter is going up against a sword with a dagger, but hey it's not my life that's at stake. Peter pulls it off though and Hook begs for what he can't give: mercy. Somebody needs to teach Hook the golden rule. They call Hook a codfish (out of all the insults...really?) and send him on his merry way where the crocodile tries to strike, as he always strikes in moments of vulnerability. 

     They start on their way home...in a flying pirate ship of course. How else? These children come home after having been fired at with cannons, shot out of the sky with slingshots, attacked by homicidal mermaids, almost burned at the stake, encountering psychotic pirates, while avoiding ticking crocodiles and rumored cannibals. Sounds far more interesting than MY evening. Wendy admits to her father that she is ready to grow up. It must have been the multiple near-death experiences. They watch the ship fly out the window and George's eyes grow. He's seen the ship before. Now that, my friends, is an ending.

     I missed this movie so much. It is so diverse and entertaining and plot driven. There is intensity in every scene and it carries very emotional themes. I got chills at the ending. It's impossible to get bored watching it. And one more for the road: 

Pocahontas

Introduction

      Alright you Disney fans, dreamers, and over-thinkers like me. I love Disney with a relentless passion so I have committed to watching at least one Disney movie each week and cataloging my discoveries, revelations and thoughts (I will be sure to keep from boring you to tears). I honestly believe that Disney has much more depth than most claim. Sure, they're kids' movies, but they also carry some super heavy, deep, adult stuff. So here it goes.

     

Pocahontas

     So this week I sat down and watched Pocahontas as the first movie of my blog. It hasn't been forever since I've watched it, only a few months. That's what's great about Disney though: it never gets old.
    The movie starts in 1607, watching men say goodbye to their dear families as they head off into the New World to mine some gold and kick some savage butt.

     Poor Thomas (btw: Christian Bale *insert excited squeal here*) . Really though, everyone forgets that's he has a woman. I truly believe that one of the saddest moments in the film is watching Thomas leave his family.

    Enter: Hunky animated Mel Gibson. They start the movie developing John Smith as this flawless hero, saving poor, dear Thomas and being completely admired by the sailors like a steak on a vegetable platter.. That is why his relationship with Pocahontas is so significant: she reveals his flaws. It shows that love does not have to be perfection and couples in love do not have to see each other as perfect. Love makes us want to be better.

      Then we meet this guy:

     "That man's pink bows and pigtails are really attractive!" Said no one ever. Turns out he is a huge douchebag. Who would have guessed?

     Flash-forward to a tribal village. There are a lot of shots of Native American families, and hunky warriors. What strikes me about these few shots are the contrast they pose to the Englishmen. We have seen them act like immature schoolboys and here are these poised natives. What's really fascinating is the water metaphor. The Englishmen have just fallen victim to a storm at sea, that included chaotic waves and dangerous conditions, yet the rivers near the natives are so calm (later Pocahontas disagrees. We'll get to that). Right away, Disney is demonstrating the relativity of the word "savage" and also pulling out some irony.

     And finally we see the title character, a beautiful native woman diving off a cliff.  Normal, right?

      I sometimes get this sneaky feeling that she would not have survived that fall. But, hey, the real Pocahontas was 12 and had no romantic interest in John Smith whatsoever so it's not really fair to claim the reality card. So here we are: an airy, fun teenage girl and her sassy sidekick as well as a troublesome raccoon and a shockingly mature hummingbird (if anything, I'd want to be a Disney princess for the animal sidekicks). 

      Then we see the dreamy Kocoum. *swoon* 

      "I especially love his smile." Don't you just love Disney sarcasm? Hey, Kocoum:

     

     
Now after a huge incident in which her father tells her that she should marry Kocoum, and he gives her a necklace from her dead mother (we'll get to that), she heads out on the river and makes the stunning accusation that a river is dangerous and chaotic and not at all calm. Meaning, if we stick to my symbolic water theory, barbarity is completely relative. As they say later, savage is different, so the queen of England could be savage as long as there is someone out there with a grand enough contrast in lifestyle. 

      Pocahontas is now completely torn between marrying Kocoum because he is "handsome and sturdy" or being her own woman, so she does what any sensible teenage girl does: she goes and talks to this creepy talking tree. No big deal. (I don't want to discredit Grandmother Willow as she will always have a special place in my heart). They talk about compasses and life and all sorts of stuff and dreams about strange clouds. Then all of the sudden, low and behold, strange clouds!

Hate to burst your bubble, but those are definitely sails. 

     Now we leave Pocahontas who is having this huge internal struggle about marriage and clouds and whatnot and go to Governor Ratcliffe who is evidently having his own dilemma about those "savages".  Remember Ratcliffe? Creepy pigtail dude? His right-hand man has this brilliant idea 

about gift baskets. 

Who just brings gift baskets on a multi-month sea voyage? This guy is prepared.

    Bummer, the natives find out about the colonists. Most people think that Disney implies racism throughout it's use of characters and themes. This movie is the perfect one to contradict those 

theories. The corruption of the exploratory era and overall European mindset is accurately portrayed in this film. Also there is an ethnically diverse princess who is perhaps the most independent Disney has seen. I will address this more later.

     I would like to take this moment to say that "Mine" is one of the best Disney songs. The double 

meaning, melody, everything is just great. Props to Alan Menkin. 

                                      Nothing makes the ladies squirm like those pigtails though. 

    Another great thing about that song is that it contrasts Ratcliffe with John Smith so well. Ratcliffe 

spends the song singing about how beautiful gold and all things shiny are. It's a very superficial form 

of beauty. Smith, on the other hand, nails this solo about how beautiful America is. That demonstrates a more humble form of beauty. In simple terms: Smith=GOOD; Pigtail Man=BAD.

      After Smith nails his solo, he frolics about the forest for a bit before coming across a stream. All is well and normal until suddenly.....BABE!

                                        If only this happened more often when hunting, right, men?

    The music in this sequence is especially wonderful because it introduces a new theme. The music played when the colonists are about plays with Celtic themes. There is a lot of woodwinds and jovial melodies as well as the common repetition. Mostly, there is a distinct emphasis on wind instruments. When the natives are being shown, however, the music has harsher melodies with more of an ominous undertone. This doesn't necessarily indicate barbarism or danger, but is strictly a 

contrast from the colonists. The native music places emphasis on percussion and little emphasis on wind instruments. In this sequence, when Smith and Pocahontas meet, the music is soft and ballad-

like. Ballads are often used as a way of expressing love, so right off the bat there is that promise of romance. The score uses violins and cellos in this part far more than in the others. This music isolates the two, showing their involvement in the moment as well as the isolating effects of true love. In case you need a recap, colonists are woodwinds, natives are percussion, and Smith and Pocahontas are 

strings. Once again, props to Alan Menkin.

     Obviously Pocahontas can't speak English and Smith can't speak...whatever it is that Pocahontas' tribe spoke. It's hard to make your move when a chick doesn't even speak English. Then Grandmother Willow starts singing, "Listen with your heart. You will understand" in the background. Suddenly, 

Pocahontas speaks perfect English. For some reason, I never understood that until now. 

     On the other side of the movie, the natives start looking in on the colonists. I would be a little concerned too if people started digging in my backyard.  A fight breaks out which is completely unfair because the natives only have about three people on their side AND they have less advanced weaponry. 

(From IMDB) Governor Ratcliffe [after witnessing Thomas' lack of proficiency in using a rifle]: "Learn to use that thing properly. A man's not a man unless he knows how to shoot." ...or wears pigtails. Either one works. 

                                           

       Close up of John Smith. *Swoon*. He and Pocahontas get some quality bonding time and examine the extreme culture clash between them. She teaches him how to say hi (Wingapo) and what corn is and he shows her crackers and his dreamy face. Although his eyebrows don't match his hair 

color so that is a bummer. He makes a few stupid moves and ruins his entire play, and continues digging a hole until Pocahontas tells him off. She is definitely her own woman. To those haters out 

there who think Disney is sexist: tell that to Pocahontas. She stands up for herself and doesn't need a man. She makes her own choices and lives for herself. She is the ultimate role model (although, you have to wonder if she's the one your mother is talking about when she says, "If your friends jumped 

off a cliff, would you?")

       Then we plummet into a deep song about the subjectivity of  savageness. In other news, picking up a bear cub right in front of its mama is not the wisest thing to do. Somebody should probably be tallying how many times she could have died in this film. So this song addresses some profound racial issues and greediness. "You can own the earth and still all you'll own is earth until you can paint with all the colors of the wind."

       After the song, it's back to Grandmother Willow.

                                             

                                                                         Smart tree.

     Grandmother Willow talks some more about listening to your heart.

     The next scene, Smith teaches Thomas how to shoot a gun. This will be significant, I promise. All of the characters in this film have so much societal and peer pressure. Nakoma is friends with 

Pocahontas, pressuring her to choose between protecting her friends privacy or safety. Does she 

always side with Pocahontas or does she do what's best for her people? Her character is in an immensely difficult position. Thomas is put under pressure by his peers who are more accomplished 

than he is. He has to rise up and overcome his underdog status. Smith has a battle with his morals. He has the moral compass he was raised with but is also discovering a more instinctual type of morality 

through his love for Pocahontas. Then there is Pocahontas, the queen of pressure. She has to constantly decide between constant stability or spontaneous liberty. If she chooses the former, she cannot be herself or be happy and yet if she chooses the latter, she will be ostracized. 

       It's already been widely addressed that Disney's telling of Pocahontas mimics Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In case you haven't heard the translations, Pocahontas and Smith are Romeo and Juliet, Kocoum is Tybalt, Prince of Cats. Thomas is Mercutio. It could also be argued that Thomas is Benvolio because he is such a peacekeeper, but later events contradict that theory.

      Another point I would like to address: Kocoum is NOT a bad guy! He is a guy who defends his village, respects his leaders, and loves a girl. You can root for Pocahontas and still like Kocoum. If anything, pity him. He had a great thing going for him: a good career, killer abs, a possible fling with the boss's daughter. Then these idiots came to town and took it all from him. That being said, his death is really sad. The fact that the last thing he does is reach for Pocahontas shows that he really does love her deeply. Also, the necklace is symbolic of peace. Pocahontas' father gives it to her when everything is most calm. The breaking of the necklace symbolizes the shattering of said peace and the the plunge into utter chaos and rivalry. This is why its significant that John Smith teaches Thomas how to shoot: Thomas shoots Kocoum, whose murder leads to Smith's own capture and planned execution. Oh, the irony. 

         I'm going to talk about colors now. The movie is color coded, if you notice. The colonists are 

purple:

The Natives are red:

And Pocahontas and John Smith are blue, the most calm and soothing color of the group. The necklace is also blue.

These themes play out across the entire movie (along with the musical themes) if you notice. It really conveyed the separatism of the cultures and their hatred of each other. The colors also work to separate Pocahontas and Smith into their own world, beautifully conveying love at its finest.

     Remember, kids, people are not killed by guns and knives; people are killed by hate.

     Now at last we have reached the infamous tent scene which can only be described as HAAWWWTT!!!!!

Seriously! His shirt is ripped open, the lights are low (notice the blue), her hands are all over his chest, they're throwing out lines like, "I'd rather die tomorrow than live a hundred years without knowing you". There's even some bondage if you're into that sort of thing. 

     Once you cool down from that, we move into this glorious song, divided into three parts (colonists, natives, and Pocahontas). This once again supports the division of culture. Then Pocahontas stops her father from murdering her boyfriend and her father, being the reasonable man he is, calls off the execution. I always admired her father because it takes a strong person to be able to admit to being wrong in a place of authority. Especially to one of your children.

     Another thing I admire: John Smith and Pocahontas don't immediately jump into making out, but instead share a warm, emotional hug.

It decreases the emphasis in culture on physical love and shows that mature romance can be as simple as hugging. Once again: role model. It is so beautiful.....until he gets shot that is. Then the party's over.

Jump to the ending. This ending proves that Disney does not always have flawlessly happy endings but that there are devastating endings. That parallels to real life. Not everything is going to turn out okay. We have to make difficult decisions and Pocahontas made one. And the necklace is restored again, meaning peace is back. Pocahontas made a hard choice, choosing between what was best for her people or adventure. It is the same question that the movie has been constantly asking, and in the end, surprisingly, Pocahontas realizes that sometimes stability is necessary. She goes back to her "handsome and sturdy" life, leaving her true love for obligation. It's tragic but it happens. We make these decisions everyday and this movie shows that we do not have to succumb to guilt or shame for what we choose. 

Anyway, John leaves, devastated, and Pocahontas runs to see him (which is where I always start crying). Pocahontas only runs four times that I counted in this movie: once away from John, once with John, once to rescue John, and once to say goodbye  to John. Their relationship can be summarized just by the running that happened during it. She goes to the cliff to wave goodbye. And he waves Wingapo, which in case you forgot, is hello not goodbye. This is the most beautiful of all. 

Grab your hankies, folks. 

In conclusion, I laughed, I cried, I got chills. This movie made my childhood and is still a huge part of me. There are elements in this movie that make it extremely watchable for both children and adults. It's timeless, the type of story that leaves you craving afterwards. That's all I have for this week, though. I hope I wasn't too long-winded. Please watch Pocahontas if you haven't recently. You won't be disappointed (a man in pigtails, Christian Bale, attractive animated men, gift baskets. Who could be disappointed?)