Disney's Animated Characters, Nostalgia Drives the Creation of Live Action CGI Film and Television

A long time ago, well maybe 25 years ago I remember my friends and I scooping up, and competing for who had the most Disney movies on VHS.  They were a part of my childhood, I was brought up during the era of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.  This era was known as the Michael Eisner/Jeffrey Katzenberg era, when Disney's animation came out of a depressed time to dominate once again.  Katzenberg knew the power Walt Disney had, and wanted to bring the classic nature of Disney animation back, and he did.

Jump to 2010, and the live action CGI version of Alice in Wonderland (2010) is released.  The film was a mess, but audiences showed up in droves all around the world.  Alice in Wonderland (2010) was the second highest grossing domestic film of the year making 334 million dollars.  Allice doubled her fun in the foreign markets making 691 million, for a combined gross of just over 1 billion dollars.  Pretty amazing.

Just a little over a year later ABC, which is owned by Disney created the television series Once Upon a Time, which uses characters from Disney animated films like Snow White, Ariel, Peter Pan, and many wicked counter parts to bring to life more childhood memories for people in a live action CGI manner.  The show is currently in its third season, and has spin-off which was released this September entitled Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.  The original Once is its in third season.

Universal jumped on board creating Snow White and the Huntsman in 2012, focusing on the connection between Snow, and the man who was supposed to kill her.  In that same year 20th Century FOX released Mirror Mirror with a focus on the relationship between Snow and the Wicked has seemed to put a lot of focus onto Snow and her relationship with the Wicked Queen with a more humorous twist. Both films missed the mark creatively, although Huntsman was much better thanks in large part to Charlize Theron, and was more successful at the box office. Huntsman was an action packed blockbuster, which made 155 million domestic, and 241 million foreign, the film also has a sequel in the works.  Even with Julia Roberts Mirror Mirror could not find its footing in the domestic box office, it only made 64 million, and 101 million in foreign markets.

Walt Disney Pictures is back in the game, and they adeptly picked the focus of the title of their next live action action rebirth to be Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.  With the trailers release today, there is hope that Angelina Jolie can bring the dark fun she typically brings to roles, and make some more money for the "Mouse House."

These movies, and television shows all come back to nostalgia, bringing this current millennial target demographic their favorite things from their childhood.  A big part of that childhood was animated Disney films ranging from the classic Snow White to the more recent Lion King.  Todrick Hall who started out on American has even been tailoring many of his fantastic videos around these classic Disney characters, see his recent rendition of an adaptation of the "Cell Block Tango" which he adapted to the "Spell Block Tango" (see video below). Nostalgia is a driving force, and not only brings back the fond memories of childhood, but helps connect generations within different forms of new media.

'I Have the Power?':Older Women Playing "Villains" in Film and Telvision

Once you pass the age of 55 do women automatically become evil manipulative people.  Hollywood seems to paint that picture.  I was watching Hannah and Her Sister (1986) from writer, director Woody Allen, and realized roles like this for women at any age just do not exist on this level anymore.  My only argument is that the Woodman himself has continued to create unique and interesting women, see this years Blue Jasmine.

Back to Hannah and Her Sisters, why single out this film?  Hannah centered around three sisters and the men in their lives, the three sisters were played by Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, and Barbara Hershey.  Each sister is unique, has their own essence, and does not ever become one note, shrill, or resort to negative stereotypes.

Woody returns to this sister story in Blue Jasmine with both Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins the two characters are layered, while a bit crazier than Hannah, and her two sisters, the dynamic in both films is brilliantly formulated, and Mr. Allen knows how to weave a beautifully written story for a woman.

Moving on from Woody Allen, and these two great films I thought about Barbara Hershey's career trajectory as she has aged.  In recent years she seems to have been pigeon holed into "crazy mom" archetype, which started with Black Swan (2010).  Hershey was great in the film.  The next stop for this "crazy mom" role was as Cora, Regina's mother on the television series Once Upon a Time.  While these are just two recent roles for the actress, and not the only character she has played, this made me think about other women around her age and the "evil" characters they were playing.

Jessica Lange is another actress who will/has fallen victim to this villainy trope.  Lange has created such beautifully layered characters in each season or newly themed part of American Horror Story.  Ryan Murphy who has created the series has given the women some great material.  The shows second season Asylum showed her as Sister Jude, but she has not gotten as much attention for that cycle as she did in the first.  Will Lange be lost in the villain roles of her career?  Quite possibly.

Glenn Close in Damages is a great example of a wonderfully layered "villain" much like the ones Lange has played, the writing in Once Upon a Time prevented this from happening with Hershey.  Patty Hewes was on of the darkest female characters on television; she lied, cheated, and had people. Close plays this character brilliantly, and all of these women have this eternal strength and power, but this power often cuts off their humanity.

On the website "Bitch Flicks" (http://www.btchflcks.com) Amanda Rodriguez writes an article about Close from Damages and Madeline Stowe who plays Victoria Grayson on Revenge.  The article is is entitled "The Ruthless Power of Patty Hewes from 'Damages' and Victoria Grayson from "Revenge.'  The article focuses on the power these two women have, but also surmises that this power given and created by them which they own comes with a price, their humanity.  Rodriguez states "Unfortunately, there is such a profound darkness and emptiness in both Patty and Victoria as well as in their lives. They have cut themselves off from human connection and have lost the ability to love the simpler things in life."  

Does this "power" and "authority" have to come from corruption, and manipulation?  Most of these roles seem to draw the conclusion that once you achieve the power you lose all sense of self, and you can't be a sympathetic women in power.  Rodriguez concludes "The implication is that the kind of power these women seek is outside the feminine realm, and to grasp it, they must reject their very nature, which leaves them a hollow shell of a person. It’s all too rare that we see a subtle, powerful woman who commands respect who hasn’t sacrificed her humanness in the bargain."  Rodriguez says at the end these are fun characters to watch, but there needs to be more balanced female roles, in both film and television. 

Let's go back to the beginning, was Hannah and Her Sisters a fluke?  Why don't more films talk about women in a more well rounded nature?  When older women are looking for roles all they seem to find these days are the Patty Hewes, the Victoria Grayson, who manipulate and lose their humanity in order to control the world around them.  Women go to the movies, they watch television, and the message they are told today is in order to gain any form of elite power you must check your humanity at the door. I too would like to see more balanced female roles, but for now Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angella Bassett are on my television in the same television series nonetheless, and they would not be if these darker roles did not exist. Is that a win, lose or draw?

ABC puts together a Brand New Tuesday led by Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Creates One Solid Schedule

Overall, and I have to say this begrudgingly because ABC axed Happy Endings, but they have the Fall 2013 line-up for so far.  Most of their new programming looks promising, and will do well because of fan favorites.  I still am baffled (pissed off) that ABC kept The Neighbors and let go of Happy Endings.  With that said ABC has kept most of their shows on the same night, smart move.  Moving shows around can be jarring.  This network has done well with their shows where they are.  While Sundays are difficult for Once and Revenge the shows have massive followings, so changing them to change them makes no sense.

One of the most interesting things about this line-up is the way Tuesday is brand new!  ABC has started off wisely with Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, which will probably be one of the highest rated shows of the season.  Putting two comedies on after this, which may not get huge numbers was smart!  Well played ABC.  

The mid-season replacements are the returning comedy Suburgatory and the new comedy Mixology,The dramas are all and they are Killer Women, Mind Games, and Ressurection.

Listed below is the fall schedule, with the new shows in caps, the descriptions of the new shows are listed below the schedule.

MONDAY
8/7c Dancing With the Stars
10 pm Castle

TUESDAY
8 pm MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D
9  pm THE GOLDBERGS
9:30 pm TROPHY WIFE
10 pm LUCKY 7

WEDNESDAY

8 pm The Middle
8:30 pm BACK IN THE GAME
9 pm Modern Family
9:30 SUPER FUN NIGHT
10 pm Nashville

THURSDAY
8 pm ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
9 pm Grey’s Anatomy
10 pm Scandal

FRIDAY
8 pm Last Man Standing
8:30 pm The Neighbors
9 pm Shark Tank
10 pm 20/20

SATURDAY
8 pm Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY

7 America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 pm Once Upon a Time 

9 pm Revenge
10 pm BETRAYAL

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (Drama)

WHO | Clark Gregg (reprising his Avengers role), Ming-Na (ER), Elizabeth Henstridge (Hollyoaks), Iain De Caestecker (Coronation Street), Brett Dalton (Killing Lincoln), Chloe Bennet (Nashville)

WHAT | The adventures of the agents of a covert, quasi-military peace-keeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. (or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division), which was featured in last summer's Avengers movie.

The Goldbergs (Comedy)

EP | Adam Goldberg
CAST | Wendi McLendon-Covey (Bridesmaids), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), George Segal (Don’t Shoot Me), Hayley Orrantia (The X Factor), Sean Giambrone and Troy Gentile (Good Luck Chuck)
This ’80s-set series revolves around an overbearing, hyper-emotional shopaholic with no sense of boundaries and a big mouth. Nonetheless, she’s a very dedicated mom.

Trophy Wife (Comedy)

WHO | Malin Akerman (Suburgatory), Bradley Whitford (The West Wing), Marcia Gay Harden (Damages), Michaela Watkins (Saturday Night Live), Natalie Morales (90210), Ryan Scott Lee (Super 8), Albert Tsai (How I Met Your Mother), Gianna LePera (Modern Family)

WHAT | They say the third time's the charm and reformed party girl Kate (Akerman) is hoping that's true when she becomes Pete's (Whitford) third wife. She fell into his arms (literally) at a karaoke bar and a year later, Kate's got an insta-family complete with three stepchildren and two ex-wives.

Lucky 7 (Drama)
EPs | David Zabel (ER), Jason Richman
CAST | Isiah Whitlock, Jr (The Wire), Matt Long (Private Practice), Stephen Louis Grush (Detroit 1-8-7), Lorraine Bruce (Eden Lake), Anastasia Phillips (Stoked), Summer Bishil (Towelhead), Luis Antonio Ramos (The Ruins), Christine Evangelista (The Joneses)
A show about seven employees of a service station in Queens whose lives are changed in many unexpected ways when they win a lottery jackpot.

Back in the Game (Comedy)

WHO | James Caan (Las Vegas), Ben Koldyke (How I Met Your Mother, Big Love), Maggie Lawson (Psych), Griffin Gluck (Private Practice), Lenora Crichlow (Being Human)

WHAT | When Terry Gannon (Lawson), a recently divorced, single mother, temporarily moves in with her estranged father (Caan), a beer-swilling former baseball player, she reluctantly starts coaching her son's Little League team and is drawn back into the world of sports she vowed to leave behind.

Super Fun Night (Comedy)

EPs | Rebel Wilson, Conan O’Brien, John Riggi
CAST | Wilson (Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect), Lauren Ash (Lost Girl), Liza Lapira (Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23), Kelen Coleman (The Newsroom)
Three nerdy female friends embark on a quest to have super fun every Friday night in the single-cam project (which was originally developed as a multi-cam comedy last spring at CBS).

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (Drama)

WHO | Sophie Lowe, Peter Gadiot, Michael Socha (the UK's Being Human), Emma Rigby (Hollyoaks), the voice of John Lithgow (Third Rock from the Sun)

WHAT | In Victorian England, the young and beautiful Alice (Lowe) tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole. An invisible cat, a hookah smoking caterpillar and playing cards that talk are just some of the fantastic things she's seen during this impossible adventure. Surely this troubled girl must be insane and her doctors aim to cure her with a treatment that will make her forget everything. Alice seems ready to put it all behind her, especially the painful memory of the genie she fell in love with and lost forever — the handsome and mysterious Cyrus (Gadiot). But deep down Alice knows this world is real and just in the nick of time, the sardonic Knave of Hearts (Socha) and the irrepressible White Rabbit (Lithgow) arrive to save her from a doomed fate. Together, the trio will take a tumble down the rabbit hole to this Wonderland where nothing is impossible.

Betrayal (Drama)
EP | David Zabel (ER)
CAST | Hannah Ware (Boss), Stuart Townsend (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) , James Cromwell (American Horror Story), Henry Thomas (E.T.), Chris Johnson (The Vampire Diaries), Wendy Moniz (Guiding Light), Elizabeth McLaughlin (The Clique), Braeden Lamasters (Men of a Certain Age)
A beautiful but unhappily married female photographer begins a torrid affair with a lawyer for a powerful family. When he turns out to be defending a murder suspect who is being prosecuted by her husband, the relationship and the case begin a spiraling series of betrayals with cataclysmic results for everyone involved.

Things Kevin is Thankful For in Movies, Music, and TV 2012

As today is officially thanksgiving, here is the list of things in movies, music, and television that I am thankful for:

Movies 

One of the best year's for action films (with brains and braun) The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, and Skyfall

-The summer started with a Hulk smash. When Joss Whedon, one of the ultimate comic book fan boys, was picked to direct The Avengers I was as giddy as a school girl.  There is always a little fear that your dream film will not be made, but Joss did a fantastic job, and set the ball rolling.

-Up next was The Dark Knight Rises.  While the film did not hit the same mark as The Dark Knight, the conclusion to the trilogy was brilliantly executed, and Nolan should be pleased as punch (although he will not get an Oscar nomination.

-Rian Johnson's Looper had one of the best original screenplays of the year.  The trailer for this film made me nervous, but with good word of mouth I had to check out this film.  To my surprise this was one of the best films I have seen this year.

Last but not least was the third installment in ever changing James bond franchise.  While some will gripe that the film steers away from the traditional Bond mentality, I argue that film does the impossible, diverting from the traditional while maintaining and establishing the Bond lore.

Ben Affleck (director/actor/writer, extraordinaire) Argo

Is this the the same guy Family Guy made fun of about writing the Good Will Hunting screenplay?  Argo was not only a smart film, but one of the most entertaining of the year.  This was one perfect blend of thriller/humor/drama, something almost impossible to do, but this film achieves the goal.

The Year of the Men (isn't that every year?) Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day Lewis, John Hawkes, Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Denzel Washington

I am not going to highlight the brilliance about each of these performances, but these men have proven themselves this year, and are going to be part of the most competitive Best Actor line-up at the Oscars since I have been alive.  Last year was seen as the year of the women, but this year the men have strong armed things, but with these performances, I will allow them their day!

Music

Before I write my list I have to state that I am disappointed in most of the music that was released within the 2012 calendar year, most of the albums I liked were released at the end of 2012, so this list is going to be rather short.

Frank Ocean-Channel Orange-He's been Thinking bout Me!

One of the most beautiful, and powerful albums to be released in 2012.  While most of the news about this artist centered around his sexual orientation, the album and music within it transcend this story, and have proven to be one of the strongest albums of the year.

Television

Chevy Chase is Gone from Community, and October 19th aka January Return!

Today the story went on to state that Chase would not show up in most of the last episodes, and while I am sad the show is going off the air, I am done with this old man's crank attitude.  With that said I am beyond excited the show's return date was set, but this also makes me sad because the show is closer to the end than the beginning.

Oliver Queen's Green Arrow

Stephen Tramell is not only one badass, but he is probably sexier than Tom Welling's Superman, inhabiting a Bruce Wayne like playboy role.  The show is one of my favorite new series on the air.

Mindy Kailing belief is Rom Com's

Every week tuning in and watching Mindy Kailing on The Mindy Project helps me to believe that I am not a crazy single, but like her someone who believes in happy endings.

Boys II Menorah 

Speaking of Happy Endings, can I hire Max and Brad to amp up my Bar Mitzvah, I can go back and be 16 again for this, correct?

ABC soaptastic line-up-Once Upon a Time, Revenge,  and Scandal

I have been told I am missing out on Nashville, but for now I will stick with wonderfully magical fairytale world, the coniving world of Emily Thorn, and the wickedly clever/smart Olivia Pope.

HBO girl's Lena Dunham and Julia Louis Dreyfuss

How could you not be thankful for two of the funniest women on television.  HBO has really only had Sex and the City with strong female comedic leads, but these two shows have proven they need to do more of that.  These two women star in two of the best shows of the year, and they are great!

Travels with Kevin Part 11: Time for a Fall Television in Harrisonburg, Virginia

After my few days in Washington DC ended I went with my friend Steven to his current residence, Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Steven works at James Madison University with Orientation and First Year Programs.  While is town I was able to do one of my favorite things, explore a college campus.  While there I was able to see a truly beautiful campus, that appears to maximize there rolling hills/mountains from the various vantage points of campus.

After exploring the few places I ran out of things to do (beyond hanging out with Steven). Harrisonburg is a small town that has absolutely no connection with popular culture (that I could find).  While Steven was at, I decided to take advantage of this down time to sit down, relax, and watch television that I missed because of work, or my vacation interrupted the chance to watch the shows.  For me spending time in this small quaint college town was the perfect chance for me to reboot, recuperate, spend time with my best friend, and not think about work.

Most of the television I was able to catch up on  was the Sunday premiere night, and here are my thoughts:

After magic was unleashed on the town of Storybrooke, Once Upon a Time returned with a reckoning.  This was a show that it took me a while to get into, but when I watched in on Netflix recently I got hooked.  As the season came to a close I was slightly concerned as to how this show would continue the story.  From the storming of the "castle" also known as Regina's house to the remnants of those characters who were left behind in the magical land.

The campaign is on, the firm is in financial trouble, and Kahlinda's husband is here! The Good Wife set a lot of stories in motion, there is a lot going on and the show focusing on some new issues and items.  Aside from Zack's run in with the law, I am excited to see Peter run for another office, although it feels been there done that (a little).  The firms financial woes was the most interesting thing to me bringing out two characters who have amazing chemistry, Josh Charles, and Christine Baranski.  I am excited to see where Kahlinda's story is going to go, but this felt disjointed, I want them to make the connection sooner than later.

Back to the Hamptons with Revenge!  Emily/Amanda is back for another summer in the Hamptons, and of course the shows first few minutes started with a cliffhanger death, making the audience believe Jack would die, although this is another bait and switch.  I think Declan is the victim.  We all knew Victoria was alive, and her return could have been handled a little better, but this is one terrific hour of pulp fun.

One of the best returns of the season belongs to Dexter.   Deb knows Dexter's secret.  This episode had me constantly on edge, watching as this new version of cat and mouse was set in motion.  Dexter kept feeding her lies, and Deb finally started to see his darkness.  After two awful seasons this show could finally get back to form.  Most of the times the flashbacks are pandering, but even in this episode they connected things well.  I am excited to see the direction of this season.

The only new show I started on Sunday was 666 Park Avenue, and it may not last long.  While the show is frightening, creepy, and gave me a small nightmare, this show feels like a toned down American Horror Story.  I often wonder how this show would sustain more than one or two seasons.

The winner of Outstanding Drama series at the Emmy Awards, Homeland, returned Sunday as well.  This show brought Carrie back into the fold of the CIA, and continued Brody's confusing journey as an anti-hero.  Homeland is a show that paces itself beautifully, and watching Danes and Lewis is like watching poetry, these two are beyond talented.

While these shows have no connection to my actual journey, Harrisonburg, Virginia provided me a great release from the everyday stress of work.  I was able to not only catch up on television, but spend time with my best friend, what a great time.