Tyler Howat's Blog, page 2

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) – Micro Film Review

This is a grand, episodic film about childhood, growing up, dealing with quirky friends, and curbing your hunny-addictions. Based on the stories by A.A. Milne, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has some classic moments in nostalgic animation—Pooh getting stuck in Rabbit’s front door, Christopher Robin helping Pooh swindle some bees out of their … Continue reading The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) – Micro Film Review

Frank and Ollie (1995) – Micro Film Review

Frank and Ollie is an uplifting, heartwarming documentary about the working friendship of two of the instrumental artists behind most of the golden age Disney films, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Frank and Ollie were hired by Disney just before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and it charts their rise in the studio, but … Continue reading Frank and Ollie (1995) – Micro Film Review

Mulan (1998) – Micro Film Review

Mulan is revolutionary in its handling of the strength of their female protagonists in a world that doesn’t readily accept such strength. The entire film is about Mulan’s struggle to step up and serve, to fight, to stand up for her family’s honor in a society that has no desire for her help. Moreover, it’s … Continue reading Mulan (1998) – Micro Film Review

The Great Mouse Detective (1986) – Micro Film Review

As my wife and I started our haphazard Disney/Pixar Animation rewatch, I’d been looking forward to revisiting The Great Mouse Detective more than many of the films in Disney’s canon. This is a rollicking good time (except for about 15 minutes in the middle where it slows down a bit). I’m a sucker for Sherlock … Continue reading The Great Mouse Detective (1986) – Micro Film Review

Hercules (1997) – Micro Film Review

Hercules is filled with catchy songs, pitch-perfect humor, and is a well-and-properly-sanitized version of Greek mythology. Let’s face it, there’s no way for Disney to tell just about any of the Greek myths in their uncut form. I don’t know what absolutely brilliant person decided to make the Greek chorus into a Gospel choir, but … Continue reading Hercules (1997) – Micro Film Review

Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) – Micro Film Review

If you want to know about the decline and rebirth of Disney animation, along with all the internal politics going on between Roy Disney, Michael Eisner, and Jeffrey Katzenberger during the Disney renaissance, read DisneyWar by James B. Stewart. However, if you want a more visual, funny, moving story of the period between The Black … Continue reading Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) – Micro Film Review

Moana (2016) – Micro Film Review

Well, I’ve finally seen Moana. See, I’m a teacher, and much like Frozen before it, by the time Moana came out I was already sick of it because the songs we so utterly ubiquitous that I’d already heard them a few hundred times. I knew the plot because I’d been informed explicitly about it. I … Continue reading Moana (2016) – Micro Film Review

Lilo & Stitch (2002) – Micro Film Review

Lilo & Stitch is the utterly delightful story of the mutant creation Stitch who is indestructible and maniacal and has been exiled to the Earth and befriends a young orphan girl on Hawaii, Lilo. Along the way, they must dodge Stitch’s alien would-be captors and become inseparable friends. Right from the start, we fall in … Continue reading Lilo & Stitch (2002) – Micro Film Review

Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View (Book Review)

I mentioned the short story anthology From a Certain Point of View during my Top Reads of 2023 post because some of my favorite short stories of the year were contained herein. Funny, though, I didn’t finish reading it until early January. I definitely came to this a few years late (I’ve nearly given up … Continue reading Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View (Book Review)

The Black Cauldron (1985) – Micro Film Review

There are elements of The Black Cauldron that are intriguing and captivating, while others are haphazard and confusing. Don’t get me wrong: a lot of it is very heavy metal: there’s a skeletal horned king, dragons, high stakes, undead warriors, and swords and sorcery. What’s not to love? The problem is that the storytelling is … Continue reading The Black Cauldron (1985) – Micro Film Review