children’s movies – Late to the Theater

Apples and Oranges: The Jungle Book(s)

Welcome to Apples and Oranges! This is an occasional feature where I compare two things, related or not. Today we’re looking at the 1967 and 2016 versions of Disney’s The Jungle Book. In the interest of doing a really comprehensive comparison, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

After seeing the 2016 version in theaters last weekend (and loving it) I couldn’t help but compare the two versions and mull over what the remake did better, worse, or just plain differently. The 1967 version was a huge part of my childhood; I had a massive crush on Mowgli (first saw it when I was six, I think), and was so inspired by his clambering around the jungle with only his animal friends that I spent hours in my backyard, climbing trees and doing gymnastics. I even had a stuffed Bagheera.

So when the trailer came out last year, showing little Neel Sethi running through the steaming Indian jungles as an orchestral refrain of ‘The Bare Necessities’ swells in the background, I was BEYOND excited. Cynics might believe Disney is just cashing in on nostalgia with all these remakes, but honestly, The Jungle Book has been the best of them, with the most heart.
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Movie Props!

I’m going to assume you are familiar with these films and the objects, and not explain the films so much as why I am willing to spend an hour with a needle in my arm to own them. Here we go!

Recently I was contacted by Ryan Stills of Invaluable.com, an auction site for anything from estate lots to fine art to fine wines. I poked about on the site and found some really neat stuff, I must say. They even have antique furniture! REAL antique furniture, from 17th-century England! POSH!

The company does auctions on movie props, and he asked me what props I might like to own to help get an idea what kinds of things movie fans might be interested in owning. The question really got me thinking. I don’t collect much stuff anymore, for the following reasons:

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Halloween and the Kitchen Sink Week: The Nightmare Before Christmas

You should see it.
That is all.

October is Horror Movie month, where we let down our hair and celebrate all things macabre and scary! Not that we don’t during the rest of the year, but still… HORROR MOVIES! People who don’t like horror are encouraged to check back November 1st for less bloody and/or disturbing films. For everyone else, let’s put on our galoshes and WADE INTO THE MIRE!

We’re switching gears yet again with Halloween and the Kitchen Sink Week – this week’s entries all include Halloween or its trappings in some way, AND they will be much shorter in length. There’s not much logic to their selection, so don’t think that I’m intentionally leaving things out – these movies put me in the Halloween spirit for whatever reason. It’s the final countdown to Halloween, so throw some candy in a bag, put on your walking shoes and come trick or treating!

I was going to review Tim Burton’s classic, immortal The Nightmare Before Christmas but I’m literally having too much fun carving my pumpkin and getting ready for tonight, so here’s my super short review:

You should see it.
That is all.

If you haven’t, watch it tonight! It’s not scary– just a wonderful, joyous celebration of all things spooky, ooky and kooky. Here’s the opening song to get you and everyone else in the mood!

Happy Halloween, y’all!

Have fun tonight, and if you can’t be good, be careful!

Thursday, Better Known as Friday Eve

In Which The Author Doesn’t Say Much of Value Other Than An Apology

Happy Friday Eve, Dear Readers!

It continues to be a hell of a week – hell of a month actually, but I’m not getting into that.

But there’s hope on the horizon, swirling toward us like Falcor from the dawn-touched clouds in The Neverending Story – FRIDAY.

Although not a payday Friday. Ah well, can’t have everything!

Sorry I’ve not been posting much here. I’ve been watching stuff but haven’t had the mental energy for a really in-depth analysis of anything lately. I’m planning a round up of posts from the archives that will help orient new readers (HELLO AND WELCOME NEW READERS!), but haven’t sat down to work it out yet.

So bear with me! New posts are coming!

I hope your week is going well!

In Theaters Now: Inside Out

Go! Go what are you doing NOT going and seeing this movie right now? GO! It’s magnificent! I needed a 20-minute cool-down cry in the parking lot afterward to settle all my Feels.

If there is any justice in the world it will be the biggest movie of the summer! Ostensibly for children it’s really for the whole family.

BONUS: During the requisite pre-movie short film “Lava,” look for people in the audience sobbing uncontrollably or inexplicably enraged. These people are single. I’ll leave you to figure out which camp I was in.