Change Your Image
ramonproducoes2011
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
A Goofy Movie (1995)
A style that Disney has lost
In 2004 Walt Disney was announcing that was closing the Traditional Animation Department. Sixty years of paper animation, tradition and more than that, magic, was coming to end. "Home on the Range" became the last movie made with traditional animation. This notice was received by the longtime fans as a bomb. Claiming that the style was no longer attractive, Disney forgot the past and looked for the future. But it was not just the style that Disney leaves behind, but the soul as well. This review it's about a movie that belongs to the Disney Golden Age and focuses in a character loved by generations: the Goofy. The Goofy won his own series in the early of 1990 decade and also a son, Max. "Goofy Troop" made a great success with the kid and pre- teen public with creative stories and day by day situations. With the success, Disney decided to produce a movie focusing, only not in Goofy, but the relationship between him and his son that was not so developed on the series. But why I start this review talking about the Disney animation style? Just because "The Goofy Movie" it's that kind of film that Disney really doesn't can produce again, even with all the technology we have on these days. Directed by Kevin Lima, the movie was premiered on April 7, 1995 (in Brazil, the movie premiered on July 21, 1995) and made a good presence on the cinema raising more than $ 6,000,000 of box office on the first weekend. As a sequel of the series, the original characters come again. Max has now 14 years old and wants his own life without his father causing shame with his goofy way. He likes a girl named Roxanne, but don't know how to talk with her, freezing when the girl is close. After create a problem on the school, Goofy is advised by the school principal that he have to rethink how he's raising his son. Worried, Goofy decide to save Max of the electric chair, taking him to fish. And then, begins a travel of self-know where father and son will rediscover the meaning of fraternity, trust and love, even if the son grows up, he'll still be a boy for his father. This is the focus of the movie that has a simple and linear screenplay. A moral message at the end and followed by musical sequences closes the production. There's something new on this film? No, absolutely nothing, but this is exactly what makes difference. Sometimes it's not necessary produce a movie full of special effects, action sequences and all of these things. Sometimes, just a good and familiar story, with a soundtrack that really stays on the memory and charismatic and memorable characters really makes difference. And talking about soundtrack, "A Goofy Movie" has an incredible and memorable musical sequences. Performances by Tevin Campbell, music as "Eye to Eye" (I2I) and "Stand Out" is really great. Others, more slowly and sentimental as "Nobody Else but You" sang by Max and Goofy together have its presence. The final sequence when Goofy and Max really seen that the relation between father and son can really be fun it's beautiful and the stage performance with Powerline it's awesome likewise! But "Stand out" really stand out on this film! Twenty years. But unfortunately twenty years make a great distance between generations. "A Goofy Movie" with all its moral lessons and animation style has no place with the kids of these days. If you want feels the nostalgia of the old days, "A Goofy Movie" it's a nice choice. About the new generation, tries to show this movie it's a good thing, but it's possible that the expectation may be frustrated. But make a try, its praiseworthy! Styles that Disney really has lost of decade that cannot be forget. This is "A Goofy Movie"!
Super 8 (2011)
A beautiful and nostalgic movie!
J.J Abrams and Steven Spielberg together – the director and the producer on the same project. What kind of film can be made with this join? Just one of the most beautiful and nostalgic movies of 2011. To be honest, the year of 2011 was the time when directors and producers looked back, to your career and have decided to make a movie about the past, about the childhood or about the magic of theater (Martin Scorsese for example). J.J. Abrams followed the same thought with his "Super 8", at start with the title of the movie. A typical camera of 1970's and early of 1980's, the super 8 camera have a very recognized sound that characterize it. With this sound, the movie begins and goes on, with the sound as a guide for what is coming. I really liked "Super 8", especially for the theme of 1980's. It's a movie about the decade that made us. It's not a thriller film, it's not an action film
it's a new kind of "E.T." more mature and surrounded by a darkness feeling, but just with the desire to go home. It's summer on the small town of Lillian, on schools it's the time to recess and kids are very excited. But for the friends Joe, Martin, Cary and Charles, the summer is for other thing. They are recording a movie for the Festival of Super 8 Movies of Lillian, a typical movie about zombies. With them is Alice (or Allie) the girl that every boy wants to walk hand in hand. During the record, a violent train accident interrupts the "emotional scene". The accident releases a "thing" on the small town and suddenly, persons begin to disappear when others strange things begin to happen. The story turn around this "thing" and the problems it brings. We, bit by bit, know the creature released by the train. This is one of the most interesting things on this film, a recognized style of J.J. Abrams – he shows small parts of the "thing", creating a thriller around it. But other thing very interesting and important is the connection created between the characters and the public. I said many times the importance about this: this connection is the way of director recognizes his public. In "Super 8", the characters created by J.J. Abrams have story of life, they are not just stereotyped persons of the final 1970's. No, even the smallest thing has a link on the story, especially the main character Joe that lost his mother and now he have to live with this pain. The difference between "Super 8" for the other movies of the genre is the center of the story. The "thing" (at the end we know what it is) is just one part of this role, the screenplay have others priorities like develop the characters: the friendship between Joe and his boys, the hard relation of Joe and his father, and especially the love that, bit by bit begins to rise between Joe and Allie. Then, almost at the end, the screenplay centers on the creature and all mystery is solved. A movie with a very simple story, it's true, and at the first view, we make a mistake to think that is a thriller film. Nostalgia, it's what better describes this movie: a wonderful view about the 1980's, with characters that, even with stereotyped features, have their own world and their own story to show. Right, we can see "The Fat", "The Nerd", and "The Popular", but this is not the most important thing, it's just the starting line. The final is one of the most wonderful things on this film and others points stand out in "Super 8". The way that was recorded is a difference point. Lights on the camera focus on the face
a movie about the 1980, with techniques of that time, but produced with a high technology. I love it!
My Dog Skip (2000)
A movie with soul!
It's a simple film: no special effects, no complex camera movements, no explosions, or buildings falling down, monsters flying or running. No. Just a movie about a boy and his dog and how it's complex grow up, but can be fun, at the same time. "My Dog Skip" (2000) is one of that movies where you know will find emotional scenes or happiness moments, but even so you watch. Is it a predictable movie, maybe? Yeah, but this does not detract the shine of a story about a shy boy and his discovery of life. Willie Morris, or Will for his parents (because he don't have any friend of his age) it's a shy and alone boy, living on the calm town of Yazoo on the dark years of WWII. As he describe at the beginning: "Ten Townsend souls and nothing to do". Is this a nice place to live and grow? Not for Willie. Without friends, his life is empty and he's constantly annoyed by other boys. His parents try to understand the son, especially his father, described by Willie as a "soldier of Spanish Civil War, where lost part of his leg
and sometimes, I believe he's lost the heart too". His mom is sweet and understandable, trying to help her boy. Well, his life changes when he won a dog on his birthday. Called Skip, the animal will be the way of Willie understands himself and how to confront the world. Skip helps the boy to make friends, talk with his love girl and finally, be mature... grow up. This is the soul of "My Dog Skip". The director Jay Russell tries, at the first shoot, connect the story with his public. To be more specific: connect the characters with the public. When the dog appears, this important thing (connection) becomes more important. What does that means? It means that we'll care about the characters, their conflicts, problems
their lives. It's how if we could see ourselves on silver screen. To create a story, beyond the boy discover himself, Jay Russell adds a stolen of beers. The thieves are hiding drinks on the cemetery. But this part of the screenplay it's not so important than we discover how Will confront the life, the social problems (racism and racial segregation – we don't have to forget that the story takes place at 1940's) and moral conflicts (his best friend disinherits the Army and come back dishonored). All this things are seen by the point of view of a boy. It's a good movie, even if we know how will be the final, we see. Just because the director tried to connect the characters, the conflicts with the public. It's very grateful see this worry, a thing that, unfortunately, was forgotten by the directors and screen writers. "My Dog Skip" it's an old movie (have 15 years old), but must be revisited many times, just for understand how its important connect the story with public. Emotional, funny, sometimes sad, and the point of view of a boy about the growing
and how a dog can change the life forever. This is the soul of "My Dog Skip"!
Adventures in Appletown (2008)
A good movie for a Saturday night
When I saw the title of the movie and the main crew (Sprouse twins) I thought: "It's another teen movie, with two boys trying to solve a mystery, on Scooby Doo style". Yeah, more or less like this, but in some cases I made a mistake. "Adventures in Appletown" or "The Kings of Appletown" as it is know, it's a good movie of mystery, action and adventure.The cousins Will and Clay are very close, but it's clearly seen that Clay have troubles to follow his cousin. They are training to participate of a competition to "hold on the breath", on the local fair. But the boy can't hold the breath for a long time, even with so many trainings. In a good open scene, the director Robert Moresco try to create a connection between the characters and the public. Sequence by sequence we know the life on the small town of Appletown and his residents, and more important, the relation between the two boys. Unfortunately, the director do not tried create a screenplay where the public could discover the personality of the boys. At the first scene we can see the difference. This is a good and a bad thing. The public these days are very accustomed to a "compact screenplay" and have lazy to think. Will it's determined, courage, clever and always take the lead. Clay it's fearful, unsafe and has problems to trust himself. As he says: "I'm not good in nothing", while his cousin can do many things. Suddenly they see themselves in a criminal event occurred on amusement park. A murder occurrence followed by theft. Now as witness, the boys have to choose: tell or not. This is the central thing on the movie. Beyond of that, we know the life of Will and his aunt that constantly try to do Will paint the fence (I remember Tom Sawyer at this sequence – in fact, all the story remember the tale of Mark Twain). The boys decide to solve the mystery and save an innocent. What is more interesting on this film is the relation between Will and Clay. They help each other and Will, even that more clever and strong than his cousin, never give up of him. It's a good movie for a Saturday night and has to pay attention because the mystery is very complex and the resolution can be discovered in the dialogues. The sequence on the Coach's house is very tense and his mom is very scary (the rate gave a PG - and with reason). It's not a movie with complex special effects. No, it's a simple movie about friendship, loyalty and courage to do the right thing. The love interest of Will is other point. Normally on teen movies, the love interest is part of the screenplay but here, it's put on second place. We know he likes her, but this is not exactly a important thing and the movie do not end with a kiss (as normally happen). Congratulations for the director. "Adventures in Appletown" it's still a teenager film, but different from the major movies of this genre. And that was what made me like this film!
Girl Meets World (2014)
It's just the beginning...
Evaluate a series at the beginning is very hard because more can come on the future. Here in Brazil, "Girl Meets the World" premiered on September 13th, but a premiere was broadcast on Disney Channel Brazil in July, after the premiere of "Zapped". After a decade of "Boy Meets the World" first broadcast, a spin off is produced and have a good premiere! Yeah, "Girl Meets the World" have nothing new in comparing with other teenagers series (or "coming of age" series). Have the Girl's love interest, a friend to follow her on their adventures (or meet the world, like the title suggest), a stereotyped school and so on. But a good thing on this series: it was great to give a sequence for the classic 90's series "Boy Metts the World", introducing new characters in a new decade for a new generation. Literally, a new world (the Girl are really discovering the world). But at the same time, it don't have nothing new, nothing to stand out.
Zapped (2014)
Yet another teenage movie... very typical!
When "Zapped" was announced three weeks before the premiere on Disney Channel, I thought was another teenage movie with stereotypes, simple jokes and a moral lesson at the end as "Be yourself" or see the life of other person through his eyes. Well, that was come on my mind when I saw the commercial on Disney Channel. Do I was wrong? No, no and no! At the first five minutes (or ten) we are presented the routine of Zoey, a typical American teen. Her mother was married again and the girl needs to be patient with her new life. Before, she was the only daughter; attentions were always directed from her. And now, the three sons of her stepfather are living with them. This routine is shown of a fast way, at the beginning, the marriage ceremony and after, the change. Until here, nothing new I could see. But when Zoey goes for her new school is where I can see that teenage movies are really the same thing. It's how if all American schools are the same: full of stereotypes. The brain, the jock, the rebel, the recluse, the Beauty (this was perfectly shown on "The Breakfast Club"). Her tedious routine is broken when she downloads an app to control the dog and, accidentally, it's damaged. After this, she discovers that the app doesn't control animals anymore, but men. With this magical thing on her smart phone, Zoey has the chance to change the men as she wishes. Well, the movie is about this
and nothing more. There's no problem teach moral lessons, it's a good thing. Television must be a cultural and moral vehicle; it's really a marvelous thing. The problem is how it does this. Saying another way: how the movie work with this. The tendency is produce an easy film, short (between 80 and 100 minutes, more or less) and "packaged", moral lessons are thrown on the face. It's how if were any other way to teach these things for young people, it's how if they were donkeys (sorry, it's the only word that came to me) and with incapacity to create they own moral lessons. A "packaged" movie, it's a nice describe for "Zapped"! It's a teenage movie and because of that, the word that better describe is "predictable". With more or less 100 minutes, "Zapped" have moral lessons commons on this kind of film: friendship, brotherhood, family and so on. For kids or teens, a good movie, make laugh with simple and extremely predictable jokes. But for an adolescent or adult public, is a trouble. It's how if Disney and these films stopped in the time, in a world of stereotype schools and social types.