Film Snark

Two biplanes fly side-by-side in the same direction. The foreground plane is white with black crosses on the wings, with a german soldier wearing a green uniform and black helmet with a gold spike on top. The background plane is green with yellow wings with white circles, with a British soldier in a blue uniform and blue cap. The German soldier is shooting at the British soldier with a shotgun; the British soldier's hat is floating above his head and he is holding his shotgun pointing toward the sky in surprise.
B
Disney Animated Features

Victory Through Air Power
Released: July 17th, 1943

This is a piece of WWII propaganda meant to persuade the government and the public that it was important for the US to form an independent Air Force, and to present theories of modern warfare in an easy to understand way. I had to watch this on YouTube, it's not on Disney+

This was actually pretty interesting. These theories are being presented before the war is over, and it's definitely a piece of propaganda, but I learned a heck of a lot more about the Germans' tactics during this movie than I have at all in the past. The illustration is fine. The beginning of the film includes a little brief "history of flight" that has some cute segments. Once we get into the warfare part, it's just interesting.

Notable Grossness

I am not gonna lie - other than one use of the word "Japs" for something produced DURING THE WAR this was remarkably free of racist and ethnic stereotypes. The worst image of the enemy was a metaphorical octopus spreading over the ocean illustrating supply lines being cut off. I'm honestly pretty shocked. Of course it's nationalist, rah-rah America in tone, but honestly I expected much worse.

Content Warning: Nazi symbol imagery A burning swastika is in the center of a black background, surrounded by a red hard substance, with a blue border; green arrows push towards the center, breaking up the hard substances and closing in the swastika. The caption says 'Mush the Nazis with heroic arrows'

Honestly I gave this such a high grade not because of its unique illustration or music or characters but because it serves a unique historical purpose and it was fascinating from that perspective. Apparently, the film also inspired some techniques that were used in actual warfare, see the Impact section on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Through_Air_Power_(film)

I ranked it above Dumbo because it's pretty likely I'd rewatch this film before I watched Dumbo or anything below it.

December 15th, 2020
Pete's Dragon
A movie release poster shows a group of white people, 4 men, a woman, and a young boy, surrounding a green animated dragon with pink wings and red hair. The poster says "Coming at Christmas, Walt Disney Productions' Pete's Dragon"
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Five human actors, a woman, a man, and three children of various ages, sit on a flying brass bed with a floral blanket, with the moon and clouds behind them. Below them, illustrated animals are in various poses: two fish dance together (one in a suit); two fish and an octopus play in a band together with the words "The Briny Boys" on the front of the drum kit; an alligator, a rhino, and a gorilla run around a soccer field in yellow and green athletic outfits; a lion in a crown and red royal robe stands with one foot on the soccer ball; and a secretary bird in a suit with glasses stands watching.

Recent Snark

Bert, a chimney sweep, Jane, a young blonde child in a red dress and yellow overcoat, Michael, a young strawberry blonde child in short pants and a button coat, and Mary Poppins, a nanny in a red dress with a black hat with white flowers, stand on a rooftop, covered in soot.

Mary Poppins

Julie Andrews is a genuine delight, whether she's being fun or she's irritated. It's not just her voice, her whole presence is just delightful. George and Winifred Banks are excellent side characters, and the kids are as adorable as they need to be. Dick Van Dyke is a national treasure and I won't hear a word against him.

Structurally, there's not really a plot, but that makes sense given that it's based on a series of kind of episodic books. It's also very long. I think the length and episodic nature takes away from the character study of stuffy, cross Mr. Banks and how he learns from his children (and Mary Poppins and Bert) how to retain a sense of wonder and joy. But it's consistently fun. The music is delightful, the dancing is wonderful, and the adventures Mary Poppins and Bert and the kids go on are spectacular. I'm sure I have nostalgia for it but I think this stands up, to be honest.

The dings on the grade are for occasional bad costumes, bad makeup, the length, the imperialist nonsense. I'm honestly tempted to raise it back up because of the flawless animation/live action melding.

September 13th, 2022
Bigfoot, a giant humanoid creature with red fur, sits in front of a cardboard box with a downward pointing arrow on the side, wearing a pair of white men's briefs underwear on his head. He holds the crotch hole open with his fingers so he can look out. Goofy, a dog-like humanoid cartoon with black skin and a pale face, and long ears, watches from his yellow car several hundred feet behind Bigfoot, with his son Max in the passenger seat; Max looks similar to Goofy.

A Goofy Movie

I know this is shameful for someone my age but I've never seen this movie before. I may have caught bits of it when my brothers were younger, but the only thing I remember is Pauly Shore doing the leaning tower of cheese-a. I'm pretty much going into this one blind.

March 1st, 2022