Disney's been on a rollercoaster lately! We're diving into recent projects that prove the magic is still alive and those that make us question if they truly understand their audience. From live-action remakes to Marvel and Star Wars content, we're breaking down the hits and misses.
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00:00It's a human.
00:01What did you think I was?
00:02Nothing.
00:03Ghost.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:05And today, we're looking at five recent Disney projects full of the classic Disney magic,
00:10and five that feel more like a curse.
00:12We'll be including all Disney properties here, so expect spoilers not just for Disney
00:16and Pixar, but Marvel and Star Wars, too.
00:19I'm anxiety.
00:20I'm one of Riley's new emotions, and we are just super jazzed to be here.
00:24Where can I put my stuff?
00:27Number 5.
00:28Give Us Hope.
00:29The Little Mermaid.
00:51Disney's live-action remakes of animated classics are a controversial topic, as they
00:55often make unnecessary changes, feel pointless, or, worst of all, tarnish the legacy of the
01:01original.
01:02The 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid, however, was a welcome delight.
01:06From gorgeous visuals to new songs, the remake doesn't just pay homage to the original, but
01:11also expands upon it.
01:13Eric is given more personality, and the connection he forms with Ariel is fleshed out, leading
01:33to a more believable romance between the two.
01:36Halle Bailey shines as the star of the film, perfectly portraying not just Ariel's moments
01:41of wonder, but also heartbreak.
01:57The film is proof that live-action remakes can actually elevate the source material if
02:01done right.
02:03Number 5.
02:04Don't Know Us At All.
02:05Snow White.
02:062022's Pinocchio was a huge failure, thanks in part to it feeling like a beat-for-beat
02:11copy with CGI replacing the cozy, traditional animation that was so beloved.
02:21It's quite concerning, therefore, that the upcoming Snow White remake is going to feature
02:25seven CGI dwarves.
02:27There's plenty of controversy surrounding these characters and the missed opportunity
02:31for representation of people with dwarfism.
02:51The movie has also faced a ton of backlash for an interview given by Rachel Zegler, where
02:56she appears not to understand her character at all.
02:59It's clear the crew has made unwanted changes for the sake of pandering to audiences, which
03:03is always a massive mistake.
03:16Number 4.
03:17Give Us Hope.
03:18Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
03:29With a pair of film adaptations hated by audiences and author alike, hopes were high when the
03:33new TV adaptation of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series was announced.
03:37Season one of the show proved itself to be a much stronger adaptation, with age-accurate
03:42casting and a script far more faithful to the source material.
03:46Even the opening lines of the show are a direct reference to the opening lines of the book.
04:06The show has also been a chance to expand upon the books, such as adding new layers
04:09to the character of Medusa, a decision many fans praised.
04:13If the second season keeps up the quality, this is bound to be a much-beloved adaptation.
04:36Number 4.
04:37If you don't know us at all, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Quantumania.
04:53Ant-Man and the Wasp, Quantumania is a prime example of the dip in quality of Marvel films.
04:58The film is riddled with frankly baffling plot points.
05:02There's the return of the first movie's forgettable villain, accompanied by a montage that does
05:06a lackluster job of making us care about him.
05:22And then there's the Wasp inexplicably rescuing Ant-Man after having done barely anything
05:26up to that point, despite being in the movie's title.
05:30Quantumania is also the debut of Kang the Conqueror, who would have been the next big
05:34Marvel villain if the actor hadn't been dropped due to having been found guilty of assault.
05:38While not the fault of the film, it does leave it feeling like a pointless entry to the MCU.
05:58Number 3.
05:59Give Us Hope, Andor.
06:15There's been a lot of Star Wars content in the last few years, and not all of it good.
06:20In fact, it's rare to find a piece of modern Star Wars media that isn't incredibly divisive.
06:25Andor manages to break that pattern, uniting fans with high praise for its political commentary,
06:30new characters, and perhaps best of all, its non-reliance on nostalgia.
06:49The dialogue is strong, the narrative is compelling, and there are plenty of deeply emotional moments.
06:56Here we see a powerfully human story, which just so happens to be set in the Star Wars
06:59universe, rather than another soulless spinoff.
07:19Number 3.
07:20Don't Know Us At All, Secret Invasion.
07:22While Marvel's TV output has given us some quality content like WandaVision and Loki,
07:27Secret Invasion is the definition of wasted potential.
07:45With a star-studded cast and a chance for Nick Fury to finally have his main character
07:49moment, this should have been a fan favorite.
07:51Unfortunately, it fails to do anything interesting with its storyline.
08:05The first episode kills off Maria Hill in a deeply unsatisfying way, which is a massive
08:10insult to her character.
08:12The show is also filled with lifeless dialogue that only serves to give exposition.
08:16And the climax of the entire show comes down to a laughable fight scene where Emilia Clarke
08:20dons CGI muscles.
08:37Number 2.
08:38Give Us Hope, Inside Out 2.
08:55It's very easy for a sequel to feel like a cash grab, but Inside Out 2 easily justified
09:00its existence.
09:01The idea of having new emotions take over control of Riley's mind while she's going
09:06through puberty is truly inspired.
09:23Much like its predecessor, and like any good Pixar film, Inside Out 2 manages to pull on
09:28the heartstrings of adults while sending profound messages to children.
09:32The manifestation of an anxiety attack is one of those perfectly realized moments that
09:36only a Pixar film can manage, and it makes you wonder what other relatable experiences
09:41another Inside Out sequel could portray.
09:54Number 2.
09:55Don't Know Us At All, Disenchanted 2007's Enchanted is adored by fans, so the announcement
10:19of a sequel brought with it a lot of hype.
10:22However, Disenchanted is yet another example of sequels failing to live up to what came
10:26before.
10:27The concept, at least, is strong.
10:29Giselle wishes for a fairy tale life and ends up forced into the wicked stepmother trope.
10:34Unfortunately, the plot becomes predictable and lackluster from there.
10:46It might have been saved by the music, but the soundtrack also failed at giving us anything
10:51as memorable as the first film.
10:53Not even Idina Menzel's iconic belt could save it.
11:06Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:10Give Us Hope, Ms. Marvel.
11:11It's better than the trailers made it seem, and also brings some much-needed representation
11:15to the MCU.
11:27Give Us Hope, Elemental.
11:28An underrated Pixar romance, it shows the second-generation immigrant experience in
11:33a way young viewers can digest.
11:39Give Us Hope, Turning Red.
11:41Sometimes it discusses important taboo topics in clever ways.
11:58Don't Know Us At All, Lightyear.
12:00Nobody asked for this, and it didn't even try to convince us we should have.
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12:35Give Us Hope, Agatha All Along.
12:37When it was first announced, people were quite baffled by Marvel's choice to make an entire
12:41miniseries focused on Agatha Harkness.
12:44However, from the opening notes of the Ballad of the Witches' Road, audiences were hooked.
12:55Catherine Hahn's performance alone is enough to justify the show's existence, but every
13:08member of the ensemble cast gets a chance to shine.
13:11What starts out as an incredibly enjoyable witchy romp, ends with a deeply emotional
13:16set of episodes that give us hope Marvel hasn't lost its touch.
13:30The miniseries also gets props for being unashamedly queer, and of course, introducing fan-favorite
13:35Billy.
13:44Number 1.
13:45Don't Know Us At All, Wish.
13:47Created as a celebration of Disney for its 100th anniversary, Wish had huge expectations
13:53to live up to.
13:54The story had potential, centered around the concept of wishes, which are such a staple
13:58theme of Disney.
14:13The animation took a new approach as well, merging traditional watercolor with modern
14:17computer animation.
14:19Unfortunately, the potential failed to follow through.
14:22The songs aren't terrible, but they aren't particularly memorable either.
14:26There's no part of your world or let it go to be heard here, and many criticize the villain
14:31song for its poor lyricism.
14:41The plot also fails to feel original, and with endless references, it seems like this
14:46anniversary celebration is stuck in the past, rather than looking forward.
14:56What are your hopes for Disney's future?
14:57Let us know in the comments below.
15:04Do you agree with our picks?
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