105 - Monsters University

Connection To GHOST WORLD - Steve Buscemi

Behind Toy Story, Monster's Inc. was probably the Pixar film that I would most welcome a sequel too, more so then A Bug's Life, more so then Finding Nemo (which is getting one), more so then The Incredibles... wait scratch that Incredibles and Monster's Inc. where probably neck and neck when it came to which one I wanted a sequel and certainly more so then Cars - which made a load of money and it did get a sequel, Cars remains among my least favourite of the Pixar output.

But it turns out we wasn't going to get a Monster's Inc. sequel but rather a prequel... which mean't no Boo, her and Sully's relationship in the first movie was a great element of it, but I guess we miss out on having potentially a 13 year old Boo which probably would have been a bad thing.

Monsters University does a credit to Monster's Inc. - even adding another dimension to that great film - a nice opening quelled the fears I had that this had the potential to be a film that I would enjoy. Though the film as the college movie cliches it works because - obviously - they are monsters the ones doing this.

I expected that Sully and Mike would not be instant friends - I knew we was going to see the birth of their friendship which again it was enjoyable seeing them on opposite ends before learning to accept each other then the friendship. I had no idea Randall (Steve Buscemi) was in this movie, so was great to see him not be the villain, I kind of wish - to use a wrestling term - showed his heel turn (he starts good, joins a frat but there is no evil turn for him).

I would say the new side characters are not quite as memorable here on the role, the rest of their frat are great but many of them don't stay in the memory quite the same way the predecessor did but it's not a complaint - they've had years to imprint themselves maybe a second viewing of this could change that.

Overall, a film I enjoyed watching from start to finish - Pixar on their game, such as here means adults and kids can watch it together and both love it, this comes recommended for me (like it means something).

43 - Freaky Friday (1976)

Connection To BODY SLAM - John Astin

I can't believe I've never got around to watching the original Freaky Friday before, I really enjoy the body swap movies I've seen an whole bunch of them from Like Father Like Son, Vice Versa or 18 Again, to the 2 Freaky Friday remakes - the TV one from 1995 with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann and the 2003 one with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan (who contrary to popular belief is a talented actress, it's just her life is messed up at the moment), so yeah seeing the original Freaky Friday as been a long-time coming.

Freaky Friday if you don't know the plot as the tomboyish daughter (Foster) swapping bodies with her housewife mother (Barbara Harris) on a Friday (duh), where they both learn each other's lives are not quite so easy.

Freaky Friday is likable 70's family Disney fare, like all the better body swap movies (including in some ways something like Face/Off) both the performers excel in either role, where they are being themselves or pretending to be each other trapped in each others bodies. Like Bugsy Malone, Foster even around other child performers showed she was in a class of her own even in family films but none of the young performers are bad in the movie to be fair, there's also some fun adult support from John Astin as the dad.

I think the 2003 version got the dynamic better between the two leads, something about their relationship in that one just rang... truer, but I think the relationship with the brother is a bit better done here and also in this one you can't help thinking there should have been an early scene where they interacted with each other in each others bodies but hey it's a kids film at the end of the day.

Overall, a fun movie, I did enjoy it all the way through thanks to a storyline I liked and two great performances by the leads.

13 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Connection To Frozen - both from the House Of Mouse, get that connection out the way before I use it much later since connections are only used once.

I feel like I should put a disclaimer right at the start of any of these I do about films I really loved as a youngling, because my love for these films never goes away and it feel like I probably won't right about them too objectively - it's likely I gush about them pretty much, because the 80's films some of them have gone through 4 decades with me ---

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (which doesn't have a ? right at the end) is to me an absolute classic and watching it even now in 2014 holds up still amazingly well - the animated and real life all seem like they are inhabiting the same world and Jessica Rabbit is still a sexy as hell character.

It is surprising how much of it is "grown up" with murders and an adorable animated shoe getting the dip, I think that it works in it's favour because it's a crime movie that just so happens the main suspect is a talking animated rabbit.

Going back to when I saw this as a kid I just loved the idea of all these characters being in the same world be it Dumbo or Donald and Daffy duelling it out on the pianos or Bugs and Mickey teaming up it's glorious to a kid who had seen these characters before come alive together.

For the human characters I really liked Bob Hoskins portrayal of Eddie Valiant, while it's obvious he struggles with the accent it's not really an issue as he the perfect foil to Roger. Christopher Lloyd plays Judge Doom is genuinely menacing even before his meltdown at the end.

For the animated characters Roger treads the line that I think was planned of being annoying, he's supposed to grate on Eddie and we see that but he's not supposed to grate on us and Jessica, is not surprisingly considered one of the sexiest cartoon characters of all time makes a wonderful femme fatale.

The twist of who framed RR is fairly obvious but that doesn't spoil the enjoyment of the movie one bit which is more a sign of the quality of the movie.

Overall the movie is fantastic, there is so much to enjoy - kids can love the characters while adults can enjoy that and it's story. It's not a surprise this film is so fondly remembered.

12 - Frozen

Connection To VERONICA MARS - The lovely Kristen Bell.

This movie is magical. I feel like I had to start with the start, the main reason was it felt like it was a groan inducing play on words and more importantly it's what I believe to be true. For almost the last 20 years most of the best films from the House Of The Mouse have come from Pixar - I'm not saying everything Disney (animation wise) put out was poor and everything Pixar put out was awesome (the Cars films say hi) but honestly since The Lion King there hasn't been a Disney film I have loved.

Honestly I feel like that has changed - Frozen, for me had the right balance of comedy sidekicks, likable heroine, lovely songs and a story I was invested in - going back to what Disney do best and classic fairy-tale in this case a loose adaptation of The Snow Queen.

I honestly think I got a crush on Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), now obviously I have a huge crush on Bell are self but there was something about Anna that was just adorable, her eternal optimism, I also liked that she was pitched somewhere between traditional Disney princess and action-girl, it always tends to be either extreme.

I thought the film had a great message about the bond of sisterhood (or siblings in general), Anna never stops loving her sister Elisa, whose being cursed with everything she touches turning to ice. Going back to the other characters which I only briefly touched on we had a likable male lead Krisoff  and his brilliant reindeer Sven, and we also have the snowman Olaf, who dreams of one day being in the sun - Olaf was the character in danger of being annoying if done wrong but Josh Gad does a good job with him as does the writers.

One last note there is a twist that actually genuienly took me by surprise, seriously when was the last cartoon (aimed at kids and families) that did that.

Overall, the first Disney film in a while that took me back to my childhood, the film is charming throughout, with a great character for Bell and a journey worth going on. I absolutely loved this film.