The Nostalgia chick has done her homework on Milo and Otis. I would say Willard is far less traumatizing of a film now.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
#2 - Cute and Cuddly!
Hello again Interneters! Tonight I bring you a special Double Feature! For our second outing, I've chosen the theme "Cute and Cuddly".
I'm the first person to admit I have an over developed sense of cute. Combine that with the superpower known as nostalgia, and it's no wonder I own our first film:
1) The Adventures of Milo and Otis
1989. Directed by Masanori Hata. 76 Minutes (US Version)
I have a soft spot for this movie. Cute animals doing cute things.I also find the Dudley Moore narration hilarious. Just try not to think of how many little puppies and kitties "retired" during the FOUR YEARS it took to make this film.
Matching this movie was difficult. I don't own Babe, or any other live animal centric movies. Except maybe one....
2)Willard
I'm the first person to admit I have an over developed sense of cute. Combine that with the superpower known as nostalgia, and it's no wonder I own our first film:
1) The Adventures of Milo and Otis
1989. Directed by Masanori Hata. 76 Minutes (US Version)
I have a soft spot for this movie. Cute animals doing cute things.I also find the Dudley Moore narration hilarious. Just try not to think of how many little puppies and kitties "retired" during the FOUR YEARS it took to make this film.
Matching this movie was difficult. I don't own Babe, or any other live animal centric movies. Except maybe one....
2)Willard
2003. Directed by Glen Morgan.
Okay, so "Cute and Cuddly" just got ironic. So what? I LIKE this movie. I think it's perfectly creepy, the animal wrangling in it is fantastic, and how can you go wrong with Crispin Glover singing the infamous Michael Jackson song "Ben"?
So, do these two films go together? I vote yes. If you view it from the fun, optimistic angle, Milo, Otis, Socrates and Big Ben are all super cute...okay, Big Ben...not so much. If you view it from the dark, creepy angle, the process it is rumored to have taken to make Milo and Otis is just as horrifying as anything Willard has his little friends do. So go ahead, curl up with your cutest pets and have a night in! You'll be glad you did!
Favorite Moments:
1) "You're a strange-looking cat" "Oh, I'm not a cat; I'm a dog!" "All right, a dog, I understand, but...deep down, we're all cats, right?"
2) "Willard...there are rats in the basement!" (the surround sound should be on for this line. Good sound design!)
Suggested Snack!
Milo and Oatmeal Cookies, and, of course, Ratatouille.
My Own Milo, Otis, and...another cat. Bye for now, pet owners!
Okay, so "Cute and Cuddly" just got ironic. So what? I LIKE this movie. I think it's perfectly creepy, the animal wrangling in it is fantastic, and how can you go wrong with Crispin Glover singing the infamous Michael Jackson song "Ben"?
So, do these two films go together? I vote yes. If you view it from the fun, optimistic angle, Milo, Otis, Socrates and Big Ben are all super cute...okay, Big Ben...not so much. If you view it from the dark, creepy angle, the process it is rumored to have taken to make Milo and Otis is just as horrifying as anything Willard has his little friends do. So go ahead, curl up with your cutest pets and have a night in! You'll be glad you did!
Favorite Moments:
1) "You're a strange-looking cat" "Oh, I'm not a cat; I'm a dog!" "All right, a dog, I understand, but...deep down, we're all cats, right?"
2) "Willard...there are rats in the basement!" (the surround sound should be on for this line. Good sound design!)
Suggested Snack!
Milo and Oatmeal Cookies, and, of course, Ratatouille.
My Own Milo, Otis, and...another cat. Bye for now, pet owners!Monday, March 19, 2012
Thanks Mike!!
Wow! I'm so excited by the support I've already received from friends about this project! Within hours of my first post, my friend Mike had already created my fantastic new logo! I'm so excited about it now, I'm not sure I can keep myself to only post once a week. Stay tuned, everyone!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Double Feature #1 Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope/Back to the Future
The theme for this first post is, not surprisingly, BEGINNINGS!
Viewing Order
1) Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
1977. Directed by George Lucas. 125 minutes (because its the special edition. Ugh.)
2) Back to the Future
1985(the year I was born!) Directed by Robert Zemeckis. 116 min.
As a self identified Nerd/Geek, these two films are practically encoded in my DNA at this point. My head turns every time I see Vader on a T-shirt. Every low, angular mid-eighties sports car needs a second look, just to see if it's the bad-performing, still-awesome Delorean. I could write pages and pages about both, but I'll try and keep it brief. Not only do these films both represent the beginning of their own mega-franchises, they also represent beginnings in my own life.
Star Wars represents the beginning of my geekdom. Posters, action figures, video/card games, and attempted Trilogy Viewing Nights perpetually peppered my prepubescence. Although it was not the first film in the series I saw (saving that for a different post), it is most definitely a great introduction to the franchise, establishing the world and characters, especially Luke Skywalker, the relatable, sometimes whiny but ultimately awesome hero. This film also marks the first time instrumental music really struck my brain. Before I knew about Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart or Rachmaninoff, I knew John Williams (or as I like to call him, John Effin' Williams). Star Wars will always be the first ancestor to the long genealogy that is my nerd media life.
Back to the Future represents a much more literal beginning: released in July of 1985, it shows the world I was born into. Where Star Wars is all about the world building and space-opera-fantasy, Back to the Future is all about our own culture, both in 1985 and the 1955 of Marty's parents. Marty is also a hero that carries his film well, with a little less of the whine, a lot more of the cool. Truthfully, though, the real reason I loved this movie was Doc Brown. Christopher Lloyd's performance is so energetic and hilarious, he drew my attention instantly. Also, he said my name as an interjection!!
Putting these two movies together is almost a no-brainer. The heroes are thrown on this amazing journey, one to save the galaxy, the other to save his family and his own existence. They hint at a grander destiny (or density, heh) for each hero, setting up their franchises for greater exploration. I hold both of these movies in a high regard, almost on par with each other. I only put Back to the Future second because I enjoyed the idea of ending the double-feature on a cliffhanger.
If you're looking for a fun Double Feature, why not try these two? Who knows, maybe you'll find some great parallels. If nothing else, it'll be a great ride!
The run-down:
Favorite Moments:
1) The Cantina Scene: That music! Those aliens! So great!!
2) "Sounds pretty heavy!" "Weight has nothing to do with it!"
Suggested Double-Feature Snacks!
Aunt Beru's Blue Milk, and Enchantment Under the Sea-biscuits.
What you might not know: Tom Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen? TOTALLY Nice guy, he's got a podcast you might want to check out.
See you next week!
Viewing Order
1) Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
1977. Directed by George Lucas. 125 minutes (because its the special edition. Ugh.)2) Back to the Future
1985(the year I was born!) Directed by Robert Zemeckis. 116 min.As a self identified Nerd/Geek, these two films are practically encoded in my DNA at this point. My head turns every time I see Vader on a T-shirt. Every low, angular mid-eighties sports car needs a second look, just to see if it's the bad-performing, still-awesome Delorean. I could write pages and pages about both, but I'll try and keep it brief. Not only do these films both represent the beginning of their own mega-franchises, they also represent beginnings in my own life.
Star Wars represents the beginning of my geekdom. Posters, action figures, video/card games, and attempted Trilogy Viewing Nights perpetually peppered my prepubescence. Although it was not the first film in the series I saw (saving that for a different post), it is most definitely a great introduction to the franchise, establishing the world and characters, especially Luke Skywalker, the relatable, sometimes whiny but ultimately awesome hero. This film also marks the first time instrumental music really struck my brain. Before I knew about Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart or Rachmaninoff, I knew John Williams (or as I like to call him, John Effin' Williams). Star Wars will always be the first ancestor to the long genealogy that is my nerd media life.
Back to the Future represents a much more literal beginning: released in July of 1985, it shows the world I was born into. Where Star Wars is all about the world building and space-opera-fantasy, Back to the Future is all about our own culture, both in 1985 and the 1955 of Marty's parents. Marty is also a hero that carries his film well, with a little less of the whine, a lot more of the cool. Truthfully, though, the real reason I loved this movie was Doc Brown. Christopher Lloyd's performance is so energetic and hilarious, he drew my attention instantly. Also, he said my name as an interjection!!
Putting these two movies together is almost a no-brainer. The heroes are thrown on this amazing journey, one to save the galaxy, the other to save his family and his own existence. They hint at a grander destiny (or density, heh) for each hero, setting up their franchises for greater exploration. I hold both of these movies in a high regard, almost on par with each other. I only put Back to the Future second because I enjoyed the idea of ending the double-feature on a cliffhanger.
If you're looking for a fun Double Feature, why not try these two? Who knows, maybe you'll find some great parallels. If nothing else, it'll be a great ride!
The run-down:
Favorite Moments:
1) The Cantina Scene: That music! Those aliens! So great!!
2) "Sounds pretty heavy!" "Weight has nothing to do with it!"
Suggested Double-Feature Snacks!
Aunt Beru's Blue Milk, and Enchantment Under the Sea-biscuits.
What you might not know: Tom Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen? TOTALLY Nice guy, he's got a podcast you might want to check out.
See you next week!
A Couple of Ground Rules.
These are a few of the rules I'm imposing on myself, to make this a little easier:
1. No TV series. As much as I love all of my favorite shows, this is about MOVIE double features. I'll save TV for another blog, I guess.
2. No Mini-Series- See rule 1.
3. No Corresponding Sequels. This basically means I wouldn't be putting Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the same double feature. Why? Because restrictions create interesting alternatives.
and...
4. Posting once a week. Deadlines make us stronger, right?
There ya go, expect the first Double Feature to go live at midnight tonight!
1. No TV series. As much as I love all of my favorite shows, this is about MOVIE double features. I'll save TV for another blog, I guess.
2. No Mini-Series- See rule 1.
3. No Corresponding Sequels. This basically means I wouldn't be putting Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the same double feature. Why? Because restrictions create interesting alternatives.
and...
4. Posting once a week. Deadlines make us stronger, right?
There ya go, expect the first Double Feature to go live at midnight tonight!
Welcome!
Hello Internet!
This is me, Scotty Mo. This is my first blog! And this...
is my DVD collection. Well, most of it, there are some box sets hanging around, and some Blu-Rays out and about. Anyways, I had this idea for a blog. Take all of these movies, pair them up, and talk here about how they work as a Double Feature. If that sounds interesting, read on! If you want to comment on them, please do! This collection goes all over the place, with a lot of classics and a lot of guilty pleasures. I hope you enjoy the ride!
This is me, Scotty Mo. This is my first blog! And this...
is my DVD collection. Well, most of it, there are some box sets hanging around, and some Blu-Rays out and about. Anyways, I had this idea for a blog. Take all of these movies, pair them up, and talk here about how they work as a Double Feature. If that sounds interesting, read on! If you want to comment on them, please do! This collection goes all over the place, with a lot of classics and a lot of guilty pleasures. I hope you enjoy the ride!
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