2019 Catch-up reviews.

I haven't felt like writing much as I used to do. In what I assume is a natural ebb and flow, I've felt less compelled to trace down my thoughts on *every* new movie I get a chance to check out, certainly not helped by an ever-hectic personal life, and in the future, I may feel less compelled to give as many movies an essay like examination. However, just because I'm writing less doesn't mean I'm seeing less, and I do have a number of films to offer thoughts on. So before the conclusion to the galaxy far, far away eats up my attention, I'm going to do some catch up on some films I've checked out over the year, which you should see if you get the chance. Enjoy, everyone!

Frozen II movie review.

It's only been six years, but Frozen feels like a lifetime ago. Releasing in the middle of Disney Animation's ongoing Revival era, the film was another callback to Disney's storied fantasy musical heritage, and arguably its greatest since the classics of the Renaissance. At once a sweet and funny little adventure, it also served as a successful deconstruction of Disney's oldest tropes, directly subverting and course correcting some of their mixed messages of the past. Being a musical, it also helped that it had a spectacular soundtrack, with people still refusing to let it go.

Surprisingly to everyone, including Disney, it became a monumental pop culture phenomenon, inspiring a bevy of spin-offs and merchandising possibilities, that helped Disney establish their newfound position as a global superpower. And despite the rarity of seeing Disney Animation tackle a sequel, perhaps the dollar signs made Frozen all too irresistible, as we now rejoin the continuing adventures of Elsa and Anna, as they venture into the unknown in Frozen II, an ambitious follow-up that, nevertheless, is a bit of a fixer-upper.

A Disney+ double feature: Lady and the Tramp and Noelle.

I have to say I'm ashamed of myself. In my weak state of mind, I did something I promised myself I wasn't gonna do...

I tried out Disney+.

In a world where Netflix and Amazon dominate the digital streaming marketplace, the Mouse House just couldn't resist putting their names in the Goblet of Fire, launching their own service with their own content for viewers to consume. If anyone were to do it, Disney made the most sense, boasting thousands of movies and TV shows across their eight decade history. Whether it be their own in-house live-action and animation studios, or their acquisitions like Star Wars, Marvel, and the films of Fox (The Greatest Showman is officially a Disney musical now).

That said, I was always hesitant to sign up for it. Even though Disney is one of my most nostalgic childhood staples, I'm growing increasingly wary and cynical of them as a corporation. But even then, I knew my curiosity couldn't be contained, and I had to give it a try. Where else can I binge the entirety of Darkwing Duck?

And like Netflix and Amazon, Disney+ came with its own original content, including two movies on launch day. To start, I immediately turned my attention to those, so before I commit to my mass Darkwing Duck marathon, let's talk about them.

Brief thoughts on Parasite.

Several times in Parasite, a man deflects during conversations about topics he doesn't understand, using the phrase "It's so metaphorical!" Scratch beneath the pseudo-intellectualism, it's easy to pick apart his vague response, highlighting how truly out of place he is in the environment he occupies, and yet with how casually his responses are dealt out, others are so oblivious to his awkwardness, maybe because it's easier to live in simplicity than in rationality. That comprises only one chunk of the weighty ideas juggled by Parasite, the latest from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, coming in late in the year as one of 2019's greatest surprises, and easily a contender for its best film.

Brief thoughts on The Lighthouse.

Newcomer Robert Eggers made quite the name for himself with The Witch, one in a string of intriguing low-budget horror fare from distributor A24. Regardless of *my* unimpressed thoughts on the film, I can't commend Eggers enough for the trend he helped set, migrating horror away from jump scare factories, in favor of richer, more eerie fare. As such, I'm sure most had high hopes for his follow-up film The Lighthouse, in which Eggers migrates to the psychological horror, covering the deterioration of two men in unwilling isolation, after their station is struck by a storm. The Lighthouse is certainly a film loaded with secrets of its own, one that, compared to Eggers' freshman effort, leaves me fascinated to spill its beans.

Brief (conflicted) thoughts on Joker.

The Joker has long been the greatest enemy of Batman, the embodiment of chaos in its purest form. While conceptually a simple character, his methods of exploiting the fragile insanity of human nature, as well as his prevalence for anarchism, has made him an eternally iconic character for the ages, especially when brought to life by the likes of Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, and unfortunately Jared Leto. But away from Batman, is there a chance the Joker could stand on his own? If the latest incarnation is evidence, realized by Joaquin Phoenix, the possibility's certainly there.

Brief thoughts on Abominable.

It's been a while since I've felt like writing anything. Why not now?

After taking an extended break, Dreamworks Animation returned strong earlier this year, concluding their How to Train Your Dragon saga. Such was a big film that the studio was hopeful for, given the company's string of unfortunate underperformers in recent memory, and now being under Universal ownership, and supervision by Illumination's Chris Meledandri. After that film performed so well, I'm sure the studio hoped that their follow-up, Abominable, would be able to as well.

I mean, it didn't... but it's the thought that counts.