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dreamersdare is hosting a "Stuff I Love" fest during February and I'm just scraping in with enough time to participate in the first week because it's still February 7 in some part of the world.
So without further ado,
one shots.
Some of these were easy, but it did take a bit of thinking to come up with the last couple to round it out.
Tangled
This was the first Disney movie that I was aware of before it hit Australian cinemas. I'd actually seen some trailers and participated in some fan stuff, and I was hyped enough that when Edy and I were planning our first trip away together, I was like, "It's fine it we leave on January 6 as long as we're somewhere with a cinema that night because there's this movie I want to see."
We were in Cairns and our hostel was literally across the road from the cinema complex, so that worked out well. Edy will confirm that I was cross-legged and leaning forward totally invested the whole way through.
I love Rapunzel so much. There is a fine line between portraying her realistically given her circumstances and moving the story forward, and I feel like they struck the balance between her fears and her excitement really well. And her growth, you guys! GROWTH.
Mother Gothel is one of Disney's best villains imo because of how realistic she is. And who doesn't love a jerk with a heart of gold like Eugene Fitzherbert? (We'll ignore all the BS his voice actor has gone on to spout)
To this day I cannot watch the lantern scene without getting choked up. The animation is so beautiful! And then they sing I See the Light and just ugh. So good.
Ever After
Ugh, this movie. I'm pretty sure it's the reason I'm a sucker for tropes like Heir to Throne/Outspoken Commoner and the Cinderella variations where the Cinderella character knows/has met the Prince before the ball. It's just stellar in every way. The whole cast nails it. This was the first thing I ever saw Angelica Huston in and she's just incredible in that role. The script is perfect. Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott had so much chemistry and I love the banter between them.
I still go around saying things like "Yes, mother, I'm just here for the food" but no one ever gets the reference.
My only criticism of the movie is that Drew's accent is all over the place throughout.
Fun fact: one of the earliest pieces of fanfiction I remember writing was when I was 10 or 11 and this movie had just come out on VHS and me and a friend were watching it all the time, and I wrote a "sequel". For my age, it was not a terrible concept, I think one of the stepsisters made it back to France and wanted revenge? (I guess it was Marguerite if there was revenge involved). Also I was convinced that I was going to hire a video camera and make this movie myself. My guinea pigs had a guest role somewhere. 😂
( Also did you know they made it a musical? Youtube embeds under the cut. )
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
This is a Japanese novel by Hiro Arikawa. I got it in a Secret Santa with my book group a couple of years ago and I was warned by everyone who had read it that I would cry and to have the tissues nearby. I figured out fairly early on the likely reason people were telling me I would cry and thought "pfft, I'll be fine."
Reader, when I tell, I sobbed. No, the cat doesn't die! But the ending is just written in such a beautiful way. I was thinking about it often after I read it. It's not something I would usually pick up, it's much more a slice of life kind of story, but I really recommend this one.
The Kingdom
This is a YA novel by Jess Rothenberg and it just hits so many of my favourite tropes. Picture Disneyland... but in a near-future with android Princesses. And there's a murder. And nothing is at is seems. I read this when it first came out and gave it five stars, and I read it again last year and it was still a 4.5 even though my tastes in writing have changed a fair bit over the years and I'm a bit pickier about young adult books than I used to be. I just wish there was a sequel. There was definitely room for one, but nothing ever eventuated. I'm not sure if the author was planning one and it fell through or if the ending is supposed to be left up to our imagination. I would definitely have loved more!
Much Ado About Nothing
The original romcom! This is my favourite of Shakespeare's plays. The banter is god-tier. I've seen it a few times live and my favourite version was set in the 1920s. And the David Tennant/Catherine Tate version is sublime. See it if you can! This was the production that gave me my controversial opinion that David Tennant is better at Shakespeare than Doctor Who. He's actually fine at Doctor Who but he really shines doing Shakespeare!
Come From Away
We saw this show on Broadway in 2019 knowing absolutely nothing about it other than the brief summary on broadway.com and thinking "Oh, that sounds nice." Instant. Favourite.
For those unfamiliar, this musical takes place in the week following the 9/11 attacks in a small town called Gander in Newfoundland, where 38 planes were diverted when the US airspace closed. The town has a population of around 7000 and there were that many people again on the planes. It's just a beautiful story of community and coming together in the face of tragedy. It doesn't shy away from the bad things but it's got so much warmth and heart. I cry every time I listen to it. I've seen it two more times since Broadway and would see it again many times if opportunity presented itself.
I auditioned for a local production last year but they had something like 120 people auditioning for 12 roles! So needless to say, I didn't make it. But they had their pick of the best performers around here and it was an excellent production as a result.
Cats
Don't give me that look. 😂 Cats has no plot? Duh, I'm aware, I watched the proshot every day for months when I was 10. My niece was three and so we've both got a very big place in our hearts for this show. We went and saw the 40th Anniversary Australian tour together last year and had the best time. It's just fun? It's dancing and singing cats! Lyrca! Leg warmers! Incredible dancing! Who needs a plot?
Phantom of the Opera
Ahh, my problematic fave. Look, I know. But dammit if the first notes of that overture don't get me every time. It's just so ridiculous and over the top. Also, I was introduced to the original cast recording around the same time as I was introduced to Cats, and I am an Andrew Lloyd Webber tragic forever as a result. I would love to see the new staging, and also the Masquerade version on in NYC right now, but I doubt I'm going to have the funds for either (well, definitely not getting to NYC, but even the Sydney Harbour productions are like $300 a ticket or something).
Winnie-The-Pooh
I'm counting this as standalone because even when new things come out, they are usually not continuing on from something previous.
There is just something about the childlike wonder of this material, both the books and the movies. The whimsy! The way phrases like Bear of Very Little Brain get capitalised just adds to the unique style. My partner and I will play Pooh Sticks any time we walk across an old wooden bridge in the woods. We have it on our bucket list to visit the village/woods that the 100 Acre Woods were inspired by and play Pooh Sticks on the actual bridge. One day.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (BBC)
I was trying to think of something else to finish this list off and that got me thinking what are things I still quote from years after I last watched them? The BBC adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel with Richard E. Grant and Martin Shaw is definitely one of them. It's just adventurous and kind of swashbuckling even though there are no pirates. There's a fun love story, too. The costumes and locations and everything are gorgeous and luscious. It's just a fun time.
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