The older I get, the more shrill and manipulative Annie seems. But this TV production by a pre-Chicago Rob Marshall is well-cast and a sturdy enough rendition.
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Annie (1999)
Author: Dan Stalcup
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Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)
The title of “Where the Crawdads Sing” suggests that the central concept of the story is its setting.
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Bears – Disneynature (2014)
The first few minutes of Bears, created by nature documentary powerhouse Disneynature, dangle a threat in front of viewers.
After the success of Strictly Ballroom, Baz Luhrmann was a rising star in Hollywood
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DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Most genre parodies only work if they truly love the genre they’re mocking. Luckily, DodgeBall is a goofy, enthusiastic execution of a sports movie even outside the relentless conveyor belt of gags and cameos. Terrifically funny film.
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Spider-Man 2 (2004)
I might be biased because it came out a few days after my 16th birthday, but Spider-Man 2 is perhaps my favorite popcorn movie of the 21st-century
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The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021)
I am totally amped about the increased stylization and experimentation of all mainstream American animated films, especially Dreamworks movies, but this is the first one where it feels like the obsession with visual energy and innovation completely outstrips any consideration for the narrative. (Trolls 2 is also bananas, but determinedly so.) Anyways, I felt like I’d eaten a bowl of candy after I watched it, but I am still encouraged by it (if this is what the oddball stinker looks like for Dreamworks in the 2020s, how far they’ve come). That’s not the same as saying it’s good, but it’s close.
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Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia (2006)
Probably even better than the first one, though for largely the same reasons the first one was good, so the thrill of the surprise is gone. The tension between Elina and Nori is out of control — I love the bizarre chemistry of the characters in this and the barely-veiled queer vibes.
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The Blues Brothers (1980)
What makes Blues Brothers work is that its mantra “we’re on a mission from God” is not an ironic eye-roll but a genuine mission statement. John Landis and Dan Aykroyd understand that this material only works if the film can communicate the deep awe and worship of the music that inspired it. That’s what makes this, in spite of its draggy runtime and shaggy comedy, a Great Film.
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Cool Runnings (1993)
Thoroughly entertaining family sports flick that holds up well. Good flavor, fun script, nice execution of the tropes.