This week on the podcast we trip a little light fantastic – or at least try to – with Mary Poppins Returns, the “just okay” sequel to the 1964 Disney classic. We have SOME nice things to say about the film…promise! It’s just that most of the positive things involve Emily Blunt. Anyway, hitch a ride on a kite and come join us for this piece of…entertainment.
GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! We’re back from our hiatus. Unfortunately that’s where the good news ends because this week we’re talking about Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time, directed by Ava DuVernay, written by Jennifer Lee, and starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Michael Peña, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine. Joining us this week to talk about this cinematic “mess”terpiece is special guest and author Allison Fagundes. There’s a lot here and you won’t want to miss any of it!
Sandwiched between The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Cars at first blush feels like a bit of a misstep. It’s a movie where vehicles are the only lifeforms and…well…that’s where the marketing pretty much lost me. Lots of racing stuff that I don’t care about? Check. A sidekick voiced by one of the “kings” of blue collar comedy? Check MATER.
I mean, look at this trailer…
The movie turned out to be way better than I thought it would be, walking a fine tightrope between its themes and the ridiculousness of the premise. After I saw the movie, I couldn’t help but think the trailers, marketing, and toys didn’t do the movie justice. The themes of “respecting your elders” being a “good winner,” honor, and appreciating history are very compelling, complex, and not something you would expect based on the marketing. I absolutely loved the moment where Lightning McQueen gives up the Piston Cup to help The King finish his last race.
Cars may not be as good as some of the other films in Pixar’s filmography, but man is it worth a watch. And with the “final chapter” coming out this week, I find myself hyped to see what Lightning McQueen faces next.
Writer/Creator/Web Guy for After the Hype. Created an animated fantasy webseries called Flagon. GM for Demon Dayz: An Actual Play Podcast, which you can conveniently find here on athpod.com
