Eric Prime

#57 The Jungle Book 863 points, 19 lists "Ha ha! Man, that's what I call a swinging party." Box Office: 378M Rotten Tomatoes: 88% Metacritic: 65 Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The final animated film Walt Disney produced. The highest-grossing animated film of all time on its initial run. The highest-attended movie in German box office history. Recieved two animated series spin-offs. Earned a sequel record, an animated sequel, and three live-action remakes, the last of which earned almost a billion dollars. Appeared in a Banksy painting. Gave Louis Prima a paycheck. Commentary: This is a bittersweet film to talk about, as The Jungle Book was the last animated film produced in Walt Disney’s lifetime. He died a year before the film was released, but his influence was still very much felt. Right on down to him telling the story team and songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman to not read the actual Rudyard Kipling book. Insisting on a light, bouncy, upbeat musical adventure full of wacky comedy and catchy songs. Sure enough, it worked like gangbusters, becoming one of the most successful Disney films of all time and one of the biggest Disney franchises ever. Several TV shows, several sequels, even several live-action remakes. One of which almost made a billion dollars. And yeah, it’s kind of obvious once you see it. It’s a film that’s very vibrant and wacky, with hilarious comedy and fun sequences. The cast is one of Disney’s absolute best, full of iconic Disney voiceover actors and 60s character actors and performers. Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, and even baby Clint Howard. All of them deliver hilarious performances and great, witty banter in this exciting jungle story, and the Disney animators injected these great voices with tons of personality. The goofy, if bratty Mowgli, the wise and stern Bagheera, the laid-back Baloo, the smooth as hell King Louie, the nefarious Kaa, the gaylicious Shere Khan, and those vultures that are the Beatles but also not the Beatles are all just a blast and bring so much personality and charm to the story that you don’t really care that it’s inaccurate to Kipling’s original novel. It’s snappy, hilarious entertainment whether you’re young and old. To say nothing of the music. This is not the last time I’ll gush about the Shermans, but their lyrics were unmatched. Instantly memorable, incredibly witty, and paired with catchy melodies that will never leave your head. And I’m not even getting into the one song they didn’t write, “The Bare Necessities”, which has taken a life of its own and still serves well as a good reminder that it’s important to enjoy life and all it has to offer. It only accentuates the fun, laid-back and poppy vibes of the picture and helped make this serve as an instant classic in the Disney pantheon. This was probably my favorite Disney movie as a kid and I still love it even after all these years. It’s such a great blend of jokes, adventure, and wit that’s still entertaining and memorable decades later, with some of the best music in Disney history. And while the other revamps and renditions from Disney are fun in their own ways, you just can’t beat the classics.

#58 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 858 points, 17 lists "I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. But you don't know what I've been through. And all because I was afraid." Box Office: 418M Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Metacritic: 96 Awards: 1 Academy Award and 1 nomination, Roger Ebert's Review: "Walt Disney often receives credit for everything done in his name (even sometimes after his death). He was a leader of a large group of dedicated and hard-working collaborators, who are thanked in the first frames of “Snow White,” before the full credits. But he was the visionary who guided them, and it is a little stunning to realize that modern Disney animated features like “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” as well as the rare hits made outside the Disney shop, like Dreamworks' “Shrek” and Pixar's “Toy Story,” still use to this day the basic approach that you can see full-blown in “Snow White.”" Its Legacy: The one that started it all. Influences almost every Disney animated movie, if not every animated movie ever made. The highest-grossing animated film when adjusted for inflation. Earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987. The first film to be entirely scanned to digital files, manipulated, and recorded back to film in 1993. "Some Day My Prince Will Come" became a jazz standard. Called the greatest film of all time by Sergei Eisenstein. Inspired the production of The Wizard of Oz. #49 on AFI's Top 100 Movies and #34 on the 2007 edition. Found all throughout the Disney parks. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. A remake is set for release in 2025. Gave Lucille La Verne a paycheck. Commentary: Yeah, you knew this was coming. In all honesty, it would be almost sacrilegious not to have this movie in particular in the top 100 in some capacity, as this is the most important Disney film ever. Better yet, one of the most important movies ever. A lot of the claims made on this are somewhat inaccurate. It wasn’t the first animated movie ever made. From a certain perspective, it’s not even the first movie Disney released. It's not even the first time Snow White was put into animation. Thank you Betty Boop. But in our hearts, this is the one movie where everything started. And what it started was just, simply put, incredible. 87 years later, it’s still an amazing, beloved feature. One that people still watch and adore, one that influences pretty much every animated movie ever made in some way, and one that is still lucrative. Both in the merchandise, and with an upcoming remake set for release next year. And in many ways, it’s incredible that those Disney artists were able to pull this off on their first try. Sure, these days it’s pretty simple and basic, but these artists and storytellers, who at that point only did 5 minute shorts, managed to craft something amazing with little knowledge of feature-length storytelling. The animation is gorgeous, there’s so many fun and inventive setpieces, and the story offers tons of solid emotional pathos and charm that it’s impossible not to be sucked into something so simplistic. Of course the one thing everybody remembers are all the characters, who really do help make this a wonderful package. The kind-hearted and lovable Snow White herself, who represents the beauty and kindness we should all hope to achieve. The wicked Evil Queen, who revels in her villainy and boasts two iconic, incredible designs that gave some kids nightmares. And of course, those wonderful seven dwarfs who steal the show. Giving us incredible laughs, wonderful sequences, and the most empathetic moments in the film. It laid the groundwork for all of our favorite Disney films. Whether they be animated, live-action, for kids, for adults, whatever. And it’s easy to see why. Within all the bright colors and silly scenarios is a film that touches the heart and inspires us all, like any great fairy tale should. And it was just one of many more in the decades to come.

#59 Good Will Hunting 849 points, 14 lists "You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other." Box Office: 225.9M Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Metacritic: 70 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 7 nominations, 2 Critics Choice Awards and 1 nomination, 1 Golden Globe Award and 3 nominations, 4 MTV Movie Award nominations Roger Ebert's Review: "The outcome of the movie is fairly predictable; so is the whole story, really. It's the individual moments, not the payoff, that make it so effective." Its Legacy: Gus van Sant's highest-grossing film. Robin Williams' one and only Oscar win. Made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck household names. #4 on National Board of Review's Top 10 Films of 1997. #53 in Hollywood Reporter's Top 100 Films list in 2014. Gave Minnie Driver a paycheck. Commentary: I already made a lengthy spiel about Robin Williams and toxic masculinity and the importance of being sensitive and kind in my Dead Poets Society entry...but I’m gonna do it again anyways, because I love talking about these subjects. However, the angle I can bring out in here is how the film tackles therapy and how necessary it is to let these emotions and feelings out there. You don’t even need a therapist to do that. And it’s fascinating in that regard when looking at how therapy was portrayed over the decades in cinema. Even today, there’s negative stigma against therapy. And prior to Good Will Hunting, mental health issues were mostly portrayed as a joke, like in Woody Allen films, or as an evil threat, like in every slasher known to man. But it’s here we see Will Hunting, a brilliant yet arrogant and mentally unwell man who loves to fight, learning to let his guard down. He learns what it means to be a more social person, learns there’s more to his own therapist who he loves to prod and attack at first. That his issues go deep, into trauma that needs to be checked, needs to be confronted, needs to be conquered. And it’s all perfectly illustrated through the sensitive direction of Gus Van Sant, the layered screenplay of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and the soulful performances of Damon and the always amazing Robin Williams, who won the Academy Award for this incredible feature. It’s a film that makes you realize your own potential if you just let your guard down. If you just be candid, be honest, and learn to speak with others. A film telling you to make your own destiny and fight for who you are, without being gooey or saccharine. It's raw and honest, but hopeful and looking towards the future. It’s utterly powerful. And to this day, it’s Gus Van Sant’s gold standard, and the best depiction of therapy in the movies. It’s a gem of a movie that just gets better and better with age.

#240 - National Treasure: Book of Secrets (124 points, 6 lists) #239 - Frozen II (124 points, 4 lists) #238 - The Proposal (124 points, 2 lists) #237 - Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension (125 points, 3 lists) #236 - Rabbit-Proof Fence (126 points, 3 lists) #235 - Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (128 points, 4 lists) #234 - Die Hard with a Vengeance (129 points, 3 lists) #233 - Ad Astra (129 points, 3 lists) #232 - In the Bedroom (129 points, 2 lists) #231 - Maleficent (131 points, 4 lists)

MAH BOIS

#60 National Treasure 841 points, 21 lists "I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence." Box Office: 347.5M Rotten Tomatoes: 46% Metacritic: 39 Awards: 2 Saturn Award nominations, 1 Teen Choice Award nomination Roger Ebert’s Review: "Cage, one of my favorite actors, is ideal for this caper because he has the ability to seem uncontrollably enthusiastic about almost anything. Harvey Keitel, who plays FBI agent Sadusky, falls back on his ability to seem grim about almost anything. Jon Voight calls on his skill at seeming sincere at the drop of a pin. Diane Kruger has a foreign accent even though she is the National Archivist, so that our eyes can mist at the thought that in the land of opportunity, even a person with a foreign accent can become the National Archivist. "National Treasure" is so silly that the Monty Python version could use the same screenplay, line for line." Its Legacy: One of Nicolas Cage's most successful movies ever. Earned the biggest opening weekend ever for a Disney film in November. Another huge hit for Jerry Bruckheimer. Earned a sequel and television series. A third film is in development. Gave Justin Bartha a paycheck. Commentary: Long before Disney ended up owning Indiana Jones, the mad lad Jerry Bruckheimer and his buddy Jon Turteltaub created their own globe-trotting hero in Benjamin Franklin Gates in a kickass treasure hunt movie all about finding buried treasure hidden by America’s Founding Fathers. And yeah, that premise is a little stupid. However, what results is a very derivative, but very exciting adventure full of espionage, intrigue, backstabbing, and a fun look at alternate history, with one of the greatest lines in movie history. This is not only thanks to some fun setpieces typical of Bruckheimer adventures, but also the mastery of Nicolas Cage. A real-life nutcase, he’s the anchor to making this silly setup work. He does great in the action and physicality, but also in being a fun, madcap adventurer with an exciting, twisted side to him. It results in a great family adventure for all ages with a strong cult following among Disney and Cage fandom alike. Now can we please get that National Treasure 3 movie announced? You keep teasing it, the people have been waiting. It’s time for another movie. Just do it.

#61 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World 829 points, 11 lists "To wives and sweethearts. May they never meet." Box Office: 211.6M Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Metacritic: 81 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 8 nominations, 4 BAFTA Awards and 4 nominations, 2 Empire Award nominations, 3 Golden Globe Award nominations Roger Ebert’s Review: ""Master and Commander" is grand and glorious, and touching in its attention to its characters. Like the work of David Lean, it achieves the epic without losing sight of the human, and to see it is to be reminded of the way great action movies can rouse and exhilarate us, can affirm life instead of simply dramatizing its destruction." Its Legacy: The second Crowe/Bettany collaboration. The passion project of Tom Rothman. A production so big, it needed 4 studios to make it. Earned a second wind in popularity thanks to streaming and positive, non-toxic masculinity tropes. A prequel is in development. Gave Russell Crowe a paycheck. Commentary: Here’s a movie that deserved better. A movie that deserved the box office that Pirates of the Caribbean got. A movie that deserved the awards Return of the King got. A movie that should have been a big franchise. A movie that would have resulted in Peter Weir making more movies before retiring early. But I guess things happen for a reason, and what we got was still amazing. Really, it’s the tactileness of Master and Commander that makes it so incredible. Nowadays, everything would be under a green screen with a giant water tank to help save costs and make it easier to manipulate for the director’s liking. But they really filmed this on the ocean. With near-exact replicas of the ships used during the Napoleonic Wars. It creates a sense of power when it comes to the ship battles, but even the quieter moments, with the crew talking and arguing and dealing with strife, it all results in an amazing mise en scene that makes it feel like you're on the boat. Props also to the sound designers, who always ensure there are ship creaks and waves splashing, grounding everything into reality more. Alongside great cinematography that sways and moves with the ship, while also showcasing the beauty and wonders of the ocean and the boats present. It's an absolute landmark of technical achivement. Thankfully, there are also some great characters and compelling drama to sell you in the story too, with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany delivering a strong camaraderie and a ship’s crew that’s legit entertaining and well-realized, even with some characters having more screentime than others. It’s a perfect package whether you want to see awesome action, exciting visuals, or a great story, and it still found an audience that really gravitated towards the film. Will still gravitate towards it. In short, Peter Weir really was unlike any other.

#62 Luca 818 points, 17 lists "Silenzio Bruno!" Box Office: 49.8M Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Metacritic: 71 Awards: 2 Academy Award nominations, 2 BAFTA Award nominations, 3 Empire Awards and 6 nominations, 2 MTV Movie Award nominations, 3 Saturn Awards and 8 nominations Roger Ebert’s Review: N/A Its Legacy: Part of the Pixar Plus Trilogy. The most-streamed movie of 2021. Earned a short film sequels. Earned analysis from an LGBT perspective. Gave Maya Rudolph a paycheck. Commentary: Part of the famed and loved Pixar Plus Trilogy (Can we call these movies that? I’m gonna call these movies that), Luca was part of a major transformation for Pixar once Pete Docter took charge of the studio. Docter’s emphasis in his CCO tenure is allowing his filmmakers to make wholly personal and sentimental stories, oftentimes based on their own childhoods. Luca, from Italian director Enrico Casarosa, is no exception to this. This not only led to a wholly heartfelt, personal feature about Casarosa’s own childhood growing up in Genoa, but also a movie that was pretty atypical for Pixar. With their huge budgets and penchant for worldbuilding, Pixar movies are known for being big. Having grand stories, wild and detailed visuals, tons of locations, and huge setpiece-filled adventures. Luca is, frankly, nothing like that. Most of the story takes place in one location and the main conflict largely consists of the friendship between two sea monsters and them trying to win a bicycle race. It sounds kind of boring at first, but thankfully the film oozes charm and personality. There’s a great ensemble cast full of eccentric, yet endearing characters, a lot of creative and imaginative sequences, and a very sweet friendship between the two main characters Luca and Alberto. It makes the film’s laid-back identity and cozy vibes ring true as a funny, realistic, yet still imaginative look at childhood and discovering what really matters in life. Luca would become a massive hit on Disney+, with kids and adults loving how the film depicts the wonderful values of friendship and telling a story of two boys who feel different and outcasts, and how, really, that’s okay. It’s been reinterpreted and analyzed as a fun Little Mermaid riff, a story about immigrants, an LGBT-inspired storyline, and so on. Which in a way is a sign of a great movie and what makes Pixar great. Films can be viewed in so many angles and great films can be given unique interpretations that make it shine for so many people. And yeah, Luca is a great film to do that with. And will likely be a film that people will analyze and give their own unique interpretations towards over the next few decades.

@cannastop our time has come

#250 - Apocalypto (112 points, 3 lists) #249 - The Absent-Minded Professor (114 points, 2 lists) #248 - Cars 3 (116 points, 4 lists) #247 - Meet the Robinsons (117 points, 4 lists) #246 - Bullets Over Broadway (117 points, 3 lists) #245 - The Mighty Ducks (118 points, 3 lists) #244 - The Others (121 points, 5 lists) #243 - High Fidelity (121 points, 4 lists) #242 - Pete's Dragon (2016) (122 points, 6 lists) #241 - Air Bud, The English Patient (123 points, 2 lists)

Universal has an untitled event film date for November 1. It's probably gonna go there and be the November kick-off movie.

There is an "Untitled Universal Event Film" placeholder for November 1 🤔

Wrestling fans like to watch princess movies?

Iger says it drops in 2025

Just realized there's precedence to make the Tiana show into a movie as well after this. Which I guess would work okay. Both Tiana and her movie are more popular than ever, and you can sell it as "2D animation is back!"

https://deadline.com/2024/02/moana-2-dwayne-johnson-disney-1235818288/ The lack of Lin here is a real "huh" moment. Just kinda feels awkward not to have him on board when he was so crucial towards its success.

https://deadline.com/2024/02/moana-2-dwayne-johnson-disney-1235818288/

Quorum Updates Drive-Away Dolls T-16: 16.79% Dune: Part Two T-23: 53.55% Love Lies Bleeding T-37: 17.97% The Fall Guy T-86: 30.32% Despicable Me 4 T-147: 49.02% Project Artemis T-156: 11.7% Harold and the Purple Crayon T-177: 12.04% Lisa Frankenstein T-2: 37.84% Awareness Final Awareness: 38% chance of 10M Low Awareness: 23% chance of 10M Cabrini T-30: 17.78% Awareness T-30 Awareness: 15% chance of 10M Low Awareness: 12% chance of 10M Kung Fu Panda 4 T-30: 59.51% Awareness T-30 Awareness: 100% chance of 20M, 94% chance of 30M, 87% chance of 40M, 69% chance of 50M, 62% chance of 60M, 56% chance of 70M, 37% chance of 100M Animation/Family Awareness: 100% chance of 50M, 50% chance of 70M

Last I checked, most film students are only focused on getting into the business, not analyzing and reviewing them. And the problem isn't really on the students, but more on the sad, terrible fact that, under capitalism, old movies aren't "marketable" enough. Every movie that is considered relevant these days are movies that came out over the last few years, came out when you were a kid, so you can bank on nostalgia, or part of a franchise where you can easily sell Funko Pops. Anything pre-Godfather doesn't fit in these guidelines, so there's zero reason to advertise them or make people who like movies have an urge to seek them out. The only exceptions to this rule are classic Disney films like Snow White or Peter Pan, and it's only because Disney wants to sell toys based on them. So yeah, if you want to blame somebody over these film students not caring about the classics, blame our culture, not those who are products of the culture.