Squirrel Trouble

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Rated: G

Runtime: 79 minutes

Princess/Heroine: none

Prince/Hero: Arthur

Sidekicks: Archimedes, Merlin, Kay, Sir Ector

Villain: Madam Mim

Music: “Higitus Figitus”, “Mad Madam Mim”, “That’s What Makes the World Go Round”, “The Sword in the Stone”

Rating—out of 5 Mickey Mouse ears: 2 ½ ears. ½ for Arthur, 1 for Archimedes, and 1 for Merlin’s Chucks.

So, my girlfriend really liked this movie as a kid.... Now she says it’s almost unwatchable. My problem with it was that it took 75 minutes for them to get to the sword in the stone. Arthur was ok as the hero and future king. No princess/heroine. Archimedes the owl was pretty funny. Merlin wore Chucks so he gets a cool point. Kay and Sir Ector were ... well, just there. Madam Mim, I guess she was the villain? And the songs were forgettable, nothing worth mentioning.

The only thing I can say about this movie is that girl squirrels don’t take no for an answer ... which is kind of troubling in a kids’ movie. This movie will probably end up somewhere in the middle of the pack. So it will be a coin flip to stay/go in the bracket.

Kanine Krunchies

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

Rated: G

Runtime: 79 minutes

Princess/Heroine: Perdita

Prince/Hero: Pongo

Sidekicks: Anita, Roger, Nanny, Captain, Colonel, Sergeant Tibbs, and lots of puppies

Villain: Cruella De Vil, Horace, Jasper

Music: “Cruella De Vil”, “Dalmatian Plantation”

Rating—out of 5 Mickey Mouse ears: 4 ears. 1 for Perdita/Pongo, 1 for all the puppies, 1 for Cruella De Vil, and 1 for the song “Cruella De Vil”.

This movie had a super groovy feel/look/sound to it, and it totally worked. Pongo and Perdita are great parents to their 15 puppies. Anita and Roger are cool; Nanny takes care of everything; Captain, Colonel, and Sergeant Tibbs are a good team; and the puppies are all cute. Horace and Jasper are good henchmen and say things like “Bob’s your uncle”. Cruella De Vil definitely steals the show. She says things like “Cheerio” and “Daaahhhling”, lived in Hell Hall, and drives a sweet car ... I’m guessing a Coupe-de-Ville. Not much music, but “Cruella De Vil” is a classic!

This is the second movie I ever saw in the theater; Back to the Future was the first. I wonder what my life would have been like if they had been reversed. Perhaps I would have a witty outgoing phone message about puppies? On a side note, Cruella is awesome and crazy enough to help this movie succeed in the bracket.

Sweet Sixteen

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Rated: G

Runtime: 75 minutes

Princess/Heroine: Princess Aurora

Prince/Hero: Prince Phillip

Sidekicks: Fauna, Flora, Merryweather

Villain: Maleficent

Music: “I Wonder”, “Once Upon A Dream”

Rating—out of 5 Mickey Mouse ears: 4 ears. 1 for Princess Aurora, ½ for Prince Philip, ½ for Fauna/Flora/Merryweather, 1 for Maleficent, and 1 for the music.

A visually pretty movie with terrifying moments sprinkled in. Princess Aurora is very likeable and is able to stand up for herself. Prince Phillip is brave at the end but comes off a little creepy upon meeting Aurora in the woods. Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather do a great job raising Aurora, but need to be more careful with their magic. The music is nice, balancing Tchaikovsky with typical Disney lyrics in “I Wonder” and “Once Upon a Dream”. Maleficent is awesome, casting spooky curses and turning into a dragon as part of her repertoire.

The scene in which Princess Aurora is walking through a hallway and up the stairs towards the spinning wheel is super scary.... It made me feel like I was watching a Hitchcock movie. Since this is an all-around good movie, with star power in Maleficent, it should do well in the bracket ... as long as Flora and Merryweather don’t blow it by fighting over pinks and blues!

That's a spicy meatball!

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Rated: G

Runtime: 76 minutes

Princess/Heroine: Lady

Prince/Hero: The Tramp

Sidekicks: Jock, Trusty

Villain: Si, Am

Music: “Bella Notte (This is the Night)”, “He’s a Tramp”, “The Siamese Cat Song”

Rating—out of 5 Mickey Mouse ears: 4 ears. 1 for Lady, 1 for The Tramp, 1 for Si and Am in “The Siamese Cat Song”, and 1 for the spaghetti scene.

I would have to say this is Disney’s first true love story. Lady is adorable and enjoys herself some coffee and doughnuts. The Tramp is a hit with the ladies. Jock and Trusty are good friends for Lady to have around. There is not much music in this movie, but there is an enjoyable little number called “The Siamese Cat Song” sung by Si and Am, two naughty little kitties. I really liked that bit, but I might be biased because of my cool Siamese cat Gizmo.

Your classic good girl meets bad boy story. No great characters, but no bad ones either. The strength of this movie is the spaghetti scene, arguably one of the best scenes in any Disney movie. I can’t count how many meatballs I have pushed with my nose to impress a lady. That one scene should help the movie in the bracket.