Never in a million years did I expect to enjoy Bolt as much as I did. Back when it was first released I just assumed it was more Disney garbage from the 2000’s and neglected to see it. That was a mistake. Bolt took me more by surprise than any other film in the canon. I hadn’t seen it before, but if you were to ask me where I thought it would land before watching it, I would have told you somewhere around the upper thirties. Certainly not cracking the top 15. It was thus a very pleasant surprise that I enjoyed Bolt as much as I did. To find a Disney film I had initially passed over making it into my top 15 alone makes this ranking topic worth it. Bolt tells a simple story, but with the charm and characters of a great one. The animation is reminiscent of Pixar, and sure enough the entire film gives off a feel as though Pixar was the studio producing it.
Sure enough, John Lasseter and some other directors from Pixar eventually joined the project and helped steer it towards the end result we see today. I truly believe their direction saved the film from becoming more generic Disney garbage released during the 2000’s. The plot summary of the original version, titled American Dog, doesn’t sound like it would have been near as good as the current version. Thankfully Lasseter and crew managed to input their ideas and transform the film into a heartwarming and fun tale that could just as well be apart of the Pixar canon.
The characters in Bolt are what really make the film great. Bolt, Mittens and Rhino each have a ton of strengths and are fun to watch in their own way. Even the side characters are hilarious. Without Penny I might have had a harder time naming the worst character than I did with Winnie the Pooh! Thankfully Penny was there to receive all my hate. She completely sells out Bolt just for a television contract. The entire time she has him believing that he’s something he’s not, where every time she leaves him he worries about her safety. And when he runs off? She simply moves along to the next dog without giving much of an effort to look for him. Of course I know it’s not really that black and white. She clearly cares for Bolt, but based on her selfish actions throughout the film there’s no one else who has a better argument for worst character. Thankfully the rest of the cast does a much better job of being likable.
Mittens is my favorite character of the film. She is spunky, down to earth and hilarious. Unlike Bolt she has a clear sense of the world around her, if not a little darker than reality. She was hurt when she was younger, so she’s had to grow up tough and mean. Her intelligence serves her well, and she knows how to get what she wants exceptionally well. She is a perfect counter to Bolt’s incessant optimism and delusions. Her best scenes happen to be the ones interacting with Bolt, and I love the way they bicker back and forth. Their relationship is among my favorite things in the movie, as it has its moments of humor as well as heartwarming drama. It clearly develops as the film presses on, as we see Mittens slowly bring down her shield and begin to care about others again. It’s one of the most heartwarming aspects the film has to offer, and Mittens has a lot to do with it. She is the deepest of the cast, having a clear back story and arc presented well throughout the film.
Bolt himself isn’t as good as some of the others. He’s stubborn and a little boring, but he does have his moments. If anything he’s good for a laugh. As the audience we’re aware of the fact that Bolt isn’t actually a super dog. His powers are merely special effects placed so well that he’s convinced himself of being something he’s not. Similar to Buzz Lightyear, we can laugh at Bolt whenever he stubbornly maintains he has superpowers of any sort. He cannot for a second ascertain the notion that he’s not special. For me this makes it all the sadder when he’s forced to come to accept his own limitations. He isn’t the most sympathetic character, but I feel for him every time we see part of him start to realize it’s all fake. Every time he realizes he can’t actually do anything to help Penny. That said, he’s just not as entertaining once he realizes he’s doesn’t have any superpowers. The film would have been better if they delayed his realization until later in the film and perhaps added more of a breakdown a la Mrs. Nesbitt.
Rhino has all of the excitement and energy that a superfan needs. Practically every line he says is funny. His obsession with Bolt, complete with his utter belief that Bolt has all of the powers he exhibits on the television show, makes him a fantastic sidekick. When Bolt finally realizes he’s just an average dog, it’s Rhino that spurs him back into action. Without Rhino’s feverous support Bolt never would have overcome his failures. Rhino is an essential character of the film, both in terms of comedic content as well as an inspirational friend.
Although the three primary characters discussed above deliver a number of hilarious lines, the film continued to dish out the comedy with many of its side characters. Highlighting the list of side characters for me were the two villainous cats that loved taunting Bolt in his trailer. Bolt does such a good job of opening himself up to trolling on his own, but these cats exploit Bolt in such a way that had me rolling. I also really enjoyed the New York and California pigeons. They had some really great dialogue that reminded me a lot of Rutt and Tuke from Brother Bear. Unlike some Disney films I never felt like these side characters were used only to distract the viewer from the main story. They fit in perfectly, adding some very humorous lines along the way.
There is nothing epic about Bolt. With Bolt, what you see is what you get. It’s a fun movie filled with great humor and action sequences that never leave you feeling bored. The characters are wildly entertaining for the most part, and the premise may be one of the silliest within the entire canon. To me, Bolt was the film that kicked off the second Disney Renaissance. While it didn’t go back to traditional animation or musicals like The Princess and the Frog did after it, Bolt was nevertheless the first film in a long time that had the characters, atmosphere and quality reminiscent of Disney’s finest.
When I saw the commercial when Bolt first came out in theaters, I thought it was a Pixar movie for sure. I was surprised to learn it wasn't (officially).
I also love this movie. The humor was great, the premise was unique, and most of the characters are gold. As for Penny...well she's ok, but let's put a pin in it and get back to her later!
I will guess Hunchback in next.
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"THIS is how you make Nintendo win another generation. Good job, Sony and Microsoft, you're idiots." - Vlado
The best thing about Bolt is the chemistry that the three main characters have. Bolt, Mittens and Rhino are all awesome in their own rights, but they play off of each other better than possibly any set of main characters in Disney history, other than maybe Rapunzel/Flynn.
-- darkx 3DS FC: 5241-2144-5671 (add me and pm me urs!) http://i40.tinypic.com/mabj1t.gif
I'm in the crowd of "enjoyed Bolt a lot more than I thought I would" too. I'd love to see Mittens or Bolt make a better run next time in SMDC. Pretty underrated film.
A rare success in the CGI department from the 'main' Disney studio. Bolt is the first post-Renaissance movie where the humor adds to the story rather then taking away from it. It almost feels like a Pixar movie in that regard. Although the character of Bolt may seem a little too similar to Buzz Lightyear in places, it still works. The whole 'styrofoam kryptionite' thing was hilarious. All in all, a great reprieve after all the epic failing that happened all too often in the post-Renaissance era, but still not quite enough to be counted among the elite Disney movies.
Best Character: Rhino
Proof that you don't need some expensive celebrity to make a great 'funny sidekick' character. One of the few post-Renaissance sidekicks that was actually funny.
Worst Character: Penny
Her existence in the film seems to be mainly so they could advertise the movie as starring Miley Cyrus. Besides, the world is only big enough for one spunky pre-teen crimefighting heroine named Penny with a pet dog.
-- SuperNiceDog is about 20% cooler then the other gurus.
I saved Mittens every round except that last one... >_<
Then I begged for someone to show mercy for my stupidity, but mercy there was not. She didn't get booted did she? Oh god I think she did. >_>
Mittens and Bolt both survived. Bolt was eliminated the round following the boot or very shortly thereafter, Mittens I believe placed 101st or something. She did a little better than Bolt (and the top 160 return, I assume Brett still has the list and can confirm this for me, but I'm 99% positive).
Can't believe no one put the contest on the B8 wikia... or that you guys let the final topic purge!
Well, I suppose it is accessible on that site as well, but I'm fairly confident in my memory on that subject (I double checked at the time I last watched Bolt to make sure they did at least survive the booting phase).
Tarzan is another one of those films that I have come to appreciate more and more every time I watch it. The animation in Tarzan is beautiful, especially the action scenes. I still remember how impressed I was when Tarzan first came out in theaters and I saw Tarzan skating along the tree trunks. The film made a great use of CGI, and the action scenes are all the better for it. The soundtrack in particular has grown on me over time, as well as a certain character I’m sure most of you expected.
I have always underrated the soundtrack to this film. When I think of classically great Disney soundtracks Tarzan never comes to mind. Which is strange considering how “Two Worlds” is in my top 10, “You’ll Be in My Heart” is in my top 20, and both “Son of Man” and “Strangers Like Me” are in my top 35. “Trashin’ the Camp” is really the only song in the film I don’t like, but that’s too be expected considering it had no impact on the film whatsoever and featured Rosie O’Donnell. The rest of the songs all have a great sound to them, and have a clear message relatable to the story. What I like most about “Two Worlds” isn’t necessarily the song itself, but how it’s interconnected with the film. “Two Worlds” is edited beautifully, highlighting the contrast between the humans and apes all the while foreshadowing the path the film is going to take. The only thing I wish the soundtrack had included is a love song for Tarzan and Jane. I’m a sucker for Disney love songs, and I love Jane so much I wish I had been able to hear her sing.
I always have and always will have a crush on Belle. Most of you are aware of this. My infatuation with Jane came more recently, but that doesn’t deter the fact that she is amazing and deserves a thousand times more recognition and respect than she normally receives. Right, so now I’m going to proceed to try to convince some of you to help me back Jane next year in the next SMDC contest. The voice acting for Jane is stellar. Minnie Driver delivered such a fantastic performance as Jane, nailing the character completely and providing her with a number of amazing lines and delivery. It’s too bad she never had a song in the film. I love her voice, and Minnie Driver happens to be a singer-songwriter anyways. No doubt if she had a song I’d love her even more. Oh well. Her amazing personality is still showcased in the film enough to make up for it. Jane is funny and very intelligent. She’s also really passionate, something we don’t see very often in Disney females. The gorilla culture fascinates her, and it’s a lot of fun to see her interact with the gorillas in an environment she loves. Her passion allows her to explore unknown lands, something I’m both envious of and respect. Of course she begins her trek in the jungle a little green and out of place, but she ultimately grows as a character more than anyone else (aside from perhaps Tarzan). When we first see Jane it’s clear she’s not ready for life in the jungle. She has a big, poofy dress and a number of accessories she doesn’t need. Over time, we see her require fewer material possessions, instead being quite content to live only with the bare necessities. She graduates from being a helpless damsel in distress to becoming an awesome jungle woman. Despite her transformation she still maintains her humor, intelligence and caring personality that made me fall in love with her in the first place. Jane is an amazing character and it’s a shame she doesn’t get the support she deserves. I suppose she needed to be a princess to truly be considered worthy of praise, which is really too bad. Jane is severely underrated, and you can expect my full support to be behind her next year.
Alright, I suppose we should talk about some of the other characters. The thing is, I love Jane so much more than the other characters it’s difficult to praise them. As a lead Tarzan is a bit lacking. I’ve never been able to pinpoint it, but I’ve never really liked him that much. He’s a little boring for my taste, although I do enjoy the numerous arcs he undergoes throughout the film and the relationships he cultivates with the other characters. Tarzan’s relationship with the gorillas is great, and the filmmakers did a good job creating his arc for acceptance within the community, notably with Kerchek. At the same time Tarzan is struggling to gain acceptance with the gorillas, he’s also struggling to find his own identity as a human. He knows he’s different, and he spends a large portion of the film dealing with that knowledge. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Tarzan and Jane first meet up in the treetops. Both of them are so intensely interested in the other that it makes for a great scene. Tarzan has finally found another human to relate to, and Jane has found a jungle man perfect for study. They’re both so fascinated with each other it makes for some very humorous and heartwarming moments. This scene laid the foundation for what I consider one of the best Disney romances, even if it’s not the traditional romance we’ve come to expect. It’s original and sweet, with both characters developing and growing as a person due to the actions of the other.
The side characters as a whole are fairly weak. Clayton does his job well enough, and I’ve never understood the hate he seems to get from a number of fans. He’s a villainous guy and very effective for the story. Maybe I’m biased due to how much I love his final battle and subsequent death. The way he dies is one of the more gruesome in the entire canon, and I’ve always appreciated his silhouette seen during one of the lightning strikes. He may be a main character due to his role as the primary villain, but the following are definitely side characters. Let’s start with Tarzan’s friends. Tantor is actually kind of funny, and I’m glad he had a role in the film. He’s not the problem. The problem is Terk, Tarzan’s brash gorilla friend voiced by Rosie O’Donnell. Terk never really becomes her own character. All I could see was Rosie O’Donnell. I generally don’t like associating a character I know nothing about with the celebrity voicing them, but sometimes I can’t help it. When all I can see is the celebrity and I don’t like the celebrity, it makes for a bad character. There are exceptions to the celebrity rule, such as Robin Williams’ masterful performance as The Genie, but for the most part I don’t like recognizing the voice behind the character. Voice aside, Terk is just an annoying character that fills no real purpose within the film. She never evolves as a character and share no heartfelt scenes with Tarzan.
One of my favorite things about Tarzan is how heartfelt it is. I had forgotten how sad Tarzan can be at times, but it’s really very successful at stirring up empathy. The opening sequence for example is a sad one. Here we have Tarzan without a family and Kala without a son. Of course their coming together made the film, but it’s still sad how Sabor divided their respective families. I’m not sure how Sabor managed to climb into a tree fort, but whatever. He did, and it was sad. An underrated emotional scene in the film to me is when Tarzan is coming to grips with his identity as a human and decides to leave the jungle and head back to England with Jane. Before doing so he comes to say goodbye to Kala, his mother. In doing so he wears his biological father’s clothing all the while reminding Kala that she will always be his mother. That must have been so hard for Kala to take. Her son is leaving her behind, and he’s dressed in foreign clothing. It’s an underrated scene that really makes you feel for Kala. I did love how he didn’t even bother saying goodbye to Terk though. Ha.
Tarzan does so many things right it’s a shame I can’t place it in the top 10. Of course I’ve been saying that for essentially all the movies in the top 20, so I can’t feel too bad. While Tarzan does lack a few ingredients necessary for a top 10 push, it excels in other areas. Jane is a wonderful character, and the soundtrack is fantastic. Tarzan also excels in the animation department, as I earlier gushed about how much I loved the animation for the action sequences. The background animation is also nicely done, and I love the jungle setting the film took place in. Tarzan has a clear and understandable message attached to it, complete with a soundtrack, characters and plot that really shouldn’t be overlooked as much as they are.
A beautifully animated movie with some decent songs, and also the last movie of the Disney Renaissance. Tarzan falls into the 'slightly above average' tier with a great story, good character design (with one major exception), but still falls just a bit short of the truly legendary Disney movies.
Best Character: Jane Porter
Jane is the proof that you can have a classy victorian lady character with, y'know, a personality. Her interactions with Tarzan provide the majority of humor in the movie.
Worst Character: Terk
Whoever thought that Rosie O'Donnell, who possibly has the most irritating voice known to man, would be a good fit for a voice actor in an animated movie is seriously under the influence of something. So we have Terk, who apparently is a girl gorilla, though you would never know that except for the one line where her mother calls her 'young lady'. Every scene she is in, she ruins. Every time she opens her mouth, you want to bludgeon her with a baseball bat. There are no words in the english language to adequately describe how bad this character is.
-- SuperNiceDog is about 20% cooler then the other gurus.
Worst Character in the Disney Animated Canon: Terk
Tarzan is an amazing movie. It has so much going for it. All in all, it would probably be a top five movie if it wasn't for one character. Terk is an abomination. Tantor doesn't do much to help either, but Terk is beyond grating. She actually manages to take a really great movie and drag it down. And it's so hard to just ignore her like some other so-so/bad characters because of how in your face and annoying she is. If I could watch a Terk free version of the Tarzan or a version where Clayton mounts her head on a wall, I would be a happy person.
I'd like to also preface my Terk rant by saying that I'm generally positive about anything and everything Disney. It takes a lot, and I mean a lot, to make me feel so vilely about something Disney. Terk. Dammit Terk, why are you so terrible?
The only other Disney thing off the top of my head that is on Terk's level of horrible is the movie Chicken Little as a whole.
Coincidentally, I'd be on board for a Jane alliance next contest. Perhaps Jane/Pooh
Yes!
BrettEagles posted...
Worst Character in the Disney Animated Canon: Terk
Tarzan is an amazing movie. It has so much going for it. All in all, it would probably be a top five movie if it wasn't for one character. Terk is an abomination. Tantor doesn't do much to help either, but Terk is beyond grating. She actually manages to take a really great movie and drag it down. And it's so hard to just ignore her like some other so-so/bad characters because of how in your face and annoying she is. If I could watch a Terk free version of the Tarzan or a version where Clayton mounts her head on a wall, I would be a happy person.
[/rant]
BrettEagles posted...
I'd like to also preface my Terk rant by saying that I'm generally positive about anything and everything Disney. It takes a lot, and I mean a lot, to make me feel so vilely about something Disney. Terk. Dammit Terk, why are you so terrible?
The only other Disney thing off the top of my head that is on Terk's level of horrible is the movie Chicken Little as a whole.
Haha. Man I love this Terk hate. While I don't find her as loathsome, my write-up was definitely missing more hatred pointed directly at Terk. I'm glad you and Karo could fill the gap.
B.E.N. gets way too much hate. Actually, that whole movie gets way too much hate. It just came out on BR, I'm totally gonna order a copy when I think of something else to bring my order up enough to get free shipping.
-- darkx 3DS FC: 5241-2144-5671 (add me and pm me urs!) http://i40.tinypic.com/mabj1t.gif
Also, interesting to note, from what I can tell, Terk became significantly better in the Broadway version. He (yeah, they changed her to a male) became significantly less self-obsessed and loud, and was an adult for the whole time, thus being much older than Tarzan and much more caring of him/willing to help him become better for his own benefit and not just for Terk's. Perhaps this was necessary because they cut Tantor completely.
-- darkx 3DS FC: 5241-2144-5671 (add me and pm me urs!) http://i40.tinypic.com/mabj1t.gif
Oh, Mulan. For some reason this film seems to be very love-it-or-hate-it on this board. Despite placing it just outside the top 10 I am firmly in the love-it camp. It’s a fantastic film, filled with an exceptional character in Mulan, tremendous action sequences and a decent soundtrack. It goes into detail regarding war and death such that few Disney films have managed to match. However it does so with the charm and humor that the Disney Renaissance is renowned for. Mulan successfully takes one of the most intense and adult subject matters and transforms it into a kid-friendly film without compromising its messages.
Similar to Tarzan, Mulan has only one character that I really care about, and that character is Mulan herself. She is the only Disney princess to see action and physically fight her own battles. In fact I’d argue she’s the bravest of all the princesses. She’s the daughter of a noble but nevertheless risks her own life and the reputation of her father and family to fight for China in her father’s place. That takes immense courage. Not to mention the multiple times she exhibited her bravery on the battlefield, wiping out an entire army on the mountain peaks and showing her worth in front of all of China during the final battle with Shan Yu. Mulan is an exceptional warrior, showcasing her physical prowess as well as her mental prowess time and time again. She also maintains her caring side throughout the film, for which I’m very thankful. Too often filmmakers, when confronted with the decision to create a “warrior woman,” remove all aspects of femininity the character had in order to make them more masculine and at times robotic. Mulan is different. She maintains her charming personality and femininity throughout the film all the while kicking major ass. Mulan doesn’t want to be a man. She just wants to find her own identity, struggling to understand why certain paths are forbidden to her just because she’s a woman.
It’s just as much a film about how men and women should be considered equals as it is finding your own identity within society. Mulan is pigeonholed from the get-go as a geisha, but that’s not who Mulan is. She’s a warrior, and she proves she’s more than capable of hanging with the men time and time again, ultimately surpassing them all. The film does a fantastic job conveying these messages, but doesn’t get overbearing like some other Disney films get with their message. It’s one of the better messages Disney conveys in its films, and Mulan is a fantastic role model for young girls and boys alike.
If only there was just one more character as fleshed out as Mulan. As is, she practically carries the entire film herself. Mushu is good for a laugh or two every now and then, but I’ve never been very interested in his own personal arc. Cri-Kee just gets in the way the entire time and never really helps Mulan in any way. He’s more of the sidekick to Mulan’s sidekick and ultimately an unnecessary character. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po are good for laughs every now and then as well, and I’ve always liked their presence onscreen. That said, all we really know about them is who their dream girls are. They have very little depth. Captain Li Shang is the third biggest character after Mulan and Mushu but he certainly doesn’t seem like it. He’s just some ultra-serious military wunderkind who never really lets loose and show the audience who he really is. Chi-Fu is really obnoxious and his motivations for hating Mulan and being a dick aren’t really addressed. If he’s doing it because of tradition or custom, that’s fine, but he’s still very annoying. As far as the villains go, I’ve never liked Shan Yu. He’s clearly evil, but again, what do we actually see him do? All we really see is Shan Yu being ominous and scary. He has very little interaction with any of the main characters and he has very weak character development.
The best parts of the film were the battle scenes. They’re exceptionally well paced and beautifully animated. It’s interesting to note how openly the film deals with death and destruction in ways few other Disney films manage. The contrast between lighthearted comedy and immediate pain and suffering is extremely prevalent in the film, and Mulan pulls it off perfectly. The humor never overtakes the drama, and the film never gets too serious for its own good. Even when the humor and emotional drama collide back-to-back Mulan does a great job of transitioning the atmosphere to appropriately reflect the mood. Take, for example, the scene where “A Girl Worth Fighting For” plays. That scene is one of the happiest and most light-hearted in the entire film. And what segment follows it? Only the darkest in the entire film, where Mulan and company discover the desolate battlefield where Li Shang’s father was killed. Despite such a collision of emotions it never comes off as jarring. Mulan does a great job of providing humor to lighten the feel of the film all the while maintaining its dramatic side.
After The Rescuers Down Under (which doesn’t really count), Mulan has the weakest soundtrack from the Disney Renaissance. That’s not saying much considering they’re all incredible, but Mulan only has four songs to it, two of which aren’t very good. Reflection is a good song but doesn’t get enough time in the film. I do love its message though, and if it had a larger role in the film I’m sure it would have been my favorite. The last song, I’ll Make a Man Out of You, is my favorite of the film, but only just barely. It’s a fun a song that serves its purpose well as a montage, however I’m afraid it has significantly fallen in my song rankings over the years. It isn’t sung very well and I’ve never been fond of Li Shang. Sorry Gen. The song still easily makes its way into my top 20, but I don’t hold the same love for it as I once did.
That’s actually similar to how I feel about the film as a whole. The film is still among my favorites, but I don’t love it as much as I used to. The animation is great, especially during the action sequences, and the story never gets dull. In fact, the story is one of the better stories within the Disney canon. It has a great arc, filled with great sequences and montages along the way. Mulan is one of my favorites within the canon, and watching the film again made me remember just how much I love her. Controversy be damned. Mulan is totally deserving of the crown she won in SMDCIII. It’s too bad her victory is mired as it is. As it stands many don’t even consider her a champion to begin with, and with her current rep there’s no way she stands a shot at winning a legit crown. Nevertheless she is totally deserving of all the praise she receives, as is the film itself.
Next Up: This films comes before the Disney Renaissance
B.E.N. gets way too much hate. Actually, that whole movie gets way too much hate. It just came out on BR, I'm totally gonna order a copy when I think of something else to bring my order up enough to get free shipping.
I love Treasure Planet, but B.E.N is literally useless. The only point he serves is to warn them about the traps, and he doesn't even warn them in time. He's annoying and every single thing he does could have been done by another character instead. He literally feels written in solely to hire Martin Short for the movie.
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"THIS is how you make Nintendo win another generation. Good job, Sony and Microsoft, you're idiots." - Vlado