Couple of movie notes

Firstly, I saw Bolt last night. Basic plot, little bit of a spin to it, nothing too wacky going on all in all. We all loved it! It's very funny and you feel for the characters. Maybe not a true classic, but really enjoyable. :)

Secondly, I watched a true classic this morning, Dumbo. Sixty years later and it still holds up. I haven't watched Dumbo in about 20 years, but when the Baby of Mine sequence came on it was all out gut wrenching tears. I'm not really a cryer when it comes to entertainment, but I'm not immune! Several of the older Disney films have sequences that trigger the same response. It's a testament to Disney's story telling abilities. It also drives home something that I've been thinking about for a little while, which is, outside of the older Disney movies an animation has never made me feel so strongly for the characters. While most of my favorite animations are relatively contemporary(they are very fun!), none of them have that strong bond I develop with the characters in these old school movies. I claim that the Lion King is my all time favorite(along with Godzilla), and the scene with Simba and Mufasa is pretty potent, but it doesn't make me well up with sorrow, just pity. THAT being said, every time I watch The Return of Godzilla(Godzilla 1985) and Godzilla falls screaming to his apparent doom into the volcanoe I cry uncontrollably. I know why. Because Godzilla can not speak I've placed upon him my own personality, and also hero worship, I'm not watching Godzilla die, I'm watching everything I believe in destroyed by the powers that be, and the world watches grimly as this tragic figure slowly screams himself into oblivion. I know they bring Godzilla back in lots of other movies, but it feels like he is really dying every time.

Anyway, along with my desire for Pixar to make a musical, I also wish they'd develop their characters enough to jerk tears out of me someday. I generally enjoy their movies, but I don't believe they have peaked yet. They do what they do with real polish in every aspect, but they play it too safe. I'm wondering if they are too happy to make their characters have more dimension. Disney was kind of fucked up inside from what I've read.