Review: "Disneyland: Handcrafted"

When Disney+ launched on November 12th, 2019, one of the first shows created exclusively for the streaming service was the 6-part miniseries The Imagineering Story, the story of how Walt Disney founded his team of engineers who imagine, or “Imagineers.” The miniseries was directed and executive produced by Leslie Iwerks.  Leslie Iwerks is an documentary filmmaker, whose grandfather, Ub Iwerks was the first person to animate Mickey Mouse. Leslie’s father, Don Iwerks, is also known at Disney for inventing the 360 Degree camera which produced the former Disneyland park attraction America the Beautiful.

Leslie Iwerks, has worked on numerous Disney-themed projects, including The Man Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story (1999), which is a tribute to her late grandfather and The Pixar Story (2007). She received a Best Documentary, Short Subjects, Oscar Nomination for the Short Film Recycled Life, also released in 2007, and on January 22nd, 2026, released her latest documentary to both Disney+ and YouTube, Disneyland: Handcrafted. My thoughts are as follows:

“Disneyland: Handcrafted,” delves deeper into the excruciating details of construction that went on as Walt Disney and his team Imagineers built Disneyland. It features no first-person narration, but several audio “excerpts” from Walt Disney, his family (daughter Diane and nephew Roy), and imagineers Harper Goff, Marty Sklar, Bob Gurr, and Blaine Gibson. Each discusses their own memories of working their fingers to the bone as they built the park, how it’s budget escalated as they moved closer and closer to opening day, July 17th, 1955, and how both the work and financial constraints were so overwhelming, that very few people believed that the park would be successful (except for Walt himself!)

The documentary acknowledges each of Disneyland’s beloved lands, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland, etc., and the audio interviewees explain that every part of the park faced some sort of problem. The imagineers simply always did the best they could to solve them. Two of those interviewees include Harriet Burns and Bob Gurr. Burns was Disney’s very first female imagineer, and she oversaw the designing of the Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion, while Gurr designed the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Submarine Voyage, and the Double Decker Buses on Main Street. At 94 years old, Gurr remains one of the only two imagineers alive today who worked at Walt Disney Imagineering during Walt Disney’s lifetime. (The other is Orlando Ferrante, who is 93. Ferrante worked on designing Disneyland Paris and helped launch the Disney Cruise Line in Venice. Sadly, he is not featured in the documentary.)

“Disneyland: Handcrafted” is guaranteed to deepen your appreciation for the history of Disneyland and those who worked to make it come to life. While many of those people are sadly deceased, it’s easy to imagine them being proud that their park is still beloved—nearly 71 years later. No one could have ever predicted the kind of success they had. This documentary will also deepen your appreciation for Leslie Iwerks’s skills as a documentary filmmaker, and how she continues the talent that runs in her family.

Review: "Zootopia 2"

On March 14th, 2016, Disney released Zootopia—a blockbuster smash grossing 1.025 billion dollars and winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Disney later produced Zootopia+, short films featuring the characters from “Zootopia,” and released to Disney+ on November 9th, 2022. On November 26th, 2025, Disney released Zootopia 2, the highly anticipated “feature-length” sequel released to theaters. Here are my thoughts:

Still relishing the victory of solving their first case, Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are handed their next case by their boss, Chief Bogo. This case is a bit more complicated however: it involves chasing a “criminalized” snake named “Gary De’Snake.” 

As the “tail” unfolds, Judy and Nick discover that Gary might not actually be a real criminal and the case may be bigger than they realize. Furthermore, Judy and Nick’s partnership gets tested and they learn whether or not the partnership they formed in the first film is truthfully meant to last, despite being two different animals with two very different working styles. 

“Zootopia 2,” reunites the all-star voice cast of Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, and Idris Elba as Chief Bogo. The film also introduces the new voices of Oscar-Winner Ke Huy Yuan as Gary De’Snake, Oscar-Nominee David Strathairn as new antagonist, Milton Lynxley, and Macaulay Culkin and Culkin’s fiancee, Brenda Song as Milton’s children, Catrick and Kitty Lynxley. There are also voice-over cameos by Disney voice favorites including: Josh Gad (voice of Olaf in Frozen (2013), Auli’i Cravalho (voice of Moana in Moana (2016), Dwayne Johnson (voice of Maui in Moana (2016), and even a cameo by Walt Disney Company CEO, Bob Iger.

“Zootopia 1” was about learning to put differences aside and work together as a team. “Zootopia 2” is a little more emotional because it shows a powerful message of treating immigrants equally and making their voices heard, especially as it impacts our collective history and culture. The story is also hilarious because Judy and Nick befriend a new beaver who hosts a podcast about all animals, Nibbles Maplestick, voiced by Fortune Feimster. 

As Judy and Nick continue to experience each other’s differences, they discover they might—just might—also be falling for each other romantically. It remains to be seen whether or not that will happen in a third movie.

This sequel is guaranteed to deepen your appreciation for the film’s endearing characters and beautiful animation, not to mention the genius writing/direction of Jared Bush and Byron Howard, They also co-wrote and directed “Zootopia 1,” with Jared Moore. You might like it just as much, if not better than the first. 

   

Legendary Moms

Legendary Moms

In October 2025, two acting legends passed away, both of whom voiced mother figures for Disney. In tribute to them, let’s examine their Disney contributions, as well as their versatility and career trademarks. 

Diane Keaton provided the voice of Jenny, Dory’s mother in Disney/Pixar’s Finding Dory (2016). Keaton was close friends in real life with Dory’s voice, Ellen DeGeneres, frequently guest-starring on DeGeneres’s talk show, Ellen (2003-2023). One of Keaton’s special characteristics was creating the idea that women could dress like men in movies, which could easily be said of her performances in Woody Allen’s Play It Again, Sam (1972) and/or Annie Hall (1977), the latter of which won her the Best Actress Oscar. She was also a member of the Ensemble in the Original Broadway cast of Hair (1968). 

Furthermore, Keaton was known for wearing white, which she wore a lot of in Something’s Gotta Give (2003), which was directed by Nancy Meyers and earned Keaton her last Oscar nod. Keaton made eight films for Woody Allen and five films for Nancy Meyers, including Father of the Bride Trilogy (1991-2020), which was Touchstone produced. Not to mention her iconic role as Kay Adams Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy (1972-1990). Diane Keaton was definitely “one of a kind” in a male-dominated Hollywood with her sense of style and acting mastery. 

Samantha Eggar voiced Hera, Hercules’s mythological mother in Hercules (1997). Though it was Eggar’s only Disney contribution, she did star opposite Rex Harrison in the family-friendly musical, Doctor Dolittle (1967). She became a “Shakespearean” actor before foraying into movies, starring in the leading roles in productions of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Cort Theatre in the UK. Besides “Dolittle,” she made several films with “Doctor” in the title, including the British-produced Doctor Crippen (1962) and Doctor in Distress (1963). 

Samantha Eggar wasn’t known for any specific trademark, but she was held in high regard for her Oscar-nominated performance in William Wyler’s The Collector (1965). Although she lost the Oscar to Julie Christie for Darling (1965), she did take home the Golden Globe for Best Actress Drama. (Samantha Eggar is one of 31 actors to earn Oscar nominations for performances under William Wyler’s guidance, a record that remains unbroken today.) Eggar reprised the role of Hera for Disney’s short-lived Hercules (1998-1999) television series. 

Diane Keaton passed away due to pneumonia on October 11th, 2025 and Samantha Eggar passed on October 15, 2025 (causes are undisclosed). Both ladies had incredible careers in Hollywood, and any movie lover can tip their hats to both of them.  

Review: "John Candy: I Like Me"

Review: "John Candy: I Like Me"

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die,” is one of my favorite quotes from The Sandlot (1993). And it definitely comes to mind as I think about the subject of today’s blog: John Candy was both a hero and a legend of a comedy. On October 10th, 2025, Amazon Prime released the documentary John Candy: I Like Me, in commemoration of Candy’s line “I like me. My wife likes me.” From Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987).

“John Candy: I Like Me,” depicts how John Candy built his own career, how he met his wife (with whom he collaborated closely), and relationships he had with his close acting friends: Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks, Catherine O’Hara, and many others. There are also nostalgic clips of Candy’s sketches he performed on the Canadian Television Show SCTV (1976-1981), which are hilarious to say the least. 

As each interviewee is screened, everyone acknowledges their friendship with the late comedian and how being friends with him made differences in their own careers. Emotions run high for them also as they talk about how talk about their reactions to his passing on March 4th, 1994, at age 43. (The cause of John Candy’s death was a heart attack, which ironically happened to his own father, Sidney James Candy at age of 35.)

In addition to celebrities, the film features interviews with John Candy’s surviving family: daughter, Jennifer, son, Chris, and wife, Rose, with whom he shared a unique closeness. Footage of home movies indicate the family together and his efforts to always do the best he could to take care of all of them. Many of those interviewed also acknowledge that the hardest thing he endured throughout his whole life/career was his own struggle to take care of himself. (Sadly, the family described that John always tried to loose his weight but then bulked himself back up again because the industry “liked him that way.”)

Perhaps most recognizable to many are the films Candy made for the late writer/producer/director and good friend, John Hughes: “Planes, Trains…” Uncle Buck (1989), Home Alone (1990), Only the Lonely (1991), etc. Disney Lovers might also remember John Candy for playing Freddie Bauer (Tom Hanks’s character’s brother) in Splash (1984), or as the voice of Wilbur the Albatross in The Rescuers Down Under (1990), or even as Irving Blitzer, the coach from the bobsled comedy Cool Runnings (1993). Another one of Candy’s most iconic characters was playing Barf the Mog (Half-Man, Half-Dog) in Mel Brooks’s Spaceballs (1987).

Amazon’s documentary is guaranteed to make you feel the emotion of John Candy’s hilarious, but tragically short life. But it will also guaranteed to make you have and/or deepen your appreciation for his hysterical contributions to movies. 

   

Review: "The Thursday Murder Club"

Review: “The Thursday Murder Club”

The Thursday Murder Club is a fun ride full of twists, turns and senior citizen teamwork. Netflix has done a nice job with this new murder mystery, based on the novel of the same name by Richard Osman. Released just this weekend, I really liked it and here are my thoughts:

The Thursday Murder Club takes place at a fictional retirement home in County Kent, England. Instead of knitting or doing puzzles, four retirees there decide they would rather solve murder mysteries, turning to the “cold case” files. As they investigate one of the mysteries, they uncover a plot by a greedy real estate tycoon to destroy their retirement home for a new event center.

Just like in the recently released “Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” “The Thursday Murder Club,” also has a fantastic team of four: Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie. Rather than rely on make-believe superpowers, this group relies on wisdom, a little humor, and even some MI-6 training.

Mirren portrays a clever former British spy, Elizabeth Best, who is stubborn in her pursuit of catching the killer. She reminds us a bit of Dame Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996). Elizabeth’s friends are: Ron Ritchie, a former Union Leader (played by Brosnan — comical because he plays the “muscle” and is cast way against type. Ibrahim Arif, a former psychologist (played by Kingsley), brings the “book smarts.”Joyce Meadowcroft, a former nurse (played by Imrie) takes care of everyone, mostly by baking them cake. 

The supporting cast includes Naomi Ackie, David Tennant, Tom Ellis, Oscar-nominee Jonathan Pryce, and Oscar-nominee Richard E. Grant (who co-starred with Dame Helen Mirren in the murder-mystery Gosford Park (2001)). The film is directed by the legendary Chris Columbus, director of: Home Alone (1990) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) (as well as the first sequels to both movies,) and Thomas Newman composed the music. (Newman currently holds the Oscar record as composer who was been nominated the most times but never won. He has nominated 15 times, including The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and 1917 (2020), and many others).

Overall, “The Thursday Murder Club,” is a surprisingly entertaining film. A little suspense, combined with clever humor, goes a long way. It could also leave audiences hoping for a sequel, which has yet to be confirmed. There are currently three sequels in the book series: The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, and The Last Devil to Die. Richard Osman has also announced that a fifth book is planned to be released in 2025.

A teamwork message is something that everyone can appreciate, and I also really appreciated how funny it was. Their scheming often leads to embarrassment, but as they work together — uncovering several unexpectedly guilty parties — the conclusion to their mystery is satisfying for the audience as well.

 

Review: "Fantastic Four: The First Steps"

Marvel’s Fantastic Four made their very first Comic Book appearance in The Fantastic Four published in November 1961. They were re-adapted for television in 1968 and radio in 1975, though neither series lasted particularly long. The television series lasted for just 20 episodes, though they aired on repeat for a year. (The TV series was produced by Hanna-Barbera productions, the company who also produced The Flintstones (1960-1966), The Jetsons (1962-1963) and Scooby-Doo Where Are You? (1969-1978)). 

The first official “Fantastic Four,” film was produced in 1994, but it was never released due to copyright infractions. Constantin Film, the studio who owned the film rights to the characters, later, sold the rights to 20th Century Fox, resulting in their own “Fantastic” movie in 2005, and a sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer in 2007. When Disney, acquired Fox, they produced a remake in 2015. The Disney folks said we hadn’t had enough, releasing The Fantastic Four: The First Steps this past weekend.

In Fox’s original remake of “Fantastic Four,” Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman were portrayed by Ioan Gruffud and Jessica Alba, and their characters were love interests who had dated, but had broken up and weren’t on good terms. That plot focused on whether or not they would reconcile. In “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby play the respective roles as a married couple faced with the pressures of becoming first-time parents. Although the character development is slightly different, it’s equally enjoyable.

This film has a great message of what it means to work together as family and/or team—and to maintain integrity in the process. The four characters: Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman (aka Dr. Reed Richards and his wife Sue Storm), Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (The Thing) get on each other’s nerves at various times and hurt each other’s feelings in the process, but they learn to forgive each other and love each other, and never leave a single person behind.

Besides Pascal and Kirby, Joseph Quinn portrays The Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach portrays “The Thing.” Ralph Ineson plays the Four’s nemesis, Galactus. The film is directed by Matt Shakman who makes his feature film debut as director. He is no stranger to MCU, however, having previously directed the MCU/Disney+ streaming series WandaVision (2021). The film’s music is composed by Michael Giacchino, the Oscar-winning composer of Disney/Pixar’s Up (2009). The film also features cameos by the four actors who starred in the 1994 “Fantastic Four,”: Alex Hyde-White (the original Mr. Fantastic), Rebecca Staab (the original Invisible Woman), Jay Underwood (the original Human Torch), and Michael Bailey Smith (the original The Thing).

All in all, “The Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” is a solid offering, bringing “humanity” to the Marvel Universe—even with some “dry humor” moments. The story alone is the best part, making the journey with this iteration of the four main characters worth taking. I especially appreciated its focus on family and teamwork. 

Review: "Superman"

Superman made his very first Comic Book appearance in the series Action Comics in Issue #1 of the series, published on April 18th, 1938. Two years following, the character was adapted for radio, airing from 1940-1951 (2,088 episodes). Paramount Studios produced a cartoon series that aired in movie theaters from 1941-1943, and the character was incarnated again in a Broadway Musical: It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman in 1966, featuring music and lyrics by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, the team behind Bye Bye Birdie. (Strouse also wrote the music for Annie (1977).) The superhero was finally given the live-action treatment in Superman (1978), starring Christopher Reeve, and spawning three sequels. Nearly five decades after Christopher Reeve first wore the iconic red-and-blue suit, David Corenswet dons it in James Gunn’s new film Superman (2025). Here are my thoughts:

David Corenswet re-defines “Superman” in his performance. Instead of playing him as all-macho, he brings out the “human” side of Superman, playing him as more of “Average Joe,” a person who is not-at-all perfect, but always does the best he can. The Superman embraces success with failures, gives love, and hopes that he’ll be loved in return. Corenswet brought qualities more typical of a Tom Hanks and/or James Stewart character.

Unlike previous Superman movies, James Gunn’s “Superman,” has a surprisingly powerful message of what it means to be human: When we rely on technology too much and allow ourselves to becomes slaves to it, we can allow technology to convince us that we’re not good enough or that we’re never going to be good enough. But, when we pay attention to what’s real, and the friends and/or family that we love, it can inspire each of us to wake up every morning, always try to do the best we can, embrace joy with pain—and along the way, know that we are loved. In other words, in life all you have to be is yourself, and that’s good enough. 

“Superman,” features the tip-top cast of David Corenswet as Superman and his alter-ego, Clark Kent, and Emmy Winner Rachel Brosnahan as his love interest, Lois Lane. Additional cast includes Nicholas Hoult as Superman’s ruthless enemy Lex Luthor, and Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan as Superman’s Kryptonian parents. The film was written and directed by James Gunn who also wrote and directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014-2023) franchise. The film’s Cinematography was done by Henry Braham, who did the Cinematography on “Guardians 2 (2017) and 3 (2023)”, and the film’s music was composed by David Fleming and John Murphy. (Murphy also composed the music for “Guardians 3 (2023).”)

All in all James Gunn’s “Superman” is the best superhero movie we’ve had in a really long time. It has something for everyone to enjoy: great cast, breathtaking cinematography, stunning special effects, and an inspiring message. You don’t have to be a fan of the Superman character to enjoy this movie, though if you weren’t one to begin with, you likely will become one after you’ve seen it.