Halloween month has drawn to a close, and Vicky, Nolan and Jill would be lying if they said it was an easy ride so far. But we can rest easy knowing it was all building to this week's episode. Eddie Murphy and Ray Bradbury may have let us down, but if there's one thing we know, it's that Bette Midler would be the wind beneath our wings, and bring We Want The D soaring to new, wonderful, spooky heights. The critics may disagree, but we know Disney's HOCUS POCUS ranks among their best live action ventures. How could it not, with three witches fully committed to playing their time displacement to the fullest, 90s bullies with amazing fashion sense and killer high-five skills, Jason (not James) Marsden dubbing over another actor AND a cat, and the incomparable Doug Jones as a two-timing zombie boyfriend? Happy Halloween, D Lovers!
Halloween Month continues, and we gotta be honest, D Lovers - it's starting to feel like the House of Mouse is incapable of crafting a Halloween story that is entertaining, let alone scary. The Haunted Mansion may be based on a beloved theme park ride, and released the same year as another movie based on a ride that has spawned a billion dollar franchise, but it's a ghostly shadow of it's nautical cousin on all fronts. This is an antebellum ghost story of forbidden love (why is their love forbidden? We won't say, but you can take a wild guess!) told through the lens of a modern day family led by a criminally misused Eddie Murphy and his very young wife trying to sell an old house occupied by the most obvious ghosts ever (and Jennifer Tilly's head in a crystal ball). You won't laugh or be scared by this movie, but you'll be amazed at how bored you can be watching Eddie Murphy complete mundane fetch quests while his oblivious wife is led on the longest guided tour of all time. The ride is far from wild this week on We Want The D.
Welcome to Halloween Month, D Lovers! To kick off our inaugural October scare-tacular, Vicky, Nolan and Jill are taking on the Disney adaptation of Ray Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. Set in a simpler time where young boys could run about unsupervised, carnivals never came past labor day, and shopkeepers were super SUPER horny; this movie isn't so much scary as it is confusing, dull, and generally pretty terrible. For every one scene where the main boys are attacked by spiders, there's ten where one of the boys has a heart-to-heart with his ancient father. For every scene where Jonathan Pryce's Mr. Dark glowers menacingly, there's five where the town barber is awkwardly laughing and sweating. Bottom line: the scariest thing about this movie is the prospect of ever needing to see it again.
In many ways, Disney's A Far Off Place doesn't really depart from the formula that the film company usually follows. Orphaned children, an epic journey across a beautiful but deadly landscape, pursuit from a ruthless and cold-hearted villain. What sets THIS movie apart is its willingness to embrace the inherent darkness of those stories, rather than skirt around or wave it off. From an opening featuring an elephant slaughter, to a teenage Reece Witherspoon murdering grown men with dynamite, to a henchman being shot in the face and kicked out of a helicopter, this movie does not mess around. But there's no need to fear, for Ethan Embry's sweet face is a constant comfort to your hosts this week. So join Vicky, Jill, and special guest Cat on a journey of their own, as they delve into A FAR OFF PLACE.
Hope all you D Lovers enjoyed our last mini-episode, because hot on the heels of Best Henchmen comes our second mini-episode, and this time we're focusing on the sidekicks! Vicky, Nolan and Jill all throw their own picks into the ring to duke it out for the title of most supreme, helpful, hilarious, and heroic sidekick for our favourite Disney heroes. We loved hearing about all your own favourites after our last mini-episode, so keep those coming in after this week as well. And we will of course be back next Thursday with a full-length episode of your favourite podcast, We Want The D!