We Want The D

Trick or treat, D-Lovers! It's an October Season surprise as for the third time our hosts are watching a movie based on one specific Disney theme park ride - HAUNTED MANSION. And despite the shakey track record of the previous stabs at adapting this attraction into a narrative feature, this one ain't all that bad! Mostly it's got a pretty game cast that collectively does their best to navigate yet another movie this company made that is essentially a meditation on grief; and that goes a long way in counteracting some bad wigs, insane costuming, and a truly staggering amount of product placement. 

Beloved D-Lovers, we are coming BACK with a brand new show on a brand new feed!

Announcing A BEAUTIFUL FIND, a movie scavenger hunt podcast about sharing films with your best friends. 

Join Vicky, Nolan and Jill each season as they check movies off their scavenger hunt list, with our trademark laughter, crying and a little bit of good-natured arguing. 

Look for A Beautiful Find wherever you listen to your podcasts. Our first episode is coming soon, so subscribe now so you don't miss it. 

Follow us on Instagram @abeautifulfindpod for more announcements. 

Trailer music "Quelle Surprise" by Jonny Boyle courtesy of #Uppbeat.

Just when our hosts thought they were out, they get pulled back in. And by another live action remake of a Disney animated classic, of all things. This time, it's THE LITTLE MERMAID's turn to be made less visually interesting, more poorly thought through, and inexplicably longer. But much like the article of clothing they use to cover Ursula's arms in this movie, the most Vicky, Nolan and Jill can offer up is a shrug.

In an act of pure self-indulgence, Vicky, Nolan and Jill look back at their podcast journey, reminicise about movies and episodes past, do one last ranking, talk about future, and most importantly do their best to express their appreciation to you, D-Lovers. 

In February 2015, Vicky, Nolan and Jill kicked off their podcast odyssey by talking about Disney's very first feature-length animated movie. So it's fitting that, almost eight years later, we end our regularly scheduled programming by talking about the most recent Disney feature-length animated movie, STRANGE WORLD. And hopefully it won't be their last, even though it absolutely tanked at the box office. 

At long last, our hosts have made it to the Disney movie that needs no introduction - THE LION KING. Despite being staffed by a so-called "B-team" of animators and other other creatives, an argument can be made for this movie being the crown jewel in the renaissance crown, or at the very least having the largest cultural footprint. It unsurprisingly made a huge impact on our hosts, and they couldn't be more eager to share their excitement with you, beloved listeners. 

Having already watched the disappointing live-action remake, it's time to return to Disney's OG version of MULAN, and ask the important questions all you D-Lovers have come to reliably expect. Does this movie stand proud amongst the best of the 90s Renaissance, or does it leave something to be desired? Is "I'll Make a Man Out of You" an S-tier song, or merely an A++? And, of course, this being We Want The D, our hosts have to ask where Li Shang sits in the "hottest cartoon man" category.

It's curious that FROZEN II, the sequel to a cultural juggernaut of a Disney movie, doesn't seem to have had the same resonance or impact. Could it be that, in contrast with the first film's simple-yet-largely-effective story, this one is convoluted at worst and overly ambitious at best? Could it be the global pandemic that struck mere months after this movie's release? Impossible to say, really, but our hosts sure do have a lot to say about this movie.

Our hosts have watched more than a few stories that featured characters who had been or are orphaned in the course of the movie. BIG HERO 6 is a unique movie in that it dares to ask - what if Disney did a double orphan? Incredibly sad and surprising, yes, but also not a bad film. Because unlike so many other orphan movies where these characters are not allowed to grieve properly, this family animated movie is all about grief. And while that may sound like a bummer, it's pulled off in large part thanks to the loveable and huggable Baymax.

"Have no fear, UNDERDOG is here!" is a common refrain heard throughout this week's Disney movie. But trust us, D-Lovers, fear is about the last emotion one could feel when watching this film. Apathy, probably. Boredom, almost certainly. But fear? Or really, any strong emotion? Not likely. For that, someone would have had to have cared enough to put more than the bare minimum amount of effort in any aspect of this movie's creation. It's a good thing that, with so few movies left for our hosts to watch on this journey, it can pretty much only go up from here.