The Wise Little Hen: Disney+ Talk – Today marks Donald Duck’s 86th Birthday so, in celebration, I went through the Disney+ site to see if Donald’s first ever appearance was on there.
‘The Wise Little Hen’ is an 8-minute short film that was released in 1934. After no one helps a hen with harvesting corn, she decides to eat the food, that she makes from it, all between herself and her chicks.
Like ‘The Three Little Pigs’ short that I previously reviewed, this short is accompanied by a song and has a lesson to it. The lesson in this short is to help your friends and loved ones out when required, and don’t expect to be rewarded if you haven’t contributed to the work required.
These shorts are not only timeless due to the hand drawn animation, but also because of the life lessons that they provide; they’re fantastic shorts to show young children, and for family viewing.
Donald Duck makes his debut appearance in this short. While the voice has rarely changed, his appearance has changed quite a lot, and become more detailed over the years. He’s developed a wider head and beak, and detailed feathers, as well as developed an expressive personality too!
Overall, this is a charming and timeless short film. I would highly recommend this short; the animation is gorgeous, and the characters are lovable. This is also a good introduction to Donald Duck and a window into the iconic character’s past.
Gatsby (Timothēe Chalamet) is a rich, pseudo intellectual actor who’s spending the weekend with his girlfriend, Ashleigh (Elle Fanning). Ashleigh is an opportunistic journalist who gets the chance to interview one of her idols, director Roaland Pollard (Liev Schrieber).
Whilst Gatsby is out filming a scene with his co-star, Chan (Selena Gomez) Ashleigh is invited to watch Pollard’s latest masterpiece and so starts the troubles in Gatsby and Ashleigh’s relationship.
A Rainy Day in New York is Woody Allen’s latest movie, postponed from 2017’s release due to allegations about his misconduct. So, fans of Allen’s work have been tentatively waiting to see if the wait was worth it, while the rest of the world (including the movie’s cast) have sensibly distanced themselves from Allen and his work. Frankly, even for those fans still hanging on Allen’s every word, it wasn’t worth the wait.
There are several problems with A Rainy Day in New York and not just because of the allegations now surrounding Woody Allen. The problem seems to be that the once renowned director has run out of ideas. A Rainy Day in New York riffs off of Allen’s more successful work in his heyday and what’s left is a pale imitation.
Add to that the incredibly dated characters and scenarios that they find themselves in, and it all feels like a filmmaker desperately trying to remind an audience why they loved him in the first place. Only for the fans that are still left to wonder where it was that he lost his touch.
If any members of the audience can separate the artist from the movie and try to enjoy the film, it’s clear that Allen cannot. Having been known to write characters that are closely based on his public persona, Gatsby is just another Allen clone and despite Chalamet’s talent as an actor, the audience won’t be able to stop feeling like this is the filmmaker talking through his characters rather than creating someone they can connect with.
Unfortunately, there’s not even a single well written female character in the cast. From Ashleigh, the flighty journalist willing to do anything debasing to get a story, to the sex workers that appear more than once. There’s even the cheating wife thrown in for good measure. Although this cannot take away from the talent of Elle Fanning, Rebecca Hall, Selena Gomez and Cherry Jones as they have so little to work with.
For those wishing to watch something that takes their minds off how troubling the world is these days, A Rainy Day in New York is only going to make your blood boil over.
Claire (Kate Miccuci) has landed a great new job at a PR company. She lives with her boyfriend, Paul (Sam Huntington) in their new apartment in L.A., but unfortunately Paul is unemployed so they can’t take their relationship to the next level. They’re amazed at the location and the cheap rent at their new place, that is until they find out why.
It turns out that the apartment complex houses a suicide cult whose members randomly break in so that they can kill themselves in their bath tub. Their leader, Storsh (Taika Waititi) committed suicide several years before the couple moved in, yet his faithful followers keep on coming and as Claire and Paul decide to embrace their new living arrangements, their grip on reality goes right along with it.
Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss by Passing Through the Gateway Chosen by The Holy Storsh, (to give the movie its full title) is a dark comedy directed by Vivieno Caldinelli. Unfortunately, this surreal black comedy comes across more like an experimental movie where the writers were given a few topics (suicide cults, unemployment and soulless PR companies) and made a bet to try and make them funny. If this indeed the case then they probably lost because the movie is not funny.
The premise for the movie may seem amusing because it may seem so subversive and it could have been the modern day Natural Born Killers, commenting on the empty lives of suburban living. However, the script doesn’t have that depth. Instead what the audience gets is a series of sketches thrown together which start to make less and less sense as it the movie continues.
Fans of Rick and Morty and Community may love that creator Dan Harmon is a supporting character as the detective investigating every murder/suicide that happen in the couple’s apartment. However, his cliched character just comes across as mean spirited as his sub plot doesn’t go anywhere.
Considering the comedic talents of Micucci, Waititi and Harmon, it’s baffling as to why they were involved in Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss and why they didn’t have anything better to do.
Aaron M. Abelto is finding success in the entertainment industry through various film, TV and documentary projects. From being an extra in the movie “Step Up Revolution”, he’s now making and starring in his own films. Inspired by directors such as Steven Spielbergand Robert Rodriguez, Aaron has been involved in a number of films, including “I Before Thee”.
In this project, he not only directed, but also wrote the script and starred in it too. Aaron then directed the TV docu-series “Watch the Thrown” and is now in post-production on another documentary called “The Power of Movement”.
Abelto told us more about his path to success, as well as his upcoming projects.
Aaron, can you please tell us more about how your filmmaking career began?
I have always wanted to be an actor since I was young. I started my journey in the film industry in 2012 when I was a featured extra in the movie “Step Up Revolution”. As an extra, I never really got on-camera time. I was always put in the back of the scene. So, because of the struggle, it made me want more. I said to myself that when I go on set, I would use this time to learn instead of networking – which is what most people would do. I was very attentive to the crew and the different aspects of the production. I learned what was needed behind the camera – and in front.
I would sneak off behind the camera where the crew was and pay attention to what the director was doing. I did that so many times that I became friends with a lot of the crew members. Sometimes, I would even be mistaken for a crew member which, in turn, gave me insight on the film industry from the perspective of the director and crew. I picked up all kinds of tricks and tips, and I still use a lot of them in my filming and editing today. Those invaluable experiences molded me into a proficient creator. Having a team of intelligent crew and team members on your side is so imperative!
Who would you say inspired you the most, and why, on your path to becoming a successful film director?
My inspiration comes from Steven Spielberg and Robert Rodriguez. Steven Spielberg inspired me because of his drive to bring any film envisioned in his mind on to the big screen. The belief that you can make any type of film is what drives my imagination and creativity. I also loved the fact that he could do any film he wanted to do – regardless of the genre of the film. Robert Rodriguez taught me the importance of being versatile. The path that Rodriguez took in his book “Rebel without a Crew” is somewhat similar to mine. I purposely learned every job on set, because I knew that one day it would come in handy if it were needed. And I believe that’s what sets me apart from other directors in this industry.
What are your best projects to date, and where can we see them?
“I Before Thee” is our first full-length feature movie that is being distributed on multiple platforms. What made this a great project was the fact that we were able to make a studio-like film using the simple essentials that we had access to. We barely had a budget, so we were forced to ask our friends and contacts for help in obtaining set material, costumes, permission to shoot at different locations and so much more.
My favourite memory is the behind-the-scenes shoot and when we finally wrapped. There is no better feeling than to know a film has been completed! “I Before Thee” premiered at South FL’s renowned Sawgrass Mills Mall Regal Cinemas and had prominent guests, such as Jo Marie Payton from Family Matters and London Brown, who plays Reggie from HBO’s Ballers. Our feature film is now available on many platforms, including Amazon Prime, Walmart, Best Buy, Google, Barnes & Nobleand numerous others.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a filmmaker?
I would say believe in yourself and call it a day, but every ambitious individual needs more direction than that. So, let’s dive into some of the dirty details that are not always talked about. There are unimaginable benefits and satisfying moments in this industry, emotionally and career-wise, but to achieve that reward a large amount of the process is a resilient work ethic. High speed tech advancement creates constant frustrations for filmmakers.
Knowing how and when to change plans, adjust, when to promote, and when to walk away are just a few conversations that we have on a daily basis. This is not a simple industry. It is not for the faint of heart. It takes grit, blood, sweat and tears. You will need a rock-solid belief in yourself if you want to make it. Anyone can, but not everyone is going to be willing. Lots of late nights are spent building up your team with encouragement when they are completely exhausted after a shoot. Although there are great experiences with a majority of my clients, there are times where I regularly have to deal with difficult ones. And remember – keep an extra pack of batteries in your bag; it might not save your life, but it will definitely save your goals for the day!
Do you have any upcoming projects?
Yes! Along with a TV series and many other things that are happening, we are currently working on “The Power of Movement”, a documentary centered around Dr. Niraj Mehta (interviewed recently by CNN). Dr. Niraj is a radiation oncologist and a choreographer that brings us on his journey, as he embarks on healing cancer through movement.
This full-length feature encompasses the Bollywood musical background and the teachings of east Indian culture with western fusion in order to bring awareness to cancer. The documentary was recently accepted into the 2019Miami Web Fest and was nominated for an award. I’m excited to see its worldwide release this coming fall.
Sarah (Nicole Brydon Bloom) has just moved into a new apartment in L.A., having career aspirations and finally setting out on her own. She’s estranged from her father (Alan Blumenfeld) who calls, belittling her choices and suggests she just gives up on her pipe dream.
Undeterred by her father’s passive aggression, Sarah settles into her new apartment block and even makes a new friend, Lisa (Celeste Sully) at her temp job. Sarah’s also delighted when she meets her new neighbours who are all charming and friendly, especially Miss Stanhope (Susan Davis) and her handsome neighbour, Brian (Giles Matthey). However, it soon turns out that Sarah’s neighbours may not be all that they seem.
1BR is a psychological horror movie written and directed by David Marmor. Setting up what seems to be a straightforward psychological horror, 1BR soon turns into a deep and realistic look at how people are unwillingly pushed into cults. Everything Sarah’s neighbours do to her are not all that out of the ordinary, using techniques that the audience could easily see happening to anyone at any time.
As Sarah’s torture continues, her conditioning takes effect and the bulk of the movie shows what Sarah has truly gotten herself into, whilst continuing its level of realism so that the audience can feel fully immersed in Sarah’s new world.
Bloom does a fantastic job as Sarah is put through the psychological and sometimes physical torture, managing to convey a realistic change when she finally submits to the cult. The rest of the cast are also particularly good at putting the audience into a false sense of confidence as they’re all introduced during the movie’s slow burning first half hour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPsvgtmbkXs
However, after everything that Sarah endures and even learning about their beloved leader, the final act is disappointing. It unfortunately throws all of that out the window in favour of a dramatic, climactic ending which relies on horror tropes that it could have done much earlier.
The final twist in the movie’s final moments also seems a little unnecessary as prior to this, the audience may have been taken in and put under the spell of Sarah’s experiences with the cult.
