Kevin's bit
It's another shorts compilation! This one is segmented with live-action documentary-style pieces about the Central American culture. The animated shorts are fun enough, pretty much on par with Disney animated shorts of the time that weren't packaged as movies. Being partial to Donald Duck, I enjoyed the first cartoon about Lake Titicaca. Pedro is the most likeable animated plane you could hope to see, but the short as a whole is no "Little Suzie Blue Coupe." Hm, I wonder if Pedro might make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Disney (sans Pixar) Planes feature? El Gaucho Goofy is classic Goofy. Try not to even chuckle at the slow-motion scene! Aquarela do Brasil plays a bit like Saludos Amigos's answer to Fantasia, but it's not much on which to end. The whole movie kind of...just ends there. As for the live-action segments... if you're fascinated by Central America, then....well, you should probably watch a more up-to-date film, I imagine. Even if the featured countries haven't changed all that much since Saludos Amigos was first made, the quality of documentaries has improved enough since then that you'd be better off with one made from this century. And it's really more of a sampling than a comprehensive look.
Favorite character: The llama.
Least necessary character: Is José Cairoca only here to set up his appearance in the next movie?
Overall: It's at least worth seeing if you're a Donald Duck fan.
Amanda's bit
Well, what's there to say that I can say without wasting the exact same commentary for the upcoming Three Caballeros? Not a whole lot.
I like short cartoons! I really do! The thing is, when I go to see a movie, I expect to see a movie. Call me crazy, but I expect some sort of plot. And no, I don't think "these travelers visited here and then here and then here" a plot; that's more like an itinerary at best. It's not that it's not entertaining as a whole, but there's no resolution aside from a lame getting through customs joke that tells us our entire film crew made it home in one piece and with more souvenirs than the average person can afford.
Favorite Character: ... There were characters in this? Uhhh... hm. Pedro the plane was cute.
Least Necessary character: ... There were characters in this? Uhh...The customs man. I really could have done without that customs joke.
Overall: It's very entertaining if we call it a compilation of shorts, but let's not try to pull the llama wool over my eyes any more; calling it a feature is kind of insulting.
Amanda's extra: The Goofy short in which he is dressed as a Gaucho showed a fun looking slingshot that I thought could translate well into a non-dangerous around the house plaything. Basically it's a ladder toss toy without the target. Of course who is to say that I won't also make a target now? In the meantime, I'll be tossing these at Kevin and hoping for minimal retaliation.
I don't think a single segment of this film actually took place in Central America, Kevin! South America? Yes. Latin America? Certainly. Central America? No. But maybe The Three Caballeros will remedy that!
ReplyDeletePerhaps that can be a sign of just how little I actually learned from it! Also I'm not very good with geography.
ReplyDelete