Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 6th, 2021, 1:11 am

My initial opinion is that the film is very good, especially the last 20-30 minutes, though I did have some minor issues with it. The themes and conflicts are great and interesting, but the execution leaves something to be desired. Personally I like when the themes are not so "in your face" and spelled out, but rather more subtextual and subtle (you know- let me do some homework after I watch the movie). For example, off the top of my head,
like Sisu saying that the Druun represent the discord among people
, why did they have to "spell it out" for me instead of letting me figure this out on my own?
Same with the characters -
how many times did we hear Sisu say that Raya has trusting issues? Something that could have been conveyed through Raya's actions instead, this sort of thing, this sort of thing just makes the characters not feel "real", though I did like Raya and Namaari a lot, just not as much as previous Disney protagonists
.

On a more positive note:
The worldbuilding is ambitious, certainly unlike anything we've seen from Disney before, though I do wish we learned more about each region more. I do think this concept would have worked better as a TV series where you can flesh out the world and the characters more.

I really like the way they did the Druun, I even said so back then that I was hoping they would be a "lovecraftian" threat and that exactly what happened.
That scene where they were sailing the river at night and the Druun are there at the riverbanks was chilling and I loved that
.

Though action sequences aren't really my thing, I thought they were great,
especially the final battle between Raya and Namaari
, but I thought they should have utilized the fact that this is animation and not live action, meaning less jump cuts and just let the battle flow. We don't need aerial shots to better hide the stunt doubles and make it easier for the actors to remember the choreography.

These are just initial thoughts, I might change my mind upon rewatching the film or when the hype for a new Disney film is over, but so far this is definitely a thumb up for me.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Daniel » March 7th, 2021, 1:23 pm

Tom & Jerry slayed the dragon. Not really, but when you compare opening weekend totals. Now to see if Raya proves leggy.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 1:29 pm

Daniel wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 1:23 pm
Now to see if Raya proves leggy.
Or whether Disney's new heroines-over-plot empowerment push gives its movies the same lack of longterm shelf-life as Moana.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 1:33 pm

EricJ wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 1:29 pm
Daniel wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 1:23 pm
Now to see if Raya proves leggy.
Or whether Disney's new heroines-over-plot empowerment push gives its movies the same lack of longterm shelf-life as Moana.
It must really bother you to learn that Moana was one of the most viewed titles on Disney Plus, being #1 or #2.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 1:34 pm

What was the other, the WandaVision finale, the Mandalorian premiere, or Hamilton? :roll:

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 1:38 pm

EricJ wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 1:34 pm
What was the other, the WandaVision finale, the Mandalorian premiere, or Hamilton? :roll:
https://www.thewrap.com/frozen-2-tops-n ... s-of-2020/

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 1:39 pm

I mean hate the movie all you want, but you might want to do some research and learn the facts before spouting nonsense like short shelf-life.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 1:55 pm

Well, the jury of the future is still weighing in on how well the Nature-Goddess Elsa movie (another symptom of the same disease) outlives its Record-Breaking Front-Loaded Opening, but I won't begrudge.

Wasn't a bad movie, and if "Asian Moana With a Plot" also seems to be getting a current surfeit of good reviews, might be worth gambling the ten bucks to see if Jenny can make John's old good movies again.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 2:04 pm

You mean John's films like A Bug's Life, Cars and Cars 2?

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 2:14 pm

Well, yes. (Oh, wait, "Cars 2", so this is a bad thing, right?)

But since we're talking about the movies Lee is studio-mogul producing, Lasseter's would be more like Bolt, Tangled and Meet the Robinsons.

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Ben » March 7th, 2021, 2:41 pm

But those weren’t all great either...?

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 2:44 pm

Eric, have you ever considered that maybe Moana or Frozen, or even Lilo & Stitch, Hunchback and Beauty and the Beast are not bad films and that perhaps you just hate women?

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 3:01 pm

I have no idea what Hunchback or Lilo have to do with it :? , but to graciously answer your question, no:
I have never, ever, ever, EVER entertained the ideas that Hunchback, Lilo and Frozen were not bad movies. I can't recall a single instance of that occurring since leaving the theaters. :lol:

(Oops, wait: "I'm" hijacking the thread again. (slaps wrist) Bad me. I'd better stop it.) :roll:

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by Farerb » March 7th, 2021, 3:08 pm

EricJ wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 3:01 pm
...and find Hunchback's ham-handed good-Esmeralda-vs.-bad-Frollo social deck-stacking near insufferable nowadays...

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Re: Disney's Raya And The Last Dragon

Post by EricJ » March 7th, 2021, 3:15 pm

No, that was referring to the "Mean establishment people are picking on the poor, innocent misunderstood OUTCASTS!" Katzenberg-era bully-persecution-complex plots of post-Renaissance 90's Disney, which teetered off a cliff in Pocahontas, and plummeted rapidly toward melodramatic soapbox kitsch in the next film.

In the 90's, even the animated Mulan still felt like a "real" Disney film, while the '20 remake is more a...product of its time.
Ben wrote:
March 7th, 2021, 2:41 pm
But those weren’t all great either...?
Question mark noted.

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