March by Aisling Twomey

Entertainments

Disney, you disappoint me brian byrne reminisces the good ol’ days of disney Like every kid of the ’90s, my childhood comprised three things: Pokémon, penny sweets and Disney. While the former two are still decidedly awesome, the latter has declined so far into sheer crappiness that I just have to ask: what the hell happened? The Lion King (1994) was the first film I ever saw in the cinema. I had just turned 5, and, although I was too much of a youngling to understand what was going on, I still recall being mesmerised by the whole thing. Looking back, all I can really remember are the bright colours and the fact that my sister was bawling. But damn, that movie was amazing.

The Lion King was my first foray into the Disney empire and succeeded in cementing my love for the studio forever more. It had everything Disney is famous for: an epic story, fully realised characters, comedy,

in 2006 by buying the perpetually awesome Pixar. When I learned of the acquisition I was terrified: how could Pixar, a studio with a perfect track record, allow itself to be tainted The aforementioned film is part of what by Disney, a studio that hadn’t released is now termed The Disney Renaissance, a anything worth watching period of time when Disney could do no since ten years before? Alas, it was ok: wrong. Running from the late 1980s to the while Disney would oversee all projects, late 1990s, releases included classics like creative control would remain in the hands Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), of Pixar. For the last few years I had entirely and Pocahontas (1995). Every one of these forgotten about Disney. An endless string films are widely regarded as Disney’s finest. of disappointment had left me with little In particular, Beauty and the Beast, which faith in the company, and I moved on to many believe to be the best thing Disney has bigger and better things, namely the studio ever done, was the first animated film ever to mentioned five or six times in the previous be nominated the Best Picture paragraph. at the Oscars. And then 2011 came. And with it, a The Disney Renaissance movie so brilliant it has undone much of came to an end in 1999 with the irritation brought on in the noughties: the release of Tarzan. This Tangled. Based on Rapunzel, Tangled retells was the moment when Disney the classic tale in a witty and exciting way. began its long-lasting decline; But it’s not just that. I can’t quite put my when it turned from sacred to finger on it, but Tangled has succeeded shit. Sure, Tarzan was great, in recapturing the magic classic Disney but nothing beyond this has features boast. That may be down to the fact really wowed me since. Well, that the movie cost a staggering $260 million one has, but we’ll get to that to make, but perhaps the people at Disney later. have rediscovered something they had for such a long time lost. Maybe, just maybe, the The 2000s, as far as I’m Disney we all know and once loved is back. concerned, is when Disney lost the respect Hopefully, the studio’s next release doesn’t it took all those years to instil. Atlantis: The prove Tangled to be nothing more than a Lost Empire? Crap. Treasure Planet? Crap. diamond in the roughest of the rough. Home on the Range? Crap! To add insult to horror, and sentiment. Not to mention a killer soundtrack, much of which today resides in my iTunes collection.

injury, the company tried to save its own ass

Staying In? Rent for a Night... Last Tango in Paris Ooh-er, I hear you say. Isn't that the film where Marlon Brando, you know, butter... and... stuff ? Yes, yes – it is, but thankfully that scene is pretty short and not as gross as you may think. Last Tango in Paris is a pretty heartbreaking film if you approach it with a mature and open mind, and it's definitely worth a few bob to rent it out for the night. It's the story of two strangers, a widower and an engaged younger woman, who meet in an empty room in Paris and have nameless and

mind-blowing sex. Although they promise to not reveal anything of themselves to the other, it's inevitable, and they begin to develop feelings for each other. Bertolucci's film is sultry and sexy, with an incredible saxophone soundtrack, some pretty disturbing imagery and yes, OK, lots of sex. Marlon Brando is outstanding. Catch it if you can.