IF (2024) Thoughts

Image credit (Wikipedia)
  • I consider the Imaginary Friend Retirement Home in IF an Extension of “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”. What would happen if a kid like Mac forgot about his imaginary friend further down the line starting from adolescence to adulthood? What would his imaginary friend’s reaction be like?
  • Also Foster’s doesn’t have the monopoly on imaginary friend plotlines. A film like IF could make a different variation of this plotline too.
  • -Theme: Reconnecting to your inner child and rediscovering imagination through imaginary friends.
  • Favorite scenes: The group dance scene and Blossom dance scene. the painting scene.
  • Throwback to 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s family films.
  • Theme: Nurturing creativity and imagination.
  • Full of heartwarming moments.

Criticisms:

  • I would have preferred trained voice actors for the voice of imaginary friends then celebrity voices.
  • The worldbuilding is underdeveloped with minimal information for imaginary friends’ backstories. Should Krasinski chose to make this film into an animated series, Fixing the worldbuilding should be a priority. Maybe the animated series should be like an anthology where each episode focuses on a different imaginary friend reminiscing about their adventures with their kid.
  • I would have like to have seen more full scenes of imaginary friends reconnecting with their kids instead of a quick montage near the end.

I recommend catching IF in theaters and watching it with your family.

Those families with small children will definitely get some enjoyment from it.

Around the World Picture Book Cinderella Adaptations

I found this blogpost from 2021 called “The World of Cinderella Stories”from Read with Meg. In this post, Meg Villahuer has compiled a list of picture book retellings of Cinderella across various cultures. It’s a great place to start for familiarizing yourself with different reinterpretations of Cinderella.

Ranking Winnie the Pooh Movies

Image credit: Evanh123 on Deviantart

10. Winnie the Pooh (2011)

9. A Valentine for You (1999)

8. Seasons of Giving (1999)

7. A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)

6. Springtime with Roo (2004)

5. Pooh’s Heffalump Movie (2005)

4. Pooh’s Grand Adventure: Search for Christopher Robin (1997)

3. Piglet’s Big Movie (2003)

2. The Tigger Movie (2000)

  1. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Honorable Mentions: Christopher Robin (2018) Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)

Thoughts on Code Lyoko (2003-2007)

Synopsis: When boarding school students Ulrich, Yumi, Odd, and Jeremy discover a super computer inside an abandoned old factory, They discover the virtual world of Lyoko and awaken Xana, a computer virus that schemes to take over the real world. Together with Aelita, a virtual being, All of them work together to defeat XANA. -IMDB.

Code Lyoko gang

Code Lyoko image credit: Code Lyoko Wiki.

The theme song “Un Monde De Sans Danger” is sung by Julien Lamasonne in French while the English version “World Without Danger” is sung by Noam Kaniel. Viewers will also recognize Kaniel from his music compositions for cartoons such as Miraculous Ladybug, W.I.T.C.H. , Mysterious Cities of Gold, Power Rangers, Tara Dunca among many more. (IMDB )

Both theme song versions are delightful to listen to and pump up the audience for the show. You can’t go wrong with either version.

This show was created by Tania Plumbo and Thomas Romain. Romain would later create Oban Star Racers with Stanislas Bronin and Lonic Penon.

The cast of characters having huge foreheads was definitely a unique stylistic choice.

The creature designs gave off an other-worldly vibe which could’ve made for fun collectible figures along with the main cast.

Though, the Lyoko world seems outdated by today’s current technology, It fits the world of the early 2000’s. The fight scenes and their “Lyoko warrior costumes” remain memorable highlights of the series.

My favorite characters were Yumi, Aelita, Jeremy, and Ulrich.

While I am not a fan of the live-action Code Lyoko Evolution series, I appreciate that they kept the Lyoko scenes in CG animation like the original cartoon.

50th Anniversay to Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)

Happy 50th Anniversary Little House! After reading the books, I discovered the tv show in my teen years and watched the reruns on TV land and the Hallmark Channel.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE — Pictured: (clockwise from top left) Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls, Michael Landon as Charles Philip Ingalls, Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls, Lindsay/Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls, Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls Kendall (Photo by NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

In honor of this momentous occassion, I will direct readers to my previous blogposts on Little House.

Tier Ranking List of Marvel Films

This ranking of Marvel Films will be in tiers since I have seen too many Marvel films to fit into a regular numbered list. These films will not be in release year order.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

S: Spiderman (2002), Spiderman 2 (2004), X-Men (2000), X2 (2003), Blade 2 (2002), Deadpool 2 (2018), Avengers Endgame (2019), Spider-Man No Way Home (2021),

A: Blade (1998), Iron Man (2008), Captain AmericaThe Winter Soldier (2013),

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Ant Man (2015), Ant Man and the Wasp (2018), Black Panther (2018),

X-Men Apocolypse (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1-3, Infinity War (2017),

Captain America: Civil War (2016), Doctor Strange (2016)

B: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Spider Man 3 (2007),

Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer(2007),

Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022),

Spiderman: Far From Home (2019), X-Men First Class (2011)

C: Iron Man 2 (2010), Iron Man (2013), Thor Ragnorak (2017),

Amazing SpiderMan (2012), Spiderman Homecoming: (2017),

D: Captain Marvel (2019), Dark Phoenix (2019), Black Widow(2021),

Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Need to rewatch: Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance (2011)

Should watch: X-Men Days of Future Past (2014)

Ranking Disney Channel Parents

This post is dedicated to the memorable Disney Channel parents and parental figures from Disney Channel shows.

10. Barbara & Lloyd Diffy (Phil of the Future)

9. Max Reynolds & Gradma Judy (Sydney to the Max)

8. Bob & Amy Duncan (Good Luck Charlie)

7. Bex & Bowie (AndiMack)

6. Alan and Amy Matthews (Boy Meets World)

5. Jerry & Theresa Russo (Wizards of Waverly Place)

4. Steve & Eileen Stevens (Even Stevens)

3. Carey, Kurt Martin & Mr. Moseby (Suite Life series)

2. Victor & Tanya Baxter (That’s So Raven/Raven’s Home)

1. Sam & Jo Mcguire (Lizzie Mcguire)

Honorable Mentions: Robbie Ray, Mamaw, Aunt Dolly (Hannah Montanna),

George & Nora (Life iwth Derek), Cory & Topanga (Girl Meets World),

Connie Munroe (Sonny with A Chance)

Ranking of Miyazaki Films

With the release of Miyazaki’s long awaited film- The Boy and the Heron. I’m ranking his theatrical animated films. Feel free to share your list in the comments section below!

Image Credit: Turner Classic Movies

12. Ponyo

11. Castle of Cagliostro (Lupin the Third)

10. My Neighbor Totoro

9. Porco Rosso

8. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

7. The Boy and the Heron

6. Howl’s Moving Castle

5. The Wind Rises

4. Castle in the Sky

3. Spirited Away

2. Princess Mononoke

1. Kiki’s Delivery Service