Disney+ Day 2021
For those of you who have been living in resistance to the rise of the digital streaming service era, this week marked the second anniversary of the launch of Disney+, aka Disney’s very own (and rather limited) streaming platform. In celebration of their two-year anniversary, Friday, November 12, was proclaimed “Disney+ Day” in which the media giant ‘graced’ its subscribers with access to content that had not been previously available (more or less), as well as marketing itself to the extremes with its litany of “sneak peeks” and “coming soon” teasers.
My overall impression of Disney+ Day 2021: meh. I am completely underwhelmed with the offerings, as most of the content ‘added’ to the streaming service was previously available in one form or another, either in theaters earlier this year (and available on the platform for an extra fee… don’t even get me started on how ridiculous their “premier access” pricing is…), or were older titles (that I already own on DVD), like Enchanted (2007, dir. Kevin Lima), which the company wants to promote due to the sequel being slated to release sometime next year. Truly the biggest marketing gimmick that I have seen in a while…
Nevertheless, I will readily admit that I spent way too much time over the weekend on and off the streaming platform to watch, and in some cases rewatch, some of the titles that were recently added to Disney+. Below are the highlights of the newly added content, some titles are worth watching and others are best avoided at all costs, but all will certainly help occupy your time while you wait for one of the many upcoming titles to land on the streaming platform. Enjoy!
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021, dir. Dan Mazer)
Do not add to your watchlist. Do not even bother to watch. Stick with the classics and live your life in blissful ignorance that this film was ever produced… You’re welcome.
Jungle Cruise (2021, dir. Jaume Collet-Serra)
Wasn’t too impressed with this film when I saw it over the summer in theaters, and it certainly did not warrant a rewatch, but because it was ‘re-added’ to the streaming platform, I watched it again anyway… It is a mediocre Disney live-action flick that attempts to recreate the magic of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, dir. Gore Verbinski), and instead just drowns itself in terrible puns. Families and children may find it entertaining, but I won’t be revisiting this film anytime soon.
Olaf Presents (2021, TV Mini Series dir. Hyrum Osmond)
Did we need a series of mini-TV episodes in which Olaf presents interpretive retellings of other Disney animated movies? No, but it is too just too darn cute, and I loved every minute of it! This is like all those cute cat videos on the internet, you cannot stop at only watching just one… Add to watchlist, and rewatch to your heart's content.
Machiavelli from Luca (2021, dir. Enrico Casarosa)
Ciao Alberto (2021, Short dir. McKenna Harris)
Speaking of cute cat videos, the scene stealing star of Ciao Alberto is Massimo’s Charlie-Chaplin-(or Hitler-esque)-looking cat Machiavelli. Sure, this follow-up short to Luca (2021, dir. Enrico Casarosa) was meant to check in on the events that happened directly after the movie ended, and it does a decent job of setting up Alberto with his ‘adoptive’ father figure while working on Massimo’s fishing boat and learning to understand and communicate with one another. It is a short film full of all the feels you’d expect from a Pixar production, but I enjoyed it for its delightful dose of animated cat cuteness. Let’s be real, who couldn’t love Machiavelli?
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021, dir. Destin Daniel Cretton)
Did I sit down to watch this Marvel movie anticipating having wasted two plus hours of my life on yet another boring action flick? Yes, yes I did, but I was pleasantly surprised and mesmerized by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which turned out to be by far one of the best Marvel superhero movies released to date. I loved the cast, particularly Awkwafina, Simu Liu, and Ben Kingsley (as Trevor Slattery turned Shakespearean court jester), as the narrative was filled with flawed and interesting characters. I enjoyed the action choreography, which was reminiscent of classic martial arts movies, and the graphics and special effects were intriguing, but not overly distracting. All-in-all, this is a surprisingly good action flick!
What did you think of Disney+ Day? What titles are you most excited to see arrive on the streaming platform in the near future? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to watch, or rewatch, our November Film Club Pick: Beauty and the Beast (1991)!
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Crane
