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Tangled

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:40 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Tangled Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	The voices of: Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	March 29, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	Not too young, but definite girls.
Date Movie:	Mom and Dad can watch it nicely with the kids.
Gratuitous Sex:	There is some love, but it’s Disney-safe.
Gratuitous Violence:	Cartoon.
Action:	Some chasing and scenes of peril.
Laughs:	Nothing gut-busting, but cute enough.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing was super-special.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing really.
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	Other than the picture looking cool, and the DVD copy for on-the-go, it’s pretty much a movie for the movie. The “making of” segment might be cute for the kids, but the other extras seem to be thrown on there for the sake of having extras.

As I was watching “Tangled,” it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, Disney is starting to shift the vision of a Princess to the modern times, and I’m thinking it’s a smart thing. I will explain this a little more at the end of this review, but let’s get to the story first.

“Tangled” tells a tale loosely based on the “Rapunzel” story from the Brothers Grimm. Gone is the family that gives their baby to Dame Gothel and in its place is a Princess with magic hair, being kidnapped by Mother Gothel. It seems Mother Gothel, years ago, found a plant that, when she sang to it, would keep her young, but now that the power was transferred to Rapunzel through the Queen drinking flower broth and giving birth to Rapunzel, it seems the magic power is now in Rapunzel’s hair.

Okay, so Mom Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) and keeps her in a tower for her selfish self, but Rapunzel is getting older, wanting to explore the world, and Mom keeps her at bay by convincing her the world is a bad place. Enter a dude who is far from a Prince, namely Flynn (voiced by Zachary Levi), who finds Rapunzel while on the run after stealing the Princess’ tiara from the castle. And so, yup, adventure ensues as Rapunzel convinces Flynn to take her out of the tower and to the town to see the flying lights, Flynn obliges so that she’ll give him the tiara back, and wouldn’t you know it, our happy couple falls in love.

It’s a nice story, you pretty much know how things will end up, after all it is a Disney movie, but what is great about “Tangled” is that it is smartly written, and rather than just being a princessy Princess, Rapunzel has spunk, yet at times is still just a girl at heart, and the movie does a fantastic job of showing this. Sure, she wants to be pretty, but Rapunzel’s not afraid to get her feet wet or wield a wicked frying pan.

Probably okay for younger boys (they’ll like the Flynn and horse characters), and the girls will relate and love Rapunzel, so I say it’s nice to see Disney taking what could have just been a generic Princess character and turn her into a girl that today’s youngins can relate to.

With that it’s 4 stars out of 5 for “Tangled.” I enjoyed it, it’s a movie I think most can enjoy, and if Disney can keep with this trend of movie I think it might have a future in keeping the Princess motif, but making her a 2010 kind of girl.

As far as the Blu-ray and DVD, I almost hate to say it but you’re pretty much getting this version for the movie, with a smattering of extras. The deleted scenes were pretty much better off cut, sure, you could probably sing along to the extended songs, and the alternate openings were better as alternates. The “Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale” is nice enough, probably better for the kids with the banter of Zachary and Mandy, but for me, loving the technical aspects of making films like this, the funniest part was the scene with the women trying to decide the best looking characature for Flynn.

Get the Blu-ray because it looks good, and just enjoy the movie as a smart movie that moves the concept of the Princess nicely into the 2010’s.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

A Home Opener Tale, Bubble Tea, Tangles, Diaries, and Goodbye Richard Hatch.

By: The Dude on the Right

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It’s a rainy day, and it’s a Monday, and it’s another episode our our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast. Rainy days are also mentioned because Stu Gotz went to the Chicago Cubs home opener, telling some tales of losing baseball and trips to Greektown, while I made a trip to Oak Brook Mall with tales of weird clothes and finding a place with bubble tea in Downer’s Grove called Bello Tea. Stu’s weekend wasn’t all about baseball, as he also breaks down the movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” while, for what it’s worth, we also give you the breakdown of the Disney movie “Tangled” from an adult dude point of view.

Richard Hatch is gone from “Celebrity Apprentice,” Stu says I should watch “Break Out Kings” on A&E, I’m fighting some kind of cold, and we still can’t decide if Saturday Night Live is good again.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Comfortable Socks, American Idol, Celebrity Apprentice, New Jersey, and Movies Nobody Saw.

By: The Dude on the Right

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I’m sick of winter, and during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast Stu Gotz and I discuss how, with the Chicago Cubs home opener coming up, we have a pretty good idea that the weather will suck for it, mostly because it usually does. We are both watching TV and I dissect “American Idol” for him, and how I think the judges wasted their “Save,” while he and Mama Gotz are hoping that “V” comes back next season and Stu is eagerly awaiting “Doctor Who.”

I saw people celebrating “Wear Your Pajamas” day, Stu had to buy comfortable socks, I’m loving this season of “Celebrity Apprentice,” and we discuss a bunch of movies we didn’t see. All of that and more!

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

A Bachelor Party Survivor, Men in Propeller Hats, Too Much Sex, and “30 Rock” Spoofs Housewives.

By: The Dude on the Right

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Spring has sprung! That means little girls are patiently waiting to frolic in the flowers while men go on bachelor party adventures! Well, some men go, in this case Stu Gotz, and it was for our pal, The Dude on the Left! Me, I stayed back to hold down the fort, but during this episode of our "Weekend Wrap-Up!" podcast, Stu tells some tales of old men trying to be young again, at least those tales he could tell.

Yup, Stu returned from a trip with the boys to Cubs Spring Training, and as I hear about it I’m sad I missed it, well, at least the Cubs Spring Training games part. Me, meanwhile, I was hanging in downtown Chicago with my BFF, seeing men in propeller hats,women with orange hair, and later snuggling with her as we watched "Love & Other Drugs" where I agreed with her that there was actually too much unnecessary sex in the movie, and neither of us could figure out why the brother had a storyline.

I taught my wife about procrastinating, Stu saw "Gran Torino," and both Stu and I watched "30 Rock," thought not together, with me having an even bigger appreciation for the episode, the fan of "The Real Housewives…" that I am.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

127 Hours

The Dude on the Right really liked “127 Hours” and highly recommends it for your home-viewing pleasure, even if a dude cuts off his arm. Here is an excerpt from his full Blu-ray review of “127 Hours”.

…Now you might also be saying something like “Why in God’s green earth would I want to watch a movie about some dude trapped in the mountains, where he has to cut off his arm? And is it really graphic when he cuts off his arm, or do we just know it happens? Tell me dude!” Well, I’m telling you that “127 Hours” is a great film – of a story of part stupidity, part inspiration, and part of it might have you reflect a bit on your life and the things you might wish you could do, regret things you did, or maybe inspire you, if you had 5 days with just yourself and a small bottle of water to process your mortality. …

Zach is Funny, Class is Not. Paul Looks Funny, Mars did Not. O.H. will Win, I.L.L. will Not.

By: The Dude on the Right

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I had Gmail issues and want to blame Google for e-mail woes, but during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!”
podcast, Stu Gotz isn’t buying it, and he’s probably right, it was my fault. What was Stu’s fault, though, was watching some made for TV movie called “Class,” a product of The Hallmark Channel, which is so right up Stu’s alley. Not.Neither of us saw movies at the theater, though we both think “Battle: Los Angeles” looks cool in a campy kind of way, and also think, and it appears America agrees, that “Mars Needs Moms” looked stupid. On the upcoming movie front, it turns out the upcoming movie, “Paul,” that I mention during the podcast, will not be good for kids as it’s rated R for language and drug use.

I was in a parade and heard bad sexual innuendo jokes, Stu relaxed, The Apprentice and Survivor are great, and in preparation for March Madness I teach Stu how to cheer for The Ohio State University Buckeyes (O. H. – I. O.), and the University of Illinois Fighting Illinoisans (I.L.L. – I.N.I.). Go Bucks!

All of that, our analysis of Saturday Night Live, and more!

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

No iPad 2 Camping Trip, “127 Hours” of Goodness, Richard Hatch Should be Fired, and Yay Poles!

By: The Dude on the Right

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Stu Gotz isn’t going to camp out for a new iPad 2 when they go on sale this Friday, but during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast I find out that we both agree we should have seen “127 Hours” on the big screen instead of at home. Yup, we both liked “127 Hours,” and Stu also gives a good recommendation for “Love and Other Drugs,” while I tell Stu if he should take Mama Gotz to see “The Adjustment Bureau” (he should).

We are both celebrating Casimir Pulaski Day here in Illinois, and are eagerly awaiting our next special day, namely Fat Tuesday. In the meantime I’m also telling Stu that he better get his TiVo set properly to record “Celebrity Apprentice” because this season looks like a winner, even if David Cassidy got booted in the last episode. I am also loving “Survivor: Redemtion Island,” don’t like Randy trying to be Simon on “American Idol,” and if the producers of “The Amazing Race” want TV gold, they should have Stu and Mama Gotz as contestants.

All of that, Japanese soda, and more!

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Bambi

Here’s a bit from The Dude on the Right’s Blu-ray review of “Bambi”

… So, as a movie I have to say that I didn’t cry, I almost found “Bambi” kind of boring when I was just watching it solo, but when I was playing around with the extra features on the Blu-ray, especially the “Story Meeting” and Second Screen, I was getting sucked right back into it. With that, when I just saw the movie I was almost hesitant to write a review because it was starting to be a simple “I give ‘Bambi’ 2 stars,” even if it is still unbelievable to me the animation detail of a movie from back in the 1940’s, as my wife pointed out the scenes with reflections in the water, but with the extra features, wow, it’s 4 ½ stars out of 5 for the “Bambi” Diamond Edition. I almost dismissed the extras as basic extras, but I’m glad I played around with them because they brought a little more magic to a movie that well, seems a little dated. …

Academy Award Talk, Bambi, A Nice Nap, and The Space Shuttle Discovery Takes Off!

By: The Dude on the Right

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Stu Gotz finally got the family to Florida to see Space Shuttle Discovery take off, and during this “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, he gives some space shuttle facts for all to enjoy. What I didn’t enjoy, Stu found acceptable, and Mama Gotz found that it was more fun to watch “Minute to Win It” instead, was The Oscars, and as the various Academy Awards were given out, I tell Stu that the Twitterverse was much more exciting and funny than the actual broadcast.

On the movie front, while not my official review of “Bambi” which is out on Blu-ray on March 1st, we discuss “Bambi” and how it reflects how times have changed and how kids are probably growing up faster than us old-farts did. We also discuss, a bit, how movie-making has changed, with Stu bringing up the “True Grit” remake versus the original John Wayne version, and how he was happy “Megamind” was out on video.

I took a nap, my BFF made tuna noodle casserole, I’m sick of the crappy weather, but we don’t talk about Charlie Sheen, which seems oddly weird for us.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Rain Gutter Guards at a SCUBA Show, Mattresses, Little Things, and Loving Survivor.

By: The Dude on the Right

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I watched an episode of “Chuck!” Yup, I’m catching up on my TV viewing, and during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, I let Stu Gotz know what I think about the girl with the black hair. I also let Stu know that “Survivor: Redemption Island” is great, and that I’m seeing how they will be working to finish up “Smallville,” at least for me.

Stu, meanwhile, spent the weekend SCUBAing, or at least talking about SCUBA, at a local convention. He found it odd some of the items being peddled at the show, but I put things in perspective for him. He did get out to see some of “Gnomeo and Juliet,” had a great meal at The Capital Grille in Rosemont thanks to it being Chicago Restaurant week (it ends Feb 27th) in, well, Chicago(land), and saw a movie on DVD called “Trailer Park Boys: The Movie” and is curious what I might thing of it.

We’re celebrating President’s Day, a little thing makes my wife happy, Stu sings the “Hail to the Chief” version from the movie “Dave,” and it would be nice if the rain rain would go away away.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!