Not to be confused with The Many Adventures Of we previously covered, this 2011 return to the Hundred-Acre Wood attempts to capture the same spirit of Pooh’s first feature while telling a new story. Lavecki bounces back to help as we discuss the pacing of Pooh, Christopher Robin’s weird eyes, keeping humor timeless and a surprising post-credit cameo that some PBS viewers could appreciate.

Animusings

51 - Winnie the Pooh (with Lavecki)

Disney reaches the big 50 in 2010 and brings Rapunzel into the canon of princess stories. David and Kaela are happy to have returning guest Randy Guerra swing by to join them for a discussion, with such talking points as the mechanics of hair magic, the insidious manipulations of Mother Gothel, Rapunzel’s secret swolness and the welcome return of silent-yet-expressive animal companions.

50 - Tangled (with Randy Guerra)

Dreams do come true in New Orleans, or at least they do for Kaela, David and Seid in this beloved 2009 return to traditional 2D animation. Topics include Clements and Musker’s trip to the Crescent City, small moments that acknowledge systemic racism, a rare character arc for a prince and villain showboating at its finest.

49 - The Princess and the Frog (with Seid)

Another dog-centric feature, this time from 2008, arrives on scene to present an adventurous road trip with animal high jinks. With our special returning guest Andrew Linde, we break down the film and discuss the film that could have been, the logic of a Truman Show for dogs, exhausting misunderstanding cliches and the saving grace of Rhino the hamster.

48 - Bolt (with Andrew Linde)

We keep moving forward to 2007, and are once again joined by Seid to break down this tale of very eccentric family from the future - a film that, up to this review, Kaela and David had never seen before! Major talking points include hand-waving time travel conundrums, making jokes land effectively, positive messages about failure and great big beautiful tomorrows.

47 - Meet the Robinsons

Fairy tales and reality collide in this meta-driven feature from 2007, with its combination of animation and live action. Kaela, David and Papreeka go from Andalasia to the Big Apple and have quite a bit to say about this picture, with discussions including the balance of loving tribute to gently poking fun, the tricky path from princess to realized woman, spectacular musical numbers and the possible beginning of the Disney deconstruction commentary within the company’s own movies.

Animusings+ - Enchanted

It’s 2005 and Disney has left traditional animation behind with its first fully CGI film. Kaela and David call on past guests Beth Morton and ClericofMadness to help them try and make sense of this unusual feature. Topics include the nonsense of corporate meddling, unearned redemption arcs, dated humor and the tremendous injustice done to Foxy Loxy.

46 - Chicken Little (with Beth and Cleric)

Disney’s “last” 2d-animated feature (until Princess and the Frog) is anything but a little patch of heaven for David, Kaela and returning guests Allen Chaney and Benjamin Spiegel. This weird Western gets put to some not-so-serious scrutiny as the gang discuss the flawgic of making something “funny for kids,” when jokes aren’t given room to breathe, pacing mishaps and when the villain is the most likeable character.

45 - Home on the Range (with Allen and Ben)

We near the end of an era, but a bright spot remains with this aurora-lit film from 2003. Kylie and Eli of Animal Fact Files and Cinema Nippon return as our animal experts and all-around cool guests as we travel back in time to a post-Ice Age Alaska. Discussions include aspect ratio changes for artistic effect, misunderstandings done right, when films don’t need a villain and how not to do a montage.

44 - Brother Bear (with Kylie and Eli)

A cosmic voyage of adventure and discovery awaits in this imaginative 2002 swashbuckler that takes Treasure Island well out of this world. Special guest Jackson Lanzing (writer, Star Trek: Year Five; Brandon Sanderson’s DARK ONE) climbs aboard with David and Kaela to talk about exquisite aesthetics, teenage angst, whether spinning into space counts as a Plummet and the sequel we never got.

43 - Treasure Planet (with Jackson Lanzing)

The Hawaiian Islands are the backdrop for this oddball child-befriends-alien story that was a surprise success for Disney. Seid returns as our guest to discuss the Pudge Theory, watercolor wonders, animated crushes and the significant message of finding one’s own family.

42 - Lilo & Stitch

Embark on a voyage of discovery with us in this 2001 action-adventure flick. David and Kaela conscript guest Jordin Overton to discuss how margaritas inspire, the deep lore of the S.E.A., when character development matters and the odd cast of memory over a falling balloon.

41 - Atlantis: The Lost Empire (with Jordin Overton)

The last Disney animated feature of the year 2000 is an off-beat slapstick comedy with an intriguing and troubled production history. Kaela and David have Allen Chaney with them again to discuss topics such as a great injustice to Sting, villains stealing the comedy limelight, and why it’s hard to talk about a gag-heavy cartoon in detail.

40 - The Emperor's New Groove

We apologize in advance to anyone who enjoys this 2000 CG-animated feature, but David, Kaela and special guest Matt Holley are not particularly big fans. They keep things fairly short this time around as they discuss the pros of wordless storytelling, the cons of anthropomorphic lips, the virtues of helping the elderly and how Ayn Rand gets utilized in a weird way.

39 - Dinosaur (with Matt Holley)

The concert feature returns for a new millennium, and past guests Abysmii and Papreeka join us for a discussion of this attempt at reviving the Fantasia concept. Topics include flying Doritos, how celebrity cameos can date a feature, evocations of Melody Time and Biblical stories with Disney characters.Special thanks to Ernie Hernandez, Aronzo Traylor and Austin Traylor for lending their incredible voices to the intro.

38 - Fantasia 2000 (with Abysmii and Papreeka)

A Review Series on Disney's Animated Theatrical Releases

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