Once Upon A Nostalgia

WHAT?! Another episode!? Didn't one just come out yesterday?? Yes, yes it did. In honor of this special holiday weekend we give you TWO episodes back to back!! So, for Dia de los Muertos and for our friend Jimmy, we discuss “Coco” from 2017. In the beginning of the episode we make a BIG announcement about the future of this podcast. It was a big decision, but we think the time has come. We both love this movie SO much and think it is truly one of its kind. It is the first Disney/Pixar movie to truly dive deep into another culture and is from the perspective of that culture. We love the animation, the colors, the story, the touching moments, and everything else! Joel tells us his personal experiences growing up in a Mexican household and making ofrendas or visiting people in the cemetery. He also researches some other traditions in Mexico to celebrate the dead…which are pretty macabre, but also fascinating. From hidden Easter eggs, to favorite characters, we cover all the fun facts! So listen to this ~very special~ episode and enjoy!

Happy Halloweeeeeen Disney friends! And welcome to our special ~bonus~ episode! We couldn't go another Halloween without watching one of the most classic Disney Halloween movies, “Hocus Pocus” from 1993. This movie is an annual tradition for many, including our very own Joel. Avery isn't into scary movies, which means this movie is perfect for her! It has all the witchey qualities without being too scary. Avery doesn't remember it very well, so part 1 is quick, but we do include some hilarious and awful Halloween jokes. In part 2, we discuss the overuse of the word “virgin” in a Disney movie, how long it would take a cat to learn English, some of the adult humor throughout the film, and a TED talk about magic and its portrayal in pop culture. We include some fun behind the scenes facts and more! So listen to this week's spooky episode! Mwahahah

Can you believe this movie is 20 years old?! Feel old yet?? This week we are joined by a ~special guest~a coworker of Avery and former coworker of Joel. It's been a long time coming, but he finally worked up the nerve to join us, so listen to this episode to find out who it is! Our guest finally agreed to join us, partly, because this is one of his favorite movies! This week we discuss “The Princess Diaries” from 2001. This is the movie that launched Anne Hathway's career and we will be forever grateful for it. In Part 1 we try to remember the movie, which comes easy to our guest since he watched the movie a month before. However, Joel and Avery hadn't seen this movie in awhile. Avery definitely had watched this many, many times, but still has trouble remembering the ending. There is discussion of what a principality really is (which this movie gets wrong!) and the problems with monarchy and our lack of knowledge of how the English government works. Joel also tells us what the original story is and the books this is based on. So join us and listen to us discuss this silly, fun teenage fantasy movie from our childhoods!

Rooby Rooby Roooooo! Herro! This week Joel chooses one of his favorite movies from his childhood as our DisNOT choice for October, “Scooby-Doo: The Movie” from 2002. I guess this counts as a spooky October movie choice? Thankfully it's not that scary or Avery would not watch it. We both had seen this movie growing up, but Joel watched it waaaay more(and way more recently too). We both agree this is the BEST cast for a Scooby Doo movie. We love the real life/on screen couple of Sarah Michellle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. NO ONE can play Shaggy like Matthew Lillard and one of Joel's biggest crushes growing up was Linda Cardenllini who plays Velma. *Chef's kiss* We also love the “hidden” weed jokes throughout the whole movie, basically calling out Shaggy for being a huge stoner. Originally, this movie was going to be geared more for adults so there was going to be WAY more stoner humor, but it ended up being cut. Avery has a few critiques with the plot and storyline, but overall, enjoyed it for what it is. Joel, of course, loved it as always. So join us and listen as we laugh, analyze, and summarize Scooooooby Doooooby Doo!

*Insert Beethoven's 5th Symphony* We did it. We finally succumbed to the pressure and agreed to watch THE SADDEST Disney movie from our childhoods. Joel did not want to watch “The Fox and the Hound” from 1981, but Avery forced him. We knew we had to do this one day and that day has come. Why Disney chose to make this a children's movie will always be a mystery, especially once you learn about the book this is based on. We were both dreading the sadness and feels this movie gave us as children, but after watching this again as adults, we still don't like it. However, it was not AS bad as we thought. We both remembered the movie wrong and thought worse things happened, but apparently we remembered wrong. It still was just a melancholy film that had a weird plot, weird storytelling, bad characters, and sad music. We tell each other what happy movie we will watch after watching this, we share an even sadder movie we both watched together in the theater, and bond over our horror at the original book's story and how anyone could possibly have thought it would make a great children's film. Anyways, watch this movie or don't, it's up to you, but join us and listen to our podcast because we promise we'll make you laugh!

Hello Disney friends! Happy Monday and Happy spooooooky season! This week Joel chose a movie from his childhood he remembered as being fun, light-hearted, and a little silly….well, A Lot silly, “Jungle 2 Jungle” from 1997. If you didn't know, this is actually a remake from a French film called “Little Indian, Big City” from 1994. Listen to this episode to learn just how similar these two movies really are. Avery couldn't remember if she had actually seen this film, or just the trailer, but she has very few memories of it. Joel remembered some scenes clearly, like Martin Short's character screaming inside of a car, and enjoyed this as a kid, but he isn't sure if it will hold up today. In Part 2, we both agree this movie should stay in the 90s. It was rated the worst movie of 1997 by a reviewer, and we might agree with him. Listen to this episode to hear our review and what parts worked and what parts really didn't work. So pull up your hiking socks as we march through this jungle of a movie and listen to this week's podcast episode on “Jungle 2 Jungle”!

Happy Monday everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I guess it's Fall already, which we've noticed in San Diego with rainstorms, lightning, and thunder this past week. Pretty crazy! This month's DisNOT episode was chosen by Avery and is an ultimate 90s classic! “Hook” from 1991 with Robin Williams is our choice this month. This is definitely a favorite of ours and we have seen it many, many times. Avery admits to a childhood crush she hadn't even realized, we talk about all the surprising cameos in this movie, Avery isn't as impressed with the sets as most people were, Joel re-enacts the Lost Boys inspirational workout song(amazing!), and we crow and say “Rufio” about a dozen times. We love this movie and cannot understand why the critics do not. It might not have done the best at the box office, but this movie will go down in nostalgic fame for us 90s kids. We love it and so should you! So join us and listen to Joel and Avery as we discuss this marvelous, magical movie!

Yes, it took us 63 episodes to finally do Mary Poppins. Hey, there are just so many amazing Disney movies we forget about the classics sometimes. We are finally here at another Disney classic, “Mary Poppins” from 1964 with Dame Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. If you have nothing to do for two hours and 19 minutes, then watch this movie and join us after for our discussion. In Part 1 we talk about some of the memories we have of this movie. We remember some scenes pretty clearly, like the chalk cartoon world or the laughing/floating scene. Avery also tells a terrible joke about Dick van Dyke and how he got his name. We also mention how every kid practiced saying “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” If you can't say that word then you don't love Disney. Just kidding. It is pretty crazy how many people can say it though. That and antidisestablishmentarianism. Why? Who knows. LOL. After watching the movie again we realized how much of the movie we forgot and how it really feels like a bunch of short stories mashed together into a movie. Some scenes truly didn't add anything to the plot, but were still funny or had good music, so why not? Avery loves the “Feed the Birds” song and apparently so did Disney! It was his favorite song and was played at his memorial. As we discuss the movie we sprinkle in some fun facts, the history of the book and how the author felt about the movie, and which characters we loved and why. So buckle up and get ready for a magical adventure while you listen to “Once Upon a Nostalgia” with Avery and Joel!

Hello Disney Friends! We hope you had a wonderful weekend! This movie is very special to both Avery and Joel...I mean, who doesn't love “The Parent Trap” from 1998 with the adorable Lindsay Lohan?! Did you know this was her very first role? Amazing. Also, how long did it take you to realize she played both twins and was not actually a twin in real life? It took us an embarrassingly long time! Haha This movie also inspired the classic combination of oreos and peanut butter. We get into a long discussion about our experiences with oreos and peanut butter. If you don't like it, you're wrong. We also debate on whether Lindsay Lohan is pulling off the British accent (if you're a British person can you please tell us what you think??). We have very strong feelings about our favorite characters and opposite feelings toward Meredith. We also segue the conversation from money and happiness to weird sibling rivalry to all the adaptations this story has. There's A LOT of different versions all over the world of this story! This episode is full of random facts, funny stories, and why we love this movie SO much! So grab some oreos and peanut butter and listen to “Once Upon a Nostalgia” with Avery and Joel.

Good day to one and all! We hope you had a lovely weekend...and say Happy Birthday to our favorite podcaster, Avery! It was her Birthday on Saturday! This week Joel chose a movie NOT from the 90s! Whaaaat?? But as you'll hear in the episode, it was released on VHS in the 90s, and only had a moment in theaters in the 80s...so it kind of is a 90s film. “Oliver and Company” came out in 1988 and on VHS in 1996. We both LOVE this movie, but Avery wasn't able to watch it as much as Joel. They both owned the VHS, but sadly, Avery's tape broke and so after that she had no way of watching this movie. We both love the amazing soundtrack, the goofy characters, the adorable story, and just everything about this film. Do you know who voiced the main character, Dodger, and who sang all his songs?? The one and only Bon Jovi! No wonder the music is so good! Joel does some live action googling and researches the similarities between this movie and the story it's based off of, Oliver Twist. We're not sure you could really call this a version of Oliver Twist, but there are a few similarities. There are definitely some moments of questionable reality as well, besides talking animals running amuck in New York...but in the end, we still love every part. So join us and listen to us discuss “Oliver and Company”!

Hello Disney Friends! Happy Monday! We hope you all had a wonderful week...but let's make this week ever better! Anyone who hasn't seen this movie, stop reading or doing whatever you're doing and go watch “Finding Nemo” from 2003! We LOVE this movie. I mean, who doesn't? Avery and Joel both watched this film countless times growing up. Avery had watched it more recently, since this is her favorite Pixar(tied with The Incredibles) movie. Both of us know the story, can quote lines from it, and know pretty much everything that happens. In Part 1, we discuss Australian accents, the geography of Hawaii, and movies we watched in school. In Part 2, we do a lot of googling. So be prepared to learn some pretty awesome marine biology facts! Avery also calls out the most unrealistic part of this film, which you might be surprised to find out what we think that is. Hint: It involves a man's bathroom habits. We both love this movie so much and get so excited to talk about it and review it, that we basically go scene by scene through the whole movie...so if you haven't seen this in awhile, don't worry, we basically tell you everything that happens. Lol. So if you love Finding Nemo as much as we do, then laugh along and listen to this week's podcast episode! Enjoy!

Hello Disney Friends! Welcome to this month's DisNOT episode! As 90s kids, of course we choose a movie from the 90s that gives us all the nostalgic feels that the classic Disney movies give us…”The Sandlot” from 1993. Also, fun fact! This movie was made by Fox studios, which Disney bought out, so you can watch this on DisneyPlus, even though it wasn't made by Disney. Yay! Joel remembers this very fondly and watched this many times growing up, however, he mostly watched it in Spanish, so he knows the movie really well...just maybe not the voices as much. Avery watched this a few times growing up, but she didn't own it and doesn't remember the basic plot. She does remember the main parts though, like playing baseball on the Sandlot and their love for Babe Ruth, the pool scene, and the chase scene at the end. She also was a big baseball fan growing up(and still is...GO GIANTS!) and admired Babe Ruth. Listen and find out what she did in honor of him and this movie. There were definitely some parts of the movie we didn't remember and it was fun watching this now and still loving it! Between all the sarcastic comments made by Ham, to the sweet side of Benny, to fun facts from behind the scenes, we really cover all our bases. ;) Like what I did there? Anyways, if you like baseball, friendship, old movies, or just want to laugh, then join us and listen to our podcast on, “The Sandlot”!

Hello again Disney friends! Happy Monday! This week we jump back in time to a classic, one of the OG Disney movies….”Bambi” from 1942. Joel admits that the only time he might have seen this was when he was a young, wee lad. Therefore, his memories are far and few between. Avery thinks she remembers this movie very well, and for the most part she does. However, in Part 1 she makes a few major mistakes while trying to remember the plot. She gives a few plot points away to Joel and he is blown away by the lack of memory he has for this movie. Spoiler: Bambi's mom doesn't die in the beginning of the movie! We get into an interesting debate about hunting, the morals of hunting, and how sometimes hunting can be done conscientiously. After watching this movie, Joel is VERY surprised at his reaction to it. Listen to find out if he liked it more than he thought he would or not at all. We talk about all the cute animal characters, the rainstorm song, and how funny it was when the boys all got “twitterpated”. So if you've never seen Bambi, then go watch it. If it's been a loooong time, go watch it. If you saw it yesterday, then ok, maybe just listen to our podcast and Enjoy as we talk about “Bambi”!

Happy Monday Disney Friends! It has been ONE WHOLE YEAR since we started releasing these. That's crazy! We've had so much fun traveling back to our childhoods and rewatching some of our favorite movies. We hope you're watching and listening along with us! This week, we stay in the 90s (what a surprise! lol) and discuss, “George of the Jungle” from 1997. Joel has many fond memories of this film since it was one of the few VHS his Grandmother owned in Mexico. He would spend long summers in her small town and spent his days playing video games and watching George of the Jungle. Avery did not have as much nostalgia for this, probably because this was one of those “boy humor” movies that she just didn't get into as a little girl. We don't want to perpetuate stereotypes, but this movie definitely has a certain “type” of humor. After watching it again, however, she did find it to be hilarious and absolutely ridiculous. If you watch this movie, just know, do NOT try to analyze it logically. There is NO logic to it and that's fine. This movie is ridiculous in every way possible. We review the movie, try to sprinkle some fun facts throughout, and discuss the exact curvature of Brendan Fraser's muscles. So if that sounds like something you want to hear, then listen and enjoy this week's episode!

Hello fellow Disney friends! Happy Monday and Happy August! Can you believe “Monster Inc” came out 20 years ago?? Feel old now? So do we. Joel and Avery discuss the benefits of streaming services releasing movies on their “premier access” vs. actually going to the movies. We see the benefit of both, but some movies you just HAVE to see in theaters.  In Part 1, Avery picks her favorite character, even without remembering much of the movie...but it takes awhile for us to get on the same page about which character we are talking about. Lol. In Part 2 Joel and Avery both agree this plot is pretty messed up. Making children scream? Kidnapping children? Like, how did this Corporation even begin? Where did the doors come from?? We have questions, Pixar. Joel had a lot of nostalgia for this film, Avery not so much. However, we both loved it and laughed along even more now as some of the quirky lines went over our heads as children. Avery also re-tells the original idea this movie was based off and it is UH-mazing. We wish they would make that movie too! This episode comes at a perfect time because the new show on Disney+ is out now and has 5 episodes out of ten already released. So after you watch Monster Inc, then of course listen to our podcast, you can go enjoy the sequel “Monsters at Work”! So listen and enjoy as we discuss “Monsters Inc” from 2001!

Hello Hello! Happy Monday Disney Friends!! Do you hear something? Maybe a drumming sound with unexplained origin? That's right, that's the sound of this week's movie, 1995's Jumanji. In this month's Dis-NOT choice, we take a stroll down Joel's favorite era, the 90s and take a look at the movie that scared young Avery and that left young Joel in awe. After rewatching the movie, we discuss the possible origins of this chaotic board game, the hilariousness of CGI monkeys and of course, the amazing performance of the late Robin Williams as well as the rest of the main cast! Just grab a snack and try to relax as we dive into the insane world of… Jumanji.

Hello Hello! Happy Monday Disney Friends!! We are SO excited because this episode we have a special guest! Avery's childhood friend, Valerie, joins us in this episode to discuss “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” from 2003. This was such a fun trip down memory lane for Avery and Valerie. The reason we chose this film was Avery remembered going to the midnight premier of one of the Pirates films with Valerie. It was our first midnight premier and we were like, 12 or 13 years old. Midnight premiers used to be the most fun and exciting events. If you used to go to them, then you know. We may even share a few pictures for proof later this week on our IG. All of us had seen this movie, but it had been awhile for all three of us. After re-watching the movie, we discuss some of our favorite scenes, character moments, and lines. Valerie shares some fun facts about wigs and syphilis. You'll have to listen to the episode to understand that one. The music is iconic, Jack Sparrow is a living legend, and we loved this one so much we all decided to binge the rest of the movie series this week. So listen and be inspired to join us in watching Pirates of the Caribbean! Enjoy!

Yes, it took us 53 episodes to FINALLY do this movie. We don't want to be so mainstream, so we went off the classics for a while...but we're back! This week we discuss the 1994 classic, “The Lion King”. We both were very familiar with this movie, Avery more so because she had seen it more recently. We also both watched the new CGI version and did not like it one bit. However, we do LOVE this one! In Part 1 we go through some of the saddest Disney deaths, we talk about the Broadway show, and possible future Halloween costumes for Avery and Joel. In Part 2 we discuss how amazing the music is(duh) and how much more meaningful some of the lines between Mufasa and Simba are than we first realized. This movie is scattered with powerful messages that flew over our heads when we were children, but now we can really appreciate what this movie is telling us. This really is a magical film and one we both treasure. So please enjoy our discussion of “The Lion King”!

Hello Disney Friends and Happy 4th of July!! We hope you had a wonderful 4th, maybe even hung out with friends, watched some fireworks...it finally feels like life is getting back to normal after COVID and it feels SOOO good! We tried to theme this episode, so this week we discuss “National Treasure” from 2004. Some of you might not have realized this was made by Disney, but it was! So it counts! It also is about American History and stealing the Declaration of Independence is a main topic in this movie, so it definitely relates to the 4th of July. We talk about some memories we have of past 4 of the Julys...mostly about working in a restaurant. We have a fun chat about escape rooms, midnight premieres, and allllll the great and terrible movies Nicholas Cage has been in. We both agree on our favorite character in Part 1 and that doesn't change after watching the movie. Listen to find out who we both love. In Part 2, we basically nerd out on the whole movie. We love it so much and go through the whole thing and which parts we love the most. This movie is truly the perfect rainy day movie. Bored? Watch this. Hungry? Watch this. On a date? Come home and watch this. Just kidding….sorta. But really, we love everything about it and it keeps us entertained from start to finish and even after the hundredth time. So enjoy our episode on “National Treasure'', as this film truly is a National. Treasure. ;P Enjoy!

Hello Disney Friends! Welcome to our 5th DisNOT episode! We chose a 90s classic, “Matilda” from 1996. Based on the classic children's novel by Roald Dahl (Yeah, we don't know how to pronounce that either) and directed by the infamous Danny Devito, this movie could not be any better. We LOVE the suspense of disbelief one must have for this movie. You truly must have the imagination of a child and look through a child's eyes to believe this fantasy. In Part 1, you can hear Avery and Joel argue about the songs in this movie(hint: Avery was right). Joel almost ruins this film with an awkward, dramatic pause. Just listen...you'll hear it. After watching this movie as adults, we couldn't stop raving about it. Everything was done perfectly. Perfect casting. Perfect acting. Perfect dramatization. Perfect setting. We love everything about this movie! I'm sure you can guess our ratings at the end ;) We also sprinkle some fun facts about how they created the “Trunchbull” look and how they got the children to actually seem scared of her. If you haven't watched this movie in awhile, now is the time to do it. So please go watch Matilda, then come listen to our podcast! Enjoy!

Wow! We made it to our 50th episode! Happy Bicentennial episode everyone! In Part 1 Avery explains why she chose “Alice in Wonderland” from 1951 for our 50th episode...and it's actually a pretty good reason. Joel and Avery discuss all the different versions of this story and how the original Disney movie compares to the newer versions. Joel remembers a live action version that was nightmare fuel from the late 90s but had an amazing cast! Anyone else remember that one? Avery had more nostalgia for this one since she owned the VHS and appreciates the movie much more than Joel. In Part 2, after watching the movie, we discuss the lack of plot or character development. Joel feels very strongly and takes issue with *SPOILERS* the ending and how it all ends up being a dream. It feels like that plotline is worn out by now, however, this movie came out over 50 years ago and was probably one of the first stories to use that “cop out” to explain everything. We also discuss how popular this movie is within the psychedelic community and have a fun discussion on drugs and how they are portrayed in the movies. We bring up the controversy surrounding the author of the book and try to give a little more information on the few facts surrounding this issue. Overall, we agree that this movie could be better, but neither of us hated it. We can appreciate it for its creativity and quirky characters. So join us as we discuss “Alice in Wonderland”!

Happy Monday Disney friends! This week we are discussing “The Princess and the Frog” from 2009. Avery admits to NEVER having seen this movie! So finally she has an excuse to watch it. She tells Joel what she was doing in 2009 and why she missed it when it was released...but then she just never got around to watching it. As we like to do when one of us hasn't seen a movie, Avery guesses the plot and characters from the DVD cover. Listen to find out how close she gets! After watching the movie, both Joel and Avery have some concerns about this choice of Fairytale, time period, and location. This movie was a first for Disney as it became the first African American princess fairytale. And yet, there are some controversies around this which we discuss in depth. Avery also has a problem with the idea of marriage being the ultimate goal in life. Can we move past this old fashioned thinking? This was 2009 for goodness sake! Joel and Avery also argue about the origin of the term “sus”. It has nothing to do with this movie, but if you want to hear two millennials try to explain this term, go ahead and listen! Also, Joel re-tells the original fairytale this movie is based off of and it is ridiculous. It seriously might be the worst story of all time. So if any of this interests you, please listen to our podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts! Enjoy!

Hello friends! Welcome to our 48th episode! We can hardly believe we've been releasing new podcast episodes every Monday for almost a year! That's crazy! We hope you're enjoying our little chats as much as we like having them. It's been a fun way to re-watch some of these Disney classics, including this week's movie, “Cinderella” from 1950. We are trying to focus on some of the classics and this is definitely a CLASSIC. Joel thinks this might be his favorite classic Disney princess, while Avery still likes Aurora the most. As always, we discuss in Part 1 our memories, which we were surprised at how little we did remember of this movie, especially the music. In Part 2 we discuss the need for more character development and back story into the evil stepmother. We just don't understand why she can be so mean to poor Cinderella. So hey Disney! Now that Cruella is out...want to do an evil Stepmother origin story? We also discuss the problematic love between Prince Charming and Cinderella. Disney and the whole falling in love in one night and getting married immediately is a very old fashioned idea now. Besides the problematic character development and love story, we both still enjoyed this film and realized most of the film is actually about the animal side characters. Who doesn't love sewing and singing mice? Don't wait until Midnight to listen to this week's episode, come join us as we discuss “Cinderella”.

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to our new episode on “Robin Hood” from 1973. Joel chose this movie because this was one of the few VHS movies he owned growing up. Even though Aladdin and Tarzan were his favorites, he watched this so often the tape stopped working. Avery had seen this as a child as well, but only a few times so she didn’t remember much of the movie. We talk about recognizing this as an older movie as children and would usually prefer watching the newer 90s movies...but we still both loved this movie growing up. Avery immediately recognized many of the voice actors in this film as favorite characters from other movies like, “Aristocats'' or “Jungle Book.” We discuss how Robin Hood may be one of the original superheroes in folklore and how he would be a great asset to the Avengers. There are many moments of the film where we have to suspend belief in the law of physics or reality...but we dont mind too much, especially because this is a Disney movie with talking animals. Reality isn’t really a focus here. Avery discusses the Bechdel test as always and Joel gives a little background on the original story of Robin Hood. Overall, we both love this film and definitely were overwhelmed with memories and nostalgia for it. So please join us and listen to us discuss this Disney classic!

Who Who What What?? Did you say a NEW episode is out for our podcast? Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to our NEW episode Monday! This week we discuss the 1963 classic, “The Sword in the Stone”. Joel quickly guessed this movie from the three clues last week. Bermuda totally gave it away. If you know anything about this movie, you know why Bermuda is important. Joel and Avery discuss the most powerful armor in existence: plot armor. If you are not familiar with this type of armor, we discuss it in previous episodes, but it basically means the character is too important to die, so in every dangerous situation that seems impossible to escape they always make it out alive. I wish life worked like that...Ahhh, the magic of film. We also dig deep into the squirrel scene and whether or not that would hold up today and the issues behind the messages in that scene. Avery and Joel make a bet about a certain animal Madam Mim turns into...listen to hear who wins the bet! We both agree Archimedes is one of our favorite characters, but you may be surprised with the other favorite character Joel chooses. So sit back, relax, and listen to our silly and sometimes inappropriate Disney podcast! Enjoy!

Welcome to our 45th episode! Today we will be discussing the 2016 animated film, “Moana.” If you listened to our last episode you’ll know Avery was unable to guess the movie from the clues, because Joel is a trickster and made her think of 90s pirate movies. Hopefully some of you tried guessing on our IG page and were able to figure it out! This is one of the most recent released movies we have watched so we don’t have as much nostalgia for it, HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean we don’t love it just as much as the older Disney movies. If anything, we might love this movie equally if not more than many films from our childhoods. Everything about this movie is perfect. From the strong, female lead character, to the character development and plot, to the amazing music and lyrics. We discuss all the effort and work that went into making this as accurate and sensitive to Polynesian culture as they could. They had an entire team of advisors that made sure every aspect of the film was historically and culturally accurate. We love everything about this movie and I’m sure you do too...so listen and enjoy this week’s episode on “Moana”!

  Welcome to this month’s DisNOT episode. Avery chose this film from her childhood with open, innocent childlike wonder and nostalgia...and then it all takes a dark turn in Part 2. Both Joel and Avery had seen this movie and really enjoyed some of the funny characters and lines when they were kids. This movie is very quotable and both Avery and Joel remember quoting this movie in their daily lives. Who doesn’t remember laughing at Dana Carvey while dressed as a turtle and asking if he’s not “turtly enough for the turtle club?” However, after watching this movie again today, we have both come to very different opinions. Someone once asked if this movie should be a cult classic and we both agree the answer is no. It is simply a bad movie. We now get the 1% rating it has on rotten tomatoes. If you haven’t seen this movie or haven’t seen it in a long time, listen to our episode and learn WHY we think it’s so bad and why it does NOT hold up to today. This may be the worst one we’ve watched so far, but that’s ok, because it was still entertaining and our nostalgia for it will never go away...but that is where this movie shall stay, in our memories.

In this week’s episode we decide to do a classic and discuss the 1991 film, “Beauty and the Beast.” You will hear Joel and Avery try to sing right off the bat, and it does not go well. Sorry to our listeners. From there, Joel shares his high school experiences with this musical and Avery shares her experience with this musical on the stage as well. Avery played a very significant role in the play, but you’ll have to listen to find out which character she played. We both have very fond memories of this movie and know the songs very well. After watching the movie, both Avery and Joel agree on who the REAL villain is, and if you haven’t seen the movie in awhile you might be surprised to find out who we think it is. We discuss the concerning themes of Stockholm syndrome, imprisonment, and emotional issues with the characters, as well as the many plot holes and questionable storyline. Even with all it’s issues, however, we both still love this movie and will continue watching it in the future. So join us as we talk about “Beauty and the Beast.” Enjoy!

As by request, we are discussing “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” from 1988. This goes to show you if you comment on our IG with your requests we might actually choose your movie! Avery had many feelings watching this movie. This one definitely left an impression on little Avery. She remembered all the scary parts, which haunted her as a child. Joel only saw this once as a teen, so his memories were vague, and he did not feel as strongly about it. We jump all over the place with our discussion, from arguing about the ol’ chicken or the egg debate to struggling with speaking English good(lol), to wanting to know Judge Doom’s origin story and why Christopher Lloyd was so good for that role. After watching the movie again, we both agree, this is definitely not a PG movie. Ah, the good old 80s. Letting kids watch inappropriate movies for 40 years. We have to give this movie mad props for the work they did to make the cartoons seem real and interact with humans. The animation is amazing. We also love that this is the only movie that was able to get the rights to have Warner Bros cartoons, Disney cartoons, and so many more characters in one movie! How awesome is that? Avery is now old enough where she actually enjoys watching this movie now, so join us and go watch “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and then come listen to our podcast!

Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 41 of the podcast. In this week’s episode we discuss “The Iron Giant” from 1999. This is our 3rd DisNOT movie thus far. Many people assume this is part of the Disney universe, however, it is actually a Warner Bros. Production and was written and directed by Brad Bird. Yes, the same Brad Bird that goes on to write and direct “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille”. This movie was his directorial debut. It didn’t do so well in the box office, mainly because they didn’t market the movie enough, but eventually people began to notice it and now is well loved by many...including the critics. Joel has warm nostalgia for this film and loved watching this growing up. Avery had only seen this maybe once or twice. However, neither of us remembered most of the film. We discuss whether this movie, which is based in the Cold War era, would be relevant to kids who watch it today and we also came up with an awesome part 2 if Brad Bird ever wants to meet up with us. So listen and laugh along to our podcast about “The Iron Giant”! Thanks!

Hello fellow Disney lovers! Happy Monday! In today’s episode we review “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” from 1993. Did you know this was a remake? We didn’t either! The original came out in 1963 and was based on a book from a few years prior about a woman and her pets. We try to remember the plot in part one, but we kept mixing up this one and it’s sequel. Also, Joel had never watched this in English! So we get to hear his opinion on the voice actors and how they compare to the Spanish version. We both were very impressed with the animal acting and how they got the animals to do some of these stunts. Avery does some research on the training methods just to make sure no animals were harmed during filming. Listen to find out if some did or not. Overall, we both thoroughly enjoyed this film as children and still enjoy it to this day. We hope you go along on the adventure with us and listen to our podcast!

Happy Monday Everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful Easter yesterday...we decided not to theme this episode because, well, there aren’t many Disney Easter movies. This movie does have eggs in it though, so does that count? Anyways, this week we are discussing “Dinosaur” from 2000. Joel actually chose a movie not released in the 90s! Barely. Avery had never seen this movie and guesses the plot from the movie poster. It wasn’t a complicated plot to guess. This episode is full of references to many other tv shows and movies which are brought up...including a wikipedia synopsis that sounds like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, how there’s a Disney version of all of Don Bluth’s films, and how one of the main characters in this movie looks exactly like Voldemort. Seriously, look it up. Avery was shocked at how scary and violent this movie was, even Joel remembers not watching this often because of how sad it made him feel as a child. This movie is definitely an emotional rollercoaster. So grab your tissues and some snacks before watching this film, and then laugh with us after while listening to this week’s podcast! Enjoy!

The year is 2004. Avery and Joel were just wee middle schoolers trying to get through this thing they call life, and all of a sudden, the most amazing computer animated Pixar film is released in theaters. Joel gets the DVD and takes it to Mexico when he visits his family. He puts it on repeat. Avery starts babysitting her next door neighbor’s two little girls and this is the movie they watch every weekend. This movie was both our favorite growing up and is STILL one of our favorite Pixar movies. It is Avery’s for sure. Not only does this movie portray honest family relationships and touch on adult subjects such as, cheating scandals, suicide, death; but it also shows the bond of family and the love between parents and kids. This movie definitely has stood the test of time. It has strong female characters, hilarious side jokes, and action throughout the whole thing. And of course, who doesn’t love Edna Mode? So listen and enjoy as we discuss our love for “The Incredibles.”

Surprise surprise, Joel chose Another movie from the 90s. This time it’s “Heavyweights” from 1995. He gave Avery some pretty obvious clues in our last episode, however, she couldn’t guess the movie...why? Because she had never seen this! How could she have missed out on such an iconic film?! Shout out to those who someone missed out on this and GO WATCH IT NOW. This movie is hilarious and filled with quotable moments, laugh out loud jokes, and just overall action and humor throughout. As always, we watched this again with a critical eye and caught a few red flag moments. It has a few offensive moments, which we discuss in the episode. We also talk about some personal things like Joel not getting his Driver’s License until he was 19, our knowledge of vice presidents, and our thoughts on stereotypical costumes. This was a very fun episode and we really get into talking about this movie. So listen and laugh along with us! Enjoy!

Welcome to our second episode of DisNOT. There were just so many more movies from our childhoods that we wanted to discuss, but weren’t made by Disney, so once a month we’ve decided to choose a movie that seems like it is Disney, but DisNot. This month Avery chose one of her favorites, another Don Bluth creation, “An American Tail” from 1986. Both of us commented immediately on the beautiful animation. This movie is a visual masterpiece. The details in the skylines, ocean scenes, and especially the shots of New York are unlike any other animation at this time. Joel had never seen this movie and loved all the hilarious side characters, but also pointed out some troubling scenes that would’ve been nightmare fuel for lil Joel. Avery remembers only bits and pieces of this movie, her true favorite movie of the series is the sequel: Fivel Goes West...but we had to start with the original, duh! This movie is a rollercoaster of action, emotion, and beauty. So for those not familiar with this movie we definitely recommend giving this a re-watch or watching it for the first time along with Joel and rekindle your childhood memories and the magic of this wonderful movie!

In this weeks episode we talk about how awesome Phil Collins is...oh yeah, and also the movie “Tarzan” from 1999. Of course Joel chose another 90s movie. This movie truly hit us both in the nostalgia feels. Joel watched his VHS tape so much that it actually got staticky from being rewound so much. We discuss how the music is just TOO GOOD, some timing issues within the film, how Disney adapted the book, and how this movie helped Joel make a friend. Listen to this episode and get ready to laugh and roll your eyes at the same time! Enjoy!

In this week’s episode we review the longest named movie of all time (jk) so we shortened it to CON: LWW. Listen to the episode to hear the correct pronunciation for that. Anyways, this film came out in 2005 which was prime movie-theater-going-time for Avery, but not for Joel. He missed out on the theater experience but discovered it several years later and was one of the inspirations for Joel’s love of fantasy, myths, and magic. He gives this movie credit for helping him discover other world’s and opening his mind to this genre of film and television. Needless to say this is a very important film for Joel. Avery read the books when she was a young girl, but honestly, doesn’t remember much from the books. We both are pleased that the films separate the movies individually and didn’t try to shove the whole series into one movie. However, it is sad they never completed the movie series. Good news though! Netflix has picked up the rights and are planning on doing a television series based on the books. So we are definitely excited for that! This movie has been forgotten by many after so many years, so if you haven’t seen it or it’s been awhile since you’ve seen it, then give it a watch and listen to our podcast! 

In this week’s episode we go to an underrated animated movie from 2003, “Brother Bear.” This was the last Disney movie to get a straight to VHS sequel, probably because they realized all the sequels sucked and they needed to stop ruining good films with sequels. Anyways, Joel has fond memories of this movie, especially the comedic moose...or is it meese? Just kidding, we know the plural of moose is moose. Stupid English. Avery realizes she is unsure whether she has actually seen this film or just the preview, but she realizes the truth in part two, so listen to find out! We really analyze this film and all it’s messages and deeper meanings. This movie really tries to teach the watchers good life lessons, all while being hilarious and emotional at the same time. So if you want to go on an emotional rollercoaster with us, then watch Brother Bear and listen to this podcast!

Happy Valentines everyone! Our movie choice this week might not be Valentines themed, but it's still a sweet story that everyone can enjoy. This week we chose the 1961 animated classic, "101 Dalmatians." We also discuss the 1996 live action version just for comparison. Both Avery and Joel remembered most of the story, even though neither of us had seen this movie since our childhoods. We talk about how old Cruella might be, to spaying and neutering pets (Joel has a gross story for this one), to how the book compares to the movie. Both of us really enjoyed this film, especially the Twilight Bark. So cool. We share some behind the scenes fun facts and of course, as always, our opinions, judgements, and compliments. So if you haven't seen this one in awhile, then go watch it and enjoy our podcast as we discuss "101 Dalmatians."

Welcome to our first DisNOT episode! We are introducing a new theme once a month where we watch a movie from our childhoods that may seem like Disney, but DisNot (Get it??) For our first choice, Joel picked one of our favorites, “Anastasia” from 1997. Of course Joel picked one from the 90s. Both Joel and Avery absolutely love this movie and know it pretty much by heart. From the character development, to the background animation, to the music...it doesn’t get much better than this. Avery has some cute memories that she shares regarding one of the songs and Joel teaches us the dark reality and history of the story. So go ahead and “Russ-ian” to your living rooms if you haven’t seen this one, or want to see it again. We highly recommend it!

In our 30th episode we talk about the original version of “Pete’s Dragon” from 1977 and the new live action version from 2016. Joel had never seen either so he was in for a real treat...or so Avery thought. The original version was a film Avery grew up watching and absolutely loved. She loves the characters, the music, the dancing, and the absolute ridiculousness of it all. We come to find out nostalgia plays a huge part in the love of old movies however...both Avery and Joel watched the new version for the first time and both enjoyed it, even though we’re not sure if it was fair to call it a remake. It seemed more like an entirely different movie. So whether you watch these movies with nostalgia in your heart or not, we still recommend checking these out! Listen and enjoy!

In this week’s episode we stay in our favorite era to watch one of Joel’s favorite childhood movies, “The Emperor’s New Groove” from the year 2000. Neither of us appreciated this film when it was released but as we watched it over the years it just got better. The sarcasm goes over kids’ heads at some points, so this movie is great for all ages. Joel even went all out and made a Pacha Halloween costume a few years back. We talk about all the funny one-liners and the impressive talent of the voice actors. This movie would not be the same without these actors. In the end, this movie has a great message and through humor teaches us what it means to be a good person and what is important in life. We laughed, we cried, we enjoyed every minute and you will too. Listen and enjoy!

Staying in 1995, which apparently is the best year for Disney movies ever (in our opinions) we go to a classic, "A Goofy Movie." Not the most popular in the box office at the time (it was competing with Toy Story and Pocahontas) it became more popular years later and now is almost a cult classic. Both Avery and Joel loved the Cheez Whiz guy, Bobby Zimmeruski, played by the hilarious Pauly Shore and could relate to the struggle that Max had with his Dad. The key to solving problems with someone? COMMUNICATION. This movie has a ridiculous plot, with even more ridiculous near-death experiences for our two characters, Goofy and his son Max...which made it all the more fun, but also very unbelievable. So in order to enjoy this you really need to let go of reality and enter into a childlike fantasy world, which is really the magic of Disney. Go listen and enjoy!

In our twenty-seventh episode we take a look at this long requested classic, Air Bud. We were hit with a speed bump as this movie is not on Disney+ but we found a way to watch it anyways. Neither Joel nor Avery remembered much of this movie so it was like watching it for the first time again. Avery remembers why she never liked watching this when she was young, due to a particular scene. Joel looks up every other Air Bud and spin off movie and you’ll be surprised how many of them are there! We learn about how Buddy learned to become “Air Bud” too. What a good boy! 

In our first episode of 2021 we decide to go allllllll the way to the beginning. Disney’s first full length animated film, “Snow White” from 1937. As you heard in our last episode, Jenna guessed immediately from the three clues...so you already knew this was coming. Joel seems to remember a lot of this movie except for a very important characteristic of Snow White that Avery demonstrates beautifully. There’s also a few interesting historical facts about the reaction of the audience when it was released, especially for little children who had never seen anything like this before. We both had a lot of nostalgia for this film, as I’m sure you will too. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

In our last episode of 2020 (Good riddance!) we have a special surprise for you! We asked our guest to pick her favorite Disney movie of all time and she chose “Mulan,” so here we are. There are fireworks in the movie, so we think it can count as a New Years movie. All three of us were very familiar with this one and we all grew up loving it. The songs were especially unique and wonderful and were some of the best Disney songs of all time, in our opinion. Jenna and Avery discuss how forward thinking this movie is and how it has one of  the best portrayals of a strong female lead. We laugh, we cry, we LOVE this movie.

In our twenty-fourth episode we continue our magical Christmas journey to one of Joel’s favorite Christmas movies, “The Santa Clause.” In part one we discuss our childhood traditions for Christmas and some of our favorite Christmas memories. After watching the movie, we found out this was Tim Allen’s breakthrough from television to film. We talk about the references to his famous show at the time, “Home Improvement” and all the makeup and work he went through to become Santa Claus. Avery thoroughly enjoyed this film and felt like a little kid watching it for the first time. This definitely put us in the Christmas spirit! Merry Christmas everyone!

In our twenty-third episode we stay in the Christmas (or is it?) spirit with something a little different. “Nightmare Before Christmas”...not your classic Disney movie. Thanks to the creativity of Tim Burton, who was not the director but the creator and writer of the story, we have our very first stop animation film to discuss. Avery has very strong feelings about this film that almost ruins her friendship with Joel. This is the most different we have felt about a movie thus far. We discuss the many different characters, what could possibly be behind the other doors, and the biggest question of them all, is this a Halloween or Christmas movie? That is the real question. Listen and enjoy!

For our first December film we get in the Christmas spirit by going to a winter wonderland. Frozen was released in 2013 and was a smashing hit. If you knew any child or had a child in your life at that time, you definitely saw this movie. Both Joel and Avery were focused on school at the time and were a little late to the party seeing this movie. But once they did watch it, they realized why so many people were talking about it. The music is the BEST part of this movie. Every song is either funny, emotional, or powerful. How many people had “Let it go” stuck in their head for weeks after seeing it?? Also in this episode, Joel reads the original story that inspired Frozen and it is very, very different. Disney spent a long time developing this film, and in the end, all the effort and time spent on this film made it one of the most watched Disney movies ever!

In our twenty-first episode we stay in the same time period, but jump over to our first Pixar movie! Toy Story was released in 1995 by Pixar which collaborated with Disney and was eventually bought out completely by Disney a decade later. Toy Story was the first computer animated film ever and changed animation forever! We both were very familiar with this film and knew most of the story. However, even after watching it many times we still were able to catch some of the humor that went over our heads when we were little. The actual movie was such a simple idea with a very simple story but the way this movie is written is so heart-warming. It just melted our nostalgic hearts once again. Everything Pixar makes is amazing and it is pretty unbelievable how good this film is, even 25 years later! Listen to our episode and enjoy our banter, laughter, and memories!

In our twentieth episode we stay in the 90s for a classic animated film, “Pocohontas” released in 1995. This week is Thanksgiving and even though this technically isn't a Thanksgiving film it is on the topic that many of us were taught when we were young. However, the true Native American and Pilgrim relationship was nothing like the fairytale we were taught. Pocahontas is an actual  historical figure and we looked up what her real life was like and compare that to the Disney version. We question whether Disney handled this subject matter appropriately and even question whether Disney should have even made a film on this topic. In this episode we really get into the moral dilemma of “Disneyfying” a very horrific event in our American history. With that said, we LOVE all the songs and music in this film. We both can sing every word to “Colors of the Wind” and enjoy singing along while watching this movie again. If you love this movie, then watch it and singalong with us!