Articles by Quinn Bilodeau

Technology

Why Bob Hoskins' Son Froze Him Out After Seeing Disney's Who Framed Roger Rabbit

The fact that Hoskins' kid believed his father was actually in the company of two of the biggest cartoon icons ever speaks to how successful this whole project turned out to be. Hoskins was so deep into the process that he made himself hallucinate his toon co-stars. You'd almost have to upon learning that part of your screen legacy will involve being the recipient of a tire gag co-orchestrated by Bugs Bunny (Mel Blanc) and Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine). Over three decades since the release of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," this pairing is a truly singular moment in movie history. It would have been momentous even if the crossover between Disney and Warner Bros. only resulted in the dueling piano battle between Donald Duck (Tony Anselmo) and Daffy Duck (Mel Blanc). Steven Spielberg was able to use some of his power as one of the film's producers to get the animation teams to license their likenesses. The stipulation on Warner Bros.' behalf, however, required any of their characters to share equal screentime with Disney's roster. It's a pretty fair compromise to make. The whole appeal lies in seeing two rival companies put aside their egos and allow their animated mascots to mingle with one another. In "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," they all live together in harmony within the confines of Toontown without the contracts and backdoor negotiations of the businessmen who dictate when, where, and how they appear. I can't imagine this going down in the same way through a contemporary lens, partly because Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav frustratingly doesn't see the value in Looney Tunes to begin with. What a maroon. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is currently streaming on Disney+.

Technology

Tim Burton's Breakout Short Is The Perfect Horror Movie To Stream This Halloween

"Frankenweenie" remains an excellent example of gateway horror, and how the genre can reach out to younger audiences. Sometimes kids need that extra push to challenge them, but Disney didn't see it that way. The short was intended to precede the 1984 theatrical re-release of "Pinocchio," but was instead replaced by a Pluto cartoon. Burton was then fired from Disney, with the top brass claiming it was a waste of resources to make something so scary for the younglings. It wasn't until after Burton became a major success by directing "Beetlejuice" and "Batman" that "Frankenweenie" was made available on VHS, albeit in a censored version. The full short has since been restored in all its glory, and we know now that it was well worth pushing those boundaries. If it hadn't been for "Frankenweenie," Paul Reubens wouldn't have sought Burton out to direct "Pee Wee's Big Adventure." You can really see Burton's admiration for gothic expressionism flourish from the get go, as the suburban neighborhood in "Frankenweenie" is compellingly abstract. It features all the promise of a hungry talent who applied his macabre sensibilities to something funny, horrifying and touching. Not only does the short feature warm performances from Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern as Victor's concerned yet loving parents, but it also features an early appearance from future filmmaker Sofia Coppola as one of Victor's classmates. In a full circle moment, Burton would later go on to direct a feature-length version of "Frankenweenie" in stop-motion. Unfortunately, for all its aesthetic bells and whistles, Burton's big screen expansion of "Frankenweenie" quickly loses sight of Victor's story for his thinly-written classmates and their creations. It's sweet, but it doesn't have its predecessor's macabre heart. "Frankenweenie" is currently streaming on Disney+.

Technology

Tron Franchise Future Gets Disappointing Update After Jared Leto's Ares Flops

Leto proved to be a great actor earlier in his career and even won an Academy Award at one point. The industry may have considered him an A-list talent, but "Morbius" being a disaster on all fronts, coupled with the actor's sexual misconduct allegations, proved his goodwill has just about faded among contemporary audiences (via AirMail). He's nowhere near the same kind of draw he used to be. "Ares" just about deflates like a balloon whenever he's onscreen opposite more compelling actors like Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeff Bridges. Leto had been attached to headline and produce the "Tron" threequel since 2017, which meant he was locked into its development long before his most recent box office flops and public persona backlash. Of course, some industry folks claim that "Ares" would've still faltered with a more bankable name like Ryan Gosling at the helm instead of Leto. "If you say, ”Tron: Ares' is good, we just needed a different actor,' you're deluding yourself," one insider told THR. The truth of why "Ares" flopped lies somewhere in the middle. Another "Tron" film was always going to be a hard sell for those who aren't already entrenched in the property's techno-visuals and bio-digital jazz, man. Switching up composer duties with Daft Punk for NIN was like a consolation prize for Leto's involvement, rather than an additional aspect of the film to look forward to. A better marquee name could've slightly boosted its chances. As is, though, "Ares" is far from the franchise reinvention that Disney was hoping for, especially with a mid-credits scene destined to join the long list of similar stingers teasing sequels unlikely to ever see the light of day. "Tron: Ares" is currently playing in theaters.