Tuesday, April 25, 2017

"And The Streets Are Paved With Chee-eeese!"

John and I watched An American Tail on Netflix over the weekend - and you guys, it totally holds up!
 
Funny how I remembered almost nothing of the story, but could sing along with every song. Here's a test: Remember when Somewhere Out There played a zillion times a day on the radio? If not, then OFF MY LAWN, WHIPPERSNAPPERS. (Kidding. I love all you whippersnappers. Who else can I fill with my knowledge of great 80s cartoons? And will explain Tumblr memes to me?)

So naturally first thing yesterday I went digging through my office closet, because I have exactly ONE bin of old childhood dolls, and I couldn't remember exactly what was in it, but I had this hope...


AND I FOUND HIM!

(Let's pause to appreciate the mental image of a thirty-something woman, on a ladder, face inside a tupperware bin, yelling, "YESSSSSSQUEEEEEE!" If these cats could talk, y'all... they'd have NDAs.)

Anyone remember this Fievel doll? Apparently it was a Sears exclusive, though I could have sworn my grandmother got it from K-Mart. His floppy velvet hat is filled with stuffing like a pillow, and I would carry him around with my face buried in it. :) Although I do remember him being a lot bigger...

Anyway, fifteen minutes of lint-rolling and a light scrubbing with a damp washcloth later, and Fieval is nearly good as new. He smells a little... old, though. Not bad, just like something packed up a long time. What do you think, Febreeze? Toss him in the dryer with a dryer sheet? Moms, help me out here!

He'll sit on my desk with E.T. now. That's right, 80s movie stars, UNITE. 
(I just need a giant StayPuft plush. Did they even make those back then?)
 
Speaking of old movies, I noticed FernGully is on Netflix, too, but I don't think I've seen it - should I? Anastasia is there, too, which is gorgeous (the music! Ah!) plus John and I quote Bartok the bat on an almost weekly basis. (You'd be surprised how often you can work in a good "And then I'd KEEK her, sir," to a conversation.) So definitely watch that one if you haven't.
So tell me, guys, other than the popular Disney stuff which we all KNOW is good, which of your favorite childhood movies still hold up today? Extra credit if they're streaming online so I can find them!
 
BONUS MODERN MOVIE THUMBS UP... to Sing. Sure, you get the entire plot line in the 2-minute trailer, but it's sweet, head-bopping fun, and worth a Redbox rental.

Plus I love Rosita the pig. Girl rocks it.



(Don't worry, more Star Wars cosplay is coming! Just breaking things up a little in-between.)

171 comments:

  1. I love the Iron Giant! And Anastasia! I have a deep love for the old Scooby Doo movies too, Ghoul School was my fav.

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  2. Plot wise FernGully is pretty much Avatar but it's set in a rainforest. Hadn't seen the movie in a long time, but I remember sitting in the theater thinking "James Cameron totally stole the plot from FernGully".

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  3. Ugh. I love An American Tail and Anastasia. I know I've seen FernGully before but I don't remember much of it. One of my favorite movies growing up was (and still is) The Last Unicorn. And The Thief and the Cobbler. And The Princess Bride.

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  4. I love "An American Tail!" I have a tradition of watching it every year on the Fourth of July. (This year I also added listening to "Hamilton." Because nothing says America like singing mice and rapping founding fathers.) I also love "Anastasia!" They are both very quotable. I remember liking "Ferngully" when I was younger, but when I watched it a few years ago, I wasn't as impressed.

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  5. Okay, one of my absolute favorites is Donald Duck in Mathemagic Land. I think you can find it on Youtube...learning AND entertaining....who'da thunk it???

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    1. "Well what do you know? Square roots." lol

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    2. We always watch Donald in Mathmagic Land on Pi Day! :)

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  6. I recall Ferngully being entertaining. Not stellar, but okay. I watched Anastasia within the last month. Like that one a lot. But the one that holds up for me after so many years is The Secret of NIMH. Gorgeous animation. Don't know if it's streaming anywhere, but man, I love that movie to this day (coming from a 50-something woman).

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    1. I remember being thoroughly traumatized by an owl with glowing eyes in NIMH - I should go see if it's still as scary as I remember. ;)

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    2. I was gonna suggest Secret of NIMH too! I'm pretty sure it's the only film I actually like better than the book! It is a little dark, but I loved it. My other favorite non-Disney cartoon is The Flight of Dragons. The dialog is a bit cheesy as an adult, but the animation is beautiful and the cast FANTASTIC. (Harry Morgan, John Ritter, and James Earl Jones!)

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    3. It totally is, but in a good way. Watch it, and just have a small pillow for for the scary owl parts.

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    4. The mice and rats getting changed by the formula scared the crap out of me as a kid, lol! But I should go back and see if I can watch it as an adult without freaking out, lol!! I loved that movie growing up....but yeah...so dark!

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  7. Watch Ferngully, even if just for Robin Williams' Batty!

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  8. Wow! The memories! I remember the Feivel doll especially...we didn't have one, but someone I knew must have.
    Also brings back the memories of tormenting my sister by singing "somewhere..." and then asking her to guess if the was "...over the rainbow" or "...out there." Of course whatever she guessed was wrong. ...I owe her an apology.

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  9. "Somewhere Out There" has always given me chills and brought a tear to my eye. Without fail. Didn't know this was on Netflix. I know what I'm doing tomorrow now!

    My early childhood revolved around "Annie". Not only did I watch the movie over and over, but my mom would play the record so I could dance around the living room singing "The sun'll come out, tomorrow!" at the top of my lungs. I've never been able to bring myself to watch any of the reboots; for one thing, there's no one that can compete with the standout performance of Carol Burnett.

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    1. I showed it to my 4 and 6 year old a few weeks ago and they LOVED it!

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    2. Annie was a perennial favorite for us too! Hard Knock Life makes any cleaning task a little easier.

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  10. Well, I know what I'm watching this weekend!

    I would say yes to Fern Gully! Batty is totally worthwhile. Now, having said that, I haven't rewatched it in years, but it's one of my favorites!

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  11. This is one of my favorite childhood movies! "Wewease, the secwet weapon!"

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    1. My brothers and I quote that ALL the time (we're all in our 30's and late 20's respectively) and anytime someone mentions a political rally, we yell "It's woweee!"

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  12. It's technically Disney (but a less popular/known movie IRRC), but Winnie the Pooh: Search for Christopher Robin.

    I loved that movie as a child, and even as an adult I enjoy watching it- it's actually pretty mature for a kid's movie, and that helps to age it. The songs never stop being funny (or heart-wrenching) , and the plot is one I think both kids and adults can appreciate- the theme of loss is one that's fairly universal across the ages, and this movie doesn't pull punches. Actually, it's kinda known for being rather dark for a kid's movie- but it's also so, so sweet.

    (I'm not sure if it's streaming anywhere- I think Amazon Video has it but I don't know about Netflix).

    (And hey maybe this movie is more popular than I think it is; but in any case, I'd recommend it!)

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    1. I remember that one! I agree that it's an underrated movie, and surprisingly good coming from Disney's era of "everything needs a direct-to-video sequel!" My brother and I would watch "The Search for Christopher Robin" all the time growing up.

      Another good direct-to-video Disney movie is "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command."

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  13. The 1979 animated version of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. I don't know that it has stood the test of time exactly because the animation is kind of awful and dated but it's such a lovely, faithful telling of the story. I get all nostalgic and misty-eyed as soon as the haunting opening theme music begins. And when Aslan says "I am sad, and lonely. Lay your hands on my mane so I can feel you are there..." I pretty much lose it completely. (There will be no other voice for Aslan than Stephen Thorne's for me.)

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    1. The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe was the first "chapter book", so of course we watched it when it was on television. It's the only movie I've ever seen where you could literally read along, line for line, from the book. Yes, the animation is poor, even by 1970's standards. But it holds absolutely true to the book. All these years later, she's now a teacher,and the Narnia books are still some of her favorites. Thanks for reminding me of this movie.

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    2. born in 1971, the animated version hooked me on the chronicles of narnia. to this day it is my second most favorite book ever. happy sigh. thanks for the reminder to watch the video again!

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  14. Febreeze isn't fantastic longterm but if you happen to have carbon filters/satchels try keeping those in close proximity. Part of that smell is probably the bin it was stored in off gassing and the acrylic fibers soaking it up. My favorite smelly object story was at one of the museums I interned with in grad achool. We accepted a beautifully embroidered uniform... that had been in the closet of two chain smokers for the better part of 5 decades. A couple of months wrapped in carbon fabric and even I couldnt smell anything an inch from the textile, it was amaxing.

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  15. YES, you should watch FernGully!!! It has Robin Williams playing a crazy bat...I don't want to spoil it to much, but he does a rap at one point. WORTH IT!

    In the realm of 80s movies with plush tie-ins sitting in a box...I have Gizmo (the mogwai) from the movie Gremlins upstairs. He squeaks when you shake him up and down. :)

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    1. Gizmo!! I bought a cheap reproduction plush of him a few years ago - but I still can't bring myself to watch Gremlins again. Ha!

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  16. Oh, definitely watch fern gully! That was one of my favs growing up. I haven't seen it recently, so I don't know how it holds up, but it's worth a go. You might also enjoy flight of dragons if you've never seen it- it's super nerdy. Surely you know the last unicorn?

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  17. Definitely watch Ferngully, Tim Curry is a fabulous villain as usual

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    1. It has Tim Curry?? Well now I *have* to watch it.

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  18. Try putting him outside in the sun for a bit (a couple of hours)...sun does wonders to eliminate those musty smells. It's a tried a true method in our family passed down from grandma's who didn't have febreeze or dryer sheets (or dryers for that matter).

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  19. As a mom who also can't stand the smell of commercially perfumed things (but bring on the essential oils!), I usually just let things sit out on my patio for a few non-rainy days. Bonus if it can get a little time in the sun. That *usually* works for me. I've done stuffed animals through the wash in a pillowcase before, too, though I'd be nervous with something that nostalgic. I have a Pound Puppy I got when I was 9 (and I'm almost 40 now..eeek!) that has been through the wash that way many times.

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  20. If you love quotable bats, then yes, definitely watch FernGully!

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  21. I loved Fern Gully - you'll love the Bat! Watch it!

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  22. Definitely watch FernGully! Robin Williams does the voice of Batty.

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  23. Yes to Ferngully! Although, as a small child I refused to use the toilet alone because I thought the villain lived in the pipes...

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  24. The Last Unicorn - loved it as a kid and my kid loves it as well. Great music too.

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  25. I remember liking Fern Gully a lot as a kid (Robin Williams voices the bat) and I don't recall anything making me cry during it. I remember really liking the tar(?) monster's voice. Bear in mind I haven't seen the movie for close to 20 years so I can't attest as to how it holds up, but it was fun watching as a kid. And approved for a Catholic school's movie list as that's how I got to see it, the after school program would pop it in a lot (along with We're Back!).

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  26. OMG! That Fieval! I would Febreeze before the dryer, a lot of my plushies were ruined by throwing them in the dryer to try and make them smell better. The fake fur gets all matted up and gross and no amount of brushing ever fixed it.

    I have never seen Ferngully but so many friends love it so I should proably watch that if it's on Netflix. Same with Anastasia as I've never been able to finish it.

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  27. The Secret of NIMH, Dark Crystal (ok so it's not animated but puppetry/stop motion... sue me), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (also a bit of a stretch... but so good!)... all i can think of right now...

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  28. I had an impromptu Disney movie marathon over the weekend. The Emperor's New Groove was on TV. Then I found Pocahontas. Then I switched over to Netflix and watched the live action Jungle Book (still prefer the cartoon), followed by The BFG (DEE-lightful!) and the new Pete's Dragon (Why is Elliot fuzzy?).

    Is Monster Squad still on Netflix? My mom had recorded it for me on VHS when I was a kid and I practically wore it out, lol. I watched it a couple of years ago and it was just as fun as I remembered.

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  29. If you love Bartok in Anastasia, watch Ferngully - it has a similar comic relief character that I love to quote. (trying not to spoil anything :) )

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  30. I know it's Disney, but one of my favorites is the Emperor's New Groove. "Why do we even have that lever?!" I also love the 4th wall breaking and Kronk's shoulder angel/devil!

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    1. Oh man, New Groove is quite possibly my favorite Disney movie ever - and so underrated! Best villain & sidekick EVER.

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    2. Agreed! I could watch it over and over again!

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  31. Fievel was the first movie I ever saw in the theater. I love the unfinished Statue of Liberty. I have vague memories of the sequel, but I can't believe that they've two more after that.

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  32. Ferngully has a plot that I found lacking (Avatar was sort of the same plot), but my daughter (who was quite young then) was enchanted with. I don't remember any music that stood out (unlike Anastasia and Thumbelina). But Robin Williams!

    Thumbelina is worth a look if you've not seen it. We listened to the audio tape over and over (well, to be fair we listened to almost every audio tape over and over).

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  33. I have that same Fievel stuffed animal! I loved the movie as a kid (the sequel wasn't bad, but nothing beats the first one). I recently watched Fern Gully with my nieces and we all enjoyed it. I still listen to the soundtrack for Anastasia and quote Bartok too! My recommendation, although it looks like you can only stream it by renting/purchasing, is Thumbelina, another Don Bluth movie. Jodi Benson does the voice for Thumbelina (Ariel!) and Charo has a really fun part as well. I was able to have my nieces watch it after I found it in the bargain bin at Walmart. I can't wait to see what everyone else suggests!

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  34. I love Anastasia! And Fern Gully is definitely worth watching(the "bad guy" is voiced by Tim Curry). Thumbelina and the Swan Princess are really good and don't get enough credit sometimes. And of course anything by Miyazaki....

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  35. "The Secret of NIMH" - Ooh! oh-oh-oooh! A sparkly!

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  36. I would just set him out in the sun for a couple hours. Should clear out the majority of the mustiness. Don't do the dryer... you don't want melty fur. And you should totally see FernGully!! Robin Williams is Batty Coda. Need I say more?

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  37. Anastasia holds up pretty well, and where it doesn't, the music, and yes, comic relief of Bartok! (Plus, they're adapting for the Broadway stage right now, so a refresher is warranted.)

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    1. I am SO EXCITED to see it on stage - can you imagine the ghostly ballroom scene? And with all the great music? Oooh, it's gonna be amazing.

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    2. that ghostly ballroom scene is the key reason that I must see the stage show!!! I can only imagine how great it will be!!!

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  38. Husband and I had "Somewhere Out There" as our wedding song! We had watched the movie because we both remembered bits and pieces, but not the plot. All the songs came flying back to memory and we once again fell in love with it. Such a great movie!
    I remember liking FernGully as a kid, but haven't watched it for years. Two of my favorites from my childhood were Sword in the Stone and The Fox and The Hound (ugh, tear-jerker, but sooo good!). But again, haven't seen them in a long time. Who knows if they are around and / or as good as I remember!

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  39. I had to laugh at your comment about quoting Bartok, because the frequency with which my daughter and I say, "This can only end in tears" is slightly ridiculous.

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  40. I was born in '91, and one of my favorite stuffed animals was Fievel. Sadly he was passed on to younger cousins when my parents insisted on a stuffed animal purge at some point in my teens. I'll have to go re-watch the movie!

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  41. I still love The Dark Crystal even if it is dated. Although I generally only reference it when I have a cold and explain to people that I feel like the Skeksis looks. Other than that, it is mostly Christmas movies that I am most sentimental about. Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey is pulled out each year along with a fresh box of tissues. I cry every time. Every Time!

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  42. I love Feival! That was one of my favorites as a kid. And I'm so in love with Anastasia. The Broadway musical opens this week!! I so want to go to NYC to see it.

    Some of my favorite movies growing up were The Goonies, Flight of the Navigator, The Fox and the Hound, The Never Ending Story, Mac and Me (anyone else remember this?), The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under. I'm pretty sure The Rescuers is on Netflix. Not sure about the others though. And, of course, my all time favorite is The Princess Bride. Never gets old!!!

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    1. I LOVE Flight of the Navigator! No one ever remembers it.

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    2. I was totally in the dark about Anastasia coming to Broadway until reading the comments here. I've always thought it would make an amazing musical, better even than the movie perhaps (minus Bartok - you can't match him on Broadway). I'm anxious to see reviews and hopefully see it someday!

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    3. Flight of the Navigator and Explorers were two of my favorite 80s movies! I showed them to my kids a few years ago and they loved them!

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  43. THE CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE! It's so fantastically 80s and there are some moments that are pretty politically incorrect by today's standards but LEGWARMERS! SHOULDER PAD POWER SUITS! DIAMOND SMUGGLING! SING-OFFS! :)

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    1. Yesssss! My sister and next door neighbors used to belt out "girls of rock and roll" at the top of our lungs while on the swing set. Our neighborhood must have loved that time.

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    2. This is the movie that I was going to recommend! My Dad was one of the animators on it and drew himself as one of the background characters in one of the scenes. I don't know if it's because of the connection with my Dad or not but this is still one of my all time favorite movies and I love to sing along to all of the songs.

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  44. Ewoks and the Battle for Endor was a repeat favorite when I was a kid. Not sure if I would still think so. Also really liked Fern Gully as a kid, but when I watched with my son I felt some of it was inappropriate for children, IMO. Quest for Camelot, Black Cauldron, the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe topped my list. (I don't count BC as a true Disney film- no peppy signature Disney songs)

    This may be bad advice, but I am a fearless "all plush toys are washing machine safe" kind of mom. The only thing I ever regretted was putting a large Sully in the dryer. His awesome soft fur got matted :-( Had to be done, though. My son had lice and he couldn't be without Sully for two weeks.

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    1. Oh, and how could I forget Cannon Movie Tales (Beauty and the Beast was wonderful) and Jim Henson's Fairy Tale Theater (Sapsorrow was my go-to from that set). Beautiful costumes in both. Great songs in the Cannon tales.

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    2. The Ewok movies do NOT hold up at all. They're frankly terrible. My kids like them still though.

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  45. Rock-a-doodle! Oh man, that's such a good one, I quote it all the time. Rockadoooo what a day, the sun is shining brightly!

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  46. How have you never seen FernGully!?!?! Robin Williams at his BEST! "Delicious and nutritious! Tastes just like chicken!" "Gravity Works" trust me, watch it.

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  47. Ferngully!! YASSSSSSSSS! (And now for some reason I want to go rewatch Return to Oz... though I think I'm the only person who liked that movie). I plan to have my kids watch SpaceCamp sometime soon, and I'm REALLY hoping Return of the Navigator is as good as I remember, though I think I read somewhere (here?) that it doesn't hold up.

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    1. I liked Return to Oz, creepy as it was. It was steampunk before it was cool!

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    2. Untrue!! My sister and I were OBSESSED with "Return to OZ." So much so, that my parents refused to rent it for us at Blockbuster. The only person who would let us rent it was our aunt, so every Friday night was Slumber Party at Aunt Cathy's House.

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  48. The Rescuers... the Dentist's office had the book in the waiting room and I really looked forward to going every 6 months just to read it! Then, when I finally saw the movie, I was hooked.

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  49. Anastasia holds up quite well. I saw it in the theater and watched it last year for the first time in over a decade. I loved Fern Gully as a kid but haven't seen it in more years than I want to admit. Other recommendations: The Last Unicorn, The Secret of Nihm, and The Iron Giant have all held up well. I have a strange fondness for Titan A.E, though it's not as old as the others. Another childhood favorite was The Land Before Time (the first one, not the plague of sequels) but I haven't watched that in a very long time so I can't speak to how well it holds up.

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    1. Somehow I missed Iron Giant when it came out, so I finally watched it a year or two ago, and fell in love. Definitely holds up; even as an adult I was enchanted! (And bawled. Oh, the tears...)

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  50. Hey to Ferngully! It has another oh-so-quotable bat! Other childhood faves were The Last Unicorn, The Land Before Time, The Secret of NIMH. I also loved the original (animated) BFG! And I watched the My Little Ponies movie with the purple ooze about a million times!!!

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  51. I love some of the older Don Bluth films... I love "The Secret of Nimh," but my all time favorite is the original "Land Before Time." I think it's probably my favorite animated film (excluding Studio Ghibli movies) ever, even beating out most of the Disney movies. I'm partial to the watercolor backgrounds and the story is very solid.

    I also LOVE "All Dogs Go to Heaven" and I get the song "Let Me Be Surprised" stuck in my head all the time.

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  52. The Brave Little Toaster! It was one of my favorites and I still think its great! :) I don't think its on Netflix or Amazon, but it is on Youtube...

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    1. OMGosh, I used to watch that over and over again!!! Hahahahahaha! Oh the memories!!

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  53. Secret of NIMH and The Last Unicorn were huge faves for me. And if you haven't discovered it: Kenny Loggins' "Return to Pooh Corner" album. It has a "Somewhere Out There/Pure Imagination/Never Never Land" medley as well as covers of "The Last Unicorn" and "Rainbow Connection," some classic lullabys, and some fab original songs. It's a happy place.

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    1. Oooh, I forgot about Secret of NIMH. I knew I should have gone to look at my DVDs before answering this question.

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  54. I've had really good luck with cleaning plush toys like this in those dryel at home dry cleaning bags (mostly to protect from accidental melting) and then thrown in on low heat to knock the accumulated dust out. But I bet a zippered pillow case would work just as well.

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  55. I love love love the Brave Little Toaster. I've been meaning to watch An American Tail and Fievel Goes West...thanks for the reminder!
    As for the old smell...I'd just leave him out in the fresh air for a bit and it should fade away.

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  56. I remember Ferngully as being terrifying and baffling. If it turns out to be actually good, please let me know!

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  57. if you do put him in the dryer (which might help fluff him up a bit, and will help remove any lint the lint roller missed) do it on the lowest, air only setting. I learned the hard way when i was a kid that stuffed animals and warm dryers don't mix. the fur all shrunk and melded together so it was the consistency of cotton candy, which is really not cuddly. it was devastating at the time, though now I can't remember what stuffed animal it was.

    I remember really liking Fern Gully. I will go with many of the above and say that Land Before Time holds up well. I remember being terrified of the Secret of Nimh and The Last Unicorn. Maybe i should give them both another go, now that I'm almost 40 and not at all afraid of the dark!

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  58. Robin Williams voices one of the main characters in Fern Gully, Batty the bat. There's a scene where he does a rap,a bat rap if you will. And Tim Curry voices the villain and has his own musical number so...yes, yes you should watch it.

    Also: Cats Don't Dance! Wonderful movie, loved it as a kid still holds up today!

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  59. Cats Don't Dance, A Flight of Dragons, Brave Little Toaster. All the movies from the 80's. lol

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  60. I'm thinking the Febreeze might work better than the dryer sheet. I loved Fievel and sang Somewhere Out There so many times! I also loved Anastasia and Oliver and Company.

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  61. Ferngully is one of my favorites. My sister and I quote Batty all the time. Please, watch Ferngully.

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  62. My dad worked on American Tale. As soon as any little kid in this family is old enough to sit through a movie, it's, ok, time to watch something grandpa/uncle Stan did. And then the room pauses during Something Out There. I loved Brave Little Tiaster and Balto which fall into this realm of films around then that I remember.

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  63. I used to have the "Fievel Goes West" poster for the longest time. Along with my stuffed animal of course, but years of wear and tear got the best of both of them. :( Sad day!

    Also, FernGully? Yes. Watch it.

    --Piper P from Washington State

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  64. I have this exact Fievel, except he's missing his hat and pants after 30 years of love and being forced to share him with my brothers. Funny story, when this movie came out I was 3 maybe 4 and we lived in Florida. My dad took me to the theater to see it and it was my first movie experience. During the sewer scene when all the big roaches are scampering about I very loudly proclaimed to the entire theater "Daddy is he in Florida?" All the parents laughed and children gasped. My father tells this story to this day so I thought I would share it with you.

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  65. Please don't put him in the dryer! The Acrylic fur will never be the same. Sunshine and/or vodka (no, the vodka is not for you, although you could maybe have a little, I won't judge...)! Put some vodka in a spray bottle and spritz the olfactory offending item and let dry. We use vodka to unstink (de-stink???) costumes in the theater.

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  66. Ahhh An American Tail and Anastasia are both so great. I love Bartok.

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  67. Anastasia is amazing. Fern Gully . . . eh. But if you get the chance, definitely watch Once Upon a Forest! Ha! So good.

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  68. An American Tale was one of my favorite movies as a kid, I found a dvd with the first two on it for $5 when I was in college. Now my boy loves them too, Fievel is now his favorite animated mouse.

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  69. fun fact: Sears owns K-mart. or, at least, they did for a while, if they don't anymore. I know because I was able to use my sisters employee discount from her job at Sears when I bought a camp bed at K-Mart.
    also: baking soda is great at removing odors from non-washable things. try sealing him up in a Ziploc with some baking soda in it. doesn't need to be totally covered in it, just need some in there with him.
    sunshine is also great at removing odors.

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    1. I was going to say baking soda too. Febreez will probably just trade one weird smell for another, but baking soda and sunshine won't hurt to try and have worked on our worst cases of stuffed animal stank.

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  70. We ended up watching part of Ferngully in my daughter's dentist's waiting room a few weeks ago. I had totally forgotten Robin Williams was in it. Didn't see enough to vouch for it holding up.

    My husband made me watch Iron Giant last year as I had never seen it. It was...cute? I missed the right age to see it. I'm sure our girls will watch it on repeat soon enough.

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  71. I put stuffed animals in a pillow case, tie it up, and wash them, then let them air dry. I messed up the softest leather nose on one of my animals when I was 20 so I never put them in the dryer. You may also open a seam and re-stuff him.

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  72. As for my favorite movies: Fern Gully, Brave Little Toaster, and Land Before Time are ones that get lost sometimes.

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  73. You've got to see Fern Gully! I was going to say Brave Little Toaster but someone beat me to it!

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  74. Confession time... I've never seen An American Tail! I think I need to now, though. I loved All Dogs Go to Heaven as a kid, it's my favourite Don Blush film. Anastasia is also wonderful. Also, your grandmother probably did get your Fievel from Kmart, Kmart is owned by Sears, so stock may have crossed streams at one point ( Ghostbustbusters reference ftw!)

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  75. Leave Fieval out in the sun for a while. It'll air him out and even sanitize him. You could also put him in a bag with some baking soda or charcoal, but since you have plenty of sun down in Florida try that first.

    I don't love Ferngully as much as I did as a kid. It's a little environmentally preachy. I certainly don't think we should be clear cutting the rain forests, but the movie kind of characterizes all business and industry as being inherently bad. But Tim Curry is excellent in it, and Christian Slater and Robin Williams are also good.

    As far as other movies from my childhood go, and you probably know about most of these anyway since we're about the same age, I recommend Dark Crystal, Legend, Willow, The Last Unicorn, Neverending Story, Babes in Toyland, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Parent Trap (the original one with Hayley Mills), and Goonies.

    And these are more from my daughter's childhood (she's almost 17 now), but Sinbad (the cartoon movie) and Quest for Camelot are also excellent.

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  76. My favorite childhood movie was The Last Unicorn, my second favorite was Fievel Goes West.

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  77. Going against the tide here, but I didn't enjoy "FernGully." I adored Tim Curry as the villain because, hello, Tim Curry? But the rest of the movie was meh. "The Secret of NIHM," "The Last Unicorn," Rankin & Bass's animated version of "The Hobbit" are all primo choices, in my opinion.

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  78. Not cartoons, but have you ever watched Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater? I remember they were aired on my local PBS when I was very young. I LOVED them so much, and I was thrilled when my husband found me a box set of DVDs of all of the episodes.
    If you've never seen them: you'll see VERY YOUNG Robin Williams, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

    Sorry for an almost-off-topic reply, but when I get nostalgic for old cartoon movies, I also get nostalgic for Faerie Tale Theater. (And the Edward Gorey cartoon intro for "Mystery!" which was also PBS.)

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  79. Oh, and this one is Disney, but it's lesser known. The Black Cauldron. It's excellent. One of my favorite Disney movies, actually. Right up there with Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone & Robin Hood.

    Also, more I forgot: Thumbelina (1994) and The Princess and the Goblin (1991).

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  80. "Release the secret weapon!" We are still saying that and the kids are 31 and 26 respectively!
    Shelley

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  81. I really enjoyed The Secret Life of Pets, which just was put on Netflix. Also we just watched Kubo and the Two Strings over the weekend, (finally) and it was AMAZING. Sinbad is excellent, too. Love the depiction of Eris in it. Not sure if Titan AE is on netflix or not, but it's one of my favorites, as well.

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  82. Bartok is my favorite character ever (voiced by the best character actor EVER!). I should do a Bartok cosplay... <3<3<3

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  83. I was telling my daughter recently that I was a failure as a mom because she claims to have never seen An American Tail. (I think I showed it to her when she was young but she doesn't remember.)
    Love Anastasia! There's a new Broadway show in previews that includes some songs from the movie.

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  84. Ohohoo the Swan Princess is still one of my favorites, along with Quest for Camelot. I could watch them forever!

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  85. You should TOTALLY watch Ferngully. ROBIN WILLIAMS BAT (the quotes from him and the Batty Rap alone are worth it but I love the movie in general), I think the Secret of NIMH is a pretty good one, The Last Unicorn, and All Dogs Go to Heaven all hold up pretty well.

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  86. I saw Rockadoodle and Pete's Dragon mentioned. I was thinking about, though not cartoons, Wizard of Oz (it's older, but so good) and Goonies. Honey, I shrunk the kids and A Little Princess

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  87. try mixing some really cheap vodka (we're talking the $12 a handle and should never be drunk kind) and mix it 50/50 with water. This works even better than fabreze because the alcohol will kill any bacteria and the smell will go away after a few hours. Fabreze will just cover up the smell and it can cause skin irritation. We use it all the time in theater for costuming because it keeps the costumes refreshed and from smelling like death between washes

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    1. I was going to make the same suggestion! I second this suggestion. Works like a charm in costuming. :)

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    2. This is a good one, above, but you could try hanging him outside in the breeze for a few days - this usually does the trick, and you don't have to buy the vodka. Good Luck, Jen!

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  88. The Rescuers! My brother did an awesome Evenrude impression! :D

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  89. Um, Ferngully.. Robin Williams comedic companion.. Cheech and Chong bugs.. Tim Curry singing villain.. you ABSOLUTELY should see it! :)

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  90. Oh my gosh YES!!! You have to watch Fern Gully. It's still one of my favorites. Also, I love "Quest for Camelot". Singing two-headed dragons and a crazy ax-headed chicken = My Childhood. The Secret of NIMH is another favorite of mine (Also, I know it's Disney, but "The Great Mouse Detective" is great too)

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  91. I LOVED Ferngully. Also We're Back: A Dinosaur Story and Cats Don't Dance - music was great and all by Randy Newman.

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  92. I have that exact same Fieval doll sitting on my daughter's bed right now. It was my husband's from when he was a kid, and the last time my kids went to visit his parents, they brought him back home. You should see how many people stop us to reminisce about that movie when she takes it out to the store with her, lol.

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  93. I just checked out "Flight of the Navigator" from our tiny local library. Can't wait to see it!

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  94. Fievel... Papa... Fievel...Papa

    Oh god, that takes me back!

    I loved Fern Gully (bit scary in parts, but so was American Tail, if I recall correctly).

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  95. You should definitely see Ferngully! It's one of my childhood favorites, and I watched it again about a year ago. It held up to the test of time for me! But I can never tell if I love something because it's good or because I'm sentimental about it. But yes. definitely worth watching. :)

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  96. I'm chiming in with all my friends who listed "The Last Unicorn" - as a kid I liked the unicorn (Lady Amalthea) bc whee a pretty unicorn. As an adult I identified with Molly Grue and when she meets the unicorn and is all "where were you when I was young and innocent" I am all the way to ugly-cry.

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  97. Wish I could second Ferngully but sat through it with my granddaughter and really disliked it. Too preachy. Fun fact on Secret of NIMH...the rats were from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

    My fav kids movie from that era is still The Goofy Movie (1995). Ok, not 80's but you can't get more 80's than the dance scene at the end. And I still find myself humming "moving right along...footloose and fancy free!"

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  98. The Last Unicorn! Quirky and weird, but I love it! It's on Netflix.

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  99. The Last Unicorn! Quirky and weird, but I love it! It's on Netflix

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  100. A mom here...for the "old" smell, I'd recommend a spray bottle filled with 1/4 which hazel or vinegar 3/4 water and 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil (I like a combo of lavender & mint). Mist lightly all over. Let dry. Repeat as needed. Cute find!

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  101. No love for Peanuts? Snoopy Come Home and Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown were firm favourites. Land Before Time is always a tear-jerker - yep, yep, yep. If you can get a copy Hoppity goes to town (aka Mr. Bug goes to town) is a fantastic cartoon film from 1941.

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  102. Yes to carbon filters (as mentioned before), first put him outside in the sun for a bit. Fluff him up and turn him over a few times. Sunshine is a great smell reducer.

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  103. Not 80's but I always had a soft spot for The Road to El Dorado :) If it's on the US Netflix definitely check it out. No songs really but SO much banter and quite a cool female character :)

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  104. When I have to remove must or smoke smells I first leave things outside to air. Put Fievel in a either a plastic or cardboard box, add crumpled up newspaper, and close the box. Every day or every other day change out the paper until the smell is gone. Depending on how bad the smell is this will take anywhere from just a few days up to a few weeks. I can't handle smells like Febreeze or dryer sheets, so for me it's better to remove the smell than to cover it up. Whatever you opt for best of luck!
    Andrea in St. Louis

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  105. I always remember Fievel Goes West most distinctly.

    AND IF YOU HAVE NOT YET WATCHED FERN GULLY, JEN, YOU MUST.
    Its 100% what James Cameron ripped off for Avatar. It is iconic. I have a feeling it what ended up landing me with a degree in ecology.
    Anyone you tells you it's too preachy can take a look at the state of the world. Especially given its set in Australia.

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  106. The Emperor's New Groove is probably my favourite of all the underrated Disney films, but I do have a weird affection for Brother Bear that no one else seems to share. It has Bob and Doug McKenzie as two Moose! How do you not love that?!?

    Also: The Last Unicorn, Charlotte's Web, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Goofy Movie. And of course The Princess Bride.

    Did anyone else watch Watership Down at an inappropriately young age or was that just me? I'm think my Dad got it for me on a weekend at his place when I was around 8. I'm sure that his logic went something along the lines of "Animation + Bunnies = Excellent for Young Daughter" but I ended up so traumatized. I couldn't stop crying and he had to take me to my Grandparents house. Good times. LOL. We laugh about it now, and sadly the same thing happened when he tried to rent me E.T. but with the fun addition of an E.T. phobia that I have to this day. (He's so creepy)

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  107. Rock-A-Doodle!! I'm not sure how much it holds up but I remember rewatching it a few years ago and still loving it. That and An American Tail were my absolute favorites growing up.

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  108. Black Cauldron and Flight of the Navigator were my favorites!! Also another for Rock-a-doodle. That was my little brother's fav and I can totes still sing the songs.

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  109. What about Bedknobs and Broomsticks? And one of my daughter's favorites was Old Yeller (but she always cried).

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  110. Loved American Tail... Story : when I was a teenager, I met a little girl in a parking lot. She was near her parents so I guess she felt safe enough to ask my name. She replied, "Tanya is Feivel's sister from American Tale! Good name." Then before she could tell me hers, she had to run as her parents called out "Ariel, hurry up it's time to go". At the time, I had to wonder how many times she'd seen Little Mermaid. :) I didn't get to tell her how awesome her name is .. but maybe she got that a lot.

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  111. Favorite movie that, to me holds up, even though it is cheesy, The Worst Witch. The movie, not the series, because Tim Curry. <3

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    1. LOVE that movie! We have to watch Curry's spectacular music number "Anything Can Happen On Halloween" every Halloween as a tradition!

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  112. Mary Poppins. Love it as much today as I did as a kid, but for different reasons. As a kid, I had a Mary Poppins doll with all the outfits, the big black purse and the umbrella shaped like a parrot. I just thought she was so much fun (tea party on the ceiling anyone?). But as an adult, the movie has a just a bit of creepy sadness to it. Makes me love it all the more.

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  113. ...I am SHOCKED you haven't already seen Ferngully. It gets quoted around my house as often as any Disney movie. And it has Robin Williams! And Tim Curry! And just! Go! Get thee to your Netflix!!

    (Also, seconding how easy it is to quote Bartok. We do the full "and I'd give her a HA" all the time around here.)

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  114. 8 year-old me says YOU HAVE TO SEE FERN GULLY! To be fair, I have not seen it in probably 20 years sooooo I don't know if adult-me recommends it. It has Christian Slater! Tim Curry plays the bad guy! There are a couple of songs I still sing to myself. :)

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  115. An Imgur user just recently posted a few lists of some of the movies mentioned in these comments. We had a lot of these movies on VHS/DVD growing up and watched them many times.

    Great Mouse Detective
    Prince of Egypt
    Casper

    http://imgur.com/gallery/zEi7I

    Fievel Goes West is the last one on this list.
    http://imgur.com/gallery/RaUKM

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  116. Activated charcoal works amazingly. I get it at the pet store (charcoal filters for fish tanks). Put it in a bag or box with a packet of activated charcoal and wait a week. This also works to get the smell out of old books etc....basically great for anything you can't wash.

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  117. Fern Gully is fabulous, rewatched it recently and it holds up for sure. Robin Williams is Batty and you'll love him! Take Genie and Good Morning Vietnam and shake. Lots of big names, great plot and lotsa heart. Have a box of tissues on hand though.

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  118. If you can find it 'Cats Don't Dance' is a fun cartoon musical that never got enough love.

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  119. I love many of the movies already mentioned, but one I haven't seen is Quest for Camelot (can rent on Amazon). It's from 1998, but I feel like it has many things right up your alley: heroine who wants to be a Knight of the Round Table, two-headed dragon sidekick, blind protagonist, and voices of Cary Elwes and Gary Oldman. The song "Looking through your Eyes" will have you in tears.

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  120. I LOVED An American Tail. I saw it in the theaters when I was too old to really be seeing animated movies but I didn't care. I loved it because it was a JEWISH story about the immigrant experience and there wasn't really a whole lot of that in the media back then. It felt a lot more realistic than Fiddler On The Roof, even if it had mice and cats.

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  121. I recently rewatched Anastasia and it holds up! My sis and I are in our 30s and we, along with our mom, still quote Bartok's "That fell right out there, sir" and YES to singing (er, mangling - I'm an alto) Somewhere Out There.

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  122. TitanAE and Ferngully are visual treats and I can still watch FG and love it and the songs (and the message)!

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  123. It's like memory lane reading all these comments. One that I didn't see mentioned yet is All Dogs Go To Heaven.....cheesy and silly, but I just adored it growing up. Haven't watched it as an adult, so I don't know if it holds up, but it was cute when I was young!

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  124. I haven't watched fern gully in years but I used to love it as a kid! As for other old non Disney movies does a tone else remember Rockadoodle? Or happen to know where to find it? It was definetly a favorite of my early childhood and I'd love to see if it held up to the test of time! Oh and other great ones I've rewatched recently include prince of Egypt, we're back! (A dinosaur story), the land before time,el darado, all dogs goto heaven and of course Anastasia!

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  125. The Great Mouse Detective! It's a take on Sherlock Holmes, and the Sherlock-type character's name is Basil [like Rathbone]. I mean, I love all things Sherlock-related, but the villain is voiced by Vincent Price -- it doesn't get much better than that!

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  126. So many Don Bluth movies are under-appreciated classics.

    I, too, quote Bartok regularly. Especially "This can only end in tears" complete with accent, obviously.

    I also used to LOVE Thumbelina when I was growing up. In fact, I'm sure I still have the VHS somewhere in my possession... ::starts digging around in boxes::

    I actually can't ever remember seeing the original American Tail, but I loved Fievel Goes West. And of course there's Land Before Time (the original, as others have pointed out. How many sequels were there anyway???).

    Good times, good times. Ah nostalgia...

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  127. Anybody else remember Child of Glass? It was a creepy (for me as a kid) ghost story movie that used to run on TV on Sunday afternoons.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_of_Glass

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  128. Fern Gully YESSSSSS!!!!!!! Such a sad movie though. I would totally recommend it AND I didnt know it was on Netflix and Im totally watching it tonight!!!

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  129. omg yes qatch ferngully! it's great!

    also, spray the mouse with a mix of white vinegar and water, and leave him sit a few hours in the sun. he won't smell musty after.

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  130. I'm a week behind on my blog reading...so I hope by now you've watched FernGully! I remember going to the movies to see it and it's been one of my favorites ever since. Tim Curry, Robin Williams, Christian Slater!! Te Fiti from Moana reminded me a lot of FernGully.
    And speaking of Anastasia...it's finally a Broadway musical. FINALLY! I've been waiting for that to happen since 1998. Much love to Don Bluth and his movies of my childhood.

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  131. I just found this about Last Unicorn and Studio Ghibli:
    https://www.slashfilm.com/751443/turns-out-the-last-unicorn-is-a-secret-studio-ghibli-film/
    Mind. Blown.

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