Little Mermaid Makes History and Makes Halle Bailey a Star

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Source: thatgrapejuice.net/entertainment/2023/12/2023-year-in-review-little-mermaid-makes-history-and-makes-halle-bailey-movie-star/

2023 Year In Review: ‘Little Mermaid’ Makes History and Makes Halle Bailey a Movie Star

Published: Wednesday 20th Dec 2023 by Ryan

For better, or for worse, and everything in between, 2023 was a year for the record books.

As the year nears its completion, That Grape Juice is looking back on the moments that shaped the year in the Urban and Pop landscape.

Look below to see how the ‘Little Mermaid’ shaped the year.

The road to the ‘Little Mermaid’ movie has been a long one. Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in 2019. Shortly after, Prince Eric was cast as Jonah Hauer-King.

The film wrapped filming 2 years later in 2021 and a release date was given of May. 26, 2023. However, before the film was released, it was met with racist backlash with several celebrities speaking out like Halle Berry and DDG.

The soundtrack was released from the film on May 19, 2023. Bailey even spoke with That Grape Juice about the movie and the film made history at the box office upon its debut.

An animated series was greenly after the success of the movie. The movie then made its way to Disney+ later in the year.

Your thoughts?

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Source: screenrant.com/harsh-realities-2023-biggest-movies/#ken-overshadows-barbie

10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching 2023's Biggest Movies
BY
ALEXANDER VALENTINO
PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGO
2023 has been an incredible year for movies, but it's easy to get swept up in the hype and ignore some critical flaws of the year's best entries.

2023 had some big movies with strong box office records, but they also had noticeable weaknesses.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania didn't live up to Marvel's expectations.
The Little Mermaid played it safe and was stuck in the shadow of the original.

2023's biggest movies were true pop culture events that easily swept up audiences in a torrent of hype, but have some glaring weaknesses that are impossible to ignore. 2023 has proven to be an incredibly strong year for new releases, producing some astounding box office records that are sure to stand the test of time. Suffice it to say, most, if not all, of 2023's big box office winners deserved their numbers, whether they were daring new stories like Oppenheimer or the latest entry in lauded franchises like the MCU.

The excitement of recognizing a generally good blockbuster makes it easy for audiences and critics alike to look over any faults, the good clearly outweighing the bad. However, coming back to these high-grossing films after having some time to digest them unearths some unfortunate truths, revealing some unpleasant flaws that are impossible to ignore without the benefit of being swept up in the potent buzz of a well-received new release. This doesn't take away from their achievements, but is worth acknowledging as time passes by.

9
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Wasn't The Hit Marvel Had Hoped
For many, Ant-Man 3 represents the beginning of the end for Marvel

If there's one film of 2023 whose box office numbers could be said to have been carried by brand recognition alone, it's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Reportedly, Marvel was shocked by Quantumania's bad reviews, figuring that the bizarre world of the Quantum Realm and Kang's introduction in-earnest to the MCU would be enough to carry critical consensus. Unfortunately, fans and reviewers alike admonished the film for its sterile CGI environments, lack of heart, and clear status as a stepping stone to bigger projects, leaving a sour legacy for the third Ant-Man film to inherit.


8
Elemental Is One Of The Weakest Pixar Movies
The 3D animation studio seems to have lost its touch

For a long time, Pixar's films were synonymous with quality, consistently pumping out hits like Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. that could dazzle children and critics alike. However, the lukewarm reception of Elemental was the final straw in a period of critical flops that many Pixar fans saw as the end of the company's logo being a guaranteed mark of quality. Elemental isn't a terrible film by any means, but fails to live up to the lofty reputation of the studio, lacking the trademark heart and thoughtful character work more well-known Pixar entries are known by.


7
Isla Deserved Better In Mission: Impossible
Rebecca Ferguson's Character Was Done Dirty

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One was a triumph for the action-packed caper series on a level that hadn't been seen since Ghost Protocol. Over the last two films, Isla has proven herself to be a courageous linchpin of the team whose skills rival Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt himself, only to be killed with little ceremony by Mission Impossible's latest villain, Gabriel. For being such a prominent character, Isla's death felt like it only happened to pave the way for Hayley Atwell's Grace to take over the team's single slot for a powerful female operative.

6
The Little Mermaid Is Stuck In The Original's Shadow
The latest live-action Disney adaptation played it too safe


The latest offspring from Disney's recent habit of re-creating its golden age films with real actors and photo-realistic animation, The Little Mermaid managed to make a star out of leading princess Halle Bailey. Some of the film's most interesting parts were the liberties it took, such as fleshing out the character of the dashing Prince Eric and exploring the dynamic of King Triton and Ursula being siblings. Yet the movie was too afraid to step out from the shadow of its predecessor other than these two key choices, facing the same criticism many of the live-action remakes get for being a needless recitation of an already existing story.

5
Across The Spider-Verse Is Only Half A Movie
Miles Morales' cliffhanger is the only asterisk to Spider-Verse's quality

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse received rightful praise for being an incredible follow-up to the already highly-praised Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, returning Miles Morales to the silver screen with Sony's genre-defining animation. Across the Spider-Verse succeeds in so many ways, but it's impossible to evaluate as a story -- The cliffhanger the film leaves audiences on is simply too egregious of an obvious setup for a sequel, one which wouldn't be so unexpected if the title made it clearer. Plenty of superhero movies are guilty of this, but it's a shame that Across the Spider-Verse's narrative is incapable of standing alone, leaving too much up in the air by the time credits roll.

4
Fast X Splits The Family
The increasingly self-aware franchise throws out its strongest element

The Fast and Furious franchise has always been a dumb fun action series that has become increasingly unbelievable with each passing entry, relying on bombastic action setpieces to keep audience eyes. If there was an emotional core to the franchise worth examining, it would clearly be Don's often-memed commitment to his family, which Fast X curiously disregards. The hyper-fueled blockbuster instead opts to split up the crew into too many different competing plotlines, which aren't created equal in terms of entertainment value. It's a shame that Jason Momoa's deliciously over-the-top villainy isn't able to threaten more of the Toretto family at the same time.

3
Guardians 3 Is Marvel's First True Ending
It's hard to say goodbye to one of the MCU's most beloved endeavors

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was a triumph blend of comedy, action, and delicate emotional storytelling, delving into the backstory of Rocket Raccoon alongside the existential crisis faced by Star-Lord after Gamora's psuedo ressurection. Beyond the tear-jerker storylines, what makes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 so bittersweet is its status as a definitive ending for the beloved Guardians, firmly closing out each of the gang's journeys in satisfying, if heartbreaking, ways. This is significant for being the first Marvel film to truly feel like the closing of a chapter, painting the enjoyment the film offers in a coat of sad nostalgia.

2
Oppenheimer Has Nolan's Signature Bad Sound Mixing
The acclaimed director can't seem to nail dialogue

For as critically revered as many of Christopher Nolan's films have been, especially Oppenheimer's dramatic historical retelling of real events that changed the world, there's one basic element of filmmaking Nolan has continued to struggle with even in 2023. The director has caught flack in the past for poor sound mixing, particularly with regard to dialogue. Films like Tenet and The Dark Knight Rises are particularly rough cases, featuring characters wearing stifling gas masks that compound the problem, but for an action-light tale like Oppenheimer that relies on spoken word so heavily, the inaudible dialogue in certain scenes is particularly unforgivable.

1
Ken Overshadows Barbie
Ryan Gosling undeniably stole the show from Barbie's titular character

Barbie was a deserving box office triumph, presenting a knockout cast that expertly chewed the pink bubblegum scenery of the amazing set design, carefully balancing spectacle, comedy, and powerful feminist messaging. Yet for a movie about Barbie with strong themes of female empowerment, Ken was by far the most hilarious and talked-about element of the whole parade. Ryan Gosling does such an entertaining job as the quintessential himbo that it's hard to admonish him for his efforts, but it's impossible to deny that Ken's looming presence didn't at least partially outshine Margot Robbie's Barbie.