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Why Is Plugged In Reviewing a Movie from 79 Years Ago?

“In a world where everything has changed, Plugged In is making changes too.”

OK. I’ve always wanted to start a blog with that deep-voiced movie-narrator guy saying, “In a world … “ So thanks for indulging me.

But the fact is, lots has changed since the arrival of the coronavirus a month or so ago. Normal rhythms have been upended, routines changed, new patterns of relating established.

Those changes, obviously, have deeply affected Hollywood. Each week for more than 20 years, Plugged In has brought you reviews of the latest movies in theaters. But now theaters are (mostly) closed. And the release of new films has slowed to a mere trickle (with Wonder Woman 1984 being among the latest big-budget flicks to announce a postponed release date.)

So what’s a website dedicated (in part) to reviewing movies to do? That’s a great question. Here’s the Plugged In answer.

There are a few under-the-radar independent films continuing to make their way to various streaming services. This week, for example, the Sundance award-winning film Never Rarely Sometimes Always arrives. You can look for our review of this film about a teenager seeking an abortion a bit later today. And next week, a movie that was slated for theatrical release, Trolls World Tour, will land on various streaming outlets on Friday. (We’re currently trying to get an advance peek; but worst-case scenario, we’ll watch and review it as quickly as possible next Friday.)

Still, things aren’t like they were.

We know most families are huddled up at home these days. And you might be looking for some new options for movie-watching.

Which brings me to the title of this post. This week, we took a look at Disney’ 1941 movie The Reluctant Dragon. Never heard of it? Yeah, I hadn’t either. It’s a delightful peek inside the Disney’s imagination factory circa 1940. And it’s one of many such films streaming on Disney+ right now.

So each week, we’re going to go back and review an older Disney movie, likely the kind that may have slipped off your radar or titles you never even heard of in the first place. (Keep your eyes peeled right here next week for upcoming reviews of The Rocketeer and The Sword in the Stone, for starters.)

And while we’re not here simply to promote Disney+, it’s likely that it is the streaming outlet with the most family-friendly content—with new stuff arriving each week. This week, for example, most of Disneynature’s animal documentaries were added to its library, including African Cats, Monkey Kingdom, Chimpanzee and Born in China, among many others. (And look for our review of the newest Disneynature film, Elephants, narrated by Meghan Markle, later today.) And, of course, if we see a hidden family-friendly gem on other streaming services, we’ll try to review that, too.

Finally, as we dig into this treasure trove of Disney classics, we’d love to hear from you about what you’d like us to review. You can find a comprehensive list of Disney’s movies (and various live-action and animated TV shows and specials, too) here.

So take a look, then tell us what you’d like us to review, and we’ll strongly consider those suggestions! And, of course, we hope that you and yours are healthy and safe. It’s not business as usual for any of us. But if it’s any consolation, we’re all in it together.