Howard

Uplifting yet ultimately bittersweet; "Howard" does a good job of telling a story about an everyday man who's songs end up being timeless.

In this documentary, discover the world of songwriter Howard Ashman from his Broadway days to Disney films and his untimely death.

This film put in perspective for me who Ashman really was prior to his days at Disney. A hard-working man with a dream and that dream come true but ended all too quickly. An overall engrossing documentary that everyone will enjoy, especially Disney lovers. To see how passionate Ashman was while writing these timeless songs is inspiring. A little inspiration is what we need these days. Stream this film on Disney+.

Follow @snobmedia for more reviews!

It doesn't do much that you haven't already seen in many other documentaries, so I can't really say it's amazing... but it is very solid, polished, and well-made, and comprehensive without feeling over-long. It's basically the definition of a 7/10 documentary, but in my eyes that's a good two points above average, so I can't complain too much.

As a document of the life of somebody who has passed, it is notably respectful and not too critical, and I guess in this case, maybe he was a truly good guy, and there wasn't too much that was bad to say. Maybe there was more that could be said, but in respect for the dead, it wasn't- but that's pure speculation on my part; just something I think about whenever I watch this sort of documentary about someone who was loved and died young.

I was pleasantly surprised that it did cover his homosexuality, as well as briefly touching on the fact that he was worried about Disney finding out. I was concerned this would be 100% glossed over or at the very least barely covered, given that this is produced by the notoriously clean cut Disney. Also they make Jeffrey Katzenberg look like a bit of a buffoon at a couple of points, which was also surprising.

It likely won't blow anybody away, but if you want a good look at the story of one of Disney's most beloved creators- a man who largely helped define the Disney's Renaissance, allowing it to become a relevant entertainment juggernaut once again- then you can't go wrong with this. And at a brisk 90-something minutes, it moves pretty quickly too. Disney+ adding more stuff like this is definitely something that will keep me invested in the streaming service as a whole.

Howard is a biography of Howard Ashman, telling the story of his life from his childhood telling stories to his baby sister to his acting days to finding huge success writing lyrics for Disney animations to his death from AIDS at the age of 40. Having seen a number of biographical documentaries I was expecting another pretty boring piece presenting a collection of facts concerning one man's life (especially considering the fact that lately I don't have the best opinion about Disney). What I got was a pretty extraordinary portrait of an incredible artist.

The thing that first comes to mind when I think about my feelings after watching the movie is how tender it was in talking about Ashman. We see him as a talented actor, a gifted storyteller, a genius lirycist, and later as a man hiding his disease and trying to reconcile the fact that he is dying, but even when his most diva-like moments are discussed, it is always in a caring tone. It is really moving seeing how many people where touched by Ashman's life and work.

Secondly, the movie is a great treat for any fan of musical theatre. A lot of insight into Ashman's creative process is given, both when looking at his early career writing for theatre, and at his later work on Disney movies. A number of people who worked with him talk about their experiences, discussing different issues connected with creation process of both theatre and movies. We also see how Disney animation classics The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin came to be, which should interest any fan of both musicals and cinema in general.

Thirdly, it is impossible to talk about Howard without talking about the AIDS crisis. It's like a dark, ominous presence haunting the viewer throughout the whole movie, as during the first three minutes we are made aware of how the story ends. In this respect Howard can be seen as a document of the dark times when AIDS was claiming thousands of lives every month and bigotry and homophobia were so rampant that Ashman felt it necessary to hide the fact that he was sick untill the last possible moment.

To sum up, the movie is beautifully tender and deeply touching. It is in a big part about Ashman's tragic premature death and the feeling of emptiness and loss it created for many people, but most of all it is a celebration of his life and work. I would recommend watching it to anyone who likes good and moving movies.

I was lucky enough to see HOWARD at the Tribeca Film Festival, and the audience went crazy for it. Directed by acclaimed producer Don Hahn (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King), this documentary showcases the life of Howard Ashman, whose songs have fundamentally changed Hollywood animation and continue to influence storytelling today.

Howard's life was cut short by the AIDS virus, and the documentary serves to honor his life and legacy. Hahn extensively interviews nearly everyone who ever crossed paths with Howard, and helps to shine a light on his musical genius. They go into a TON of detail, looking at Howard's childhood, hopes and dreams, fears, and, of course, his professional achievements (Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc) at every point in his life.

For anyone who enjoys storytellers, musicals, Disney, or movies in general, I would highly, highly recommend this film. In HOWARD, Don Hahn made the ultimate tribute to a close friend: he has given us a glimpse inside the mind of a genius who went too soon.

This is a really beautiful documentary about a very special, beautiful person. If you love Disney, you need to watch this.