Wonka

Image credit: IMDb

Sometimes it’s a real shame when one’s cynicism and basic human need to be stubbornly obtuse gets in the way of good time. But isn’t it better to be late to the party than never go at all? This morning my brain decided that 2 hours before my alarm was the perfect time to wake up so I treated myself to an early morning movie in bed and thank goodness I decided to throw my cynicism about biopics of fictional characters out the window, because I had the most delightful movie experience with Wonka, and was happy for the rest of the day.

Young Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) is fresh off a boat in the big city famous for its chocolate and ready to achieve his dream of starting his own shop. After swiftly losing all his money, he finds himself in debt to a couple of scammers and forced to work in their washhouse in order to pay it off. His dreams of a shop start to become even more unreachable as he soon discovers that the city’s industry is run by a cartel of greedy and ruthless chocolatiers. But with his friends from the washhouse and a hatful of dreams, Willy might just be able to stop their tyranny and share his chocolate with the world.

This movie is a delight! It’s a brightly wrapped return to the whimsy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory while at the same time playing with some pretty serious themes. It perfectly balances that mixture of wonder and macabre in Roald Dahl’s classic story without teetering dangerously on the edge of overkill.

Timothee Chalamet is wonderful: a starry-eyed child in a man’s body. His interpretation of Wonka is a little closer to Gene Wilder’s immortal rendition, being very down-to-earth and charming. And then you’ll see a spark flash through his eyes, something electric flicker across his face and the quirkiness and showmanship of the character bursts out. While arguably a large portion of the film’s whimsy and delightfulness comes from the absolutely stunning art design, set design, costumes, and special effects, an equally large part of it comes from Chalamet’s performance as he so endearingly acts out a story of a wide-eyed dreamer who refuses to be broken by the awful situations he finds himself in.

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As can be expected with any tale that features a literal candyland, there’s a lot of love and hard work going into the art design, set design, costumes, makeup, and special effects. Between Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa, gorgeously choreographed musical numbers, and the eventual world of pure imagination, the film is a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Even the subtle explorations into addiction and the evils of the social hierarchy look good enough to eat.

With a gloriously catchy soundtrack, plenty of comedy, and a dash of drama, Wonka is just an absolute delight! It doesn’t ride on nostalgia, though of course a rendition of ‘Pure Imagination’ is featured, but brings a fresh and endearing take on a classic literary character and delivers a story with a timeless and important message. I absolutely adored it!

Director: Paul King, 2023

Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Olivia Coleman, Tom Davis, Calah Lane, Paterson Jospeh, Mathew Baynton, Matt Lucas, Keegan-Michael Key, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Rich Fulcher, Rakhee Thakrar, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, & Rowan Atkinson

Wicked

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It was inevitable that Wicked was going to made into a musical film, right? The Disney-fied adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s dark take on the witches of Oz that took Broadway by storm and catapulted Idina Menzel into the centre of the universe lends itself sooo completely to cinematic adaption.

Of course, it’s always risky taking on a challenge like this. Adapting something that is so strongly beloved by a wide and vocal audience and transforming it into a new medium. I’m pretty sure there is an unwritten yet universally established law that if the film adaption of Wicked went south, then there would be sanctified lynch mobs with torches and all manner of sharp utensils on the hunt for all involved.

Thankfully, for everyone involved in the production of Wicked, this is not the case. The film has been received very warmly, spawning a whole new wave of fans of the musical.

Young, rich, and popular Galinda (Ariana Grande) has come to Shiz University with dreams of becoming a great sorceress. But her aspirations are shunned when Elphaba Thropp, a wallflower who was born with green skin catches the attention of Madame Morrible and is given the privilege of personal tutelage. The two girls then find themselves roommates and rivals, until their actions at a party changes their opinions of one another and they decide to become friends. This unlikely friendship is then put to the test when Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is invited to the Emerald City to visit the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz.

Covering the first half of the musical that establishes the rival-turned-friendship between the two witches, the film is a bright and glittering croquembouche made up of incredible set design, costume design, makeup, and special effects. Everything is big and bold and bright – a very pretty reimagining of Frank L. Baum’s wonderful world of Oz. But while it brings a classic setting into a modern age, it does not leave the older members of the audience behind. There are a number of sweet and lovely references to The Wizard of Oz, including the original font for the opening title and a very sweet little shadow play from Jeff Goldblum.

The underlying drama of the story, a narrative of racism and tyranny, does get shoved into the backseat of the film, but to be fair this also happened on stage and I can only assume that part 2 of Wicked will cram everything in up to the end – like the last Harry Potter film.

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I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I was going to, but I definitely do not hold any strong opinions of its brilliance or beauty. It was fine, it’s a good adaptation of the Broadway musical, and yes the performances are all very good. Cynthia and Ariana’s praise is literally being sung everywhere so there’s really not much point in my adding to it. I’ve heard complaints that it’s still too long considering that not a lot happens and it’s only half of the story, but I honestly didn’t notice the length so that argument is for you to make up your own mind about.

Wicked is a very visual film. It’s a feast, there’s no other way to say it, and it certainly does deliver the fun and magic of the Broadway musical. The transition from stage to screen has worked very well and everyone involved has been rightly celebrated. While it’s not a film that I can see myself rushing to watch again any time soon, it’s worth the watch if you have the time and the interest.

Director: Jon M. Chu (2024)

Cast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Andy Nyman, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Michelle Yeoh & Jeff Goldblum

Wish

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It’s often a wonder to think about the longevity of things that we have created. The passage of time is something that is both amazing and terrifying, as we can never tell what will remain celebrated throughout history and what will fade into obscurity.

I often marvel at the longevity of cinema –many of the larger studios have been celebrating centennials in the last few years and I got to thinking about the evolution of cinematic art and technique, how so many people have contributed to a medium that continues to grow and is both incredible in this respect, but also incredible when you consider how many people often lament the ‘golden days’ of it.

I was put onto this train of thought a while ago when I sat down and watched Wish – Disney’s 100^th film. The stakes were high for this one and while I can appreciate some of the animated techniques and choices, at the end of it all I found this movie to be a real disappointment and that just made me appreciate the Disney films from my childhood that little bit more.

The kingdom of Rosas is a peaceful and prosperous land, ruled by the magic and merciful King Magnifico who has the power to grant wishes. Each year he selects a single wish from his subjects to make come true. This tradition has been uninterrupted for years, making Rosas the wonderful land it is. That is until Asha, a young girl who dreams of becoming the king’s apprentice, discovers the king’s true motives. He only grants the most harmless and unambitious wishes, in order to retain his leadership and keep his people in line. Angered and betrayed by the injustice of the king, Asha wishes on an evening star for change, but gets more than she bargained for when the star literally falls into her lap stirring up mischief and sparks of rebellion.

To give credit where it is due, Wish had a lot of potential. The story is timeless, exploring the evils of tyranny, made fun and more accessible to its younger audience with the added element of magic – something that Disney is all about. The film was clearly intended to be a celebration of magic – the true magic in the world that comes in the form of love, friendship, believing in oneself and all that jazz. Good messages. And that’s kind of where the joy ends.

Wish was certainly ambitious. The art style is a fusion of the beautiful 2-dimensional watercolour backgrounds that created memorable worlds of Classic Disney – think the forests in Sleeping Beauty and Snow White- and the modern 3-dimensional character art that has since become the Disney norm a’la Tangled. While the combination of the two art styles is certainly an interesting idea, for whatever reason it just didn’t work so well and, rather than having a rich and vibrant Disney world that we can get completely enveloped in, the cinematic experience is tainted with a feeling that there is something off and it takes a good fifteen minutes to half an hour before you can actually put a finger on what’s bugging you.

The story itself is predictable, the characters aren’t particularly interesting, new, or even memorable, and even the songs are a real letdown with Chris Pine’s ‘villain’ song being the most memorable (for all the wrong reasons).

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And then we have the end. Up until the last 10 minutes of the film, I had been happy to be of the opinion that this movie was ambitious, quite simply Disney, and had its fun moments, but was nothing remarkable. And then someone made the decision to remind audiences of Disney's 100 classics and cram so many easter eggs and references into the last 10 minutes that I could feel my body cracking from the nostalgic whiplash. I suppose this decision was made to remind older audiences of the classics from their childhoods (yes, ok that worked) and inspire the younger ones to delve a little into some Disney animated history. But really it just felt like a greedy and smug flaunting of Disney’s golden ages. It was so heavy and saccharine, like being clubbed over the head with a hardened hunk of sugar that it completely, completely, ruined the already-mediocre opinion I had of this movie.

If you have any interest in checking out Wish, spend an afternoon with a friend with a Disney+ subscription, maybe some enjoyment can come from the conversational dissection that comes afterwards.

Director(s): Chris Buck & Fawn Veerasunthorn, 2023

Cast: Ariana Debose, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Niko Vargas, Evan Peters, Harvey Guillen, Ramy Youssef, Chris Pine & Victor Garber

Bride & Prejudice

Image credit: IMDb

Fresh and upgraded interpretations of a classic tale are always enjoyable; a testament to the cleverness, power, and longevity of the base narrative. While I certainly did not enjoy studying Shakespeare in English class, I cannot deny that the stories he came out with are timeless. It proves to be the same with Jane Austen, one of my favourite authors. For movie night a couple of weeks ago, best friend and myself settled in for a night of vibrant colours, costumes, music, and banter: we did Bride & Prejudice.

Lalita Bakshi and her sisters live happily with their parents in India. But there is a wider would out there with fortunes to be gained and security to be established. The marriage of a friend brings Lalita, Jaya, Maya, and Lakhi into the orbit of rich English and American developers and conflict ensues when cultural, socio-economic, and geographical preferences clash. Lalita draws the eye of William Darcy, and an unusual courtship takes place, fuelled by prejudice, pride, wealth, and cultural appropriation.

Celebrating the splendour of Bollywood, Bride & Prejudice is a fun and fresh retelling of a classic tale of romance, social conflict, and political standings. The fact that it’s a retelling of Pride and Prejudice works for itself and the film heightens this delightful story with an incredible wardrobe, breathtaking dance sequences, and a banging musical soundtrack.

The performances are all great, with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being sassy, smart, and gorgeous as Lalita, Nitin Ganatra bringing new life to the Mr. Collins character, and Nadira Babbar delivers a brilliant portrayal of the mother.

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Filled with witty banter, amazing costumes, catchy tunes, and romance, Bride & Prejudice is a very fun and fresh retelling of a classic love story. If you’re a fan of Austen and Pride and Prejudice, then it’s worth a watch.

Director: Gurinder Chadha (2005)

Cast: Martin Henderson, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Nadira Babbar, Anupam Kher, Naveen Andrews, Namrata Shirodkar, Daniel Gillies, Indira Varma, Sonali Kulkarni, Nitin Ganatra, Meghna Kothari, Peeya Rai Chowdhary, Marsha Mason, Alexis Bledel & Ashanti

Disenchanted

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There is always a risk with sequels. More often than not they are never as good as their predecessors, especially if those predecessors take the world by storm, as Disney’s Enchanted did. Remember that saccharinely sweet, absolutely over-the-top production that launched Amy Adams into the stratosphere and had us all singing? Admittedly the film is not all that amazing in hindsight, but what made it so huge was the clever way in which it played to that romantic part of us that really adores the idea of love at first sight and happily ever afters. When I discovered that there was a sequel, I didn’t know how to feel about it. How do you write another story when the lovers kiss and ride into the sunset that signals The End?

Giselle has had her happily ever after for a while. She has found her true love, gained a daughter, and even brought a new addition to the family. But when stress of parenthood and being stepmother to a teenager begin to wear her down, she wonders if there are new happily ever afters out there. So she and Robert decide to move to suburbia. Upon moving to Monroeville, the family is visited by King Edward and Queen Nancy of Andalasia, who bring with them a magic wishing wand for their baby goddaughter Sofia. After a fight with Morgan, Giselle uses the wand and makes a wish that turns Monroeville into a fairytale village complete with an evil queen. But her wish takes a turn when she starts to adopt behaviours befitting a wicked stepmother.

This movie was really surprising. As a sequel, it’s actually really good. All of the original cast reprise their roles and it has that same over-the-top, fairytale splendour that so violently coloured the original. The story is a lot more complex, as it explores the intricacies of changing identities, growing up, and the dynamic social roles in both the family and community. The driving force for all the characters is trying to adapt to a world that is getting older with them and mourning the loss of better days. Morgan is going through adolescence, Robert is close to hitting a mid-life crisis, and Giselle struggles to find happiness in a world where there is no magic. It’s actually hard to verbalise all the stuff that is going on.

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The performances are all great and the soundtrack features some bangers that will absolutely be making it into my Favourite Musicals playlist. And every visual aspect of this movie is absolutely gorgeous from the costumes, to the set design, to the choreography, and the computer wizardry that sees some truly amazing scenes.

I’ll admit that I was sceptical and not sure about it for the first half, but the film turned itself around and became something that I really enjoyed and was surprised by. If you liked Enchanted, then I think you’ll enjoy Disenchanted.

Director: Adam Shankman, 2022

Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Maya Rudolph, Gabriella Baldacchino, Idina Menzel, Jayma Mays, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alan Tudyk & James Marsden

The Little Mermaid

 

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It’s a weird feeling that is becoming ever-increasing nowadays as studios, primarily Disney, decide to take animated classics and make ‘live-action’ versions. On the one hand there are many that lend themselves to being brought into the fleshy, 3D world we live in, whereas others might be best suited to be left alone. This phenomenon has a tendency to cause strong and conflicting feelings within the hearts of audiences, with some being for, some being against, and some being of the opinion that we won’t know how we feel about it until we see it. The latter is how I’ve felt about Disney’s latest classic to receive a revamp: The Little Mermaid.

 Young Ariel is a spirited mermaid with an obsession for the world above the waves. Forbidden by her father to venture to the surface, Ariel satisfies her curiosity with collecting trinkets from shipwrecks. But when the lure of the surface becomes too much, she defies her father’s wishes and saves a human prince from drowning. Quickly falling in love with him Ariel goes to Ursula the Sea Witch for help and is granted legs and a chance to become human. But the deal comes with a price and Ariel has only 3 days to get true love’s kiss or else belong to the Sea Witch forever.

Honestly, I was expecting to dislike this much more. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this revamp of a classic. It was a mixed bag of highs and lows, ebbs and flows, but overall a very enjoyable night out at the movies.

The story takes a on a bit more of a cultural narrative, exploring the traditional beliefs about mermaids and sirens much more openly than the original animated classic. I also enjoyed the symmetry between the two royal families of the land and sea. Both Eric and Ariel are similar characters, as well as their parents and there’s a nice look at the discourses in politics between the generations as well as other cultures. Triton’s multicultural family is a little bit of a PC handwave, but at least it does make an effort to explain why some of his daughters are Asian, African, Caucasian, Mediterranean etc.

The performances were all fine, but nothing outstanding. Indeed the two people who shine in this movie are Halle Bailey who brings a new life to Ariel, although I felt that her performance was shaky until she got onto land, and Awkwafina who does the voice of Skuttle and brings a lot of fresh comedy to the show. Javier Bardem as Triton was formidable and impressive, but didn’t have fatherly warmth, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian was funny, but a copy of Samuel L. Wright with a higher voice, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula – one of the greatest Disney villains ever – needed a little salt. This saddened me the most because I rather like Melissa and I absolutely adore Ursula. McCarthy’s performance was almost a carbon copy of Pat Carroll’s, minus some notes on the diva scale. For the first half of the film it felt like McCarthy just wasn’t having any fun being this fantastic character, but I will say that she did a very good job of ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ and that’s when she started to really sink into the role.

Image credit: Mickeybog.com

Then we have the special effects. Creating the vibrancy of an underwater world has gotten a lot easier over the years, as nature documentaries and underwater geographical exploration has brought wondrous images to the surface that can now be recreated in fantasy films. While the colour and splendour of under the sea is definitely gorgeous here, the interaction between the characters and their surroundings still seems a little off. There’s still a level of ‘fake’ that slides about the screen during the first half, set underwater. The way the merpeoples’ hair moves, for example. Perhaps it’s because we’re already primed with the knowledge that green screens are everywhere, but it’s hard to get beyond the weird CG film that coats everything in the more fantastical, otherworldly scenes, and this sadly does influence the cinematic experience.

This all sounds worse than it actually was however. At the end of the day, I had a really nice cinematic experience from this movie. It delivered wave upon wave of nostalgia and voyeurism, the addition of a few new songs were a nice surprise, and while the performances felt lacklustre in the first half, everyone came into their own in the end. I honestly do think that everyone involved did a really good job and deserve congratulations because this is a tricky film to flesh out of the realm of animation, and I do believe that everyone did accomplish that.

For a nice night out at the movies, you could do worse than The Little Mermaid.

Director: Rob Marshall, 2023

Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, & Melissa McCarthy.

Matilda the Musical

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There is nothing quite as upsetting as wanting to like something because it’s got everything going for it and ending up not liking it at all. It’s an unpleasant combination of emotions that come from such an experience: disappointment, the feeling of being robbed or duped, deflated, and sometimes even angry. I’m sorry to say that I experienced this recently, with Matilda the Musical.

Where most parents think their child is a miracle, others take a less romantic approach. Matilda Wormwood is born into a greedy and crooked family that cannot see what an incredible child she is. And she is incredible. With a mind so great, it absorbs everything she reads, as well as allows her to make up amazing stories and gives her the power of telekinesis, Matilda hopes that her talents will be better appreciated in school. While her teacher, Miss Honey, sees her potential, the tyrannical headmistress determines to treat Matilda as badly as she does the rest of her students, and Matilda decides that if so many people find her revolting, then revolt she shall!

Matilda is my favourite story by Roald Dahl and Danny DeVito’s film adaptation still remains one of my favourite movies from childhood. I also really love Tim Minchin who is responsible for the music and while I have never seen the stage musical, I have only ever heard great things. So, you can imagine how keen I was when I discovered Matilda the Musical on Netflix. While there is actually nothing wrong or badly done about this film, I was just overwhelmed by a feeling that something got lost in the translation from stage to screen.

It’s not uncommon for stage musicals to lose something when they’re put onto the screen. It’s tricky to try and keep that spectacle that comes from a stage show and have it produce the same visual experience when crammed into a box. Sadly, I don’t think up-and-coming director Matthew Marchus was up to the challenge. The film itself is very visual and satisfying with grand set designs for the larger musical numbers, a very bright colour palette, and over-the-top performances. ‘Stimulating’ is absolutely the best word to describe it. However, I could not help but feel that the wholesome magic of the story got replaced by the stage-like spectacle.

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And because I felt like something was missing from this story that I absolutely adore, I wasn’t able to get sucked into the film. I also found Emma Thompson’s resemblance to Ben Kingsley a little unnerving. On this note, I do have to applaud the cast because the performances were pretty stellar. Alisha Weir as Matilda is a rising little star and she played the role incredibly well, with sweetness and fire that was very endearing. Emma Thompson as Agatha Trunchbull is the epitome of tyrannical authority figures, a terrifying giant in the eyes of a child and I could feel the fun she was having with the role.

I love the story, I love the characters, I love Tim Minchin, and I love musicals so you can imagine how much I really wanted to love this movie. Sadly, the magic got lost or fizzled out, and I can’t bring myself to say that I was a fan. I guess I liked it fine, because there was nothing actually wrong with it, but I couldn’t bring myself to love it because it just fell short.

Director: Matthew Warchus (2022)

Cast: Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, Winter Jarrett-Glasspool, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Rei Yamauchi Fulker, & Emma Thompson

Encanto

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Wow. It has been too long since I watched and reviewed a new movie. It’s disheartening that something I love so much is something that I just don’t seem to have enough time for anymore. But the other day, partner and I made time and we curled up on the couch for a fun time with Disney’s Encanto.

Encanto tells the story of a small community founded by a family that has been gifted with the miracle of a magic candle that spawned a magic house, which then grants magical gifts to each new generation. That is until the tradition is broken when Mirabel, eager to receive her magical gift, does not get one. Upon the gifting of her young cousin, Mirabel discovers strange cracks in the house’s foundation. Soon her family’s various powers begin malfunctioning and it falls to Mirabel to uncover the truth behind the fading miracle and save her family. 

Kind of like The Incredibles, but with magic, Encanto is a sweet and touching exploration into the family structure and the healing/devastating power of family ties. Brightened as it is by its magical themed plot and incredibly stunning and vibrant colour and animation, it’s actually a very adult film, dealing with themes of mental illness, generational gaps, and the ‘evils’ of some familial structures within certain cultures. It’s particularly interesting because there is no clear-cut, typical villain, the stress and anxieties poisoning the family actually stem from a difference in cultural and generational attitudes. 

The animation is staggeringly beautiful: bright and reminiscent of Moana, a voyeuristic escape into another world like a wondrous holiday. And then there is the soundtrack. An incredible blend of Latin and modern pop that makes each and every song catchy, moving, and memorable. You’ll absolutely be singing it for a week after watching the film. 

Image credit: CNBC

Encanto is another feather in Disney’s cap, which by this stage is 100 percent an elaborate Ziegfeld Follies headpiece that you can see from space! It’s visually, audibly, and narratively glorious and I would highly recommend you watch it. 

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, & Charise Castro Smith (2021)

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero, Adassa, Wilmer Valderrama, Rhenzy Feliz, Maluma, & John Leguizamo

Steven Universe: The Movie

    

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What do you watch on a Sunday night when you can’t pick a TV series and a film would turn it into too late of a night? Easy. Steven Universe: the Movie! For my partner and I last night, it was the perfect choice, a none-too-complex plot with a minimal feature-length runtime. Having just finished the series, we knew exactly what we were in for and the film did not disappoint. 

Set after the events of the series where half-gem-half-human hybrid Stephen Universe has brought peace to the galaxy, the movie starts with Stephen literally singing about his own happily ever after. However, his song is cut short when a mysterious syringe-like machine comes to Earth piloted by a crazy cartoonish gem who is clearly out for revenge on Stephen. When she temporarily destroys his family, Stephen does the same to her before realising he needs her to turn off the drill that is slowly injecting poison into the planet. When the Gems reform they have no memory of Steven or their life on Earth and it’s a race against time for Stephen to restore his family’s memories, regain his magical powers, and learn what he did that made Spinella so mad. 

Steven Universe is quite possibly one of the most wholesome and truly delightful cartoon series on the planet! A Cartoon Network creation, it’s just a really lovely musical animated series filled with magic, space travel, moral lessons, and promotion of community spirit. The character development is majestic and the characters themselves are just mwah (kisses fingertips upon typing).

      

Image credit: Vulture

As can be expected, the film is more or less a feature-length episode of the show with the major difference being that Stephen is now sixteen years old and properly growing up. While the story itself is really simple and high predictable, the adorableness of the world and its inhabitants, mingled with the sincerity and tangible love that the cast and crew have for them just ensures a lovely time.

Steven Universe: the Movie is a sweet and successful follow-on to an already sweet and successful series. Delightfully, the film does not go in for overdone jokes that cheapens one’s enjoyment of the show, rather the it puts one in mind of other animated sequels including Toy Story 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet. 

I loved it. 

 Director: Rebecca Sugar, 2019

Cast: Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Mango, Tom Scharpling, Grace Rolek, Matthew Moy, Kate Micucci, Shelby Rabara, Jennifer Paz, Uzo Aduba, Charlyne Yi, Erica Luttrell, Patti LuPone, Lisa Hannigan, Christine Ebersole, & Sara Stiles

Aladdin and the King of Thieves

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So the novelty of Disney+ and the access to the cave of wonders that it has, has not worn off yet as I find myself curling up and watching terrible sequels and spin-off films because I can. The other night, it was Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

When Aladdin and Jasmine’s wedding is crashed by the infamous forty thieves, some mysteries from Aladdin’s past come to light and he goes on a quest to find his father. When he discovers that his father is none other than the King of Thieves who crashed his wedding in order to steal a sceptre of the Oracle to find the Hand of Midas, he becomes convinced that he can change his father’s ways. But with a mutinous second-in-command out to get the treasure and a little revenge on Aladdin and the King, this might not be as easy as he thought.

It’s the film that didn’t need to be, but is. I guess it makes a lot of sense for Disney to have a crack at the tale of the forty thieves from 1001 Nights, after all it’s another classic story that was the opening line of Friend Like Me, but twisting it to be about Aladdin’s father and a story of redemption and identity change is a little desperate. The big “I am your father” moment has absolutely no impact because it’s such a predictable plot point that we work it out as soon as Aladdin mentions his deceased father (which he has never done in either of the previous films). From there the relationship between the two men is kind of awkward and forced, the story itself is very weak, and after Jafar, the villain is as un-menacing and mediocre as an arrowroot biscuit!

Image credit: Disney Wiki Fandom

Where the film shines is in the fact that they got Robin Williams back to reprise his role as Genie and just let him run wild. Genie’s screen time completely outweighs the heroes’ and villain’s put together and Williams went absolutely crazy on the imitations and mockeries of other celebrities. I literally lost count somewhere around Sylvester Stallone and Woody Allen (and they were both at the beginning). 

Aladdin and the King of Thieves is pretty mediocre as a film, but nevertheless it is fun to watch and succeeds in eating up over an hour of your time.

Director: Tad Stones, 1996

Cast: Val Bettin, Jim Cummings, Gilbert Gottfried, Linda Larkin, Jerry Orbach, John Rhys-Davies, Scott Weinger, Frank Welker, and Robin Williams.

Frozen II

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So, amidst the binging of Prime and Netflix; which is currently all I can do thanks to the country’s being on fire and the smoke being highly dissuading from going outside, I have managed to check out some films at the movies this holiday season. The first is the sequel that I think no one particularly wanted, but were given anyway because, money duh: Frozen II.

Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) now lives in open comfort with her powers, ruling Arendelle justly and righteously. However, when a strange voice begins to haunt her she becomes restless and discovers that this call is coming from an enchanted forest from her childhood in need of rescuing. Determined to discover the source of the call she travels into the unknown with Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf to learn the truth about herself and save Arendelle from a grim fate.

While I don’t think it’s the sequel that anyone really wanted, Frozen II might actually be the movie we need at this time of year. With the close of another year bringing us all a step further into the future, this movie is actually a very clever depiction of the struggles of growing up. All the characters begin uncertain about what happens now, when the villain has been defeated and the happy ending achieved. Olaf is openly questioning everything, waiting for the day he’s more mature to understand, while Anna is oblivious to any future direction, and Elsa is unsatisfied with where her path has led. The various, intertwining stories of career, changing identity, and conflict with social norms actually makes this movie quite compelling, especially for the adults in the audience who have been or are going through the exact same thing.

Visually it’s another Disney knockout with a crisp and beautiful colour palette and gorgeous, glowing magic, musical, and action sequences. While some key plot points are kind of predictable, thus losing the intended surprise factor, overall it’s a very entertaining movie with a soundtrack of great new songs (‘Into the Unknown’ is no ‘Let it Go’, but still really good) and plenty of laugh out loud moments to balance out the scenes of sadness.

Image credit: Radio Times

While I believe that Pixar dissects and depicts complex themes infinitely better, Frozen II gave it a red-hot go and I have to give it snaps for its semi-successful efforts (the determination for a happy ending ruined a few of the more dramatic moments for me, but beggars can’t be choosers). It’s a great movie to check out this season because there is something in it for the whole family.

Director: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, 2019

Cast: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Alfred Molina, Martha Plimpton, Jason Ritter, Rachel Matthews, Jeremy Sisto, Alan Tudyk, and Ciaran Hinds

Dot and the Kangaroo

Image credit: Wikipedia

There’s nothing nicer that revisiting a movie from your childhood and realising that you can still enjoy it as an adult, especially if it’s a film that you remember not being overly spectacular. I experienced this last night when I discovered that Prime has Dot ad the Kangaroo, an animated classic that I had almost completely forgotten.

This little animated gem takes place in the Australian bushland and tells the story of a little girl named Dot (Barbara Frawley) who gets lost. Coming to her aid is a beautiful red kangaroo (Joan Bruce) that teaches her to understand the animals and the two then venture all over the bush trying to find Dot’s way home.

An homage to the beautiful Australian outback and its unique fauna, Dot and the Kangaroo, despite being a little dated, is truly a wonderful film that not only inspires its audience to appreciate and protect Australia’s wondrous flora and fauna, it’s a very interesting experimentation with animated cinema.

This movie is true blue, meaning that it’s a depiction of Australian bush culture and a part of our cultural identity that is authentic and self-appraising rather than glossier films such as FernGully or The Rescuers Down Under that have that mainstream, American shine. What sets it apart from other animated films is its blend of different drawing styles; most of the film is done in simple animation with cave indigenous cave drawings used in a dream sequence, and the superimposition of animated characters in real footage of the bush (a la Mary Poppins).

While this filmic style takes a little bit of getting used to and many scenes remind one a little of Sam Raimi’s opening and closing scenes of The Evil Dead, it proves to be a proves to be a most fascinating and effective technique.

Image credit: YouTube

The rest of the film is pretty dated, telling a very simple story with accompanying musical numbers that remind one of morning TV shows for toddlers, but there is something beautiful about the film that still manages to bring tears to the adult’s eyes as well as the child’s. All Aussie children should be brought up on Dot and the Kangaroo.

Director: Yoram Gross, 1977

Cast: Barbara Frawley, Joan Bruce, Spike Milligan, June Salter, Ross Higgins, Ron Haddrick, Richard Miekle, Lola Brooks, Peter Gwynne, George Assang, Kerrie Biddell, John Derum, Kevin Golsby, Nola Lester, and Sue Walker

Aladdin

Image credit: Wikipedia

I understand why Disney has decided to jump on the train and remake their animated classics into live-action movies: it’s a mixture of giving older audiences nostalgia rides and a way of getting a whole new generation of viewers. Having said that, I sometime find myself asking who these movies are for because, as in the tonight’s case, they just don’t seem to be for anyone.

Tonight, I went and saw Aladdin.

Told as a bedtime story/flashback the film is a vibrant re-imagining of the classic story of a common thief who falls in love with a princess in disguise, finds a magic lamp and then goes a journey of self-discovery, turning himself into a prince and than having to keep up the charade whilst also trying to avoid the villain: the Sultan’s wicked and power-hungry royal vizier who is also after the lamp.

I grew up loving the original animated classic. Right from the start I did not have high expectations of this movie because, a) it’s been done, and b) I had Robin Williams as Genie. Well I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t proved wrong either. Before I go into all the things that I found wrong with this movie, I will say that it was not as awful as I was expecting. The power of the story and the music, which thankfully they did not change too much, was enough to give me them warm, Disney feels, and I appreciate that. But that’s more or less where the good times stopped.

I’d say that the film’s central problem is the writing. While the story of Aladdin and the Lamp has been around since before the birth of written literature, and therefore, speaks for itself, screenwriters John August and Guy Richie somehow managed to take all those memorable characters from the original movie and make them boring!

Let’s talk about Princess Jasmine first, who gained a lifelike feminine physique at the price of losing her entire character. Remember how animated Jasmine had all that anger and sass and moxy? Well, there’s none of that here. Annoyingly, her whole shtick of being the loud and opinionated female gets squashed to a simpering complaint and that distinctive feature of her character gets given to the men (by having them openly voice outdated masculine modes of thinking and generally, being dicks).

Then we have Jafar. While I actually rather liked that his character had more of a back story and breadth of character than just being the power-hungry evil man, his character was rewritten to be serious and dramatic, the wickedness coming from his motives and a love of war. He was nowhere near as charismatic as his animated counterpart and you know what, not that entertaining for the youngsters that need to be shown everything rather than told. Aside from his climactic third act, there’s nothing particularly wicked or scary about the villain and that takes three of the main characters (Aladdin was never particularly interesting in the first place) out of the running for entertainment value.

No Robin Williams, but I applaud Will Smith for attempting to step into those shoes and, you know what, he was actually the most entertaining person on screen. I applaud his renditions of three classic tracks in Disney's musical history and he made Genie a different and entertaining character in his own right. Good on you Will.

Image credit: Movie Quotes and More

The real stars of the show are the people in the art department, set designers, makeup artists, and costume designers. On a visual level, Aladdin is definitely a smart choice for a live-action remake and the film itself is incredibly vibrant, colourful, and beautiful. It just would have been nice if the sweet inside the wrapper was as tantalising.

While it certainly was not the worst movie in the world, Aladdin just didn’t do it for me and I still wonder what audiences it works for. My guess is children who were born within the last ten years and sit at around 6-11 years old. It’s a little too adult for the younglings and anyone born in the ‘90s and raised with the original runs the risk of being disappointed.

Director Guy Richie, 2019

Cast: Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Billy Magnussen, Nasim Pedrad, and Will Smith

Rocketman

Image credit: IMDb

After the success of Bo Rhap it seems that biopics about giants of music in the ‘70s and ‘80s have become a thing. Not at all a bad thing. The newest of these pics to take off has been Rocketman, the ‘musical fantasy’ about Elton John's ascent into rock ‘n’ roll orbit (and his sinking into a few black holes). 

Beginning (more or less) at the end, and told through a series of flashbacks, the film chronicles the troubled childhood of young Reginald Dwight, his discovery of a talent for music, and his journey to break into the industry. Staggering in to the spotlight all too quickly, Elton John’s (Taron Egerton) road to fame quickly becomes paved with emotional turmoil and narcotics addiction, and a tortured quest to find love becomes the only light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

While the two are completely different films, if I had to draw a comparison between Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, the latter is the winner. While (predictably) the central story of drug addiction and the quest to find love, identity, and self-respect is dramatised, some aspects being exaggerated and fictionalised for cinematic drama’s sake, I have to say that Rocketman is a better-made film than Bo Rhap (though the latter’s performances still take the cake).

More of a musical than a straight music biopic with the artist’s most iconic songs peppered throughout, the film is reminiscent of a number of Golden Hollywood musicals blended with the stadium-rocking scenes of Elton John’s legendary performances.

John’s most influential songs are used in the traditional way of the musical, during insightful or dramatic scenes and in the most normal of spaces. We’re talking Singin’ in the Rain-esque, with the occasional larger musical number thrown in a la Enchanted or Mamma Mia!. Funnily enough, these fantasy-musical scenes are blended beautifully with the rest of the film and its tone of straight-laced, dramatic biopic.

Image credit: Forbes

Taron Egerton delivers a charismatic and memorable performance as the bedazzled icon himself, resisting the urge to be flagrantly queen-like, and instead depicting a tortured character that is repressed, shy, angry, and unstable in their own identity. The emotional story is quite a complex one and Egerton depicts it very well indeed.

Rocketman is definitely a film worth seeing. Fans of biopics, musicals, Elton John, or who have a vague appreciation of cinema in general will come out of the theatre with a little something to make their day richer.

Director: Dexter Fletcher (2019)

Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Arterton, Gemma Jones, Steven Mackintosh, Matthew Illesley, Charlie Rowe, Celinde Schoenmaker, Stephen Graham, and Rachel Muldoon

Les Miserables

Image credit: IMDb

Ever had one of those days where you feel that you need to watch a grandiose and ambitious venture of musical theatre? That was me today and, deciding to watch the only adaptation on Netflix of a musical that I have never seen before, I combated the feeling with Les Misberables.

A cinematic adaptation of the stage musical, based on Victor Hugo’s immense novel, the film tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who has served as a slave for nineteen years for the crime of stealing bread. When he is freed, he breaks his parole and disappears to start a new life. Always behind him is the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe), determined to bring him to justice. Alongside this central cat-and-mouse story is the parallel story of love and revolution as Valjean’s adopted ward Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) falls in love with a revolutionary (Eddie Redmayne).

I have always been interested in the story of Les Mis and its complexity as a highly theatrical example of musical theatre. Closer in nature to soft opera, this movie is really not the best adaptation to start with. Cinematically, it’s clumsy, crude, and brutal with harsh lighting and a strange montage of camera shots that are good for the certain scenes they are depicting, but stand alone and don’t blend with the majority of the film.

While the story speaks for itself; a classic and moving tale of love, hope, and redemption, the films is brought down by director Tom Hooper’s (interesting?) decision to have the actors sing their songs live. Still giving screen performances, but with the added pressure of singing over the top proves to only work when the characters are standing still and not having to cry or stamp around in a passion. The imbalance in volume of the backing orchestral score takes away a fair portion of the romance and drama that accompanies the musical, which in turns strips the story of its more moving and emotionally stimulating perks.

Image credit: Hollywood Reporter

However, despite this imbalance, the talent of the central cast cannot be denied. Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Barks all exhibit their chops to great effect, which certainly works as a somewhat redeeming feature.

But, at the end of the day, the grandiosity that springs to mind whenever the words Les Mis are uttered is completely lacking in this film and one is left with the conclusion that, in order to appreciate it properly, one might just have save the dough and go to the theatre.

Director: Tom Hooper, 2012

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, and Daniel Huttlestone