Tag Archives: Family Film

Review in Brief: Aladdin (2019)

Posted on April 4, 2020 by

There’s a line of dialogue in the new ALADDIN that sums it up rather well: “Clumsy, but in a charming sort of way”. It’s very close to the animated movie, with Mena Massoud really looking and sounding the part, but … Continue reading →

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Review: Onward (2020)

Posted on March 27, 2020 by

Haven’t we been here before? SHREK, BRIGHT, DISENCHANTMENT and many others all present us with a fantasy world that operates by the rules of the world today to some extent. Pixar’s latest, ONWARD, might not be the sharpest or most … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Dumbo (2019)

Posted on August 15, 2019 by

To its credit, this Disney remake has some good gags (a circus strongman making a valiant effort to double as their accountant) and a level of visual sumptuousness impressive even by Tim Burton’s usual standards (the costumes, the reimagining of … Continue reading →

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Review: Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Posted on January 16, 2019 by

Like everyone who’s reviewed this what I’m going to ask is (brace yourself) is MARY POPPINS RETURNS practically perfect in every way? Not quite, but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses and its style and intentions are quite admirable. The … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Early Man (2018)

Posted on December 19, 2018 by

EARLY MAN is a gentle, cosy watch. It’s Aardman and Nick Park sticking firmly to his house style, playing it very safe. There’s maybe three cracking jokes in the whole thing, but all the Bristol claymation house’s usual handmade imagination … Continue reading →

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30s Review: The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Posted on August 31, 2018 by

A couple of weekends back I attended my first ever outdoor film screening as part of Film 4’s Summer Screen at Somerset House in London. It was a dream-themed double-bill of LABYRINTH followed by what I think most of the … Continue reading →

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Review: Mary and the Witch’s Flower (2017)

Posted on May 18, 2018 by

MARY AND THE WITCH’S FLOWER, the first film from Studio Ghibli successors Studio Ponoc looks stunning, but it does feel insubstantial. That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s just not really about much. I’m prepared to forgive a lot because … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Moana (2016)

Posted on April 25, 2017 by

MOANA is colourful, energetic and heartfelt, and enriches its world with Polynesian cultural influences in a far less patronising manner than was attempted in POCAHONTAS with Native American folklore. It’s also very safe in its storytelling, falling back on Disney … Continue reading →

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Review: The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

Posted on February 22, 2017 by

The opening gambit in THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE has Will Arnett’s gravelly Caped Crusader passing comment on the logos of all the production companies involved, and this made me wish he could do the same for some of the Oscar … Continue reading →

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Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Posted on November 22, 2016 by

I was just the right age for HARRY POTTER. The books were coming out in the years when I was really into my reading and I’ve grown up simultaneously with the cast of the films. Even with the involvement of … Continue reading →

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