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Tag Archives: Family Film
Review in Brief: The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)
Between INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE and now THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES, Sony Pictures Animation are in a league of their own. Nobody else is creating animated features with this energy, emotion and visual uniqueness quite like them. Aspiring filmmaker Katie’s … Continue reading
Scoob! (2020) Review
Posted in Film, Film Review, The Film Magazine
Tagged Animation, Family Film, Scoob! Scooby Doo
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Review in Brief: Aladdin (2019)
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
Posted in Film, Film Review, Review in Brief
Tagged Aladdin, Blockbuster, Disney, Family Film, Guy Ritchie, Marwan Kenzari, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Will Smith
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Review: Onward (2020)
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
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Bright, Chris Pratt, Dan Scanlon, Disenchantment, Family Film, Fantasy, Indiana Jones, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Onward, Pixar, Shrek, Tom Holland
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Review in Brief: Dumbo (2019)
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
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Disney, Dumbo, Family Film, Michael Keaton, Tim Burton
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Review: Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
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
Review in Brief: Early Man (2018)
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
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Aardman, Animation, Early Man, Eddie Redmayne, Family Film, Nick Park
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30s Review: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
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
Posted in Classic Film, Film, Film Review
Tagged 1930s, Bert Lahr, Classic Film, David Bowie, Family Film, Fantasy, Film 4, Jack Haley, Jennifer Connolly, Judy Garland, Labyrinth, Margaret Hamilton, Musical, Oz the Great and Powerful, Peter Jackson, Ray Bolger, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Wicked
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Review: Mary and the Witch’s Flower (2017)
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
Review in Brief: Moana (2016)
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
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Alan Tudyk, Animation, Auli'i Cravalho, David Bowie, Disney, Dwayne Johnson, Family Film, Jemaine Clement, Moana, Pocahontas
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