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Reviews
Matilda: The Musical (2022)
Entertaining but flawed stage-screen adaption
Having seen the stage show several times I was intrigued to see how this would. What this film will suffer from is being compared to the theater version on which it is based.
It is inevitable that to make the transition things would need to be cut, but sadly a lot of what is missing affects the surroundings of Matilda (e.g. The Wormwood's obsession with TV, how odious they are.) Some of what remains speeds by quickly and so doesn't have the impact it really should (e.g. The 'green hair' setup is blink-and-miss-it.)
Sadly, Emma Thompson as Trunchbull didn't work for me; there is more to this nasty character than just shouting at the children and I didn't feel she was intimidating as it needed to be. During 'The Hammer' this is perhaps most noticeable; she sings well but it is much the same delivery throughout - 'shouty' and lacks the cold-hearted simple delivery you get on stage. The accent changes a few times and I couldn't get away from thinking 'That's Emma in a suit' rather than 'what a sinister and intimidating character.'
Minchin's songs though are at least as bright and bouncy as the stage show counterparts. Alisha Weir is a fantastic Matilda and Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey really gets the backstory of the character.
The screen version allows a lot of playful direction too that cannot be achieved in a theater so there is much visual delight to gain from seeing this. A particular highlight is how the Trunchbull is frightened off at the end, which enabled it to be much more 'frightening' than the stage version.
Overall, an enjoyable viewing but you can't help but go away comparing it to the stage show if you've seen it.
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
Europe's (or indeed the world's) Most Wanted...
...Sequel that is.
Let's face it- at the moment, everyone's jumping on the trilogy bandwagon. Some though provide more successful results than others.
Madagascar 3 is DEFINITELY one of these successes.
Taking off where the second film left off (with some dialogue EXACTLY the same) the film is thrust straight into the continuing struggle to find home of our favourite bunch of animals.
Swimming to Monte Carlo to reunite with the Penguins and Chimps, they face possibly one of the most brilliant, if a little unrealistically super-human at times (note how she smashes through building walls), villain in the shape of 'Captain Dubois', Animal Control.
With Dubois on their tails, the animals join a travelling circus and make their way across the European continent, where more hilarity ensues as they realize they need to re-invent the floundering acts.
There are some truly beautiful moments in this film, such as the Trapeze Rehearsal with Alex and Gia, all helped by an excellent score. Combine with some visually stunning animation (such as that in the London Circus performance) and some snappy and humorous lines and you've found yourself what has to be one of the best films of the year.
Very few films reach a third and continue to be consistently good (or better) but Madagascar 3 is certainly one of them. Enjoyed it so much did I that I have seen it TWICE at the cinema, and would happily see it many times over.
My only criticism of the film overall is the clichéd underlying romance story. I don't see why one of these has to be crow-barred into every film these days; it can't be claimed as compulsory or helpful to EVERY story as the first Madagascar went without and did absolutely fine.
This aside, what you have here is an all-round thoroughly enjoyable film that will keep you entertained every time you watch it. And should we be so lucky as to receive a fourth instalment, then I genuinely wouldn't mind, and there aren't many film series where I would say that believe me...
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
Good But not great sequel
Lets face it. Direct to video sequels are never 'Wow' material. This is no exception.
I feel that marketing films like this as a 'sequel' is misleading, as they are nowhere near the mark of sequel material.
You can tell how cheaply this was made; the voices have nowhere near as much effort and feel behind them as the original, and the animation is about that of a TV cartoon- a little rough around the edges.
For me, it's just an average thing to pass the time on a quiet evening every so often.
Music wise, the score is lovely; despite not to the same standards as the predecessor, it has its own charm to it and is all round quite suiting. However, there is an issue I can see.
The original film, song felt written around the story and pieced in to suit the mood and story. The songs were spread out through the film, but this film is the opposite. Four or five songs within the first 40 minutes is too much, and each one deliberately set up rather than gently flowing in. Don't get me wrong, there are some truly fantastic songs, just too close together and too forced.
Story wise, it's very much similar in parts to the original. 'You killed your relative,' 'Its not my fault' forms a key part of the plot, and there are several direct copies from th first, such as death by falling from hanging off a cliff-face. A heartwarming story in places, like Romeo and Juliet with love between rivals, but that's about it. There's nothing that truly stands out to me and makes you want to watch it again, and nothing that really grips you as the story unfolds. The speech feels forced rather than natural in places.
There's a nice mix of characters used in the film, bit the returning ones aren't all the same personalities, which is their defining part. Timon and Pumba don't feel wacky for their characterisation, but because we expect them to be so; they just feel wrong. Even Simba appears out-of-place in his homeland. The new characters however work well, and with a better script and voice acting, really cloud have brought something to the Lion King that would have made a real difference And created a true impact on the pride of Simba AND the audience. The turning against the evil villain was pretty predictable, but felt out of character. It could have developed further I feel than simply 'I'm evil, but now I'm good.'
Overall, I did enjoy it at times, but if you want a film that is emotionally moving, gripping and enjoyable, then I'd suggest you see the first one. This is good to while away a wet afternoon perhaps on an occasion, but that is all.
ParaNorman (2012)
Pushing The Boundaries of stop motion animation.
Stop motion animation films are, in my opinion, one of the best types of film you can ask for. From Aardman's Chicken Run to Tim Burton's Corpse bride, the styles and stories within this genre vary considerably.
ParaNorman has taken this to an entirely new level with the effects, designs and writing. At first glance, you may think this to be a children's film, but it isn't.
Within the first few minutes, the viewer is greeted with this conversation: "What are you watching in there?" "Sex and violence."
And thus begins what I consider to be one of the best stop-motion animation films to date. Littered with comedic moments (Rugby-kicking a zombie's head) to moments of emotion (finding out the true story of the 'witch'), ParaNorman I feel has gone where no stop motion has yet to go.
The visual effects are stunning, and the script holds some truly unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of the seat until the very end. If we are delivered more animations like this then things can only get better.
A zombie film with real surprises.