Troll - 1986 - USA

 Troll - 1986 - 5/10

 
The Harry Potter family (no, not that one) move into a San Francisco apartment.
One gathers rents were more reasonable in ‘86.
Young Wendy is soon possessed by a troll, who sets about converting building and denizens into magic land.
I was sorta OK with that, except there comes a “friendly witch”, potty mouthed June Lockhart.
Not to be confused with the second film, which is atrocious, this is decent family fare save for June Lockhart.
The sound mix was one of the first that jumped out at me in the era of HiFi VHS.
Quite funny, actually, if one is not predisposed to hate it.

Danger Island - 1968 - USA

Danger Island - 1968 - 6/10

 
“Uh oh, Chongo!”
Professor Hayden and his young crew find sunken treasure in the waters near Tobanya.
They are soon overrun by pirates with Link (Jan Michel Vincent) kicked overboard for shark bait.
Although the boat is blown up, Link survives, is washed ashore, and is befriended by two other castaways.
Who inform him the island is replete with cannibals and headhunters.  Not to mention predatory animals.
Pirates, cannibals, snakes, sharks, lions!
Fast moving serial, aimed at children, originally aired on the old Banana Splits show.
20-30 episodes, but only 5 minutes each. Easy to dip in and out.
Mindless, yet the stunts, action, settings, indicate a quality budget and good faith effort by Hanna-Barbera.

Hey Cartooners! - 2024 - USA

Hey Cartooners! - 2024 - 6/10  

 
Loving biography of the Tri-State’s Mr. Cartoon, Jule Huffman.
Generations ago, after-school programming devoted to children was ubiquitous across the land.
Every city and burg had their Cousin Cliff, Uncle Willie, Captain Chesapeake, Ranger Jim …
Playful souls who know how to embrace children without talking down to them.
In between noise and camaraderie would be cartoons, a Stooges short, or Flash Gordon episode.
What is surprising is how good this documentary is for a regional show.
Early life is profiled, WWII service, aspirations (some dashed), and his iconic status as weatherman, children’s host, and ambassador of genuine good will.
Not the faux bonhomie of national celebrities.
This also shows the demise of children’s programming in the 1980’s, replaced by dubious adult fare (Oprah / Springer).
A much older me met Jule once at a function.  Very gracious man.
A gentle reminder of what passed away in our gradual coarsening.

Iron Will - 1994 - USA

Iron Will - 1994 - 6/10

 
Think of this as the early version of the Iditarod Trail.  Only with real snow.
1917, teenage Will enters the 500 miles dogsled race from Winnipeg to Minnesota.
The competition is an advertising stunt, yet the Great War dominates the press.
Will lacks experience, nor is he physically prepared, but he is plucky.
Plus, he has a great lead dog.
Old-fashioned adventure film from Disney is feel-good all the way.
Excellent family film, and based on a true individual.

Captain Ron - 1992 - USA

Captain Ron - 1992 - 6/10

 
Milquetoast family inherits Clark Gable’s old schooner, the Wanderer, which needs work (box of matches?).
They hire the very shady Cap‘n Ron to sail the boat and them from Bermuda to Miami.
How many boozy situations and adventures can you envision?
Well, the writers and cast could concoct a lot, lot more.
This makes an OK family film, (a good stoner flick), and a laugh filled romp.
Just don’t think.  “A shark ate your eye?”

Finding Neverland - 2004 - UK

Finding Neverland - 2004 - 7/10  

 
James Barrie, enduring another theatrical flop, wonders about his career … and marriage.
He strikes up a friendship with a youngish widow and especially her four children.
Observing the children at play, he is inspired to write “Peter Pan”.
Low-key story benefits from quiet performances by Depp and Winslet.
Later, I chatted with a few Barrie fans who were appalled at the historical inaccuracies.
Perhaps the less one knows, the better the enjoyment.
Endearing family film.

Polite Society - 2023 - UK

Polite Society - 2023 - 6/10

 
Ria self-trains to be a stuntwomen – although she is smallish and still in school.
Sister Lena is a failed artist, suddenly wooed by a rich, handsome bachelor.
Ria, jealous, confused, lonely, suspicious, senses something amiss and decides to stop the wedding.
Even her friends say, “He’s good looking, wealthy and a doctor.  What’s the problem?”
Nevertheless, right or wrong, Ria IS the fury.
Brit / Hindi comedy pushes the yucks, and the story is puddle deep.
Has its moments, though, and seems agreeable for most audiences.

A Little Princess - 1995 - USA

A Little Princess - 1995 - 7/10

 
Sara, rich yet unspoilt, lives in India with her widowed father.
With the onset of the Great War, dad is dispatched to the trenches, Sara to a post New York boarding school.
All’s well, until dad is reported killed, and the money seized by the bank.
Expect no sympathy from a harsh headmistress (a sinister Eleanor Bron).
Very good family film for children, girls and boys – especially since this values girls.
Minor bullying, nothing upsetting, the tone is generally positive.
One of those rare films that, I think, received a second theatrical release.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth - 1959 - USA

Journey To The Center Of The Earth - 1959 - 7/10

 
University prof and his student assistant, discover a path to the Earth’s core via a volcano vent.
They hire a guide, Hans, along with his duck, and a tag-along, the widow of a previous explorer.  
Rival explorers in stealthy pursuit.
This is an ideal adventure film, perfectly cast, fantastic shots inside Carlsbad Caverns.
Science is spotty, yet one gets the sense of being along on a discovery.
There were several Jules Verne adaptations around this time, this is one of the finest.
This is also a timeless family film, safe for most children.

Jurassic World - 2015 - USA

Jurassic World - 2015 - 5/10

 
Reboot of Jurassic Park into a giant theme park (20,000+ guests).
There is the money-making park, and there the research InGen, crafting new dinosaurs for military use.
Inside massive containment walls so there is no possibility of escape into –
Wait!  What just happened?
Romance angle does not work, nor do kids in danger.
Dinosaurs are impressive, except they are given anthromorphic personalities.
Please, no matter the size, lizards have lizard brains.
Predictable, family friendly, depending on how much carnage you expose your children to.
Sad that this was beneath derivative.  As is, popcorn for bubbleheads.

Sleeping Beauty - 1959 - USA

Sleeping Beauty - 1959 - 7/10  

 
Maleficent, a powerful witch / sorceress, bears a grudge after a royal slight.
She curses infant Princess Aurora to die at age sixteen.
In many ways, this is a darker version of Snow White (1937).
Disney’s most ambitious animation (until 1989) seems an elaboration on the fairy tale.
Despite being a Disney film, an undercurrent of anxiety haunts the film, giving it an adult feel.
Maleficent’s transformation at the end astounded me as a child.
Depending on screen size, this still packs a punch.
To this day, it looks fantastic!  Disney clearly spent a lot of time on this and it shows.
Not surprisingly, my mother always adored Snow White, while my brothers and I preferred Sleeping Beauty.

The Secret Of Roan Inish - 1994 - Ireland

The Secret Of Roan Inish - 1994 - 7/10  

 
Magical film for adults, for families.
Fiona and young brother go to live with grandparents.
Their mother has died, and Pa is increasingly incapable.
Grandma has a long memory, and shares lore and secrets.
One being, a distant ancestor had been a selkie, and that bloodline continued.
And when young Jamie is swept away, it the seals claiming one of their own.
Sweeping coastlines, along with myths and the value of family.
I viewed originally during the initial run in a theater packed with families.  Children were spellbound.

Holiday Affair - 1949 - USA

Holiday Affair - 1949 - 6/10

 
WWII vet Steve works at a big department store.
Connie is an early “industrial spy”, meaning she buys goods, gets the price and returns items.
(Why she can’t just look at shelf tags or prices on the box is beyond me.)
Anyway, he tags her, then cuts some slack which gets him fired.
What should he do?  How about, let’s go on a date?
Forced RomCom, guilty pleasure for many (me included) have major limitations.
Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum display no chemistry (Mitchum has more with child actor Gordon Gebert).
Leigh is, as ever, comes across as brittle, on edge, never relaxed.  Simmering anxiety.  Mind you, this film came after Mitchum’s notorious reefer bust, and most actors were afraid to be seen with him.
Mitchum fans, yeah, he’s coasting.  OK Christmas fare when you want an alternative.

Christmas Eve On Sesame Street - 1978 - USA

Christmas Eve On Sesame Street - 1978 - 8/10

 
Oscar the Grouch rattles Big Bird to the core when he asks how dump truck sized Santa gets down tiny chimneys.
Bert & Ernie become the “Gift Of The Magi”.  Skating mishaps.  Self destructive appetites.
Along with songs.  Standards, as well as three new numbers.
This features early cast members, which is probably why PBS ceased airing this instead of allowing this to become a holiday classic.
Funny, tuneful, with an enormous heart.  At an hour, it never outstays its welcome.

Space Sweepers - 2021 - S Korea

Space Sweepers - 2021 - 5/10
AKA - Seungriho // 승리호

 
Space janitors sweep debris from orbit.  Defunct satellites, crushed vessels, bodies …
The crew of the Victory finds a small girl, who turns out to be an android, who is actually a mega-bomb.
Will the crew bond with their find?  Will conspiracy types stop at nothing to acquire the “child”?
Best suited for families, others will find this cringe time.
Aside from a few characters, everyone has the maturity of eight-year-olds.
Sadly, like many Korean films this is overlong.  Action sequences go on and on.
Heroics are never ending.  Everything is excess overload.
Again, for families – children – this will be OK.

The Company Of Wolves - 1984 - UK

The Company Of Wolves - 1984 - 6/10

 
Although listed among Horror, this anthology holds fairy tales revolving around wolves.
Werewolves, Red Riding Hood, transformations.
One even includes the chance encounter with the Devil.

 
Interior sets predominate, although that seems in keeping with the fantasy element.
Angela Lansbury reliable as Granny, a classic ”wise woman”.
The real gem is 12 year old Sarah Patterson.  She is in almost every scene and is bewitching.
Early Neil Jordan work.

The Secret Garden - 1993 - UK

The Secret Garden - 1993 - 7/10

 
Mary, newly orphaned, is shipped off to live with her morose, absent uncle.
The manor and estate are not so much in decline, but hibernating, comatose.
Mary Lennox is a deeply unhappy sort, neglected by her parents while they were alive, then abandoned.
Nevertheless, she begins to bloom, and in so doing, reinvigorates the household.
Children’s film that adults can relish, as well.  Gorgeously photographed.

The DVD always struck me as a missed opportunity for extras.  And the extras I longed to see were manor tours.
Grouchy Mrs. Medlock with the rooms, cook and her kitchen, Martha and the back stairs and hallways, Ben with the garden.  If only creators realized how valued these bits are to viewers.

The Amazing Maurice - 2022 - UK

The Amazing Maurice - 2202 - 6/10

 
Cheshire cat Maurice and his rat cohort, travel from village to village.
Using their hired piper to rid the town of rat infestation … for a fee.
Yes, scamsters.  Only this time, this town, they’ve run into an adversary.
Entertaining effort, draws from Shaun the Sheep entries, but without the heart.
No songs here.  It does not seem aimed at children nor at adults.
This feels curiously underwritten.  An attempt.
Voices ~ Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Hugh Bonneville, David Thewlis, Gemma Arterton, David Tennant …

Fairy Tale: A True Story - 1997 - UK

Fairy Tale: A True Story - 1997 - 7/10

 
In 1917, two little girls manage to take photographs of actual woodland fairies.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are among the believers, while friend Harry Houdini remains skeptical.
As the fame increases, sightseers flood in droves, followed by reporters.
Lushly photographed, with a keen period eye.
For non-Edwardian fans, there was almost a mania of Fairy sightings during that time.
Perhaps society was longing for a simpler, more innocent past, as the Great War crushed along.
Wistful tale and ideal family fare.

The Gathering - 1977 - USA

The Gathering - 1977 - 7/10

 
Holiday gem, now forgotten.
Family sire, separated from his wife, estranged from his children, receives the 90 day expiration notice.
Wants to make amends for misplaced priorities (business over family), convinces wife to get family to come home for Christmas.
A bit mushy, but thankfully not as touchy-feelie as most Christmas fare.
Relationships between Boomers and WWII parents were extremely polarized.  This film glosses over problems, and drapes a gauze of hope and over the proceedings.  It is a holiday film, after all, but underlying tension is constant.
For a TV movie, this had top tier talent behind the scenes (production by Hanna-Barbera, music by John Barry), and actors who would be mainstays throughout 70's airwaves (Hill Street Blues, Mary Tyler Moore, Soap, Lou Grant, Trapper John, M*A*S*H, Remington Steele).
Bittersweet.