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Reviews
Thumbelina (1994)
Excellent animated movie
I just recently watched this movie for the first time, and although I've read some bad reviews, I found this movie absolutely gorgeous. Not only is the animation brilliant, but the songs are really catchy and enchanting too, especially "Let Me Be Your Wings".
The story even stays true to the original fairy tale, with the exception of Thumbelina meeting the Prince before she gets kidnapped. And they even improved one aspect of the story I always missed in the fairy tale: she returns to her mother in the end. I always found it so sad that she would never see her mother again after she got kidnapped. The movie finally has the great happy ending I always hoped for.
By the way, there are some great cgi effects in this movie that must have been pretty sophisticated in 1994. The only thing I would criticize about the movie is the many many supporting characters. Thumbelina and her Prince didn't get enough screen time, because there were loads of other characters that somehow helped the story continue. Other than that it's great!!
Voyagers! (1982)
it's still great after 25 years!
I didn't get the chance to watch that show as a child, since it was only aired once here in 1989. However, I recently found out this show exists (I love time travelling shows) and it's still a great pleasure to watch it. It's kind of obvious that the show must have had quite a small budget, but they still managed to put a lot of details into the episodes. They even travel to Austria (where I live) once and I'm surprised at how accurate the whole scenery was (although it was doubtlessly filmed in the states). street names, signs, accents, German words. Everything perfectly right. I also love the moral values that the show brought to its viewers. Phineas Bogg - although he's a hopeless womanizer and knows practically nothing about history - repeatedly claims he doesn't drink alcohol and he doesn't want Jeffrey to play with weapons. The interaction between Jeff and Phineas is one aspect I truly love about the show. He's the perfect father (or rather big brother) figure any kid could have.
Sure, the special effects are really funny for modern viewers - but we have to admit we are spoiled by cgi effects, so it's no big deal. Let's just hope they release the show on DVD sometime. That one is really worth remembering.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Simply the best musical I've ever seen!
This movie took my breath away!! The first tunes of the Phantom theme at the beginning of the movie sent shivers down my spine.
Andrew Lloyd Webber must be such a genius! This movie tops all the new musicals of the last few years, like Chicago and Moulin Rouge. The cast was perfect too: Emmy Rossum is gorgeous as Christine, Gerard Butler is a good looking Phantom (at least with his mask on) and I really liked Raoul too.
Since I don't intend to post any spoilers (not that the plot itself would be new anyway), I just want to comment on the directing. This movie has some excellent special effects that work so beautifully on screen, like when the camera suddenly seems to drop from the roof of the Opera House into the dark, after Christine leaves with Raoul. Or when the camera starts the next scene through an eye. Not to mention the beginning when the old Opera House changes back to its former beauty when we are introduced to the myth of the Phantom. After watching these scenes I can tell you the director truly created a piece of art, not just another movie.
This one has to be part of my DVD collection as soon as they release it.
Aladdin (1992)
The Genie's jokes are outdated, but who cares?
There are already so many reviews for Aladdin that I could hardly state anything new, but now that Disney has released the movie on DVD - and they did a great job doing it - I felt like I need to comment on it too.
I first watched Aladdin when it was in the cinemas in 1992/1993 at the age of 9. You know, like most of my friends too I just LOVED Aladdin. It was such a beautiful love story (the "A Whole New World" scene and the "Kiss the Girl" scene in The Little Mermaid are the most romantic moments in animated history, I'm sure)and the settings were simply enchanting. This movie made me want to go to Agrabah myself - although I never had a thing for desert landscapes.
Plus, let's not forget, Aladdin is Disney's sexiest character!! That's what I thought back then and I haven't changed my mind ever since :-)
Of course, the Genie is hilarious and it's true that Robin Williams' jokes and parodies are outdated now, but keep in mind that the movie was a worldwide success, although most of the people he imitates are not well known outside the US. I didn't even recognize Arsenio Hall, since I only know him from "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy. Sure, it's even more fun if you actually know whom the Genie is making fun of, but it's also great fun if you don't.
So I would love to say it's THE best animated movie ever, but Disney has released so many masterpieces in the 90s that it would be unfair to say that this one is the best. Anyway, if you're reading this to decide if you want to get it on DVD, I can only recommend it. Disney did a great job creating the special edition 2 disc release. I've been waiting for it for 11 years!!
Pocahontas (1995)
One of Disney's most beautiful artworks
I've fallen in love with that movie on the first time I saw it. The musical score is one of the best (if not THE best) ever seen on a Disney movie. The tale is not about the real Pocahontas, but rather about a Native American woman who shows the English settlers that there's more to life than just exploiting nature for their own benefit. The spiritual tone of this movie is certainly an aspect some people dislike, but that was the reason I thought Pocahontas was something special. She is talking to a tree, her best friends are animals - so we actually believe every single word she sings in Color of the Wind to make John Smith understand why he's on the wrong path.
It's just a pity they cut the love song If I Never Knew You. Should Disney ever release a Special Edition DVD they could finish the scene, because it would really give the finishing touch to the story.
Concerning those bad reviews about Pocahontas not being historically accurate, all I can tell you is, please don't force your children to watch things that show historical facts the way they were. It's the most important aspect of those Disney movies that they use stories people know and alter them in a way to give children (and adults) something to think about. Their movies wouldn't be this touching had they used completely new stories or the original stories (hunchback of notre Dame, The Little Mermaid). For example, here in Europe, Pocahontas is a totally unknown name. When I watched this movie as a 12 year old I assumed they had made up the story completely. So it should be a good thing that I went to read who Pocahontas really was. It's the same with Hercules, after I saw that movie I went to read Greek mythology. Disney has (or should I say had, since their recent projects are not like they were in the 90s) the precious gift of focussing the people interests towards the topics of their movies. I'll always appreciate this when I see one of their masterpieces.