Mother Goose

There is REAL MAGIC at work in this wonderful little film! How else could you explain a movie where all the characters and sets are paper cut-outs being so enthralling?

A fantasy flick financed by Joseph Goebbels may not sound like everybody's cup of tea, but if, like me, you are a fan of the ineffable Baron Munchausen, you won't want to miss the sheer visual splendor of this version! The depiction of the Baron's trip to the Moon is particularly amazing!

"The Emperor's Nightingale" has to be one of the loveliest fairy tale adaptations ever! You'd have to be a jaded mandarin not to be charmed by this one!

In the Brothers Grimm's rendition of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella's wicked stepsisters are ready to do anything to fit their feet into the heroine's slipper after she loses it in her haste to leave the palace before the last stroke of midnight. One of them is so desperate, she cuts off her big toe with a knife in an attempt to fool the prince. Unfortunately for her, while on the way to the castle, two birds perched on a branch draw the prince's attention to the blood dripping from the slipper, thereby exposing the fraud. The second stepsister is equally determined to enter the royal family and chops off a bit of her heel. The same situation ensues: the prince mistakes her for Cinderella, rides off with her on his horse and she is unmasked by the same two birds. Delightful, isn't? Curiously, the scenes I just described are nowhere to be found in the Disney version. I wonder why... (devious wink) Needless to say, the Mickey Mouse company went for a more family-friendly approach, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Beneath its sugar-coating, "Cinderella" is a masterpiece of fantasy and story-telling -- possibly the finest screen version of the tale that will ever be made. Lovable characters, enchanting musical numbers, a sumptuous palette and superb animation all contribute to the success of this remarkable achievement. Disney's "Cinderella" casts a spell which, unlike the Fairy Godmother's magic, remains undiminished by time.

Simply put, this movie is nothing short of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! :P

"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker!"

Here's a classic that the whole family will treasure: "The Smurfs and the Magic Flute"! I distinctly remember smurfing it when I was a kid - I was totally smurfed by it!
The story involves a tribe of blue-skinned elves known as the Smurfs who must recover a magic flute that was smurfed from them by a dishonest character.
All in all, if you want to have a smurfing good time, smurf in this amazing animated classic and get ready for a wonderful kaleidoscope of colors and magical characters.
You won't regret it - it's a smurfing good flick!

A supernatural plot involving witchcraft, a series of bizarre and stylish murders, wonderful baroque sets and a KILLER soundtrack by Goblin... What more could I ask for? This movie is my idea of Heaven! It's bliss!!!

Jackson and Pryor and Ross... Oh my!

One of the most beautifully crafted fantasy films of all time... The Skeksis are truly an inspiration to me... I even whimper like the Chamberlain when I plot against someone!!!

"You remind me of the babe..."

Looking for a good family movie? This magical treat is guaranteed to delight kids of all ages!
Indeed, how could one forget the sight of a rat driving a stake into Alice's cranium and then setting her hair on fire? How sweet!
Oh, and there's also the undead white rabbit that loses his stuffing every time he pulls his pocket-watch out of his gaping chest... Aww! How cute!
And let's not forget the scene where Alice is being chased by a bunch of skeletal creatures... My! What a lovely film!

Okay... Come to think of it, this may not be the perfect movie to watch with children... However, if you're in the mood for a surreal and genuinely twisted adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", you won't be disappointed with this version! Jan Svankmajer is a genius!

Marcel Pagnol's gentle pastoralism meets "Alice in Wonderland" in this delicate fable set in the Japanese countryside. Follow two adorable little girls as they explore their new home and discover an enchanted world inhabited by soot sprites and Totoros - strange furry creatures endowed with mystical powers. Their happiness is marred, however, when they receive word from the hospital that their mom's health is deteriorating. Will the Totoros help them?
Sentimental without being schmaltzy, sweet without being cloying, "My Neighbor Totoro" is a treat for all ages! It shows that one's dreams can go a long way in making the world a better place. Wonderful!

"What's this? What's this??? There's color everywhere!"

This is what happens when one of my favorite directors (Tim Burton) produces a film based on a book written by one of my favorite authors (Roald Dahl)... The merging of the two is quite simply dazzling!

"Good morning starshine! The earth says hello!"