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zalieofszann
Reviews
Newsies (1992)
what's not to love? wonderful music and great dancing...
Newsies is my most favorite movie in the whole world! And that's really saying a lot, because I'm seventeen and my other much loved movies include The Sixth Sense and Batman Begins. Oh yeah...Christian Bale is in both Batman AND Newsies. And for an eighteen year old (he was that old in Newsies), his performance is amazing.
Newsies is based on the true story of the 1899 newsboys strike in New York City. Robert Duvall plays Joseph Pullitzer, the real life newspaper tycoon who runs much of the city (newspaper rival Hurst and Teddy Roosevelt himself also appear in the movie). When Pullitzer makes a ten percent cut on the sales of newspapers for the newsboys (mostly teenage boys who smoke and pull off believable New York accents), the boys get mad and go on strike. They are led by Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, a boy on his own who "improves the truth" about himself. He is followed by his partner, the good boy David Jacobs, and his cute little brother Les, and the rest of the grungy street rat boys in their crusade against Pullitzer.
This movie has something for everyone. Really. For the older generation, Duvall's performance is really funny (he is the most entertaining character), and then there's Ann-Margaret (who I don't know, but my parents do, although I thought she was the most annoying part in the movie. Whatever). And for the boys, of all ages, there is the rude, crude behavior of the newsboys, who use a lot of 1890s slang and slurs, and who smoke and fight anybody they don't like. There are at least three fight scenes. And then for all the girls out there, like me, there are the dancing sequences, and the typical love story thrown in. What is better than watching a lot of teenage guys (especially when they're good looking...Christian Bale...) dance and sing in tight clothing? Hmmm? And there is the lone girl among the boys, Sarah Jacobs, David and Les' sister, who is the love interest for Jack.
This movie is also interesting because it is based on a true story, even if loosely. In fact, two of the boys in the movie, Racetrack and Kid Blink (he's the one with the eye patch) were real leaders in the newsboys strike. That's impressive. And it is certainly refreshing to see a down-to-earth, real movie, unlike movies that are either fantasy, or simply don't look realistic at all. This was the way New York was, and this movie makes history a lot more entertaining.
And of course, there's the music. Okay, most people I know don't enjoy musicals, and most don't even know this movie exists. This is a Disney movie, which is why I can't understand why no one knows about it. (And surprisingly, the word "dumbass" is even used-by Jack). But I love the music in this movie. "Carrying the Banner" and "Kind of New York" are fun and two songs you just have to sing along to (my little brother sings "King of New York" all the time), and "The World Will Know" is a song that upholds justice and personal rights. And "Santa Fe" is heartbreaking. This song is sung by Jack (yes, it really is Christian Bale singing) as he expresses how he has no family and nowhere to go in life. This song gets me every time, because you feel exactly what Jack is feeling. And of course, each song is accompanied by amazing dance sequences, which is mind-blowing, taking into consideration that these are all normal teenage guys who normally wouldn't dance. The newsies leap and slide and roll and make everything look so easy, you have to smile.
And now, I must touch on why Christian Bale's performance boggles my mind. I first saw Newsies when I was very young, and last year, I was given the movie on DVD. When watching the special features, I learned that Bale is British, and I was floored. His performance as Jack is real and believable, and I still can't figure out how a British teen could pull off a New York accent without flaw, and sing in the accent on top of that.
It really is a shame that most people don't know about this movie, because it is truly a great story. It has great music, great acting, a true story, and dancing that will make you want to jump off the couch and start dancing too (at least I want to). I have yet to hear any bad word about this movie. It is a movie that I for one can watch over and over and never get sick of it. A must see for everyone.
Quest for Camelot (1998)
will make you smile and laugh...along with great music
I first saw Quest For Camelot when I was ten years old (I saw it in theaters) and it was one of my favorite movies. I'm seventeen now, and yesterday, I watched this movie with my little brother. Of course, it was a lot more immature than it was when I was ten, but I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. This is truly a fun, wholesome movie.
The story centers on Kayley, a young girl who wants to become a knight in Camelot. When King Arthur's sword Excalibur is stolen by the evil Sir Ruber, and then lost in the Forbidden Forest, Kayley sets off to recover the sword and save Camelot. Her quest is also crucial because Ruber had killed her father ten years before, and has now taken her mother hostage. In the Forbidden Forest, Kayley is joined by Garrett, a blind hermit who doesn't welcome her company at first, and his falcon Ayden. They are also joined by Devon and Cornwall, an odd and bickering two headed dragon, while being followed by Ruber and his metal minions.
This a movie that is a cute relief to many Disney movies, and I love the music in it much more than most Disney sing-along songs. While some songs are simply silly and fun, like "If I Didn't Have You" sung by Devon and Cornwall (which I laughed all the way through due to its nudges at 20th century pop culture), many of the songs express morals and feelings that the audience can take to heart. "United We Stand" is sung by the knights of the round table, saying that "no one shall be greater than all", something that the villain Ruber doesn't like very much. "I Stand Alone" tells how Garret does not trust the world around him, having been shunned for his blindness, yet at the same time, he is opening his world to Kayley. And my very favorite song is "Looking Through Your Eyes", the love song between Kayley and Garrett, which is honest due to the fact that neither let Garrett's blindness stand in their way.
The emotions in Quest For Camelot are also real because although there are plenty of funny moments, these are balanced by dark and serious moments. These include Kayley's father's death scene, his funeral, and Ruber's witchcraft scene. Ruber's song is creepy and dark, and seriously scared me when I was younger. And one scene that really jerks the tears for me is when Kayley and her friends reach the end of the forest, with Excalibur in hand. Garrett tells Kayley to go on without him, because he does not "belong in that world", and thinks that he doesn't deserve to love Kayley. After he leaves, Kayley says "but you belong in mine" before going on. It's really pure of heart, and made me sad. Or maybe I'm just a sap. Oh well.
All in all, I think that everyone should give this movie a try, even teenagers. Heck, I'm a teen and I love this movie. I won't pretend to be "too old" for a cartoon sing-along movie. (In fact, I love these songs so much that they stay in my head forever and drive me crazy) Quest For Camelot may not be the best made movie, and yes, it does have plenty of flaws, but if you look past that, you're guaranteed to laugh and smile, and it leaves you with a good feeling at the end.