Change Your Image
giraffeblimp
Reviews
Ella Enchanted (2004)
An insult to Levine
Let me preface this by saying that if I hadn't read the book, was under 10, and thought Shrek was the best thing since sliced bread, I would have enjoyed this movie. Not loved. Enjoyed. But in comparison to the book and--heck--other movies, this movie stinks. The acting is cringe-worthy. Eric Idle and Cary Elwes are the only standouts, and that's just because they evoke memories of good movies. Costumes are okay, but nothing special. The music so doesn't fit (song and dance routines? Really?). Now let's get to the heart of what killed the movie. They didn't keep the plot, characters, or atmosphere of the book! Why not just name it something entirely different, because that's basically what it is. They demolished every single character (if they even included them). Everyone was shallow and so annoying. Ella and Char's relationship was really massacred. The climax of the book, the single most powerful scene (where Ella refuses to marry Char) was taken out. But it's completely necessary to resolve the plot. All parallels between the story and Cinderella were removed. And they modernized it. Yuck. Protest rallies? Fanclubs? This isn't Shrek. If they had been true to the book, the movie couldn't have failed. But they weren't, and the result was a complete and utter disaster.
Liberty's Kids (2002)
An awesome show goes missing
I fondly remember the days when I turn on the TV as soon as I got home in hopes of catching Libery's Kids. Those were the days. It was a delightful TV show. The animation was decent (nothing spectacular, but no Clutch Cargo either), the voicing was...interesting (Sylvester Stallone as Paul Revere. 'Nuff said), the characters were engaging (who could forget Henri leading all those sheep?), and the historical lessons were well integrated throughout the show, managing to convey a solid lesson of the American Revolution without seeming like one of those boring movies we watch in US History. This was an extremely effective learning resource. My father is always dragging my family around to historical points of interest of the American Revolution during family vacations. Museums, memorials, etc. I've seen them all. I can honestly say that thanks to Liberty's Kids, I often know more than the tour guide does at lots of these attractions. Not only that, but thanks to Liberty's Kids my interest in matters pertaining to the American Revolution is very active (well, Felicity started it. Liberty's Kids definitely made me more interested, though). Just a wonderful show. It's sad that it's disappearing, because it seems like future generations (even kids born ten years after me) won't be able to benefit from this TV show. Please, whoever owns this, get it completely out on DVD. I'll buy it, whatever the cost. Please!