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Reviews
The Weekenders (2000)
I'm living for the weekend!
All right, so I'm well into my second year at university and I shouldn't be watching cartoons . . . but then again, perhaps I should! `The Weekenders' is probably the best animated series I've had the pleasure of viewing since `Hey, Arnold!', and the lighthearted humour they've tossed into each episode makes for a much-needed restorative after a day at the salt mines. (It doesn't matter that Disney Channel Asia shows episodes that are at least a year old . . . but if anyone from Disney happens to read this, please take note!)
What makes the series quite appealing - from my perspective, at least - is the fact that the show's humour depends not upon tasteless slapstick (my apologies to Looney Tunes fans . . .) but on little things that COULD happen but are just a bit out of the ordinary. Where else could one see a pizza parlour with a different theme for every half-episode, or an anthropology museum with odd delicacies from around the globe? (I wonder if all of those strange dishes actually exist, though.) I also like the way the characters are drawn: just on the edge of realism, with pleasant features and actions that don't seem the least bit stilted.
Oh, and whenever Tino gives one of his personal comments, the background fades into black-and-white . . . well, I just think it's a nice touch.
And yes, as a typical family-oriented programme, they do teach lessons about life . . . but I actually found myself NOT muttering `Rubbish' under my breath (as I normally would under such circumstances). These lessons aren't something that the characters carelessly append at the very end of the show; the whole episode is a learning experience that children will probably enjoy a good deal (primarily because the moral of the story is well hidden, seamlessly blended into the entirety of the plot - so well concealed, perhaps, that they might not even know that they're actually learning something).
Three cheers and a loud hurrah for the Weekenders!
Well, as Tino would say . . . later days!
Madeline (1998)
Marvellous!
This film is simply one of those light-hearted creations that keeps you spellbound from title to credits. "Madeline" is a tour-de-force for the children's film industry ... a true masterpiece that touches the heart. The acting far surpasses what one might expect from young talents such those in the movie -- Hatty Jones and Clare Thomas were absolutely superb -- though the grown-ups didn't do badly, either. In fact, much of the credit should go to the "twelve little girls" and the "bad hat" next door, all of whom shared a magnificent performance that did justice to the original characters. They added the essential touch of "cuteness" without appearing overly innocent (Madeline had a mischievous streak that would rival Kevin McAllister's).
In summary, "Madeline" is a film with just the right ingredients to make even adults squeal with delight. While many other "family films" have a tendency to fall flat, this one rises to the occasion and stares right at the competition with a straightforward "Pooh pooh". Three cheers and two thumbs way up for a job well done! Bravo!
A Night to Remember (1958)
The power of a true story
It is such a pity that the only film most people have heard of about the "Titanic" is James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster. "A Night to Remember" lets people view the "Titanic" story from a different perspective -- one that is not clouded by a half-baked, fictional love story. As a "Titanic" buff (and member of the Titanic Historical Society), I was impressed at how accurate the film was, given the facts prevailing at the time it was made. This classic masterpiece is a true cinematic triumph and clearly underscores once and for all that a true story can touch people's hearts and minds far more deeply if it stands on its own ... without the corrupting influence of contrived additions.