Note: The following posts were imported from my previous blogs.

Peter Pan  #
Monday, 22 Dec 2003 10:57AM
The latest Peter Pan quite easily blows the competition (Hook or the Disney animated version) out of the fetid water they inhabited. But that isn't saying much.

The new version returns some much needed harshness to the story. Hook constantly kills his shipmates. Pan is insanely childish in his confidence. Tinkerbell is a freak of nature, little more than a human shaped glowbug, horribly jealous to the point of murder, capable of "only holding one emotion in her head at a time". This version's story is more about emotion, specifically Pan's ability to love and emote, and the paradox of wanting to stay young while wanting to grow up. As such the movie has some obvious sexual overtones that a lot are complaining was a little creepy, but it's not misplaced, and not really creepier than Lisa Simpson falling in love with her substitute teacher or the majority of the Wonder Years.

Everyone seems to think Wendy was the best thing since sliced bread but she's just another kid from the not-quite-a-teenager-head-too-big-for-her-teeth actor factory. There are hundreds like her. That isn't saying her acting was bad... Her brothers are barely in the movie. Their parents are fabulous. Pan was great, constantly happy and oblivious to his carnage. Some have complained he's a little bit "sk8erboi" for their liking but I think they missed the point. He did reminded me a little too much of a certain Skywalker I could mention. I kept expecting him to start hacking up the Indians. I loved Hook, and of course the parot. Animatronics standing out again. No monkeys though. Instant 10 points off.

Quite a lot of the cast is Australian (it was filmed in Australia). No expense was spared on effects. They used ILM and Skywalker sound. They used Weta for the prothetics.

The film was "In loving memory of Dodi Fayed". Do the people who leave before the end of the credits throw out half used public transport tickets? Do they walk out of concerts before the encore? Do they turn off their new CD before the last few tracks? Do they no bother turning over the record to listen to the other side? Do they only pay attention to one of their two kids? Do they have two cars and only use one? Did they buy a two story house and never go up the stairs? Do they only write down five of the six lotto numbers? Do they pour the last beer of the sixpack down the sink?