Reviews

The marketing team for Disney's initial return to hand-drawn animation, 'The Princess and the Frog', who focused their attention on the female-driven nature of the film, may very well be the first to admit that their handling of the forty-ninth Disney Classic contributed in some small part to its moderate, though not outstanding box office success; so much so, in fact, that the higher returns of its successor, 'Tangled', can apparently be attributed to a name change late in its production. Shifting from the female-skewed 'Rapunzel' to a more even focus on her male counterpart was evidently a wise strategy, as reflected by the higher returns of 'Tangled', but unfortunately the disparagement in box office between the traditional and the computer-animated releases is painfully noticeable and not in the favour of the former. Disney's second hand-drawn feature since their initial dismissal of the art form several years ago, then, was a crucial and risky endeavour, one that might have required a more general audience rather than the niche 'Winnie the Pooh' franchise and its much younger demographic; however, this does not prevent the early-years charm of the film from providing a pleasant family-friendly experience for all.

What is so refreshing about this film, the second of its kind in the Classics cannon which is inspired from the books of A.A Milne, is that the structure and story differ vastly from its two immediate predecessors, which were heavily focused on the fairy tale-princess formula which never fails for Disney, though which tires quickly in succession from feature to feature. 'Winnie the Pooh' is a different beast (or bear) entirely, focusing on simple plotting and eccentric characterisation. From the honey-obsessed titular character and the scholarly bird, to the endearingly pessimistic Eeyore and the hyperactive Tigger, the film is an endless joy in its clash of personalities, which are as colourful as the beautiful scenery of the Hundred-Acre Woods. There is a great deal of humour to be found here that would not go amiss in a more mainstream Disney release; younger viewers are innocently amused by it, and older ones amusingly understand it. The main storyline, in which the characters deduce from a poorly-written message that Christoper Robbin has been taken by a (purely imaginary) evil entity is so contrived, yet so justified by these characters that the movie develops a surreal edge which provides a comic flavour.

Any flaws lie not so much within the film itself, but in the apparent lack of confidence behind the product. Whether the fifty-first Disney Classic was in the style of 'Tangled', 'Snow White' or even something in the vein of 'Chicken Little', it should have bore the hallmark Disney polish it rightfully deserves. At barely an hour long the film can barely lay claim to being a full-length feature, let alone be suitable for a theatrical release. An abrupt ending proves that it could have had a more fleshed out climax as opposed to a throwaway line voiced by the gentle narration of John Cleese; Disney apparently believed that young children would be easily satisfied by this and that their parents wouldn't be invested enough to care. 'Winnie the Pooh' is fully-fledged, albeit more traditional, family entertainment that essentially marked the beginning of a new era for the studio after 'Tangled' hit the big fifty. It is a shame that they did not fully embrace it.

9/10

There's little to be said about 'Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular', as it is merely a swift celebration of the 'Shrek' universe. Unlike the films, which have an emotional tie for Shrek's character, this short is lacking a sense of story progression, which is a small shame in some way because 'Christmas-tacular' marks a return to eccentric, unrelenting humour in the manner of the original film and the first sequel; that is, a constant barrage of visual and verbal puns that the producers behind the third and fourth movies could not quite replicate, despite their best efforts.

Every one is catered for with screen time shared equally between Shrek's ever-popular family and friends, the joy of which is found in discovering the festive season through the perspective of a flea-ridden cat, or a living party snack. It is characterisation like this that contributes to the endearing nature of the series.

'Christmas-tacular' doesn't quite hit a home run like 'Shrek the Halls' before it, as that short successfully intertwined a simple plot that added the necessary weight to contain the sheer madness that punctuates nearly every moment of this franchise. However, Donkey's festivities are a great way to kick-start your own Christmas season.

8/10

When discussing the merits of a musical, it is often the soundtrack recording that weighs heavily on the reception of the overall product. If this the common mindset towards the musical, that it is to be judged by large on the quality of the music rather than its technical achievements as a film, devices such as character development can often become pedestrian and tedious as the audience awaits the next spontaneous burst into song and dance.

'Hairspray', an adaptation of the stage musical (which, in turn is a Broadway re-imagining of John Water's original comedy vision), tackles this issue by marrying plot and music in a relentless unity; tracks flow one into the next, shifting the story along at high speed and maintaining a constant toe-tapping pace. There's rarely a dull moment to be had as the film is almost always a display of either mind-boggling choreography, hilarious fantasy sequences or its perfectly cast ensemble reeling off sharp dialogue packed with witty one- liners and puns; at its best, 'Hairspray' can utilise all three of these aspects simultaneously to achieve the definitive 'feel-good' status so commonly attributed to the genre. At its very rare, though still thoroughly entertaining worst, the film buckles under the weight of obliging to slow balladry and heavy handling of the mature racism theme it had previously dealt with in such eye-opening, well meaning jest.

As the notes barely cease, 'Hairspray' is effectively a two-hour exercise in music-video style film, unfolding so unbelievably quickly that it never pauses long enough to declare any moment as iconic, depriving itself of the esteem it would have shared with the likes of 'Grease'. It is fortunate then, that the movie rarely gives you the opportunity to even notice this.

8/10

Perhaps drawing a great deal of inspiration from Pixar's 'Boundin'' in its structure and emotion, 'The Ballad of Nessie' follows suit with a traditionally animated short, narrated (affectionately by Billy Connoly) with the same comic poetry that made the former effort so endearing. Coincidentally, the Scottish setting is shared with the upcoming Pixar feature 'Brave', presenting 'Ballad' as a worthy warm-up act for that release and suppressing any disbelief of mine that the location could prove to be hit or miss.

Following Nessie's search for a home after her idyllic residence is destroyed, the short is funny, heartwarming and unique in style, unfolding in a manner very much like a pop-up storybook; this makes for beautiful transitions between shots, creating a fluid pace to accompany the quirky visuals, tuned to Michael Giacchino's gentle scoring.

'The Ballad of Nessie' is a clear indication that Disney are capable of still being innovative not only with traditional animation, but with the short film format also.

9/10