Posts Tagged ‘Nonso Anozie’

The Magic Faraway Tree

Director: Ben Gregor

Cast: Claire Foy, Andrew Garfield, Rebecca Ferguson, Nicola Coughlan, Nonso Anozie, Jennifer Saunders, Jessica Gunning, Michael Palin, Lenny Henry, Billie Gadsdon, Simon Russell Beale, Phoenix Laroche, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Claire Keelan, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Dustin Demri-Burns, Hiran Abeysekera

Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes

Film Rating: 6 out of 10

Despite big stars like Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge, Tick, Tick…. Boom!) and Golden Globe and Emmy Winner Claire Foy (The Crown) being attached to this British fantasy film, The Magic Faraway Tree based on an adapted screenplay by Wonka & Paddington 2 screenwriter Simon Farnaby based upon a children’s book by Enid Blyton, this film comes across as uneven and strange.

The Magic Faraway Tree was part of a series of children’s books published by Enid Blyton between 1939 and 1951 long before the invention of the internet. In director Ben Gregor’s 2026 film version the central theme seems to be to lure young British children away from their iPads, game boys and screens to rediscover the magic of nature. In this case a magical tree filled with pixies, fairies and secret lands.

When Polly and Tim Thompson lose their jobs in expensive London they are forced to move to the country far away from WIFI, sophistication or Instagram. Their three children Fran played by Billie Gadsdon, Joe played by Phoenix Laroche, and the angry teenage eldest Beth expertly played by Delilah Bennett-Cardy are initially horrified about moving to the middle of nowhere whereby their useless father, well played by Andrew Garfield has a notion to grow tomatoes for pasta sauce as a means of survival.

Soon adventure abounds when Fran meets Silky, a voluptuous blonde fairy wonderfully played by Nicola Coughlan and she leads the impressionable young girl into the faraway tree whereby she encounters Mr Saucepan played by Dustin Denri-Burns and Moonface played by Nonso Anozie. These magical creatures lead Fran up to various different lands including Goody land and Birthday land.

Fran soon convinces her brother and sulky teenage sister to join her whereby they go to birthday land and make wishes in which one of them will undo their parents’ hard work at being self-sustainable by growing tomatoes for a tomato pasta business.

The fantasy scenes in this film are totally bizarre and silly. The world building is non-existent. The pastoral scenes of the English countryside are beautifully done and are the director’s strongpoint. Garfield and Foy do their best as wacky unconventional parents and then there is a weird cameo by the Absolutely Fabulous star Jennifer Saunders as the wealthy grandmother who speaks with a German accent.

As the children seek to reverse a dreadful wish and revive the promising tomato crop, they get caught up in the world of the evil Dame Slap, a caricature appearance by Rebecca Ferguson, who does not seem comfortable acting in such a bizarre film. Ferguson should stick to action films.

There are brief appearances by Michael Palin and Lenny Henry but unfortunately The Magic Faraway Tree does not stand sturdy as an engaging cinematic adventure and comes across as a contrived pastiche of fantasy worlds in which the director is trying to drive home the notion that young people in the 21^st century should have less screen time and more time in nature.

The best thing about the film are the young stars, while the adults come across as goofy.

Unfortunately The Magic Faraway Tree does not translate well into a film in 2026. Luckily Enid Blyton is not alive to see this fluorescently flawed rendition of her wonderful children stories.

The Magical Faraway Tree gets a film rating of 6 out of 10 and is unfortunately not that good. The fantasy is weird and the screen adaption should have kept the original tale in the 1940’s or 1950’s. To update this children’s tale to the 2020’s is the screenwriter’s first mistake.

Cinderella

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgaard, Derek Jacobi, Holliday Grainger, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell

Shakespearean actor and director Kenneth Branagh (Thor, King Henry V) vividly recreates the famous tale of Cinderella in a live action film which despite its sumptuous production design does not match up to other recent onscreen fairy tales most notably the brilliant Snow White and the Huntsman and the equally impressive Maleficent.

Downton Abbey’s Lily James takes on the title role of Cinderella and although she is gorgeous to watch onscreen, the famous narrative arc of her tale is not given any particular depth or subliminal meaning. But then again this is a Disney film and the age restriction is parental guidance, with the target audience being young little girls. Judging by the packed cinema on a Saturday afternoon that target market was spot on.

Branagh’s Cinderella is lush, gorgeous and beautiful to watch with a spectacular production design by Dante Ferreti and fabulous costumes by Sandy Powell, Oscar winner for her costumes in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator.

Oscar winner for Blue Jasmine and The Aviator Cate Blanchett is wonderful as the wicked stepmother and so is Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, The Wings of a Dove) as Cinderella’s quirky fairy godmother who on the evening of the ball given by the crown prince of their kingdom, Cinderella’s dress, transportation and footmen are sorted for her great entrance at the Ball.

The Ballroom scene is simply amazing and is undoubtedly the high point of the film, but in a similar vein to the gorgeous reproduction of Anna Karenina, the script and acting for Cinderella suffers under the weight of its own expectation.

One almost gets the feeling that the actors were slightly bored going through this famous fairy tale with the exception of the brief scenes by Blanchett and the cameo by Helena Bonham Carter, Cinderella fails to lift audiences beyond its very light and fluffy message – which is for all young girls to find prince charming and live happily ever after.

Prince Charming in this case is played by British actor and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden, bulging codpiece and all, and his penetrating blue eyes do the acting. Director Branagh strictly keeps this traditional Cinderella aimed at the young children’s market obviously upon the instruction of parent company Disney.

Nevertheless, the costumes and the production design are superb and should garner some awards in those categories. Whilst Cinderella lacks the edgier darkness of Snow White and the Huntman and Maleficent, it is still fun to watch especially all those character actors making an appearance from Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgaard and Derek Jacobi.

Disney’s Cinderella is recommended viewing for those that loved Mirror Mirror and for all parents who need to take their daughters to see some serious glamour on the big screen. In this case the fabulous glass slipper fits too comfortably and Cinderella and her prince charming do live happily ever after.