The BFG (2016)

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this film is a treat for audiences young and old.

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is a young orphan, living under quite oppressive rules in the orphanage. She struggles with insomnia, and while reading late one night, she hears a noise just outside her upstairs window.

Looking out the window, she sees a large figure in the darkness. When the figure spies her looking at it, it comes towards her and snatches her right out of her bed, carrying her away.

She finds herself whisked away to a faraway land filled with giants, including the giant who has snatched her. She begs the giant not to eat her, but he laughs at her, saying he has no intention of eating her - he isn't a "canny-bull" he tells her, and doesn't eat "human beans".

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill).

He is the BFG (Mark Rylance), or Big Friendly Giant. It is only the other giants, he tells her, who eat people. Giants with names like Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) and Bloodbottler (Bill Hader), who even terrorise him, as he is much smaller than they are. They call him the Runt, and pick on him on a daily basis.

His job - as he sees it - is to catch dreams, which look like coloured fireflies (that's the best description I can come up with for their appearance), and blow them into children's windows using his large trumpet. But now that Sophie has seen him, he can't let her go back home, for fear she will spill his secret.

Seeing that the BFG isn't truly happy where he is, being picked on by the bigger giants, Sophie comes up with a plan that has them appealing to the Queen of England (Penelope Wilton) to rid Giant Country of the giant bullies once and for all.

The BFG (Mark Rylance) and Sophie (Ruby Barnhill).

Melissa Mathison's screenplay - the last one she would write before tragically passing away - is based very closely on Dahl's book, a book I remember fondly from my childhood. Roald Dahl was certainly one of the greatest writers of childrens' books of his time, as he really had great insights into the way children think: their dreams, their fears, and he never talked down to them. Mathison has done a tremendous job of capturing the feel of the book, and bringing it to the screen.

As with the vast majority of Steven Spielberg's films, the score has been composed by John Williams. And as with the vast majority of Williams's scores, this one is absolutely brilliant. The use of leitmotifs and additionally developed themes is extremely clever, and ties the entire film together musically in a way that sets this score apart from one by a less experienced composer.

The production design by Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg is truly inspired. The set design - particularly that of the BFG's cave, where large sequences of the film take place - is beautiful. The other major sets used in the film are of course the interior rooms of Buckingham Palace and, while few people can be certain of exactly what these rooms look like, these rooms are as realistic as the film requires. There are also some stunning locations used for the scenes set in Giant Country, and these are just as 'realistic' as any of the constructed interior sets.

Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) and the other giants picking on the BFG
(Mark Rylance).

Without exception, the performances of the entire cast are near-perfect, with all the characters behaving and appearing as any fan of the original book might expect. Young Ruby Barnhill is fantastic as Sophie, and Mark Rylance - who previously worked with Spielberg on Bridge of Spies - though performing using motion-capture technology, brings a humanity and a tenderness to the BFG that brings real emotion through the screen and into audiences' hearts. Minor roles for seasoned actors Rebecca Hall and Rafe Spall as attendants to the Queen are well done, too.

Director Steven Spielberg has done it again, and given audiences for generations to come a truly beautiful film. This is definitely a film I will be watching again and again and, if you enjoyed Roald Dahl's book, I suggest you do the same.

8 out of 10.

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Starting right where the previous movie left off, this film follows the continued exploits of the Muppets, as they embark on a world tour (though it's mostly in Europe).

A mysterious man named Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) volunteers his services to manage the Muppets, promising them he can sell out shows for them all across Europe. Against their better judgment, the Muppets accept his offer.

Meanwhile, at a gulag in Siberia, the world's most dangerous frog named Constantine is escaping from his prison, and returning to his partner-in-crime: Dominic Badguy. Constantine looks exactly like Kermit the Frog, except for a mole on his cheek, and the fact that he speaks with a strong Russian accent.

Constantine is almost identical to Kermit the Frog in appearance.

And in a shocking case of mistaken identity, Kermit is arrested - believed to be Constantine - and Constantine masquerades as Kermit, as he and Dominic execute a series of robberies across Europe (in the locations where the Muppets are performing).

Hot on their tail is Interpol officer Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and CIA Agent Sam the Eagle.

Kermit constantly protests his innocence to prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey), but she won't listen, believing him to be Constantine.

Meanwhile, Constantine is fooling almost all of the Muppets, despite the fact he is nothing like the real Kermit.

Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) buddying up to Kermit the Frog.

Only a small group - Fozzie, Animal and newcomer Walter - feel something isn't right, and they embark on a mission to find Kermit, apprehend Constantine, and return everything to normal again.

The screenplay, by director James Bobin & Nicholas Stoller, is quite good, filled of course with all the classic gags audiences have come to love from the Muppets. The characters are all as clearly defined as ever, and the script accurately represents them as we know them. I especially enjoy Constantine's continued efforts to be seen as Kermit, as he watches old videos of Kermit and echoes back the phrases he hears. Of course, he doesn't do them right, but that's where the humour comes from.

The score by Christophe Beck is well suited to the film, using themes and melodic lines from the original songs - written once again by Bret McKenzie - to tie the whole film together beautifully.

The cast performances are fantastic, and it is difficult to pick a standout from among the human performers. All of them embody their characters with great skill, and given they are all from a background primarily in comedy, have great comic timing too.

Prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey) welcoming Kermit to the gulag with, of course,
a song, joined by the prisoners, including the Prison King (Jemaine Clement).

As with the previous film, there are many great cameos, some of them as short as one line of dialogue, or one line of a song. The best of these cameo performances has got to be Jemaine Clement - Bret McKenzie's former partner in New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords - as the Prison King, one of Kermit's fellow gulag inhabitants.

Director James Bobin has made a wonderfully enjoyable family comedy/musical here, one that I'm sure I will enjoy watching many more times. It's not quite as good as the previous film, then again, sequels rarely are. However, it's still a joy to watch, and the songs are brilliant.

7 out of 10.