Elgroovio

The main argument that I have against this film is that it seems to try, and subsequently fails, to be Disneyesque. As a result, it does not come across as an original or innovative idea. However, this is definitely not the only thing wrong with this disappointing feel-good extravaganza.

First of all, there are some definite cast issues: Macaulay Culkin is quite unbearably irritating as the cowardly Richard Tyler, a role that, in my opinion, would have benefited a lot from a more comic portrayal that would have made the audience relate to him more easily. Another annoying feature is Whoopi Goldberg as Tyler's animated literary companion, Fantasy. She is the wise-cracking character that you find very often in animated feature films, like the Genie from "Aladdin" (portrayed engagingly by Robin Williams), except that Goldberg, for all her talent, does not really have the extreme pathos that Williams had, and that the role requires. Patrick Stewart, the man with one of the greatest voices to ever grace the big screen, is somewhat wasted as the obligatory coward-who-thinks-he's-so-brave, Adventure, and although Frank Welker's Horror (the hunchbook) is amiable, the character still comes across as boringly formulaic, like the film. The cast's only real saving grace is the live-action Christopher Lloyd as Mr Dewey the librarian, not to mention the latter's animated alter-ego, the Pagemaster. As he so often is, Lloyd is brilliantly over the top. Otherwise, the only other interesting vocal contribution is that of Leonard Nimoy as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, although his appearance is limited to a small cameo.

Furthermore, the animation, for a modern day viewer, is not impressive enough to distract the audience from the dull plot, and neither is the dialogue, which falls flat (especially with Culkin's unenthusiastic delivery) and the gags are mostly grindingly facetious and unfunny ("Would you like to crawl into a corner with a good book?"). There is also a song in the middle of the film, "Whatever You Imagine", written by Barry Mann, James Horner and Cynthia Weil, and performed by Wendy Moten. The song seems to be an attempt at capturing the Disney feel of incorporating Pop songs into the story-line. However, whether you like Disney's songs or not, you have to admire their talent for incorporating them into the plot, as can be seen in "The Lion King" (a film of which I, personally, am not tremendously fond) with Elton John and Tim Rices' Oscar-winning "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", not to mention the other songs that they wrote for that film, all of which fit seamlessly into the plot. In "The Pagemaster", no such cohesion between plot and music is achieved even minimally.

However, although this film is mostly disappointing, not all is lost. The story, for all its flaws, wastes no time in getting started, and there is a certain nostalgia surrounding the film for the endless stream of, mostly mediocre, but still harmless, cartoons of the 90s, when computer-generated animation was yet to be exploited. The film does make a respectable attempt at being educational on the literary world, but some of the references are too fleeting (more Sherlock Holmes would not have gone amiss) while others were given too much emphasis, especially the "Treasure Island" segment, although Long John Silver is quite endearingly modeled on Robert Newton's classic portrayal of the character from the 1950 motion picture. Pixote Hunt, Maurice Hunt and Joe Johnston handle the direction skillfully, and, had the script and the story been polished up, this film just might have been passable. Having said that, I can't deny that, when I first saw the film, as a young boy, around ten odd years ago, I was sufficiently entertained, so it is definitely a good, innocent film to plant your children in front of if it's on television, but definitely not worth buying.

I saw this film recently and didn't find it particularly entertaining. It is very dated in my opinion, and in many instances, it isn't funny at all. So why have I given it a respectable six? Well, there are many details about this film which keep it interesting to the viewer, even if he doesn't find the film funny. First and foremost there is the cast which includes uncountable guest stars from both Britain (John Cleese, Clive Dunn, John Le Mesurier, Richard Attenborough and Spike Milligan just to give you an idea) and America (Yul Brynner, Christopher Lee and Roman Polanski) and spotting them is great fun. The two main actors, Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, play their roles very well too. There is also the occasional funny moment (for example, the bird-hunting scene) and also it must be said that with its theme of greed, the film makes a valid point: some people will go to immeasurable lengths to get money. Quite fun, but I assure you that I will certainly not watch it again. Maybe you have to be into the sixties...

"I feel so insignificant I can't even kill myself" says the depressed Miles, played to perfection by Paul Giamatti. This excellent film has every ingredient which the (in my opinion) highly overrated "Lost In Translation" lacked. Like in the equally great film by the same director Alexander Payne, "About Schmidt", we feel the relentless pain that the principle character is subjected to. In "Sideways", we feel Miles' miserable feeling of general uselessness as he attempts in vain to get a book published. Yet this film is very funny in all of its insane depression, which is what makes it so watchable and enjoyable. An excellent cast makes the film even more fantastic, with Thomas Haden Church perfect in the roll of the playboy Jack, Virginia Madsen very suitable in the roll of the wine fanatic beloved of Miles, and also Sandra Oh is good as Jack's girlfriend. Credit has to be given too to Marylouise Burke who is great in the role of Miles' ecstatic mother. Moving, funny and to a certain extent pretty true, "Sideways" is a rare example of truly excellent film-making. Not to be missed.