Movie Review: ****Peter Pan (2003)

This is a cute movie.  If takes the original Peter Pan, and puts a little twist on it.  The theme is the importance of believing, whether in  fairies, or yourself.  There is a point where even the confidence of Peter Pan is shaken.  At that point belief is what saved him.  I love the Peter Pan story, and recommend this story.  The scene between Tiger Lilly and John Darling are priceless.

Music Review: Finding Neverland the Musical

This link gets you to a playlist of songs form Finding Neverland.  This is a new musical which opened this year.  The music is intriguing.  It is written by Gary Barlow.  The performers include Matthew Morrison as J.M. Barry, Laura Michelle Kelly as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, Kelsey Grammer as Hook and Aiden Gemme as Peter Llewelyn.  I you haven't listened to this music you should.  It is very uplifting.  It includes Grammer singing "Play" in which he reminds us not to forget about being children.  Grammer also confronts Barrie in "Live by the Hook" and "Stronger."  There is a lovely duet between Morrison and Kelly, "What you Mean to Me."  In this they sing "Second star on the right and strait on till morning."  Barrie struggles with the boys, who have lost their father and he befriends the family.  Peter Pan is based very much upon their play.  There is a very good duet between Morrison and Gemme about letting imagine help cure our ills.
There is much here.  I think the highlight is the music at the end, "Neverland" and "Finale" are very climatic.  This is music that leaves you feeling good.

Movie Review: ****Hook

This is one of my favorite movies.  It is based on a continuing story, after Peter Pan (Robin Williams) has grown up.  He married Wendy's daughter Moira (Caroline Goodall) It starts with Peter Banning neglecting his children because he is too involved in business.  He misses his son's baseball game, and most of his daughter's play.  They travel to England to visit Grandma Wendy (Maggie Smith) and present a special award to the lady who adopted the lost boys.  Somehow Hook (Dustin Hoffman) is not satisfied with the way things have gone, and leaks through to London, where he steals Peter Pan's children.  This sets up a series of events in which Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts) must first remind Peter of who he is, teach him how to fly, and restore his confidence.  This will give Hook the satisfaction of battling a worthy opponent.  Peter must rescue his children.  In the meantime, Hook sets out to win Peter's children over to him, so he could take the parental role.  This almost works.  One of the cute scenes is where the pirates are playing baseball, and Jack, Pan's son, (Charlie Korsmo) hits a home run.  Hook says that's my boy, and Pan is left in the dark as his boy is losing his loyalty.  But it is when Pan gets his happy thought that the show reveals its theme.  His happy thought is his children.  That is what makes it so he can fly again.  John Williams wrote the music for the movie, including the theme sone, "When You're All Alone"

When you're all alone
far away from home
there's a gift the angel sent
when you're alone.

Everyday must end
but the night's our friend
angels always send a star
when you're alone.

At night when I'm alone
I lie awake and wonder,
Which of them belongs to me,
which one I wonder?

And any star I choose
watches over me
so I know I'm not alone
when I'm here on my own

Isn't that a wonder?
When you're alone
you're not alone
not really alone.

The stars are all my friends
till the night time ends
so I know I'm not alone
when I'm here on my own

Isn't that a wonder?
When you're alone
you're not alone
not really alone.

Pan's daughter Maggie, (Amber Scott) does a beautiful job with the song.  

Peter Pan starts out shaky in his relationship with the lost boys, but this develops and is one of the highlights of the movie.  Rufio (Dante Basco) plays a great modern rufian.

Book Review: Peter Pan in Scarlet

Peter Pan in Scarlet by: Geraldine McCaughrean, Alladin Paperback, 2008.

 

This book is reported as the first-ever authorized sequel to Peter Pan.  The author won the honr via a contest.  J.M. Barrie gave the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1829.  In 2004 they authorized a sequel and sponsored a contest seeking an author. 

 

It took me some time to get into this book.  For the first half, it seemed like someone was trying to be clever and copy Barrie, but never quite hitting the mark.  However, as the adventure of the story and the intrigue of the story, began to take over, then I was drawn into the book.  If I wasn’t so vested in reading the book, I may have never reached the point where it drew me in.  I am glad I finally got there. 

 

The plot is set with the “Lost Boys” now as adults, are having dreams of Never Land.  Nightmares, and these dreams leave things behind, wet sheets, or a sword or other implement her or there.  Something has to be done.  They take their concerns to Wendy, now a mother herself, and the answer is obvious—they must go back to Never Land.  To return to Never Land they must find a faerie, and they must become young again.  When they arrive there, everything is changed.  The land has been poisoned.  The mermaids all died from the poison, the Indians are not seen.  They meet Pan, and go adventuring chasing dragons.  This adventure quickly changes to one of seeking Hooks treasure.  Pan has put on Hooks second best coat, and slowly transforms into Hook himself.

Music Review: Peter Pan with Mary Martin

This is the music based on the Broadway musical; not the Disney version.  Of course we have children singing about not growing up, and pirates and Hook singing their songs.  There is Wendy singing a nice lullaby to the children, which along with Pan singing his mysterious lady song, thwarting Hook with different voices in his plans to do away with Tiger Lily.  The music from the Disney version is more familiar to me, and I think I prefer it.

Book Review: ****^ Peter and the Sword of Mercy

Several years ago I read the trilogy of the Peter and the Star Catchers.  It is written by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson.  This book is published by Disney Hyperion Books 2009.  This series of Peter Pan Books is terrific, and this book carries the torch well.  I had thought the series had ended, but the authors explained they were convinced to return to the characters that make this series so enjoyable.  Their evil characters, are just so evil, and have such great evil powers, Skeleton who if he touches you causes great pain, and Ombra, the shadow stealer.  We are introduced to Wendy in this series who is now a young woman, and she has the task to find Peter.  There is an unlikely group of allies put together, including two college professors, a member of the star catcher group—big strong fellow with an even bigger and stronger bear as his right-hand man.  What a terrific story with such a finish.  I had difficulty putting it down, and when I finished I was looking for something more to read.  Fortunately there is another book in the series.  I need to get to the library and see if I can find it.

Book Review: Bridge to Neverland (Star Catcher Series)

Bridge to Neverland.  This is the fifth in a series of books written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.  The fourth book concluded the adventure, however in this book we are introduced to new characters 100 years later.  Aidan, 15 and his sister, Sarah, 17 find a secret message in an old desk.  It has a clue telling where additional information can be had so they can find Magill’s stuff.  The family is on vacation in London, and while there the siblings follow up on the clues.  Magill was a Starcatcher in the original services of books.  The clue leads them to the Spanish Embassy, which 100 years ago was a hotel.  On the floor they find another piece of the clue, and then an adventure in a tunnel close to Bathe, and they find a golden box containing star stuff.  The wolves challenging them for the box make a pretty scary moment.

The only problem is their discovery excites the ravens, which turn out to be Ombra, the shadow catcher.  He is still weak, and for this reason his being is split between many ravens.  The ravens begin to attack Sarah and Aidan, but they make it out of London and back to their home, thinking everything is better now.  The ravens follow them, in the baggage compartment of the plane.  When their neighbor shows up, with blackened eyes and no shadow, they know they are in danger, and also leading their parents to danger, although their parents do not know what is going on.  They take off into the night, trying to keep others safe.  They don’t know what to do, and reach out over the internet for someone to help.  They are looking for Starcatchers.  They get a response, and head to New Jersey, Princeton.  J.D. is descended from Starcatchers, but doesn’t really believe in the stories.  However Aidan and Sarah convince him by making him fly with the star stuff. 

The police break in, taking J.D. for a kidnapper.  The kids all escape this time by making the police van fly, and then flying away themselves.  J.D. has Molly’s (Wendy’s) old journal, and they discover about the bridge to Neverland.  They head to Florida, where there is someone who may have worked on the bridge, with Albert Einstein.  Ombra continues to follow them, and every time they use the star stuff, he senses it and is on their trail.  They find the bridge, in Disney World, in the “Flight of Peter Pan” ride.  (One of my favorite looking down on everything.)  Aidan gets his shadow stolen, but Sarah and J.D. make it over the bridge to Neverland, where they are captured by Captain Hook, who confiscates their star stuff.  With this he is able to repel an attempts by Peter, to recapture the stuff.  Peter is captured, and tied up cruelly with a pending execution.  However Hook is enjoying the torture part too much to finish the job.   The Mollusks also fail as Hook flies the ship, using up most of the star stuff.  The Lost Boys come to the rescue, and Tinker Bell talk to Mr. Grin and forms an alliance.  They will lead him to Hook if he won’t eat them.  The descend on the pirate compound and send everyone running, especially Hook.  They recover what they need, and there is just enough to send them back over the bridge.    Peter comes with them to contend with Ombra

This is a fun read.  It is exciting and holds your interest.  Ombra is one of the most evil bad dudes in literature.  He is just evil.  Disney World is brought into the story which is fun.  Of course this book is from Disney Press.  It is also set up for more books to follow.

Movie Review: ***^ Peter Pan 2003

  This movie follows the story of Peter Pan quite well, but puts a bit darker spin on it.  This spin is accomplished by the characters being a bit rougher, and meaner than the characters in other versions of Peter Pan.  It also plays on the idea of believing leading to being able to over come.  There is a scene where Peter loses his faith that Wendy likes him and believes in him, and consequently he begins to loss his battle with Captain Hook.  However Wendy is able to get the message to him that she does believe in him, and things turn out OK.