The Age of Commercialism

good back-story, and good acting

Brilliant and touching

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I like to read classic children's fiction and finished E Nisbett's book not long before watching this most recent adaptation of the fantasy story. The film was pleasant enough without ever convincing me I was watching a true classic movie for children.Watching it, you'll be reminded a little of "The Railway Children" with the evacuated children missing their father who's away fighting the First World War, whilst horrible cousin Horace is greatly reminiscent of the Dursley boy in Harry Potter and of course the daily wish routine recalls "Aladdin", as indeed does Eddie Izzard's Robin Williams-type takeover of the sand-fairy character.Although Jim Henson's studio do a good job of animating "It", I didn't feel that Eddie Izzard's voice matched up to the character. Special effects were okay, like the multiple duplication of the children over the first wish and later when the children sprout wings, but without ever really astonishing the viewer as they might have..The children all acted well enough especially the youngster playing daddy's boy Robert while Kenneth Branagh gets to bluster a lot and Zoe Wannamaker simper a lot as the children's bumptious uncle and supportive maid respectively.The screenplay only occasionally meets up with the novel and I didn't like the odd touch of modern vulgarity and use of expressions recognisable from today either. I certainly got more from the parent book than this film, which might have had something to do with my imaginings of the sand-fairy's depiction not being reached and that the shots of rural England failed to transport me back as I'd have wished.Overall, for me the film's sly updating of the story for modern audiences let down the innocent charm of the book.

The book I agree is better with a charming story and memorable characters. This film on its own terms(which I will be judging this film solely on) is quite nice, if lacking a bit of lustre, however it is rather disappointing as an adaptation.The best thing about 5 Children and It is the splendid performance of Eddie Izzard as It(very well-designed in animatronic style), and helped by endearing cheeky humour and an eccentric vibe. The story has a nice blend of mischief and magic and features very likable and oddball characters. The film visually looks very nice, the photography is pleasant enough while the sets and costumes are vibrant and colourful. Jane Antonia Cornish's music sparkles, the film does move quickly and there are some decent performances from Freddie Highmore, Zoe Wannamaker and Kenneth Branagh.On the other hand, I don't think 5 Children and It is long enough, consequently there are some assets that fall short. I just wish the dialogue sparkled as much as the music score and that of the book, but a lot of it does fall flat with exception of It's. I was also rather disappointed in the special effects, not all of them were bad but some have a rushed and amateurish look to them. The direction has its moments, but there are occasions when it could have had more muster. While there are some good performances, some of the supporting cast resort to overplaying a stretch, Tara Fitzgerald seems a bit too eager to please.So all in all, disappointing but quite charming on its own. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Edith Nesbit was before our time. She wrote this novel in the early part of the last century. The casting is first rate with Freddie Highmore as one of the children; the divine and future Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire Zoe Wanamaker CBE as the eccentric housekeeper of the castle; the always fascinating Kenneth Branagh as Uncle Albert, and Eddie Izzard as the voice of It. Okay, the story is a bit eccentric and bizarre about five children who are sent to live with their writing uncle in a desolate castle in the country. During their summer in the country, they come across making wishes that they would soon regret. The film works and is worth for children to watch it as well as adults. It can be serious at times while the children's father is sent off to fight in World War I and fun at times like the missing October and Thursday when they arrive on Friday at the castle. It's a charming film overall.

A few weeks ago I picked up a very charming children's book called 5 Children and It. Written by E. Nesbit and originally published in 1902 or thereabouts, it's a remarkably modern-sounding tale about a family, with maid and cook, who go to the country for the summer. The father has to work in the city, and the mother is called away on some business, and the children are left to their own devices under the care of the maid and cook, who are happy as long as the children stay outside all day and don't mess up the house, and show up for meals and bed on time. So far an extremely believable story that anyone who has rented a summer place can relate to. The children discover a magical creature called a psammead ("sammyadd") which grants them one wish a day. Minor misadventures ensue, with each succeeding day another chapter in the book. The children learn to be careful in their wishes and to think ahead. A good life lesson. Then they made a movie. Movies can't be about ordinary people because then we would all start thinking we're equal. This family has sent Father off to World War I as a flying ace, Mother as a dedicated volunteer nurse, and the children go to a large country home on the cliffs of Dover to stay with their batty uncle, evil cousin and a mysterious woman who is neither the uncle's wife nor just a housekeeper. It doesn't matter because she just provides plot devices necessary to carry along the movie version which is wholly different from the book except for the character's names and two of the wishes. Imagine if the movie version of Harry Potter had included Dr Xavier and the X-Men characters and been set in wartime because some pinhead producer felt that J K Rowling's story didn't have enough flash and mawkishness. If you've seen the movie, read the book. If you've read the book, skip the movie. There was a BBC version made in the early 1990s. I'm going to find a copy of that and have a look. This book was that good.