Alice in Wonderland 3D – a movie review
Corinne Lamoral is a freelance writer and media consultant and mother of three children 3-9yrs. She reviews books and movies for a living which has sharpened her eye to spot out the must see’s and must reads out there.
I have to start straight out and say this eagerly awaited adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is not a typical Disney production. This is Alice all grown up. Now aged nineteen, Alice is fleeing from a marriage proposal when she follows the mythical white rabbit and tumbles down a hole. Before you can fall into familiar Lewis Carroll territory however, the violent nature of the fall, with objects whizzing frighteningly near her (in 3D) warns that this Alice in Wonderland, though a beautifully crafted and fantastically imaginative cinematic work, is not aimed at young children.
Tim Burton, master director and visionary of movies such as Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas makes children’s movies that aren’t really for children. Borrowing loosely from Lewis Carroll’s classic, Burton’s Alice has to save the day by killing the Jabberwocky, the dragon that helps the evil Red Queen rule Wonderland.
The Red Queen is played by Helena Bonham-Carter, Burton’s wife and with her prominent bulbous head and acid, bored tone calling ‘Off with his head” at every turn she is brilliant. The Mad Hatter is Burton’s favourite actor Johnny Depp and although he kept reminding me of a caricature of previous camp and kooky roles he has played, from Willy Wonka in Charlie and the 
Chocolate Factory to Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, he does lend the Hatter a very human side, portraying him as a shattered, post traumatic stress syndrome version of himself; all frizzed out hair and glazed green eyes after the Red Queen’s destruction of Wonderland.
The recurring theme of madness, which dodges both Alice (her ‘dream’ makes her think she is going mad) and the Hatter, adds further darkness and depth to Burton’s version. I think children would be disturbed by Alice’s growing dismay that this is not in fact a dream that she can pinch herself out of.
For all these concerns the movie’s dreamy fantastical landscape and moments of sheer brilliance make it a must-see to share with your older children. When Alice says ‘Curioser and curioser’ this classic saying takes on a new meaning and greater depth when seen as a calm response to our world today which can often seem crazy and out of control. Alice is also portrayed as a strong willed young woman who is not a super hero but rather someone who has to learn to overcome her fears. At one stage the Hatter tells her; “You’ve lost your much-ness Alice, you used to be much more much”, striking a note about the need to be ourselves and realize our potential, which Alice learns by the time she faces up to the 
Jabberwocky.
AGE RESTRICTION: 10M which means 10 with mature content – so use your discretion. For sensitive children, I would wait for 12. I do have a problem with the way movies and media in general assume that because children are becoming young adults sooner than ever – they can deal with the psychological impact of darker issues and fears. While they may seem to enjoy it and insist that they are not scared, I don’t believe they always have the emotional maturity to process what they are seeing.
Dandylion and Here comes Frankie: children’s books reviewed
Corinne Lamoral is a freelance writer and media consultant and mother of three children 3-9yrs. She reviews books and movies for a living which has sharpened her eye to spot out the must see’s and must reads out there.
1. DANDYLION
by Lizzie Findlay (Random House)
This is a gem of a book – beautifully written and illustrated and sharing a message that will make your soul sing. It’s OK to be different! Dandylion is the new kid in class and right from the start he stands out. With his fun attitude to life and zany way of doing things, he spills paint in his eagerness, brings sweet sandwiches to school and finally gets the whole class in trouble by going wild with a Koki pen… Dandylion learns a big lesson but so do his classmates when they ask him to stop being so wild and he decides to stay at home. This is great for provoking discussion about how everyone does things differently and how we can all learn from each other.
Age: Good for children aged 3 up to around 8. Older children will find it too simplistic.
2. HERE COMES FRANKIE
by Tim Hopgood (Macmillan Children’s Books)
With a burst of sound and colour Frankie finds his true calling in this gorgeous book by the award-winning author of books like Our Big Blue Sofa and A Dog Called Rod. The cover illustration of a little boy playing the trumpet grabbed my attention as I fished it out from behind the other books on the Exclusives shelf. What a find. My nearly four-year old son Joseph loves trumpets and the delight on his face as he watched Frankie making colours with his sounds was wonderful. The story follows Frankie and his very quiet librarian parents who read books and do the crossword everyday until Frankie announces LOUDLY that he wants to learn to play the trumpet. The story introduces the concept of Synaesthesia –the mixing of the senses that allows some people, like jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, to perceive colours, shapes and smells in music.
Age: 3 to 10yrs. Older children will get the concept more, but Hopgood’s illustrations will talk to everyone.2
The Princess and the Frog – a movie review
Corinne Lamoral is a freelance writer and media consultant and mother of three children 3-9yrs. She reviews books and movies for a living which has sharpened her eye to spot out the must see’s and must reads out there.
Having watched more than my fair share of Barbie DVD’s about princesses and fairies I was not sure what to expect from The Princess and the Frog, but I was wonderfully surprised. Disney has reverted to their classic hand-drawn style and produced a visual feast of a tale with engaging characters and memorable side- kicks.
This is a modern day fairy tale in which the ‘princess’ – Tiana – is really a hard working young girl from the wrong side of the
tracks who wants nothing more than to own a restaurant and cook food for everyone. Prince Naveen is a spoilt but well-meaning young ‘eurotrash’ who arrives in New Orleans looking to have fun while hopefully snagging himself a trust fund princess to pay for his way of life. Throw in the menacing magician cum voodoo man, Dr Facilier and Tiana and the Prince get turned into frogs sending them on a wild adventure deep into the Bayou (swamps) to find the good medicine woman who will return them to their human forms. Along the way they learn about love, friendship, and wishing upon a star.
The spirit of 1920’s New Orleans with its mix of jazz, blues and gospel inspires a foot tapping soundtrack and the hand drawn and painted animation has a warmth and richness that we’ve really missed with the digital age. Do children care about all this? Well, maybe not, but it stirs their imagination and is culturally entertaining. Did they notice that all the main characters were black or Hispanic? My daughter and her friend didn’t mention it, even though this has been both hailed and deplored in the US where it’s seen as being either ‘about time’ or too PC. I think its just part of the story and helps to level the surplus of white princes and princesses out there.
AGE RESTRICTION: I was glad I left my five year old at home. The age restriction is 10, and my 9 year old and her friend were happy watching it. The restriction is for the scare factor and I do wonder why Disney has to go quite so dark in enacting the Voodoo shadows and masked figures. Yes, it is artistically done, but it’s scary! Having said that a few of my daughter’s friends apparently felt the movie was boring. In the age of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Avatar – it is refreshingly simple and ‘old-fashioned’.
The Princess and the Frog is currently on circuit at Ster Kinekor cinemas around the country.
Out and about in Jozi
Kerry Haggard is a writer, editor, wife and mother to the two most gorgeous boys that ever there were. One day when she grows up she hopes to be a real geek, but for now, she’s happy to sit and watch her husband excel at that…
We chose to stay in Jozi these holidays, and it really was great – the roads and shops were quiet, the weather was mostly agreeable, and we spent some good quality time at home.
We did go out and about though, and it was great to be a tourist in our own city, so to speak. Having two small boys changes your choices of venue somewhat, and it was intriguing to see who caters for families and how.
We went to the Johannesburg Zoo for a morning, and it was great to see all the development there, and the wide variety of animals, the beautiful landscapes, and the restaurant. What wasn’t great? Seeing the golfcarts lined up for repair (apparently they’re being discontinued in the new year), and being put at number 19 on the waiting list at 10 in the morning, in spite of one of our party being heavily pregnant. We also felt that R10 per ride in the funfair was outrageous.
I thought that Heaven’s Gate in Boksburg, looked like a great spot for a visit, but was disappointed to see that it very definitely is by appointment only – it’s not just schools that need to make appointments, as I understood from the website. But it’s got a great selection of birds, and plenty of spots for picnics, so we’ll definitely go there again, with an appointment.
The Secret Garden at Norscot Manor was nice for the little people, although a little more shade in their playground would not go amiss. It’s a really pretty venue, and looks like it would be great for moms’ teaparties, while the littlies keep themselves amused.
Twigs at the Garden Shop (cnr Jan Smuts Avenue and Bolton Avenue in Rosebank) has a great enclosed playground for children and their food is good, but that’s about where the ‘great’ stops. Service is appalling, and there is nowhere to change nappies – it’s either the boot of your car (my choice), or on the concrete floor in the less-than-elegant outbuilding toilets.
The hit of our holiday? The Adventure Golf park at Stoneridge Mall, just behind Greenstone Mall. A great vibe, three fun courses, and a friendly and well stocked refreshment stand … and they didn’t charge us for the littlest Haggard (aged 21 months), who clutched his ball and golfclub (aka ‘bat’) as if his life depended on it for most of our time there
What was your favourite holiday outing in Jozi these holidays?
Cinderella on ice: get goosebumps
by Philippa Cross who would rather be outdoors than in, alone than in a crowd. She prefers dogs to cats, with a major leaning towards bulldogs. She hopes to win the Pulitzer prize for her yet unpublished novel. She started Thumb Media with a partner in June 2009
Whatever you do these school holidays, if you are in Joburg, do not miss Cinderella on Ice. It is utterly breathtaking. Brought to you by The Imperial Ice Stars and showing at the Teatro at Montecasino, this show will most certainly give you goosebumps.
I was lucky enough to go along for a sneak preview on behalf of Jozikids. I was excited, but not certain what to expect. I was completely blown away. The show is magical in every way.
It is an opportunity to let your imagination, and more importantly, that of your child’s, go wild. There is extraordinarily beautiful music, wonderful choreography, and awe-inspiring acrobatics – all on ice. The costumes are beautiful, and the cast glide over the ice with such grace, it is surreal. Before you know it you have been transported into the fairytale world of Cinderella, where magic abounds and anything can happen. And it does.
As if elegance on the ice were not enough, the dancers fly through the air with as much exquisite style as they display on land. One can’t help but gasp. It is most certainly breathtaking.
The show is advertised as suitable for teens upwards, but I think children as young as 8 would thoroughly enjoy themselves. There are afternoon and evening shows, which is always a bonus.
Cinderella on Ice is the third production from The Imperial Ice Stars, who brought us Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. It is their most magnificent production yet, as they really do push the boundaries in the genre of ice dancing and acrobatics.
The performance is almost 2 hours long, with a 20 minute interval. It is on until Sunday 10th January, so make a point of taking your children to see it. And remember to take a jacket.
For more information visit the Montecasino website
The Little Mermaid : a review
by Philippa Cross who would rather be outdoors than in, alone than in a crowd. She prefers dogs to cats, with a major leaning towards bulldogs. She hopes to win the Pulitzer prize for her yet unpublished novel. She started Thumb Media with a partner in June 2009
You’ve probably heard all about the shows on at the People’s Theatre at the Civic from time to time. If what you need is a push to just book the tickets and make the effort to go along these school holidays– I hope this will do it. It’s the perfect underwater adventure for land-based moms and dads who slave away all day.
It’s perfect for littlies (6 and under). I am just so delighted I discovered it. I feel like the best mom on earth (which I am).
Actually, I’m not. I’m usually too busy to even look into these things, let alone find a weekend that suits, and then book. If your family is anything like mine, trying to get it all together to attend a show is almost impossible, especially at this time of year. This is one experience that deserves the effort. The fact that there are two shows on a Sunday, a morning and an afternoon one, appeals tremendously.
We navigated our way through the road-works (a subject for a whole other day) in Joburg city centre, and arrived at the People’s Theatre to see The Little Mermaid.
An unforgettable experience awaited us. The theatre is special not only because of the magnificent shows it produces, but because of the 
world it introduces to children. It’s a delightful alternative to TV, to play station. It’s a wonderful opportunity to appreciate talent, and a chance to be transported.
Our precious little people can enjoy the entire theatrical experience from beginning to end. It’s all about them. But the joy I saw in them made my cup runneth over.
They get dressed up for the occasion (we had a number of mermaids in the audience), and have to wait in the foyer before the show starts. This involves excited mingling among friends and strangers, and buying and sharing of refreshments. Our party of 3 year olds made friends with some other littlies, and they all shared their jelly tots. (Except the pink ones. My son refused to share the pink ones.)
The bell rings, and the doors open, at which point they (with mom and dad’s help of course) have to find their own, pre-booked little chair.
The curtain is down, the lights dim, the theatre goes quiet. The excitement is tangible. The music starts, the curtain is raised, and an entire world is revealed.
I was so impressed with the quality of the production – something I’m sure didn’t occur to my 3 year old. But I noticed. Not an expense was spared. The costumes were so beautifully designed and made. The stage design and décor was world class. The performances were world class. I enjoyed The Little Mermaid at the People’s Theatre as much as I enjoyed the Phantom of the Opera at the State Theatre a few years ago. I even cried.
For the dads – I have to tell you, my husband (who is very manly, and not obsessed with pink jelly tots) enjoyed it thoroughly. I have no doubt he’ll come with us next time we go, which will be in March 2010 to see The Jungle Book.
Join the Kids Club.
Among other great benefits, For R70 a year, you can enjoy a free ticket on your birthday, and get called up onto stage.
For more information visit The Peoples Theatre on Jozikids.
Visit Maropeng, its a blast!
by Angel Swemmer creator of Angels Mind:
I’m a coffee-addicted, junk-food-junkie; social-smoking’; single-mom to a teenager. My darling Damien (AKA Knucklehead) has ADHD and it makes our rollercoaster slash bumpercar ride very interesting! More about me below but here’s our visit.
Monday being a public holiday, we decided to make the most of the gawjiss weather we’ve been having and took ourselves off to Maropeng, in the cradle of humankind
It’s easy enough to find on any GPS, and the directions aren’t difficult, as I am extremely directionally challenged and need a really good map to get anywhere… thankfully today my Glugster was doing the driving.
Arriving at Maropeng was easy enough, and strolling out of the parking lot into a practically invisible circular group of buildings called “The Market Place”, with a little snack shop and typical touristy curio shop was nice surprise! My son immediately shot into a shop with a HUGE sabre toothed cat skull on display!
You can buy tickets for the tour in the market place, but you can also walk straight up the path and get tickets inside the main building too. I was a little surprised by the ticket price to be honest- R95 an adult or R55 for kids between 4 and 14! You can also get a combined ticket which includes a visit to the Sterkfontein Caves for R150/ adult and R90/ child. Sterkfontein is a short drive away mind you- it’s not all in the same place. And I was a little miffed when we arrived at Sterkfontein this afternoon, waited for the 4PM cave tour, and went through the fascinating exhibition centre only to find a sign saying that if you’re asthmatic or claustrophobic, or battle with your back and such, you should rather not do the cave tour!
But back to Maropeng. I didn’t look at the website or anything before we went, so I had no idea what I was in for, and it made it rather interesting! On entering the building, we got our combined tickets, and then headed down a circular staircase into a long circular passage that made up a timeline going backwards! At the bottom of the passage, you go through a door and wait your turn to get into a little round boat thingy made for 4 people… and its launching and bouncing around a little had me squealing- which had my two men giggling at me! It takes you on a ride through a glacier and then erupting volcanoes replete with noise and smoke- and they even make provision for prams and wheelchairs! You go on the boat and they meet you at the end with your wheels! And trust me- you will need the wheels… it’s a lot of walking!
After the boat ride, there’s a bridge through a tunnel that rotates. This had my two men in hysterics AGAIN because as soon as I took a couple of steps I was sure the bridge was tilting up and to the right and I clung to the rails for dear life! It got me squealing again, and I couldn’t let go! Eventually on my Glugster’s advice I closed my eyes and I could walk through the thing okay… but no worries- you can go around it, though I’m sure the kidlets would love it!
The hall with the displays in it is huge, and all the exhibits are numbered so if you want to you can follow them in order. Me… being big kid I am… I practically ran from one display to the other in excitement!
It’s completely interactive! Buttons and lights and levers and things to look at and look into and feel and things moving and big bubbles with skulls in hanging from the ceiling! The many kids in the place had an absolute blast, and it’s just as interesting for grownups! They even have actual fossils in another hall- under glass with magnifying glasses- so you can have a good look at them!
When we eventually got outside we were ravenous! The fast food place immediately outside the exit was exceptionally reasonably priced- but the service was dreadful! There’s no real signage pointing out other eateries so EVERY body stops right there! By the time we got there they were out of coke and milkshakes! If you keep walking there is another restaurant, back in what they call The Market Place, and there’s the Tumulus restaurant inside the visitor’s centre as well. Walking back to the market place and the parking lot is quite a ways- and if you’re willing to climb some serious stairs there’s quite a nice view from the top of the visitor’s centre. We did the climb, albeit slowly!
Myself and my Glugster, and the knucklehead and his girlfriend- at 18 and 17 years old respectively- all had a wonderful day! Take a day, and take your camera!
Angel Swemmer on Angel Swemmer : I love my cellphone, my camera and my notebook. I’ve never been married, and despite my plans to the contrary- I am now living with a delicious, wonderful man who spoils me rotten! We’re about to get engaged, we’re trying to get pregnant, and I am planning our wedding!
I have seven tattoos and three cats, and when I grow up I want to be one of those strange ladies that people are a little afraid of ‘coz she walks around in public in huge, purple, flower bedecked hats and feather-boas.
Come play on my rollercoaster.
