Labyrinth (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
A kid's gothic fantasy movie involving Muppet monsters & David Bowie? That could either be horrific or wonderful? For me, it's absolutely wonderful. 'Labyrinth' (directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas) centers on teenager Sarah (16 yr. old Jennifer Connelly), who daydreams about a fantasy world of myth, magic, fairy princesses, & enchantments to escape her daily problems. She is begrudgingly baby-sitting her baby step-brother Toby (screaming at the top of his lungs) when she cavalierly wishes that imaginary goblins would take him away. Well, she gets her wish, & a gaggle of goblins abduct him. She is then confronted by evil Goblin King Jareth (Bowie), the ruler of a not-so-faraway-mystical world.
He tells Sarah that the only way to get Toby back is to find her way through an enormous otherworldly labyrinth before a certain time & find his gravity-defying castle at the end of it. As she navigates her way through the maze, she faces a number of bizarre & dangerous obstacles. i.e., the Bog of Eternal Stench. Determined to save her brother, Sarah meets a motley crew of characters along the way - some wind up being nasty foes, but she also makes some helpful friends along the way. They include the stone worms, talking door knockers, a Yeti-like creature named Ludo, a King Arthur-like talking dog named Didymus, & most importantly, an enigmatic goblin named Hoggle. Sarah trusts him the most, but whether she should or not is the ultimate question.
Basically, 'Labyrinth' is a surrealistic coming-of-age fantasy. Think Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland, but weirder & not as narratively strong. Heck, just the fact that Muppet goblins make up a brunt of the characters is weird enough {haha}. I can't put my finger on why I love this film. I know it doesn't have the best storytelling, editing, or conclusion. You can nitpick this film to death and not being incorrect in your assessments. But the movie's otherworldly mood definitely lingers in the mind. And the wonderful oddities that occur throughout keep popping up in my mind - it's almost trippy.
We put ourselves in Sarah's shoes. She's not perfect, but who is? And because of that, pretty Jennifer Connelly makes for a rootable heroine. I also enjoyed all the voice acting for the various wacky creatures. They all become loveable, believe it or not. I also must commend the spectacular set pieces in this film. You REALLY feel like you're transported to this faraway world of goblins. The sets (how about that staircase room!!?), props, costumes, & make-up all lend to the rich fantasy aspect. And I also liked - don't laugh - the wicked musical score & wacked-out original songs (composed by Trevor Jones & sung by David Bowie, himself). The lyrics & melodies are pure '80's and juvenile. But they are awesome, nevertheless. 'Labyrinth' is a gem for its cult followers to enjoy.
He tells Sarah that the only way to get Toby back is to find her way through an enormous otherworldly labyrinth before a certain time & find his gravity-defying castle at the end of it. As she navigates her way through the maze, she faces a number of bizarre & dangerous obstacles. i.e., the Bog of Eternal Stench. Determined to save her brother, Sarah meets a motley crew of characters along the way - some wind up being nasty foes, but she also makes some helpful friends along the way. They include the stone worms, talking door knockers, a Yeti-like creature named Ludo, a King Arthur-like talking dog named Didymus, & most importantly, an enigmatic goblin named Hoggle. Sarah trusts him the most, but whether she should or not is the ultimate question.
Basically, 'Labyrinth' is a surrealistic coming-of-age fantasy. Think Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland, but weirder & not as narratively strong. Heck, just the fact that Muppet goblins make up a brunt of the characters is weird enough {haha}. I can't put my finger on why I love this film. I know it doesn't have the best storytelling, editing, or conclusion. You can nitpick this film to death and not being incorrect in your assessments. But the movie's otherworldly mood definitely lingers in the mind. And the wonderful oddities that occur throughout keep popping up in my mind - it's almost trippy.
We put ourselves in Sarah's shoes. She's not perfect, but who is? And because of that, pretty Jennifer Connelly makes for a rootable heroine. I also enjoyed all the voice acting for the various wacky creatures. They all become loveable, believe it or not. I also must commend the spectacular set pieces in this film. You REALLY feel like you're transported to this faraway world of goblins. The sets (how about that staircase room!!?), props, costumes, & make-up all lend to the rich fantasy aspect. And I also liked - don't laugh - the wicked musical score & wacked-out original songs (composed by Trevor Jones & sung by David Bowie, himself). The lyrics & melodies are pure '80's and juvenile. But they are awesome, nevertheless. 'Labyrinth' is a gem for its cult followers to enjoy.