Out now in cinemas is “The Magic Faraway Tree”, based on Enid Blyton’s children's book series of the same name. It’s my recommendation for a family viewing this Easter week, one that’s filled with imagination, candies, and familial warmth.
It follows the Thompson family, who made the move from a modern life in the city to the remote countryside. The parents find joyful solace in their new abode, but their kids struggle with this transition. Forced to scrap a lifestyle driven by digital gadgets, the children soon discover a hidden tree in the dangerous ends of the woods, one that transports them to a world filled with fantastical fun.
“The Magic Faraway Tree” might not offer new perspectives in the fantasy genre, but it managed to deliver the fleeting feeling of loving and being loved as a kid. It genuinely feels like being scooped up in a warm blanket, enjoying a story that’s never concerned about stakes.
The film is directed by Ben Gregor and penned by Simon Barnaby, the screenwriter behind “Paddington 2”. Beyond the imaginative visuals, it is a heavily sentimental story that’s reminiscent of reading Dr. Seuss and C.S. Lewis. It is a sugar rush that’s fittingly all sugar, because it embraces positivity with tenderness. Even the common nitpick of including a villain (played by Rebecca Ferguson), only for her to appear in a seven-minute non-consequential scene, didn’t bother me.
Sometimes, a sugar rush is all we need. “The Magic Faraway Tree” provides just that. No world destruction. No family is on the brink of falling apart. Only fun and a lot of hugs.
“The Magic Faraway Tree” is now showing in New Zealand cinemas.
Featured photos from VVS Films.
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