John Broughton Movies
In a film designed to bring smiles to the post-toddler set on up to perhaps their seven-year-old siblings, this animated story by Arna Selznick (only the third woman in cinematic history to direct a full-length animated feature) is about the popular Care Bears. These loving creatures inhabit a realm in the clouds called Care-A-Lot, and their purpose in life is to get the humans down below to share their good feelings with each other. They watch over human children with large telescopes and help those children who need help. The Care Bears have their work cut out for them, because Nicolas, a lonely magician's assistant, is about to fall under the evil influence of a bad spirit who lives in an ancient magic book -- it seems Nicolas will do just about anything for friends. Aside from Nicolas, Kim (Cree Summer) and Jason (Sunny Besen Thracher) are in trouble because they are starting not to trust people after suffering many disappointments. Mickey Rooney is the voice of Mr. Cherrywood, the owner of an orphanage. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mickey Rooney, Georgia Engel, (more)
Inspired by Pink Floyd's album of the same name, Pink Floyd: The Wall is a dark, expressionistic musical, told from the point of view of Pink, a depressed rock musician. The film is structured around Pink's reflections on his life, all of which center on the building of "the wall." This wall is a metaphor for psychological isolation, a barrier Pink creates to distance himself from his pain. The foundations for this wall are lain in childhood, with the death of Pink's father leaving him to be raised by an overprotective mother and a repressive school system. He seeks freedom from this world through writing and music. However, even after he achieves success as a rock star, the wall continues to grow, with Pink feeling trapped by fame and wounded by his failed personal relationships. Lost in despair and self-loathing, he attempts to isolate himself from the world entirely. Director Alan Parker approaches this material in a highly stylized manner, mingling animation and dream-like sequences to suggest Pink's perception of the world. These techniques complement the almost constant music, which the film often uses in place of dialogue. Songs include "Another Brick in the Wall" and "Comfortably Numb". ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bob Geldof, Christine Hargreaves, (more)
- 1971
In a mixture of French and English, this Canadian film tells the somewhat muddled story of a lad growing up in Montreal. Without many prospects, the boy is confused on the one hand by his virginal but fanatically separatist French-speaking girlfriend, and his goofy (but sexually available) English girlfriend who is a model. Somehow, this confusion later leads him to bank robbery. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
