The Magic Faraway Tree: Enid Blyton's books get a modern-day film adaptation | First Take
So for the first time since August, I'm not in film festival mode, looking at films for consideration - so it was very nice to actually see a feature from the family friendly realm as my first assignment back on the film critic beat for nearly 8 months. Enid Blyton's beloved Faraway Tree novels have captivated children (and bigger children) since the 1940s, and following a decade in development hell, two distibutors, and many production challenges, the brand new version of the stories have landed in UK cinemas, opening relatively well in the process. However, as much as it has its positives, there are a few things that hamper it. A modern family relocates to the countryside where the children discover a magical tree with eccentric residents. They're transported to fantastical lands, rekindling their family bond through adventures. Now this isn't a straight, beat for beat adaptation - the setting has been brought to the modern day, naturally, and this is where having som...
