Wonderwell

Had I not paid to rent this movie I would have been out after 15 minutes. I finished it hoping it would redeem itself, it did not. Weird sexual images and references. Definitely not family friendly. Frankly, I'd be a little nervous about these film makers working with young girls again. The story had no obvious theme. The acting was not very good, but that could be because the characters had no relatable qualities. Their motivations were unclear and I just couldn't buy into any of them; except maybe the kid Daniella. I don't know how they got funding for this movie. It was obviously expensive to make, but what a waste.

The production quality of the film is excellent, which gives the expectation for a good film, especially if intrigued by the trailer.

However, the film is just plain weird and not in a good way. The story seems to never really start, doesn't really know where it's trying to go and never really arrives anywhere.

I think, emphasis on think, it's trying to be clever as a metaphorical coming of age warning about sexual exploitation in the fashion industry? But the film doesn't achieve this aim and besides the very start and very end, the fantasy aspect is effectively irrelevant.

If aimed for children/young teens, it seems inappropriately overly sexual with a cast of all young minors and if aimed at adults it's just fundamentally built for the wrong audience with the irrelevant fantasy tale - which by the way makes no sense and I have no clue what happened, something about a key getting passed between witch sisters?!?

My wife wrapped after about 30 mins in, I committed to give it a chance but it never took off and then just ended, whilst simultaneously being weirdly inappropriate for the nature of film.

Don't recommend, even for intrigue.

I gave it 4 stars because it's stunningly beautiful, if that's what matters, I could have given a 10...but that's it!... And it's not even a merit of the movie itself, but of the production scouting that chose the location in Rome and Tuscany.

The movie jumps from confusing to inappropriate, I'm not a prude, but it made me feel uncomfortable many times.

There's one line where metaphors are named, and I was during the whole movie trying to find the metaphors in order to make sense, unfortunately I couldn't.

Maybe I'm dumb, or maybe the movie was.

One thing for sure, is that the movie drags, it's boring and pointless.

I wanted to love it so much, because of Carrie Fisher. But to be honest, the movie is a beautiful mess.

Setting & Cinematography: 5/5. The blend of Italy's beauty with the fantasy world captivates right from the get-go. Story & Script: 4/5.

While the heart of Wonderwell is enchanting, certain areas, especially Yana and Hazel relationship motives, needed more explanation. Performances: 5/5. Carrie Fisher shines, anchoring the story with raw emotion. Pacing: 3.5/5. Some moments felt a tad rushed, pulling away from the overall immersion.

Comments: I watched Wonderwell with my child, and the tale's magic gripped him thoroughly. The mix of a modern setting with a fairy-tale twist was an instant hit. Despite some narrative hiccups, the film's emotional core and mesmerizing visuals make it a memorable watch, especially for younger viewers who find themselves swept up in its charm. A delightful pick for family movie nights.

I'll start off by saying that this movie looks gorgeous, the visual effects and the costuming and the set design were all on point. And that's as far as I can compliment it.

The writing felt like a five year old's meandering word vomit, so many plot points were started only to not really go anywhere. There was no real resolution to anything of significance, no explanation for what did happen, and no real moral point. The character growth was unnatural, the dialogue was embarrassing... With how long this movie took to make there's really no excuse for it turning out like that. So yes, it's beautiful, but otherwise frustrating.