Kids Corner #2 - Willow

What is the Kid's Corner? An occasional series wherein I select fondly remembered films from my childhood and make my kids watch them so they too can fondly remember them in the future. This will increase family bonding, build character and will hopefully not end in a screaming row, like the den-building incident. So when the notion takes me, they will be dragged away from their friends and games and homework and will sit obediently by my side and/or look pityingly upon me as I wallow in nostalgia. This week....

Although I have fond memories of watching Willow (Ron Howard, 1988) from my childhood, I think I always knew deep down it was in fact a bit crap. And so it proved. Now that the fantasy genre has some credibility in the wake of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, this lazy tale of a plucky dwarf farmer Willow (Warwick Davis) saving a baby from an evil queen, helped by a fresh-faced Val Kilmer along the way, is really quite embarrassing for all concerned. Not least co-writer and producer George Lucas, although admittedly it was a major step up from the Howard the Duck fiasco two years earlier. Notable for a landmark in CGI technology in the digital morphing scene and for, well, nothing else.

The Kids are All Right?
No.1 (9yo): "It was okay"
No.2 (6yo): "His head exploded!" (pause) "That's gotta hurt!"
No.3 (18mth): Left after 1 minute, dragging Peppa Pig toy. Unavailable for comment.

A full list of films in Kids Corner can be found here.