As we are staying for 2 months in Malta, we have enough time to include some of the latest films on the local cinema, especially if the weather is not so good. This week, our choice was the cartoon “Duck, Duck, Goose” aimed at youngsters primarily but, as we all know, with lots of asides and gags that only adults will get. Quite happy to be the only grown-ups in the cinema without children in tow, the back row seemed a logical choice.
As with all full-length cartoon films now, there is an underlying story about family, being scared then being brave, and basically helping others even if it puts you in danger. The goose in this case is a hyper-active juvenile who thinks he can do things on his own without having to toe the collective line, especially not following the required formation for migrating. Starting out goes OK until he finds two little ducklings separated from their group, one of which bonds with goose ass his ‘mother’.
Funny, clever, some great one-liners, and a lot of loud unexpected noises where I nearly fell off my chair! Typical children’s jokes – especially the duck having a tantrum because he was hungry, and then swallowing glow worms so that he glowed when he burped. It all works out in the end, after lots of adventures on the journey, so everyone left the cinema happy. This film was interesting as it was made by Chinese company and set in China with rice fields and the Great Wall as obstacles, and all the characters Chinese. Voice-overs in USA English, but you can see how well it can be translated for any country world-wide.
A very pleasant couple of hours in a fascinating old cinema, giant projectors on show from the olden days and some beautiful ornamental features including intricate metalwork and coloured glasswork. If you don’t want to watch a film on any of their 7 screens with 4-5 showings a day, it is worth popping in to have a look around and have a coffee in the lounge area.
