In an old house in Paris, that was covered in vines,
Lived twelve little girls, in two straight lines...
So begins the story of Madeline, the littlest girl of the twelve in the boarding school run by Miss Clavel. She is always the one dawdling and having adventures. This film version uses live action rather than animation but manages to stay true to the spirit of the books and their illustrations by Ludwig Bemelmans. However, it does make Madeline an orphan in a surprising departure from the books, which were written for and about Bemelmans' own daughter.

Madeline (Hatty Jones) is a great trial to Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand), who often has a feeling that 'something is not right!'. Usually it is due to Madeline getting into more trouble, like having her appendix out or falling into the Seine and being rescued by a dog. The film's plot is drawn from four of the six Madeline books, plus some new material-the main event is the threatened sale of the school by its greedy owner, Lord Covington (Nigel Hawthorne). Of course the girls are not happy and put all their mischief to work to discourage any potential buyers.

This is not a movie which will hold the attention of children used to action but should please those who love the books and can appreciate quieter comedy. Jones, a nine year old newcomer, plays Madeline perfectly and Paris provides a wonderful background for her adventures.

One of Jim Henson and Frank Oz's first projects, this is one of their best movies. It has the classic theme of good against evil and a world torn apart by it. It portrays the story of Jen, a Gelfling, who is destined to fulfill the prophecy, which will unite the land. He must find a shard which has been broken off from the dark crystal and reunite it with the main crystal. Yet on his travels to find this shard, he encounters many weird and interesting people, such as Olga, Fizzgig, and the range of enemies who try to kill Jen and stop him from fulfilling the prophecy. There are also some strange twists in the plot which will not be fully understood until it is explained at the end.

This film, although now old, is still a classic. The characters are all done by puppetry, yet this in no way detracts from the film. It's stunning how they move so naturally, despite the fact they have strings controlling them. The movie also flows well, showing you how different aspects tie together, such as how the Mystics, the good race and the Skeksis, the evil race are connected. The Dark Crystal is not only enjoyable for young children but is a must see for the whole family.