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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."

Posted - 05/02/2007 : 16:17:59

Naughty, naughty trailer-makers ... go stand in the Corner of Deception. If you decide to see this, on no account believe the trailers. Though there is some cool cgi and it does involve creatures of the imagination, it is not a fantasy film on the order of The Invisibles.

Yup, it stars ordinary down home American families, bursting with good old family values, muddled and troubled as they may be -- coping and not coping with parent stuff and kid stuff. But this is a film about how freeing the mind and making the best from what you've got not only helps prepare you for anything but allows you to move on, to be a better person.

The story strays a bit over the yucky line of sentimentality, but largely due to some sassy dialogue and very good performances from all ages, the film is rescued from the goo pile. The film doesn't shy away from conflict, though it skips too lightly over the consequences. It is, in essence, a moral tale; it'll tug your heartstrings and not make you feel too manipulated.

Just don't go expecting Narnia.

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/02/2007 : 18:24:46

It's hard for me to judge how accurate the trailers were since I already knew the story having read the book, but I really didn't feel as though they misrepresented the film. It seemed like they were advertising the film accurately, although a little less emphasis on those F/X might have been a good idea.

What I don't approve of is the decision to have the story set in modern times. The book takes place in a rural South that doesn't really exist anymore. I think they should have kept that.

BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."

Posted - 05/02/2007 : 19:30:14

quote:
Originally posted by Downtown

It's hard for me to judge how accurate the trailers were since I already knew the story having read the book, but I really didn't feel as though they misrepresented the film. It seemed like they were advertising the film accurately, although a little less emphasis on those F/X might have been a good idea.

What I don't approve of is the decision to have the story set in modern times. The book takes place in a rural South that doesn't really exist anymore. I think they should have kept that.

Ah, well that would explain why all the moral sensibilities felt so old-fashioned, comforting though they were. Having seen it I tend to agree with you.

But I'm wondering [assuming that you live in the US] whether you get different trailers over there. Here it was pretty much non-stop fantasy stuff ... the only "normal shots" were of the two kids running through the woods before they crossed the water. The message was definitely the wrong one here. Can you remember what was in the trailer you saw?

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/02/2007 : 21:44:20

I think the trailers were more or less the same...but included just enough information to suggest or imply that all those "things" we were seeing were really just the two kids' imaginations.

Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"

Posted - 05/07/2007 : 21:43:26

Just seen this today. Like BaftaBabe, I was completely under the impression from the trailer that the fantasy world was real in terms of the film. I was quite glad of the contrast, but I think some children will have been disappointed.

RockGolf
"1500+ reviews. 1 joke."

Posted - 05/08/2007 : 18:15:04

Mine were. They were expecting (and had been led to expect) a Narnia/LOTR type of movie. They got Old Yeller with Annasophia Robb replacing the dog. (not in looks - I cannot say more!)

Edited by - RockGolf on 05/08/2007 20:12:01

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/08/2007 : 19:06:27

Well obviously the real problem is that not enough schools are including this book in the curriculum. Then they would have been excited about finally getting to see that wonderful story they already knew. Seriously, though, it's a great book that all kids should read, ESPECIALLY in an age when authorities are finally pretending to care about kids that are supposedly "social outcasts." (of course nobody cared about them until they started getting their hands on guns, but that's another discussion)

Maybe the trailers really were misleading. I can't really tell, because it was impossible for me to be misled, having already known the whole story.

MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"

Posted - 05/08/2007 : 21:04:52

I had the same impression based on the trailers. But my daughter absolutely loved it. She even ran out to the library to check out the book.

It turned out a bit sentimental, but the role models were positive and they appear to have had a positive effect on my daughter. So I have to give it a thumbs-up and high-five in spite of the bit with the trailers.

silly
"That rabbit's DYNAMITE."

Posted - 05/08/2007 : 22:40:30

I thought it was pretty good, and had not heard of the book before now. I'm 42, when was it written? I'd like to think my school had decent books (we were even allowed to read Huck Finn, I think) but if this came out later that may explain how I missed it.

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/09/2007 : 02:30:39

quote:
Originally posted by silly

I thought it was pretty good, and had not heard of the book before now. I'm 42, when was it written? I'd like to think my school had decent books (we were even allowed to read Huck Finn, I think) but if this came out later that may explain how I missed it.

It was published in the 70s, and it's actually on the list of 100 most frequently challenged books. It seems that even though Sesame Street was able to deal with the death of a real-life person that children loved, 5th or 6th graders shouldn't read a work of fiction that includes the death of a child. Oh yeah...and Terabithia is the work of Satan, you might as well expose kids to the wickedness of Harry Potter.

Of course, this is a country where it was amazing that you were allowed to read Huck Finn. Y'know, the pendulum's already swung back the other way on that book (mostly), and I still can't figure out why it was so controversial.

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/09/2007 : 02:32:05

And while we're at it, why isn't every middle school student required to read "The Chocolate War?" I want some answers!

bife
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "

Posted - 06/10/2007 : 06:41:02

Saw this on a flight back from US yesterday. I saw the trailers six months ago and was pretty keen until I read this thread, whereupon I decided it didn't sound like a film for me.

It did manage to make the potential top 8 films in Singapore Airlines' June schedule though, so I eventually got round to it, having worked my way through 7 others first.

It blew me away.

Might have been a function of the lack of sleep or of a week involving too much alcohol - but I actually had to hold back tears. The one and only other time I have come close to crying at a movie was watching The Champ 20 years ago, so it's not as if I am normally that touched by movies.

I would like to see it again, on the ground, on a real-sized TV, havin had sleep at some point in the previous 32 hours, to find out if it was really as good as I thought or just a function of my sleep-deprived far-from-family state.

TitanPa
"Here four more"

Posted - 06/20/2007 : 03:11:43

Netflix finally sent this to me. I just got done watching this. I too thought the trailers misrepresented the movie. But I got to tell you I was pleased and pleaseantly surprised with it after reading this thread. The movie didnt need all that much CGI and action. It was cool how they showed how a childs imagination can grow. I absolutley loved this movie. I would also like to thank everybody for not spilling too many spoilers. It made me enjoy the film that much more and be surprised. Although I didnt Make much sense of RockGolf's review until after the movie. He had a spoiler imbedded in his post, but I must have not put 2 and 2 together. And quit looking for his post again, if you havent seen the movie.