Tag Archives: Family

Family-friendly movies.

Don’t Let the Riverbeast Get You (2012)

Director: Charles Roxburgh
Writers: Charles Roxburgh and Matt Farley
Rated: Not rated
Cast: Matt Farley, Kevin McGee, Sharon Scalzo, and Tom Scalzo
IMDb | Trailer (YouTube) | Buy the film

Matt Farley and Charles Roxburgh, makers of Freaky Farley, a personal favorite of mine, are back with another independent horror-comedy that keeps their signature blend of ultra-low budget cheese fully intact. I’ve become a big fan of these guys since seeing their films, as they bring a fun spirited approach to their filmmaking. Their movies typically feature small New England towns, zany characters, and monsters…what more could you ask for?

Don’t Let the Riverbeast Get You kept up with my expectations, but also stepped it up a notch. The first thing I noticed was the filming style actually felt refined and overall seemed improved compared to their previous efforts. The camera itself seemed to have been upgraded, but also the different techniques and styles used were noticeably different. Though their films are known for their low-grade film feel, the improvements in Riverbeast were very much welcomed and offered more to be appreciated and even cause the film to be taken a bit more seriously.

The story of Riverbeast follows Neil Stuart (Matt Farley), famed tutor turned laughing stock after being exiled as a result of his claims of seeing the notorious Riverbeast of Anytown, USA. Neil returns to the town with determination to win back his lost love, Emmaline (Elizabeth Peterson). To do so, he must clear his name by proving the existence of the Riverbeast. Facing a dirty reporter, town critics and bullies, the pressure is on to expose the truth. He also must race against the ill-will of the beast himself, who begins picking off the townspeople as they venture into the forest.

Meanwhile, Neil also strives to reclaim his position as the world’s best tutor by taking on new students. He starts with Allie (Sharon Scalzo), a free-spirited girl who seems more interested in helping Neil win back Emmaline than her studies. Allie’s encouragement is just what Neil needs to get his life back. He’s also got his best friend Teddy (Tom Scalzo) in his corner, along with his other tutor buddies. But is it enough to defeat the almighty and very hungry Riverbeast? Can the help of even the famous big-game hunter Ito Hootkins be enough to face the evil aquatic monster?

The story is wild and laughable enough to keep this movie going, but the acting is what really drives it home. Someone not introduced to the works of Roxburgh and Farley would likely first notice the acting, which is characterized by the actors being very narrative and overly descriptive and their emotions not matching up with the scenario. This is all mostly intentional however, to add to the comedic effect. Paired with the low-budget obvious guy-in-a-suit Riverbeast costume there is a lot of campy fun to appreciate.

I knew I was in for a good time with this film and I was not let down. It’s very clear when watching a film such as this, that all involved had a fun time and the ultimate goal was to make an entertaining film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s this spirit of filmmaking that I really enjoy and appreciate, as it’s a nice change of pace and a reminder that the movies should be fun and don’t have to be reliant on big-budgets and eye candy to be entertaining. Riverbeast is a fine example of combining a quirky sense of humor and creativity to create a highly entertaining flick that nods to the low-budget flicks of yesteryear while adding a modern fun and unique spin.

We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Leave a reply

Director: Cameron Crowe
Writers: Benjamin Mee (book), Cameron Crowe and Aline Brosh McKenna (screenplay)
Cast: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, and Elle Fanning
Rated: PG
IMDb/trailer | Official Movie Site | Distributed by 20th Century Fox

I went into We Bought a Zoo expecting a fun, feel-good family comedy. That’s exactly what I got with the film starring Matt Damon as Benjamin Mee, a man who moves with his two children to a house that happens to be attached to a zoo. The film is based on a true story of the real Benjamin Mee, though the film contains many differences from the real story.

The film’s version of Benjamin is a widower with two children. Not sure what to do after the passing of his wife, dealing with his son getting into trouble, and always seeking an adventure, Benjamin decides to relocate the family and start anew. A house hunting montage soon rolls by which ends with Benjamin and daughter Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) stumbling upon a closed zoo and of course we assume what happens next judging from the film’s title. I can’t really imagine one day just saying “hey, why not buy a zoo?!”

Benjamin appears to handle the whole situation with a worry-free attitude, but really behind his happy-go-lucky facade hides a hurt man hiding his sadness through the thrill of adventure and risk. Though the zoo was meant to be a means for Benjamin to start fresh with the family, it winds up creating financial and familial distress. Being a family-oriented drama, the film is relatively tame when it comes to the more dramatic moments. The film puts more effort into the laughs, tear-jerking moments, and the cuteness factor.

The movie does do a great job in the aforementioned areas though. There is some nice comic relief specifically from Thomas Haden Church as Benjamin’s brother Duncan, and John Michael Higgins as the absurdly silly an unrealistic albeit hilarious zoo inspector. There are some fun scenes involving the animals as well, including one with Bejnamin and an escaped bear. I’m not sure if it was CGI, animatronics, or something else but that scene was pulled off very impressively and was one of the more profound moments in the film.

I also really enjoyed the cast. Matt Damon is always superb, whether kicking butt as a rogue CIA operative or an adventure-seeking widower, he always brings credibility to his roles. All of the zoo employees were great as well, though I was let down that Patrick Fugit didn’t have a bigger role (he really needs more mainstream roles). I also have to mention that Elle Fanning is starting to shine and no longer should she just be known as Dakota’s sister – with Super 8 and now this, she’s only getting better. Though the script was a little bit cheese in some areas, the great cast makes up for it.

While I realize the intended audience and that this is meant to be a nice feel-good family film, I felt there was a lot of room for more realistic life lessons which here were a bit sacrificed for audience approval. Downplayed family drama, a few moments with drippy dialog, and a not-so-credible love angle between Benjamin and zoo attendant Kelly (Scarlett Johansson) (I just think it didn’t make much sense as the characters didn’t seem to have a bond other than them both being lonely) gave it a little too much predictability and Hollywood conveniences. Nonetheless, We Bought a Zoo is still a fun and well crafted film that the family can enjoy a have a good time with.

October Baby (2011)

Leave a reply

Directors: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin
Writers: Andrew Erwin (story), Jon Erwin, Theresa Preston, and Cecil Stokes (story)
Cast: Rachel Hendrix, Jason Burkey, Jasmine Guy, and John Schneider
Rated: PG-13
IMDb/trailer | Official movie site

Occasionally my local theater shows lesser-known limited releases. When my girlfriend and I saw the listing for October Baby and looked up the synopsis on IMDb, we thought it was worth checking out. We often like seeing movies we don’t know a lot about beforehand, so we hoped this was one that wouldn’t disappoint…sadly it wasn’t quite what we both expected.

The film starts with a young college student named Hannah (Rachel Hendrix) performing a play on opening night. She soon collapses, leading to her medical history to be examined and in turn, some secrets about her birth. As it turns out, Hannah’s parents adopted her after a failed abortion and a fleeing birth-mother. The news is as emotional for the audience as it is for Hannah.

On a quest to seek answers to many questions, Hannah ends up taking a Spring break trip with her childhood friend Jason (Jason Burkey) after much of his convincing. The film is suddenly a road trip film that features many comic relief scenes involving friends Truman and B-mac, cousins that offer a lot of on-screen banter or chuckles. I’ll admit I enjoyed the film the most up to and including the trip sequence. It felt like an emotional, coming of age style flick that was well shot and had some good teen drama and comedy.

The film however starts to take a different turn as soon as Hannah finds more information about her birth mother. The topics of faith and God is slowly introduced into the picture in addition to the string of very coincidental and convenient events and facts. It’s worth noting that there is a scene during one of these revelations with Jasmine Guy as the nurse who delivered Hannah. Though again the facts were too convenient for the story, the scene is full of emotion that makes us want to believe everything. Afterwards though, the film gradually strays more and more from realistic situations which becomes almost laughable.

Now of course I’m not opposed to a movie about faith or anything spiritual. But what October Baby winds up doing is turning a potentially heartfelt coming of age story with a good moral into a church-sponsored PSA. I counted that the movie could have ended about 3 different times. However the filmmakers attempt to tie every loose end up to satisfy the audience. Here we have a movie dealing with life, faith, family, forgiveness and the very serious topic of abortion. The subject matter is very strong, but here is sadly drowned out by efforts to paint a much more ideal picture.

I wanted to like this movie so much from the beginning. Rachel Hendrix is very likable, and we really do feel for her character. There were some very nice scenes as well that got me sucked in towards the beginning. But as the movie goes on, it feels like a different film in so many places. From the sometimes preachy narrative to an unlikely resolution to basically every conflict, to the even more strange-feeling aspects such as Hannah’s mere ignoring of her adoptive mother (who seemed to be the only one on Hannah’s side from the beginning) and favoring her father in several awkward moments…it just didn’t add up. I could go on with a list of the things that bothered me with the movie.

October Baby has good intentions. Whether you’re Christian or not, Pro-life or Pro-choice, I don’t think it matters. I think anyone would feel for Hannah and her internal struggles. My main problem is that the moral element started to conveniently wrap itself around the characters which ultimately led to it feeling contrived and borderline cheesy. I appreciate the intent and talent involved, but would have had much more admiration for the film had it took a more consistent and realistic approach.

Hugo (2011)

Leave a reply

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: John Logan (screenplay) and Brian Selznik (book)
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Moretz, Christopher Lee, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Ben Kingsley
Rated: PG
Official movie site | IMDb/trailer

I went into Hugo knowing very little about it, which can either be a really fun way to watch a movie or it could be a huge mistake. Luckily for me in this case, it was a great thing. The Martin Scorsese-directed family movie ended up being a great time at the movies with a fascinating, and partly true, story.

Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) is a young orphan boy living alone after his father passes away (and later his uncle). He maintains the clocks within the walls of a Paris train station, stealing food as needed. He eventually meets a grumpy old man (Ben Kingsley) who owns a toy shop at the station as well as the man’s goddaughter (Chloë Moretz). The two youngsters go on a few adventures, one including an automaton left by Hugo’s father which he believes contains a message.

The few facts I knew about the film were mainly revolving around the fact that it was a family adventure movie. About half way through the film though, the topics of early film production and preservation come into play. Much reminiscent of Cinema Paradiso, Hugo has a lot of film spirit that any movie lover will appreciate. The scenes involving both clips of old movies and the characters’ memories and thoughts on film make the viewer appreciate what the movies are really about.

The acting is all-around well done. The surprise standout for me was Sacha Baron Cohen as the Station Inspector. The two young leads are just incredible and believable, and it goes without saying that Ben Kingsley did a wonderful job as the legendary Georges Méliès. There are also a few characters placed around the train station that make everything so much more realistic and inviting. From an older fellow trying to swoon a woman (even though her dog doesn’t approve) to a quiet and charming flower shop girl…there are small details and people that, while they seem minor, without them the movie wouldn’t be the same.

Hugo really is a fun movie and a great experience. I had no choice but to watch it in 3D at the theater, which I probably could have done without (though a few scenes did look awesome in 3D) but it still didn’t take anything away form the whole experience. The music, classic film clips, and performances are not to be missed. It’s got the spirit and enthusiasm that a family movie should have. This one really makes you not only appreciate film, but those close to you as well.

Hoax for the Holidays (2011)

Leave a reply

Director: George Mihalka
Writer: Josh MacDonald
Cast: Callum Keith Rennie, Martha MacIsaac, Ricky Mabe, Don Allison, and Andrew Bush
Rated: n/a
Original release date: 2010 (as Faith, Fraud, & Minimum Wage)
IMDb

It’s that time of year already, where Christmas movies will soon take over your television. There are always the classics, but it seems fewer new holiday flicks have the rewatchability and timelessness of those that traditionally get heavy rotation. A few gems come along occasionally, but for the most part all that seems to come out lately when it comes to yuletide features are romantic comedy-based.

Hoax for the Holidays stars Martha MacIsaac (Superbad) as Casey, a hard-working albeit cynical young lady working at a small town coffee shop. Casey struggles to support her father (Callum Keith Rennie, Wilby Wonderful) who is hesitant to do much work of his own. One day on a fit of anger, Casey finds herself being the cause of what she thinks is a small prank that soon enough turns into the talk of the town.

We learn about Casey’s past and more about her family, which is a heartbreaking story. Casey is a really likeable character, played with excellent girl-next-door charm by MacIsaac. I did really feel her sadness as she deals with both her family, a love interest, and the aftermath of her joke. Rennie is equally as effective as Casey’s father. I recall Rennie from Wilby Wonderful, and his honest character in that movie had an effect on me. It’s characters and actors like these that make a good emotional movie.

I love small town films, and this one certainly gives you that small town feeling. The rest of the cast are credible characters and the atmosphere felt familiar. Each character has a story and some depth and realism, there no central characters that we simply overlook which is one of the things I liked most about this movie. The film also has a storyline involving a young struggling priest which I also have to mention, as it was a good example of the way each character has an effect. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in a town where everyone knows everyone (and their business), and this film gives a nice glimpse of that.

Hoax for the Holidays was a pleasant surprise. This film is put out by the same company that released Christmas in the Clouds last year, which I very much enjoyed (And will probably watch again this year). While I didn’t like this movie as much as Clouds, it is still a fun and heartwarming Christmas flick that will make you feel good for the holidays while giving you a few laughs. While bits of the hoax storyline may be kind of silly and not very believable, the film has a lot of charm and holiday spirit.