BoyActors - Reviews/Ratings by Cinefan

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Reviews by Cinefan

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285 reviews/ratings - 15 pages (20 reviews/ratings per page)

One Hour Photo (2002)

Though not specifically a boy film, you knew from the start there was a screw missing with Robin Williams's character. Dylan Smith played his limited part well enough.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Oorlogswinter (2008)

Found this World War II movie on a market stall. It seems to be an Anglo/Dutch production with Martijn Lakemeier taking the lead part. His performance was really good as Michiel, an adolescent boy trying to do something for the war effort in German occupied Holland. How come these wartime boy film heroes never work for the local Nazi Youth outfit? An interesting scene was where the boy falls into a frozen river and has his life saved by a German soldier. I noted that he did not even have the courtesy to thank the soldier and the rescue was quickly passed over in the film. Ah well, there's no such thing as a good German soldier is there? Fine acting all round with realistic landscapes.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005)

A charming movie from the Phillipines with Nathan Lopez excellent as girly-boy, Maximo. In the DVD extras the Gay director, Auraeus Solito, gives a fascinating explanation of how he came to make the film shot entirely in his own home neighbourhood. Charming and down to earth it deals not only with Maximo's relationship with his father and older brothers but their acceptance of his sexuality. Not only that but the film deals with a boy's awakening love for the young policeman. I doubt whether any British or American boy actor would even be allowed to portray such a situation here.

A highly recommended film and a credit to its director.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

Pan (2015)

A reasonable film with fine acting from Levi Miller but he is, unfortunately, overshadowed by the much greater Jeremy Sumpter's performance in the 2003 version.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Pay It Forward (2000)

In a decent world the idea behind 'Pay It Forward' would flourish unfortunately we haven't reached that stage yet. A so-so film with Haley great as always but the ending was rather a tear jerker and a bit too sloppy. What we Brits would call typical American schmaltz.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Pelle erobreren (1987)

A gritty film in which you could almost smell the poverty, filth and adversity the people endured on that farm. One could say that Pelle Hvenegaard was worthy of a Boy Actor Oscar but he was matched in this film by Max von Sydow's magnificent performance as the weak father. The winter scenes were obviously genuine and I wonder how poor Pelle got through doing that scene running over the broken ice pursued by the school bullies? The film came over as completely realistic and showed the sadism of not just the people in charge of the farmhands but the farmhands themselves who could all mutually sneer and laugh at a young boy being whipped naked by a bullying young overseer. Definitely a DVD to grace the collection of any devotee of the Boy Actor even, if sadly, there were no extras. It was also refreshing to see the nude scenes handled properly and effectively by the director, Bille August. Not something you would be allowed to see in a British film!

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

Peter Pan (2003)

This is a fine film which treats J M Barrie's play well enough. Many will have thought the casting of Jeremy Sumpter, who turned 14 while making the film, as too old for the part and casting an American boy too! I thought Sumpter was excellent as Peter and that boy actor's good looks made Peter even better! His sword fight with Captain Hook was the highlight of the film especially when Hook says Wendy doesn't love him any more and Peter is momentarily defeated.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

Le Petit Nicolas (2009)

This was a charming French film with lots of cute young French boys parading around in their shorts. It reminded me of the type of children's films they made in the fifties ... very pretty and nice.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

Pinocchio (1940)

Animated yes but surely even animated films featuring a boy are acceptable on BA? This is a Walt Disney classic and beautifully rendered and full of great one liners and musical numbers.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

A Place To Be Loved (1993)

A squeaky clean all-American family adopting Sean (and who wouldn't want to adopt Tom Guiry?) made famous as being the first time a child had sued his parents for divorce. Guiry's performance is good as he portrays all the emotions his character has to go through.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Prince and the Pauper (2000)

This is one of those versions little known about with exemplary performances from both Jonathan and Robert Timmins, unknown British boy actor twins. A fairly lavish production, the settings are bright and colourful with American actor, Aidan Quinn, giving great support as the befriending Miles Hendon.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

The Prince and the Pauper (1937)

This is another of those wonderful old B&W boy films from the thirties. The Mauch twins play their parts almost to perfection and even Errol Flynn can't act them off the set! Also of note is the film's musical score written by Erich Korngold which is quite outstanding and has been mentioned by several film reviewers in the past.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

The Prince and the Pauper (1996)

Another BBC six-parter of Mark Twain's classic story. Philip Sarson is outstanding playing both King Edward VI and Tom Canty as there must be a lot of pressure on a boy acting two roles in a lengthy TV series.

I have the DVD set though there are no extras to tell us more about this elusive boy actor.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

Prince Brat and the Whipping Boy (1994)

A delightful film in the Prince and the Pauper mode. Here urchin rat catcher Jemmy, charmingly played with street wise ernestness by Truan Munro, meets spoiled Prince Horace played by Nic Knight, a boy actor I had never heard of before. After some adventures encountering a couple of dastardly villains on the way, the two boys become friends and each helps the other achieve a happy ending. I believe the film was originally titled simply 'The Whipping Boy'.

The only other time I have seen Truan Munro was in the BBC TV production of 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' where he played Dick, the boot boy..

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

Radio Flyer (1992)

I reckon this must be the first film for Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello as they are so young. It has all the makings of a dramatic plot except it goes way off course. The abusive stepfather and two brothers who are far too cute. In fact the whole film is too cutesy with the boys uttering lines no kid would. Then the ending goes into the realms of fantasy that just doesn't add up. I believe 'Radio Flyer' bombed at the US box office and I'm not surprised.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Ransom (1996)

Plenty of suspense and some nail biting plot twists. Although not a big part, Brawley (where do they get these names?) Nolte played his part well as the kidnapped son.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

Rascal (1969)

Beware of boys-with-dogs films but this one has Billy Mumy in it so that makes it okay.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Real Steel (2011)

What could have been an interesting storyline is wasted with this film. Having never heard of Dakota Goyo before, he gave a real acting performance here even if his character, Max, was the type of precocious kid you longed for the robot to swot into oblivion. Whether the robot, Atom, really saved the boy's life when he slid down the cliff is never followed up. It was evident that Atom was more than your ordinary fighting robot but neither father or son seemed interested in that possible aspect. They only wanted the machine to get in the ring and knock hell out of another machine. The final fight was a farce and totally predictable. How could Zeus, the gigantic World Champion robot boxer, suddenly begin to run out of power in the last round? In the end he was completely helpless and little Atom went on to win in true American style.

I echo 'josephk's sentiments entirely.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Richie Rich (1994)

Some might argue that this film is typical American schmaltz and even an excuse for rich people living the way they do. I thought it one of Macaulay Culkin's better movies. He plays the part well ably supported by British actor, Jonathan Hyde, as the butler.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998)

Sequels are often poor attempts at trying to equal the original - 'Christmas Wish' is no exception. Although David Gallagher and Jake Richardson do their very best to lift this film off the ground they are defeated by the sheer banality of the script. Better handled by a better director might have saved the day. It also lacks the presence of Jonathan Hyde as the butler this part being replaced by an aged Keene Curtis who is actually in a wheelchair in the final scenes!

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

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