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)

That's What I Am (2011)

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Thief Lord (2006)

A pleasant little film with Aaron Johnson slightly acting the great Rollo Weeks off the screen. Better directing might have improved the film all round but Weeks looks great and kind of kinky in his mask. I wonder why no one remarked about that when he was sauntering around Venice? Stilted acting from some of the kids, and Rollo Weeks in particular, takes the edge off this film.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Three Investigators and the Secret of Terror Castle (2009)

This is the second of The Three Investigators films and obviously made six months to a year after 'Skeleton Island'. Chancellor Miller has become a bit of a beefcake and all their voices have broke. This tale is not as good as the first film and the production costs have been decreased. Still a good all round boy film though with the DVD containing interviews with the three boy actors.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Tom & Thomas (2002)

A movie with a great idea but not worked out too well by the director. Aaron Johnson does wonderfully well in both roles even, if sometimes, you get confused as to which twin is appearing on the screen. You're not even sure just what the baddies are up to until near the end. A strange Dutch/UK production my DVD has a different cover to the one illustrated here and more interestingly the film is titled 'The Christmas Twins'! Lacks any DVD extras. Boo!

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)

A fine example of old British storytelling and also an insight into just how sadistic public schools were in the 19th century! John Howard Davies is passable as Tom Brown aided by John Charlesworth as his friend, East. My DVD is a computer coloured version which, in my opinion, adds to the overall quality of the film. However, being made in 1951 the soundtrack is not so good in places but the picture quality has been greatly enhanced. The film captures the nostalgic charm of happy schooldays, that is when Tom isn't getting beaten. The characters are fairly well dealt with despite the clipped accents typical of British cinema of that time. A real oldie classic and for that reason deserves a place on the shelf of any collector of boy films.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Tree of Life (2011)

This is one of those movies that seems to require more than one viewing. It can be described as highly sophisticated or bordering on what I call the 'arty-farty'. The photography is superb and the acting, especially of Hunter McCracken, really good more so considering this is his debut movie. I cannot believe that a boy actor of such obvious talent has only made one film. However, 'The Tree of Life's symbolism is sometimes absurd and the most notable scene, I think, is when the meek mother interrupts the authoritarian and, quite frankly near nutcase, father at the dinner table and tells him to "Be quiet". The film ends rather abruptly as many 'arty' films have a tendency to do. Unfortunately, my DVD has no extras so I haven't any director explanations for the involved plotline.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

War of the Buttons (1994)

A well made film with humour and pathos and the director managing to achieve almost the impossible these days, or in 1994 for that matter - getting boys to run about in their birthday suits. The scene with the battle at the castle was very well done, something that was missing from the French original. Plenty of action with plenty of boys though this time with the inevitable intervention of some girls. Ah well.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)

A pleasant tale of a boy and his ... water horse for want of a better name. Fantasy adventure with good acting from Alex Etal.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Max Records plays his part well. The mumbling creatures he meets on the island are not only strange but downright dangerous with their rough games. They could be menacing as well as friendly. There are some moving scenes but I was glad when the boy got into his boat and sailed away from the weirdos.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Witness (1985)

Charming performance from Lukas Haas though how true the film is to the ways of the Amish I wouldn't know.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Wonder (2017)

Dealing with an emotional subject but in a typical glossy, Hollywood fashion. What should have been a gut wrenching story of a boy facing innumerable problems with his disfigurement is here portrayed as almost a fairy tale where everything turns out nice. The other boys act in ways no kids would act in such a situation, they respond too grown up. While Jacob Tremblay's acting is quite good this film certainly wouldn't be nominated for a BA Oscar.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

666: The Child (2006)

Obviously made on a shoestring budget, this film lacked taut direction and the tenseness of other horror boy movies. Boo Boo Stewart reminded me of Blake Woodruff in 'Whisper' but this only emphasised the superiority of Woodruff. Boo Boo didn't even equal that other boy actor stalwart of the horror genre, Daniel Cerny, who appeared in cheap movies, too ('Demonic Toys' and 'Children of the Corn III') but carried off his parts much better.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Alexander (2004)

This is what I call a semi-boy movie. That is because the boy actor only appears at the beginning of the film usually playing the main character as a child. That is why I cannot award it any more than half the stars for Connor Paolo's wonderful performance as the young Alexander. Technical flaw: Boys wrestling in ancient Greece fought naked ... god forbid such things should be shown on a cinema screen. Did boys at that time attend school in white togas and sandals? Who knows? Great school uniform if they did. Connor had his hair dyed blond I think but looked most attractive on screen.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Aloud (2016)

It would seem this film needed more time to develop the characters and the story. It was sad but, after all, the boy still managed to get into the choir and Mr Stevens was still in charge so, perhaps, things can go further. Good acting from Jonah Beres.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Black Phone (2021)

This film was a good idea but any horror was rather diluted. I got the feeling 'The Black Phone' was meant for a teenage audience munching on their popcorn. Mason Thames looks good but his acting was flat considering the circumstances he was in after being grabbed by the 'Grabber'. Kidnapped off a street and ending up in a bleak basement prison would've had the average teen screaming his socks off but not from 13 year old Finney. Why the Grabber was kidnapping only teenage boys and the purpose of that was never explained. Then the Grabber has a brother who lives in the house with him and two houses to further complicate the plot. Then the supernatural was brought in which can add or detract from a plot and this detracted. The Grabber for all his menacing psycho nut character and evil mask was fairly easily disposed of in the end.

The intention of the film was good and, properly handled, could have had the audience biting their knuckles but from a horror point of view it was a damp squib.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Blue Lagoon (1980)

'Blue Lagoon' should have continued solely with the two children which would've made a far more realistic film. It would seem that Glenn Kohan had enlightened parents who obviously wouldn't mind their son swimming in the nude. The older actors lived in a too idyllic situation with Brooke Shields looking as though she had a beauty parlour at hand somewhere on that island. A typical Hollywood effort at trying to depict, with total unrealism, two young people surviving under such circumstances.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Boondi War (2011)

This was only a short which needed to be longer so that the boys could've got started in some real battle epics. Get down to their shorts, get their bodies nicely tanned by the Aussie sun and no ridiculous time limit on their war antics.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Boy Who Saved Christmas (1998)

Nice boy actor but directed at a slow, plodding pace.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

A Christmas Carol (2004)

Quite a few good looking boy actors in this version with Josh Wilmott (no info on him) as the boy Scrooge and Jacob Moriarty as Tiny Tim. The film was well made though the songs were forgettable.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Cold Creek Manor (2003)

With the presence of Ryan Wilson playing Jesse Tilson I suppose we can rate this a boy film. The story of a family moving into gloomy mansion has been done before though, this time, without the obligatory ghosts. The menace is in the previous owner, Dale Massie, and the locals who seem to be in fear of him for some unexplained reason. The shocks become obvious in the end which dilutes the story's horror effect. Ryan Wilson is good in his part and gets a fair amount of screen time.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

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