BoyActors - Reviews/Ratings by diogenes

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Reviews by diogenes

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350 reviews/ratings - 18 pages (20 reviews/ratings per page)

The Sandlot (1993)

Very lightweight, and a tad formulaic - but enjoyable. One feels that the movie fancies itself a "Stand By Me" for the nineties, but lacks the emotional depth. Still, on its own terms it has a certain charm. The acting is not exactly subtle, but Thomas Guiry is a remarkably photogenic boy.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Scrooge (1935)

A decent adaptation, with some nice moments - though the narrative sometimes seems a little rushed and truncated, as though the writers and actors were trying to join the dots as quickly as possible. Scrooge's transformation after seeing Marley's ghost is so instantaneous that the various ghosts that follow are really quite redundant. Philip Frost is quite wonderful as Tiny Tim. Certainly worth viewing at least once.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising (2007)

Alexander Ludwig gives a creditable performance in what is otherwise a disappointingly lacklustre movie.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Swimming Upstream (2003)

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Through the Magic Pyramid (1981)

The entire Egyptian army is unable to subdue three small children armed only with a bow and arrow. Don't tell the Hittites!

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Tom & Thomas (2002)

Pleasant enough fluff. The scene in the maze of mirrors was the best part. London is never that picturesque in reality.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Wondrous Oblivion (2003)

Earnest, feelgood and ultimately inconsequential. Sam Smith is fine as the Jewish lad in this modestly entertaining drama set in 1960.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Adventures of Ociee Nash (2003)

Tomboy Ociee Nash goes to live with her aunt, en route solving the chief engineering problem of the Wright brothers and supplying President McKinley with one of his more fatuous slogans, all the while showing that anything boys can do girls can do better. Yawn. Yawn. Yawn. And Gypsy John Leon suddenly turns up out of nowhere at the end at exactly the right place to deal with the bad guy - how convenient! I did like Lucas Till as Harry Vanderbilt.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Bedone marz (2014)

In this film, visual style seems to have been privileged over narrative content, and I'm not sure that the result is entirely successful. In the end, we know too little about the protagonist to care very much about him.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Blue Lagoon (1980)

The characters are too simplistic and sketchily drawn, so we never really care much about them. Also, there's very little dramatic tension. So although, for example, we learn early on that there are other people occasionally on the island, they never really come across as a threat to the two protagonists' cosy existence. The whole thing is almost like a television broadcast for schools on the changes your body is going through at puberty! Neither of the teenage actors is particularly charismatic. The scenery, however, is very beautiful.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Brightburn (2019)

meh

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

The Dangerous Book for Boys (2018)

I've only watched episode 1, though I am not disposed to watch any further episodes. It's harmless, well-intentioned but totally predictable schlock of the 'believe in yourself' variety. The best that can be said is that Gabriel Bateman is a very personable young actor.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

David (2011)

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Ender's Game (2013)

Glossy, fast-paced, but underwhelming, the ideas of Card's novel do not seem to translate well to the medium of film.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Friends (2012)

Like so many short films, this feels too much like a mere fragment to leave any lasting impression. The boys are quite good. I've seen worse.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Good Boy! (2003)

Oh God, it's awful! When, at the end, the mom says 'Start unpacking - we're home for good' I laughed my head off! It was so predictable. (Although it doesn't really make sense, since they could always take the dog with them when they move. So why the sudden change of mind???) I can't believe that the producers managed to rope Vanessa Redgrave into doing one of the voices! Still, the whole thing's so unpretentious, it makes it almost beyond criticism. As a movie for very young children (10 or below) it's fine. Liam Aiken is a moderately charming actor.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Here Come the Double Deckers! (1970-1971)

A co-production with 20th Century Fox Television, and very 'American' in style and content, for me this falls a little flat with its over-reliance on slapstick gags telegraphed well in advance, though some episodes are reasonable, and it is very nice to see Peter Firth as a remarkably handsome adolescent.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Hugo (2011)

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

It Came from the Sky (1999)

Kevin Zegers gives a creditable performance as Andy, in this somewhat earnest, feelgood movie about Andy's parents battling with their guilt and grief over the brain-damage caused to their son by a swimming pool accident. If movies about shouty adults working through 'relationship issues' is your thing, then this film might be for you!

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

Jaws (1975)

This film is technically accomplished, but I feel that the fact that it is Spielberg has led people to overlook one very important fact about this film, namely that it is REALLY, REALLY HORRIBLE. It focuses on people being tortured and killed in gruesome ways and lingers on their deaths, their faces, their screams of death, etc., as in the opening scene where the young woman is killed, and the death of Quint at the end. The latter gave me nightmares for years, but then I'm a sensitive soul! The characters are memorable if a little stereotyped, though why do they keep talking over each other? It has its moments, but overall it is not really my personal cup of char.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

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