Millions

[ono]

But I, and Withnail,

Withnail & I

[matt35mm]

But I, and Withnail,

Withnail & I

That was the pun.

[Ultrahip]

Saw this one tonight. Some very nifty sequences set to Muse tunes and the kid was sensational. There were, however, some really lame sound design choices and the fantasy bits did not always work. I quite liked the movie overall but some aesthetic choices definitely detracted, making it just good instead of the powerhouse it could well have been.

[Ravi]

This was a touching film, and the two lead children gave excellent performances.  It is told from the POV of the youngest boy, Damien.  The film takes many leaps and succeeds with most of them.

I liked that this was shot with creativity and imagination.  It often seems like directors of live action children's films use a TV movie style.  I also admired that there was some real peril in a film involving children.  I haven't seen too many films with that element in them (I don't count the Harry Potter films where everything is obviously fantasy and doesn't seem real).

SPOILER

I didn't think the ending where Damien talks to his mother quite worked as well as it should have.

[Just Withnail]

SPOILERS

Just saw this last night, after remembering having loved the trailer for its promises of great visuals, but still not quite recalling the plot (except the very basic "kid finds money"). I went into it with basically nothing but the tantalizing thought of Danny Boyle doing a kidflick. I'm very glad I did. Not that there were many suprises plotwise, but knowing nothing about the film's message and resolution (except for my own hopes and the potential given by the premise) really made the desert sequence hit hard. Who could've predicted it? It was in-your-face and unsubtle, but worked, as the natural conlusion of the child's POV of Damien's daydreams. And after a whole movie filled with striking and inventive visuals, it's message was thorougly reinforced by the power of it's visually simplistic ending.

SPOILER

I didn't think the ending where Damien talks to his mother quite worked as well as it should have.

I agree, but the last scene made that one almost irrelevant.

[MacGuffin]

While I'm not quite with mod about it being one of the best of 2005, I will say that this film is a classic case of the cliche saying, "feel good movie." The whole movie gives you a smile on your face. It didn't patronize the kids. It didn't feel like a "kids movie", and yet it should be seen by kids. Boyle's direction was excellent; right amount of creativity without it being showy or getting in the way.

And all this time I never knew there was a Patron Saint of Television. 

SPOILER

I didn't think the ending where Damien talks to his mother quite worked as well as it should have.

I agree, but the last scene made that one almost irrelevant.

I third that. I was kinda expecting it since he talks to everyone else that when that reveal came, you already knew who it was. And I felt like I should be crying here, but I didn't feel it.

[modage]

While I'm not quite with mod about it being one of the best of 2005

well let's see YOUR top 10 list then mr.

[MacGuffin]

well let's see YOUR top 10 list then mr.

I just finished my 2004 not too long ago.

[sheshothim]

Did anyone find it odd that the the main character, who tried his best to do what was right and do what God would want him was named "Damian"??? Hehe.