Ratcatcher (1999)

ratcatcher

I saw the movie yesterday despite the fact that it was in my collection for over a year. I really liked it – even if I have to admit that I somehow missed the ending. Ratcatcher is a movie produced and filmed in Scotland and I do have an affection to such – especially to the accents of the actors and their general appearance . The movie has quite a few uncomfortable scenes – but at the same time they do not get as far as to call it disturbing .

The story is based in the 70`s when a nine week strike of the garbage collectors leaves Glasgow covered with trash . Its everywhere and so are the rats – but those things only set the place or the overall atmosphere of what the viewer is to witness .

The main character is the 12 years old James . Strangely enough we are introduced to it quite slowly – as observes trough the eyes of another boy who watches him playing nearby the dirty waters channel . This filming technique is used quite a lot during the movie and somehow it contributed to the impact of the scenes as we saw them trough the eyes of different characters .

We don`t really know anything about James – so when he causes something terrible to happen our opinion about him is definitely not that positive. James is hunted by gilt but decides to keep silent probably afraid of the possible consequences of his actions . As the movie revolves we are getting more and more familiar with the environment in which James lives and about him. I like these kinds of movies as watching them almost feels like you are fitting together a puzzle. To be more precise the movie offers some excellent character development combined with first class acting.

The movie is packed with an excellent actors from all ages – but the real focus is on the young cast especially the excellent representation of the lead character, which would never turn out so well without the perfect acting performance presented by William Eadie. It is his acting that makes the Ratcatcher a powerful coming of age drama that I highly recommend .

The camera work is first class as well and speaking for cinematography the fact that the movie`s director used to be a photographer herself . The compositions in the movie is excellent and in fact some screen shots of it would have made an excellent documentary photo exhibition about life , boyhood and poverty.

***

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG5amE6TRwc

Similar movies : My Life As a Dog

Ratcather IMDB page

Pete (2003)

Pete is a very disturbing and difficult to watch. The movie was produced by Stormforce pictures. Despite the fact that it was probably made of a very tight budget it got recognized as the Best Drama at the 2004 New York Independent Film and Video Festival.

The director utilizes flashback techniques to introduce the memories of the nine years old Pete. The movie is shot in black and white and this only emphasizes its overall darkish atmosphere. The plot is portraying a rather typical story in which the parents willingly blame their kids for anything without even considering that the problem could be themselves – their attitude and behavior towards the world and the kids themselves. Some of the scenes show Pete witnessing the scandals between his parents and the desperation they cause on him. By the fifth minute the movie becomes really hard to watch as director does not spare anything from the abuse Pete gets from the hands of his own mother. By the ninth minute the movie becomes extremely disturbing – featuring a murder scene and then a very powerful and symbolic ending.

The camerawork is decent as you will notice that since the focus is one Pete , the majority of scenes are filmed at his level. Meaning the camera has been lowered – as to present the scenes the way he seem them.Its almost like if the movie is supposed to appear as though we’re watching surveillance footage

The cast had notable British accent – and the acting was pretty well.

Zucht (2007)

Zucht - A 12-year-old boy who is yet to feel the first trembles of love.

Name: Sigh
Original name: Zucht
Year:2007
country of origin: The Netherlands
Director: Margien Rogaar
Genre: Short film
Duration: 10 mins
Starring:Yannick de Waal, Moo Miero, Roeland Fernhout

Zucht is one of those movies you have to watch several times to fully get its meaning. At first, the movie did not seem very promising or meaningful. One may even say that Zucht is quite a confusing film. However, if you see it a few times through the eyes of the different characters (imagining it really) it’s quite possible that it will give you different very impressions about the film and the life around you.

Camerawork

The camera work in this film was pretty decent for a short film. The actors were all very good-looking and had very expressive faces and postures. The camera work was pretty adequate for this. Taking pictures in water that are still and steady are quite difficult without a lot of investment. Skin and face close-ups were frequent and that made the atmosphere of the movie seem more personal and intimate. That fact alone brings kudos to the film and it’s makers.The timing and pacing were also quite smooth and flowing.

The Plot

The main character was a 13-year-old boy who is yet to feel the first trembles of love. He seems pretty shy to me smiling when a girl called him for a bike ride and then at the beach it become clear that he is a bit embarrassed by his body, as he struggled behind the towel to change into his swimming suit. When it comes to nudity I found his behavior quite weird but that’s me. I am used to hanging out at nude beaches where I have to admit it’s quite odd when you see someone acting the way that boy did. On a side note it was obvious that the girl liked him a lot it’s just that I could not figure out if man that went riding with them was her father, a brother or another of their friends.

That in itself could turn the meaning of the movie at 180 degrees.

Below you will see the various and diverse interpretations of the movies meaning.

One reviewer wrote:

12-year-old Erik goes to the beach with his friend Sofie and her dad.Sofie seems to be in love with Erik, but Erik seems to be a lot more interested in her dad!

And another wrote:

In this movie, Erik awakening to the joys of sexuality, the stirrings of love and the pleasures of the human skin. I think the message is one of freedom and innocence, at a time when coming of age facing a life-changing experience – is that magic happy time in our lives .

And still another:

The previous relationship which he obviously had with the other boy who was a friend the way only two boys can be, form and the symbolic separation on the bicycle ride to the beach. From the open “shedding of the skin”

symbolic of aging to the final kiss. Once at the beach the previous relationship which was consensual and mutual, probably from an early age became tentative. He was obviously still aroused by the sight of his friend becoming naked and hid his forming erection behind the towel then rushed to the water. He was evolving. The young girl who was very pretty obviously had eyes for him and he for her. But he was still torn between what was and what he wanted now. She delivered and invitation in a kiss. He had to decide now.

He rushed to his friend now in the water to say a final goodbye delivering his message with the tag of continued love signaled that although he was changing from a boy to a young man that he would always have love for his childhood mate.

He returned to the young girl with the last vestiges of his boyhood washed away, he accepted her invitation.

As you can see, how you identify the older male role in this movie can change your perception of it’s meaning dramatically.

Soundtrack and Audio

At its very begging the movie had quite modern techno music – which could make you wonder what kind of film it would be. There was very little dialogue in the place which made the plot a bit harder to get adding to the initial confusion the movie caused . However it could be argued that the acting compensated for the limited dialog as much had to be said with the eyes, body language and the directors clues. Finally it should be noted that the dialogue is in Dutch – and probably the limitations of the dialogue would actually do you a favor if you are not familiar with this language.

the English translation “Sigh” means “1. A deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing.[so i found it quite interesting that none of the characters really do “sigh’ audibly at all, but that the “sighing” is all done in the imagery and what i saw throughout the movie

To summarize

A very symbolic and moving piece done in a very short film. Symbolic films are very difficult because different cultures have different value bases. Your understanding and definition what love is could change. It demonstrated the dilemma of sexual choice in the adolescent male. Such a simple movie it really makes you think about things so much. ‘Zucht’ could have an awakening effect on you.

– now I get it: close friendship is a form of love!

Note : What you just read is the first result of the SkyKid.org’s joint movie review forum. The review above is based on the opinions of SkyKid, Joe11,Bestpi,´KID combined and blended in a joint review . To see the separate opinions or if you want to leave your own visit the disscusion thread or leave a comment to this post.

Alexey Goloborodko

I stumbled upon one of the videos of Alexey at you tube accidentally – and am go glad that I did. He is a 14 years old dancing contortionist from Tula, Russia and is apparently famous worldwide thanks to his participation in the Russian show ” Minute of Glory”. To this day I have not seen anyone as flexible as he is – I would permanently damage myself even if I try the most simplest thing he does. Abundant with talent Alexey also have to work a lot in the gym and everyday he spends there 3 to 45 hours . In fact one of the rooms in the flat he lives at is transformed into a gym for practicing in his “free time”. His trainer calls his directions “rubber Dance” – symbiotic dance, sport, circus art.According to hm, Allexey is a extraordinarily hard-working boy who always follows his direction and is determined to improve his skills. Enjoy his amazing performance

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIVqFjLH8Ok

Note ! You will be able to find many others clips of his art on youtube

SkyKids

SkyKids – I am so excited to start writing this movie review. A movie with a cool title, suitable for a film, blog, forum. :-D. It is known either as “SkyKids” or “The FlyBoys”, which may cause some initial confusion for those of you who first look for it online. The IMDB entry is after the title “The FlyBoys”, but on August 23rd the movie was internationally released as “SkyKids”. For the purpose of this review I will use “SkyKids” as I like this title more …

I would start by saying that “SkyKids” has a similar atmosphere to another recently released title, “The Son of Rambow”. It differs however in the focus, which is on the action ( including amazing aerial scenes ) instead of its comedy aspects. Which is not to say that “The Son of Rambow” doesn’t have any action in it. The action in the film is really intense, which assures a long run at the box office.

I really love the fact that SkyKids is not like those dumb movies which flood the cinemas lately / you know the kind – with dozens of computer generated effects and no real meaning . In SkyKids all stunts are real performed by very talented pilots .

If feels like the movie has several different plots. Starting with what may be your average story about a troubled kid who befriends a rather shy boy from his new school. A coming-of-age action film is probably the most accurate description of “SkyKids”.

The cast of the movie is really good. I loved the acting, especially one of the young actors. Reiley Mc Clendon was very convincing as Kyle. In fact Reiley Mc Clendon, who is currently eighteen years old, has unique aspects to his facial characteristic or something in his natural charisma, which really contributes to his role as Kyle. The movie seems to have been made at least five or six years ago and I am really curious as to why they waited so long to release it.

The movie is very entertaining and its guaranteed to keep you glued to the screen for its entire 144 minute length. I loved it and highly recommend that you head to the nearest DVD store to get a copy of it.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFA3u5o3Xto

CrissCross (1992)

If I had known that CrissCross was such a wonderful and powerful movie, I would have seen it long ago instead of having it in my collection for ages unseen. Lately, I’ve discovered several captivating movies that share a strikingly similar theme, and I truly believe they’re worth exploring. Amongst them, King of the Hill and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. CrissCross is a compelling Coming-of-Age film, and it also weaves a touching and sensitive drama that resonates deeply with its audience. It is a combination that often produces powerful and touching masterpieces, and this one is no exception.

Based on Scott Sommer’s novel, the movie deals with the special relationship between a young single mother and her twelve-year-old son. Goldie Hawn portrays a woman abandoned by her husband and strives to secure a better future for her son. She works as a waitress in a small motel in Key West and serves drinks in a strip club. Soon, however, the lack of money forces her to become a stripper herself. From that moment forward, the narrative unfolds reminiscent of Metallica’s powerful video for Turn the Page.

However, the story in the movie is told from the viewpoint of her son, the 12-year-old Criss (played by David Arnott). He is a vulnerable boy, affected by his father, who tries to support his mom financially by taking on various side jobs. One involves delivering fish regularly from a ship at sea to the hotel cook. One day, he discovers that he is being used as a mule by the cook who secretly deals cocaine. He feels betrayed, but at the same time, he sees a chance to help his mom quit her stripping job by making enough money for both of them by selling drugs.

In the review written by Chris Hicks, Davit Arnott is said to “ensemble River Phoenix at this age.” which is an odd fact, considering the many reviews in which one of the actors in Son of Rambow, Will Poulter, is said to resemble River Phoenix as well. It makes me wonder if that’s purpose or purely coincidental.

Davit is entering the spotlight in CrissCross, a dazzling showcase where young talents deliver unforgettable performances! He mostly narrates the movie’s story, and I could not help but notice the unique sound of his voice. Adding to this is his burgeoning sense of identity, complemented by his striking looks (for someone his age) and the fact that he appears in nearly every scene. With a noticeable focus on his youthful, sweat-drenched presence, the camera emphasizes his physicality. It’s no wonder David Arnott left a strong and lasting impression on everyone who watched the film. It is a shame that he did not pursue an acting career.

The film’s theme song plays several times and always enhances the emotional impact of the scenes it accompanies. The score(just like the product design ) is extremely fitting for the period in which the story is set, as it features some amazing ’60s tunes like Albatross by Fleetwood Mac.

Some people consider this movie a bit slow-paced, but this is not true. Moreover, the director skillfully immerses the audience in the atmosphere of the late ’60s, complete with hippies wandering the streets and iconic rock-and-roll tracks playing in the background. The film also features several humorous moments, most of which stem from Criss’s coming-of-age journey and his youthful naivety.

Ultimately, CrissCross stands as a poignant and beautifully crafted Coming-of-Age drama, skillfully blending emotional depth, powerful performances, and an evocative portrayal of the late ’60s—a timeless gem that deserves to be rediscovered.

CrissCross Trailer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104027/reference

Late Summer (2001)

Today I am going to review another short movie called “Late Summer.” Directed by David Rittenhouse, the movie is a good choice for anyone interested in photography or likes the coming of age genre. The plotline follows the experiences of a young teenager who is sent to spend some time with his aunt and uncle after his father’s death. Once there, he is befriended by his older cousin, who tries to teach his young sibling the meaning of life, giving him insights about sexuality, self-confidence etc.

The young teenager has an interest in photography and is encouraged by his cousin to explore it more. Then it all changes and the first photograph by the boy captures that moment of change. That`s just about as much I can say about the movie without including any spoilers. The acting was good, especially Erol Zeybekoglu in the role of Adam, the twelve-year-old, as a curious coming of age boy. The twenty-five minutes of this movie is sure to make you think about the meaning in the photographs you or your friends have. Every photo has a story …

” David Otterhouse captured a time and innocence of being 17-18 years old as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old. A beautiful representation of real true love with no sexual innuendo. Magnificent.”

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312269/combined

Bloody Birthday (1981)

Bloody Birthday is a horror movie from 1981. It’s often regarded as a slasher film. Only the killers in it are three adorable little kids. Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy), Curtis (Billy Jacoby), and Steven (Andy Freeman) are born in 1970 during a solar eclipse. The odd timing of their birth seemed to affect the kids’ personalities ( note the similarities with the Omen), as when they are just about to turn ten, they become violent.

The acting is average, and to me, only the three young actors deserve some credits for their efforts. Especially Billy Jayne in Curtis’s role, who managed to present his character as a very creepy little dude!

The movie is entertaining and will make good use of your late Friday night hours. It is a slasher horror movie made for entertaining instead of scaring you. To me, it was good at achieving that goal. While some other reviewers pointed out that the movie is a bit lame, I suggest that you see it and decide for yourself.

[imdb]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082084/[/imdb]

Son of Rambow

Son of Rambow is a brilliant Coming-of-Age movie about friendship, inspiration and a willingness to put others first. Amazingly funny and innovative, it quickly became a favorite of mine. Written and directed by Garth Jennings, Son of Rambow turned out to be very eccentric, which probably resulted in its greater popularity (judging by the number of positive reviews available online).

At the very beginning of the movie the directors introduced us to the main characters of the movie – Bill Milner as Will, a sheltered son of a family with strict religious views called the Plymouth Brethren. We first see Will reading from the Bible on a street corner while his exact opposite, Will Poulter as Lee Carter, is filming a piracy version of Sylvester Stallone‘s First Blood in the local cinema. By the seventh minute of the movie, in which the boys meet in a school hallway, we get to know the various aspects of their lifestyles, a writing feature that is indicative of good character development — another plus of the movie’s features.

Lee Carter, being a wild trouble maker, bullies Will at first, probably sensing his shyness. He takes Will’s notebook in which the boy draws amazing pictures, his only way to entertain himself since his religion forbids music, movies and television among other things. Lee teases Will to get it back. Their wrestling gets them in more trouble and soon they are awaiting a greater fate in front of the Headmaster’s office. One very nervous Will, who probably never had to sit there before, and a calm Lee who even uses Will’s nervousness to cheat him, taking Will’s father’s watch in return for taking the blame.

Soon Lee Carter recruits Will as a stunt man (well stunt boy) for his homemade inspired by the Rambo movie which, by accident, becomes the first movie Will has ever seen. Both boys are so impressed by the movie and the heroic image of Rambo that they decide to make a sequel and name it Son of Rambow. At that point one may wonder why it was called Son of Rambow instead of The Friend of Rambow or something like that. The answer is easy to discover as the film progresses as both Lee and Will are yearning for absent dads.

When the filming begins, the viewer is treated to a series of wild stunts involving catapults and water cannons and, of course, Will. He does an incredibly good job as a stunt man, enjoying the tasks inherent with the adventure for Lee’s video. Both young actors fit their roles well and it’s probably their talent and energy that makes the scenes what they are, lively and enjoyable. Lee and Will form a bond and even become blood brothers. But, as their friendship becoming stronger and stronger, the viewer gets to see another emerging characteristic; how boys can become so casually cruel.

Subplots: A group of French exchange students are introduced into the mix. I think that this was the only downside of the movie as, it seemed to me, that the focus on the main plot was somehow lost when this subplot was introduced. I have seen other films in which the movie within a movie technique fits better.

As a Coming-of-Age movie, Son of Rambow allows us to see the world once again as it was when we were twelve, when anything and everything was possible. It brought back many memories for me. A friend and I used to make secret trails in the local park, putting traps in them to protect them from being discovered. Then we drew maps showing how to get from point to point, avoiding the traps. Son of Rambow is a great reminder of the joys of being young and care free while, at the same time, it makes you feel like your dreams are still possible.

Highly recommended!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsAChn35HSo

Similar movies : Mickybo and Me and Put the camera on me

Audio Slideshow at NW time – Watch , IMDB , Official web site

King of the Hill

Twelve-year-old Aaron is a smart boy – this is the first impression one gets from watching him reading his project at School. His imagination runs wild and helps him to play two different roles in life – being a student at the rich kids’ school and being a son of broke and unreliable parents. His father is an unemployed salesman and his mother suffers from a sickness that requires her to spent a lot of time away in a sanitarium. Being broke and not owning their own home the family ( the parents, Aaron and his younger brother) lives in a small room in the Empire Hotel. That`s the initial set of King of the Hill – a coming of age drama based on A. E. Hotchner’s 1972 book.

The movie’s director does a great job portraying the Great Depression in the US as seen through the eyes of a resourceful 12-year-old. When the family goes totally broke the parents decide to send the younger of their sons away to his uncle – so they can save 1 $ from the food expenses. Judging from the way they choose to tell the boys one could conclude that they are concerned of the well-being of their sons – even if that conclusion is to be questioned on various occasions later in the movie.

“Well, what is it then?
Your mother and I have made a decision.

– You made the decision.
– You agreed to this!
I agreed we didn’t have a choice.
That’s not the same thing.
Tell them, Eric”

Soon after as the young brother ( Cameron Boyd) is sent away the mother has to be taken to the sanatorium and the father gets a traveling salesman job – which means that Aaron is left by himself. In a way the movie can be seen as similar to Home Alone – but with a much richer plot and purpose.

The acting in the movie is exceptional – especially the one of Jesse Bradford. His remarkable, brilliant portrayal of Aaron’s character alone is serious enough reason to see the film. The actor gives an emotional, truly believable performance, with the innocence and maturity which in their exceptional way reveal the depth of his character.

I felt somehow related to Aaron as it was not that long ago when I left for the US with only 100 $ for an entire year of school. I did attend a private boarding school there and most kids came from rich families ( after all 28 K for a year is a lot of money ). I got all those from scholarships and financial aid and once there helped around in the maintenance as the 100 $ I had with me was spent relatively fast. And just like Aaron, I got good grades – but unlike him, I never lied about my family ( he makes up stories in which his father is first a pilot, then archeologist ).

The sequel to King of the Hill – Looking for Miracles

Two Brothers (2004)

The main characters of the movie – two little tigers

Do you love animals ? And what about tigers ?Are you fan of Freddie Highmore ? If you answer yes to any of these questions you are going to really love the movie Two Brothers. I see it as a coming of age movie as well – only this time we have several characters who came of age – two little tigers , a boy who cared about one of them and Guy Pearce who plays the role of an adventurous hunter and writer .

Raul ( Freddie Highmore ) and his parents

I picked the DVD in a video store – while looking for some new titles for my collection. Did not notice it at first until the friend I was with pointed the actor on the cover and asked me if I knew who he was. Naturally one glimpse was enough to recognize Freddie Highmore – which on it self meant that I had to get the movie. And I am glad that I did that – despite of the rareness of the scenes in which Freddie appeared . As my friend said to me back in that store ” His role is not major – the major one is of the two baby tigers – but it was this movie that made him known to the world”

The little tigers in the movie are adorable. They love to play in the river, bathe in the sun and get into trouble- much like their human equivalents. The movies directors worked with the best animal trainers – and this resulted in one of the greatest movies about animals ever to be made. The tigers – Kumal and Singha – were able to convey a full range of feelings: love, fear, sadness, loneliness, joy and even angerl.Add to that a breathtaking scenery and absolutely beautiful scenes and you will get an idea of what to expect .

The bottom line is that trough the movie does not provide any surprising twists in its plot – its well worth seeing and it goes on to my favorite list straight away. Some of the scenes are really touching and while watching the movie and after its final credits I felt sorry that those animals are almost gone – thanks to the actions of the Humans , who destroy their natural habitat and hunt them for pleasure .

http://youtu.be/GNEt7O7qAPg

The Spanish Gardener

Despite the year in which this movie is made – it is worth seeing nowadays, and I am glad that I could dig it out of my collection. The Spanish Gardener is a British movie, and as such, it carries the atmosphere typical for the movies produced in the country. In Spain, the British consul moves into the country with his son soon after the boy`s mother left them.

The father had some troubles at work, and the need to relocate is making him feel miserable. Yet, he hopes that life in the country will be beneficial for his son’s health, who looks a bit lurid in the first scenes of the movie.

The garden in the villa they moved into needs some attention, and a local gardener is hired. Soon he is befriended by the boy. Their friendship grows strong – which is not surprising because, until that moment, the boy has been denied to play with other kids or hang out with friends because of his father’s opinion that his son is too delicate. Now the boy discovers a whole new word – finally, he could louse the suits and ties he is wearing and play as any kid his age would.

The gardener is a great mentor to the kid showing him how to do basic stuff in the garden, fish …etc. As John Frame mentioned in his review published on the movie page at IMDB, the gardener teaches the boy: ” …to enjoy the beauty of nature and the joy of life itself.”

The Spanish Gardener scene — Jon Whiteley gets a lesson from Dirk Bogarde in The Spanish Gardener.

The diplomat becomes jealous of his son’s close relationship with their Spanish gardener. He loves his child very much – and feels bad that the boy prefers to spend his time with their employee instead of with his father. Torn by the jealousy, he contrives to frame the man and have him sent off to jail, but the gardener escapes.

The movie’s scenes are very colourful, surprising for a movie shoot before that many years. The landscapes shown are gorgeous, and everyone who has ever been to Spain will appreciate them. I was not fond of the soundtrack, although most professional reviewers regard it as very good.

Overall The Spanish Gardener is a good movie that focuses on friendship, mentoring and jealously. I am hesitating to give a general recommendation for this movie – because it is filmed in a way which would be appealing mostly for people who have a deeper interest in the cinema as an art form.

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TheSKyKid.com