Robby

You have most certainly already seen other films about Robinson Crusoe based on the original book by Daniel Defoe (1660-1731, the book Robinson Crusoe dated 1719). This is not the latest, since it was actually made already in 1968 by the director Ralph C.Bluemke (USA) (director of ”I was a teenage mummy”, 1962, ”The kid and the killers”, 1974). However even if it´s rather old, its quality has survived through the decades as being an alternative Robinson-story. The film is centered around a boy about 10-12 years old who is shipwrecked on a remote island. In the beginning he is alone but soon encounters another boy (Friday), who has been on the island much longer and already has been adapted to the environment. If you want you can interprete this meeting between the two boys as ”the modern society meets the unspoiled and natural”. There are some (a few) similarities to the film ”Lord of the flies”, as you are amazed of how soon the shipwrecked boy seems to forget his former life (besides brief moments when memories come back to him and he gets a bit sad). The film is taken place in what many would think of as the natural (?) environment of mankind (including the profound naturistic touch), but still you throughout the film are waiting for ”the rescue” of the boy back to the ”normal” society. This theme is reminding me of the film ”The Genesis Children”. The boy ”Robby” is played by Warren Raum and the boy who plays ”Friday” is Ryp Siani.

Saving Shiloh (2006)

Another American family-oriented coming-of age story, this time it´s the sweet and sensitive teenage boy Marty who sets out for an adventure where the important lesson is to learn to trust your heart. Marty is played by the very talented Jason Dolley, born in 1991. The story takes place in a small town in the US where Marty is living with his parents and two younger sisters. In the neighborhood in the woods there is living a lonely man, Judd, of about 50 years old who is known for being cruel to animals, especially his own dogs, and for stealing from people in town. Marty´s own dog, Shiloh, had once escaped from Judd to become part of Marty´s family instead. When a dead body suddenly shows up the rumours start immediately. However, for some reason Marty feels sorry for the man, and asks himself if not a man can change. Soon some kind of friendship evolves between the two, but will it last? Marty´s friend has reasons to believe that Judd is dangerous, and Marty himself then feels insecure around Judd. Who can he trust?

The camerawork is good, and it´s obvious that the film is made by professionals. All the acting is good, and Jason is here entertaining to watch. The story is rather plain, with some twists, but easy to follow and the film is perfect to watch on a lazy Saturday morning.

Meeting Judd.

                       

Photo: **** (very good)

Acting: **** (very good)

Story: *** (good)

Soundtrack: *** (good)

Total: **** (very good)

The Wizard (1989)

This movie is a rather fun coming-of-age story from the US that centers around two brothers, the younger brother with an emotional handicap after a devastating experience in the past and the other completely different and out-going. With the threat of having his brother institutionalized, the older brother Corey (Fred Savage, born in 1976, 13 years old in the film) one day escapes together with his younger brother Jimmy (Luke Edwards, born in 1980, 9 years old in the film), and embark on a journey that will change everything around them. By chance Corey discovers that Jimmy, in spite of his emotional disturbance, has an unusual gift for playing video games, even games he haven´t even seen before. After meeting up with a girl (Jenny Lewis), they start heading for the great video games contest, to be able to prove to the world (and their parents) that Jimmy is an intelligent boy. But the journey isn´t without dangers and difficulties, and in the end everyone perhaps has grown a little (without saying anything about how the story ends). You can find some more info here at IMdB. In summary, this is a warm-hearted family adventure, without some of the usual clichés, and even I (hm..) got some tears in my eyes at one episode….

           

Photo: ****(very good)

Acting: ****(very good)

Story: ****(very good)

Soundtrack: ***(good)

Total: ****(very good)