Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. Is this one a sleeper family film? Here’s a couple of reviews to add their voices to the (rather mild) debate over the course of our last few reviews.
Harry and company, Love your website and your reporting. Our local theater had a showing for The Last Mimsy which starred that Taps kid, all grown up, and the hot blond chick who seems to have a thing for Dalmatians and Jeff Daniels. Also starring was Dwight from The Office, the red head from Crossing Jordan and a couple of precocious kids that I've never seen before. My wife and I decided to take our two kids, one 3 years and the other 6 months, so my review is going to be a little distracted since I had to keep chasing one kid down the stairs and the other one needed a teething biscuit constantly held in his mouth. The manager did meet us at the door going into the theater and gave my kids a Mimsy key chain which thrilled my 3 year old to no end. Spoilers below! I had never read the book so I really had no idea what I was getting into beside what was shown in the previews. My first impression of the this movie is, "man, do we ever need Spielberg to direct another E.T." I can see that this is where the director was going, but Mr. Shaye missed the mark by a long shot. I think that he got the feel of the modern family down pretty well, but what he tried to portray with Michael Clarke Duncan and the government didn't even come close. In E.T. we had the all powerful and omniscient government represented by Peter Coyote character, Keys. A nameless figure who knew all about us and knew what was best for us. Duncan tried to be this but ended up coming across as confused and not knowing why he had the job that he was working at. I would have liked to have seen Duncan's character more paranoid and protective of his government and its people rather than someone who has witnessed one of the most incredible events to happen on Earth and just let everyone go while he flies away on his copter. No way that the government wouldn't be dissecting this kids to find out what happened to them and to also find out how they could use it for their own devices. Someone way of Duncan's head would have stomped his head in and would have taken over the situation with extreme prejudice. That's one thing that I can appreciate about E.T. The movie ended in such a feel good way, we didn't have time to think or contemplate the horrible lives those kids and their mother were going to have after E.T. went home. Tell me those kids weren't screwed up for the rest of their lives after being telepathically linked up to an outer space pervert or leprechaun. The ending wasn't my only beef with the movie. Dwight's character was totally wasted in this story. He had an interesting subplot about how he was having dreams about the same stuff that the kids were going through, but we have no idea why. Nor do we understand why the future or universe wants him to so badly win the lottery. What I would have liked to have seen is that, according to the future story teller, many Mimsy dolls had been sent back in time looking for something that would help save the future. That I can accept. Apparently, the little girl who was written about in Alice and the Looking Glass had found one of these dolls but didn't know what she was supposed to do with it. I think that Dwight had found one of these dolls when he was a kid and that he couldn't figure out what it was squeaking to him. After his Mimsy "died", he grew up, vacationed in Nepal and convinced me that I will never let my children attend public school. His childhood Mimsy experience would have connected him better to the kids and would have explained why he was so connected to them. With what the director did, you have no idea what is going on with the global warming fanatic. The kids did do a great job and I enjoyed their scenes together. I really liked when the boy, Chris O'Neal, started Malcoming in the Middle and became a super genus and spider tamer. The innocence of the little girl's character was honestly portrayed by Rhiannon Leigh Wrynn, who we'll probably see more of. The movie was okay, and if I was a young child, I would probably have the same opinion. E.T. was much better but the Last Mimsy did make we really want to see an E.T. type movie made soon so that my kids can that kind of movie that they could call their own. If you use this, call me Ktreven.
Thanks, Ktreven, and it seems like a pretty fair review. Certainly not a rave, but it seems like you’re being fair about what’s wrong with it. How about The Midnight Bomber? What’d he think?
Hey, Harry & Co. Stumbled onto a sneak preview for The Last Mimzy and thought I'd share my two cents. My opinion should really be split in two, one being the actual opinion, the other being a Norbit-sized "BUT". Simply put, I really loved it. Ready for it? Here it comes..... BUT.....this movie is not for cynics. It's not for realists. It's for innocents and dreamers. I say this because when the credits were rolling, I felt something very similar to what I experienced at the end of Lady in the Water. Just in a more kid-sized portion. *Warning: Some minor spoilers ahead* The basic story: when siblings Emma and Noah discover a unique box with several futuristic "toys" (Mimzy the rabbit being the main attraction), they begin experimenting with them and exhibiting unusual perceptions, abilities, and intelligence. This ultimately leads them to the realization that "future humanity" is in trouble and needs their help to save itself. The good: Emma and Noah are well-played by the two child actors, with Emma being especially endearing. They play off each other well, and each is allowed to show some emotional range. I also enjoyed seeing Rainn Wilson branching into different roles (I only knew him from The Office). I've always loved his Dwight character, and it was fun seeing him act like a semi-normal person. True, this character is only given a moderate amount of depth, but Wilson was able to breathe life into what could easily have become a very trite, boring presence. The special effects were surprisingly good, but not overdone. I never felt like I was smacked in the face with a "cool effect" just for the sake of using one. The bad: The parents. While Timothy Hutton and Joely Richardson gave admirable efforts, it wasn't quite enough. I'm not sure whether it was indecisive directing or scripting, but the Wilder parents' characterizations were decidedly uneven - vacillating unnaturally between freaked-out and laid-back about the crazy circumstances surrounding their children. Also, the sudden appearance of Michael Clarke Duncan in the middle of the movie was a bit jarring, momentarily taking me out of the fantasy of it all. Odd as it may sound, I thought his character's introduction might have felt more natural with a less-known actor. It also would have been nice to see just a little more of what happened to the Wilder children after their experience. Did they keep the abilities they gained? Did they go on to do other great things? The audience gets the overall payoff, shown in "future times", but I didn't feel like the main characters were completely wrapped up. Also, I didn't care for the Intel plug (you'll see!). Why I loved it anyway: As I sat there watching the credits role, it hit me why I had felt such a strong connection with this movie. Why I was willing, even happy, to overlook some of the obvious flaws and let myself be moved by it. It's because "The Last Mizmy" was so much like the daydreams and fantasies I used to come up with as a child. I remember spending hours thinking about how awesome it would be to have something like this really happen. How would I act? What would I do with my powers? And what other worlds could I create? It's these daydreams that first got me started writing. I look back on the innocence of those little fantasies and part of me misses the child-like wonder, the simplicity, and the willingness -the eagerness- to believe anything. This is how I felt at the end of Lady in the Water, and it's how I felt this time. Both movies brought me back to those times so vividly, and I'm glad there are screenwriters and filmmakers out there who also have not forgotten what it's like to believe. Who are willing to replace cynicism with innocence and just enjoy the ride. I love being able to let go and immerse myself in a fantasy, even though there may be plot holes or character issues. The movie that can help me do that will get my vote every time. If you use this, call me the MidnightBomber.
