December Boys

December Boys
by Rod Hardy

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DVD details

Actor: Daniel Radcliffe, Jack Thompson, Lee Cormie, Rod Hardy, Victoria Hill
Director: Rod Hardy
Brand: Warner Brothers
Cinematographer: David Connell
Composer: Carlo Giacco
Editor: Dany Cooper
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-12-11
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Reviews of December Boys

DVD Review: Misty, water-colored memories...
Summary: 3 Stars

A man remembers a special time in his youth when he and three other orphans were given a holiday at the sea to celebrate their December birthdays. While there, the boys meet a young couple that may adopt one of them.

I wanted to like this movie, but it was a big let-down. The entire thing feels like a movie trailer, random scenes fading in and out with minimal dialogue, leading nowhere. The oldest of the four orphans is played by Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), but he has relatively little screen time, mutters only a handful of words, and has no chance to shine. He struggles through some young-boy-coming-of-age stuff that feels really awkward. The other boys don't fare any better; they're all blandly interchangeable and we never get a sense of the deep bond they're supposed to have.

The photography is lovely, but the script just meanders through the holiday and then it's over. Nothing is resolved and even potentially touching scenes fall flat due to poor dialogue and editing. Disappointing.

DVD Review: Daniel Radcliffe...WOW
Summary: 5 Stars

WOW...I was not expecting to see Daniel Radcliffe in this light! LOVED IT! Sweet story too. By the way...I bought this at Big Lots...for $3.00!! SHOCKER HUH?!

DVD Review: Many are cold , but some are frozen
Summary: 4 Stars

Skinny little orphan kids without much hope get a chance to summer by the sea in Australia.
On the Pacific coast of Australia with amazing rock formations, a secret cave, a black horse and a beautiful girl,
they find a haven of sorts.
They discover feelings beyond what they thought they were.

DVD Review: December Boys
Summary: 4 Stars

Though Daniel Radcliffes' character Maps was not the leading character, he proved he is an actor, not to be dismissed as only for the Harry
Potter series.
The movie is excellent if you like "Stand By Me" and "Goonies" from the 1980's you will love and care for these boys as well.
The December Boys
Stand By Me (Deluxe Edition)
Goonies Storybook: Based on the Motion Picture from Warner Bros., Inc. : Story by Steven Spielberg : Screenplay by Chris Columbus
The Goonies [Blu-ray]

DVD Review: Poignant coming of age story
Summary: 4 Stars

The only reason I rented this movie was because Daniel Radcliffe [of Harry Potter fame] was in it, but there are other stand-out performances in this tender coming of age story about four orphans who over the course of a summer circa 1960s, discover what being a family truly means.

The four orphans are in an orphanage run by a band of Catholic nuns and have sort of resigned themselves to the fact that they may never be adopted due to their ages. One day, they are called in to the head's office, and think they are about to be punished for misbehaving, but it turns out that being "December boys", i.e. born in December, they are to receive a treat of spending a summer by the seaside, a dream come true for four sheltered Outback boys who have been bred on a steady diet of boiled lamb.

They are taken in by a kind couple and find themselves getting well-acquainted with the other inhabitants of the idyllic cove - in particular, the oldest boy Maps [Daniel Radcliffe] develops a crush on an older girl, Lucy [Teresa Palmer] who initiates his sexual awakening. The boys are also drawn to a young couple, a motorcycle stunt performer Fearless [Sullivan Stapleton] and his beautiful French wife, Teresa [Victoria Hill]. Soon, a rivalry develops between the boys when one of them, Misty [Lee Cormie] finds out that the couple is keen on adopting one of them.

The acting is above average for all the characters, in particular, Maps [Daniel Radcliffe] and Misty [Lee Cormie]. Both these characters are well-developed - Misty's intense yearning to finally be part of a real family, with a dad and mom comes across as genuine and heartrending in his portrayal. His deviousness is also credibly portrayed, as he tries to outshine his 'brothers' in appearing to be the best choice.

Maps is a well-drawn character - here is a young adolescent who always puts on a brave front, the leader of the band of brothers, the oldest of the pack, but who is also very vulnerable, especially when he suffers an unexpected 'loss' towards the latter part of the movie. His sexual awakening at the hands of the lustful Lucy is not overly sexed-up but subtly and beautifully done.

The soundtrack is simply beautiful with the songs staying with me long after the credits rolled. And the cinematography of the scenic South Australian seascape is just breathtaking. This may seem a tad sentimental to some, but it struck a chord within me and I highly recommend it.

Description of December Boys

They share the same birth month, so the orphanage calls them December Boys. But these teens ??" Maps, Spit, Spark and Misty ??" have much more in common. With no hopes of ever joining a family, they form their own familial bonds. Then the unexpected news comes that a young couple may adopt one of them, and the long-time pals suddenly share something else: a rivalry to be the chosen one.

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