ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Filipe Neto The story of this film is very touching: focusing on four young Australian orphans, the film portrays the end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence. The four boys are united by an immortal friendship strengthened by constant union. Having no family, they became family to one another. The eldest, in fact, no longer has any hope of knowing what it is to have a mother and father. They're sent by the orphanage to a small seashore village as a birthday present but, on this trip, their bonds of friendship and brotherhood will be tested when they suspect that a couple of local residents may be thinking of adopting one of them. It's also a moment of discovery of sexuality. The four are already curious about women, but only one really is old enough to do their sexual initiation.The cast revolves around four young actors, being the oldest and most famous of them Daniel Radcliffe, the eternal "Harry Potter". Lee Cormie, Christian Byers and James Fraser, three actors unknown to me so far, complete the quartet. I think they were all excellent in their respective roles, being the youngest of all to assume the role of narrating the story, in hindsight. Each one will overcome their personal challenges and will mature with it, which makes the film gradually more serious, mature and emotive. At the end, the most emotional scene shows us how that friendship has sured the test of time. A word of praise for the choice of filming locations, with beautiful maritime landscapes and enchanting beaches.I think most people who see this movie do it because of Daniel Radcliffe but, after watching it, I think it has a lot more to offer. The whole cast was very good, the place is beautiful but, above all, the story told is very touching.

Wuchak I picked up "December Boys" (2007) for two reasons: I like (non-raunchy) coming-of-age flicks and the fact that it takes place on the Southern coast of Australia (atually it was shot on Kangaroo Island, part of South Australia). As for Daniel Radcliffe, the star of the popular Harry Potter films, I've never seen him in a movie before and have no interest in him or Potter.THE STORY: Four boys from an Outback Catholic orphanage get to celebrate their December birthdays by taking a Christmas holiday on the coast. They discover that a young childless couple are interested in adopting one of them, which creates a bit of rivalry, although the oldest one (Radcliffe) could care less and spends his time learning about girls and romance. Their time at the coast becomes a cornerstone experience as they ultimately discover what family means.Unless you're Australian, I encourage you to utilize the English subtitles to understand the nigh-unintelligible Australian dialect. Otherwise you'll only comprehend about half the dialogue and the story will be lost to you. No kidding.WHAT DOESN'T WORK: After seeing the film I only two of the boys -- Maps and Misty. The others might as well have been phantoms. The plot is interesting, but the story as-played-out is not very compelling (although the epilogue is slightly moving). Scenes come and go with largely ill-defined characters with little dialogue or explanation. This is definitely a picture where you'll have to read in between the lines to appreciate, which might make it good for repeat-viewings.WHAT WORKS: The Kangaroo Island locations are fabulous, especially the high shots of Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park.The picture really comes alive when Teresa Palmer is on screen; she plays femme fatale Lucy. The DVD cover is deceiving in that Teresa looks to be about 12 years-old. Actually she was 20 during filming and plays an about-16 girl with curvy legs from here to New York. Lucy's scenes with Maps are the highlight of the picture (and not at all "awkward" as another reviewer contends). Lucy is aware of her tantalizing feminine powers and skillfully utilizes them to bewitch Maps with her spell.In addition to the Remarkable Rocks and Lucy, other highlights include a secret cave high up on the rocks, a wild black horse who seems to fish, an Evel Knieval-type character who may not be as "Fearless" as he lets on, a colossal fish named Henry and the cantankerous old man fascinated by it.The DVD feature about 10-minutes of deleted scenes that should have never been deleted. Make sure you catch 'em as they help explain the story better.BOTTOM LINE: Although the story is merely okay as far as captivating and moving cinema goes, the highlights noted above compel me to give "December Boys" a decent rating, in particular the scenic rocks/coast and Lucy.If you like Teresa Palmer in this picture be sure to check her out in "Bedtime Stories" (2008), "Restraint" (2008) and "The Grudge 2" (2006).GRADE: B

rahbek Nice story and movie in general, but some factual flaws disturbs my illusion. The store takes place in the 60' but all the motorcycles are from 2007 ????? The ocean is the pacific (east) but in a scene is Africa pointed out although that would be West ???? Why can movie instructors never get the details right ??? Or only the best can ??Nice story and movie in general, but some factual flaws disturbs my illusion. The store takes place in the 60' but all the motorcycles are from 2007 ????? The ocean is the pacific (east) but in a scene is Africa pointed out although that would be West ???? Why can movie instructors never get the details right ??? Or only the best can ??

Ozzy2000 Set in the early sixties in an outback Christian orphanage four orphans are seen uncharacteristically "mooning" from a window. It quickly moves from the sublime to the ridiculous when the orphans are smoking after lights out. The head nun tells four orphans they are going on beach holiday due to a donation and you wonder why the rest of the orphans miss out. On the way to the beach holiday the children are heard to say "Let's cross swords" as they cross their urinating streams by a roadside break and I realize the scriptwriter has little conception of how Australian boys talk and behave. We then see the boys at a circus where they see 1980's BMX motor bikes in "daredevil" stunts but it's the sixties and you would have to conclude the director is an idiot. The film becomes a narrative of one of the boys wearing glasses and they arrive at the beach begin an unsupervised frolicking escapade. He the sees a black horse and it leads them to the beach where a topless girl emerges from the water and introduces herself in a Mexican accent. You then realize she is what appears to be a French family running the supposed to a beach resort. Daniel Radcliffe plays Maps and appears much taller and older than the other boys and is withdrawn .A Man appears on a Triumph motorcycle looking like his from the eighties. He the take the bespectacled boy for a dangerous stunt ride on his shoulders whilst riding his motor bike on sand. During this symbolised coming of age film we hear Australian rock hits from the seventies. Its further evidence that Australians can't make films and doesn't make any sense the dialogue is ridiculous. The other boys are drinking by now we see the horse with a fish in its Radcliffe's character is already smoking and probably already having sex with the blond Lucy. We see a horse with a fish in its mouth and see a silly adoption story. It only get worse from that point and is a waste of Australian taxpayers money. Acting woeful , Minus five stars.