Reviews (64)

Best Film of the 80's
Screw "Raging Bull." This quiet little Disney film from the mid-80's will knock your socks off. Carroll Ballard works wonders with this exquisite movie based on Farley Mowat's tales of wilderness in the Arctic. BY FAR the best of the early Disney "attempts" at more adult storytelling. And BY FAR the best score Mark Isham has ever produced. I've seen the film a dozen times, and cannot WAIT to see the quality of the Anchor Bay widescreen release. Check out the Mark Isham Score (available on Amazon.com). The only thing missing is the cool music from the mouse eating scene...sorry for the spoiler!

Fine fictionalized documentary ahead of its time
This fictionalization of the Farley Mowat book about his Arctic adventures studying wolves is amazingly enough perhaps the most controversial film Disney studios ever made. How sad is that? The reasons for the controversy would seem minor: first, the movie is not entirely true to Mowat's book; two, it's lightly plotted; and three, a man is seen running around naked in the tundra. To which I say, so what? so what? and gee, how offensive. (Maybe they should have clothed the wolves.)

The latter complaint is the major reason for all the ranting by some "reviewers." To them a Disney film showing human nakedness seems a sacrilege and they want their bowdlerized world returned to them, and they want Disney censured and made to promise never to do anything like that again! The complaint that there wasn't enough tension in the film is also off base since this is a contemplative, even spiritual film, not a slick thriller. People with sound-bite attention spans who need to mainline exploding cars and ripped flesh to keep them interested need not apply.

The criticism that Director Carroll Ballard's film is not entirely true to the book is legitimate, but I would point out that movies are seldom if ever entirely true to their source material. A film is one kind of media with its particular demands while a book is another. It is impossible to completely translate a book into a movie. Something is always inevitably lost, but something is often gained. Here the cinematography and the beautiful musical score by Mark Isham are fine compensations.

The acting by Charles Martin Smith as "Tyler" (Farley Mowat) and Brian Dennehy as Rosie, the exploitive redneck bushpilot, and Samason Jorah as Mike the compromised Inuit (who sells wolf skins for dentures) and especially Zachary Ittimangnaq as Ootek, the quiet, wise man of the north are also pluses. Note how compactly the main issues of the film are exemplified in these four characters. Indeed, what this film is about is the dying of a way of life, not just that of the wolves, but of the Inuit people themselves who are losing their land and their resources while their young people are being seduced away from what is real and true and time-honored for the glittering trinkets of the postmodern world. This is a story of impending loss and it is as melancholy as the cold autumn wind that blows across the tundra.

What I think elevates this above most nature films is first the intense sense of what it would be like for a lower forty-eight kind of guy to survive in a most inhospitable wilderness, and second the witty presentation of some of the scenes. Ballard works hard to make sure we understand that it is cold, very cold and desolate and that there are dangers of exposure and weather and just plain loss of perspective that have killed many a would-be adventurer and might very well kill Tyler. I think it was entirely right that near the end of the film we get the sense that Tyler is going off the deep end emotionally, that the majestic and profoundly melancholy experience has been too much for him.

Tyler begins as a greenhorn biologist dropped alone onto a frozen lake amid snow covered mountains rising in the distance so that we can see immediately how puny he is within this incredibly harsh vastness. The following scene when Ootek finds him and leaves him and he chases Ootek until he drops, and then Ootek saves him, gives him shelter, and leaves again without a word, was just beautiful. And the scenes with the "mice" and running naked among the caribou and teaching Ootek to juggle were delightful. The territorial marking scene was apt and witty and tastefully done. (At least, I don't think the wolves were offended.)

This movie was not perfect, however. For one thing, those were not "mice" that Tyler found his tent infested with. I suspect they were lemmings posing for the cameras. Those who have seen the film about the making of this movie undoubtedly know what they were; please advise me if you do. Also the "interior" of Tyler's tent was way too big to fit into the tent as displayed. Also it would be important from a nutritional point of view for Tyler to eat the "mice" raw as the wolves did! (The actual creatures that Mowat ate I assume were mice.) If Tyler had to exist purely on roasted and boiled rodent for many months, he would encounter some nutritional deficiencies. Still, eating a diet of the whole, uncooked mouse would be sustaining whereas a diet of lean meat only would not. (Add blubber and internal organs for an all-meat diet to work.) Incidentally, the Inuit people get their vitamin C from blubber and the contents of the stomachs of the animals they kill.

Where were the mosquitos and the biting flies that the tundra is infamous for?

Since this movie appeared almost twenty years ago, the public image of the wolf has greatly improved and wolves have been reintroduced to Yellowstone Park. I think everybody in this fine production can take some credit for that.

Great movie and great book!
This was one of the first (and few) books I read for fun while I was growing up. Then when the movie came out, it was the icing on the cake. Today I'm ordering it for my dad for Father's Day in rememberance of "back then." I can't wait to watch it with him after all these years.

lol @ one star reviewers!
I find the one star reviews of this movie amusing.Its sad that people condemn this movie just because they are hyper and easily bored and entertained only by blood and violence.The same movie that bores the aforementioned fools will satisfy more intelligent and philosophical individuals that have more interest in the natural world.As an animal lover and animal welfare activist,I enjoyed this film and can recommend it to anyone thats ever had an interest in nature and wildlife.Remember to order the wide-screen version,you`ll see the film as it was meant to be seen.

proto "lost in translation"
Well, at least, I get the same sort of feeling from both films. I am biased--I love Alaska, the wilderness, and hate people. So the setting of this film works for me--something I picture in my mind when i am stuck in rush hour traffic. There is some slow moments in the plot. The movie has some feel-good undertones to it. However, the sound in most movies is merely a backdrop. In this, it really serves to move the film along, to connect on a different level. Sound plays into the plot. My favorite scene is when the scientist is sitting on a hill playing his oboe to a midnight Alaskan sun. There is something transcendent about that very scene. I almost see it as the connection of two worlds. Regardless, I would highly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that "it may be the greatest children's movie ever made." A visual feast from start to finish, the timeless tale of The Black Stallion plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthrall any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The most magical childrens' (& adults') movie ever made!
I have been completely enchanted with The Black Stallion since first seeing this movie in the theater at the age of 7 and then having the opportunity to meet Cass Ole in Washington, D.C. shortly thereafter. I remember being the first in line to have my picture taken with that horse!

I have never seen a movie more beautifully filmed. From start to finish you will be riveted during the trauma of the sinking freighter, the desert island scene (about 45 minutes with no speaking - you will be amazed at well they pull this off!), The Black's homecoming to New York and the final race.

I still watch this movie on occassion and my heart beats harder each time as Alec and The Black are rescued from the island and during the race. Still, my favorite scene is during the final credits where we return to the island and see Alec and The Black playing together and rolling in the sand on the beach as the most beautifully reminiscent music plays.

This is the stuff dreams are made of - I have always wanted to be Kelly Reno on that island!

Cinematography and visual storytelling at its best
If you can get past the labelling of "children's story" or "melodramatic fable", The Black Stallion has the kind of stunning filmwork reserved only for the grandest epics. The first half of the movie -- about a boy and horse shipwrecked on a small island -- is basically a silent movie. It is a story of friendship and trust that is told without the benefit of dialog. Deschanel's wonderful cinematography conveys both the island's beauty and Farley's storytelling without becoming maudlin or trite. The still photography alone brings to mind Adams, and the haunting score is near perfect for the occasion. The second half of the film reverts back to a formulaic Nerd-wins-Girl, or in this case, Boy-and-Horse-Win-Big-Race, but the performances are superb and the movie never patronizes to its adult viewers. Predictable ending aside, The Black Stallion is an awesome, visual masterpiece masquerading as a children's movie.

Great flick, poor DVD
The story and the cinematography were excellent. The transfer to DVD was very disappointing. It looked out of focus from time to time, the dark scenes were muddy, and there were film "remnants" in the transfer (scratches, film marks). And the sound, while Dolby, was 2.0 which was rather disappointing, too.
This isn't too recommend against it, just beware, it isn't the great audio/visual feast that it could be.

DON'T BE A HORSE'S PATOOT - SEE THIS MOVIE!
You don't want to miss out on this wonderful family film about a boy and his dog. The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not - huh? - a horse? Oh, yes, of course! A horse. A wonderful family film about a boy and his horse. -------- The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not even nominated for an Oscar for his extraordinary cinematography in THE BLACK STALLION goes to prove what a dog and pony show the Academy Award presentations really are. (Dang! How'd that dog sneak back in here again?) Deschanel's poetic work in this film belongs in an elite class which also includes KOYAANISQATSI and ONE FROM THE HEART. -------- Kelly Reno's work also belongs in an elite class of highly developed performances by child actors which also includes Bobs Watson in ON BORROWED TIME and Haley Joel Osment in THE SIXTH SENSE. -------- But what I really want to focus on with this review is something that only my fellow reviewer Candace Scott seemed to fully appreciate and note in her July 3, 2003 assessment: I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to do a little (VERY little) professional acting in the late l970s and early '80s. It was a craft I seriously studied for many years, and having learned a bit about it, I'm here to say that MICKEY ROONEY's naturalistic performance in this movie is one of the finest ever filmed! I watch THE BLACK STALLION every couple of years and end up slack-jawed every time! -------- In acting there is something known as "False Notes", and these occur when a performer falls out of character and/or plays to the camera or audience. Even the greatest of thespians are guilty of committing False Notes in every performance. MICKEY's performance as horse trainer Henry Dailey may be the only PERFECT performance I have ever seen. Does it seem like he just isn't doing much? Does it seem like he's hardly even acting? EXACTLY!!! The viewer simply can't catch him "acting", and that's the whole point! His actions, his reactions, his speech patterns are so organic to the character he's playing that it simply floors me!!! He may have played a False Note for a brief moment in the scene where he reassures Alec who sits on the car bumper in the rain-soaked night. Maybe. MAYBE! It's arguable. I've seen many an extraordinary performance in my (nearly) 45 years, but this one is really something special. (You actors out there know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?) There are many excellent reasons to see this film, but Mickey is the best of them. At least for me. -------- I suppose I should mention the movie's one notable flaw even though it is of such little consequence: The editing in the horse race always disturbs me a little. As they cut from the closeup on the thundering hooves to the long establishing shot and then back again, it leaves the false impression that The Black's position changes in the field of horses. But c'mon, are we gonna let a little detail like that spoil such an overall artistic success for us? No way! The bottom line is: THE BLACK STALLION is a real winner; you can bet on it!

the girl
i will like a boook on the girl. i will buy it for $5.00 ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Another Carroll Ballard Classic...Fly Away Home is stunning!
As a longtime admirer of Director Carroll Ballard, I was thrilled when the Special Edition of "Fly Away Home" was released on DVD. I wish Anchor Bay had done the same treatment to Never Cry Wolf. But this film is a classic for all ages. Its parallel story to the real life Bill Lishman is more than entertaining, it tugs at one's heart. And Anna Paquin is stunning as Amy as she is in every film.

FLY AWAY HOME is also an environmental manifesto because it calls attention to the need for less development and more care for our habitat. I've rarely seen any comments along these lines and if you watch the movie closely, you'll realize that this is a call for change in scraping the land off and piling up huge neighborhoods and industry. It is testimony to the need for conservation in all countries.

Finally, Fly Away Home is a family film that breaches the silliness that too many youth movies have evolved to. This movie treats younger viewers with intelligence, not like an etcha-sketch.

I believe anyone with heart and soul will enjoy this movie for it will touch both.

Great Family Movie with Stunning Cinematography
This film has much of what perfect family films should have. Anna Paquin gives a quietly perfect performance as a girl whose mother has died, leaving her to go live with her estranged, and somewhat strange, father. Jeff Daniels plays the free-spirit, gruff, eccentric, semi-recluse inventor who is Anna's father. The awkwardness upon her arrival is almost tangible. What saves her, and the father-daughter relationship, is an orphaned family of Canada geese. Anna's character finds them in a patch of woods being developed into a subdivision or commercial complex, they imprint on her (Conrad Lorenz, the ethologist who figured out imprinting, would love this movie), and she has to teach the goslings how to be geese.

The lessons go well until Fall, when it's time for the young but full-grown geese to start thinking about migrating. How does a pre-teen girl teach young geese how to fly? She gets her eccentric inventor of a father to . . . well, I won't give everything away. Let's just say that this story has its ups and downs, but has a happy, but realistic ending. In the meantime, the process of teaching the geese to fly in the film leads to some incredible cinemagraphic sequences. The viewers get a bird's-eye view of geese flying, and feels as if the geese are right next to them.

Is this a complex, mulit-layed film full of sophistication and sub-plots? No way! This is a straightforward film about bonding and love - father-daughter bonding and love, as well as human-animal bonding and and love. "Fly Away Home" is a great movie to have at home and pull out on a rainy day to watch with your kids, from about age four up.

This movie makes my dad cry
And it's not just him. This movie came up amongst my friends in college and every female in the room said that their father KEPT watching this movie and they ALWAYS cried. Sort of brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "empty nest."

This movie is about Anna, who, after her mother's death in a car crash (Anna was also in the car), is sent to live with her slightly eccentric inventor father in Canada. He means well, but he just makes absolutely no sense to Anna. It is an exagerated case of "my dad is so weird" that any teenager can identify with. Meanwhile, the idea of a teenage girl is so foreign to her dad that the more he tries to bond, the more she stomps away.

Into the story comes a band of orphaned Canadian geese that Anna nurtures. They imprint her as their mother, so she more or less trains them. The only problem is that they must fly south for the winter, and Anna is their only role model. Luckily, she has a dad who builds space shuttles for fun. Suddenly, he has a way to connect with her and she has a reason to trust him.

Though it sounds sort of hokey, this movie that never delves into complete pathos. Instead, it is frequently quite funny and always touching. If you are looking for a father's day present, this is ideal. Just make sure to keep some tissues handy.

The Birds
This drama about a father/daughter relationship showed some promise in the beginning with a couple of tense scenes, but unfortunately the movie became more and more predictable and uninteresting as it went along. The main plot is about a 13 year old girl (Anna Paquin) whose pets consist in a bunch of baby geese. Problem is, as the geese grow up they will have to find their own way and fly away, so the girl and her father (Jeff Daniels) try to help the birds and end up guiding them to a safe place. Basically a feel-good-movie, "Fly Away Home" lacks dramatic tension, surprising situations and a solid plot. As it is, this drama is just a piece of harmless fluff with some pretty images and lots of boring scenes that seem endless and repetitive. The acting is competent and Carroll Ballard`s direction is equally decent, but overall this cinematic experience is way too lifeless, patchy and predictable. Children may like it, though, still this is nothing more than a cliched and unconvincing family movie.

Well-intended but not very challenging.

Young girl and dad help young geese fly south for the winter
The story of "Fly Away Home" is fairly predictable, in that we know full well that young Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is going to persuade her father, Thomas (Jeff Daniels), to come up with a way of teaching a flock of adopted goslings how to fly and get them to a winter refuge in North Carolina. But predictability is not always a deterrent to a film being enjoyable or even inspirational, and you have to pity someone who cannot enjoy watching a bunch of baby geese running after Anna Paquin, convinced that she is there mother and therefore responsible for imprinting on them what they need to learn to survive. Besides, for what is ostensibly a children's film this one opens with a rather shocking scene, where we see a fatal car accident during the open credits while listening to a gentle melody. If there is anything that indicates this is more than your usual predictable children's film, this would be it.

If there is a flaw in "Fly Away Home" it is that the relationship between daughter and father takes a back seat to the story of the geese, so that the pathos that exists there is almost lost in the flapping of wings (but there is a nice moment and a good line when the father tells his daughter why he know what she can do it). They two have been estranged by distance (he returned to Canada while his wife and daughter lived in New Zealand), and living together is not improving things. He is an eccentric artist and inventor who cannot figure out how to connect with a living human being until the geese that come between them bring them together.

Fortunately, dad is spared the role of being the villain, because there are land developers at both ends of the flight and a wild life officer who knows what the rulebook says about domesticated geese. But those are just minor hurdles to the idea of flying 600-miles in four days in an ultra-light plane for Amy to lead her geese to their promised (wet) land. Yes, the idea that the clock is ticking and that bulldozers are ready to roll in North Carolina is all a bit much, but then there are moments, like when the ultra-lights and geese fly through the skyscrapers of Baltimore than just about take your breath away.

I was not aware until after I watched the film that director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel had previously collaborated on "The Black Stallion," but that certainly makes sense because both films are perfectly willing to let pictures exist without dialogue. The other commonality is that "Fly Away Home" is another film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kiddies. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

CW Thompson
The best sailing movie I've ever seen. The action sequences were thrilling and makes you feel like part of the race. I've been waiting for the DVD release for some time now, we've almost worn out our VHS copy.

Adrenaline rush on the water.......
To start out with, like other reviewers have stated, it is terrific to see this movie out on DVD after so long. I realized, when I watched this movie for the first time, you don't have to be a fan of boat racing to love this movie.

The cinematography just can't be beat with absolutely wonderful shots putting you dead center in the action. It's a great experience in how the filmmakers shoot you back and forth onto the boats and then create sweeping panoramic views of strategic boat maneuvers. Top notch sailboat racing, bar none.

The DVD is remastered in high definition and is crystal clear with superb detail and color. As for sound, Dolby 5.1 or DTS would have been the icing on the cake but I won't sell this DVD short. The Dolby Surround it does have still gets the job done just fine and sounds excellent.

You can't go wrong with Wind and I recommend this movie to anyone who likes great racing and sporting competition.

Even the hard-core AC snobs and fanatics will admit --
...that they secretly love this movie. Despite its cheesy, Hollywood take on the America's Cup and its retelling of Dennis Conner's adventures 'on-the-other-side-of-the-pizza' this movie is not only beautiful eye-candy but more importantly it is exactly what they say in the movie: its good, clean fun.

If you're trying to get friends and family intersted in taking a sail, this is one of the best tools to get the blood following -- yup, there are a lot of yachts, but there is the scene with the 14s. Enough excitement to dispell the idea of sailing as a laid-back sport.

For the AC die-hards, its a chance to see the 12-meters in action once again, to hear the legendary PJ Montgomery comment on the races and read the tech/advisory credits which reads like a AC who's who list. So it isn't "real" or even possible (the 'whumper' is what kills it for some) but after all, you're looking at a movie. Enjoy it for what it is and appreciate the fact that this movie is the product of a love of sailing!

A must have in your DVD collection!
I got my DVD version from Amazon yesterday (3/13/03), a replacement for my battered VHS tape. I've noticed some scenes in the movie trailer that were not in the movie, and I don't know why they were excluded from it.

The digital enhanced video is overwhelmingly better than the VHS, but I wish the digital cameras were available back when they filmed this movie. The digital audio really puts you in the middle of the actions.

One regret, I wish I had seen this movie in the theater when it came out.

I can't wait to go sailing in a laser this summer...

1 of the 10 best Sports Event Movies EVER... On DVD AT LAST!
It's been more then a decade since this sleeper cult hit was in the theaters and an equally long period of time that this film was only available on VHS and Laserdisc.

Now, at long last, the wait is over!

Wind appeals for a number of reasons.

Primarily its a very human story of ambition, competition, love, loss, and redemption. What makes the film work is fantastic photography/camerawork by Mata Yamamoto, a soaring/pumping soundtrack by Basil Poledouris, and a compelling drama played out by some very brainy characters played by some very good actors.

Think of it as "The Cutting Edge" and "Strictly Ballroom" with a little more testosterone and in a sailboat!

The DVD is pretty bare-bones, but a Digital Widescreen Hi-Definition Remastering and Dolby surround make up for it. A Special Edition would have been nice, but, considering how long we had to pray for this one it's hardly required. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There are some filmmaking teams that invariably bring out the best in each other, and that's definitely the case with director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel.They previously collaborated on The Black Stallion and Never Cry Wolf, and Fly Away Home is their third family film that deserves to be called a classic. Inspired by Bill Lishman's autobiography, the movie tells the story of a 13-year-old girl (Anna Paquin) who goes to live with her estranged, eccentric father (Jeff Daniels) following the death of her mother. At first she's withdrawn and reclusive, but finds renewed happiness when she adopts an orphaned flock of baby geese and, later, teaches them to migrate using an ultralight. Sensitively directed and stunningly photographed, the movie has flying sequences that are nothing short of astonishing, and Daniels and Paquin (Oscar winner for The Piano) make a delightful father-daughter duo. (Ironically, the digital video disc is not available in widescreen format, but the image quality is brilliant.) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Another Carroll Ballard Classic...Fly Away Home is stunning!
As a longtime admirer of Director Carroll Ballard, I was thrilled when the Special Edition of "Fly Away Home" was released on DVD. I wish Anchor Bay had done the same treatment to Never Cry Wolf. But this film is a classic for all ages. Its parallel story to the real life Bill Lishman is more than entertaining, it tugs at one's heart. And Anna Paquin is stunning as Amy as she is in every film.

FLY AWAY HOME is also an environmental manifesto because it calls attention to the need for less development and more care for our habitat. I've rarely seen any comments along these lines and if you watch the movie closely, you'll realize that this is a call for change in scraping the land off and piling up huge neighborhoods and industry. It is testimony to the need for conservation in all countries.

Finally, Fly Away Home is a family film that breaches the silliness that too many youth movies have evolved to. This movie treats younger viewers with intelligence, not like an etcha-sketch.

I believe anyone with heart and soul will enjoy this movie for it will touch both.

Great Family Movie with Stunning Cinematography
This film has much of what perfect family films should have. Anna Paquin gives a quietly perfect performance as a girl whose mother has died, leaving her to go live with her estranged, and somewhat strange, father. Jeff Daniels plays the free-spirit, gruff, eccentric, semi-recluse inventor who is Anna's father. The awkwardness upon her arrival is almost tangible. What saves her, and the father-daughter relationship, is an orphaned family of Canada geese. Anna's character finds them in a patch of woods being developed into a subdivision or commercial complex, they imprint on her (Conrad Lorenz, the ethologist who figured out imprinting, would love this movie), and she has to teach the goslings how to be geese.

The lessons go well until Fall, when it's time for the young but full-grown geese to start thinking about migrating. How does a pre-teen girl teach young geese how to fly? She gets her eccentric inventor of a father to . . . well, I won't give everything away. Let's just say that this story has its ups and downs, but has a happy, but realistic ending. In the meantime, the process of teaching the geese to fly in the film leads to some incredible cinemagraphic sequences. The viewers get a bird's-eye view of geese flying, and feels as if the geese are right next to them.

Is this a complex, mulit-layed film full of sophistication and sub-plots? No way! This is a straightforward film about bonding and love - father-daughter bonding and love, as well as human-animal bonding and and love. "Fly Away Home" is a great movie to have at home and pull out on a rainy day to watch with your kids, from about age four up.

This movie makes my dad cry
And it's not just him. This movie came up amongst my friends in college and every female in the room said that their father KEPT watching this movie and they ALWAYS cried. Sort of brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "empty nest."

This movie is about Anna, who, after her mother's death in a car crash (Anna was also in the car), is sent to live with her slightly eccentric inventor father in Canada. He means well, but he just makes absolutely no sense to Anna. It is an exagerated case of "my dad is so weird" that any teenager can identify with. Meanwhile, the idea of a teenage girl is so foreign to her dad that the more he tries to bond, the more she stomps away.

Into the story comes a band of orphaned Canadian geese that Anna nurtures. They imprint her as their mother, so she more or less trains them. The only problem is that they must fly south for the winter, and Anna is their only role model. Luckily, she has a dad who builds space shuttles for fun. Suddenly, he has a way to connect with her and she has a reason to trust him.

Though it sounds sort of hokey, this movie that never delves into complete pathos. Instead, it is frequently quite funny and always touching. If you are looking for a father's day present, this is ideal. Just make sure to keep some tissues handy.

The Birds
This drama about a father/daughter relationship showed some promise in the beginning with a couple of tense scenes, but unfortunately the movie became more and more predictable and uninteresting as it went along. The main plot is about a 13 year old girl (Anna Paquin) whose pets consist in a bunch of baby geese. Problem is, as the geese grow up they will have to find their own way and fly away, so the girl and her father (Jeff Daniels) try to help the birds and end up guiding them to a safe place. Basically a feel-good-movie, "Fly Away Home" lacks dramatic tension, surprising situations and a solid plot. As it is, this drama is just a piece of harmless fluff with some pretty images and lots of boring scenes that seem endless and repetitive. The acting is competent and Carroll Ballard`s direction is equally decent, but overall this cinematic experience is way too lifeless, patchy and predictable. Children may like it, though, still this is nothing more than a cliched and unconvincing family movie.

Well-intended but not very challenging.

Young girl and dad help young geese fly south for the winter
The story of "Fly Away Home" is fairly predictable, in that we know full well that young Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is going to persuade her father, Thomas (Jeff Daniels), to come up with a way of teaching a flock of adopted goslings how to fly and get them to a winter refuge in North Carolina. But predictability is not always a deterrent to a film being enjoyable or even inspirational, and you have to pity someone who cannot enjoy watching a bunch of baby geese running after Anna Paquin, convinced that she is there mother and therefore responsible for imprinting on them what they need to learn to survive. Besides, for what is ostensibly a children's film this one opens with a rather shocking scene, where we see a fatal car accident during the open credits while listening to a gentle melody. If there is anything that indicates this is more than your usual predictable children's film, this would be it.

If there is a flaw in "Fly Away Home" it is that the relationship between daughter and father takes a back seat to the story of the geese, so that the pathos that exists there is almost lost in the flapping of wings (but there is a nice moment and a good line when the father tells his daughter why he know what she can do it). They two have been estranged by distance (he returned to Canada while his wife and daughter lived in New Zealand), and living together is not improving things. He is an eccentric artist and inventor who cannot figure out how to connect with a living human being until the geese that come between them bring them together.

Fortunately, dad is spared the role of being the villain, because there are land developers at both ends of the flight and a wild life officer who knows what the rulebook says about domesticated geese. But those are just minor hurdles to the idea of flying 600-miles in four days in an ultra-light plane for Amy to lead her geese to their promised (wet) land. Yes, the idea that the clock is ticking and that bulldozers are ready to roll in North Carolina is all a bit much, but then there are moments, like when the ultra-lights and geese fly through the skyscrapers of Baltimore than just about take your breath away.

I was not aware until after I watched the film that director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel had previously collaborated on "The Black Stallion," but that certainly makes sense because both films are perfectly willing to let pictures exist without dialogue. The other commonality is that "Fly Away Home" is another film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kiddies. ... Read more