Release: 2008
Director: Greg Aronowitz
Writer(s): Greg Aronowitz, Sheri Bryant
Cast: Rose Magri, Eric Pollard, Bud Richardson
Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: 67% Audience
IMDb: 4.7/10
Netflix: 3.4 Stars
Review:
Has a movie ever left you with a feeling of a warm blanket? Maybe the feeling of a gentle embrace of a close friend? Well that is what this movie did to me. It brightened my evening and made me want a Labou. Which is tiny creature featured on the cover of the DVD and on all the promotional merchandise for the movie. It is a combination of both parts Mogwai and its alter ego the Gremlin. From the movie Gremlins.
Taking all that is cute adorable and fun about the Mogwais and the green skin of the Gremlin and you have a Labou. Despite this heinous description it is possibly the most adorable side creature I have encountered in a long time. It is also one that makes me want a doll as well. Which is sad as they do not make one and if this movie was a released into theaters you would be seeing kids walking around sporting one.
As they have that strong appeal to everyone. As for the rest of the movie. It is a mess but a love able mess. As it takes parts from Scooby Doo, Smokey and the Bandit, Dukes of Hazzard and The Goonies. Then throws it in a blender. Which I found enjoyable and the kids will love it. As one of the villains of the movie is part Boss Hog with Buford T. Justice tossed in. While his son is a clone of Junior from Smokey and the Bandit.
The Ghost is straight out of Scooby Doo and the story of the lost pirate treasure is straight out of Goonies. As for the Labou they are pulled from the movie Gremlins. But instead of being told not to feed them after midnight or to keep them away from water. You just play music and they become your friends as they are the song birds of the swamp and are the reason for Jazz.
Now the story isn't the greatest and the acting is horrendous at times. But you look past that as the movie flows at a pace of a good children's movie. It has moments of hilarity followed by slight scare moments. All the while never insulting the viewer or going into the fart/barf/belch zone of humor. Which was surprising as there where loads of scenes that it could have happened and didn't.
As a whole this movie is brilliant and simple. It is a perfect film for children and most adults who can tolerate the glaring holes in the script and the occasional silly acting. If you have kids or are planning on babysitting someone else's and if you can. Pull this movie up as most children will fall in love with it and even wish they where they where there with Labou.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
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