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Created May 31, 2009 05:57PM PST • Edited May 31, 2009 05:57PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   A coming of age story with an Australian orphanage twist. This is a movie that uses beautiful scenery and mystic film making to tell a story of 4 orphan boys who are transported for their Christmas holiday from their orphanage in the outback to a beautiful seaside retreat. There, they are taken in by a caring older couple and befriend the neighbor younger couple. The story has fairly typical coming-of-age parts, including friendships being tested, boy-gets-girl, and learning about life and vulnerability. Even the strong desire to get adopted while knowing that only one of them could be picked doesn’t break up the friends, and above all else, the movie reminds us that bonds formed in childhood are often timeless.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Of course, Daniel Radcliffe is the star and carries most of the movie. He plays a distant yet thoughtful older brother type who ends up learning the most about life. The rest of the cast does an admirable job as well.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    Loved the scenery, the mystic elements, invocations of nostalgia and warmth of human bonding. This film has something for everyone. I could have done without the mystic parts thought — I didn’t feel they fit in.

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.6

    Some sexual references and some nudity when the boys steal glances at neighbors and magazines.

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.6

19. Rudeness Salty 1.6

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0