141 reviews
If I were to come up with a one sentence of "The Last Mimzy" it would be: New age tree hugging proselytizing wrapped in a children's film.
Deploying a panoply of New Age pablums such as the interconnectedness of the universe and a kind of whitebread version of Far East mysticism, "The Last Mimzy" is nonetheless fun and stimulating to watch. Anything that can theoretically challenge the dumbing down of my children by the Disney Channel is, frankly, welcome.
My daughter, a very bright girl if I do say so, was mentally energized after seeing "The Last Mimzy" and couldn't stop talking about it. Five points minimum right there.
The visuals strike me vaguely as derivative of Bucky Fuller's concept of Synergistics or the Dymaxion, concepts which were precursors to his famous geodesic domes - the sum being greater than the parts basically.
At its best, this film engages the imagination of both adults and children. The premise--a bunny sent back in time to save all of humanity--on its surface seems very silly, but somehow it works. It works because we know intuitively that children are often the only ones with the innocence and purity and that certain clarity of intelligence to communicate seemingly impossible ideas - the faith of a child in action. The people of the future still understand this too.
I didn't find Mimzy's "New Agey" feel overdone and it worked cleverly for its intended premise.
One thing that was very wrong about the movie was the overt product placement of Intel in a particular scene Though I suspect Intel rarely gets a chance where product placement even makes sense in a movie it was really inappropriate.
Still, an extremely worthwhile film amid today's teen-oriented drivel.
Deploying a panoply of New Age pablums such as the interconnectedness of the universe and a kind of whitebread version of Far East mysticism, "The Last Mimzy" is nonetheless fun and stimulating to watch. Anything that can theoretically challenge the dumbing down of my children by the Disney Channel is, frankly, welcome.
My daughter, a very bright girl if I do say so, was mentally energized after seeing "The Last Mimzy" and couldn't stop talking about it. Five points minimum right there.
The visuals strike me vaguely as derivative of Bucky Fuller's concept of Synergistics or the Dymaxion, concepts which were precursors to his famous geodesic domes - the sum being greater than the parts basically.
At its best, this film engages the imagination of both adults and children. The premise--a bunny sent back in time to save all of humanity--on its surface seems very silly, but somehow it works. It works because we know intuitively that children are often the only ones with the innocence and purity and that certain clarity of intelligence to communicate seemingly impossible ideas - the faith of a child in action. The people of the future still understand this too.
I didn't find Mimzy's "New Agey" feel overdone and it worked cleverly for its intended premise.
One thing that was very wrong about the movie was the overt product placement of Intel in a particular scene Though I suspect Intel rarely gets a chance where product placement even makes sense in a movie it was really inappropriate.
Still, an extremely worthwhile film amid today's teen-oriented drivel.
The Last Mimzy doesn't pander needlessly to its core audience, but at the same time it also has a good accomplishment in that it also has an appeal to adults, or at least those that have passed that age of adolescence and look back on childhood with levels of nostalgia and relief that it's over. It delights as well as gives special meaning to putting a level of belief in what is unknown at a time when the rest of the world relies on hard facts and rigid control of personality. It also puts ET to a certain test: can the little creature from another world that needs to get home kind of story hold up to quasi (actually precise) psychedelia? Pink Floyd shirts and Roger Waters aside, this may even have a secret appeal to stoners just as much as your little boy or girl at the movie theater, who will obviously see it in a different life, that of light, efficient irreverence and lots of neat special effects.
'Mimzy' tells the story of a boy and a girl, Noah and Emma, both at least under the age of 10 but old enough to be articulate enough as well as appropriately secretive in the fantasy they hold paramount, who come upon a strange rock from the ocean. In it lies a bunch of fragments, and, oddly enough, a stuffed, fluffy, cute bunny named Mimzy, who Emma takes as her most important possession. Noah meanwhile becomes transfixed with the new powers that soon come to him via these rocks: he can hear the smallest insect, and is transfixed by obscure designs. This strikes up the attention of his parents as well as his science teacher (Rainn Wilson), who also knows of the symbols Noah makes up. But after a power outage- it also happens to be a generator that Noah conjures- gets the attention of the government, not sure what exactly is going on. Emma has a problem, however, in that Mimzy, her closest confidant and "teacher" is dying and needs to get back home. That's the basic story, anyway, as there are little ins and outs as the story goes on, including a great product placement for Sprite, and a montage-free example of each child's new abilities.
Some of this may be a little preposterous, even goofy, but Bob Shaye and his team bypass the obvious but still perilous pit-falls for filmmakers investing themselves into children's movies. No truly stupid gags, nothing with bodily excretions, none of that really, and if anything the humor, of a little wild and over-the-top in variety (some of which I was laughing at alone while the other kids were silent), is innocent and sort of knowing of the split of imagination between children and adults. The two kids are also very good at playing their parts, with Wryn as Emma very adept at being vulnerable and smart, and O'Neil being almost too close to looking like the boy Elliot in ET, however not without his own strengths. Shaye sometimes lets his control slip in just simple things like cinematography or making a fitting enough ending (too many futuristic hippies me thinks), and the goofiness does teeter on becoming a little too much. But I responded more to how the power of taking a long repeated idea, of kids becoming changed by outside forces in a very real world, and there being a sort of little twist to it all. It's not just about making friends and gaining in some alien intelligence, but in figuring the significance of the future, however weird it might be. It's definitely the finest children's movie, non-animated, to come out so far in 2007. 7.5/10
'Mimzy' tells the story of a boy and a girl, Noah and Emma, both at least under the age of 10 but old enough to be articulate enough as well as appropriately secretive in the fantasy they hold paramount, who come upon a strange rock from the ocean. In it lies a bunch of fragments, and, oddly enough, a stuffed, fluffy, cute bunny named Mimzy, who Emma takes as her most important possession. Noah meanwhile becomes transfixed with the new powers that soon come to him via these rocks: he can hear the smallest insect, and is transfixed by obscure designs. This strikes up the attention of his parents as well as his science teacher (Rainn Wilson), who also knows of the symbols Noah makes up. But after a power outage- it also happens to be a generator that Noah conjures- gets the attention of the government, not sure what exactly is going on. Emma has a problem, however, in that Mimzy, her closest confidant and "teacher" is dying and needs to get back home. That's the basic story, anyway, as there are little ins and outs as the story goes on, including a great product placement for Sprite, and a montage-free example of each child's new abilities.
Some of this may be a little preposterous, even goofy, but Bob Shaye and his team bypass the obvious but still perilous pit-falls for filmmakers investing themselves into children's movies. No truly stupid gags, nothing with bodily excretions, none of that really, and if anything the humor, of a little wild and over-the-top in variety (some of which I was laughing at alone while the other kids were silent), is innocent and sort of knowing of the split of imagination between children and adults. The two kids are also very good at playing their parts, with Wryn as Emma very adept at being vulnerable and smart, and O'Neil being almost too close to looking like the boy Elliot in ET, however not without his own strengths. Shaye sometimes lets his control slip in just simple things like cinematography or making a fitting enough ending (too many futuristic hippies me thinks), and the goofiness does teeter on becoming a little too much. But I responded more to how the power of taking a long repeated idea, of kids becoming changed by outside forces in a very real world, and there being a sort of little twist to it all. It's not just about making friends and gaining in some alien intelligence, but in figuring the significance of the future, however weird it might be. It's definitely the finest children's movie, non-animated, to come out so far in 2007. 7.5/10
- Quinoa1984
- Mar 24, 2007
- Permalink
I have never read the book, which this movie is based upon, so I have no point-of-reference for comparison.
All in all I thought this movie was perfectly appropriate for families, although from reading reviewers comments on another website, you'd think 'The Last Mimzy' had some kind of subversive plot. One parent said it was 'liberal doctrine' and another focused on the fact that it shows people who actually believe in Eastern philosophies and practices. Wow! You mean there are other religions besides Christianity out there?! Then they must be liberal in nature and are trying to wreak havoc on the traditional, family-values we all hold so dear.
I am a Christian and had absolutely no problems with the ideas proposed by other points-of-view. Maybe you might have to walk out of the theater with some explanations of how other cultures see the world and their place in it, but that's part of the magic of this movie. 'The Last Mimzy' was by no means 'liberal doctrine' unless you think showing a different perspective as a threat.
Personally, the weakest parts of the movie for me was the uneven direction and the point where I asked "Why is Michael Clark Duncan in this film?" He didn't really add much to it. The kids were believable and Timothy Hutton did a decent job. The effects were all-in-all low-key, but necessary. Before you judge this film for showing the mysteries of Eastern beliefs, try watching it with an open mind. It didn't give me the same vibe as 'E.T.' or 'Close Encounters', but it did a good job as being an entertaining family film.
All in all I thought this movie was perfectly appropriate for families, although from reading reviewers comments on another website, you'd think 'The Last Mimzy' had some kind of subversive plot. One parent said it was 'liberal doctrine' and another focused on the fact that it shows people who actually believe in Eastern philosophies and practices. Wow! You mean there are other religions besides Christianity out there?! Then they must be liberal in nature and are trying to wreak havoc on the traditional, family-values we all hold so dear.
I am a Christian and had absolutely no problems with the ideas proposed by other points-of-view. Maybe you might have to walk out of the theater with some explanations of how other cultures see the world and their place in it, but that's part of the magic of this movie. 'The Last Mimzy' was by no means 'liberal doctrine' unless you think showing a different perspective as a threat.
Personally, the weakest parts of the movie for me was the uneven direction and the point where I asked "Why is Michael Clark Duncan in this film?" He didn't really add much to it. The kids were believable and Timothy Hutton did a decent job. The effects were all-in-all low-key, but necessary. Before you judge this film for showing the mysteries of Eastern beliefs, try watching it with an open mind. It didn't give me the same vibe as 'E.T.' or 'Close Encounters', but it did a good job as being an entertaining family film.
- cyclone259
- Mar 23, 2007
- Permalink
- michaelRokeefe
- Sep 12, 2007
- Permalink
I have a soft place in my heart for the Alice in Wonderland stories. They're deep. Oh they're not just deep in a Charlie Brown or Norman Rockwell sort of way, where we imput wisdom. They're pretty bottomless: logic, semiotics, geometric cosmology. I've spent a lot of time with them, and been uniformly rewarded.
Part of the wisdom in them concerns how people get things wrong when they "explain" them. There's something about logic that it runs out of its own sense quickly. So its a special amusement of mine to see how movies use Alice, and the various ways they twist in the wrong directions. It has its own magnetic force that forbids you from avoiding looking like an idiot. That's the joke.
The word around which this was built "Mimzy," is actually "mimsy." Its in a poem usually considered sonorous nonsense, in fact celebrated precisely for its nonsense. In fact, it was written while Carroll was a child and is a mix of Saxon and French words reflecting his father's obsession with the "pollution" of the homeland's language. This reaches into the Alice stories which came later by faking a photo that has Alice Liddell (for whom the stories were written) holding a stuffed animal identical to the one that features in the story. Presumably, Alice's toy was one of the earlier mimsies which though it made the girl brilliant, failed in its mission to return to the future with some unspecified payload.
My gosh, let's see. There's some Tibetan mysticism, mixed paranormal phenomenon and ordinary magic involved, yet strangely unmagical tasks are required. Oh, and it needs regular old electricity, lots of it. This prompts the national police to confound things. Michael Clarke Duncan plays the top cop, a sort of daft fellow bordering on affirmative action satire. A new age couple is clearly humorous.
I can't recall a bigger mess. The only thing not repulsive is the notion that magic is visible, has geometry and does not respect gravity.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Part of the wisdom in them concerns how people get things wrong when they "explain" them. There's something about logic that it runs out of its own sense quickly. So its a special amusement of mine to see how movies use Alice, and the various ways they twist in the wrong directions. It has its own magnetic force that forbids you from avoiding looking like an idiot. That's the joke.
The word around which this was built "Mimzy," is actually "mimsy." Its in a poem usually considered sonorous nonsense, in fact celebrated precisely for its nonsense. In fact, it was written while Carroll was a child and is a mix of Saxon and French words reflecting his father's obsession with the "pollution" of the homeland's language. This reaches into the Alice stories which came later by faking a photo that has Alice Liddell (for whom the stories were written) holding a stuffed animal identical to the one that features in the story. Presumably, Alice's toy was one of the earlier mimsies which though it made the girl brilliant, failed in its mission to return to the future with some unspecified payload.
My gosh, let's see. There's some Tibetan mysticism, mixed paranormal phenomenon and ordinary magic involved, yet strangely unmagical tasks are required. Oh, and it needs regular old electricity, lots of it. This prompts the national police to confound things. Michael Clarke Duncan plays the top cop, a sort of daft fellow bordering on affirmative action satire. A new age couple is clearly humorous.
I can't recall a bigger mess. The only thing not repulsive is the notion that magic is visible, has geometry and does not respect gravity.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
I took my two nephews (13 & 15) to an advance screening just now and we all liked the movie. Although, to enjoy it requires a very high level of "suspension of disbelief". A lot of things do not make sense, circumstances that would never happen and some things that just go nowhere in the movie all led to us making fun of the movie afterward. BUT, we all still enjoyed the movie and thought it was good. It is pretty much a high grade B movie. I went after reading the comments on here and was a little cautious because all of the first comments were horrible and then the latest ones were all perfect so I figured "people" were fluffing the votes to get people to go see it because of it's release next weekend and that is why I am posting this. You might want to wait for DVD or go to a twilight viewing(we paid $4 each), but I would not have been mad if I had paid full price. Sorry for the uneven review (kind of like the movie itself), it is my first.
- troykleasner
- Mar 17, 2007
- Permalink
I see it's getting some bad reviews, but I really liked The Last Mimzy. I don't know how much it is like the book, but I liked the ideas the film was based on, the graphics were nice, and it was a new twist on an old storyline (the kids did a really good job acting too). Some people complain it didn't have any action and they "fell asleep" - well it's not an action movie, and honestly if you fall asleep, either you're really overworked or you're just not into light mystery and philosophical ideas. It definitely has a "new age" touch, it's mysterious, and with a nice bit of surreal/sci-fi - if you liked movies the same pace and style as K-Pax (though this one is a bit more geared towards kids), then you'll probably like Mimzy. I wouldn't suggest really young kids for this one, they might not understand a lot of it - 10 and up would probably enjoy it more.
Also, the less you know about the movie, the more you'll like it. Don't spend a day reading reviews and looking at trailers. Grab your kids, go to the theater, and see it for yourself with a fresh mind. You'll probably enjoy it as much as I did. :)
Also, the less you know about the movie, the more you'll like it. Don't spend a day reading reviews and looking at trailers. Grab your kids, go to the theater, and see it for yourself with a fresh mind. You'll probably enjoy it as much as I did. :)
- realraider-1
- Mar 24, 2007
- Permalink
- mitchell76
- Aug 17, 2007
- Permalink
There are not many movies you can take the whole family to see these days. Our ten year old son really wanted to see The Last Mimzy so we went to a sneak screening last Saturday night. I was very pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the film as much as I did. My wife liked it even better. Our two other kids (daughter 12, youngest son 7) along with our son had a great time.
Kids will really be able to identify with the brother and sister in the movie. They seemed very real. The kids' lives at school and their relationships with their parents and teacher seemed true. This is a story about a regular family with all the ups and downs of everyday regular life.
Then, the story takes off. I don't want to give away anything about the plot because the surprises that gently unfold are what you and your family will enjoy about the movie. There are elements of science fiction and fantasy with nothing extremely intense to scare the kids. It's an interesting story told well with characters you care about. The visual effects are well done.
I liked that the movie does not talk down to kids to get its ideas across. My wife and I also liked that the language and situations were truly appropriate for a family film. My kids all want to see the movie again and the movie is definitely good enough to see a second time.
Kids will really be able to identify with the brother and sister in the movie. They seemed very real. The kids' lives at school and their relationships with their parents and teacher seemed true. This is a story about a regular family with all the ups and downs of everyday regular life.
Then, the story takes off. I don't want to give away anything about the plot because the surprises that gently unfold are what you and your family will enjoy about the movie. There are elements of science fiction and fantasy with nothing extremely intense to scare the kids. It's an interesting story told well with characters you care about. The visual effects are well done.
I liked that the movie does not talk down to kids to get its ideas across. My wife and I also liked that the language and situations were truly appropriate for a family film. My kids all want to see the movie again and the movie is definitely good enough to see a second time.
'The Last Mimzy' is an enjoyable family sci-fi film that almost captures the warm glow 'ET' give me. Many films aimed at kids today seem determined to focus on bland, repetitive topics such as school and romance so it makes a pleasant change to find a rather intelligent children's sci-fi film, especially since most sci-fi films aimed at the family/children date back to the Seventies and Eighties ('DARYL', 'ET', 'The Witch Mountain' films, 'Flight of the Navigator', etc as examples).
This film centres on siblings, six-year-old Emma and ten-year-old Noah, who find a strange box of toys on a beach. Emma discovers one of the toys, a stuffed rabbit named Mimzy, can communicated telepathically to her while the other toys gift the children with strange new abilities such as telekinesis and heightened intelligence. But the children soon draw the attention of both the adults around them and the FBI, who threaten to destroy their plans to send Mimzy back to where it belongs.
This is a film where most definitely the child actors, Chris O'Neil as Noah and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn as Emma, carry the story almost on their own and they certainly rise to the occasion. They give very solid performances, despite their age and inexperience, and as such their characters come across as being realistically portrayed and who the audience can empathise with. Their sibling relationship is shown in a realistic fashion, without being cutesy or something that escaped from 'The Waltons'. The adult actors, including Joely Richardson and Timothy Hutton as the children's parents and Timothy Hutton as Noah's teacher, give good supporting depictions.
This plot is involving and exciting, if perhaps a bit too complicated for the under eights, and- through the eyes of children-- explores topics such as the importance of caring for the planet, why not everything different is a threat and that sometimes children are far more intuitive than adults. While I see some people like to look for political agendas in 'The Last Mimzy' (these are probably the kind of paranoid folk who seem politics in everything), the story is told in an honest, well-paced manner without being preachy or blatant.
'The Last Mimzy' is one for the family who is sick of films dumbing down to kids and re-hashing repetitive, predictable plots. It is an intelligent film that offers the chance to discuss important issues with children while also entertaining. It's also a good film for the budding young sci-fi fan who isn't quite ready for some of the 'Star Trek' episodes.
This film centres on siblings, six-year-old Emma and ten-year-old Noah, who find a strange box of toys on a beach. Emma discovers one of the toys, a stuffed rabbit named Mimzy, can communicated telepathically to her while the other toys gift the children with strange new abilities such as telekinesis and heightened intelligence. But the children soon draw the attention of both the adults around them and the FBI, who threaten to destroy their plans to send Mimzy back to where it belongs.
This is a film where most definitely the child actors, Chris O'Neil as Noah and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn as Emma, carry the story almost on their own and they certainly rise to the occasion. They give very solid performances, despite their age and inexperience, and as such their characters come across as being realistically portrayed and who the audience can empathise with. Their sibling relationship is shown in a realistic fashion, without being cutesy or something that escaped from 'The Waltons'. The adult actors, including Joely Richardson and Timothy Hutton as the children's parents and Timothy Hutton as Noah's teacher, give good supporting depictions.
This plot is involving and exciting, if perhaps a bit too complicated for the under eights, and- through the eyes of children-- explores topics such as the importance of caring for the planet, why not everything different is a threat and that sometimes children are far more intuitive than adults. While I see some people like to look for political agendas in 'The Last Mimzy' (these are probably the kind of paranoid folk who seem politics in everything), the story is told in an honest, well-paced manner without being preachy or blatant.
'The Last Mimzy' is one for the family who is sick of films dumbing down to kids and re-hashing repetitive, predictable plots. It is an intelligent film that offers the chance to discuss important issues with children while also entertaining. It's also a good film for the budding young sci-fi fan who isn't quite ready for some of the 'Star Trek' episodes.
- cosmic_quest
- Oct 18, 2007
- Permalink
the less I like it.
First off - these parents didn't act like parents. They show no real concern for what is happening to their children. When the boy teaches spiders to create the bridge, especially after a lifetime as a mediocre student, I'd have him off to a psychiatrist, pronto! Secondly - the irritating science teacher!!! I despise the fuzzy, magical thinking him and his "girlfriend" espoused. Any "science" teacher spouting that crap needs to be fired.
Third - the irritating girlfriend of the science teacher!!! Who honestly believes in palmistry in this day and age! Fourth - Michael Clark Duncan - really, what the heck! After everything that happened, everything he knows, he just walks away? Give me a break. In this day and age, any FBI/CIA/NSA/Men in Black operative who walked away, would be fired and charged with dereliction of duty.
Fifth - the detention facility the family was taken too. Only one camera in the whole place? Nothing is secured? No guards? Sixth - a ten year-old driving a big van? In Seattle? Two kids beside the road in the middle of nowhere for an extended time. Nobody came by at all? Seventh - the science teacher and his dreams? Why the heck is he having dreams about what the kids are doing? He hasn't been exposed to the toys.
Those are just some of the major problems with this mockery of the wonderful Lewis Padgett (Kuttner & Moore) story from the 1940s.
First off - these parents didn't act like parents. They show no real concern for what is happening to their children. When the boy teaches spiders to create the bridge, especially after a lifetime as a mediocre student, I'd have him off to a psychiatrist, pronto! Secondly - the irritating science teacher!!! I despise the fuzzy, magical thinking him and his "girlfriend" espoused. Any "science" teacher spouting that crap needs to be fired.
Third - the irritating girlfriend of the science teacher!!! Who honestly believes in palmistry in this day and age! Fourth - Michael Clark Duncan - really, what the heck! After everything that happened, everything he knows, he just walks away? Give me a break. In this day and age, any FBI/CIA/NSA/Men in Black operative who walked away, would be fired and charged with dereliction of duty.
Fifth - the detention facility the family was taken too. Only one camera in the whole place? Nothing is secured? No guards? Sixth - a ten year-old driving a big van? In Seattle? Two kids beside the road in the middle of nowhere for an extended time. Nobody came by at all? Seventh - the science teacher and his dreams? Why the heck is he having dreams about what the kids are doing? He hasn't been exposed to the toys.
Those are just some of the major problems with this mockery of the wonderful Lewis Padgett (Kuttner & Moore) story from the 1940s.
My comment's a little offbeat...
In this day of strange localisation retitling, changing scripts, etc. I wonder, when they changed the s in Mimsy to a z, why they didn't change the title for the UK release.
Simple reason is that Mimsy is slang in the UK for a lady's genitalia (no, I'm not saying this to be insulting - it's true). Although it's more regional, i.e. the North who use this slang word, I still cannot believe that the localisation team never realised what a glaring no-no this is.
Strange...
In this day of strange localisation retitling, changing scripts, etc. I wonder, when they changed the s in Mimsy to a z, why they didn't change the title for the UK release.
Simple reason is that Mimsy is slang in the UK for a lady's genitalia (no, I'm not saying this to be insulting - it's true). Although it's more regional, i.e. the North who use this slang word, I still cannot believe that the localisation team never realised what a glaring no-no this is.
Strange...
- crunchyfrog555
- Mar 19, 2007
- Permalink
No need to repeat the comments of everyone else. It is a very charming cautionary tale about the future of the Human race. Photography is beautiful with scenes of Seattle that is rarely seen. I wonder how many days it took to shoot this while waiting on clear days? I liked the movie very much and would have given it a higher rating if it the sound had been edited better and the disc had captions. I am hard of hearing and am sick to death of movies that have poorly edited sound. I.E. background music louder than the dialog. With the dialog being impossible to understand one would think that New Line would have made captions or subtitles available on the disc. My wife is not hard of hearing and had trouble understanding quite a bit of the dialog.
- Independence76
- Aug 6, 2007
- Permalink
First of all, I went into this movie not knowing much about it.
I only saw the trailer once or twice- the whole concept of the
movie I found interesting. So, I went to see it.
Story: The story is great, it's about two kids who find a box of toys from the future. One of these toys is a stuffed rabbit, Mimzy. Mimzy warns that the people of the future are sick. Our two main characters must find a way to help her. It's presented in very realistic way - even though the plot is very weird. It combines science, religion quite well, in a logic vs fantasy conflict... I think. I read that some complaint that the movie is dragged out... is not. The slow plot makes the atmosphere of the movie all more ominous and magical. It's 70% style and 30% substance.
Visuals: Not much. But when it comes to the weird close ups and amazing CGI effects, it's quite a treat. Not Oscar worthy stuff, but it very cool.
Audio: I loved the sound effects. Which made the movie stand out, the music was flat and un-original, but the weird and funky sound effects made up for it . Mimzy's cute rabbit talk voice rivals over the voice of Mogwai from GREMLINS. Creepy, but adorable at the same time!
I only saw the trailer once or twice- the whole concept of the
movie I found interesting. So, I went to see it.
Story: The story is great, it's about two kids who find a box of toys from the future. One of these toys is a stuffed rabbit, Mimzy. Mimzy warns that the people of the future are sick. Our two main characters must find a way to help her. It's presented in very realistic way - even though the plot is very weird. It combines science, religion quite well, in a logic vs fantasy conflict... I think. I read that some complaint that the movie is dragged out... is not. The slow plot makes the atmosphere of the movie all more ominous and magical. It's 70% style and 30% substance.
Visuals: Not much. But when it comes to the weird close ups and amazing CGI effects, it's quite a treat. Not Oscar worthy stuff, but it very cool.
Audio: I loved the sound effects. Which made the movie stand out, the music was flat and un-original, but the weird and funky sound effects made up for it . Mimzy's cute rabbit talk voice rivals over the voice of Mogwai from GREMLINS. Creepy, but adorable at the same time!
- happyhaunt2005
- Mar 30, 2007
- Permalink
- mfisher452
- Mar 8, 2008
- Permalink
I took my daughter to a screening and was very surprised at how good this movie was. My 13 year old could not decide whether she liked this movie or the Bridge to Terabithia better. There was never a dull moment. We were both very entertained. It was definitely worth the price of admission. The younger kids (10 and under) did not seem to enjoy it as much as the adults and teens though. If you are planning on seeing this, stay away from trailers. You'll have a much better experience the less you know about it. During the last 10 minutes, the reel or film broke. You should have heard the uproar that caused. Everyone in the theater waited impatiently while the projectionist repaired the film. I'll probably go see this again when it does open.
- GlacierFloe
- Mar 16, 2007
- Permalink
However, I don't think it intended to be a comedy. I saw this film on a plane, and I was getting stares because juice was coming out of my nose while laughing. Ahh good times.
This film is just crap. The story is TErRIBLE- some alien future scientist's last hope for the universe. It's liked they lined up every cliché POSSIBLE and strung them as scenes one after the other. The parents are just dumb, and seem to be blind in many scenes. YOu have this duo of morons (not the kids) who believe in aliens, and conveniently they know the protagonists... It's all just poo.
There were literally only two good things about this films: 1) The special effects were fantastic.
2) The 2 child leads were convincing actors, and were pretty much let down by the adults in the film.
Some people have compared this to E.T...NO NOO don't do that. Children might find this film okay, sure, but honestly there are a THOUSAND other better family movies. Rent the Lion King or Toy Story which are simply a thousand times better than this.
(I mean for God's sake the little alien thing is called a Mimzy....wtf!! Was the writer high when he wrote the script??)
This film is just crap. The story is TErRIBLE- some alien future scientist's last hope for the universe. It's liked they lined up every cliché POSSIBLE and strung them as scenes one after the other. The parents are just dumb, and seem to be blind in many scenes. YOu have this duo of morons (not the kids) who believe in aliens, and conveniently they know the protagonists... It's all just poo.
There were literally only two good things about this films: 1) The special effects were fantastic.
2) The 2 child leads were convincing actors, and were pretty much let down by the adults in the film.
Some people have compared this to E.T...NO NOO don't do that. Children might find this film okay, sure, but honestly there are a THOUSAND other better family movies. Rent the Lion King or Toy Story which are simply a thousand times better than this.
(I mean for God's sake the little alien thing is called a Mimzy....wtf!! Was the writer high when he wrote the script??)
The Last Mimzy is a film that I hope represents the future of children's science fiction. It is a future without bone-crunching comic book super heroes or malevolent movie bad guys or self-absorbed parents - a film that respects a child's intelligence, not to mention a kid's need to dream like a kid. I suggest Mimzy for anyone who has children, is fond of children, knows of children, or wants to simply feel really, really good about a film without being pandered to or suffer that condescending 'tude from Hollywood filmmakers who think they can sneak into your brain without you noticing.
There's an honest, earnest dreamlike quality to the film, a low-key, homespun feel to these two normal kids with two normal parents, who stumble upon a strange box-like artifact bobbing in the Seattle surf.
Ten year old Noah (Chris O'Neil) and his younger sister, Emma (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) bring the box home. It contains several toys, including a worn, plush bunny that emits a strangely soothing electronic chirp. Emma is immediately drawn to the stuffed animal, whose name, she declares, is "Mimzy." Noah is instead infatuated with a strange rectangle of sparkling glass that seems to have advanced mathematical and geometrical powers. And very soon thereafter, their lives begin to change.
In many ways, Mimzy is a clever, sci-fi tinged mystery thriller, and the toys are clues. The film manages to hold one's attention without resorting to pratfalls or, as mentioned, archetypal villains. There are, in fact, no real antagonists in this film. A few confused or misinformed adults hinder Noah and Emma's eventual challenge, but Mimzy seems to know its course. Even the inevitable government intervention (the movie's weakest device) provides little distraction. Yes, there are a few improbabilities, but kids won't notice. For the most part, the film remains delightfully unpredictable - so the less you know about it, the better.
You may observe a few thematic similarities to E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, but I can overlook these parallels. Steven Spielberg's E.T. is 25 years old after all, and Mimzy is based on a short sci-fi tale "Mimzy Were the Borogoves" published in 1943, long before E.T. ever phoned home.
Several references are made to Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" and Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd fame) sings out the closing credits, with a casual reference to "the dark side of the moon." So any perceived trippiness you encounter isn't accidental. In fact, the word psychedelic seems occasionally appropriate, although it's marginal and kids won't be aware.
The Last Mimzy is an unapologetic New Age ode to, essentially, the evolution (and survival) of the human race - and I kind of like that. Despite our mounds of Styrofoam, our SUVs and our blithe 'excessism,' perhaps every so often we can still pull a rabbit out of our collective hat. This particular bunny's name is Mimzy.
There's an honest, earnest dreamlike quality to the film, a low-key, homespun feel to these two normal kids with two normal parents, who stumble upon a strange box-like artifact bobbing in the Seattle surf.
Ten year old Noah (Chris O'Neil) and his younger sister, Emma (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) bring the box home. It contains several toys, including a worn, plush bunny that emits a strangely soothing electronic chirp. Emma is immediately drawn to the stuffed animal, whose name, she declares, is "Mimzy." Noah is instead infatuated with a strange rectangle of sparkling glass that seems to have advanced mathematical and geometrical powers. And very soon thereafter, their lives begin to change.
In many ways, Mimzy is a clever, sci-fi tinged mystery thriller, and the toys are clues. The film manages to hold one's attention without resorting to pratfalls or, as mentioned, archetypal villains. There are, in fact, no real antagonists in this film. A few confused or misinformed adults hinder Noah and Emma's eventual challenge, but Mimzy seems to know its course. Even the inevitable government intervention (the movie's weakest device) provides little distraction. Yes, there are a few improbabilities, but kids won't notice. For the most part, the film remains delightfully unpredictable - so the less you know about it, the better.
You may observe a few thematic similarities to E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, but I can overlook these parallels. Steven Spielberg's E.T. is 25 years old after all, and Mimzy is based on a short sci-fi tale "Mimzy Were the Borogoves" published in 1943, long before E.T. ever phoned home.
Several references are made to Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" and Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd fame) sings out the closing credits, with a casual reference to "the dark side of the moon." So any perceived trippiness you encounter isn't accidental. In fact, the word psychedelic seems occasionally appropriate, although it's marginal and kids won't be aware.
The Last Mimzy is an unapologetic New Age ode to, essentially, the evolution (and survival) of the human race - and I kind of like that. Despite our mounds of Styrofoam, our SUVs and our blithe 'excessism,' perhaps every so often we can still pull a rabbit out of our collective hat. This particular bunny's name is Mimzy.
- thechrisbrown
- Mar 22, 2007
- Permalink
"Mimsy Were the Borogroves", Kuttner & Moore's terrifying parable about the loss of innocence and the ending of childhood, is chopped up, its dark meat bleached until, like a chicken leg, it is converted into a breaded chicken nugget, suitable for a children's audience which holds that the only thing wrong with the world is that kids aren't in charge. Stir in Nepalese mysticism and CGI to taste and garnish with a paranoid government that locks up four-year-olds under the Patriot Act and you have this mandala-shaped piece of mystery meat.
Director Robert Shaye does show a dab hand at directing children, and I suppose I shouldn't have expected more than this, but I am terribly disappointed. I only hope his next project isn't Ted Sturgeon's "The Professor's Teddy Bear." Stupidest moment: the exit of the Homeland Security force.
Director Robert Shaye does show a dab hand at directing children, and I suppose I shouldn't have expected more than this, but I am terribly disappointed. I only hope his next project isn't Ted Sturgeon's "The Professor's Teddy Bear." Stupidest moment: the exit of the Homeland Security force.