Magia nel lago

One evening in 1995 I was bowling with some friends. The DJ announced that there was a red head-pin being shifted around to all of the lanes.

When the red head-pin comes to your lane and you bowl a strike, then you win something. As luck would have it, the red head-pin came my way and I bowled the perfect strike.

The prize was two movie tickets for a sneak showing of Magic in TheWater. I was in for such a treat and didn't even know it yet. The movie itself was great, it really brings out the kid in all of us. It's just good clean fun for the whole family.

Then there was an unexpected twist. Just as the end credits started rolling, two figures emerged on the stage just in front of the screen. Rick Stevenson and Sarah Wayne introduced themselves to everyone and hung out for a while afterward at the theater. That was really fun, My Mom got to talking to Sarah's mom and Sarah and I got to talking. It was really a fun experience and one that I'll never forget. By the way Sarah, thanks for the Oreos!

Rick Stevenson was great too, he did a good job of putting together a movie on a less than Steven Spielberg-sized budget. He also seemed to really enjoy making movies. I still to this day own an autographed movie poster (Autographed by Rick & Sarah). Thanks to both of you for the opportunity and for a really great memory. I give this one 11 on a scale of 1-10.

On vacation at a beautiful lake in British Columbia, Ashley (Sarah Wayne) and Joshua (Joshua Jackson), the children of workaholic radio host Jack Black (Mark Harmon), learn about its mythical inhabitant, a sea monster named Orky. Soon, the kids learn that Orky is not only real, he's attempting to communicate with humans to warn them that an evil corporation is illegally dumping pollutants into his home. They try to save Orky with the help of an elderly Native American (Frank Sotonoma Salsedo).

Very beautiful and passionate, how not to love Orky's cute face, cute, the script is all cute, the children are adorable (I'm suspicious, I love movies with brats), the dose of humor, that meeting of anonymous crazy adults children, cute, all very magical and charming, with that cute moral lesson about nature preservation, respect for culture and appreciation of traditions...

Rick Stevenson's "Magic in the Water" is the usual sort of family movie that they crank out, although it is worth seeing. I wouldn't recommend the movie as your first choice, but if there's nothing else it's definitely worth checking out. My favorite parts were actually the "digging to China" scenes; looking back on it, those scenes remind me of "God's Little Acre".

So, the movie is OK to check out. Stevenson now has a company called Official Best of Fest, that distributes film festival movies that most people would otherwise never get a chance to see. Interesting concept.

Yeah, I'm a sexy guy...

I enjoyed this movie, and still give it an 8, even though I wish one important aspect of the story had not been omitted: That of the clean-up of the hazardous waste. Without this facet addressed, Orky's survival is dubious. It is not a deal-breaker for me, but I am wondering why this important scene or dialogue was ignored.

I particularly liked the Native American mythology that was in the movie. The comments by Uncle Kipper about man being able to turn to animal and vice-versa established some important context to Orky and the communication and message it compelled some humans to take heed of.

We never did find out why Orky ripped the arms off of the two "gentlemen". Oh well. Perhaps the Japanese submergible team could have played a larger part in the movie, too.

Mark Harmon did a good job characterizing the transformation that he experienced. The ending was an excellent twist, and one that I did not forecast. The scenes of group therapy were good.

Although I wish we had witnessed the waste clean up, I will not detract a star for that.

MAGIC IN THE WATER is par for the course for an American kid's fantasy film. It features a couple of bratty children and their humble father who become involved with a mysterious lake said to be inhabited by an ancient creature. The usual gamut of stereotyped characters are involved, from the Native American shaman to the eager-to-please Japanese folk and the by rote human villains.

This is neither the best nor the worst of its type, merely a humdrum outing designed for kids and kids alone. The stylistic similarities to FREE WILLY are more than obvious, but the central creation is kept off screen for the most part so it all becomes a little dull. The special effects are pretty good for the most part, though. The less-than-stellar cast includes Mark Harmon (TUAREG: THE DESERT WARRIOR) and future star Joshua Jackson (of DAWSON'S CREEK fame).