Hoot

It is great to see a film starring kids whose idea of "acting adult" is not engaging in sensuality. Instead, these kids see a problem in their community and take responsibility for helping to solve it. Hoot is a film aimed squarely at families looking for a fun day at the cinema. The production values are good, especially sweeping shots of Montana and Florida. The soundtrack by Jimmy Buffet is a perfect fit. The young actors are spirited and refreshing.

The plot, about a trio of kids who work together to save some burrowing owls from death at the hands of an unscrupulous pancake house empire builder, will engage kids. So many films make children appear powerless, it is nice to see a movie that shows children working hard to make a difference. And even though parents are absent or temporarily distracted, it was pleasant to see kids who want to follow in their parents footsteps and try to right injustices.

If you are tired of all of the self-indulgent story lines about children that fill the cinema, give Hoot a shot. Then take some time to talk to your kids about the adventure of serving others and caring about the world they live in. A positive message from a positive film.

I wasnt expecting this movie to be decent, the only reason why i watched it all was for the nostalgia value from when i watched this as a kid, but surprisingly this was actually kinda decent. its really wholesome but not overly corny, most "save the environment" flicks end up being waaay too cheezy but you can tell this one tried its best to be as realistic as possible with its message and not talk down to its audience. now dont get me wrong this movie does have its fair share of problems, a lot of the acting preformances werent great, some actors were trying, others werent. theres quite a few conveniences in the script and some of the characters are kinda flat. but overall this was better than i was expecting, it wasnt a great movie by any means but it was a lot more decent than i thought it would be. probably not a movie i would recommend watching but it was still decent for what its worth

I am not going to lie and say Hoot is the best family film I have seen, but I am going to say I actually rather liked it. True, the pacing is a little too slow at times, the story perhaps a little predictable and some of the characters are rather clichéd particularly the bully. However, Hoot is beautifully photographed with lovely scenery and the cinematography was very nice. The soundtrack was a pleasant touch and had a somewhat nostalgic feel to it, while the dialogue is humorous and has some sweet parts too, the message is admirable and the direction is above-adequate. And the acting was good on the whole, Logan Lerman is an appealing lead and Brie Larson while petite is alluring and likable enough, while Tim Blake Nelson does a very good job with his role as does Luke Wilson. Overall, very nice and likable, nothing outstanding but it's not awful either. 7/10 Bethany Cox

My family (two 40-somethings, an 8 year old and my 71 yr old mother) saw this at a sneak preview on April 29th. We all enjoyed the movie very much. The story was a good one, and knowing it was based on real-life events made it that much more enjoyable. Luke Wilson was a hoot (pun intended) to watch as was Tim Blake Nelson. And seeing Neil Flynn play something other than "the mean janitor from Scrubs" was nice. The kids in movie did well and I'm sure they will all appeal to a certain demographic on the heartthrob level. The visuals were just lovely and the Jimmy Buffet music added to the "Florida feel". OK, maybe the story was a little too neat and well packaged for some adults, but hey, who cares? I can't compare it to the book, I honestly hadn't heard of it until the movie came out.

It was just a NICE movie and it had a good message. Plain and simple.

(Synopsis) Roy Eberhardt (Logan Lerman) is a teenager who loves living in the wide open spaces and mountains of Montana. Unfortunately for him, his father's job is forcing him to move once again, this time to a small town in Florida. As the new kid in school, Roy has the usual encounter with the school bully on the bus. While riding on the bus, Roy is also intrigued by a teenage boy who was running like the wind and passed the bus in his bare feet. The next day, Roy gets off the bus and tries to catch him, but loses him at the golf course. Roy eventually meets the boy, known as Mullet Fingers (Cody Linley). Mullet Fingers is a runaway living on an abandoned boat near the golf course and a vacant lot that is about to have a pancake house built on it. All by himself, Mullet Fingers has taken up the cause of protecting the burrow owls that are nesting on the vacant lot. If a pancake house is built on the lot, it will destroy the habitat of the burrow owls. Roy joins forces with Mullet Fingers and his sister Beatrice (Brie Larson) to save the owls.

(My Comment) This is one movie the whole family can see. The story is entertaining and heart-warming for all ages. You will love the music of Jimmy Buffett that was played throughout the movie. Jimmy Buffett produced and played a small part as the marine science teacher. This is a pro-environmental film that shows what can be accomplished by three teenagers using the act of civil disobedience. The film has lots of humor, and a message of saving the environment and some beautiful cinematography of Montana and Florida. And of course, don't forget the owls. (New Line Cinema, Run time 1:30, Rated PG)(6/10)