the movieGOOMBA

Still part kid, I love watching family-oriented, kid flicks. . . (did my mini, short-lived obsession with my horse movie not give it away?). I anticipated the DVD release Sky High, which I purchased, and Thunderbirds, which I hated, with a passion. Don't even get me started on High School Musical 2. I am such a dork . . . I may have just obliterated any respect you had for my movie opinions. Gotta be my self though, right? So like usual, I requested The Last Mimzy from my trusty, until recently, Netflix, and watched it the first day it arrived. I always watch the lighter movies first.

Kind of a cool general idea, The Last Mimzy is a tale of a brother and sister totally consumed by modern technological culture who find Mimzy stuff on a beach. What they don't know is that the Mimzy stuff came from the future, and that these things hold "magical" powers. Soon after their finding, the children find that they have gained "supernatural" powers, and realize that they must send Mimzy, a living toy rabbit, back to the future.

The more I sat thinking on this movie, the more I disliked it. Even writing about it is making me like it less. This movie has a new age kind of feel to it, and the movie's portrayal of present day kinders a connection between the natural and technological advancement. It was different than other family films I've seen. I saw a similarity between Mimzy and ET, where only the children understand the mission, but it wasn't wholesome or warm. Also, the kids never even understood why they needed to send Mimzy back. They could have very well sent it back without saving humanity first. Luckily they did without even knowing it. This movie was unfocused and just plain weird. There were characters that looked like they were suppose make a meaningful dent in the plot and ended up looking like awe struck extras in the end.

Kids might be able to look past some of the issues I see, but this movie wasn't rich or inspiring. It was tepid and distant, probably in part, due to it's new age, techy, cool feel it was going for. I also think kids might be attracted to how modern the movie is. Modern day Generation Y kids under "magical" circumstances, and a brother and sister duo to boot. It's sure to welcome some attention, but other than that, there are so many better family films out there, that I'd skip whimsy Mimzy.