December Boys |  | Director: Rod Hardy
Actors: Jack Thompson, Rod Hardy, Victoria Hill, Daniel Radcliffe, Lee Cormie
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $1.84
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Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 22793
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 1000027397
UPC: 085391189589
EAN: 0085391189589
ASIN: B000XFVIN0
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: December 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | They share the same birth month, so the orphanage calls them December Boys. But these teens ? Maps, Spit, Spark and Misty ? have much more in common. With no hopes of ever joining a family, they form their own familial bonds. Then the unexpected news comes that a young couple may adopt one of them, and the long-time pals suddenly share something else: a rivalry to be the chosen one.Running Time: 1 |
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Product Description
No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: UN
Release Date: 11-DEC-2007
Media Type: DVD
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
Gentle, warmhearted Australian coming-of-age story of orphans finding family January 8, 2010
Sanpete (in Utah)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Set about 1970 but seeming to be from a decade earlier, this film centers on Maps (Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame), the oldest of four orphan boys, and Misty (Lee Cormie), the narrator and smallest of the four. All four born in December, they're the orphanage's December Boys. Maps does most of the coming of age, with a summer romance, while all four learn about what family is for them.
There's a moral to this movie, but the main interest is in the engaging way the story is told. It seems real, not too gauzy in its sentiment, with a share of hardness. The only part that struck me as false, not because of how it turned out but because of how it was played, was the resolution of the family issue, which seemed a little forced and rushed. The geographical setting is mostly an ocean cove, very scenic. There's some nudity and sexuality, PG-13 stuff.
The extras are additional scenes. They must have been cut for time, but they're good scenes.
A very feel good movie! September 13, 2009
Dena Leasure
I had seen this movie quite a while back and really liked it, so decided to order it. It is a story about 4 boys in an orphanage in Australia. They are called 'the December Boys' because all of their birthdays are in December.
The boys get a chance for a trip to the shore and discover just how much of a family they have become together. This is a good movie about growing up, love, and acceptance.
decemer boys August 30, 2009
Richele A. Frechen (PA)
Not quite what what I expected but if you like Daniel Radcliffe you will enjoy the movie, he really is a good actor.
Coming-of-age in South Australia... and tantalizing Teresa Palmer July 5, 2009
- Durrkk (Ohio/PA border USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I picked up "December Boys" for two reasons: I like (non-raunchy) coming-of-age flicks and the fact that it takes place on the Southern coast of Australia (atually it was shot on Kangaroo Island, part of South Australia). As for Daniel Radcliffe, the star of the popular Harry Potter films, I've never seen him in a movie before and have zero interest in him or Potter.
THE STORY: Four boys from an Outback Catholic orphanage get to celebrate their December birthdays by taking a Christmas holiday on the coast. They discover that a young childless couple are interested in adopting one of them, which creates a bit of rivalry, although the oldest one (Radcliffe) could care less and spends his time learning about girls and romance. Their time at the coast becomes a cornerstone experience as they ultimately discover that they themselves are a family.
I should first emphasize that, unless you're Australian, you'll have to utilize the English subtitles to understand the nigh-unintelligible Australian dialect. If you fail to do this you'll only comprehend about half the dialogue and the story will be lost on you. No kidding.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I just saw the film last night and I only remember two of the boys -- Maps and Misty. The others might as well be phantoms. Although the plot is interesting, the story as-played-out is not very compelling (although the epilogue is slightly moving). Scenes come and go with largely ill-defined characters and very little dialogue or explanation. This is definitely a picture where you'll have to read inbetween the lines to appreciate (which makes it good for repeat-viewings).
WHAT WORKS: The Kangaroo Island locations are fabulous, especially the high shots of Remarkable Rocks in Finders Chase National Park.
The picture really comes alive when Teresa Palmer, who plays femme fatale Lucy, is on screen. The dvd cover is deceiving in that Teresa looks to be about 12 years-old. Actually she was 20 during filming and plays an about-16 girl in the story with curvy legs from here to New York. Lucy' scenes with Maps are the highlight of the picture (not at all "awkward" as another reviewer contends). Lucy is aware of her tantalizing feminine powers and skillfully utilizes them to bewitch Maps with her love spell.
In addition to the Remarkable Rocks and Lucy, highlights include a secret cave high up on the rocks, a wild black horse who seems to fish, an Evel Knieval-type character who may not be as "Fearless" as he lets on, a colossal fish named Henry and the cantankerous old man fascinated by it.
The dvd feature about 10-minutes of deleted scenes that should have never been deleted. Make sure you catch 'em as they help explain the story better.
BOTTOM LINE: Although the story is merely okay as far as captivating and moving cinema goes, the highlights noted above compel me to give "December Boys" a 4/5 Star rating (or grade of "B"), in particular the scenic rocks/coast and Lucy.
If you like Teresa Palmer in this picture be sure to check her out in "Bedtime Stories" (2008), "Restraint" (2008) and "The Grudge 2" (2006).
 Worth Every Minute July 1, 2009
M. Elizabeth Wilson (Atlanta)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The only reason I knew about this beautiful film was a preview for it on another DVD. Daniel Radcliffe is excellent -- and so are the other three "December Boys." This is a beautiful film, well acted, gorgeously photographed (made me want to call Quantas and head for Australia). I don't know why this film was so overlooked, because it very much deserves to be seen. There's a touch of the -- what? Mystical? -- that gave me a feeling similar to when I watch "The Secret of Roan Inish," tho' it's a totally different film.
Enjoy -- then spread the word!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
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