Toon Talk - From the Other Side: Hoot
Page 1 of 2
by Kirby C. Holt
(c) New Line Cinema
|
Hoot
Produced by Walden Media
Released by New Line Cinema MPAA Rating: PG |
Owl’s Fair
Emerging virtually out of nowhere, Walden Media has quickly become the go to mini-studio for wholesome yet entertaining live action family films. Along with such modest hits as Holes (released by Disney) and Because of Winn-Dixie (not to mention one big flop, Around the World in 80 Days, also released by Disney), Walden cemented its status last year with the hugely popular The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (again, released by Disney). With a 2006 slate that continues their winning formula of bringing beloved children’s books to the screen with a refreshing lack of typical kiddie flick crassness, Walden will later this year release new adaptations of How to Eat Fried Worms (August) and Charlotte’s Web (December). (Planned for the near future: a 3-D Journey to the Center of the Earth and the next Narnia chapter, Prince Caspian.)
Walden’s latest release, Hoot (opening in theaters today), continues their trend of kid-empowering tales brought to life in modestly budgeted, non-star driven vehicles (although famous faces do appear in scene-stealing supporting turns). Based on Carl Hiaasen’s book of the same name, Hoot is a light-weight yarn that touches lightly on deeper ecological themes as well as more generalized notions of friendship, loyalty and being true to one’s beliefs.