Darkfriend

The title reminded me .... I HAVE to change my underwear!

Matthew Chmiel

When I went to the movies today (at 1pm), all the showings were getting sold out. I figured I had to see the movie.

I chose to see Bulletproof Monk, Malibu's Most Wanted, and Bend It Like Beckham instead today.

MurraySiskind

It's too bad they're not pushing the obvious porn angle a little harder. Kids love porn!

AmazingColossalPumaMan

Okay, here's what I've gathered about the movie from the commercials:

There was this book that may or may not have been called Holes. It's now a movie called Holes. It involves kids in the desert digging holes, hence the title of the movie.

That or it's about the Goonies getting lost on Arrakis.

All right, I still have no clue.

tasha99

I didn't know a movie of that was out, but the book is hugely popular with my daughter and her friends (10-12 years old). Guess we'll be going to the movies soon!

tasha

Trigger

Ok - it's a Disney movie based on a childrens book. So most of you dissing on this film might as well go ahead and complain that the next Pokemon movie is lacking in character development. It's obviously not for you... It's a family movie - as far as I can tell (having not read the book) it's about some kids who are in trouble for some reason or another and are in some sort of juvi camp where they have to dig ditches part of the day as punishment. One of them gets the digging bug and decides to keep digging on his own as well as enlisting some of his new friends to help. The main character is the kid from Even Stevens (kid show on disney channel about a brother and sister)... his family history is marred with bad luck and part of his exploration is digging up the past and the truth about his family and righting some wrongs or something... that's what I figure, but I could be off... not way off, but I don't know.

Sigourney and Voigt are running the camp and Patricia Arquette and others are apparently characters in flashbacks of the kid's family generations ago. The movie will be a family thing and will probably share audience members with the Lizzy Macguire movie. Never heard of that either? Well, then it's probably not for you. There's probably gonna be a scene in Holes that has all the kids introducing themselves to the 'new guy' with their quirky names - simple plot device used by countless kid movies to introduce characters to the audience. There's also probably going to be 'boing' 'zip' 'boom' 'bonk' noises... but maybe not.

If you liked Heavyweights or Harry Potter, you may find this movie entertaining. I'll probably go check it out at some point cuz I kinda like watching stupid disney movies... I'll probably wait till it ends up on cable though cuz the audience will be mostly pre and early teens.

calhoun07

I don't know if anybody here is dissing the movie. I can only speak for myself, of course, and I say that even if it's a "kids" film, that doesn't dissuade me from wanting to see it it I think the movie will be good, and will appeal to a cross section of the audience. I can just as easilly sit down and enjoy Shiloh as I would any other movie in my collection, for example. What we are talking about here is BAD marketing for this movie. If they are marketing it solely to 8-12 year olds who have read the book, then that's bad marketing. If adults who hanven't seen the book have to try to figure out what the hell this thing is about from these poor trailers, then somebody somewhere in the marketing division did something wrong. But if they make a load of money off of the kiddie crowd and they are happy with that, then so be it. I might get it with a free rental when it comes out on DVD to see what the fuss is all about, but the marketing of this movie doesn't appeal to me at all.


Here is amazon.com's review of the book (sorry if it has been posted already!)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy." Such is the reigning philosophy at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility where there is no lake, and there are no happy campers. In place of what used to be "the largest lake in Texas" is now a dry, flat, sunburned wasteland, pocked with countless identical holes dug by boys improving their character. Stanley Yelnats, of palindromic name and ill-fated pedigree, has landed at Camp Green Lake because it seemed a better option than jail. No matter that his conviction was all a case of mistaken identity, the Yelnats family has become accustomed to a long history of bad luck, thanks to their "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!" Despite his innocence, Stanley is quickly enmeshed in the Camp Green Lake routine: rising before dawn to dig a hole five feet deep and five feet in diameter; learning how to get along with the Lord of the Flies-styled pack of boys in Group D; and fearing the warden, who paints her fingernails with rattlesnake venom. But when Stanley realizes that the boys may not just be digging to build character--that in fact the warden is seeking something specific--the plot gets as thick as the irony.
It's a strange story, but strangely compelling and lovely too. Louis Sachar uses poker-faced understatement to create a bizarre but believable landscape--a place where Major Major Major Major of Catch-22 would feel right at home. But while there is humor and absurdity here, there is also a deep understanding of friendship and a searing compassion for society's underdogs. As Stanley unknowingly begins to fulfill his destiny--the dual plots coming together to reveal that fate has big plans in store--we can't help but cheer for the good guys, and all the Yelnats everywhere. (Ages 10 and older) --Brangien Davis --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Filmmaker

For those of you incensed by the film's marketing, be happy the commercials were done by people who have at least piqued your curiosity into discovering more about the film, rather than, say, the guys who design the trailers for Robert Zemeckis films, in which case we'd know what happens at the beginning of HOLES, the end and, well, yeah, pretty much everything in the middle, too, before we ever stepped foot in the theater...

DeputyDave

Thankyou, my feelings exactly. These are "teasers". I'm taking my kids to this today and I know NOTHING about the movie, not even the plot. The teaser did its job, as I am buying three tickets, but I will still be suprised in the theater because it didn't spoil anything.

ricwhite

I think modern trailers for most movies give FAR too much information and spoil the movie going experience. The HOLES trailer is just about right. I think you and your kids will really enjoy this movie. Post your impressions when you get back.

calhoun07

Teasers are all good and fine, but the problem with the Holes teasers is that they keep presenting the movie differently. Is it a comedy? Sci Fi? Another Disney family flick? Action adventure? Unless you know the book, you have NO IDEA what GENRE it is. I don't need the teasers to reveal everything, just let us know what genre it is! That's not asking for much!

LBPound

Plenty of great movies transcend genre. Is Back to the Future comedy? Sci-fi? Drama? Action? Family flick?

Groucho

I've read this entire thread, and I still know nothing more about the film. I guess the country is real eager to watch kids dig holes...I don't get the appeal.

calhoun07

I talked to somebody tonight who as read the book, and he described it more as a drama/suspense.

Back to the Future is primarilly a comedy, and will be found in the "comedy" section in most video stores. And it was and usually is marketed as a comedy movie.

After seeing Ebert's review of Holes, however, I am really interested to see this movie, but will wait for the DVD.

The Antipodean

It was #2 at the box office this weekend, beating Jamie Kennedy and Bulletproof Monk, so there's obviously an audience for it....

ricwhite

HOLES is not a perfect movie, but it's close. It ranks as one of my favorite movies of the year. Some on this forum have been puzzled by the trailers – which give very little information and the title, which is also pretty ambiguous. So below is a little summary of the movie and some of my thoughts. I will not reveal any "mysteries" of the movie. However, if you want to go to the movie without knowing anything about it, then I would skip reading the summary listed below.

Stanley Yelnats IV had more passed onto him than just his name. His great great grandfather was cursed by a gypsy fortuneteller over 100 years ago for breaking a promise made to her. All of Stanley's bad luck is blamed on this family curse including him being erroneously convicted of stealing of a pair of shoes of a famous ball player.

Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake – a juvenile detention camp which resembles nothing but a desolate, barren, oppressive wasteland, full of holes dug by the delinquents – supposedly for "character building." The land was not always desolate as we learn from flashbacks to the past which tell two stories – one of the town of Green Lake and one of Stanley's great grandfather who was in the same area when he was robbed and left for dead.

The secrets of the past come to the present and we learn that the holes are not being dug just to "build character" but for some other mysterious reason.

One of the movie's great strengths is the characterization. We truly get to know the characters and we genuinely care about them – especially Stanley and Zero (which were VERY well cast). The acting is top notch with many well known actors playing key roles. The stories are very intriguing. Even the flashbacks about the town and Stanley's relatives are very interesting and well staged. It is difficult to intertwine flashbacks to the present, but it was well done. Even so, the movie may feel a little disjointed and jumpy because of it – which is where the critics took off a few points.

I would place this movie in the "action/adventure" genre, although there are several humorous and scary elements. If you haven't read the book, you will undoubtedly be kept in suspense and you experience the many twists and turns of the plot. The secrets Camp Green Lake slowly unravel and you learn some surprising things about some of the characters and their motives.

The cinematography is just excellent – almost an epic feel to it. I also like the 16:9 widescreen format that is used rather than the wider 2:35:1. The sound is well done. The score is not overbearing but adds appropriately to key emotional scenes.

HOLES is rated PG for some language, teenage themes. Some parents may be reluctant to take small children since there are some frightening and violent scenes – although not graphic.

Highly recommended. Ages 8 and up. 3.75 out of 4.00 A-

silentbob007

I saw Holes this weekend after having heard what a wonderful book it is. I must say that the movie is pretty decent. While not an academy award winner by any means, it has enough quirky characters and plot twists to be consistently interesting to adults as well as kids.

slymer

Excellent movie, excellent story, great cast, even the kids, who were pretty much a bunch of unknowns did an excellent job.
Jon Voight was great!

GoldenJCJ

There was an old episode of Tales From the Darkside (at least I think it was TFTDS) where a man had mysterious little creatures who lived in a hole and when he lowered meat down to them they sent up treasures it its place.

When I first saw the TV spots for this movie I thought it was the same story.

Rascal

I thought it was Amazing Stories, and it wasn't meat, but flashlights. The fella's daughter (who thinks a little bigger) gets the creatures accustomed to something else making for an amusing ending.

I haven't heard of this book or movie (or seen the trailers), but it sounds like the trailers make this movie interesting.

Pants

I'm 24, single, no kids and I thought Holes was excellent. Girlfriend did too.

It's a comic adventure. No sci-fi, but some fantasy I supose. Great story, told well. Great actors giving great performances.

SPECTACULAR marketing that didn't spoil any of the film's MANY wonderful surprises.

Watching the film I was reminded of Magnolia's mantra: "You may be done with the past, but the past ain't done with you." Throughout the film characters' actions in the pressent connect with decisions or actions made by their ancestors. The film has a budhist like collective consciousness that illustrates the multigenerational relationship between people.

The Holes themselves have many meanings, but they reflect not only the literal holes the kids dig, but also the holes in our history (the ugly injustices, the sworn vengences, etc.), the holes between time periods, and the holes in our lives that are filled by friends and family.

Maryang Palad

The movie poster is deceiving, where 6-7 kids are looking at a hole. It has no relation to the story.

B.A.

Went to see it yesterday, but the damn smoke alarms went off during the trailers and the theater emptied - eventually got back in to watch the first five minutes, but then the fire department shut down the entire theater because they couldn't properly reset the alarm system. So they cleared the whole place out and I had to take a raincheck.

But the first five minutes looked very promising.

ricwhite

Damn overcooked popcorn

reverb

I believe that the theatrical AR is 2.39:1. In any event I doubt that you saw it theatrically at 16:9 because there is no specification allowing 1.78:1 motion picture projection. You almost certainly saw it projected at either 1.85:1 or 2.39:1, if properly projected.