The storyline focuses on three siblings who were gifted magical boxes from their grandmother. If the user of the box truly wants to play, then the box transports them to a "different dimension" to have fun. There is a side plot about a man who is in desperate need of developing a new toy for his business, which the box would be the ideal for. In addition, the film focuses somewhat on the sibling's father's attempt to reach his inner self.
The idea of the story is enjoyable. The grandmother makes mention that after she received a big box (a TV) her little boxes lost meaning, as playing was not done when she grew up. This idea of a changing society is nicely touched upon by the film. The camera work is quite good. There are many instances where the children break into song and the camera moves through the crowd. That movement provides a sense of presence in the dance, as if the viewer is part of the film. When the locations are in a real location, they come off much better than when the box is used. Granted, the boxes are created by the children's imagination, but they don't come across as quite believable. The imagined spaces are so different from reality that they lose their sense of feasibility. There are many songs throughout, sung by the children. There is excellent use of sound effects when the box is opened. The sound is somewhat divine and only occurs when the box is working. It shows that the box is working and also that there is a special sense of "magic" behind the boxes. Also, there is an ominous glow that comes from the box when it is opened. The acting is quite good. Each character truly assumes their role and acts accordingly. No character stands out, as they are all at the same relative skill of acting. There is one scene where the grandmother is retelling the story of a game she played with her friends and the subtitles are incorrect. The game is about a boy trying to date a girl whose father disapproves. Instead of "little girl," the subtitles read "little sister" which may give children the wrong idea. The subtitles are quite good.
The message of the film is about cherishing one's childhood and simple things - like the little boxes. My favorite scene is when the grandmother retells the story of how she first obtained the boxes and then, one day, her father came home with a bigger box, that from a TV, and her little boxes became insignificant. This scene highlights a key problem in today's society as we are more drawn to technology than social interaction.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. It is from Brazil with dialogue in Portuguese, with English subtitles. It provides a nice sense of Brazilian culture and allows the viewers to develop an understanding of some Portuguese words. Reviewed by Ray R. and team, KIDS FIRST!
The storyline focuses on three siblings who were gifted magical boxes from their grandmother. If the user of the box truly wants to play, then the box transports them to a "different dimension" to have fun. There is a side plot about a man who is in desperate need of developing a new toy for his business, which the box would be the ideal for. In addition, the film focuses somewhat on the sibling's father's attempt to reach his inner self.
The idea of the story is enjoyable. The grandmother makes mention that after she received a big box (a TV) her little boxes lost meaning, as playing was not done when she grew up. This idea of a changing society is nicely touched upon by the film. The camera work is quite good. There are many instances where the children break into song and the camera moves through the crowd. That movement provides a sense of presence in the dance, as if the viewer is part of the film. When the locations are in a real location, they come off much better than when the box is used. Granted, the boxes are created by the children's imagination, but they don't come across as quite believable. The imagined spaces are so different from reality that they lose their sense of feasibility. There are many songs throughout, sung by the children. There is excellent use of sound effects when the box is opened. The sound is somewhat divine and only occurs when the box is working. It shows that the box is working and also that there is a special sense of "magic" behind the boxes. Also, there is an ominous glow that comes from the box when it is opened. The acting is quite good. Each character truly assumes their role and acts accordingly. No character stands out, as they are all at the same relative skill of acting. There is one scene where the grandmother is retelling the story of a game she played with her friends and the subtitles are incorrect. The game is about a boy trying to date a girl whose father disapproves. Instead of "little girl," the subtitles read "little sister" which may give children the wrong idea. The subtitles are quite good.
The message of the film is about cherishing one's childhood and simple things - like the little boxes. My favorite scene is when the grandmother retells the story of how she first obtained the boxes and then, one day, her father came home with a bigger box, that from a TV, and her little boxes became insignificant. This scene highlights a key problem in today's society as we are more drawn to technology than social interaction.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. It is from Brazil with dialogue in Portuguese, with English subtitles. It provides a nice sense of Brazilian culture and allows the viewers to develop an understanding of some Portuguese words. Reviewed by Ray R. and team, KIDS FIRST!
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