I really like this movie. It's heartwarming but at the same time it doesn't hold back from showing the dark sides of life such as death and ethics. Omri (Hal Scardino) a young boy gets 2 gives for his birthday: a skateboard and a mysterious cupboard.
He gets the key from his mom and begins to wonder what to do with it. He decides to put a figurine of a Native American in which surprises him as he hears a noise inside and opens it to discover it's alive and is named Little Bear(Litefoot). Wary of the boy at first the 2 develop a friendship.
Amazed at his new gift he shares his discovery with his friend Patrick(Rishi Bhat) who lets it get to his head and despite Omri's warning he puts his cowboy in the cupboard and brings it alive. His name is "Boo Hoo" Boone(David Keith), he's over the top and a little obnoxious. Things get complicated when Patrick wants to bring them to school leading to some suggestive scenes.
I like the imagination this movie has as well as the cast. Omri's a likable character. He's not obnoxious or whiny but instead mature for his age which's a breath of fresh air if you ask me. His brother's are also believable in that they're not total bullies rather they're just kids. I like how the movie shows good morals you don't see often in kids movies in a unique that while you can bring toys to life in the cupboard, be careful because they can die or turn on you. It also raises questions about whether you should bring something alive or not. There's a scene where Omri brings a chief to life after Little Bear requests a tomahawk. The chief upon seeing Omri dies of a heart attack much to Omri's shock and confusion.
It's at this point where Little Bear realizes Omri's a kid and scolds him for playing with something he doesn't understand. In this case magic. This leads to Omri burying him instead of trying to revive him like he originally planned. That's very powerful.
I guess my only nitpicks are that some of the effects are obviously dated and the depiction of Little Bear and Boone may raise a few questions to some of the viewers. Aside from that this's an enjoyable kids movie. It has a unique way of teaching life lessons while also being fun to watch. I highly recommend checking this movie out.
He gets the key from his mom and begins to wonder what to do with it. He decides to put a figurine of a Native American in which surprises him as he hears a noise inside and opens it to discover it's alive and is named Little Bear(Litefoot). Wary of the boy at first the 2 develop a friendship.
Amazed at his new gift he shares his discovery with his friend Patrick(Rishi Bhat) who lets it get to his head and despite Omri's warning he puts his cowboy in the cupboard and brings it alive. His name is "Boo Hoo" Boone(David Keith), he's over the top and a little obnoxious. Things get complicated when Patrick wants to bring them to school leading to some suggestive scenes.
I like the imagination this movie has as well as the cast. Omri's a likable character. He's not obnoxious or whiny but instead mature for his age which's a breath of fresh air if you ask me. His brother's are also believable in that they're not total bullies rather they're just kids. I like how the movie shows good morals you don't see often in kids movies in a unique that while you can bring toys to life in the cupboard, be careful because they can die or turn on you. It also raises questions about whether you should bring something alive or not. There's a scene where Omri brings a chief to life after Little Bear requests a tomahawk. The chief upon seeing Omri dies of a heart attack much to Omri's shock and confusion.
It's at this point where Little Bear realizes Omri's a kid and scolds him for playing with something he doesn't understand. In this case magic. This leads to Omri burying him instead of trying to revive him like he originally planned. That's very powerful.
I guess my only nitpicks are that some of the effects are obviously dated and the depiction of Little Bear and Boone may raise a few questions to some of the viewers. Aside from that this's an enjoyable kids movie. It has a unique way of teaching life lessons while also being fun to watch. I highly recommend checking this movie out.