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Reviews
Snow Dogs (2002)
I can't believe I watched the whole thing...
I was prepared for another lame, formulaic Disney family flic. Unbelievable characters, excrutiating dialog, ridiculous animal action, etc.
Yes, it had silly "fall off the dogsled and get dragged" humour but it was suprisingly entertaining. However I somehow doubt a woman as good-looking as Joanna Bacalso would be a bartender in a wilderness one-dog town.
And for all those reviewers who talk about it being a commercial for Alaska... Sorry, it was filmed near Banff, Alberta, Canada in a picturesque place called Canmore, same place as the film Mystery, Alaska was shot.
Owd Bob (1998)
Vastly under-rated and under-promoted, A great film!
When I saw this at the video shop I expected another Lassie clone and was prepared to quickly disappear after the start and go read a book. However, once the video started we never stopped. What unfolded was a strikingly true-to-life story about young people having to deal with loss and old people having to come to grips with what is really important.
Set in the same beautiful countryside as Waking Ned Devine (only this time the Isle of Man plays itself) this is the story of the America-raised grandson (David) of a crusty old sheep farmer (Babe's James Cromwell) being sent to the Isle of Man after the death of his parents in an accident. (shades of Fly Away Home) However, unlike the fantasy of a young girl learning to fly an ultralight, we just have a young boy learning to work on a farm. He finds himself, though, in the middle of an old conflict between his grandfather and the other townsfolk, in particular the family of his ex-landlord who's daughter becomes David's friend much to his grandfather's dismay.
The sheepdog trials which formed the center of Babe and which turned them into a bit of a farce, are shown in a much more realistic and enjoyable light where you truly come to appreciate the skill of the dogs, and the close relationship they have with their masters.
These Canada-UK co-productions rarely get their fare share of attention in the States which is too bad considering the quality compared to the flood of children's drek coming out of Hollywood. Do you family a favour, ignore the liner notes (which on our copy from the video shop were *completely* wrong) and get rent this video today!