Home
Dir: Tim Johnson
2015
****
Home is an important film for Dreamworks studios and in my opinion they have done a fine job and deserve to succeed. Thankfully it's not your typical Alien meets Earth Child either. There is no hiding the Alien from ones parents or any other cliched story, this time the Alien invasion is very open and it's what happens after that is the focus of the story. The writing is relatively fresh for a film aimed at kids and this is definitely a kids film with adults in mind but without being unsuitable or going over the heads of the little ones. Okay, so there is some schmaltz present but not enough to spoil it, far from it in fact, the story is original and rewarding, the characters lovable and engaging and the animation a perfect blend of simple but detailed. I personally think it's the best film Dreamworks have produced for a long time. Jim Parson's is a big name star these days but he's obviously been chosen specifically for his voice and it suits the character Oh perfectly. Steve Martin as the voice of Captain Smek was a very pleasant surprise too but as good a job as Rihanna does voicing the young Girl Tip, the film could have done without so many of her songs, indeed there is one scene whereby Oh can't stop himself from dancing to one of Rihanna's songs and I personally felt it to be the most unrealistic part of the whole movie. That just my personal music taste though, the film itself is great fun.