Is Anybody There? (2009)

The Worst Film Ever

Thanks for the memories!

How sad is this?

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Tracing a story between an old man and boy should induce narcolepsy. Although Caine takes the plaudits, and he is a good character actor, this works, and can only really succeed with Milner, who is very good. He is angry and confused but once he settles on the friendship with Caine he shifts and the relationship between the two opens out.It is a bit predictable but it works with the actors, the interchange between them is critical and in this case it does as Caine and Milner react with each other, making it possible for the audience to read their relationship.The other actors, some respected names, are not used as well as they could have been. There were other stories to tell there and its missed. The parents are fine, seen through the boy's eyes.The setting and mood is very well evoked: all dusty and damp with the second best of everything.

That (summary) line from Caine is golden, here in more than one way I suppose, when he utters it to the little boy.A feel-good movie about a lonely boy who wants to know the truth about life after death and lives among the dying with his parents - with their marriage in not a great shape - taking care of them... I'm not sure I should call that feel-good.The meandering progression of the story does a lot of good to it, making turns like a little creek, that are as much picturesque as they are unexpected. On the other hand, don't expect a shocker, as this remains a feel-good movie in its core.It could have done with a little less sentimentality and obviousness, but it is certainly a worthwhile, charming film on the whole with some really good acting. O, and that cinematic 'trick' with the tape recorder is a really neat one.A big 7 out of 10.

Set in the 1980s seaside England, this film can be a great coming-of-age story with authenticity and may give a sense of nostalgia for some.Bill Milner plays 10-year-old Edward, who is a curious child full of questions about ghosts and death. This story is about Edward's childhood in a old people's home run by his parents. As the story develops, Edward develops a special bond with Clarence, played by the amazing Michael Caine.The start of the movie gives us a nice description of Edward's life and introduces us to a lot of characters in the house. The ghost hunting parts make the film a bit far-stretched from its theme but the films gets a lot better later. We get to know Clarence more, and we can see his life portrayed by Michale Caine's outstanding performance. Caine's acting is a great strength of the film, and it totally brings out Clarence's character to the audience. Milner also does a good job acting a kid full of curiosity and inner kindness. Clarence has a huge regret in his life. It is about his wife. We can see Edward's kindness as he tries to help him heal that wound in his heart.This film is an invaluable lesson about life and death. The bond a young kid and an old man share can be very special. As the scenes move on, Edward is seen to grow and learn a lot of things from Clarence. It is incredible to see that this film succeeds in displaying that quality of life experience. The young have a lot to learn from the old who have much more experience in their life. The other way around, old people who are sometimes not their old self anymore can often use that energy from the young.This film covers a lot of things and I am sure different people can learn different things from it. Anyway, people looking for an exciting drama is not going to like this. But if you are looking for is an inspiring drama that gives you something to think about, this is a good choice for you. For me, Caine's performance alone is enough to make the time worthwhile.

This movie reflects on what's been going on in my heart for a while - interaction of the generation which has been passing away and our (grand) kids. What always irritated me was a culture which promotes an image of young and restless and, at the same time, discarding those who brought them up.I never believed a convenient wisdom that the elders are more comfortable in the retirement homes, or in the surrounding of their own. There is Baywatch on wide screen HDTVs, while retirees are conveniently shoved away behind the "active adults" curtains!