5 out of 5

Director: Rob Reiner

I still dont quite get the giant backlash toward this movie, or why it took so long to become available. Regardless, North is one of those great kid films that works on several levels, and has the kind of just-a-little-crazy imagination that pegs the film as certainly not of this generation. (Note: wizards and vampires are not imaginative – they are fantasy.) North is a great kid. Hes also a mature kid. So mature and great that he seems to have outgrown his bickering, unappreciative parents. So, based on the cryptic advice of a man in a bunny suit, what does North do? Gets new parents! Yes, there are stereotypes galore and yes, I suppose the over-simplification of certain real issues could be cast as irresponsible, but I dont understand how that gave the film such a bad rap, seeing as how many modern day films run rampant with such things. As it stands, North is a Rob Reiner movie, which makes it a little cheesy, and maybe a little short-sighted, but full of great gags, great jokes, kookiness, a willingness to poke fun at itself, and overall: good lessons and a good heart. That it still seems original after 15 years is a testament to the source material and the team involved in this film. Insulting to parents? A little too smart for kids? Who cares. If you dig a dash of strange with your comedy and dont take offense when laughing at humans, I think this film works wonders.