Monday, August 31, 2009

Night at the Museum

Written by Robert Grant. Directed and Produced by Shawn Levy. Starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney. 20th Century Fox, 2006. 108 minutes.

Plot Summary: Larry Daly is having a tough time with his life. He is a good person but nothing seems to be going his way. He gets a job as the night watchman in the famous Museum of Natural History in New York City. He hope that this will be just the thing to make him look better in the eyes of his son. His first night on the job however, is more than he bargained for when the artifacts come to life and begin wreaking havoc in the museum. The statue of Roosevelt explains to him that it is an ancient artifact that causes this phenomenon and that Larry is responsible for keeping the place in order and ensuring none of the artifacts escape. Larry brings his son in the next night in an attempt to impress him but is foiled when nothing comes to life. Larry discovers this is because the tablet responsible for the chaos is being stolen by the previous guards. More chaos ensues until the happy ending.

Critical Evaluation: This may not be the most complex or well made movie ever made, but it is a good choice for an entertaining family film. It is fairly well acted and there are moments of suspense and comedy that will keep the whole family watching. One can even argue that there is some educational value as it is set in the Natural History museum and viewers will see many familiar and well known artifacts on screen.

Viewer's Annotation: Larry Daly is the new night watchman at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. His first night on the job, he realizes that it is a much bigger job than he thought! He must try to keep order in the museum when all the artifacts come to life.

Genre: comedy, action, fantasy
Curriculum Ties: History
Booktalking Ideas: N/A
Interest Level: 8-14
Challenge Issues: None. If any, recommend researching the Museum of Natural history and/or reviews of the film.
Selection Process: I actually saw this on a plane!

No comments:

Post a Comment