Kleine Riesen

I see there's quite a few comparisons here with "Stand By Me", and the 2 movies are comparable, but only to the extent that the main characters are young teenage boys. From there, the movies diverge quite a bit. This French movie is darker and enveloped by contemporary issues - especially neglect and drugs. "Les Geants" is beautifully photographed - its settings are pristine and its young stars are full of life and vitality. As is the case with many movies, pacing sometimes slows, and we're caught occasionally waiting for something to move the plot along. The ending is open-ended, and though not as good as Stand-by-Me, it is a worthy effort. 6.5/10

This is the story of two young brothers and a friend of them trying to survive in an indifferent or even hostile environment in modern day France. Some of the people they encounter are evil- as a drug-dealer that tries to swindle them or a rather abusive young man acting as the drug-dealers stooge other are kind- as a lady that finds them on the road and offers them food and shelter.

The boys themselves are no saints since they still, enter the houses of other people and speak a very foul language. But it is an interesting story of survival and resilience as well as friendship in a bleak modern social and natural environment.

Bouli Lanners, a name unknown to me, directed this rather intriguing film. The story tells of a friendship among three teenagers, two of who are brothers. The other teenage has an older brother who sells and uses drugs and regularly beats up his younger brother for hanging around with the other kids. All three kids live in the house belonging to the two brother's deceased grandfather. They are bored out of their minds, whiling away the hours, smoking joints, going for joyrides in the grand father's car and when they're hungry, stealing food from the neighbour's cellar. Eventually, what little money they have, finally runs out. Later, when the older boy introduces them to a man who offers them money if they'll let him rent the house in order to grow marijuana, they reluctantly accept. In a way, "Les Geants" explores the same territory as "Lord of The Flies" – William Goldman's classic tale of children left to fend for themselves. While the children in "Lord of The Flies" eventually turn feral, the children in "Les Geants" manage to cling onto some form of normality, by rejecting their upbringing and finally, choosing adventure above familial security. Bouli Lanners gets terrific performances out of the cast, especially out of the three main characters. The film is beautifully shot – long close-ups of grasses waving in the breeze, the sun glinting off winding rivers and glorious sunsets. The pace is unhurried and no shot is wasted. This is not a great film by any means, but it's a lot better than the dross that passes for film making these days.

As I began to watch this wonderful film, I thought more of ' The Night of the Hunter, ' the only film directed by the justly famous actor Charles Laughton. In his film two children are escaping down the river which is a mythical symbol in itself. We are all going down the river of life, but when young it is an adventure and a search for freedom. Freedom from the injustices and terrors of the adult world, and in ' The Giants ' there is a lot to escape from. We begin with two lost children in a house where their grandfather has died, and their elusive mother for some unknown reason does not come to rescue them. They meet a neighbouring child who is in a brutal family situation and the three of them take on the giant task of leaving their worlds behind them. And we for a short while experience their adventures, their failures and their attempts at being adults themselves. I say children but they are in their early teenage years, and to show off to each other they play adult games, and very playfully talk of sexuality in the crudest way possible, and generally ( and innocently ) misbehave. They are boys who imitate the ways of men, and it is a moving experience to watch them. I loved this film immediately. I loved its poetry, and its sheer beauty of direction, plus the brilliant performances of our three ' giant ' heroes, and their fight against those who oppress them. I rate it as being one of the finest films so far of this troubled 21st Century.

In a world where children have no parents, the canvas is empty and all is possible. Think:- Lord of the Flies, Huckleberry Finn, Harry Potter, even. Director Bouli Lanners has constructed a Garden of Eden so breathtakingly beautiful, you'll never want to leave. Two young teenage brothers (Zak and Seth) - both perfect performances - and their friend Dany, roam Belgium's unspoilt wilderness, populated by dense forests, lazy rivers, swaying waves of maize, and campfires at dusk. So far, so idyllic.

But they're here because they've been virtually abandoned by their uncaring mother. And lurking on the sidelines are gargoyles of criminals and psychotic drug dealers. Zak and Seth have no problem engaging with them: they know about drugs (real) and about sex (imagined) and they chafe at their childhood status. They burgle, cheat, drive cars and do deals with the underworld. They revel in their bravado; they're old before their time.

It's hard to see this ending well. But the journey getting there is utter magic. In particular, the scenes between the youngsters and the drug dealers are a masterpiece of silence and expression with tension on both sides. All to play for: so much to lose. And special mention too to the cinematographer Jean-Paul de Zaeytijd who depicts a world as fantastical and terrifying as any Grimm fairytale. In just about every respect, superb.