The Grounded

Yes, I wrote and produced 'Grounded!' for Tom Luong Films---what can I say? Biased? Me? However, of the films I've written that have reached the small or large screen, 'Grounded!' has a special place in my heart. Director Tom Luong wanted to bring forward memories and enjoyment of early Steven Spielberg films like 'Goonies', and other hopeful, forward-looking family-style caper-comedies featuring young-adults. Family films are tough, and comedy is tougher than ever. It's all a deft bit of work---the wind and the rain, heavy snow, airplanes and stunning California mountains, fun and high-quality music and photography, an enthusiastic cast with a ton of 'what it takes' to make a scene work---and some way-out story stuff that somehow all fits together into a modern-creepy-funny-Christmas tale, with a point-of-view that can only be called 'current', as of 2011-12. This is independent film-making, no apologia here that the lead-role is that of a 19-year-old young woman---as things move ahead in 'Grounded!', it's clear all the jokes and fun can change as quickly as the weather does at 6,000-feet in the California desert-mountains. In all, a romp and a ride, with a message for the times, and a few surprises that make for a fun 90-minutes of film-audience appreciation. Please enjoy!