The Adventures of Ociee Nash

Growing up, Sounder, Tom Sawyer, and Mary Poppins were the movies that molded me and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of Ociee Nash, a small homegrown film. As a Georgian, I was glad to see Atlanta's beauty through a filmmaker's eyes and as an artist, I was glad to see so many local celebrities mixed in with solid performers like Keith Carradine and Mare Winningham. We, in the suburbs of Atlanta, were fortunate to be able to send many friends to to see what I now call an endangered species - the FAMILY FILM. As I grow older, I long for those films that make us, as human beings, dare to search for great adventure. Milam Propst's A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street was a great children's book that some adults may never have known about had there not been The Adventures of Ociee Nash. I am glad the McGary sisters had the vision to turn this magical story into a movie that everyone can enjoy. As a side note - any story with a mysterious gypsy with one eye and an infectious laugh is sure to be a crowd pleaser!!

After seeing The Adventures of Ociee Nash for the third time with audiences of children of all ages, their parents, and adults without children, I am convinced of the power of this film to entertain and educate many. Hearing the laughter, the clapping, and even a few sobs, I knew that this film had the secret ingredient that makes people love it...a heart. As an adult without children, seeing Ociee made me nostalgic for the family films of my youth, the ones that were wholesome, sweet, and moral. In an age where filmmakers and studios resort to the lowest means to attract the attention of theatergoers, particularly the youth, The Adventures of Ociee Nash takes the high road and relies solely on a great story and great filmmaking. Kudos to those responsible for this treasure for the ages.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience. The plot is a little bit thin in places making a few scenes feel a bit contrived, but overall the plot hangs together nicely and moves along at a good pace. The acting is uniformly good, as is the quality of the cinematography. The film is visually lush, more like a big-budget Hollywood production than an indie.

So if you are looking for an entertaining movie that will be enjoyed by younger children and adults alike - you have found it! It doesn't rely on gimmicks, crudeness or "blowing things up" in lieu of a real plot - so it is a throwback to quality children's' movies of yesteryear. The movie's makers are to be rewarded for believing there is still a place for a wholesome movie in an increasingly Bratz kind of world - and there is and this movie proves it.

The Adventures of Ociee Nash is a welcome respite from the the majority of children's movies these days. It is a quiet movie with an uplifting message. While it may seem geared to girls, my 10 year old son, was just as enthused about the movie as my 6 year-old daughter. My daughter has frequently said she needs to "find her courage", just like Ociee. In addition to a compelling story-line, I enjoyed the costumes, and beautiful cinematography. The lead, Sklyer Day is a delight, who finds her voice as the movie progresses. I especially likes the "neighborhood" boys who Ociee and her friend meet at the creek - this scene seemed an good real depiction of the age old question - Can girls do everything that boys can - sure they can! We also like the train sequence and the opportunity it provided for discussion after the movie about the time frame during which the movie takes place.

While this was not a high tech movie, it was very refreshing to enjoy a family story in which the children were not crass and rude, the father was not an idiot, and the mother was not a wise-cracking woman constantly making a fool out of Dad while remaining always in confused deference to the last word spoken by the children. Thanks to the creators of this movie for giving us something different for family fare! We will recommend the movie, and we'll watch it again. We are from Chattanooga, so it was especially fun for us to see the parts of the film made here in our city, and in nearby Atlanta.