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!!

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.

If you have children and do not like the films of today that strip our young children of their innocence, you will love this film! Simple, safe for any child, clean, good story line, lively charactors, beautiful scenery, great history lesson through fiction and just a calm relaxing movie for the parents and their children. Nice change of pace... It will remind you (if you are a babyboomer) of the Disney type films we grew up on. Read the other comments and of coarse the one bad one, isn't funny how we all focus on the one bad comment and ignore the all the other good ones. People love the negative. Well Ociee Nash film is everything but negative, so if you would like some positive in your live go see ociee.

My 9 year old daughter and I had a great father-daughter date for the premiere of THE ADVENTURES OF OCIEE NASH at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The movie was fun for both of us. My daughter left the theatre talking like Ociee. She has been anxiously awaiting the release of the movie on DVD so the rest of the family can see it.

I see the movie as a cross between Little House on the Prairie and Forest Gump. Ociee's trek from her home to Asheville, NC puts her in the path of famous people who are somehow historically affected by her (ala Forest Gump). However, the wholesomeness of the film and the innocence of the characters makes the film worth watching.

One of the lesser known actors in the film is Anthony Rodriquez who plays the gypsy. It was a great performance by truly an actor's actor. The entire cast fit so well together that it made the film so believable.

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.