Carroll Ballard returns to the form of his earlier classics THE BLACK STALLION and NEVER CRY WOLF with this inspiring family drama about the human spirit's ability to tame and conquer nature. In Canada, 13-year-old Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is having difficulty coping with her mother's recent death. To make matters worse, she is now forced to move in with her eccentric father, Thomas (Jeff Bridges). But everything changes when 12 orphan goslings hatch and Amy becomes their surrogate mother. Amy and the birds instantly bond, their relationship aiding the young girl's emotional state. However, the geese grow up fast, and Amy realizes that they must be sent out on their own. With the help of her father, Amy devises a preposterous plan to force the birds to migrate south, overcoming insurmountable odds--both human and natural--in the process. Ballard's film, based on Bill Lishman's autobiography, is a heartfelt, moving drama that is universal in its themes of love, hope, and determination. Paquin delivers another solid performance as Amy, proving her Oscar for THE PIANO was no fluke. What lifts FLY AWAY HOME to another plateau, however, is Caleb Deschanel's splendid cinematography, which captures the gorgeous landscape in a way that makes Amy's final journey even more miraculous.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital 2.0 - French
Dolby Digital 2.0 - Spanish
Dolby Digital 2.0 - Portuguese
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary- 1. Carroll Ballard - Director/ Caleb Deschanel- Cinematographer
2. Mark Isham - Composer (with isolated music score)
Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical
Featurette - 1. HBO Special: LEADING THE FLOCK
2. OPERATION MIGRATION: BIRDS OF A FEATHER
3. THE ULTRA GOOSE
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection
Text/Photo Galleries:
Filmographies
Production Notes
Director of Photography
Caleb Deschanel: Director/Director of Photography
Production Designer
Seamus Flannery: Art Director\"Wicker Man"
Review 1:
"...One of the best movies around....Feisty, fun and lyrical..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.142 10/17/1996
Review 2:
"...[Paquin] is lovely and grave....The flying sequences are gorgeous..." -- Rating: B
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.45 10/04/1996
Review 3:
"...Engrossing....A richly composed, beautifully lit picture..."
Source: Variety
09/02/1996
Review 4:
"...A pleasant and high-spirited affair, one of the rare films that manages to be irresistible without resorting to emotional blackmail..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.F1 09/13/1996
Review 5:
"...A splendid fantasy....Visually uplifting, and the story is quirky enough and the dialogue so fresh and well-acted that this film rises above its genre..."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.33 09/13/1996
Review 6:
"...Ballard is something of an expert in animal movies, but this semi-true tale is his most affecting work..."
Source: Total Film
p.133 12/01/2003