Boys in the Trees

So I'm writing a film and struggling for a title, I decided on Boyz in the Wood (no plug, it will probably never be made) so I did a quick google search of it to check it hadn't already been used and Boys in the Trees came up. So I read the reviews you lovely people had written and decided it sounded right up my street so made a note to look out for it. Well, lo and behold a few days later it serendipitously arrives on Netflix. Well, suffice to say I was not disappointed. In fact, two weeks later I'm still playing Gary Numan's Down in the Park every five minutes and the film is still lingering around my thoughts confirming Boys in the Trees has etched itself onto my soul. Wonderful cinematography on what appears to be a fairly low budget. The genius of setting the film on Halloween means the film can achieve the dreamy, surrealist aesthetic successfully blurring the distinctions between fantasy, imagination and reality. The ghostly tales interwined with the narrative just purely enhance the films surrealism and parable tone and offers some wonderful imagery and horror. I'm not going to spoil, but the director, unwilling to patronise his audience, lets the viewer in on the secret mid-way all the while encouraging speculation on the outcome whilst generating a genuine concern and lament for the character. The two mains are wonderfully gifted actors, and the plot and narrative is intelligently and masterfully structured, ultimately delivering a sucker-punch of an ending. Boys in the Trees is a must-see for any of us who crave a little magic and surrealism, but be warned, this is a parable with a strong message about actions and consequences so don't expect a feel-good factor!

If you were judging Boys in the Trees purely on ambition and the ability to dream big, debut Australian filmmaker Nicholas Verso would be receiving top marks. A truly unique moulding together of 90's skateboarding culture, a fantastical imagining of an Australian landscape were Halloween is just as big as an event as it is in the USA and a confronting examination of growing up and evolving into an adult, Trees cares little that its budget is smaller than most films catering allowance and goes for broke, without sadly grabbing hold of what its striving to grasp. As is the case with most directional debuts, clear components of Verso's film that needed fixing was a script polish and a tight edit, as this near 2 hour long film can at times drag as we become passengers to thoughtful teenager Corey's Halloween night spent with bullied youth and one time childhood friend Jonah, as the two reminisce and go on a curiously long walk around the neighbourhood before Verso's film finally clicks into another gear in the conclusive stages, but it's too little too late to save Trees from its inability to click in its drawn out middle section. It's a real shame for the film and even as someone reviewing the work Verso has delivered as there is so much "could have" been in this film and Verso's hand behind the camera and work with his young cast showcases a real potential to become one of the nation's real filmmaking rising stars. At its best (which is often in brief, fleeting circumstances) Tree's evokes works like Donnie Darko, Brick and even Netflix's breakout hit Stranger Things, all the while dealing with some extremely heavy topics that other films may tend to shy away from and the performances from young lead Toby Wallace and supports from Gulliver McGrath and Mitzi Ruhlmann are noteworthy in their above average handling of roles that would often be poorly played by local performers. Final Say – Saying to much about Boys in the Trees plot line, that unravels at an unfortunately misguided pace, would ruin a tale that will surely find an audience not only locally but abroad and despite Verso failing to maximise his original and ambitious idea, this coming of age experience suggests a bright future for all, even if this effort is a disappointment. 2 dead birds out of 5

It's quite difficult to categorise this film, I found it quite special and original, something you don't come across every day. The idea itself is great and it really draws you in. The story develops slowly and it's not exactly straight forward, since it's a surreal journey it leaves you with linking a few things together on your own but it is not complex at all so don't get discouraged by it. Hats off to all the actors, a job very well done. The ending will not disappoint you either. It got mixed reviews on this site so it's best just to see it and make up your own mind about it. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you are looking for something fresh, well-acted with a great soundtrack and something that leaves a lasting impression and requires a bit of thinking because, let's be honest, how many films actually do that nowadays.

I just want to take a second to tell the reviewer who compared this to stand by me to rewatch stand by me. His review is why i watched this atrocity. OK now thats over with, this movie was aimless. Going out of its way to confuse and annoy you, trying to be different and fails miserably. Did they want this to be a horror? Or fantasy drama? Either way it will NOT have you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend skipping this movie and NOT comparing it to a steven king masterpiece. Not the worst movie but up there with terrible. Atmospheric yes, director was above average.. acting superb..movie awful. Want a mind trip? Watch butterfly effect

First allow me to say a few good things about this astonishing film - it is visually magnificent. The camera work is brilliant. The acting is superb. The segments of story are clever, entertaining and creepy as hell. The locations/sets are amazing. The concept is quite unique. Unfortunately, it is probably the most boring film I have seen all year. No matter how masterfully this film is crafted, it has no soul. There is nothing here to lure you in - I found I didn't care what happened to any of the characters, the good ones or the bad ones (that's simplifying things because there are no real good or bad here). Watching this movie is like looking at a cake display through a window...it all looks so beautiful, but you can't smell or taste anything. Technically, this film scores a solid 8/10....as far as its entertainment value goes, I give it a 4/10. But then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

My wife and I thought this was going to be a horror movie kind of like Lost Boys...it turned out to be so much more. At first, the movie kind of made no sense, but it intrigued us so much we had to keep watching. Movies are rarely made with this much emotion and feeling. I know that everyone who watched this film could relate to either being bullied or forgetting a friend they grew up with just because they weren't liked by the other kids who liked you. Fitting in is important in school and surviving school is hard. We've all been there. I hope more kids watch this movie...and makes them think how stupid their choices are. You don't get a do over in life. The choices you make are the ones you look have to live with. Some good...and some you regret. I loved this movie. Watch it. Please.

It's a rare movie that makes you feel as though it was created just for you - but Boys In The trees hits the mark so perfectly on what it was like to be a teen in the Australian 90s that my level of empathy for the characters was off the charts. The soundtrack is incredible, the cinematography is pure and the young Aussie leads have taken hold of the ambitious script with both hands and delivered performances that are nothing short of star-making. Toby Wallace as Corey and Mitzi Ruhlmann as Romany are particularly strong. Justin Holborow as the bully Jango also plays his part with true grit. This is the evolution of the traditional coming of age tale, with the Writer/Director Nicholas Verso creating such an ethereal landscape you feel moments of 'What Dreams May Come' style fantasy seamlessly anchored by the exquisitely curated 90s Adelaide suburbia. I absolutely adored this movie. Anyone who loves fantasy will adore it. It's a must-see for everyone who loves movies that straddle the line between fantasy and reality.

A kind of coming of age flick set around Halloween in Southern Australia. A kid on the cusp of leaving town for college and better things and leaving behind his friends, family and everything he was. Over the course of a single night he reflects on his past through a meaningful encounter with an old childhood friend he left behind for his new cool group of mates. This is a bildungsroman that goes through some familiar motions. It's about the ways in which we adapt during high school to survive. It's about the kids who don't and get left behind. It's about choosing what kind of person you grow up to be. It's all approached in a humane and thoughtful way. There aren't caricatures in this film - types and tropes perhaps but still flesh and blood. You might know where this film is going but still that doesn't prepare you for the journey. There is a great middle segment involving a local girl who also dreams of leaving town for the big city. She's a smart and driven, though clearly taken for granted. She gives the eponymous "boys heads are in the trees" speech that helps prevent the movie from becoming overly serious about its own themes and hang-ups. There's surprising emotion to be found, including an end scene between two characters who have become opposites but still share a mutual love for each other. There are scenes of mystery, wonder, darkness and humor. A day of the dead festival sequence with a cover of Live's "Lightning Crashes" mesmerizes. The soundtrack and the cinematography are top notch - slow motion kids on bikes set to "The Beautiful People", the color of fireworks as they pop in the night and a giant light-limned tree growing up out of the vast dark. This is a confident and tonally assured work that deserves to find a bigger audience.

I enjoyed most of the running time of 'Boys in the trees' but most probably this movie wasn't aimed at me or my generation. Set in the late 90's the narrative is concerned with one young man on the precipices of change and facing his young adulthood. Holding some traumatic experiences and feelings from when he was a child, 'Corey' played convincingly by Toby Wallace is part of a gang of skating dudes with lots of attitude but he doesn't fully commit to their behaviours or sensibilities. He shares a secret with another boy played quixotically by Gulliver McGrath who is carving out quite the career both in Australia and around the world. Most of the film's luxuriant running time is a 'journey home' series of set pieces where the two lads are faced with real and imagined demons: both from within and out. There is a stylish and inventive use of the medium here, but I did find some of the stream of consciousness elements a little obscure and self referential. The performances are mostly fine, and for folks now thirty somethings and younger will most probably get something out of the ideas and excellent production design from the earlier era. It has alternately a dreamy/nightmarish quality to the execution and for Halloween freaks and lovers of different cinema, this is for you. But sadly not for me. Still a solid 7 out of 10 for distinctive approach and new voice in local cinema. Writer director Nicholas Verso will undoubtedly make his mark with 'Boys in the trees'

This film had all the right ingredients to be a good movie but it lacked solid substance. The cinematography, cast and characterisation was all excellent but the story wasn't strong enough, it was slow and didn't give enough information at any one time to be interesting. I think the idea was to allow the imagery, sound track and mood to carry the film but for me that just wasn't enough. For me it just became boring, I lost interest and gave up. It's an Australian movie focusing on a kid who is not popular, he's pursued and bullied. An old friend of his is in the group who pursue and bully him and initially he doesn't do anything to help his old friend. On Halloween night they come together to review memories of the past.