DVD Reviews

Ramona and Beezus – DVD Review

By June L. Nov 29, 2010, 14:44 GMT

Teen sensation Selena Gomez (Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place) teams up with newcomer Joey King in this delightful coming-of-age comedy based on the best-selling books by Beverly Cleary. Ramona (King) is a little girl with a very big imagination and a nose for mischief. Her playful antics keep everyone in her loving family on their toes, including her older sister Beezus (Gomez), who\'s just trying to survive her first ...more

Henry Huggins, Ribsy the dog, Otis Spofford, Ellen Tebbits, Beezus or Beatrice Quimby, Picky-Picky the cat, and of course Ramona Quimby, all names that stir up fond childhood memories for many of us.  Beverly Cleary’s books have been loved by several generations of children.  Now Ramona and Beezus’s story is a new film that will delight families as a movie that everyone can watch and enjoy. 

What a great stocking stuffer or holiday gift for girls five to fifteen, or for the family as a whole, or for anyone who has ever had or ever been a sister.
 
Ramona doesn’t mean to get into trouble.  Even when she does things for the right reasons, she seems to have a knack for turning the situation into a mess.  Joey King plays Ramona, giving her a vitality and believability that is fun to watch, and which will win her young fans as well as old. 

We can all remember the trials of being the little sister, or younger cousin.  Selena Gomez plays Beatrice or Beezus, Ramona’s long suffering big sister.  They are fond of each other, but there is a natural picking and fussing which sound familiar to families.  Beezus is at the age where she is between child and adult, and suffering the angst of adolescence. 

Ramona is a child, but one whose thoughts and ideas as well as the assessment of her abilities are way beyond her actual years.  Having a tiny baby sister puts her in the middle, a sometimes awkward place, but more often an invisible spot from which to concoct her plans of action.

Mr. Quimby (John Corbett) has just lost his job, and the family feels the crunch both financially and psychologically.  Mom’s job is bringing in the family income, and Dad is looking for work.  The girls try to help, Ramona with some wild plans that end is chaos, but ultimately bring two people together. 

There is much love, many laughs, extremely touching moments, trust and belief secured,family tragedy in the death of an elderly pet, and romance and all is handled in a way that makes it feel real, tender, believable and wholesome. 

Several of the Beezus and Ramona stories were combined to make the film, so you may not see your favorite story from the books, our family has always loved Ramona’s adventure in the cellar, taking a bite out of every apple in storage, since “the first bite of an apple is always the best.” 

The film is good, entertaining, and may entice children who haven’t read the books to learn the “whole” story.
 
Ramona and Beezus is presented in widescreen format with a running time of 103 minutes.  Special Features really make this a special film, as they include an interview with author Beverly Cleary speaking about “My Ramona,” and how this character has become so beloved by children. 

Also included is the Show & Tell Film School, deleted scenes and a gag reel which shows how much the cast enjoyed working together. 

This belongs in every family collection. 

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