Just perfect...

Am I Missing Something?

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Yes, I wrote and produced 'Grounded!' for Tom Luong Films---what can I say? Biased? Me? However, of the films I've written that have reached the small or large screen, 'Grounded!' has a special place in my heart. Director Tom Luong wanted to bring forward memories and enjoyment of early Steven Spielberg films like 'Goonies', and other hopeful, forward-looking family-style caper-comedies featuring young-adults. Family films are tough, and comedy is tougher than ever. It's all a deft bit of work---the wind and the rain, heavy snow, airplanes and stunning California mountains, fun and high-quality music and photography, an enthusiastic cast with a ton of 'what it takes' to make a scene work---and some way-out story stuff that somehow all fits together into a modern-creepy-funny-Christmas tale, with a point-of-view that can only be called 'current', as of 2011-12. This is independent film-making, no apologia here that the lead-role is that of a 19-year-old young woman---as things move ahead in 'Grounded!', it's clear all the jokes and fun can change as quickly as the weather does at 6,000-feet in the California desert-mountains. In all, a romp and a ride, with a message for the times, and a few surprises that make for a fun 90-minutes of film-audience appreciation. Please enjoy!