It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Instant Favorite.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

There's a good chance the film will make you laugh out loud, but if it doesn't, there's an even better chance it will make you openly sob.

On his ninth birthday a boy receives many presents. Two of them first seem to be less important: an old cupboard from his brother and a little Indian figure made of plastic from his best friend. But these two presents turn out to be much more magic than the rest...The movie debuted at number six at the North American box office. The film made only $35 million against a production budget of $45 million, making it a box office bomb; however, the film was in competition with high-profile successes like Apollo 13, Nine Months, Pocahontas, and Batman Forever. As a result, plans to adapt the next three books in the series into films were dropped.Like many others, I grew up reading and loving the book series. You would think this alone would be enough to make some money... each kid who read the book sees the movie once and you're sure to turn a profit. But maybe it just isn't that good. Now, in my thirties, I think the movie is sort of dumb. Is this because it really is dumb, or because I am not 10 years old? I am not sure, but I definitely think there was a big mistake in casting the two lead boys. They just had no personality, no screen magic. The toys were fine, but those kids... ugh.

It's sometimes nice to revisit movies from childhood, and that's just what I did with this one, an adaptation of the children's novel of the same name by Lynne Reid Banks. I think my first viewing of "The Indian in the Cupboard" was on the big screen, and then I saw it at school twice at two different times within the next few years. So, I saw this film twice during childhood, and a third time in my early adolescent years. Just yesterday, I rented it so I could see it again for the first time in nine years. By this time, I had seen its rating and number of votes here, so I could tell that it wasn't highly regarded as a family classic. For that reason, I did not have high expectations, and basically, this PG-rated family movie turned out to be a mixed blessing, which was probably the best I could hope for.When a young boy named Omri celebrates his ninth birthday, one of the presents he gets is a cupboard from his older brother, and another is a little plastic Indian figure from his friend. With both of these presents, he is in for a surprise. After placing the plastic figure in the cupboard, locking it up, and then opening it again, he sees that the figure, still the same size, has come to life! He soon learns that this is what happens when one places a figure in there, locks the door, and opens it again! That plastic figure has been replaced by a real 18th century Iroquois Indian named Little Bear, interrupted from his life and brought to Omri's room, where he is the size of an action figure! He agrees to stay for a while, but during his stay, he and the young modern-day boy are headed for adventure and conflict, and their cultural differences turn out to be one of their problems.One criticism of this movie I agree with is the acting, especially Hal Scardino's acting in the lead role of Omri. He wasn't the greatest child actor to ever make it to the silver screen, that's for sure. Another severe flaw in the film is sometimes the musical score. It tends to be pretty sappy, and really seems unreasonable at times, such as the music in the scene where Omri first sees Little Bear alive in the cupboard. More still, there's some very poor dialogue, and there also may be some humour here, but that also usually fails, with the likes of Boo-hoo Boone, a goofy cowboy who also comes from the cupboard. Now, not everything about this film is bad. Little Bear is a likable character, even if Litefoot doesn't do the greatest job playing him. I can't say I was completely bored throughout the entire film, as there were parts that intrigued me to a certain degree, but this did not hide the blatant flaws.I vaguely remember reading the book back in the late 90's, but can't remember it too well, so I don't know how it compares. However, it does seem to be more popular than this adaptation. This movie is one of those which was never one of my favourites as a kid, and I'm not sure exactly what I thought of it at the time, but I guess I liked it somewhat. During my last viewing, much later than the rest of them, I could definitely see more flaws in it than I used to (I don't think I used to see any real flaws in it at all). This 1995 adaptation of "The Indian in the Cupboard" does have a few redeeming features, but I'm sure they could have tried harder to make it really good family entertainment, and if only they had avoided the negative things I've pointed out, there would have been a good chance that they could have made it happen.

A horrible horror movie. And don't let that publicity fool you (the poster, the tagline, etc..). Aside from being the ultimate BORE, what possibly this could be? A philosophical flick about the deep brotherhood between humans, the greatness of philanthropy, the acceptance of fate's decisions, and the stupidity of making all of that cinematically too ! (Frank Oz) used to be the creative comic voice at the immortal (Muppet Show) and a good comedian occasionally as well, so what in god's name had happened ??? I've never felt of such suppressed provocation while watching a movie before; it's like bad flu, being imprisoned, or forced to be with the silliest creatures at all. On the poster, you'll read (An Adventure Comes to Life), well, apparently it dies again so fast. I think it's too gloomy and deadly slow (believe me it's one of the slowest) to be meant for children or else. Not to mention the scarily tasteless mood all over it. I still remember how the leaden sense of it bothered me for the whole day after watching. What could be more embarrassing than making a movie with good meanings that has no enjoyment, so wooden, and forces you to hate it? It might be useful only to punish your kids if they did something really wicked, however on second though that could be a little bit sadistic ! (The Indian in the Cupboard) ranks proudly as one of the worst 10 movies I've ever seen. And it's so sad that it's written by Melissa Mathison, the lady who wrote once E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

Long before Harry Potter and his magic wand came along, there was a little kid called Omri with an ordinary cupboard and a magic key that could bring plastic toys to life -- The Indian in The Cupboard sold millions the world-over and captured the imagination of an entire generation...Now, the chance has come to revisit the original material and make another movie that more closely follows the book. Followed by movies of the other inspirational books in the series.Perhaps even a television series that will continue on where the films leave off...that way Omri will be able to bring toys to life over and over again in some really amazing, sometimes hair- raising adventures with Little Bear and Boon sometimes arguing, but always there to help...If any of fans of the book would like to see this happen, let us know right here. Who knows, it might help us make the project a reality very soon. Thanks!