Shia Labeouf Movie:

Editorial Review:
Fans of author Louis Sachar's book Holes will be delighted with this scrupulously faithful adaptation. After being wrongly found guilty of stealing a pair of sneakers, Stanley Yelnats (Shia LaBeouf) gets sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile correctional facility in the bed of a long-gone dry Texas lake. There--under the watchful eye of overseer Mr. Sir (a zesty Jon Voight), sneakily mean therapist Dr. Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson, O Brother Where Art Thou?), and the cool and cruel Warden (Sigourney Weaver)--Stanley and dozens of other delinquents are forced to dig an endless series of holes that the Warden hopes will lead her to a precious secret left behind by a long-dead female outlaw (Patricia Arquette). Sachar's book is beloved for its vivid characters and suspenseful plot; by sticking close to its source, Holes has become a dynamic, exciting, and surprisingly touching movie. --Bret Fetzer

Holes [Region 2] Reviews:
FULL OF HOLES!
2009-08-23 - I'm quite surprised by the number of glowing reviews for this movie. It's at best an average Walt Disney family film full of bad acting, silly plot lines, and broad stereotypical characters. There's nothing compelling or interesting here, but I guess if you're 12 or younger it might be a good way to kill a couple of hours.

Reminds me of "A series of Unfortunate events"
2009-07-21 - This movie is all about Peaches and Onions with a family curse thrown in.
There are this kids in a Texas youth "camp' who are made to dig
holes all day. Punishment just got a new low in a Disney movie here.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Widescreen Edition) has this kind of kids tale and romantic
feel to it.
What I don't like is how they make it seem like treating these kids this way was a natural "Texas" thing. I'm afraid to think about widows and orphanes in a Texas like this.

Classic Shea
2009-07-10 - Good movie, shea at the beginning of his career. Interesting plot line and worth the buy.

Quirky Movie With A Hundred Acre Heart
2009-06-30 - My whole family loves this movie. None of us knew what to expect when we first watched it except it starred Shia LaBeouf who we loved from the tv show Even Stevens. What a delightful surprise we got! The movie, based on the equally wonderful book by Louis Sachar, is an oddball tale about a bunch of oddball people. Stanley Yelnats comes from a long line of losers who blame their lackluster lives on a family curse. Adolescent Stanley, wrongly convicted of stealing a pair of sneakers, is sent to the ironically named Camp Green Lake, a work camp where juvenile delinquents are rehabilitated based on the dubious theory that a bad boy can be turned into a good boy by being forced to dig deep holes in the hot sun all day. Stanley meets Zero, an illiterate, homeless misfit, and the two of them embark on a strange adventure involving poisonous lizards, a bandit called Kissin Kate Barlow, a lipstick tube, and some antique canned peaches. Yes, I know how bizarre that sounds, but the movie seemlessly weaves these disparate threads together into a compelling, entertaining, funny, and moving story that shows nobody should be dismissed as a loser. Give this movie a chance to surprise you.

Awesome
2009-06-29 - So many movies made from books end up being nothing more than mockeries of these books. Many book-to-movies I have seen were godawful, with no respect given to the book.

This however, is NOT one of them. This movie is just as fun as the book. I love the opening scene where the bus is riding to the camp and at first you see a few holes, but then the holes multiply. One of the most freaking cool scenes I've ever seen. Shia LeBeouf and Sigourney Weaver, along with Job Voight deliver solid performances. This along with the story make for a great movie for kids and adults alike.