Lumsdal Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Wuchak RELEASED IN 2004 and directed by Eric Small, "The Dust Factory" is a drama/family/fantasy about two young teens (Ryan Kelley and Hayden Panettiere) and the boy's grandfather (Armin Mueller-Stahl) who enter into a strange dimension parallel to the real world. Will they live or will they die? Imagine mixing "Carnival of Souls" (1962) and "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (1983) with DC Comic's Strange Sports Stories and you'd have a good idea of this movie. Being a family-friendly film, it lacks horror, but there are enough strange things going on and it arguably borders on horror. The relationship between Melanie (Panettiere) and Ryan (Kelley) is the heart of the story, with Gramps offering sage counsel. While it's neither great nor bad, seeing Panettiere when she was so young (14 during shooting) is a treat. She's just a joy to watch. Moreover, there are some imaginative visuals, like the teens in the field with the circus tent in the background, and the story certainly reaches for depth in its reflections on the nature of death and bereavement. THE FILM RUNS 1 hours & 20 minutes and was shot in Oregon (Portland, Hillsboro & Mount Hood). GRADE: B-/C+

readinglips I'm probably going to be in the minority here, but I don't think this film works. And it's a shame because it's a variation on a genre that I like a lot: someone gets a chance to see what life would have been if they had made other choices ("Peggy Sue Got Married," "Me, Myself & I" with Rachel Griffiths, etc.).The first half of "Dust Factory" sucked me right in: the teenage boy is a fascinating character (he doesn't speak -- that's not really a spoiler because it comes out in the first 10 minutes), the dialogue is good (the give and take with the young people is surprisingly believable) and the performances are strong, especially considering how young most of the cast is. (And don't forget: any film with Armin Mueller-Stahl is worth at least a look-see.) But about halfway through, I started getting impatient because I realized I wasn't learning anything by living through their experience. I knew the characters were learning because they told us they were -- but I wasn't experiencing it with them. The best play or film makes the viewer look at the world in a different way. You feel you've learned something about yourself and about people in general. For example, at the end of "Peggy Sue Got Married," I had an insight about how we make choices in life. "Dust Factory" tells us things, but it doesn't let us experience them. The ending is actually kind of nice, but what leads up to it, for me, just doesn't work.

Jenna (hayden-panettiere-ukfan) The trailers for this movie didn't really appeal to me, but as it was a Hayden movie, I ended up buying it anyway, and I don't regret it. It was a beautiful movie, with such a touching storyline, and I found myself crying at the end, because it was so sweet. I think it deals very well with the subject of loss and bereavement.Ryan Kelley and Hayden Panettiere's performances were amazing, especially Hayden's, as I love the character of Melanie, she's so sweet, and has the ability to make you laugh and cry.Yes, the storyline was a little predictable, but it didn't stop it being set out well, and performed well.

msegan tonight i saw a movie called "the dust factory" on a bus from boston to portland, maine. it did nothing to improve the ride. in fact, it was positively, without a doubt, the worst collection of moving images i have ever looked at in my thirty-three years on this planet. the idea that anyone ever thought it was a good idea to make this film is bewildering to me. at best, it is trite, cliché-ridden, interminable and directionless. at worst, it is unwatchable. if it would help, i would offer to pay the director NOT to make a movie ever again. shame on you, MGM, for distributing this cinematic atrocity. and eric small, writer/director? you owe me two hours of my life back.