Pete's Dragon

Set in the Pacific Northwest, this heartwarming fantasy tale begins with a tragic automobile accident in which 5-year-old Pete (Levi Alexander) loses both parents. Scared and stranded in the deep woods, orphaned Pete is soon befriended by a gentle, 24-foot-long dragon with moss-green fur, whom he names Elliot (after the dog in his favorite children's book). Years later, near-feral Pete (now played by Oakes Fegley) is a strong, self-confident 10-year-old, scampering through the forest with winged Elliot, who can turn invisible whenever he senses danger. One day, Pete is spied by Grace Meacham (Bryce Dallas Howard), a kindly forest ranger whose grizzled, garrulous father (Robert Redford) tells yarns about the “magical” creature he once encountered deep in the Millhaven woods. Grace lives with her fiancé, Jack (Wes Bentley), who owns the local lumber mill with his hot-tempered, trigger-happy brother, Gavin (Karl Urban). Jack has an 11-year-old daughter (Oona Laurence) who immediately bonds with Pete, becoming his co-conspirator when gun-toting lumberjacks capture Elliot. Directed by David Lowery, this is more of a stylized re-imagining than a remake of the forgettable 1977 Disney musical original. A poignant story, delivered with sensitivity, sincerity, and magnificent scenery, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Making Magic” behind-the-scenes segment (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are audio commentary by director and co-writer David Lowery, co-writer Toby Halbrooks, and costars Oakes Fegley and Oona Laurence, deleted scenes (9 min.), “Notes to Self: A Director's Diary” (8 min.), bloopers (2 min.), a “Welcome to New Zealand” location featurette (2 min.), the music videos “Nobody Knows” by The Lumineers and “Something Wild” by Lindsey Stirling (featuring Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness), and bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package—on Blu-ray—for this engaging live-action remake of a Disney animated film.] (S. Granger)