Danny Boyle has done a good deed to
make a cute, imaginative, well-made film enjoyable for all of us. And violence-free. He also was responsible for “Trainspotting.”

OK, you can take your friends to see “Millions,”
though there are just a few subtleties that
might trouble the incorrigably rigid in this very
professionally crafted movie.

Alexander Nathan Etel as Damian
and Lewis Owen McGibbon as his older
brother Anthony are both fantastic. Etel’s
about age 7 in this movie; and McGibbon maybe
13. They both will be going places in their performing lives.

Alexander Nathan Etel is very astute in his perceptions and very English pronunciation (tho
not always clicking into my American ear perfectly, but then I didn’t get everything the Beatles said << the first time). Childish conceptions of the world naively charmingly abound in this movie. Like >> “No, don’t tell dad. Then he’ll have to pay taxes.”
“How much?” Damian asks his big brother.
“Forty percent.”
“How much is that?”
“Why, just about all of it.”
Damian contemplates that, and you can see
he decides to keep his mouth shut henceforth.

Just the way things happen in “Millions” is magic. Damian is in his little cardboard house close to the railroad tracks. The structure has a little chimney taped criss-cross ways into it. He’s climbed into the house through a tunnel of open ended boxes secured together, and there is one of the several saints that appear in the film. Upon seeing her, open-mouthed Damian identifies her and adds in the years of her existence back in Earth-time. She’s sitting there in her green and white habit, knees bent up, leaning against a cardboard wall, smoking a funny cigarette, talking to him about infinity and heaven, and how wonderful it all is. He asks her if she’s supposed to smoke.
She tells him it’s OK (doesn’t offer him any). And continues to talk and blow out smoke rings.

Then Damian looks out one of his peepholes and sees this thing bouncing along, up and down, up and down, that finally crashes
right on top of the house, smashing it in.
And from there the movie takes off. Tho the saint disappears (Saint Clare) mysteriously.

Imagination embellished by director Danny Boyle
makes this a timeless accomplishment of cinema. Things just happen, suited to a child’s mind. Photography is super. Movie’s funny; characters are great. Sort of reminded me of another terrific movie called “The Boy From Mercury” — Irish made. Nah, “Millions” is not quite as good as that one. But it is very similar. And rather a bit more joyous.

I’d say go see “Millions,” maybe with your family. You will be glad when you come back into the natural light thereafter……..