靈犬出任務（澳洲/2015/動作冒險/家庭）
ODDBALL (AUSTRALIA/2015/ACTION & ADVENTURE/FAMILY)
ODDBALL
語言：英語
Language: English
劇介
澳洲南部小島以神仙企鵝聞名，企鵝也是當地重要的觀光資源，但狐狸不斷威脅島上企鵝的存續。一個特立獨行的雞農和他的孫女，決定採用別出心裁的方式來來拯救企鵝——起用家裡那隻愛暴衝的牧羊犬。
取材真實事件的暖心電影，澳洲新星尚恩雅各布森帶來精彩演出。同台的尚有莎拉史努克（《史蒂夫賈伯斯》、《超時空攔截》）和亞倫圖代克（《冰雪奇緣》、《機械公敵》、《超完美告別》），全片在墨爾本附近美麗的澳洲海岸拍攝。
根據真實故事改編。
中島位在瓦南布爾小鎮海岸不遠處，這裡曾是成千上萬隻世界上最小型企鵝的棲息地。但自從狐狸學會了穿過淺水道到達島上，企鵝的數量就急劇下降。如果企鵝的數量低於10隻，保育巡查員Emily Marsh就會失業。她的父親，特立獨行的雞農Swampy Marsh無法接受這個消息。他的妻子在生前管理保育區，當她去世之後，Emily接手母親的工作，而Swampy則固守著養雞場。家人的感情靠著Emily的9歲女兒Olivia來維繫。但一家人的重心還有Oddball，也就是Swampy飼養的暴衝牧羊犬。某天，Oddball掙脫牽繩在大街上造成許多破壞，緊張局勢加劇。如果保育區關閉，Emily打算帶著Olivia，和擔任旅遊顧問的美籍男友Bradley一起搬走。Swampy可能會失去女兒和孫女。當Swampy從中島救出一隻受傷的企鵝，並驚奇地發現不會看守雞隻的Oddball竟是守護企鵝的專家，他發現了一個解決方案。距離最後一次企鵝清點還有兩週，Swampy 和 Olivia 擬定了一個瘋狂的計劃：他們要偷偷訓練愛暴衝的Oddball來保護企鵝，拯救保育區。
Emily會發現真相嗎？是誰試圖要逮捕Swampy？想要讓保育區關閉的神秘人是誰？且看一場激動人心的冒險，Oddball、Swampy和Olivia設法拯救企鵝，留住保育區、留下家人和小鎮。
導演：史都華麥當諾
製片：理查凱迪，希拉哈納罕泰勒，史蒂夫科尼
製作公司：The Film Company, Practical Pictures and Kmunications Production
演員：尚恩雅各布森，莎拉史努克(《繼承之戰》)，可可傑克吉利斯，理查戴維斯，黛博拉梅爾曼
獎項：
• 2015年澳洲影視藝術學院獎，最佳攝影入圍
• 2015年澳洲影視藝術學院獎觀眾票選獎最佳澳洲電影入圍
• 2016年澳洲影評人協會最佳女配角入圍，莎拉史努克
• 2016年澳洲影評人獎最佳新進演員，可可傑克吉利斯
• 2016年澳洲影評人獎最佳兒少電影入圍
• 2016年金預告片獎最佳外語動畫/家庭片預告
• 2016年密爾維利電影節觀眾票選獎，史都華麥當諾
• 2016年澳洲電影配樂獎年度最佳劇情片配樂入圍
• 2016年西雅圖國際電影節青少年評審團獎，史都華麥當諾
• 2016年特拉弗斯市電影節最佳兒少電影，史都華麥當諾
影評：
• 一部可愛傳統的家庭電影。（Time Out）
• 別以為關於企鵝題材的電影都已經拍遍了，這部澳洲小品會感動你心……（衛報）
• 劇本有少數不合理之處但瑕不掩瑜，《靈犬出任務》是一部有趣又發人深省的迷人影片，從片子一開始就吸引著觀眾。（衛報）
• 企鵝雖然很可愛，但毛茸茸的牧羊犬在這部趣味的澳洲劇情片裡出盡了風頭。（愛爾蘭時報）
• 史都華麥當諾拍出一個暖心的故事，擁有恰到好處的魔力，在敘事中傳達寶貴的環保與人生課程。（CineVue）
• 《靈犬出任務》告訴我們，上帝創造萬物有其用意，誰都能發揮自己的潛能。（World）
• 動人的一部片。（Total Film）
• 史都華麥當諾改編真實故事，拍出一部充滿魔力、樂觀精神和活生生的動物的精彩影片，在充滿CGI特效的電影圈帶來一股清新氣息。（愛爾蘭週日獨立報）
• 假期中想為孩子找一部溫馨甜美的家庭電影，《靈犬出任務》就是您的不二之選。（紐西蘭先驅報）
花絮（IMDB）：
• 2016年多倫多兒少國際電影節開幕片
• 2015年澳洲票房冠軍
Synopsis
With persistent fox attacks threatening to close down the main tourist attraction of a small town in southern Australia - an island of Fairy Penguins - an eccentric chicken farmer teams up with his granddaughter to save the penguins using a very odd method? his rambunctious, troublemaking sheep dog.
Based on a real-life event, the heart-warming program features excellent performances by up-and-coming Australian star Shane Jacobson ("Kenny"). Sarah Snook ("Steve Jobs", "Predestination") and Alan Tudyk ("Frozen", "I, Robot", "Death at a Funeral") round up the entertaining tale, shot entirely on the beautiful Australian coast near Melbourne.
Based on a true story.
Off the coast from the small town of Warrnambool lies Middle Island, a sanctuary once home to thousands of the world's smallest penguins. But since foxes learned to cross the shallow channel to the island, penguin numbers have plunged. And if they fall below ten, park ranger Emily Marsh will be out of a job. This shocks her father, eccentric chicken farmer Swampy Marsh. His wife ran the sanctuary, but when she passed away, Emily stepped in, while Swampy retreated to his farm. Emily's nine-year-old daughter Olivia is the glue that keeps the family together. And at the center of everything is Oddball, Swampy's rambunctious Maremma sheepdog. After Oddball goes on an off-leash run that nearly destroys Main Street, tensions rise. If the sanctuary closes, Emily plans to take Olivia and move away with Bradley, an American tourism consultant. So now Swampy might lose his daughter and granddaughter as well. The solution comes when Swampy rescues an injured penguin from the island and discovers to his amazement that Oddball - who can't bring himself to guard chickens - is an expert at guarding penguins. With two weeks until the final penguin count, Swampy and Olivia devise a crazy plan - train the rambunctious and unpredictable Oddball to protect the penguins and save the sanctuary, while somehow keeping the operation a secret from everyone.
Will Emily discover the truth? What about the suspicious Dogcatcher? And who is the shadowy person trying to make sure the sanctuary closes? What follows is a rousing adventure as Oddball, Swampy and Olivia manage to save the penguin preserve, their family and the town itself.
Director: Stuart McDonald
Producers: Richard Keddie, Sheila Hanahan Taylor and Steve Kearney
Production Co: The Film Company, Practical Pictures and Kmunications Production
Cast: Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Alan Tudyk, Coco Jack Gillies, RIchard Davies, Deborah Mailman
Awards:
• Best Cinematography Nominee, Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, 2015.
• Favourite Australian Film Nominee, Audience Choice Award, Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, 2015.
• Sarah Snook, Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominee, Australian Film Critics Association Awards, 2016.
• Coco Jack Gillies, Best Performance by a Young Actor, Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, 2016.
• Best Children’s Film Nominee, Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, 2016.
• Best Foreign Animation/Family Trailer, Golden Trailer Awards, 2016.
• Stuart McDonald, Family Films, Audience Award, Mill Valley Film Festival, 2016.
• Feature Film Score of the Year Nominee, Screen Music Awards, Australia, 2016.
• Stuart McDonald, Films4Families Youth Jury Award, Seattle International Film Festival, 2016.
• Stuart McDonald, Best Kids Film, Traverse City Film Festival, 2016.
Reviews
• A likeable, traditional family movie. Time Out
• Just when you thought every last drop of cute had been squeezed out of the world's penguin population, along comes this heartwarming Australian underdog tale...Guardian
• Some kinks in the writing notwithstanding, Oddball is fun and thoughtfully minded, with a sweet charm that endears from the get-go. Guardian
• The penguins are cute, but the big fluffy sheepdog steals the show in this delightful Aussie drama. Irish Times
• Stuart McDonald's film is a warm and big-hearted tale with just that right dose of magic, teaching valuable environmental and life lessons along the way. CineVue
• Oddball offers some splendid real-world education on the amazing instincts God gives his creatures and the ingenious ways we're able to use them. World
• Lovely stuff. Total Film
• High on charm, spirit, excitement and live-animal magic, Stuart McDonald's real-life tale is a breath of fresh air in a world of gloopy, sterile CGI mulch. Sunday Independent (Ireland)
• If you're looking for a sweet family film to entertain the younger kids these holidays, Oddball will do the trick. New Zealand Herald
Trivia (IMDB):
• opened the Toronto International Film Festival for Kids in 2016
• No. 1 Australian film, box office Australia 2015
