Luke Benward Movies
It's not finishing school or a traditional upbringing that causes ten-year-old Opal to learn about the world outside of her own backyard, but rather a particularly awkward-looking mutt named Winn-Dixie. Based on a novel by Kate DiCamillo, Winn-Dixie and Opal not only become privy to the eventful, if eccentric, lives of their neighbors (including a librarian who fought off a bear with nothing but a novel, a blind woman who claims to "see" with her heart, and a sensitive ex-con turned pet store clerk), but Opal herself manages to reconcile some of the depression left over after her mother had abandoned the family seven years earlier. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, (more)
A 12-year-old boy with a tricked-out mountaintop fort attempts to foil three bumbling jewel thieves in search of a valuable dog collar in this fast-paced family comedy that's fun for parents and children alike. Wherever there are valuable jewels, notorious stone stealer Jackie Seemore is sure to be close by. On the heels of his latest heist, Jackie has disguised himself as a blind nun and is about to be picked up at Cedarville Airport by his two dimwitted assistants, Bud and Arty. Led through the airport by a Seeing Eye dog with an especially luminous collar, Jackie has donned a false veneer that is so effective even his most trusted sidekicks don't recognize him. Later, when the villainous trio pulls into a nearby rest stop to clean up, they have a chance run in with precocious adolescent Owen. Recognizing that the dog is unhappy being teased by Bud and Arty, Owen befriends the tormented animal -- which subsequently escapes into the nearby woods. Upon finding the frightened dog, Owen brings her to his secret hideout that was built upon a nearby mountaintop and fortified with booby-traps to keep away the local bullies. But Owen isn't the only person who resides on this mountaintop, because according to local legend a frightful old man deemed "The Madman of the Mountain" resides somewhere on this formidable hill as well. Naming the dog "Diamond" for her sparkling collar, the brave young boy vows to defend her from Jackie and his henchmen at all costs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luke Benward, Brittany Curran, (more)
- 2002
Virtually every aspect of the WB network sitcom Family Affair was the same as the original series which aired on CBS from 1966 to 1971. Once again, swinging-bachelor architect Bill Davis and his very proper British butler Mr. French found their lavish penthouse apartment besieged by cute children, the nieces and nephew of Bill's late sister. And once again, the kids were twin siblings Jody and Buffy (the latter inseparable from her bespectacled rag doll Mrs. Beasley), and the twins' teenaged sister Cissy. The only main difference was the cast. Instead of the original lineup of Brian Keith as Uncle Bill, Sebastian Cabot as Mr. French, Johnny Whitaker as Jody, Anissa Jones as Buffy, and Kathy Garver as Cissy, those roles were respectively filled by Gary Cole, Tim Curry (yes, Doctor Frank N. Furter himself), Luke Benward, Luke Benward, and Caitlin Wachs. As sappy and unfunny as the first Family Affair, the remake was redeemed only by the waspish one-liners and withering glares provided by the ever-reliable Tim Curry. The "new" series first aired on September 12, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The new kid at school faces up to the school bully by taking on a challenge no one has the guts to try in this family-oriented comedy. Billy (Luke Benward) is an 11-year-old boy whose folks have just moved to a new town and is facing the terror of his first day at a new school. It doesn't take long for Billy to run afoul of Joe (Adam Hicks), the school bully, who finds the live bait Billy brought with him and throws it in his face, asking Billy if he eats worms for lunch. Billy tries to gross out Joe by saying yes, he eats worms on a regular basis, and Joe calls his bluff by challenging him to eat ten worms in front of the student body. Billy takes the bet, and suddenly becomes something of a celebrity at school as the first kid to stand up to Joe. Billy also discovers he's caught the eye of Erika (Hallie Kate Eisenberg), a cute girl in his class, but can he actually eat the worms without losing his lunch? With the help of a handful of new friends, Billy preps for the big contest by learning how to eat as much gross stuff as he can, and he gains an unexpected ally in hot-headed Principal Burdock (James Rebhorn). Based on the popular children's book by Thomas Rockwell, How to Eat Fried Worms also features Tom Cavanagh, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and Clint Howard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, (more)
A high school senior and his friends invent a time machine so that future generations of students won't have to endure some of the more preventable adolescent pains, only to find that they have inadvertently opened a black hole in the process. Virgil (Jason Dolley) and his pals are determined to make life a little easier for the less popular students in their high school, and in order to make that happen they create a time machine. But strange things can happen when you go messing with the laws of physics, and when Virgil and friends open a black hole they find that turning back the clock can have messy repercussions. Sci-fi and comedy elements combine in a Disney Channel Original Movie that's fun for the entire family. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Dolley, Luke Benward, (more)
Featuring Ali Lohan, Noah Cyrus, Madison Pettis, and Sterling Beaumon, this spooky tale finds 11-year-old Max making a deal with the ghosts who haunt his home. If Max helps them find what was responsible for their parents' disappearance, they'll help him transform from a social nobody to the most popular kid in school. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madison Pettis, Ali Lohan, (more)
