When I first saw the trailer for “We Bought a Zoo,” I thought this could be quite a touching and inspiring movie or it could be overly sappy. Would my kids go for sappy? They prefer funny and action. Hmm. Maybe it would be funny? Luckily, it did have some comic relief, but mostly it was a moving film with a message to dream. And while it is a sentimental movie, I came away feeling it was more touching than sappy.
The movie, based on a true story, is about reporter Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) coping with the death of his wife and raising a family. He’s challenged by his son’s increased moodiness and penchant for getting in trouble (stealing, bizarre drawings that concern school officials, getting expelled). Benjamin finds he needs a change for his family, so he quits his job and seeks a new home. The perfect one just happens to be attached to a zoo. He takes the plunge, hoping that getting the zoo ready to open will bring the family together. He gets help from the zoo staff, who cared for the animals while the house was empty. It’s a struggle emotionally and financially. Just as Benjamin readies to end his adventure, thinking he’s run out of cash, he finds that his late wife built a little nest egg that allows the zoo to move forward. Happy, happy. Also stars Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church and Elle Fanning. My grade: B+ BTW, my kids both gave it an A+.
“We Bought a Zoo” is rated PG for language and some thematic images. What you should know if you take kids:
-Some disturbing, violent art images produced by teenage son.
-Some of the bad language comes from a frustrated teen.
-Suspense as one of the zoo staff has to fix a lock to a cage as the other distracts the animal.
-The mom has died, so there are flashbacks to when she was alive. (This may lead to some questions from little ones).
-A bear looks as though it will attack one of the characters.
-One of the animals is very sick and eventually dies.
-Some social drinking is shown.
-Some young love/flirtation drama.
This is a great movie for a family chat after. So much to talk about, from coping with death, teen emotions, daring to dream, facing adversity, etc.
Cheers!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tintin's adventure a little too familiar
Walking into a screening of "The Adventures of Tintin," all I really knew was Steven Spielberg was involved and the boy-reporter character in the title was popular in Europe. Several of my mom friends were fans as kids. I don't remember this one from my youth.
The film pulls from several of the Tintin comic books, primarily "The Crab with the Golden Claws," "The Secret of the Unicorn" and "Red Rackham's Treasure" The story starts with Tintin buying a replica of the Unicorn, a 17th century ship that unbeknownst to Tintin holds a key clue to a great treasure. Suddently strangers offer to buy it at any price. Of course this piques Tintin's interest. Later the ship is stolen, but not before the clue falls out for Tintin to find, kick starting quite the perilous adventure for Tintin and his faithful dog, Snowy. Tintin is kidnapped, shot at, jumps ship, nearly dies in a plane crash, wanders the desert, flies through the air, etc. etc. It feels a lot like an animated young Indiana Jones story. Tintin is joined by the very drunk Captain Haddock, an ancestor of the Unicorn's captain, who went down with the treasure. There's also a side story about a wallet thief that brings comic relief.
It's entertaining, but it isn't too memorable. C+
The movie is rated PG for adventure action violence, smoking and some drunkenness. The film is geared toward older children and adults familiar with junior reporter/sleuth Tintin.
If you bring little ones:
-Captain Haddock is drunk most of the film, and he isn't ashamed of it. For example, he drinks the medicinal alcohol on the airplane. When it's needed to keep the engine going, he belches the remains to keep in flight.
-Hero Tintin is put in many perilous situations. Including nearly crashing in the plane, nearly falling into the plane's propellers, getting kidnapped, escaping gun fire, etc.
Enjoy!
The film pulls from several of the Tintin comic books, primarily "The Crab with the Golden Claws," "The Secret of the Unicorn" and "Red Rackham's Treasure" The story starts with Tintin buying a replica of the Unicorn, a 17th century ship that unbeknownst to Tintin holds a key clue to a great treasure. Suddently strangers offer to buy it at any price. Of course this piques Tintin's interest. Later the ship is stolen, but not before the clue falls out for Tintin to find, kick starting quite the perilous adventure for Tintin and his faithful dog, Snowy. Tintin is kidnapped, shot at, jumps ship, nearly dies in a plane crash, wanders the desert, flies through the air, etc. etc. It feels a lot like an animated young Indiana Jones story. Tintin is joined by the very drunk Captain Haddock, an ancestor of the Unicorn's captain, who went down with the treasure. There's also a side story about a wallet thief that brings comic relief.
It's entertaining, but it isn't too memorable. C+
The movie is rated PG for adventure action violence, smoking and some drunkenness. The film is geared toward older children and adults familiar with junior reporter/sleuth Tintin.
If you bring little ones:
-Captain Haddock is drunk most of the film, and he isn't ashamed of it. For example, he drinks the medicinal alcohol on the airplane. When it's needed to keep the engine going, he belches the remains to keep in flight.
-Hero Tintin is put in many perilous situations. Including nearly crashing in the plane, nearly falling into the plane's propellers, getting kidnapped, escaping gun fire, etc.
Enjoy!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Love me some action: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" & "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol"
I'm always looking for movies that my husband and I would enjoy whenever we can steal away a moment for ourselves. I had the chance to screen Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, both opening today. I can't wait to see them again on a future date night.
I wanted to see the Sherlock Holmes sequel much more than the fourth Mission Impossible movie. Sherlock has Robert Downey Jr., an amazing actor who has aged well. Yes, I like a little eye candy on date nights. I'm not crazy about Tom Cruise, but my bias comes from his personal beliefs. His movies are generally entertaining, and he has done some good work.
Both were great unbelievable fun and cool to watch, as anticipated. Mission Impossible, opening first on IMAX before its national theater release Dec. 21, looked amazing. You felt as if you were there for every insane, dizzying action sequence. The climb up the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world's tallest building, thrilled. The action sequences were superior in Mission: Impossible, directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), which finally returns to the quality of the original franchise film. But Sherlock offered much more witty banter plus a comical bromance between Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law). I'm not a big fan of director Guy Richie's slo-mo technique, made totally annoying with the explanatory dialogue.
Sherlock Holmes picks up with Watson readying for his wedding and retiring from the sleuthing game. But Holmes learns of wicked plot by arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), who plans to corner the arms market while creating conflict in Europe. Moriarty also isn't willing to let Watson fade into marital bliss. Some big guns are set out on him, and Holmes is off to the rescue. Crowd pleasing explosions rule as this dynamic duo sets off to thwart Moriarty's evil plans. You'll find yourself chuckling at some of the crazy disguises. The end opens the door for yet another sequel. Grade: B.
In Mission: Impossible, we find IMF agent Ethan Hunt in a Russian prison for reasons unknown. An IMF team breaks him out, but he doesn't go without his new friend, who obviously will prove useful later in the movie. Ethan and his team set out on a mission to recover files from the Kremlin. But another group with evil plans to start a nuclear war beats them and blow up the place, too. Guess who is blamed? The IMF is disavowed and Hunt and his team must now recover stolen nuclear launch codes and stop bad guy Kurt Hendricks (Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist). In the meantime, we learn one of the IMF team members (played by Jeremy Renner) has a secret past with Ethan, as well as what happened to Ethan's wife from the third film. Grade: B+.
If you take your kids, know that both are PG-13 primarily for action/violent sequences. None are gory, but people do die. There is mild language and drinking. In Mission: Impossible a character is flirtatious and dressed sexy, but there isn't a sex scene. In Sherlock Holmes a character is gambling. I have no problem taking my 11 year old to either of these.
Cheers!
I wanted to see the Sherlock Holmes sequel much more than the fourth Mission Impossible movie. Sherlock has Robert Downey Jr., an amazing actor who has aged well. Yes, I like a little eye candy on date nights. I'm not crazy about Tom Cruise, but my bias comes from his personal beliefs. His movies are generally entertaining, and he has done some good work.
Both were great unbelievable fun and cool to watch, as anticipated. Mission Impossible, opening first on IMAX before its national theater release Dec. 21, looked amazing. You felt as if you were there for every insane, dizzying action sequence. The climb up the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world's tallest building, thrilled. The action sequences were superior in Mission: Impossible, directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), which finally returns to the quality of the original franchise film. But Sherlock offered much more witty banter plus a comical bromance between Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law). I'm not a big fan of director Guy Richie's slo-mo technique, made totally annoying with the explanatory dialogue.
Sherlock Holmes picks up with Watson readying for his wedding and retiring from the sleuthing game. But Holmes learns of wicked plot by arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), who plans to corner the arms market while creating conflict in Europe. Moriarty also isn't willing to let Watson fade into marital bliss. Some big guns are set out on him, and Holmes is off to the rescue. Crowd pleasing explosions rule as this dynamic duo sets off to thwart Moriarty's evil plans. You'll find yourself chuckling at some of the crazy disguises. The end opens the door for yet another sequel. Grade: B.
In Mission: Impossible, we find IMF agent Ethan Hunt in a Russian prison for reasons unknown. An IMF team breaks him out, but he doesn't go without his new friend, who obviously will prove useful later in the movie. Ethan and his team set out on a mission to recover files from the Kremlin. But another group with evil plans to start a nuclear war beats them and blow up the place, too. Guess who is blamed? The IMF is disavowed and Hunt and his team must now recover stolen nuclear launch codes and stop bad guy Kurt Hendricks (Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist). In the meantime, we learn one of the IMF team members (played by Jeremy Renner) has a secret past with Ethan, as well as what happened to Ethan's wife from the third film. Grade: B+.
If you take your kids, know that both are PG-13 primarily for action/violent sequences. None are gory, but people do die. There is mild language and drinking. In Mission: Impossible a character is flirtatious and dressed sexy, but there isn't a sex scene. In Sherlock Holmes a character is gambling. I have no problem taking my 11 year old to either of these.
Cheers!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The appeal of Alvin and the Chipmunks
I must be honest, learning that a third Chipmunk movie was being released had me thinking, why? I reminded myself, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" is not for me.
NOT FOR ME. I repeated this often.
It's for the children, those angelic innocents who find chirpy voices funny or cute or both. It's for kiddies who laugh when things get knocked down and adults are dorks and dumb. Juvenile equals hilarious.
If you've seen the previous movies, you know they are silly kid fantasy. The humor is generally aimed at the under 10 crowd, with a sprinkling of clean pop culture references. Is it good? Well, if you are six, I'd say sure. Plenty of smart and funny kid films came out this year. Kung Fu Panda 2, Rio, Puss in Boots and The Muppets rocked. The Chipmunks aren't in the same class.
The third Chipmunks movie kicks off as the boys, Alvin, Simon and Theodore; girl group Chipettes and adoptive dad Dave (Jason Lee) head to a vacation singing the Go-Go's, a little break before performing on a big music awards show. As soon as they board the cruise ship, the boys find themselves in TROUBLE (cue Pink's hit "Trouble"). Dave yells a lot, as expected. Then brainy chipmunk Simon pleads, "Kids will rise to the occasion if you give them a little trust." But, duh, Alvin (voiced by Justin Long) has to push buttons and get in BIG trouble before he can learn a lesson. Thus, the furry tweens take flight and end up on a deserted island where they bump into a stranded cargo pilot (think Castaway), who is a bit crazy. Alvin behaves responsibly and Simon become Simone, a lover and daredevil, after a bug bite. Dave and Ian, the malicious music agent from previous movies played by David Cross, must team up to rescue the chipmunks.
The chipmunk adventure is never too perilous, gotta keep it light and sing-songy. There are moments of laughter, but the deeper meanings will be lost on little ones who may not know of Charlie Sheen, Jersey Shore, Castaway or Sarah Palin. But there is plenty of predictable silliness: Laughter flowed during a scene where Ian, in a pelican suit, makes a bed in a nest, as well as the line, "You mess with me ese, I go loco on you."
My rating: D
My son and his friend (ages 13 and 14): B
What you need to know: The movie is rated G. The humor is aimed at kids, so there isn't anything truly racy, but Simon does get flirty and one of the boys after hitting a tree cries for his "acorns."
NOT FOR ME. I repeated this often.
It's for the children, those angelic innocents who find chirpy voices funny or cute or both. It's for kiddies who laugh when things get knocked down and adults are dorks and dumb. Juvenile equals hilarious.
If you've seen the previous movies, you know they are silly kid fantasy. The humor is generally aimed at the under 10 crowd, with a sprinkling of clean pop culture references. Is it good? Well, if you are six, I'd say sure. Plenty of smart and funny kid films came out this year. Kung Fu Panda 2, Rio, Puss in Boots and The Muppets rocked. The Chipmunks aren't in the same class.
The third Chipmunks movie kicks off as the boys, Alvin, Simon and Theodore; girl group Chipettes and adoptive dad Dave (Jason Lee) head to a vacation singing the Go-Go's, a little break before performing on a big music awards show. As soon as they board the cruise ship, the boys find themselves in TROUBLE (cue Pink's hit "Trouble"). Dave yells a lot, as expected. Then brainy chipmunk Simon pleads, "Kids will rise to the occasion if you give them a little trust." But, duh, Alvin (voiced by Justin Long) has to push buttons and get in BIG trouble before he can learn a lesson. Thus, the furry tweens take flight and end up on a deserted island where they bump into a stranded cargo pilot (think Castaway), who is a bit crazy. Alvin behaves responsibly and Simon become Simone, a lover and daredevil, after a bug bite. Dave and Ian, the malicious music agent from previous movies played by David Cross, must team up to rescue the chipmunks.
The chipmunk adventure is never too perilous, gotta keep it light and sing-songy. There are moments of laughter, but the deeper meanings will be lost on little ones who may not know of Charlie Sheen, Jersey Shore, Castaway or Sarah Palin. But there is plenty of predictable silliness: Laughter flowed during a scene where Ian, in a pelican suit, makes a bed in a nest, as well as the line, "You mess with me ese, I go loco on you."
My rating: D
My son and his friend (ages 13 and 14): B
What you need to know: The movie is rated G. The humor is aimed at kids, so there isn't anything truly racy, but Simon does get flirty and one of the boys after hitting a tree cries for his "acorns."
Thursday, December 8, 2011
"New Year's Eve" offers predictable sentimentality
Walking into a screening of "New Year's Eve," I knew that I wouldn't be watching a masterpiece. I was just hoping this Garry Marshall mega-ensemble film wouldn't feel like a mediocre and predictable made-for-TV movie, as did his first holiday ensemble "Valentine's Day." New Year's Eve is a hopeful holiday — putting the past in the past, celebrating the prospects of the future, making good changes in your life — right?
Well, "New Year's Eve" isn't anything special and it is predictable, but I did like it more than the first. Maybe it's the sappy sentimentality of the holiday season that made me like it more. Besides, I got to play spot the celebrity with my daughter. And at least three of them (Ashton Kutcher, Hector Elizondo and Jessica Biel) were in "Valentine's Day," too. I can see this as a movie with girlfriends or a date-night movie, but he'll probably tease you about it later.
The film suffers from way too many stories, which leaves you no time to really care for anyone. It starts with Michelle Pfeiffer's mousy secretary who quits her job and hires a 20-something courier (Zac Efron) to help her fulfill her crazy resolutions list. Hilary Swank is an executive in charge of the New Year's Eve ball drop, and as expected, it gets stuck. She makes a sappy speech that every other character seems to hear, and it resonates with them. She also needs to make sure rock star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) makes it to his Times Square performance on time. But he's moping for his ex-girlfriend (Katherine Heigl), who's catering a record company's party and still angry with him about their relationship. Ashton Kutcher is a grump who gets stuck in an elevator with Jensen's back-up singer (Glee's Lea Michelle). Yes, they find love (it's not a spoiler, it's expected). Meanwhile, Sarah Jessica Parker plays a divorced mom who is known for her clogs and has made no time for love. She's spending the evening with her daughter (Abigail Breslin), who would rather spend the night with friends in Times Square so she can get kissed by the boy (Wizards of Waverly Place's Jake T. Austin) she likes. So, at her first opportunity, she takes off, leaving mom to look for her. There's the record company heir/playboy (Josh Duhamel) who longs to reconnect with a woman he met last New Year's Eve. There's also a man (Robert DeNiro), who is in a hospital hoping to see the ball drop before he dies, as he's refusing anymore treatment. Oh, and a couple (Seth Myers and Jessica Biel) who are trying to win $25,000 for delivering the first baby of the new year. Of course there are many interconnected relationships. Exhausting!
Among the cameos: Sofia Vergara (sous chef), John Lithgow (record company exec), Cary Elwes (doctor), Halle Berry (nurse), Alyssa Milano (nurse), Jim Belushi (building super), Hector Elizondo (star electrician), rapper Common (soldier), Sarah Paulson (other pregnant lady), Ludacris (NYC police officer) and Carla Gugino (spiritual obstetrician).
It was funny at times. Modern Family's Vergara delivers some great lines as a fan hot for Jensen, and the baby bit with Meyers and Biel is silly fun. Most jokes are forgettable, though. I felt touched by the story just twice. One was totally predictable (dying man) and the other a nice surprise (soldier), but only because it comes out of no where. Overall, it's just OK entertainment. C-.
The movie is rated PG-13. My almost 12 year-old daughter wanted to see it, and I didn't have a problem. I figured there wouldn't be anything too crazy. I had seen Valentine's Day and found nothing that hasn't been on a sitcom. There is an F-word and some sexual references, but nothing explicit. BTW, she gives the movie four stars, or a B.
Cheers!
Well, "New Year's Eve" isn't anything special and it is predictable, but I did like it more than the first. Maybe it's the sappy sentimentality of the holiday season that made me like it more. Besides, I got to play spot the celebrity with my daughter. And at least three of them (Ashton Kutcher, Hector Elizondo and Jessica Biel) were in "Valentine's Day," too. I can see this as a movie with girlfriends or a date-night movie, but he'll probably tease you about it later.
The film suffers from way too many stories, which leaves you no time to really care for anyone. It starts with Michelle Pfeiffer's mousy secretary who quits her job and hires a 20-something courier (Zac Efron) to help her fulfill her crazy resolutions list. Hilary Swank is an executive in charge of the New Year's Eve ball drop, and as expected, it gets stuck. She makes a sappy speech that every other character seems to hear, and it resonates with them. She also needs to make sure rock star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) makes it to his Times Square performance on time. But he's moping for his ex-girlfriend (Katherine Heigl), who's catering a record company's party and still angry with him about their relationship. Ashton Kutcher is a grump who gets stuck in an elevator with Jensen's back-up singer (Glee's Lea Michelle). Yes, they find love (it's not a spoiler, it's expected). Meanwhile, Sarah Jessica Parker plays a divorced mom who is known for her clogs and has made no time for love. She's spending the evening with her daughter (Abigail Breslin), who would rather spend the night with friends in Times Square so she can get kissed by the boy (Wizards of Waverly Place's Jake T. Austin) she likes. So, at her first opportunity, she takes off, leaving mom to look for her. There's the record company heir/playboy (Josh Duhamel) who longs to reconnect with a woman he met last New Year's Eve. There's also a man (Robert DeNiro), who is in a hospital hoping to see the ball drop before he dies, as he's refusing anymore treatment. Oh, and a couple (Seth Myers and Jessica Biel) who are trying to win $25,000 for delivering the first baby of the new year. Of course there are many interconnected relationships. Exhausting!
Among the cameos: Sofia Vergara (sous chef), John Lithgow (record company exec), Cary Elwes (doctor), Halle Berry (nurse), Alyssa Milano (nurse), Jim Belushi (building super), Hector Elizondo (star electrician), rapper Common (soldier), Sarah Paulson (other pregnant lady), Ludacris (NYC police officer) and Carla Gugino (spiritual obstetrician).
It was funny at times. Modern Family's Vergara delivers some great lines as a fan hot for Jensen, and the baby bit with Meyers and Biel is silly fun. Most jokes are forgettable, though. I felt touched by the story just twice. One was totally predictable (dying man) and the other a nice surprise (soldier), but only because it comes out of no where. Overall, it's just OK entertainment. C-.
The movie is rated PG-13. My almost 12 year-old daughter wanted to see it, and I didn't have a problem. I figured there wouldn't be anything too crazy. I had seen Valentine's Day and found nothing that hasn't been on a sitcom. There is an F-word and some sexual references, but nothing explicit. BTW, she gives the movie four stars, or a B.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Arthur Christmas, The Muppets and Hugo...oh and Happy Feet Two
These family movies opened just in time for Thanksgiving. You'll likely to catch them through the end of the year. "The Muppets" and "Hugo" were very good, but Muppets ruled. "Arthur Christmas" was a sweet and sometimes funny holiday story, and well, I didn't care for "Happy Feet Two." I did like Pink's singing, though.
More thoughts:
"Arthur Christmas" (PG) - I know, another Christmas movie. This one isn't bad. But I didn't think it was great either. If you're tight on money, well, it won't be hurt to wait to see this one. There are funny moments as Arthur, grand Santa and a wrapping-obsessed elf go on a journey to get the one gift Santa forgot to deliver before a questioning child gets disappointed. But I felt much of the movies humor will be lost on kids. It was on the three girls, ages 10 and 11, that I brought with me. But they all thought it was sweet and good for getting into the Christmas spirit. C
Things to know: If you have little ones, a scene where some animals are ready to attack may startle. But there is levity in this scene, too. Kids may also worry about some dangerous situations (erratic sled ride, lost at sea, stranded on beach) Arthur and company get into trying to delivery the forgotten gift.
"The Muppets" (PG)- It was cheesy, but it was done so well that I was rolling with laughter in my seat. So many jokes paying homage to the past shows, but you may feel like it's a bit of a Disney commercial. Best scene in my humble opinion was the "Man or Muppet" song. Reminded me of musical comedy of Flight of the Conchords, so I had to look. Yes, one half of the duo, Bret McKenzie, wrote it. My daughter loved scenes such as Kermit's first appearance, as if it were heaven sent, and Miss Piggy fretting over what doughnut to eat first. We enjoyed playing spot the celebrity cameo and left the theater happy, happy, happy. B+
What you should know: Chris Cooper plays a bad guy, and there are some Muppet thugs working for him. But in classic Disney style, all ends well for the good. A fight breaks out during an anger management class. A character blows up his business. A character is kidnapped and forced to perform in a show.
"Hugo" (PG) - I saw this in 3D this past weekend. The reviews were fantastic, so I had to see it. I was beautifully framed and the sets were amazing. The story was good, too, about a curious orphaned boy searching for a message his father may have left in an automatron he was fixing. It leads him to uncover a mystery about an aloof man's past, all with a happy ending. But I felt it was too drawn out. It's 2 hours and 6 minutes, and for that reason I give it a B-.
What you should know: Hugo is orphaned; his father's death isn't graphic, but you do see explosive fire before the scene cuts. His uncle is a drunk and not very nice. Other characters (toy store owner, train station guard) aren't very nice to Hugo, too, and may appear scary to young children. Perilous scenes with a train coming off it's tracks and on the clock tower as well as Hugo's transformation into a mechanical boy in a dream may be upsetting.
"Happy Feet Two" (PG) - I wanted to leave the theater soon after this follow up to Happy Feet started. Guess I have no patience for baby-talking penguins. A side story of two krill looking for more out of life was amusing at times, but really only seemed a way to get Matt Damon and Brad Pitt speaking roles that just made the movie longer. I was not happy. My husband called me a Grinch. Fine! D
What you should know: The krill story may open some discussion about how can two males start a family. It's very subtle, though. Little ones may be frightened by the predatory birds, leopard seal chasing a penguin and the confrontation between penguin and elephant seals.
More thoughts:
"Arthur Christmas" (PG) - I know, another Christmas movie. This one isn't bad. But I didn't think it was great either. If you're tight on money, well, it won't be hurt to wait to see this one. There are funny moments as Arthur, grand Santa and a wrapping-obsessed elf go on a journey to get the one gift Santa forgot to deliver before a questioning child gets disappointed. But I felt much of the movies humor will be lost on kids. It was on the three girls, ages 10 and 11, that I brought with me. But they all thought it was sweet and good for getting into the Christmas spirit. C
Things to know: If you have little ones, a scene where some animals are ready to attack may startle. But there is levity in this scene, too. Kids may also worry about some dangerous situations (erratic sled ride, lost at sea, stranded on beach) Arthur and company get into trying to delivery the forgotten gift.
"The Muppets" (PG)- It was cheesy, but it was done so well that I was rolling with laughter in my seat. So many jokes paying homage to the past shows, but you may feel like it's a bit of a Disney commercial. Best scene in my humble opinion was the "Man or Muppet" song. Reminded me of musical comedy of Flight of the Conchords, so I had to look. Yes, one half of the duo, Bret McKenzie, wrote it. My daughter loved scenes such as Kermit's first appearance, as if it were heaven sent, and Miss Piggy fretting over what doughnut to eat first. We enjoyed playing spot the celebrity cameo and left the theater happy, happy, happy. B+
What you should know: Chris Cooper plays a bad guy, and there are some Muppet thugs working for him. But in classic Disney style, all ends well for the good. A fight breaks out during an anger management class. A character blows up his business. A character is kidnapped and forced to perform in a show.
"Hugo" (PG) - I saw this in 3D this past weekend. The reviews were fantastic, so I had to see it. I was beautifully framed and the sets were amazing. The story was good, too, about a curious orphaned boy searching for a message his father may have left in an automatron he was fixing. It leads him to uncover a mystery about an aloof man's past, all with a happy ending. But I felt it was too drawn out. It's 2 hours and 6 minutes, and for that reason I give it a B-.
What you should know: Hugo is orphaned; his father's death isn't graphic, but you do see explosive fire before the scene cuts. His uncle is a drunk and not very nice. Other characters (toy store owner, train station guard) aren't very nice to Hugo, too, and may appear scary to young children. Perilous scenes with a train coming off it's tracks and on the clock tower as well as Hugo's transformation into a mechanical boy in a dream may be upsetting.
"Happy Feet Two" (PG) - I wanted to leave the theater soon after this follow up to Happy Feet started. Guess I have no patience for baby-talking penguins. A side story of two krill looking for more out of life was amusing at times, but really only seemed a way to get Matt Damon and Brad Pitt speaking roles that just made the movie longer. I was not happy. My husband called me a Grinch. Fine! D
What you should know: The krill story may open some discussion about how can two males start a family. It's very subtle, though. Little ones may be frightened by the predatory birds, leopard seal chasing a penguin and the confrontation between penguin and elephant seals.
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