MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE

1996, Allied Filmmakers

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 89 mins.

THE STORY:

A fairly faithful retelling of The Wind in the Willows, in which the amiable Mole (Steve Coogan) seeks the help of the resourceful Rat (Eric Idle) after his home is destroyed by developers' trucks. Together they embark on an adventure as they try to rein in, then rescue, then restore the flighty local lord of the manor Toad (Terry Jones). 

Toad moves fickly from craze to craze, the latest being motor cars. He gets into trouble with the law when his obsession leads him to steal a car. He ends up in jail, and the pernicious weasels take over his estate. Rat, Mole and Badger help him escape and then take back his ancestral home.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• some whacks over the head, but nothing significant

TEACHING POINTS:

• nothing significant

THE UPSHOT:

The Wind and the Willows was a huge part of my childhood, but I have accepted the sad fact that it is a bit inaccessible for kids today. Of the dramatized versions of the book that I have seen, this one is the best-- good songs, action, great acting and cast. But it is still no competition for the products of DreamWorks or Pixar or what have you.

If the original story means something to you, it is worth seeing. If not....

3/5

ELF

2003, New Line Cinema

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 98 mins.

THE STORY:

Buddy (Will Ferrell) the orphan baby makes his way into Santa's (Ed Asner) sack one Christmas and ends up being raised as an elf at the North Pole. Although he has certain distinctive qualities (height, lack of toy-making dexterity, etc.), it isn't until he is a grown man that he discovers he is human. His elf Papa (Bob Newhart) tells him all about his mother having died and his biological father having no idea that he even exists. 

Buddy immediately sets out to find his father, Walter (James Caan), a work-obsessed book publisher in New York with a wife and son who rarely see him. Although he is originally not surprisingly dismissive of the man-child dressed in elf clothes claiming to be his long-lost son, he eventually makes an effort to get closer to him at the urging of his wife. And hilarity ensues.

Walter learns to prioritize his family. Buddy helps reignite Christmas spirit in cold New York, and gains a whole new family. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• damn
• hell
• stupid

VIOLENCE:

• none unless you count a snowball fight

TEACHING POINTS:

• look for the good and praise it

THE UPSHOT:

I have seen this film somewhere in the region of 15 times and have laughed every time. This is partly because of the script and casting, but mostly because Buddy is such an amazingly likable character who you just want to be with. His enthusiasm and positivity are contagious and make you want to run out and get excited about things. 

Absolutely one of the most artfully crafted films I have ever seen. Great for every age. Not to be missed. 

5/5

HERBIE: FULLY LOADED

2005, Walt Disney Pictures

Live action

Rating: G

Approx. 100 mins.

THE STORY:

Maggie Peyton (Lindsay Lohan) is the young-adult daughter of a retired NASCAR car driver (Michael Keaton) , who shares her father's talent and passion. Unfortunately, her father is too afraid that she will harm herself to let her race.

When her father tries to appease her by buying her a car, she ends up as Herbie's new owner. Her old friend Kevin (Justin Long) fixes him up, and soon the car is up to its old tricks: falling in love with a new Beetle, driving every which way he wants, and challenging the NASCAR champion Trip Murphy (Matt Dillon) to a race.

Maggie beats her father's driving ban by racing in secret as 'Max', the mysterious racer who manages to best Trip. Her luck runs out, however, when she hurts Herbie's feelings, is fond out by her father, and loses her car to the tricky Trip. She eventually learns to be true to herself and honest with those around her, and all ends happily for those that deserve it. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• Oh my God
• Stupid

VIOLENCE:

• some car crashes, but nothing gory or violent

TEACHING POINTS:

• Accept and appreciate those you love for who they try are

THE UPSHOT:

If I hadn't seen the original Herbie series not too long ago, I may have been tempted to wax nostalgic about the classics and how remakes are nothing compared to the originals yada yada. Having seen them all, however, I can only say that given how awful they actually were, a remake/ update was long overdue, and that this is a pretty good one at that. The story and themes remain true to the Herbie spirit, but the acting is better, the special effects much improved, the script is bearable and the hero(ine) is actually likable.

Herbie is funnier in this than in any of the originals, and younger kids will respond to the humour of his antics. The messaging is also not bad: be honest, be true to yourself, value those around you, accept those you love for who they are, etc.

A word to the wise: do not bother watching the blooper reel in the extra features unless you really really like hearing Lindsay Lohan squeal. Like nails on a blackboard.  

3.5/5

JAMES & the GIANT PEACH

1996, Walt Disney Pictures

Live action & Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 78 mins.

THE STORY:

James is an orphan being raised by two of the least pleasant aunts imaginable (Joanna Lumley & Miriam Margoyles). He is rescued from his misery by a mysterious man (Pete Postlethwaite), who gives him some magic crocodile tongues, which turn a peach and some bugs from his garden into massive giants.

The peach becomes a  veritable tourist attraction which the aunts exploit to the best of their ability. James and his new giant insect friends, however, manage to escape from the confines of the garden and embark on an adventure across the ocean to New York. Along the way they have some interesting and frightening experiences, but these only serve to solidify their friendship.

The band arrive in New York to much acclaim and all live happily ever after.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• Eat me
• Ass

VIOLENCE:

• one potentially scary scene with underwater skeleton ghosts 

TEACHING POINTS:

• Really just a little guy wins over bad guys fantasy without a lot of moralizing

THE UPSHOT:

Growing up, this was one of my absolute favourite books, so I was fully prepared to be disappointed. But I was not. It didn't blow the grown ups or the 6 year-old in the room away, but it was enjoyable, the perfect length and sweet. The 6 year old in the room was especially pleased by the music and by the depth of the relationships James formed with the insects. She was, however, scared during the ghost shipwreck scene.

Although we all liked the transition in theory, no one in the room was a fan of the stop-motion animation when it first appeared, but before long we had all got used to it. The old-fashionedness of it ended up adding to the quaintness.

Younger kids won't get some of the references and dialogue, but they will still get the most out of it. Worth an hour or so of your time.   

3.5/5

The BORROWERS

1997, Polygram

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 90 mins.

THE STORY:

You know how you keep losing things you just had and can't find them anywhere no matter how hard you look? Well, the good news is, it's not you. It's the Borrowers, a tribe of little-- as in minuscule-- people who live in the walls and floors of our houses and temporarily borrow our belongings for their own survival.

Pete (Bradley Pierce), the boy of the house, is astonished to discover the family of little people living in his home. the family are astonished to learn that the house is soon to be demolished as the owner, Pete's great-aunt, died without apparently leaving a will. The greedy lawyer handling her affairs, Ocious Potter (John Goodman) actually comes across a will, however, hidden in the walls. He deliberately stays quiet about this development, planning on exploiting and profiting from the situation. But when the Borrowers steal the will, Potter, who knows about them, goes to great lengths to get it back.

After various adventures and perils, Potter gets his due, Peter keeps his home, and the Borrowers make a friend not only of Peter, but also of another family of "outie" (outdoor) Borrowers. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• nothing significant; some slight danger, but nothing scary or violent

TEACHING POINTS:

• nothing significant

THE UPSHOT:

It's cute and quaint, and kept the 6 year-old in the room entertained. She found aspects of the story hard to grasp (the legal/ fraud side of things), but was captivated by the action and originality. I liked the fact that the central character was not a semi-orphan misunderstood by his living parent until the latter comes to accept his child's gifts and interests. (I'm not referencing a specific film, just a huge, redundant sub-genre that seems to have included many of the kids' films I've seen of late... and ever.)

I have to confess a sentimental attachment to the story, since I read the book as a youngster. And I have soft spot for stories that try to mythologize and explain everyday phenomena in whimsical ways-- in this case a pleasant way to frame the annoying habit of losing things.

It is a bit dated, especially in terms of the special effects, but it is quirky and safe. Recommended for younger, not yet jaded viewers. 

3.5/5

MADLY MADAGASCAR

2013, DreamWorks Animation

Animation

Rating: unrated (G)

Approx. 21 mins.

THE STORY:

It's Valentine's Day for the savannah dwelling Madagascar crowd and this causes anxiety in everyone. Alex (Ben Stiller) misses the mountains of cards he used to get from admirers back at the zoo. Marty (Chris Rock) has fallen for an okapi who won't give him the time of day. Skipper the penguin (Tom McGrath) has lost his bobble-head wife to another doll and is desperate to win her back. Melman (David Schwimmer) and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) are plagued by misunderstanding and miscommunication as they try to celebrate their first Valentine's Day as a couple.

King Julien (Danny Jacobs, not Sacha Baron Cohen) is, as usual, immune to the slings and arrows the others face. He has discovered a love potion which he sells to unrequited Marty. Marty seriously regrets this, however, when it works a little too well. Marty learns to appreciate those who do love him, Alex learns that it's who not how many love you that matters, Gloria and Melman communicate, Skipper wins back his bobble bride. King Julien ends up naked and drenched in love potion. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• stupid

VIOLENCE:

• none

TEACHING POINTS:

• It's important to appreciate people as well as to let them know they are appreciated 

THE UPSHOT:

If you like the Madagascar movies, you will probably like this. Obviously, it's not as developed or nuanced as the feature-lengths, but it's funny and has a positive message: it's not how many people love you, but who loves you that matters. 

I've done worse things with 21 minutes of my life than watch this.

4/5

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

2013, Animal Logic

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 87 mins.

THE STORY:

Set 70 million years ago, this tells the story of Patchi (Justin Long), a feisty Pachyrhinosaurus, his bully brother Scowler (Skyler Stone), his bird-mentor Alex (John Leguizamo), and his love interest Juniper (Tiya Sircar). Life is tough for the dinosaurs, and Patchi loses his mother, siblings and father to a predator. When Scowler becomes the leader, his rashness endangers the lives of the pack and Patchi steps in to rescue the tribe. This causes a rift with his brother, and Pachi, Juniper and Alex are forced to struggle alone on their migration journey. Eventually, however, the family is reunited and together they are strong enough to overcome a fierce group of predators to finish their migration journey. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• nothing significant

VIOLENCE:

• There are fight/ challenge scenes, but nothing scary
• The protagonist is attacked by a predator who takes a chunk out of him, but then is chased off
• The protagonist's father is killed
• The protagonist lies down and begins to be pecked at by predators until he is spurred into self-preservation
• There is a pretty long, intense but non-gory fight scene; no one dies, but an arm is broken on screen

TEACHING POINTS:

• There's a lot of information about dinosaurs, which is a topic lots of kids are fascinated with; it makes a good complement to museum visits and dinosaur learning blocks for younger kids since most of the action gives a sense of what we believe life was like for various types of dinos and there is the interjection of documentary information through voice-overs and dino ID cards

THE UPSHOT:

As a piece or fiction, it's pretty poor; but as an educational tool it is pretty good. If the weak story-line is what it takes to engage those kids not naturally enthralled by dinosaurs, then it's a small price to pay. I wish the story was less cliched, the characters a bit less black and white, and the voices less irritating (every time Scowler lumbered onto the screen I cringed), but the 6 year-old in the room was less concerned with these things. She enjoyed the impressive animation, the romance and the humour. And she learned a thing or two about dinosaurs.  

3.5/5

DOOGAL

2006, The Weinstein Company

Animation

Rating: G

Approx. 74 mins.

THE STORY:

Doogal the dog (Daniel Tay) and his friends (Jimmy Fallon, Whoopie Goldberg, William H. Macy, Chey Chase, Kevin Smith) have to save the world from a deep freeze imposed by the evil Zeebad (Jon Stewart). They struggle and succeed.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• none

TEACHING POINTS:

• none

THE UPSHOT:

Oh, the horror. Even the 6 year-old in the room wanted to give up about half-way in. Unfortunately, she changes her mind soon after and we did watch the whole torturous thing.

The story is confusing, the characters are unfamiliar to a North American audience, the voices are irritating (quite a feat given the star-power involved). The fortunate thing was that it was only about 74 minutes long. The unfortunate thing was that it's about 64 minutes too long.

As the child of expat British parents, I grew up on The Magic Carousel, so was expecting a stroll down nostalgia lane if nothing else. Not even. Spare yourself.

1/5

The BOOK of LIFE

2014, Reel FX Animation

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 96 mins.

THE STORY:

Manolo (Diego Luna) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) are best friends growing up in a nineteenth-century Mexican town. They are also rivals for the hand of Maria (Zoe Saldana), and their competition only increases as they grow into men. Watching over them are the lord of the underworld, Xibalba (Ron Perlman), and the goddess, La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), who make a bet as to which of the boys will win Maria's hand.

Both boys are following in their family traditions, Manolo as a toreador and Joaquin as a soldier. While Joaquin seems a natural born fighter, Manolo is conflicted in that he has no desire to kill bulls. Instead he just wants to be a troubadour. As Manolo tries to live up to his father's expectations, Joaquin receives the gift of a life-preserving amulet from Xibalba which only confirms him as a great warrior.

Though Maria has feelings for the sensitive Manolo, she feels compelled to marry Jaoquin so they he will stay and protect her village from marauding invaders. Manolo's love for Maria, however, remains undeterred, and he is even tricked by Xibalba into dying in order to save Maria. Justice and love prevail in the end and everyone gets the end they deserve.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• stupid
• shut up
• idiot

VIOLENCE:

• it's all about death and dying, and half of the characters in the film are dead or die during the action
• there are a couple of bull fighting scenes which are intended to end in the bull being killed, but which do not
• a 'bull spirit' fights a toreador and dissolves, which could lead younger/ more sensitive viewers to feel it dies
• fighting, battle scenes
• characters are bitten by a snake and (temporarily) die

TEACHING POINTS:

• can serve as a starting point for discussions about life after death and such
• be true to yourself and your heart

THE UPSHOT:

Another kids' animated film that periodically tries go over the kids' heads to appeal to adults... and that fails to entertain anyone. Visually and thematically it is unique. I like the fact that it introduces a culture not often presented in films for kids, but the theme was just too heavy for the sensitive 6 year-old in the theatre. There were some tears and there was some confusion.

Aside form the potential for anxiety in more delicate kids, the film is just not that good. The story is pretty thin for the length, and the end is predictable from about 3 minutes in. Also, the 3D was a complete waste of the extra money-- no significant effects to speak of. 

2.5/5

FREE BIRDS

2013, Reel FX Creative Studios

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 90 mins.

THE STORY:

Reggie the turkey (Owen Wilson), the voice of doom in the farmyard, is suddenly rescued from a life of warning others about their impending doom by a presidential pardon. He is transported to the White House where he lives a life of indulgence and luxury. Suddenly he is again uprooted, this time by time-travelling turkey commando Jake (Woody Harrelson). Following on the orders of the mysterious 'Great Turkey', Jake drags a very reluctant Reggie back to 17th century New England with a plan to ensure turkeys are off the menu for the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Once there, they encounter the local wild turkey tribe, and Reggie meets the unlikely love of his life, Jenny (Amy Poehler), daughter of the tribe's aging leader. They all join forces to take on the evil Myles Standish (Colm Meaney) and the pilgrims whose sole mission is to kill as many turkeys as possible.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• Oh my God
• Stupid

VIOLENCE:

• some shooting and hunting
• turkeys die though not on screen

TEACHING POINTS:

• I was really thrown by the happy ending and not sure what message this was supposed to convey to kids, so... not sure

THE UPSHOT:

The film definitely has the niche factor of being the only major animated film related to Thanksgiving. And then there's the niche factor of being about the hypothetical reversal of a 'genocide' (i.e. the culling of turkeys at Thanksgiving). The more I think about it, the more uncomfortable I get. Fortunately, the film doesn't exactly encourage a lot of mental activity. I just kept hoping there would be no questions from the 6 year-old in the room about that aspect.

The pros: The lead female character is a positive example-- smart, brave, flawed-- the voices are good, the animation is appealing, the humour is solid. The cons: It seemed longer than it needed to be and got confusing. The time travel thing got complicated for the 6 year-old in the room-- some blurriness about what is historical fact and what is fantasy-- but it was enjoyable to watch for the most part. Then there's the cultural (in)sensitivity aspect where turkeys appear to be collapsed with First Nations. As I said, though, it seems to discourage mental over-exertion, so you can make as much or as little of this as you choose.

3/5

THE SECRET GARDEN

1993, Warner Brothers

Live action

Rating: G

Approx. 101 mins.

THE STORY:

10 year old Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly) is living a spoiled, privileged life in colonial India when she is suddenly orphaned and forced to return to England. She is sent to live with her uncle, Lord Craven (John Lynch), the widow of her mother's twin sister. His is a dour, dark house presided over in the Lord's frequent absence by a stern housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock (Maggie Smith). 

Before long the snobbish Mary meets some children who start to soften her temper. She also makes some surprising discoveries, particularly a beautiful but unloved garden that has been locked up, and a cousin her own age. Presumed sickly and fragile, Colin (Haydon Prowse) has been restricted to bed such that his legs have atrophied and constitution weakened to match everyone's expectations of his weakness. With a bit of encouragement from Mary, both Colin and the garden are able to flourish.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• none

TEACHING POINTS:

• don't live down to others' expectations; live up to your own

THE UPSHOT:

It's a lot slower paced than most kids' movies, especially the animated ones. The grown-ups in the room didn't think that was a bad thing; but it was an adjustment for the 6 year old in the room. The sensitive 6 year old in the room also got extremely upset in a flashback scene where a crying baby is not comforted by a parent. The deaths of 3 parents was fine, but a crying baby was more than she could bear.

It's a pretty simple story with not a lot of action or complicated details to process, so was kind of like easy listening for the eyes. Nothing to write home about, but nice and relaxing.

3/5

OZ the GREAT and POWERFUL

2013, Walt Disney Pictures

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 129 mins.

THE STORY:

Oz (James Franco), a travelling magician slash womanizer slash small-time con man, is caught up in a tornado that delivers him into the magical land of Oz. The residents immediately take him for the wizard prophesied by the late king, and he does nothing to correct them. He also finds himself the object of witch Theodora's (Mila Kunis) affections.

Things become complicated when Theodora's sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), is revealed to be the wicked witch she has been warning others about. She poisons her sister both figuratively and literally, turning her into a hag mired in jealousy over Oz's inconsistency.

Oz teams up with good witch Glinda (Michelle Williams), Finley the flying monkey (Zach Braff) and a china doll (Joey King) to lead the residents of Oz against the 2 wicked witches. He ends up surprising even himself with his strength of character and capacity for good.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• damn

VIOLENCE:

• lots of fighting, aggression and menace, but no one actually dies
• frequent mentions of killing and unsuccessful attempts 

TEACHING POINTS:

• good triumphs over evil
• belief brings power
• if you want others to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself

THE UPSHOT:

I think attempting to make a prequel to (what I, at least, consider to be) one of the greatest films ever made is a bit of a losing proposition. The special effects were impressive and the aspects that pay homage to their forbear (the intensely saturated colour, the origination myths established for many elements of The Wizard of Oz, etc.) are nice. But that's it.

The acting is mediocre-- James Franco seems completely miscast, Mila Kunis is just plain irritating, Michelle Williams is just OK-- and the script could have used some editing. But what really bothered me was the reduction of the Wicked Witch to a woman made evil and ugly mostly through jealousy. It seems over-simplistic and on the misogynistic side.

Without the  W of O association, the screenplay would probably never have made it beyond the page. And that wouldn't be the worst thing on earth. 

2.5/5

POCAHONTAS II: JOURNEY TO A NEW WORLD

1998, Walt Disney Pictures

Animation

Rating: G

Approx. 73 mins.

THE STORY:

Once again, Pocahontas is compelled to ease tensions between her First Nations community and the European settlers. This time, however, most of her battle takes place at the court of the English king, whom she tries to convince of the need to respect rather than annihilate her people. Aided by sympathetic white man John Rolfe (Billy Zane), she adopts European airs in order to prove she is not a savage. In the end, however, it is only by being true to herself and her culture that she reveals exactly which side is uncivilized.


QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• 1 fight scene with no death/ significant injury

TEACHING POINTS:

• be true to yourself
• don't expect others to respect you if you don't respect yourself
• starting point for discussions about stereotypes, assumptions about others

THE UPSHOT:

The grown ups in the room didn't particularly enjoy this one, but the 5 year-old in the room liked the princessy, cult-of-Disney elements.

One of my main issues was the typical black and white, pure good vs pure evil aspects of the story that are so typical of Disney films. Boring and unrealistic. 

I also have some issues with the way the romantic relationship is presented. In the first installment, Pocahontas fawned over John Smith, the sympathetic white man who had to return to England. Here, she fawns over John Rolfe, the sympathetic white man who returns to England with her. Presumably to indicate that she is not fickle (or promiscuous), John Smith is turned into a self-absorbed fop, completely legitimizing his replacement with a new and improved suitor. Easy peasy, just like real life... not. 

There are some positive lessons to be extrapolated about what it means to be 'civilized' and the biases with which we approach the unknown. Plus, it is harmless enough. If I were to rate this purely as a movie, I would give it a 1/5, but as a kid's movie and taking into consideration the 5 year-old in the room's response... 

3/5

MEGAMIND

2010, DreamWorks Animation

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 91 mins.

THE STORY:

Metrocity is a battlefield where good guy Metroman (Brad Pitt) constantly thwarts bad guy Megamind's (Will Ferrell) misguided, clumsy attempts at evil. During one of their regular conflicts, Megamind unexpectedly manages to kill the hero. He then finds himself without a raison d'etre, missing the challenge of a rival.

Ever resourceful, Megamind sets out to create a hero challenger to return meaning to his life. Not surprisingly 'Tighten' (Jonah Hill), as the dim-witted hero comes to style himself, turns out to be a far cry from heroic and Megamind finds himself reverting to the role of good guy trying to save Metrocity and his surprise romantic interest (Tina Fey).

Good triumphs over evil, the guy gets the girl and everyone lives happily ever after.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• freaking

VIOLENCE:

• Minion, Megamind and Metroman all appear to die, but none actually do 

TEACHING POINTS:

• the person you are destined to be is the person you choose to be

THE UPSHOT:

Will Ferrell and Tina Fey... need I say more? It's smart, funny and original. I especially liked the fact that it presents a strong, intelligent, resourceful female character, and that it deals with the shades of grey lying between good and bad. The two aren't shown as Disneyfied static extremes, but as mutable states between which the characters ebb and flow.

Everybody in the room loved this and it stood up to multiple viewings. In a nutshell: See This.

4.5/5

ANIMALS UNITED

2010, Constantin Productions

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 91 mins.

THE STORY:

When the annual flood waters in an African delta fail to arrive, a group of animals dependent on it for survival set out to discover the problem. Billy, an awkward meerkat, and his friend Socrates the lion (Stephen Fry) journey upstream until they arrive at a luxury resort. There they discover a newly-built dam intended to benefit the resort's guests, and set out to subvert it and redirect the water along its natural path.

Along their route, Billy and Socrates meet various other animals, including a koala, a Tasmanian Devil, a roster and a pair of ancient tortoises. They are all united in the suffering and loss of habitat they have endured at the hands of humans.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• caca
• poo

VIOLENCE:

• nothing significant

TEACHING POINTS:

• humans are destroying the earth and all its creatures
• there is strength in numbers

THE UPSHOT:

Why why why... why did I waste an hour and a half of my life on this? I was wooed by the cast list-- Dawn French, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry, Andy Serkis-- but it was absolute drivel. It's one of those movies that looks good on paper-- strong cast, positive messaging yada yada-- but just crashes and burns around 49 seconds in.

The voices are irritating, the animation is inconsistent, the story is convoluted and meandering. But the worst aspect is the environmental messaging. I have nothing against this in theory and have seen it done very very well elsewhere (The Lorax, etc.), but here it is less messaging that malleting. I emerged feeling bludgeoned to a pulp through the lack of subtlety and guilty simply for existing in human form.

There are far better movies about respecting the environment and about animals. Do yourself a favour and see one of those instead.   

1.5/5

HOP

2011, Universal Pictures

Live action with animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 94 mins.

THE STORY:

As the son of the Easter Bunny, E.B. (Russel Brand) is heir to the role. Unfortunately, he is more interested in a career as a drummer and really not suited to the job. Avoidance of his impending promotion leads him to escape Easter Island just before Easter for a more promising location: Hollywood. There he runs into Fred O'Hare (James Marsden), a gen-Y'er with no job, direction or aspirations.
   
The two form an at first uneasy alliance with Fred helping E.B. finagle an audition with star-maker David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff, and E.B. promising to leave Fred to his aimless, uncomplicated life. It isn't until Fred is kidnapped by secret service bunnies, taken back to Easter Island and dropped in the middle of a chick coup d'etat, that E.B. takes some responsibility and puts another's needs in front of his own.

In the end, both E.B. and Fred are both able to fulfill their childhood dreams and find vocations that truly make them happy: E.B. as a drummer and Fred as the first ever human Easter Bunny. 


QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• pee and poo
• sexy
• idiot
• jerk

VIOLENCE:

• some shooting of tranquilizer darts and a repeated near-miss scene with E.B. and some sharp blades-- everyone is fine, though 

TEACHING POINTS:

• be true to yourself and others will follow

THE UPSHOT:

The humour and originality made this a hit with the 5 year-old in the room as well as the adults. On a technical level it is impressive, with seamless transitions between live action and animation, and the script is crafted to satisfy viewers of all ages. But the main attraction here is the voice work and acting-- Hank Azaria and Russell Brand are particular standouts, but there really is no weak link.

Obviously, this film is particularly good as an Easter-related activity, but enjoyable any time of year. 

4/5

SCARED SHREKLESS

2010, DreamWorks Animation

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 26 mins.

THE STORY:

Shrek challenges his friends Gingerbread Man, Puss in Boots, Donkey and Pinocchio to a scary-story-telling contest in the abandoned-- and possibly haunted-- castle of Lord Farquaad. Each tells a story that begins scarily, but is punctuated and ends with humour. Ultimately, however, the ogre wins out and manages-- with a little help from his family-- to scare off his competition.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• nothing significant

VIOLENCE:

• some scenes could be scary for younger viewers, but are swiftly followed by humour

TEACHING POINTS:

• be careful what you wish for

THE UPSHOT:

On one level, watching this I feel that I'm being unabashedly exploited by a franchise for pure financial gain; but on another, I feel there is a reciprocal relationship going on. I actually did enjoy it, as did the 5 year-old in the room. 

It's short, it's good for Hallowe'en, and it's funny.  

3.5/5

The SNOW QUEEN

2005, Amberwood Entertainment (BBC)

Live action with animation

Rating: unrated (would be G)

Approx. 53 mins.

THE STORY:

A loyal retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale of a girl's journey to rescue her adopted brother, Kay from the castle of the Snow Queen. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• stupid

VIOLENCE:

• none

TEACHING POINTS:

• love conquers all

THE UPSHOT:

Both the grown ups and the 5 year-old in the room enjoyed this. It was short, to the point and visually captivating. The story is a bit tricky for young kids, but the visuals and themes do translate. Makes a calm, quiet change from a lot of the usual slapstick, high action kid films.  

4/5

SNOWFLAKE the WHITE GORILLA

2011, Ajuntament de Barcelona

Live action with animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 83 mins.

THE STORY:

Snowflake is a rare white gorilla orphaned and sold to a zoo by poachers. She is not accepted by the other gorillas due to her colour, and wants nothing more than to be black like everyone else. Along with her new friend, Jenga, a red panda who insists he's a cat, she temporarily leaves the zoo to get the help of a witch. Trying to catch her is Dr. Pepper, who is obsessed with the idea of using her heart to concoct an elixir guaranteeing him eternal life.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• poo
• hell
• stupid

VIOLENCE:

• nothing significant

TEACHING POINTS:

• You should be yourself, and that means being a little different

THE UPSHOT:

It is dubbed, and painfully so. The animation is awkward. The story is silly in the worst way, and the entire film is far longer than it needs to be. The grown ups in the room prayed for the DVD to skip and launch us moments from the end, and the 5 year-old in the room was bored.

Stay away. Far far away.

1/5

HUGO

2011, Paramount Pictures

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 125 mins.

THE STORY:

Having already lost his mother, young Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is orphaned when his father (Jude Law) dies in a freak accident. He is forced to join his largely absent Uncle Claude (Ray Winstone) as the clock technician at Paris' central train station. All he has salvaged of his previous life is a broken automaton that he and his father had been fixing. Believing it has the power to communicate some message from his father, Hugo continues to work on it.

Hugo uses parts he steals on forays to the station toy store when he tries to evade the station inspector, Gustav (Sacha Baron Cohen) who would send him to the orphanage. Instead he is caught by the store owner, Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley), who punishes him by confiscating his notebook containing his father's plans for the automaton. His need to get it back leads him into the lives of Georges, his wife and his adopted daughter, Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz). He discovers a coincidental connection between his automaton and Georges, and sets out to help the latter regain the passion and respect he once held.  

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• brief discussion about a man having relations with his wife

VIOLENCE:

• Hugo's father is killed in a fiery explosion-- not shown in detail but overtly referenced visually and verbally
• there are 2 scenes in which Hugo is at risk of being hit by a train

TEACHING POINTS:

• nothing really overt, just lots of emphasis on people being more than they may first appear

THE UPSHOT:

The grown ups in the room loved this one. It's whimsical, imaginative, plausible. It's fabulously acted and beautifully shot/ animated. It tells a number of stories simultaneously without confusion or compromises. But my favourite thing was the way it truly introduces us to so many diverse, fully-dimensional characters, sometimes with barely any words or within a very short space of time. 

The 5 year-old in the room liked it, but some of the dialogue, themes and details were over her head. Older kids will definitely get more out of it, but visually there is a lot to appeal to the younger set.

I recommend this not as a kids' movie, but as a human movie. For people who like character studies, for people interested in film as a medium, for people who like a film to capture a time and place completely, for people who just like good movies.

4.5/5