MR. BEAN'S HOLIDAY

2007, Universal/ Studio Canal

Live action

Rating: G

Approx. 91 mins.

THE STORY:

Mr. Bean wins a trip to the beaches of Cannes, but the journey proves far more trying than it should be. In typical Bean style, he encounters-- and mostly causes-- havoc at every turn, culminating in the unwitting abduction of a young boy.

The pair exhaust every possible means of getting to Cannes, one motivated by the desire to see his father, the other by his desire to see the beach. After a series of (mis)adventures, they become involved with a young starlet who eventually helps them reach Cannes and solve all of their problems.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• damn
• idiot

VIOLENCE:

• none

TEACHING POINTS:

• If I had to find something beyond simply 'it's funny', it would probably be that people can surprise you with their changes of heart 

THE UPSHOT:

This was an instant hit with the seven-year old and the adults in the room. We all started laughing from about minute 1, and there were plenty more opportunities as the movie went on. It's the kind of film about which you'll find yourself reminding others (a la 'remember the scene in the restaurant when he eats the shellfish?') before you all fall into gentle smiles and laughter.

One of the definite highlights of the film-- aside from Rowan Atkinson's amazing talent for physical and facial humour-- is Willem Defoe's performance as a pretentious actor/ director. Fabulous.  

The film operates on a very simple premise with a very uncomplicated plot. The humour is typically visual and obvious. The film also has very little dialogue, which makes it highly accessible even for younger kids. This is something everyone in the room can enjoy. 

4.5/5

CASTLE in the SKY

1986, Studio Ghibli

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 125 mins.

THE STORY:

Pazu, a young orphan boy (James Van Der Beek), discovers a young girl floating down to earth, and befriends her. He learns that the girl, Sheeta (Anna Paquin), is a member of the royal line of the mysterious floating world of Laputa. Pazu's father was ridiculed for claiming to have seen this floating land, resulting in his death and Pazu's lasting obsession with flying machines. 

Pazu helps Sheeta escape the pirates-- who become allies-- and government agents who are trying to catch her and get control of her magical crystal necklace. Their journey takes them to a lost world destroyed by injustice and human fallibility, where they learn a lesson about the dangers of power and the thirst for it. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• nothing significant

VIOLENCE:

• Gun battles/ shooting
• Anti-hero is killed when a structure collapses on him

TEACHING POINTS:

• Respect for the natural world
• The nature of power/ authority and who deserves authority
• People can change when they take the time to get to know others and their situations

THE UPSHOT:

It's a pretty complex story with a lot of characters and some situations that are only explained after the fact. That made for a lot of, "Who's that guy... Why is he doing that... Are they on the same team?" "I don't know... I don't know... I don't know," type exchanges. It also has that distinctive dubbed feel, which is particularly unpleasant when characters laugh. But this didn't bother the 7-year-old in the room at all. Only the grown ups cringed. Repeatedly.

Another source of discomfort for me was the overt implication of romantic attachment the adult male pirates express for the young, pre-pubescent heroine. This is not an element in the original Japanese, and I have no idea why Disney felt it was appropriate to add for a North American audience. Awkward and icky. 

In a lot of respects it's typical Miyazaki Hayao-- dead parents, flying machines, blurring of intended audience age, high drama and suspicious relationships. I can't say I enjoyed it as much as some others, such as Kiki's Delivery Service (as a kid flick) or The Wind Rises (as a grown up flick), but it is intelligent and original.  

Definitely not for younger kids, but a fun adventure for boys and girls alike. 

3/5