You might be hearing and seeing a lot about a little film called, The Shape of Water. As of this writing, it’s been nominated for 7 Golden Globe awards, 14 Critics Choice awards and named one of American Film Institute’s Top 10 Films of the Year. That’s the kind of credibility that usually wants to make you run out … Read more
I’ve been hearing buzz about COCO, Disney Pixar’s latest release since February when I got to hear from someone at Disney Studios talk about planned movie releases for 2017. I couldn’t garner much about the storyline but it was clear that it was intended to honor Mexican culture much in the same way MOANA shared … Read more
I hate click baity titles so let me go ahead and answer the title question right away. Will Bad Moms Christmas become a new holiday classic? No. No, it will not. Well, not unless you like lots of f-bombs and jokes about the male genitalia to ring in the holidays. Before I go any further, … Read more
Is Beauty and the Beast really a tale as old as time? Well, as old as 1740 which is when La Belle et la Bête, a traditional French fairy tale, was written and published by author Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Seeing as it was rather lengthy, the tale was rewritten for children in 1756 by another author, … Read more
Looking for a movie just like Groundhog Day but with more teen angst? That’s exactly what I was expecting when I walked into the theater for the preview of Before I Fall by Open Road Films. Based on a 2010 young adult novel written by Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall is the story of a … Read more
The LEGO Batman movie is not just a kids movie but it’s probably the perspective you have questions about. When you read a movie review for a kids movie, you’ll probably be handed the same information wherever you go. Is it appropriate for my kids?Will I enjoy sitting through it? And then you’ll have to … Read more
Confession time: I wasn’t terribly excited about seeing the latest Disney-Pixar animated movie, Moana. Here’s why. I saw the trailer several times over the past few weeks/months and the clips I saw smacked of the the typical, formulaic kids movie. Spunky young girl who has lessons to be learned, defies her father, has a goofy … Read more
Are your middle school years really the worst of your life? Possibly. But I can tell you something worse. Teaching middle school is way worse and I only did it for a year and a half. But if I had clever, smart, funny, and creative kids like those in the latest tween flick, Middle School: The Worst … Read more
Whether you’re a book or movie person, you’ll probably end up watching The Light Between Oceans. But if you’re strictly a book person, you might want to know if the movie can live up to the book. This weekend is an important one. It’s Labor Day weekend and on Monday we celebrate the social and … Read more
Although the original Pete’s Dragon movie was released in 1977, I don’t have a strong recollection of it until my brother (born in 1980) was old enough to watch it. And then we watched it… over and over and over again. It was a classic Disney movie complete with goofy characters, catchy tunes, and a … Read more
Although it’s touted as a film adaptation of the well beloved book, The BFG by Roald Dahl, I’d never heard of The BFG Movie until I saw a trailer months ago. I’ve been a fan of Roald Dahl since I was a child. I delighted in James and the Giant Peach (the book, not the … Read more
If you’re looking for a documentary that all kids should see, it probably won’t be the one you’re thinking about. It won’t be about wildlife or nature or saving the Earth (although we love those in our family). But it is a documentary that will make them think. Here’s how we stumbled across it. As … Read more
Just another animated flick that your kid will drag you to? Not a chance. Big Hero 6 is the first official “kidult” movie I’m recommending. No, kidult is not a real word. Yes, I made it up (actually, when I googled it, I found it on Urban Dictionary so I’m not as original as I thought). … Read more
You know what I love more than movies? Free movies. Sneak preview movies. Movies that I can see before anyone else. And I especially love it when it’s appropriate for the whole family (since there are only three of us). So on Tuesday, July 29th, my wedding anniversary, we all headed out to see Guardians of the … Read more
My Maleficent review can be summed up in one word: magnificent. Let me tell you why. I do movie reviews for one reason and one reason only: I love movies. When I’m offered the chance to preview a movie I’m dying to see anyway, it’s just icing on the cake. Such was the case with … Read more
There’s a new movie out this weekend and in case you’ve been hiding under a rock, or maybe you just don’t have kids, it’s Disney’s PLANES. Let me explain this difficult concept: It’s just like Disney’s CARS but with PLANES. Quick synopsis of the story: Dusty Crophopper is a little cropduster plane that has dreams … Read more
