No Ordinary Fairy Tale: The Princess Bride

Release Date: September 25th, 1987
Runtime: 98 min
Rating: PG
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

I love The Princess Bride. This is one of my all time favorite family movies. It has a whole lot of good actors, humor, action, and a fun and memorable story. Although the effects don't seem nearly as amazing today as they did when I watched this as a child it stills holds it's awe value.

When a sick boy is visited by his grandfather who offers to read him a book, hes not exactly pleased at the sound of it. He quickly changes his mind however when his grandfather starts reading it. While listening to his grandfather read they begin to see another world, a world of magic and adventure. In this world there is a lovely girl named Buttercup and her one true love Westley. When Buttercup gets news that Westley has been killed at sea while seeking fortune she swears never to love again. Then after some time passes Buttercup accepts a marriage proposal from the rich and handsome prince Humperdink, heir to the throne of Florin. What the princess doesn't realize though is that even death can't keep Westley away. A few years later Buttercup is kidnapped by an odd trio of men including a giant, an expert swordsman, and a brainiac and now its up to Westley to save her.

I'd definitely recommend this gem for all age groups. Young and old alike will get a lot of laughs out of The Princess Bride.

The Princess Bride on IMDB
The Princes Bride Trailer on Metacafe.com

If you've seen The Princess Bride and enjoyed it you may also like: The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Ever After - A Cinderella Story, Enchanted, Robin Hood - Men in Tights

Prepare for Awesomeness: Kung Fu Panda

Release Date: June 6th, 2008
Runtime: 92 min
Rating: PG for sequences of martial arts action
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Kung Fu Panda was an incredibly cute movie. The graphics were great, the writing was fun and witty, and the voice actors did a great job. I had quite a few good laughs during this film. Although the story was pretty straight forward and a lot of moments were predictable, those likely moments seemed to be part of the joke and just made it that much more fun.

Kung Fu Panda is about an overweight panda named Po who works as a waiter in his father's noodle shop who has dreams that hes a great kung fu master. One day he is given a chance to make his dreams come true when the wise Master Oogway chooses Po as the mighty Dragon Warrior who will fulfill an ancient prophecy. Po then gets to train along side his idols known as the furious five under the leadership of Master Shifu. When word comes that the vengeful snow leopard Tai Lung escapes from prison and is heading their way Po has to straighten up and put his skills to the test because its up to him to save the day.

Kung Fu Panda is another movie that can safely be watched by children and enjoyed by all. It even has a few life lessons thrown into the fun as well.

Kung Fu Panda on IMDB
Kung Fu Panda Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Kung Fu Panda and enjoyed it you may also like: How to Train Your Dragon, Over the Hedge, Bolt, Madagascar, Ratatouille, Mulan

Not Perfect, but Still a Load of Fun: Monsters vs. Aliens

Release Date: March 27th, 2009
Runtime: 94 min
Rating: PG for sci-fi action, crude humor and mild language
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Although Monsters vs Aliens certainly isn't one of the best animated movies I've seen recently I did enjoy watching it. The animation was great, the story was decent, and the voice-actors did a great job. This film featured several very talented actors including Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson and many others. My personal favorite was B.O.B. the amorphous blob voiced by Seth Rogen, he did an incredible job and was quite funny.

When a radioactive meteor falls from space and hits Susan Murphy on her wedding day she is transformed into a platinum-haired giant. Susan is immediately taken away by the government to a secret underground facility where they call her "Ginormica". At this facility Susan meets a group of other bizarre creatures who call themselves monsters. When a villainous alien named Gallaxhar unleashes a giant robot probe in San Fransisco the governments last hope of defense is to let the "monsters" out to defend the planet.

If you're looking for a fun film to watch with the whole family Monsters vs. Aliens should definitely be put somewhere on the top of the list.

Monsters vs. Aliens on IMDB
Monsters vs. Aliens Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Monsters vs. Aliens and enjoyed it you may also like: Wall-E, Monsters, Inc., Lilo & Stitch, Ice Age, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Planet 51

Colorful and Creepy: Coraline

Release Date: February 6th, 2009
Runtime: 96 min
Rating: PG for thematic events, scary images, some language and suggestive humer
Appropriate for Ages: 8 and up

I watched Coraline last night and I really enjoyed it. It's definitely one of the darker kids movies I've seen recently. It had kind of a Alice in Wonderland meets Beetle Juice sort of feel to it. The amazing 3-D animation, great story and unique music really make this one a treasure.

Coraline Jones and her parents just moved to a new apartment in a huge old house called "The Pink Palace". Coraline feels bored and disdain toward her parents who are always busy working on their computers. While exploring her new home Coraline comes across a tiny door which requires a button key to open. When she firsts opens it with her mother there the door only leads to a brick wall. When she comes back late at night and opens it again there is a colorful glowing passageway to another world behind the door. This other world is very similar to hers except for that everything seems better. The rooms are cleaner and more colorful and her "other" parents (who have button eyes) cook her lovely meals and care about her very much. Coraline enjoys this new world completely until her "Other Mother" tells her that if she wants to stay with them forever Coraline needs to sew buttons into her eyes. Horrified Coraline escapes  back to her reality where her real parents have gone missing. Now Coraline must return back to the other world and free her parents if she ever wants to see them again.

I think Coraline would be a great watch for most adults and older children. It may be a little too scary and complex for younger children though.

Coraline on IMDB
Coraline Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Coraline and enjoyed it you may also like: Mirrormask, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, 9, James and the Giant Peach, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family / Addams Family Values, Alice in Wonderland, Beetlejuice

An Extraordinary Film: Matilda

Release Date: August 2nd, 1996
Runtime: 98 min
Rating: PG for elements of exaggerated meanness and ridicule, and for some mild language
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

I love the movie Matilda. I've seen it several times and it's been just as entertaining each time. It's fun, funny, smart and it has some really good messages in it as well, such as promoting reading books as opposed to watching television. The acting was not only top notch by the lead roles but the supporting cast was also phenomenal.

Matilda is the story of a brilliant little girl who absolutely loves to read and learn, shes actually so smart that she develops telekinetic powers. Her family however doesn't approve of her reading and often just plain ignores her presence. Matilda ends up being sent off to school with probably the worlds meanest principal ever. At this school Matilda also meets and befriends the warm-hearted school teacher Miss Honey and several students as well. With the support of her friends and a lot of practice Matilda learns to harness her powers and strike back.

This is a movie I'd definitely recommend for a fun watch for the whole family.

Matilda on IMDB
Matilda Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Matilda and enjoyed it you may also like: A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Nanny McPhee, James and the Giant Peach, Harriet the Spy

For the Tweens: Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Release Date: February 10th, 2010
Runtime: 118 min
Rating: PG for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language
Appropriate for Ages: 10 and up

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief was an alright movie. Although it did have a relatively interesting plot and some nice graphics, I found a lot of the movie was pretty predictable and a lot of the characters were a little dull. If I could sum up this film in one word it would have to be "meh".

When a boy named Percy Jackson is accused of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt he learn's that he's the son of one of the Greek gods (Poseidon, god of the sea).  On his way to a special training camp for half-bloods Percy's mother is taken hostage by a minotaur and brought to the underworld where Hades is holding her hostage. Percy now must train and learn how to use his powers so that he can rescue his mother and retrieve the lighting bolt before an all out war erupts between the gods.

I'd recommend this movie for the pre-teen age group, it's certainly aimed at that audience. Adults may or may not find it entertaining as well depending on your movie taste.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief on IMDB
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief Trailer 

If you've seen Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief and enjoyed it you may also like: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Any of the Harry Potter Films, Bridge To Terabithia, Howl's Moving Castle, The Spiderwick Chronicles

Innocent and Beautiful: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Release Date: August 14th, 2009
Runtime: 101 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All Ages

I just finished watching Ponyo and I thought it was a beautiful piece of work. Although it was simpler and aimed towards a much younger audience than Miyazaki's previous works I still really enjoyed it. The animation was simple, yet amazing at the same time including scenes of thousands of brightly colored fish and a superb amount of detail.

Ponyo is an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid . It's about a 5 year old boy named Sosuke who lives on an oceanside cliff who one day rescues a goldfish who was stuck in a bottle. He befriends the goldfish and names her Ponyo. In a bucket of water Sosuke takes Ponyo to school and the nursing home where his mother works and shows her to the residents. One of the residents warms Sosuke that "fish with faces" cause tsunamis and that it needs to be thrown back into the ocean at once. Sosuke angrily runs from the nursing home to be alone by the ocean with Ponyo. There Ponyo's powerful wizard father uses immense waves to take her back to the sea. After her return to the sea Ponyo decides that she wants to be human and with her powers inherited from her father and sea-goddess mother she turns herself into one. What she doesn't realize though is that the use of these powers is creating a huge imbalance in the world.

 This was an absolutely wonderful film that can easily be enjoyed by any age group. I definitely recommend it.

Ponyo on IMDB
Ponyo Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Ponyo and enjoyed it you may also like: The Little Mermaid, Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Finding Nemo