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

Underrated Adventure: City of Ember

Release Date: October 10th, 2008
Runtime: 90 min
Rating: PG for mild peril and thematic events
Appropriate for Ages: 8 and up

First off, I have not read the book that City of Ember is based on, and I've heard many mixed reviews. Apparently most who read the book were disappointed. As a stand alone movie though I think this is a wonderful and highly engaging film filled with mystery and adventure.

For 200 years the citizens of the city of Ember have lived in a city full of artificial lights; where the sky is literally made up of light bulbs. Ember's power supply is waning though and blackouts are becoming more and more common. Now it's up to two teenagers in a race against time to unlock the mystery of the city of Ember and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.

I think the whole family can easily enjoy City of Ember. Basically If you've read the book you may be disappointed but for everyone else I think this might just be a treat.

City of Ember on IMDB
City of Ember Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen City of Ember and enjoyed it you may also like: The Water Horse - Legend of the Deep, Bridge To Terabithia, The Harry Potter Movies, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Goonies, The Last Mimzy

Exceeded Expectations: Over the Hedge

Release Date: May 19th, 2006
Runtime: 83 min
Rating: PG for some rude humor and mild comic action
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

I have to say going into this film I had low expectations, but I ending up being pleasantly surprised. Over the Hedge had top notch animation and a decent enough story. Although some of the characters were a bit predictable, the voice actors did an amazing job and they were far from boring.

One spring, a group of forest animals wake to find a huge hedge has appeared and that half of their forest is gone. Disappearing with half the forest was a good chunk of their food supply as well. Then a slick raccoon named RJ shows up and suggests that they should go over the fence and get food from humans who they have been quite afraid of. The animals listen to RJ and start heading over the hedge to steal their food, what they don't realize however is that RJ is actually using them to pay back a debt owed to a bear who has given him one week to restore his food supply, otherwise he becomes the food.

Although Over the Hedge isn't the next big thing since Toy Story or Finding Nemo it's still definitely worth a watch. This film also has a lot of appeal for children and adults alike.

Over the Hedge on IMDB
Over the Hedge Trailer on YouTube

 If you've seen Over the Hedge and enjoyed it you may also like: Open Season, The Wild, Madagascar, Ice Age, Bolt, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, Shrek

A Different Kind of Fairy Tale: Enchanted

Release Date: November 21st, 2007
Runtime: 107 min
Rating: PG for some scary images and mild innuendo
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Enchanted is a fun satire that takes the classic Disney fairy tale and clashes it with the harsh modern world. This film offers a little bit for everyone to enjoy. It had all of the usual fairy tale elements including singing, animals that talk, a beautiful princess, and even an evil stepmother but also presented many surprises. It offered quite a bit of humor and not just aimed at children, but adults as well.

Enchanted is about a beautiful princess-in-waiting named Giselle from the animated fairy tale world Andalasia. Giselle is waiting for her prince to come so that she can live happily ever after. Prince Edward hears her signing and is drawn in and they meet and fall in love immediately. However, before they can wed Giselle is banished by Prince Edward's evil stepmother down a magical well where she finds herself in the middle of a non-animated New York City and it's anything but magical and enchanting. Confused, and lost in her new environment she is not treated very well until she is helped by a friendly divorce lawyer as she waits for her prince charming to rescue her.

Although Enchanted is targeted mainly to young girls and their mothers, it can certainly be enjoyed by the entire family as it has much to offer for all.

Enchanted on IMDB
Enchanted Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Enchanted and enjoyed it you may also like: Stardust, Happily N'ever After, Ella Enchanted, The Princess Diaries, The Princess Bride, Sleeping Beauty

A Delicious Concoction: Ratatouille

Release Date: June 29th, 2007
Runtime: 111 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Ratatouille was a great addition the collection of Pixar films. As usual, the animation was stellar and incredibly meticulous. The story was very well-written; never talking down to the audience, and honestly it was just plain fun to watch.

Ratatouille is about a young rat named Remy who moves to Paris with huge dreams of being a chef. He has one big problem though, hes a rat. Instead of rummaging though garbage with the rest of his family Remy frequents the restaurant made famous by his culinary hero Auguste Gusteau. Opportunity comes knocking on Remy's door one day though when he teams up with the clumsy garbage boy named Linguini who is desperate to keep his job. Although Linguini has no cooking skills whatsoever, with Linguini's size and Remy's knowledge of cooking they form the perfect cooking team.

Although Ratatouille can certainly be seen by the entire family, its probably more suited for slightly older children who will better be able to understand the plot.

Ratatouille on IMDB
Ratatouille Trailer on IMDB

If you've seen Ratatouille and enjoyed it you may also like: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Planet 51, No Reservations, A Bug's Life, Flushed Away, Kung Fu Panda

Fun-Filled Adventure: The Incredibles

Release Date: November 5th, 2004
Runtime: 115 min
Rating: PG for action violence
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

The Incredibles was an incredibly cute movie. The graphics were phenomenal, the characters were unique and interesting, and the plot was quite engaging. The Incredibles also wasn't short on laughs at all.

Metroville is a city where superheros could once roam the streets saving the day. Then because of numerous lawsuits filed against the superheroes by people who had been saved, superheroes had to go into hiding and were forced to lead normal lives. 15 years later Bob Parr (aka. Mr. Incredible), his wife Helen (aka. Elastagirl) and their children Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack live ordinary lives in Metroville. Bob works a normal job as an insurance agent and is just itching for the good-old days of being a hero. When Bobs gets the chance again by a mysterious agent he jumps at the opportunity. He soon find out however that now his super-family is going to have to work together to save the day.

The Incredibles, although meant for the whole family may actually intrigue adults even more so than children at times. This is Definitely a must see.

The Incredibles on IMDB
The Incredibles Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen The Incredibles and enjoyed it you may also like: Sky High, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, Cars, Over the Hedge, Monsters, Inc.

Wholesome and Heartwarming: Secondhand Lions

Release Date: September 19th, 2003
Runtime: 111 min
Rating: PG for thematic material, language and action violence
Appropriate for Ages: 8 and up

I first watched Secondhand Lions when I was working at a movie theater. I hadn't seen the trailers and only started watching the movie because I had nothing else to do on a slow day. I'm glad I did give it a chance though because I found myself almost instantly drawn in. The story was quite engaging and the characters were unique and convincing.

13 year old Robert has had a difficult upbringing living with his prostitute mother. One day she drops him off to live with his eccentric great-uncles Hub and Garth who want nothing to do with him. The uncles are rumored to have some sort of fortune acquired from a time when they disappeared in their youth and Robert's mother hopes to get her hands on it. Although Hub and Garth wanted nothing to do with Robert at first, they begin to accept him and tell him wild stories of their youth. Robert discover's his great-uncles have lived great lives full of excitement, mystery, and adventure.

Secondhand Lions is a delightful watch. I think the whole family will get a lot out of this film, I just wouldn't recommend it for very young children as some of the content may be a little too complex for them.

Secondhand Lions on IMDB
Seconhand Lions Trailer from YouTube

If you've seen Secondhand Lions and liked it you may also enjoy: Lassie, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Kiki's Delivery Service, Chicken Run

Excellent Sci-Fi, Fantasy: The Last Mimzy

Release Date: March 23rd, 2007
Runtime: 90 min
Rating: PG for some thematic events, mild peril and language
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

The Last Mimsy left me pleasantly surprised. It is an excellent family movie with an engaging story that will get it's audience thinking outside the box.

The Last Mimzy is the story of a brother and sister named Noah and Emma. When Noah and Emma travel with their mother to their family cottage they find a mysterious box on the beach. Inside the box are a number of curious toys including a cute bunny doll named "Mimzy" who talks to Emma. Soon after the children begin to manifest special powers. They learn to speak with one another via telepathy and move objects around via psychokinesis. Noah'a teacher Larry and his wife become very interested in him when he sketches a mandala symbol from ancient Buddhism in class. Soon the children, their parents and their teacher are drawn into a mystery they couldn't even imagine.

The Last Mimsy is an intelligent and emotional film that can be enjoyed by the whole family, and what will probably make it especially appealing to children is that children are the central characters and only they have the power to save the day.

The Last Mimzy on IMDB
The Last Mimzy Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen The Last Mimzy and enjoyed it yoy may also like: Matilda, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, E.T., Flight of the Navigator, Escape to Witch Mountain, Stardust

An Emotional and Enchanting Ride: A Little Princess

Release Date: May 10th, 1995
Runtime: 97 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All Ages

A Little Princess is a beautiful movie. It's sweet, heartfelt, intelligent, and it doesn't talk down to the audience. I've seen it several times and it brings tears to my eyes every time.

A Little Princess is about a young girl named Sara Crewe who is sent off to the same boarding school that her late mother attended when her wealthy father leaves to fight in the British army. At the school Sara almost immediately clashes with the headmistress Miss Minchin who bans all make-believe on the campus after she finds out that Sara is telling the other girls colorful tales. Sara continues to tell her tales, though late at night when the headmistress is asleep. Then one day Miss Minchin comes to Sara with news that her father has been killed in the war and in order to keep a roof over her head Sara will need to work as a servant and have no further contact with the students. Sara then moves to the dark dirty attic and befriends another servant girl. Although Sara has had everything taken from her at once and she now has to scrub floors and toilets she still hangs on the the belief that her father may still be out there.

A Little Princess is probably one of the most overlooked gems of the 90's. I'd recommend this captivating piece of work be seen by any age group, and I especially think this would make a lovely film for a mother and daughter to watch together.

A Little Princess on IMDB
A Little Princess Trailer on IMDB

If you've seen A Little Princess and enjoyed it you may also like: The Secret Garden, The Little Princess (1939), Matilda, Madeline (1998), Black Beauty