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

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

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.

Full of Family Values: Disney-Pixar's Finding Nemo

Release Date: May 30th, 2003
Runtime: 100 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All ages

Finding Nemo is a father-son underwater adventure story that is sure to be enjoyed by the entire family. The Graphics are absolutely stunning, the story is fun and imaginative and it's stuffed with family values.

Finding Nemo follows a overprotective clownish father named Marlin on his journey to save his son Nemo after he gets taken by a scuba diver on his first day of school. Together with Dori, a forgetful blue tang, he ventures beyond the Great Barrier Reef into dangerous water filled with all sorts of friendly and not-so friendly marine life. Meanwhile, Nemo and his companions, who are being held in a fish tank in a doctor's office in Sydney Harbor, plan escape from their captives to get back to the harbor and live free once again.

Finding Nemo is an incredibly fun watch. It's funny and smart and just plain good natured. The animation is phenomenal as well, with the bright vivid chorals and plant and animal life. This really is a film that the whole family can sit down together and enjoy.

Finding Nemo on IMDB
Finding Nemo Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Finding Nemo and enjoyed it you may also like: Bee Movie, Shark Tale , Ice Age, Monsters, Inc., Antz, Shrek, Wall-E

Simple and Sophisticated: Shrek

Release Date: May 18th, 2001
Runtime: 90 min
Rating: PG for mild language and some crude humor
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Let me just start off by saying I love this movie. I've Shrek several times and it just never gets boring. The plot is easy for kids to follow and enjoy, but what makes Shrek stand out so much is its also smart and quick with jokes that go right over kid's heads. Some of the best parts of this move were actually aimed at an adult audience.

Shrek is set in a colorful fairytale land populated by dragons and ogres, princess and princesses, and many notable fairytale characters. When Lord Farquaad, the ruler of Duloc, banishes all of the fairytale beings to the woods, Shrek looses the privacy he had in his nice quiet swamp. Shrek then sets out with a loud-mouth donkey at his side to find Lord Farquaad and get him to take the fairytale beings back. When Shrek gets there Faquaad accepts on the condition that Shrek must rescue Princess Fiona who is to become Faguaad's bride. On their quest Shrek and Donkey run into all sorts of interesting characters and situations.

If you haven't seen Shrek yet you absolutely must. Even people who don't usually like movies that fall into this genre will probably get a good laugh or two out of it.

Shrek on IMDB
Shrek Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Shrek and you enjoyed it you may also like: Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Stardust, The Princess Bride, Madagascar

Pure Magic: Toy Story

Release Date: November 22nd, 1995

Runtime: 80 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All Ages


I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't enjoy Toy Story. This movie marked the beginning of the 3-D computer animation era. Not only does it wow with its fun colors and graphics but it's got a solid story and clever dialogue as well.  Toy Story really does offer something for people of all age groups and from many different walks of life.

What happens when children leave their toys alone? They come to life of course! "Woody" the pull-string cowboy doll is Andy's favorite toy. When Andy leaves his room Woody and friends come to life and Woody is basically the leader of Andy's toys. All is fine until Andy's birthday comes around and he receives a new toy called "Buzz Lightyear". Buzz is a fancy spaceman action figure all full of fancy gadgets and gizmo's who is convinced he is a space ranger. Buzz quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy and Woody becomes laden with jealousy. When Woody is accused of pushing Buzz out a window he has to go out into the world to find him so that they can both return safely home. With their newly formed truce Buzz and Woody have to overcome some incredible odds together if they ever want to see Andy and home again.

Toy Story is basically a flawless piece of work. It's smart, funny and some great eye candy. While other movies fade into some dark forgotten movie realm Toy Story will undoubtedly remain a timeless classic. If for some crazy reason you haven't seen this yet, please do. 

Toy Story on IMDB

Toy Story Trailer on metacafe

If you've seen Toy Story (and you probably have) and liked it I would also recommend: Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, A Bug's Life, Shrek, Monsters, Inc.

Quirky, Inventive and Nostalgic: Cars

Release Date: June 9th, 2006

Runtime: 117 min
Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All Ages

I had a blast watching Cars, and not just because I watched it in a car at the drive in. It was a colorful and spunky movie. Cars is by no means deep in any manner, its just pure lighthearted entertainment.

Cars is the story of a hotshot talking car named Lightning McQueen who is on route through the country to the big Piston Cup Championship. On his way there he runs across a small town called Radiator Springs and accidentally tears up some of their road. To make up for this he is sentenced to community service and cannot leave the town. At first all he can think about is getting back to his fancy life of corporate sponsorships, but eventually the residents of the town start to grow on him. Through it all Lightning McQueen learns some valuable life lessons about friendship, respect, love and what it takes to be a real winner.

This is bound to be a fun watch for the whole family.

Cars on IMDB
Cars Trailer on YouTube

If you enjoyed Cars you might also enjoy: Over the Hedge, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc.

Fun, Funny and Very Original: Lilo & Stitch

Release Date: June 21st, 2002
Runtime: 85 min
Rating: PG for mild sci-fi action
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

I watched Lilo & Stitch in the theater after work one day. I had seen a couple of snips from it while peeking through the booth window upstairs while it was playing. The unique looking setting and brief scenes I glimpsed had me interested in seeing more.

Lilo & Stitch is the story of a little Hawaiian girl named Lilo who lives with her older sister Nani, who takes care of her. Stitch is a small blue alien originally called experiment 626 who loves chaos and destruction. He escapes his evil creator and ends up on earth posing as a dog in a dog pound. Lilo adopts the alien and names him Stitch. Although the alien is quite dangerous, on earth Stitch can't really cause much harm as he is too heavy to swim and Hawaii is surrounded by water. At first Stitch only cares about self-preservation but as the movie progresses Lilo teaches him a thing or two about the meaning of family and friendship.

I really enjoyed watching Lilo & Stitch. The animation is 2D in the classic Disney style and very colorful and brilliant. It had a fun and pretty different story as far as Disney films go. It also got across a great message.

Lilo & Stitch on IMDB
Lilo & Stitch Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen Lilo & Stitch and liked it you may also enjoy: A Bug's Life, Ice Age, Monsters, Inc.

Touching and Bittersweet: Up

Release Date: May 29th, 2009

Runtime: 96 min
Rating: PG for some peril and action
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

It's been a while since any movie has made me cry. Up did just that. This is a bittersweet story of love, loss, adventure, and making your dreams come true.

Up is about a man named Carl who ties thousands of balloons to his home in order to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. What he doesn't realize when he takes off is that he has a stowaway on board: an overly cheerful 8 year old Wilderness Explorer. Together they embark on a great adventure where they encounter talking dogs, a huge bird named Kevin, and an evil villain.

Up is absolutely a must see for the whole family. The visuals are exciting, the jokes are memorable, and its thoughtful and clever at the same time. When you watch this though, make sure you bring some tissues...

Up on IMDB
Up Trailer on YouTube

If you have already seen Up and enjoyed it I would also recommend: The Incredibles, Toy Story, Bee Movie, James and the Giant Peach

An Animated Classic: The Last Unicorn

Release Date: November 19th, 1982

Runtime: 92 min

Rating: G
Appropriate for Ages: All Ages

The Last Unicorn is one of those movies what I saw as a kid and just sort of forgot about it until a couple of years ago when someone brought it up in a conversation. I couldn't remember much about it, all I seemed to remember was that I didn't dislike it. I re-watched it again as an adult and I have to say it was definitely quite good. It has a different feel to it than many other child-oriented films. Although it was fantasy it was certainly no fairy-tale.

The Last Unicorn is the story of a unicorn named Amalthea who believes she is the last of her kind. In a quest to find the truth Amalthea joins up with a barmaid and a magician who transforms her into a human so that she can go unnoticed amongst humankind. They set out on a journey together to find the mysterious Red Bull who is rumored to capture and imprison unicorns.

The Last Unicorn was a wonderful tale of Love and Loss with some deep elements that adults can appreciate as well as children. If you haven't seen it yet or you watched it 20 years ago, it's certainly worth a watch again.

The Last Unicorn on IMDB

The Last Unicorn Trailer on YouTube

If you've seen The Last Unicorn and enjoyed it I would also recommend you watch: My Neighbor Totoro, Grave of the Fireflies, Spirited Away

Amazing Animation and a Great Story: How to Train Your Dragon 2010

Release Date: March 26th, 2010

Runtime: 98 min

Rating: PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language.
Appropriate for Ages: 8 and up

I was pleasantly surprised with this film. Before I watched How to Train Your Dragon I had expected excellent graphics but had no idea what I was in for as far as the story went. Well after seeing it I can say with certainty that its worth a watch. The story is solid and told in an imaginative and heartfelt manor.

How to Train Your Dragon is an action-comedy that takes places in a mythical world of vikings and dragons. The main character is a teenager named Hiccup who doesn't quite fit in with his clan's deep-rooted tradition of mighty dragon slayers. Hiccup is a small and clumsy boy, but also very smart and inventive and wishes to join the great dragon hunt. In in effort to capture and kill a dragon with one of his inventions he stumbles upon one of the most feared dragons known to man called the Night Fury. Soon everything Hiccup has ever know about dragons begins to change as he realizes that his people greatly misjudged the species.

How to Train Your Dragon worked on so many levels. Definitely high quality entertainment for adults and children.

How to Train Your Dragon on IMDB

Trailer on YouTube

If you've already seen How to Train Your Dragon and liked it I would also recommend: The Flight of Dragons, Eragon, Shrek

A Very Enjoyable Anime: Spirited Away

Release Date: July 20th, 2001

Runtime: 125 Min

Rating: PG for some scary moments
Appropriate for Ages: 4 and up

Wow, just wow. I loved this film. Spirited Away was recommended to me by one of my co-workers at one of the movie theaters I worked at. We were discussing some recent films we'd seen and she praised this up and down. She said it was "different" and that I just had to see it. So naturally I did and I fell in love.

Spirited Away follows a 10 year old girl named Chihiro who is in the process of moving with her family to the countryside. On the way to their new home her father decides to take a short cut down a mysterious path which leads to what looks like an abandoned theme park. Her parents eagerly walk though the gate and into what looks like an abandoned town where they find an unmanned booth filled with freshly cooked meats and many other indulgences. While her parents gorge themselves Chihiro wanders off and meets a boy named Haku who warns her to leave with her parents. When she returns to her parents she finds two large pigs eating in their place and the way back has been blocked by a huge river. At this point night has fallen and spirits begin to appear. Haku then finds Chihiro and leads her to a bathhouse where she will then have to work to help get her parents back and escape.

If you've never heard of Spirited Away before it probably sounds a bit odd, and believe me it was. I think thats what i liked most about it. I honestly had no idea what was going to happen next. Aside from those very young, I'd definitely recommend Spirited Away for the whole family.

Spirited Away on IMDB

Trailer on YouTube

If you've already seen Spirited Away and liked it I would also recommend: Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind