Zathura’s story may seem a little familiar to you. A board game creates an exciting and fantastical world of the game for real for its players, putting them in harm’s way (and destroying their home) until they finish the game (and learn a lesson). Yes, it’s by the same author as Jumanji, though […]

Those of you out there in Generation X know how we as a demographic feel about the 1971 version of Roald Dahl’s sweet, sad story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, renamed Willy Wonka et al. When it was announced that Tim Burton was going to take a stab at Dahl’s work – NOT a remake, it […]

Dreamworks and Disney and Warner Brothers and Pixar, as animation studios, all have sought to find their own voice in an industry only recently beginning to be taken as seriously as the work deserves. Obviously, of these two groups, Disney and Warner are the hand-drawn titans, and Pixar and Dreamworks are the computer animated […]

Oh, Jackie. I can’t even say, “how far you have fallen” because actually, this is a step up from The Tuxedo and The Medallion. I know you are getting up there, and that’s fine - you still have the moves and you still have that ineffable charm and sweet old-school comedy. I […]

See what I do for you people? I suffer, so that you might live. Ever catch a family member sniffing your underwear? I haven’t either, but I suspect it feels something like how I felt leaving the theatre. Filthy, inappropriate, violated, and over all, uncomprehending of the appeal. It’s not […]

Well, it’s no Pirates of the Caribbean. I am glad Pirates came out first because it gave that movie its own fighting chance. This film is definitely a huge visual and plot homage to Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride, designed very carefully around the attention spans and plot analysis skills of the 8-12 set. […]

If you have a fondness for talking animal movies (and I know some of you do) then you won’t do wrong by checking out Good Boy!. It’s no Babe, but then, nothing is. Liam Aiken is a lonely boy whose parents move all the time, leaving him friendless and walking dogs for money. […]

My friend was not hired to work on this film so I was feeling negative about it - but now I am grateful he is saved from the besmirchment and humiliation (not to mention actually having to handle the stuff!) I really enjoyed the first Spy Kids, and to a degree the second one, […]

Recovering nicely from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Dreamworks animation tackles the legendary pirate Sinbad (voiced slightly distractingly by Brad Pitt). This movie is animated, and it takes full advantage of the magic which can only be expressed through animation. With a nod to CGI’s mechanical advantages (and one jarring CGI/hand drawn blend […]

The first Spy Kids was a total trip, tons of fun, laughs, cool gadgets, and a submerged lesson about family. Spy Kids 2 (technically Robert Rodriguez’ first foray into a Sequel in the franchise sense of the word) is just like any other typical II I have seen: not quite as fun, more […]