Babe,
rated G. Running time: 91 minutes. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Rating: ***1/2
Farmer
Hoggett wins a baby pig in a raffle. Unlike other swine, Babe is spared
going to the slaughterhouse because he becomes a family pet. A female
border collie adopts Babe, who becomes a sheep herder. Children will
love the adorable singing mice and the Ferdinand, the hapless talking
duck. Adults will appreciate the intelligent dialogue. Warning:
This humorous tale has some very dark overtones. Be prepared to discuss
with your children where pork and bacon come from!
Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
Babe: Pig In
the City, rated G. Running time: 96 minutes. Recommended for ages
7 and up. Rating: ***1/2
The
sequel to Babe opens with the Hoggett family experiencing hard
times because Farmer Hoggett is bed-ridden and can't manage the farm.
Mrs. Hoggett, trying to find a way to save the farm from foreclosure,
takes their prize-winning sheep herding pig to the state fair. In
a strange series of calamities, Mrs. Hoggett ends up in jail and Babe
is alone in the big city. The movie is visually outstanding and the
talking animals are as entertaining as ever. Warning: This
movie is more obviously dark than the first, and may be too troubling
for younger children.
Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
Beauty and the
Beast, rated G. Running time: 81 minutes. Recommended for ages 2
and up. Rating: ****
By
far the best of the recent Disney animated musicals, and possibly the
best animated movie ever. Even cynical dads who don't like musicals
will walk away humming the tunes from this one. Every Disney animated
musical since pales in comparison. None have been able to capture the
magical combination of melody and wit found in the lyrics of this classic.
Each succeeding scene is better than the preceeding. Reviewed by
Ed Joras
Chicken Run, rated
G. Running time: 85 minutes. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Rating:
***1/2
This
is the first full-length feature from the British creators of the
Academy Award-winning Wallace and Gromit series. This claymation
feature revolves around the “inmates” at the Tweedey chicken
farm (the chickens) and their attempts to escape. Like the Wallace
and Gromit series, this movie features lots of slapstick sight
gags and stupid situations, done in an intelligently charming British
manner. Adults will love this. The only flaw in the movie from a kid’s
point of view is there are some lags in the action while the plot
develops. Kids under five will certainly get fidgety at certain points.
Older kids will be able to follow the plot twists. Reviewed by
Ed Joras
Dinosaur, rated
PG for dinosaur violence. Running time: 84 minutes. Recommended for
ages 5 and up. Rating: **1/2
If
you have dinosaur fans in your family, this movie is worth seeing on
the big screen. The best part of Dinosaurs is the visually amazing
concoction of real backgrounds and computer-animated dinosaurs, which
makes up for a plodding plot. Unfortunately, the creatures talk, which
removes any realism the movie had going for it. If the movie's creators
thought having the extinct critters chatter to each other would appeal
to kids, they don't know all of their audience. My kids both agreed
the film would have been much better without all the conversations.
Parents should be advised that film will likely be too scary for little
kids because of some graphic attack scenes. It's not nearly as scary
as another dinosaur movie, Jurassic Park, and not annoying like
the Land Before Time animated dinosaur movies, where the tiny
talking dinos scream excessively in high-pitched kids' voices. Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
Galaxy Quest, rated
PG for action violence, mild language and sensuality. Running time:
102 minutes. Recommended for ages 7 and up. Rating: ***
In
the universe of the movie, Galaxy Quest was a campy early 1980s
TV show whose stars (including Tim Allen as the Commander) make their
late 1990s livings appearing at fan conventions, store openings, etc.
A world of outer-space aliens has viewed these episodes, understood
them as “historical documents” and modeled their actual
world on the fantasy world of the TV show. Of course, when these aliens
get into real trouble, they think they need the crew of Galaxy Quest
to get them out of it. The aliens show up at a fan convention (where
they blend in very well) to request the help of the actors. The TV
show crew gets sucked into the aliens’ conflict, where they are
expected to do in real life what they acted out on TV. Though the
movie isn't as entertaining as it could be (the comic timing of the
script isn’t quite right), parents will appreciate the TV-show
humor (watch for the Gilligan’s Island reference) and
kids will like the comic adventure. Reviewed by Ed Joras
Mike Mulligan and
his Steam Shovel. Running
time: 25 minutes. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Rating: ***
My
son loved the classic book, "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel''
by Virginia Lee Burton, and was eager to watch this video, which was
produced by HBO. Although the animation is not sophisticated, the
sweet, sometimes sad story captivated my son, who watched it uncounted
times. The story's messages about sticking by your friends during
times of trouble and the price of progress can generate some good
discussions. This is a nice video to have around when the little ones
want to watch something, and you don't want them in front of the televsion
for more than 30 minutes. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
My Dog Skip,
rated PG for some violence and mild language. Running time: 95 minutes..
Recommended for ages 7 and up. Rating: ***
This
movie could be rated TJ for tear jerker. The story aptly portrays the
wonderful relationship between a child and his dog, and the heartache
that can come with owning a beloved pet. The movie is loosely based
on writer Willie Morris' childhood of growing up in Mississippi during
World War II. His mom, worried that Willie doesn't have any friends,
gets him a dog for his birthday. Willie's canine friend goes on to change
the boy's life. It's a sweet movie, and dog owners will want to go home
afterward and hug their pooch. Don't be surprised if you and your kid
get teary during parts of the movie! Reviewed by Jo Hansen
October Sky,
rated PG for language, brief teen sexuality, and alcohol use, and for
some thematic elements. Running time: 108 minutes. Recommended for ages
9 and up. Rating: ***
A
serious, yet entertaining movie that should only be seen by children
in the company of their parents. Covers relationship between an aspiring
teenage rocketeer and his father in a coal mining town in the 1950s.
Plot will likely be over the heads of preschoolers, but should stimulate
discussion among grade schoolers and their parents. Based on the true
story of a NASA engineer. Reviewed by Ed Joras
Pokemon The Movie
2000,
rated G. Recommended for no ages. Rating: 0 stars.
I
don't know how I got talked into going to this movie with the kids.
Well, yes, I do: Mom caught me at a weak moment. I had spent the day
at an Indy Car race, and Mom suggested taking the kids to "Pokemon
2000" would make up for me being gone all day on a Saturday. And
I figured "How bad could it be?"
Well, it was real bad. Awful, in fact.
Doubly so since the main feature is preceded by a short titled "Pickachu's
Rescue Advanture". I would summarize the plot if I had been able
to follow it, but I couldn't. I could tell that the Pokemon were in
trouble throughout, mostly from the pitch of the constant screaming
noises they were making. And there was a happy ending. That was all
I could decipher.
The main movie had something resembling a plot. But by this time the
screaming soundtrack was beginning to drive me nuts (this says a lot,
since the screaming of racing engines doesn't bother me). I started
searching for some other sound in the theatre to concentrate on. Luckily,
there was a baby crying behind me, and this was a much more pleasant
noise to concentrate on.
If your kids ask you to take them to this movie, please don't do it.
It will be on video soon enough. If somehow you get roped into it (say
you lose a bet), make sure you bring a CD or tape player with headphones.
Or just the headphones. Reviewed by Ed Joras
Rugrats in Paris,
rated G. Running time: 80 minutes. Recommended for ages 3 and up. Rating:
***
I've
always enjoyed the Rugrats television show on Nickelodeon, with its
amusing view of the world through the eyes of young children. The
writers manage to provide a few grown-up yucks while pleasing their
younger audience with plenty of juvenile humor. But the first full-length
Rugrats film, The Rugrats Movie, left me bored and disappointed.
When my kids pleaded to see Rugrats in Paris, I stalled until
the movie arrived at our local, cheap-ticket theater. I'm happy to
say I was pleasantly surprised. This movie is much better than the
first, and worth spending 80 minutes watching with your children.
The film is filled with wonderful sight gags, such as the sumo wrestler
waiters performing at a sushi-kareoke bar. The kids will have a great
time with the fast pace and zaniness of the story. And parents will
appreciate the references throughout the film to the Godfather
movies. (See if you can spot the celebrity voices of Susan Sarandon,
John Lithgow, Debbie Reynolds and Casey Kasem.)
Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
The Road to El
Dorado,
rated PG for mild thematic material and language. Running time: 83 minutes.
Recommended for ages 5 and up. Rating: ***
Best
friends Miguel and Tulio make their way through life as con artists.
In a dice game, they win a map to the legendary city of gold, El Dorado.
After several unusual plot twists, the goofy guys end up shipwrecked
with an intelligent horse on an island that just happens to be the home
of the fabled city. The rest of the movie depicts how Tulio and Miguel
deal with the natives' mistaken belief that the dubious duo are gods.
They are befriended by a native con artist, Chel, who plays along with
the charade and ends up falling for Miguel. The animation and color
are terrific and the plot, while at times is plodding, provides plenty
of funny moments, and only one slightly scary part. (My 7-year-old said
it wasn't scary at all.) The movie will likely be hard to follow for
children under 6. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
Stuart Little,
rated PG for mild language. Running time: 92 minutes. Recommended for
ages 5 and up. Rating: **1/2
Stuart
Little is the kind of movie that was worth waiting for
the video, rather than shelling out a lot of money at the box office.
The film is best described as a cute little film, with a lot of schmaltz
(my husband said too much schmaltz), about a New York City family
that adopts a talking mouse from an orphanage. Stuart is adorable
and has exciting adventures playing with his new human brother and
trying not getting swallowed the annoyed family cat. The plot provides
a fair amount of humor as well as some sad moments for kids. I wish
the film spent more time with Stuart developing his friendship with
his brother, and less on all the cat chases through Central Park.
Be warned: Don't expect the movie to be just like the E.B. White book
it's based on. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
Tarzan, rated
G (the Walt Disney animated version). Running time: 88 minutes. Recommended
for ages 5 and up. Rating: *** 1/2
Disney's
retelling of the orphaned boy who is raised by gorillas is filled with
breath-taking animation, humor and convincing human and animal characters.
The scenes of Tarzan flying from vine to vine through the jungle are
exhilarating. Tarzan as a baby realizes he is different from his gorilla
family when he holds his hand up to his gorilla mother's. Even though
he tries hard to be a gorilla, he never fully gains the acceptance and
respect of Kerchak, the pack's leader. When a scientific expedition
lands on the island in search of gorillas, Tarzan again realizes he
is different from the humans he looks like. The story lends itself to
some interesting family discussions about how we react to people who
are different from us. Younger children may be a little scared during
some moments when Tarzan and the gorillas are in danger. But rest assured,
the story has a happy ending. We found this video gem on the shelf of
our public library for some quality, free entertainment. Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
The Bear,
rated PG for thematic elements. Running time: 93 minutes. Recommended
for ages 8 and up. Rating: ***
The
star of The Bear is an adorable grizzly cub whose mother is
killed at the beginning of the story. (Are there any other parents
out there who are sick of this plot line?) Despite this overdone premise,
the movie was enjoyable because of the cub's antics and the film's
beautiful mountain scenery. The little bear is taken in by an adult
grizzly, who has to fight off some nasty bear hunters, who are tracking
the bears with a pack of snarling dogs. Younger children probably
shouldn't watch this film because some parts will likely be too tense.
My 7-year-old couldn't stand watching the last 20 minutes because
he was worried about what might happen to the bears. But older children
will enjoy watching these majestic animals in their natural habitat.
Reviewed by Jo Hansen
The Iron Giant,
rated PG for fantasy action and mild language. Running time: 87 minutes.
Recommended for ages 7 and up. Rating: ***
The
year is 1957, and the Soviet Union has launched Sputnik, beatniks
are cool and American children are learning how to hide under their
desks in case an atomic bomb drops on their school. One of those kids,
Hogarth Hughes, discovers a 50-foot-tall giant that inexplicably drops
from the sky. The robot is friendly, as long as no one points a gun
at him, and needs to eat stuff made out of steel to survive. Hogarth
befriends the Iron Giant, and helps protect him from a snooping, suspicious
government agent. This is a great, animated adventure about a boy
and his robot, complete with a few tense moments that probably are
too scary for young children. If you watch it with older kids, use
it as an opportunity to explain some of the historical references
in the movie. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
The Tigger Movie,
rated G. Running time: 76 minutes. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Rating:
***
Winnie
the Pooh and friends are back, but this time the star of the show is
the bouncy, charming Tigger. The striped fellow, who for decades has
sung that "the most wonderful thing about tiggers is I'm the only
one'', decides that not having another tigger around isn't so wonderful
after all. When he sets off to find his tigger family, his quest leads
the cast of characters off on an adventure in the Hundred-Acre Wood.
Tigger eventually learns that there are different ways to define the
word "family'', and once again Pooh and the gang demonstrate the
meaning of friendship and love. This film will appeal to young and older
children alike. Two 10-year-old girls who watched the movie filled with
tears in one part because they said Tigger was so sad, but also laughed
hard at the humorous moments. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
The Truman Show,
rated
PG for mild language and thematic elements. Running time: 104 minutes.
Recommended for ages 7 and up. Rating: ***1/2
When
my kids asked to watch The Truman Show, I was afraid the movie
would be over their heads. Would they understand the strange plot twist
of an unwanted baby being adopted by a television corporation and having
his every move broadcast live on television 24 hours a day? I really
like this movie, so I decided to take a chance. I briefly explained
the premise before it started so the kids didn't ask constant questions,
which helped a lot. They immediately understood that Truman Burbank
is a "real'' person surrounded by actors in an enormous television
studio designed to look like an ideal little town. One troubling moment
comes when Truman's "father'' falls out of a boat and "drowns''.
My kids immediately understood that the father was just acting, and
hadn't died. But they were upset that the television show director would
do such a mean thing to Truman. Jim Carrey is terrific as the sweet,
funny Truman who as an adult starts to realize his perfect world is
far from perfect. The movie can lead to some interesting discussions
with your kids about the treatment of others. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
Toy Story 2,
rated G. Running time: 85 minutes. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Rating:
****
The
best look at what toys do when their owners aren't watching.
The rare sequel that is better than the original. The contrived plot
is clearly designed to get the toys into a toy store, but the payoff
is so good you can ignore the contrivances. Reviewed by Ed Joras
Toy Story, rated
G. Running time: 81 minutes. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Rating:
****
The
second best look at the what toys do when their owners aren't
watching (see Toy Story 2 review). A classic buddy picture that
has enough slapstick to entertain the kids and enough wit to captivate
the adults. Reviewed by Ed Joras
VeggieTales series,
not rated.
Running time: 30 minutes each. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Rating:
***
These
videos feature animated vegetables and fruit that seek to teach
Bible stories and moral lessons in creative and humorous ways. The
series includes 13 videos, starring Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber
and friends. The newest one is "King George and the Ducky''.
The stories are surprisingly humorous, even for adults. Reviewed
by Jo Hansen
Wallace and Gromit
and the Wrong Trousers, not
rated. Running time: 30 minutes. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Rating:
****
This
BBC Video claymation masterpiece, starring Wallace and his canine
friend, Gromit, won the 1993 Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
When a felonious penguin rents a room in Wallace's house, strange
things happen, leading the stars on a wacky adventure. Parents will
enjoy watching this humorous, unusual video with their kids. Note:
the criminal penguin totes a gun, which he shoots during a wild toy
train ride. The other award-winning Wallace and Gromit videos also
are worth checking out, including "A Close Shave" and "A
Grand Day Out''. Reviewed by Jo Hansen
