Puss in Boots

Directed By: Chris Miller

Written By: Charles Perrault (characters), Brian Lynch, Will Davies, David H. Steinberg, Tom Wheeler and John Zack

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis and Billy Bob Thornton

Rated: PG

MY RATING: B

A cute kitty cat comedy for the whole family!

In “Puss in Boots,” we learn how Puss (Antonio Banderas) grew up to be an outlaw. We also learn of his former bond with childhood pal Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis). Joined by Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) the trio sets out on a journey to find the magic beans which will lead them to the goose who lays the golden eggs. They each believe the golden eggs will solve all of their problems but of course it’s never that easy.

Antonio Banderas brings this cartoon kitty to life like no other. When Puss in Boots was first introduced in Shrek 2 he quickly became my favorite character. Now I wasn’t sure if he had enough weight to hold up his own movie but the writers certainly did a good job with this one.

Puss in Boots offers lots of comedy, action-adventure and of course a little heart. You can’t help but love this kitty!

Kitty Softpaws, voiced by Selma Hayek, proved to be a match indeed for playboy, Puss in Boots.

I enjoyed the story and thought the script was well done. I mean it wasn’t the most heartfelt story like classics, The Lion King and Finding Nemo but it was good enough. Definitely funny so it doesn’t disappoint with that either. There is a “dance fight” scene in the movie that did go too far on the silliness meter for my taste but I’m sure the kids will get a kick out of it. All in all it was a cute little movie. Still love Puss in Boots!

So I'd say if you have kids then it’s definitely worth seeing!

If you don’t have kids but are a fan of animated movies then check it out but there’s no rush.

Race to Witch Mountain

Directed By: Andy Fickman
Written By: Matt Lopez and Mark Bomback
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B -

Action-packed race?  Yes.  Nothing else super impressive though.

In Race to Witch Mountain Dwayne Johnson plays Jack Bruno, an ex-convict cab driver.  While on route one day two young passengers suddenly appear in his cab and pay for a very interesting ride.  Of course Jack (Johnson) learns that these are no ordinary kids but in fact beings from another planet (disguised in human form) who now need his help to save their planet and ours.  Along the way they elicit the help of a scientist and UFO expert, Dr. Alex Friedman (Carla Gugino) and together they head to Witch Mountain to find the aliens' lost spaceship and help them return home. 

A very nice little thrill ride for kids, I must say.  It's definitely non-stop action and I can't say I've seen this many special effects in a rated PG movie.  Everyone was effective at their job.  Dwayne Johnson was protective, rough around the edges and funny.  The kids (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) were innocent, intelligent and analytical, the way any good alien would be.  It's kind of hard to balance being newly human and a super intelligent being from another planet at the same time.  They did a decent job though.  Its also difficult to make things in an alien movie seem realistic.  You kind of just have to go along for the ride not expecting too much, especially from a kid's film. 
This one was entertaining for sure but felt a little rushed at the end and too smooth throughout.  There weren't enough conflicts and everyone seemed to go along with this excursion a little too easily.  It was more like, yeah sure aliens show up in Las Vegas everyday ... well maybe they do. 
Bottom line, this is a Disney film so just keep an open mind and see it for the action and you'll have a good time.

I say see it with the kids, you'll all enjoy it!

Mars Needs Moms

Directed By: Simon Wells   
Written By: Simon Wells & Wendy Wells
Starring: Seth Green, Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois and Mindy Sterling
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B

Extraterrestrial family entertainment!

Mars Needs Moms is about a boy named Milo (Seth Green) who misbehaves and doesn't show enough appreciation for his mother.  One night his mother is abducted by Martians and he gets caught up in the ship and taken with her.  Once aboard their spacecraft he learns that a Martian called Supervisor (Mindy Sterling) controls everything and is responsible for his mom's captivity.  Luckily he meets another human named Gribble (Dan Fogler) who knows how the Martians operate and may be the key to helping Milo save his mom.

Surprisingly I quite enjoyed this one!  It does start off a little slow and was losing my attention here and there within the first 15-20 minutes but after that I was thoroughly entertained.  This was a very nice, original story, but that tends to happen when it's developed as a book first.  Even so, the writers did a good job of transferring a children's picture book to the big screen. 
The entire movie was done using motion capture technology which I initially thought was unnecessary.  I thought it would've been better as a "regular" cartoon or a live action movie but as I got further into it I realized it was perfect.  They were able to create a limitless, believable world in space that wouldn't have been possible any other way. 
Actor Dan Fogler was great as Gribble.  He was funny and lovable, just what the character needed.  Elisabeth Harnois did a good job voicing the Martian "Ki."  She was the refreshing element their planet needed.  Then there's Mindy Sterling from the Austin Powers films, she was great as the controlling old "Supervisor." I found it amusing that she was speaking a Martian language but was easily recognizable.  She had the same yell as in Austin Powers, "bring out the Fembots!" 
At the heart of this movie though is a message about appreciating our loved ones every single day that they're in our lives.  Now who wouldn't appreciate a story like that?  Very sweet.  Another one the whole family can enjoy!

I say this one's worth checking out!

Soul Surfer

Directed By: Sean McNamara
Written By: Sean McNamara, Deborah Schwartz, Douglas Schwartz & Michael Berk
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood
Rated: PG

MY RATING: C

Surfer? Yes.  Soul?  Could've used a little more.

This film is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a surfer who lost an arm in a freak shark attack accident.  The film begins by showing Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb) as a little girl growing up on the beaches of Hawaii with her family of surfers.  Her mom (Helen Hunt) and dad (Dennis Quaid) were both surfers so it was natural that she would be born with the ability and passion for the sport also.  Fast forward to Bethany (Robb) as a teenager living a carefree life surfing and spending time with her friends and family.  With the help of her mom (Hunt) and dad (Quaid) she trains for an upcoming surf competition, a competition that her childhood bestfriend Alana (Lorraine Nicholson) is also training for.  While out training one day she is bitten by a shark and loses an arm.  Bethany perseveres and learns to live her daily life with this missing limb and also finds the will to continue surfing.

This was a sweet, cute movie, nothing more, nothing less.  The surfing scenes were about the most action you'll get in the film.  The most impressive things were that the surfing was real with the real Bethany Hamilton doing the stunt surfing for AnnaSophia Robb. Also the great special effects job they did to make AnnaSophia Robb appear to have a missing arm. 
It took a little while for the shark attack to happen while they set up Bethany's (Robb) life and relationships.  For me it took a little too long and when the moment happened it was pretty predictable.  I was looking for more of a surprise.  Also everyone was so calm during and after the shark attack which didn't fit.  But it turns out that the real Bethany Hamilton actually remained calm so I guess I can't critique that too much.  I'm just used to things being exaggerated for entertainment sake and in this film the Hamiltons were very much involved and wanted the film to be as close to real life as possible which I think takes away from the film a little. 
Also this was our introduction to Carrie Underwood as an actress and I think she did an okay job.  She wasn't great and she wasn't bad.  She played Sarah Hill, Bethany's Christian youth leader but her spiritual role wasn't enough for me.  Maybe they didn't want the movie to be too preachy but for the real life Hamiltons to hold their Christianity so dear to them I don't think Soul Surfer painted a clear enough picture of that aspect of their lives. 

But overall it was a cute movie for the whole family.  I mean it's worth making the kids watch it for the inspirational message.  There were good scenes where Bethany (Robb) realizes her purpose in life and comes to terms with why the accident happened to her.  I even teared up a couple of times.  It was more like a good Hallmark movie but not one of the best "based on a true story" films I've seen.  I'll say I pretty much got what I expected from this movie: a cutsie, family film that's pretty entertaining and not too complicated. 

So my recommendation is if you have kids then definitely see it, but there's no rush.  If you don't have kids you can check it out on cable.  I wouldn't say skip it because it's worth knowing Bethany Hamilton's story. 

The Smurfs

Directed By: Raja Gosnell
Written By: J. David Stem (screenplay) and Peyo (characters)
Starring: Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, George Lopez & Katy Perry
Rated: PG

MY RATING: C+

Silly, adorable, little blue fun.

This movie begins with the Smurfs in their happy little village living merrily.  Enter Gargamel (Hank Azaria) who is after them for their Smurf essence and ends up chasing them into a portal that transports them to our world, New York City to be exact.  Now trapped in the big city the Smurfs must find a way back before Gargamel hunts them down.  Along the way they stumble upon Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and his wife Grace (Jayma Mays) who wind up taking care of them while they try to get back home.  Pretty simple and sweet and that about sums up this movie.

I found The Smurfs to be an adorable interpretation for the next generation.  I am one of those kids who grew up watching the cartoon so I was a little skeptical about this new version but I was entertained.  The highlight of this movie is the animation.  I mean they made these new Smurfs the cutest things I've ever seen!  They also had great personalities too!  I wasn't a huge fan of George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf but his character took more of a backseat so that was good.  Surprisingly Katy Perry was great as Smurfette and unrecognizable which is always a good thing when you're doing voice acting in an animated films.  Alan Cumming was hilarious as Gutsy Smurf and Jonathan Winters was sweet and protective as the lovable Papa Smurf.  Now of course Hank Azaria as Gargamel and his sidekick cat Azrael were the funniest things in the whole movie.  I'm also biased because I love cats so I got a kick out of everything that damn cat did.  Thank goodness they didn't give the cat a voice but he was animated to give him expressions which cracked me up.  I would have to watch it again to catch all of Hank Azaria's lines because I was too busy laughing to hear them all.  He's just a comedic genius. 
The humor is definitely more for kids but parents will enjoy this too.  This is the type of movie you watch just to be a kid again and laugh and not take things too seriously.  You have to ignore the ad agency storyline they added in with Sofia Vergara and Tim Gunn.  Didn't quite fit or add anything to this movie.  You also have to ignore a terribly long scene where Neil Patrick Harris has a jam session with the Smurfs playing Guitar Hero.  It was funny at first and then it went on way too long.  You must ignore the visual disconnect when the Smurfs are supposed to be interacting with Patrick (Harris) and Grace (Mays).  You can tell the actors didn't fully know where the Smurfs were going to be.  Finally, ignore your confusion when an overly clumsy Gargamel suddenly becomes all powerful towards the end of the film.  Huh?  Shhssh it's good enough for the kids.  At the end of the day I was entertained enough.  It was cute, funny and heartwarming but not one to add to a list of classic family films.  

So I'd say if you don't have kids to drag you to this movie then you can wait for DVD or cable. 

Gnomeo & Juliet

Directed By: Kelly Asbury
Written By: Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith, Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Kelly Asbury and Steven Hamilton Shaw
Starring: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Ashley Jensen, Michael Caine & Jason Statham
Rated: G

MY RATING: C+

A cute new way to teach kids about Romeo and Juliet. 
 
This film takes place in England and picks up with two neighbors who are feuding, the Montagues and the Capulets, naturally.  What they don't know however is that when they're away their yards come to life and their garden gnomes are also feuding.  They happily stick to their side of the fence, either the blue or the red side but one night Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) decide to sneak into each other's yards which is when they meet and there's love at first sight.  Once they fall in love they can't bare to be apart and decide to try to be together despite their feuding families.  It's the classic Shakespeare tale told in a clever entertaining way for a new generation of kids.  There's humor, romance, adventure and some beautiful new Elton John (Executive Producer) songs.  

Now I wouldn't say it was one of the best animated films I've ever seen but it was pretty darn clever.  I'm a sucker for an original idea and I was quite amused by the thought of garden gnomes coming to life.  The beginning didn't fully hold my attention but once Gnomeo (McAvoy) and Juliet (Blunt) met the story began to pick up.  Their little love story was adorable.  But don't worry there was some action too.  Of course it had a predictable ending, not because of Romeo and Juliet, they had to change that, but because you know kid's movies have to have happy endings.   Nonetheless your child may be left in suspense which means they did a good job.  Ashley Jensen was funny as Nanette the frog sprinkler and so was Jim Cummings as Featherstone the love struck flamingo.  I was pleasantly surprised by this little film because I was not interested in it at all but figured why not check it out and I'm glad I did.  Gnomeo and Juliet is better than a lot of the ridiculously silly animated movies I've seen lately but it's also not up there with the likes of Toy Story and Shrek.  It held it's own right in the middle though.  So if you're looking for a cute, funny little animated film with a predictable, simple story then definitely check this out.  You and your kids will enjoy it. 

I say check it out but there's definitely no rush.

Kung Fu Panda 2

Directed By: Jennifer Yuh
Written By: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Seth Rogen and Lucy Liu
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B-

So here we are with yet another sequel. 
This time around we learned a little more about where Po (Jack Black) came from, how he ended up with his dad Mr. Ping (James Hong) and what happened to his parents.  In the first Kung Fu Panda Po was just learning to become The Dragon Warrior but this film picked up with him being a legend.  Alongside the Furious Five Po helps to keep his land safe.  But there is a new threat, a white peacock named Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman).  Shen wants to end Kung Fu with a powerful new weapon and prove that you don't need fighting when you can destroy things with a machine instead.  So Po (Black) and the Furious Five set out to stop him.  While on their journey Po starts to remember his past which unlocks some surprising secrets and lead him to wonder what his future will be.

Kung Fu Panda 2 has a good message and a nice story.  They kept the movie funny, action-packed, adventurous and full of heart.  It was very enjoyable!  This one hit the ground running with Kung Fu.  The kids will definitely enjoy that!  They also added some more stars to the cast, though I'm not sure why since they didn't have a lot of dialogue.  But the best new character has to be Baby Po!  So stinkin' adorable!  Some of the best moments were between Mr.Ping (James Hong) and Baby Po.
I liked the ending, very inspiring.  All in all it was a charming little animated film.
I wouldn't rate it as one of my favorites but it's definitely worth seeing if you liked the original.

I say see it but there's no rush.

Tangled

Directed By: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
Written By: Dan Fogelman and Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm (fairy tale)
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy
Rated: PG

MY RATING: A

Disney returns to it's time-honored roots.

Tangled is the classic story of Rapunzel retold.  Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) received magical healing powers from a flower as a baby.  Mother Gothel, obsessed with maintaining her youth, discovers that Rapunzel holds the gift of healing in her golden hair so she kidnaps Rapunzel in the middle of the night.  Mother Gothel locks Rapunzel away high up in her tower where she spends her whole life yearning to venture into the world.  One day her wish is granted.  A thief on the run (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon Rapunzel where she convinces him to take her to the place where she's always dreamed of going.  So they set out on an adventurous journey that unlocks Rapunzel's mysterious past along the way. 

What a lovely little animated movie!  This was vintage Disney at it's best - a princess, an evil wicked witch and a handsome prince.  I love it!  Throw in some sweet, cute songs and there you have the Disney recipe.  I loved the animation, a mix of old and new!  They didn't try to make the characters look too realistic, it's obvious this is great animation.  They gave them big, bold, expressive, cartoon eyes but of course all of the details were there that only the digital age can deliver. 
I'm vaguely familiar with the Rapunzel story so this version was new and fresh to me.  I'm not sure if Disney stayed true to the original or if they totally revamped it but either way it felt current and classic at the same time. 
Mandy Moore's voice was a sweet, angelic touch!  Its like I heard a journalist say in an interview with Moore, seems like she's perfect to play a Disney princess.  And the leading "man," Zachary Levi was hilarious!  I had to look him up to see what live action projects he's worked on because he was crackin me up in Tangled.

All in all this movie was entertaining, sweet, funny, warm-hearted, well written, charming, cute and adventurous ... one to definitely add to your Disney collection!

I say definitely see this!

Rango

Directed By: Gore Verbinski
Written By: John Logan
Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy and Alfred Molina
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B+

Wretched desert wildlife mixed in with twisted animated humor.

Basically the premise of this movie is that Rango (Johnny Depp) is a pet lizard who dreams of being an actor and having a more exciting life.  While on a road trip, safely in his fish tank in the back of his family's station wagon, the car swerves to avoid hitting an armadillo and Rango and his tank go flying out of the back window of the wagon.  Rango's wish is granted.  He is now stranded in the hot dessert with a new life ahead of him.  He meets another lizard, a hard workin, gun slingin, take no mess woman named Beans (voiced by Isla Fisher) and she points him to her town called Dirt.  Rango gets to Dirt where they're having a water recession and decides he'll reinvent himself as a tough guy.  They elect him the sheriff of their town and Rango (Depp) makes it his mission to help them.  Meanwhile, Beans (Fisher) notices there's some funny business going on with the missing water so she and Rango team up with some other rough & tough citizens to crack the case.

Very creative storyline!  I love how water was like money to the animals.  This was a REAL western but cartoon style.
I kept waiting for the characters to make it to the big city or something nice and sweet but no.  The whole movie took place in the desert.  There were guns, drinkin (cactus juice), a recession, real old-fashioned hard knock livin' ... with animals.  Let me tell you, these were some ROUGH lookin animals.  No cute and cuddly cartoon creatures in this movie!  I spent half the movie trying to decipher the different species.  I'm still baffled on quite a few.  One in particular had an arrow going through the back of his head, exiting out the front through his eyeball and apparently wasn't phased by this.
But let me backtrack and get to the star of this movie ... JOHNNY DEPP the master!
Man he is brilliant just like they say!  There is nothing this man can't do as an actor!  He was so hilarious as the voice of Rango!  For adults there were some very funny scenes and lines delivered by Johnny Depp.  I was crackin up but I'm not sure how much my little one could appreciate it.  Depp added so much to his character Rango.  The movie would not have been the same with any other actor doing the voice. 
Then there's the animation which was outstanding!  Everything looked so realistic!  This new digital age is amazing to me!  I spent the beginning part of the movie marveling at how life-like everything looked.  I mean the water looked like real water! 

This movie starts off very sweet, cute and funny but then gets darker and a little violent.  Children are loving this movie but I think it'd be too much for anyone under 7 years old.  They say "go to hell" about 3 times in the movie and towards the end a villain is introduced that is seriously mean.  He's a rattlesnake named Jake (Bill Nighy) and the end of his tail was turned into the barrel of a gun.  He was not to be messed with.  There is a point in the film where he tells another character (I don't want to give too much away) to look into his eyes so he can watch them die.  I thought that was mighty harsh for a cartoon character.  I think he'd be way too scary for some younger children.

Overall I thought it was a pretty clever new animated movie!  The story lagged a little in the middle where I felt an action battle sequence went on a little too long and towards the end when Rango (Depp) has a moment of self discovery but other than that great job on the script.  This movie is very funny and entertaining with adult humor mixed with childlike physical comedy.  Remember I said its a western though.  Don't expect any pretty scenery in this movie.  It's dirt roads and desolation like in the old days, a true tribute to old westerns.

(Note to Parents: This is not for children under age 7.)
 
I'd say see this one.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Directed By: Brad Peyton
Written By: Ron J. Friedman and Steve Bencich
Starring: Bette Midler, James Marsden, Christina Applegate, Chris O'Donnell, Nick Nolte and Katt Williams
Rated: PG
 
MY RATING: C-
 
In this sequel the evil cat Kitty Galore (Bette Midler) has separated from her former feline organization MEOWS and has hatched a plan to take over the world.  So Diggs (James Marsden) is forced to join forces with Catherine (Christina Applegate) and gather all their fellow dogs and cats to stop Kitty Galore and save the world. 

Ridiculous?  Yes ... but still hilarious.  It's just shear silliness!  Granted as an adult I think you have to be on something to get the full effect but the kids love it.  My child was all into the "plot."  She was explaining what was going on and I'm thinking, "are you serious?!" I'm sorry, yes this is serious dramatic acting and a complicated plot, let me pay full attention.  But as ridiculously silly (should be a new genre) children's movies go, I did enjoy this.  We're big animal lovers in our house so we get a kick out of any movie with talking animals.  And the "Cats & Dogs" movies are the funniest!  The people behind the scenes must have so much fun making these movies as outrageous as they can.
But why see this sequel if you've seen the first one?  Well, Katt Williams the comedian does the voice of a pigeon and his lines are so funny.  His voice alone is funny!  The star is Bette Midler as Kitty Galore.  She's purrrrfect!  (Sorry I couldn't resist)  She does the villain role so well.  Besides the actors, they did a good job once again humanizing these animals and making it almost believable that they could be secret agents of the world ... I said almost.  I just love seeing their secret locations and gadgets!  So funny!
They also added a hysterical nod to a famous classic movie that I was too busy laughing at to hear most of the dialogue.  All I can say is it involves a cat in prison restraints.  So ridiculous you have to laugh! 
Of course at the heart of the movie there's a lesson about love and good conquering evil.  Yes there's a message for the kiddies!
My little one loved this movie and watched it 3 or 4 times in a row so I'm sure your child will love it as well. 
(I'm sorry its too silly to take seriously but it was definitely entertaining and funny.)

I say you can only see this for free on t.v.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Directed By: Jon Turteltaub
Written By: Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Matt Lopez
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina and Teresa Palmer
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B-

A nice, little magical Disney thrill ride. 

The Sorcerer's Apprentice begins with a young boy named Dave who stumbles into an antique store while on a class field trip.  There he runs into Balthazar (Nicholas Cage) who's been searching for a new apprentice.  Balthazar gives Dave a metal dragon which comes to life and wraps itself around Dave's finger forming a ring.  Balthazar knows he's now found his new sorcerer, but a battle ensues between him and Horvath (Alfred Molina) leaving them trapped in an urn for 10 years.  Dave holds on to the ring without a clue of what he is to do with it.  Fast forward 10 years, Dave (Jay Baruchel) is 20 years old and a college student studying Physics.  Balthazar and Horvath have both escaped the urn and are searching for Dave but for very different reasons.  Balthazar reaches Dave and convinces him to be his apprentice and learn the art of magic so they can stop Horvath's plan and save their city. 

Now I found this one to be entertaining and packed full of action.  Pretty good for a kid's film.  I enjoyed the special effects employed for the sorcerers powers.  Very imaginative illusions.  I was also very pleased with Nicholas Cage as the master sorcerer Balthazar but his apprentice (Jay Baruchel) I'm not so sure about.  I kept wondering when he'd become more dark, mysterious and intimidating.  All of the other sorcerers in the movie were intense and daunting but Dave (Baruchel) was a little too timid and unassuming for my taste.  Alfred Molina as Horvath was the perfect villain but Dave was no realistic match for him.  He did however have the sweet, sensitive side that works for the heart of the film and he delivered the charm and humor that appeals to the younger audiences. 
The film took place in New York City which added depth and kept it grounded, gritty and mysterious.
I didn't think there would be much of a story like many other action, adventure films these days but there actually was a nice little plot to follow - or plots.  There were two stories at play here: the race to gain a nesting doll called a Grim Hold (entraps sorcerers) and the training of Dave the apprentice.  I'm not sure which story was more entertaining but by the end neither mattered, only the defeat of Horvath (Molina).
So if you're looking for an adventurous family film that's visually entertaining with a simple, easy to follow plot then you'll definitely have a good time with this one.

I say see it but there's no rush.