For a little background information, Dracula (Sandler) is a widower with a grown-up daughter called Mavis (Gomez) who has decided they both need some R&R and more family time. So for a surprise, she has arranged for all of them to go on a trip, without telling them it will be a cruise—which Drac would never […]
I am always partial to Brad Bird, and think that his production of Incredibles 2i s just that—impressive enough to be regarded as incredible, and a film that is likely to appeal to all ages. One of Bird’s strengths is in mixing lavish visual and special effects with an entertaining story of substance. Beyond the entertainment, values come
This Japanese animated fantasy film from Masaaki Yuasa seems more oriented toward adults than children. The story is about a community’s lore about and apprehension toward a group of “Merfolk” who live under the sea. There are tales of how they have kidnapped people in Hinashi and are the cause of all sorts of mysterious events. A grandfather
In the hands of Wes Anderson, a stop-motion animated film with mostly dogs as characters and an allegorical theme will captivate children and adults without pandering to either. Probably by coincidence, writer-director Anderson, with the help of Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura, employ themes of topical relevance today: government corruption, foreign influences on
With all the adult themes (such as the complexities in relationships, literary references, and details in the plot), it’s hard to see how Sherlock Gnomes is a film for children, despite its being animated. Following Sherlock’s (Depp) reasoning through problems and clues is way over the kids’ heads; observing the intricacies of relationships between Sherlock
Bilal is promoted as “a new breed of hero”, but this seems to be little different from a host of other such stories, in that Bilal undergoes tragedies from the time he is a child, endures them reasonably well, maintains his rebellious determination for freedom, recognizes words of wisdom and generosity in a strong Mohammed-like
How do you tell a story about a pacifist bull? Well, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Director Carlos Saldanha do just that, based on a book by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson. We don’t know why Ferdinand (Cena) doesn’t want to fight; his father is a champion bull, but Ferdinand likes to smell the flowers—literally!
Disney/Pixar’s colorful, entertaining animation will delight children and adults, which I inferred while watching the screening and hearing the applause at the end. Production design by Harley Jessup is rich in detail and captures Mexican lore about the land of the dead. The story by Lee Unkrich and his fellow writers has emotional depth that
This frothy confection using a kaleidoscope of pastels is made for little girls who cherish dolls, animals, sugar and spice and everything nice. Fortunately, it also conveys messages about friendship (“Friendship is magic”), teamwork, loyalty, creativity, forgiveness, and a sense of responsibility for those in one’s charge. It has bold adventure, excitement, and near-escapes to
Leap! inspires viewers and has messages for children about how to succeed to achieve your dream. Yes, you need to work hard, maybe cut a few corners (careful!), know who your friends are, have people rooting for you (but not distracting you), and cash in on a lot of luck. And, by the way, you