The Illusionist

V: A beautiful, bittersweet film. It is worth seeing just for the animation. It is interesting, even though there is not much said, and what is said is in French or another language. It depicts quite naturally human interactions and desires - how we come and go and change each other. Old vs. New. It tugs at your throat a little. See it. 3 1/2 stars

M: Kind of a downer, but hands down the most beautiful animation I have ever seen. 3 stars.

RIO

V:  Cute show.  The kids enjoyed it.  I hope the others in the theater were entertained by our kids' commentary.  3 stars.


M: We went to the local discount theater to see this. I thought it was pretty fun, and funny in parts. It didn't blow me away, and I was a bit annoyed at times by all the innuendo and carnival stuff (while it wasn't that bad, its a kids show, so it bugged me). It kind of felt like a big advertisement for Rio the city. This was just ok for me. 2 1/2 stars

Mega Mind

V: I kept getting a strong Colbert vibe from Megamind, though I knew it was Will Ferrell. Either way, I really liked that character. The heroine was also really likable. I really thought this was funny. I thought the bad guy went really, really bad for not a really good reason. I just didn't see his motive, nor thought he was a jerk to begin with. But, other than that little thing - I thought the movie was great! 3 1/2 stars

M: I couldn't help but compare this movie to Despicable me, which came out about the same time and is basically the same movie. Both good movies. I liked this more. 3 stars

Tangled

V: I went in with high expectations, and I really enjoyed it. Rapunzel's character is natural and funny. Flynt is very fun. Interesting way they dealt with Dame Gothel, who had no powers but was just vain and selfish. She had a bit of an Ursula vibe, with her over-the-top broadway style. Her eyes were a little too huge, it was distracting. It was a very fun, very cute movie. 3 1/2 stars

M: I really loved it. Beautifully made. Great characters, and interesting take on a classic. A definite must see. 3 1/2 stars

Despicable Me

M: I went to see this on a date with my 6 year old Daughter. It was good. Pretty enjoyable. Had a good message. At times it felt a bit predictable and heavy handed. But, all in all, a good show to see with the kids. 2 1/2 stars

Alice in Wonderland

V: My favorite book growing up was Alice in Wonderland. The previews looked really creepy, and the reviews mixed, but we decided to go see it anyway. Yes, it was creepy. Tim Burton is the King of Creep. But, it kinda fits in Wonderland - because it's Wonderland. Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen was pretty funny. I liked her. Anne Hathaway, as the White Queen, was also good, in a quirky, wistful way. Johnny Depp was right at home as the Mad Hatter. Crispin Glover as Stayne, the Red Knight, was uber-creepy, with his huge body and tiny head. It was a much darker Wonderland than I liked in the book, though. Nonsense for nonsense's sake has been replaced by tragedy-induced madness. And I got a hint of a nightmarish cyclical history in Wonderland. Was it just me? I guess the makers of this movie felt they had to explain things and reason some plot out of this - which is precisely not the point. Remember what the "most important piece of evidence heard yet" was? "Nothing, whatever." It's supposed to be nonsense.

Okay, the more I write the more I'm convincing myself I didn't like this - but I actually did enjoy "seeing" it. I enjoyed most of what was happening visually in Wonderland. I was liking the movie very much, actually, until Alice returned to England. Her actions there were rude and historically improbable. *Spoiler* It's fine if she doesn't want to marry someone, but rather than politely decline, she meanly tells poor Hamish that he just didn't do it for her. Then she stomps off, as the entire crowd, silenced, parts to let her grandly parade by. I really hate stuff like that in movies. It's so over-the-top. And of course then she takes her father's place in his adventuring business (which seemed quite a jump from the way things had been set up socially at the beginning of the movie.) It's great for Alice to want to be independent, and to find adventure in her life. But it was abnoxious and political grandstanding: "Look at me! I'm a woman in turn-of-the-century England and I just told this guy to shove it in front of all his family and friends! I'm so strong and liberated! And now I'm taking over my father's business and am going to boss all these wealthy old men around! Yeah, I'm 19 years old, but I'm strong and liberated!" Not likely. I see that they were trying to make Alice out to be a strong heroine, slay the jabberwocky and otherwise not follow traditional roles, blah, blah, blah... I guess what I'm trying to say is, Be strong, but don't be bratty and immature about it.

So that was a lot about what I didn't like. Again, the Wonderland visuals, and many of its characters, I liked. 3 stars

M: I was not the biggest fan of the book. I know, I know, you are thinking that I didn't understand it, or I am a fun-hater. Maybe. Watching the movie though, gave me a little better appreciation for the book. I, like V, think they missed the boat. In the book, there are no "good guys" or "bad guys," just characters. There is no winning or losing, or winners or losers, just a nonsensical adventure. In making this movie, someone must have said, "wait, we need a plot, a good team, a bad team, a battle, and a winner, that is just what we do in movies, and if we don't, how will people know who wins, how will they know they saw a movie at all?" So, like a miniature version of Lord of the Rings or the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, the movie separated the characters into teams, good and bad. Then, in the end, the teams had an epic battle, which for me, was the last straw. I didn't want a winner, I didn't want good to overcome evil, and I didn't want a re-hash of ever other movie out ever made. I wanted Alice in Wonderland, the book I didn't really under stand or appreciate. The unique, nonsensical, delightful adventure of Alice in Wonderland. This just missed the boat. On a side note, it was very beautiful, but I think I have had by fill of 3D movies. 2 1/2 stars

G-Force

M: Sometimes movies are just for parents, sometimes they are just for kids. Sometimes you can get a movie that the whole family can enjoy. On a rare occasion, you can find a movie that is hated by all. Welcome to G-Force. The best, and most telling, part of the movie was when, after watching for about 1/2 hour, our daughter (5 1/2 years) asked, when do we see the weird funny things (the movie had a preview for Alice in Wonderland, and she thought that was going to be the movie we watched). We explained that this was the movie, that it was about these guinea pigs and their adventures. She covered her head with her blanket to hide her disappointment and to weep quietly. Our other daughter (4 years) had fallen asleep. I wanted to join them (sleep would have been preferable, but gentle weeping would have sufficed). But there we sat, through the end. I don't know what it is about our family, but when it comes to movies, we finish what we start. Even if it is awful. I think we hope it will turn around and redeem itself. So I never get it when I hear someone say "oh, we turned that one off after 10 minutes" I don't know if they are wrong or I am. Even our 5 1/2 year old is starting to display this tendency (although she was very disappointed, she wouldn't let us just turn it off, we had to wait to the end). We really only turn something off if it is just foul (see Year One). But, since we don't really watch the rated R's, that is not common. Even Year One we may have made it to the end if we weren't watching it with my parents (squirm . . . blush . . . squirm). So last night, after the movie, I was thinking about this, and humming a song by Cake which kind of sums it up. It's called "End of the Movie"

People you love will turn their backs on you,
You'll lose your hair, Your teeth,
Your knife will fall out of it's sheath,
But you still don't like to leave before the end of the movie.

People you hate will get their hooks into you,
They'll pull you down, You'll frown,
They'll tar you and drag you through town,
But you still don't like to leave before the end of the movie,
No, You still don't like to leave before the end of the show.

I don't even know where to begin on the actual content of G-Force. It just bugged me. I will say that I hear it had some cool 3D effects. But on a TV, those scenes set up for the 3D theaters just fell flat. 1 Star

V: M, you had fun with that review, didn't you? Yes, G-Force was really quite dumb. Very disjointed, throw-in-the-stuff you think people will like but give it no sense, pick-your-nose and fart humor, bleagh. Not a fun one for our family movie night. (Our kids are still re-watching Chicken Run.) Why would these smart little rodents be devastated by the fact that they were not genetically engineered, but just regular guinea pigs who made themselves into intelligent creatures? Why would the villain who spent so much time plotting world destruction so quickly wake up to the fact that what he had done was wrong and he needs to try to stop it? "Oh dear, what have I done?" Dumb, dumb. 1 1/2 stars

The Princess and the Frog

M: The other day we had cousins day, and all of the cousins, and their parents (that's me) went to see The Princess and the Frog. V didn't go, so for now, I am on my own on this one. A few things of note: this movie is old fashion hand-drawn animation, and this movie has the first black princess. Both are good things, and present a beauty all their own, where computer animation gives way to old-school drawings, and old school drawings get the honor of shaking loose from their past and emerging with a wonderful story with beautiful characters that have not been included in the past. The good thing about the age we live in is that, even though all the adults talk about what this movie represents, to my girls, it is just another movie, with just another beautiful princess. Her color didn't matter to them, which made me proud both of them and of society. But I digress, this is about the movie. The movie takes place in New Orleans and takes you from the bright carnival-filled streets to the firefly-filled swamps. One particular firefly almost steals the show. This movie is very touching and sweet, though a bit loud and bright at times, probably like New Orleans. Also has some dark and scary scenes involving voodoo, which may not be for everybody. All in all, a very good show. 3 1/2 stars.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

M: A pretty funny movie, with some great lines. Nothing is going to stand out to make me remember this movie, but the kids loved it. A good family movie. 2 1/2 stars

V: Pretty cute show. Some uniquely funny stuff. It was fun watching it with the kids. 3 stars

Up

V: I think the only thing I didn't love about this movie is the title. But maybe it was hard to come with something that didn't sound cheesy - and I really had very little idea what was going to happen in this movie after the old man went "up." So I guess that added to the fun. This movie was very funny and very sweet. I almost cried twice. But I held it together. (And you can't prove otherwise because the theater was dark.) The montage of the man and his wife was one of the greatest things I've seen - so sweet. This movie is full of heart, so I don't recommend it to ornery curmudgeons. The rest of you will love it. 4 stars.

M. I agree with V, that the montage and the movie were very-very touching, and up to the point when they took flight, the movie was absolutely fantastic. From there, it got a little silly for me. I didn't care for the bad guy and all his dogs. Maybe I got too much hype going into this one, and had unrealistic expectations. Don't get me wrong, this is a very well done movie, and I loved the idea, and the first half-hour. I just wasn't blown away by where the movie went from there. So, it could definitely be higher, and I am on the fence, but I have to give it, 3 stars.

The Tale of Despereaux

M: We have been getting our fill of some pretty good animated movies lately. I loved the idea of the mice learning how to be scared, and I laughed at how Despereaux's bravery was so appalling to the other mice. But, as the story progressed, I got a little bored. The storyline wasn't great, and the lessons seemed a bit heavy. All in all, it is a decent show, very good looking, but not great. I struggle where to put this, for me, 2 means average, 2 1/2 above average, 3 means good, 3 1/2 great, and 4 is exceptional. This movie falls somewhere in between above average and good. I have seen a lot of cartoons lately that make this pale in comparison. So I think I will give it 2 1/2 stars.

V: I enjoyed the book, which won the Newberry Award. Although, I felt the end wrapped up a little too quickly. What I really loved about the book was the language. That's hard to translate to film -- which is where the narrator voiceover comes in. That almost always weakens a movie, because they just can't seem to resist stating the moral. People don't like to be told what they've already figured out. (And when they figure it out for themselves, it seems profound, egotistical as we are. When it's stated for us, it seems trite.) For example, I really was enjoying the movie Seabiscuit and then, at the very end, the voiceover came on and said something like, "Seabiscuit may think I healed him, but actually, it was him who healed me." Groan. So anyway, the voiceover weakened Despereaux. I think they filled out the resolution better than the book. My main complaint was that they didn't keep all the story lines tight enough, so that I began to wonder, are they ever going to say anything more about the princess? the rat? Otherwise, it was stylishly done, some good humor and good characters. I agree with M, yet again, 2 1/2 stars.

Bolt

M: I hadn't really heard a lot about this movie. We rented it for family movie night with the kids. At first, I was nervous, but with a twist in the first few minutes, the movie went from cheesy to engaging. The characters are likable, and there is some good humor. All in all, I liked it. 3 stars.

V: We did have some friends recommend this to us. After the initial "seriously?" we really thought it was fun. I particularly liked the hamsters pep talk which lets you know you can do anything "if.you're.awesome!" I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. I give this one 3 1/2 stars.

Coraline

M: Where to start. We were excited to see this, and went out to a late showing on Valentine's day. (Can you say "Romance.") Steve Salles, who we usually agree with, gave the movie 4 stars. And we loved Nightmare Before Christmas (same director), so we had fairly high expectations. As it turns out, this was the creepiest movie I have ever seen. It was well done, and beautiful at times, but absolutely creeped me out. Do not, I repeat, do not, take your kids to this movie, unless you want them to have nightmares about the evil versions of their parents taking out their children's eyeballs and sewing buttons in their place. I am giving this a bonus for looking good, otherwise my review would be lower. 2 1/2 stars.

V: Yeah, I was a little bummed about this one. It was really super well done. But, man! I had heard it described as creepy. It was downright scary. There was little to lighten it up or provide comic relief. Could have been really good, but I think it just stayed too dark and frightening. I saw it described as "horror fantasy." Keep that in mind, and like M said, don't take your kids! There was one scene with a They Might Be Giants song - fans will notice it right off. I guess they (TMBG) were going to do a lot more music for the film, but as it turned more and more creepy, TMBG had to be left behind. I think it would have been better --could have infused some dark humor. As it was, it was just dark. So, on the positive side . . . If you think of it as a Halloween film (as it definitely should have been marketed as such and released then!!) and you're looking forward to being scared - then by all means, go see Coraline. Again, it is really beautifully done, and the 3D was cool, very realistic. So, in the genre of horror flicks, I give this 3 stars.

Horton Hears a Who

V: Somehow I can't resist calling this "Horton Gives a Hoot", but I guess that works, too. He does, he really does. He's a very sweet pachyderm. This movie has a ton of great voice talent: Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Carol Burnett (wait there's a pattern here.) The story is developed well and moves along. My only complaint - maybe I missed it - is I really didn't see why the Kangaroo was soooo dead set against Horton helping his speck. I know, there's a message of intolerance and misunderstanding in there - but I could have used a little more basis for why the WHOLE JUNGLE came together to stop him. Wouldn't they realistically just write him off as a little crazy and let him go on his harmless way? (Like they did for Katie the babbling orange fluffball?) But, it was still an enjoyable little movie. 3 stars.

M: Fun and funny. Not as funny or satisfying as WallE or Kung-fu Panda. Kind of paled in comparison , but worth seeing if you have kids. 3 stars.

Wall-E

M: Loved it. Wall-E is the funnest character. Very sweet. The movie is simply fun, clever, and worth seeing and owning. 4 stars

V: I really wanted to watch this movie again almost as soon as I was finished seeing it. That's a good sign. It was so sweet and clever. I've got a soft spot for that little trash compactor. One thing I appreciated was that - though there was an obvious environmental message - there was no preaching or moral-stating, they just told the story. Wall-E, so darling and love-starved, just kept shoveling away through centuries. I loved the plucky way the people approached their "new" home at the end. It was very optimistic. 4 stars

Kung-Fu Panda

V: I know everyone else has already seen this. Like I said, we're red-boxers. Hey, did you get to make Gyoza and eat them while watching this show in the theater? I didn't think so! I'm a big Jack Black fan, so I was pretty sure I was going to love this. And I did! Great characters, some hilarious lines. Good moral. My 4-year-old adds, "It was pretty fun, and just a little bit scary." We might even buy this one. (We kinda hate collecting movies, so that's saying something.) I wrestled with this a bit, but decided to just embrace the joy: 4 stars.

M: This legendary movie was the stuff of legend. 4 stars.

Bee Movie

M: This is the latest cartoon about a bug that is unsatisfied with its lot in life and wants to shake the mold, ala A Bug's Life and Ants. In Bee Movie, a young bee, Barry B. Benson, graduates from school and discovers that he has to immediately decide which job he wants to perform for the rest of his life, every day, until he dies. All the other bees seem happy to work their lives away, but not Barry. So Barry goes off on an adventure and meets a human woman and falls in love. Up to this point, about the first third of the movie, I was on board and really enjoying myself. However, the movie then takes the viewer on a disjointed adventure where the story seemed to really unravel. A lot of potential, and pretty good, but disappointing in the end. My 4 year old really seemed to like it though. I give it a B. 2 1/2 stars

V: Had some very funny parts. Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld. I agree it got a little discombobulated at the end. And the point seemed to be (unlike Ants and Bug's Life): Maintain the Status Quo. Which is, I admit, a little uninspiring. But kids liked it. I enjoyed it, too. (I actually found the tv ads that Jerry did to promote the show hilarious.) For light-hearted humor, I give it 3 stars.

Enchanted

M: This is a fantastic movie. McDreamy (Grey's Anatomy), Jim's Pam-look-alike girlfriend (the office), and Cyclops (X-Men) all made appearances and all three were great. Particularly Amy Adams who was so sweet and funny and perfect for the part (maybe Jim should have stuck with her, see review of Blades of Glory). The prince, James Marsden, was pretty hilarious, and Patrick Dempsy made a very likeable leading man. The music scenes were great. This is a classic, for adults and children. Nearly a four star movie but a couple of overly silly things, think animal bowels, keep it from perfection. I also wasn't 100% sold on the ending. Having said that, I highly recommend. 3 1/2 stars

V: I also really liked this show. Many funny parts and great references to Disney movies past. Amy Adams as Giselle was so great - you could really picture her animated counterpart. Loved watching her change, too, as she grasped reality. The prince was one of the funniest parts. The chipmunk was the least funny when he could talk - so it was good he could only squeak for most of the movie. Songs were great fun. Very entertaining. 3 1/2 stars

Ratatouille

M: Good movie. Maybe a little long. Little Rat (voice of spence from King of Queens, Vic can fill in the name, she is good at that kind of thing) likes to cook. As a cooking fan, he doesn't fit in with the other rats, eventually separates from them, and ends up at a fancy restaurant helping a human wannabe cook make fancy dishes. This is very funny, but, if you are like me, the sight of rats cooking is not all that appealing. The only real flaw in the movie is toward the end where there is this sort of false ending that is proceeded by more action, another climax, and a bit of an anticlimactic second ending. Perhaps this unexpected bonus time after my mind thought the movie was over contributed to the feeling that the movie was about 20 minutes too long. See it though, it is good. 3 Stars

V: I really liked it, a great fish-out-of-water/rat-in-the-kitchen story. I do agree that the huge family of rats scurrying around the kitchen was shudder inducing - which is probably the main reason I didn't give this one full marks. When the show looked like it was going to wrap up, I'm really glad it didn't - it would've been too simple, too trite. Instead, it further explored the complications of pride, loyalty, peer pressure - and the reality of the problem of a rat in the kitchen. So I really ended up liking this show. Really fun and unique - The Pixar people don't disappoint. 3 1/2 stars

The Simpson's Movie

A classic TV show gone movie length.

V: Didn't disappoint. Funny, moving, inspiring - just like the TV show. 3 stars.

M: As far as I am concerned, the Simpsons is perhaps the best TV show of all time. This created a high bar in my mind for the movie. (as I have learned during this primary election season, its called the “expectations game”). The movie was good. But maybe my expectations were too high. Much like when Wallace and Gromit came out with a movie, I came away a little bit disappointed. Maybe both shows are best in 30 minute increments. Having said that, it is still the Simpsons; don’t miss it. 3 stars.