Tag Archives: childrens movies

Go Diego Go! Great Gorilla (2008)

“Great Gorilla” was released to DVD not long ago, and the minute my son saw the ad, he wanted it. Ah, the magic of television advertising . . . we picked it up at Blockbuster the other day and watched it as a family. While only my youngest two are in to Diego and the rest of us consider it a unique form of torture, I had to admit there were some better than expected moments. The DVD contains four episodes. The first is the one for which the DVD is named. Diego travels to Africa to attend the crowning … Continue reading →

Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

“Babe: Pig in the City” picks up immediately after the original movie, “Babe,” leaves off. Babe has just won the sheepdog competition and returns home to much cheering and acclaim. All in all, he and the boss (James Cromwell) are pleased to return to the quiet of the farm, where the boss picks up on things left undone, including the fixing of the water pump attached to the well. But when Babe gets curious and wants to see just what the boss is doing down in the well, he causes an accident that leaves the boss injured, and the boss’s … Continue reading →

The Magic School Bus: Space Adventures (1994)

We love watching “The Magic School Bus.” It’s a combination of science, physics, and entertainment the whole family can enjoy together. I admit, I’ve learned quite a bit myself. “Space Adventures”” is a collection of three flight-related episodes put into one. Our first selection, “Lost in Space,” features Arnold’s cousin Janet as a visiting know-it-all who’s determined to prove that her school is the best. Arnold wants to show her how cool it is to take a field trip with Miss Frizzle, and when an outing is mentioned, he’s sure he’s about to make Janet eat her words. But when … Continue reading →

Weight a Minute! No Secret Ingredient

Caution: This blog contains movie spoilers. But it’s all for a good cause. Last week, I blogged about “Kung Fu Panda” and the lessons I learned from Po, the cute, overweight star of the show. I wanted to save the most important lesson for last and give it a blog all of its own, and here it is. Toward the end of the movie, when Po finally gets his paws on the Dragon Scroll, he opens it to discover that there’s nothing written on it. He’s discouraged and feels let down until his father lets him in on something else … Continue reading →

The Magic School Bus: Creepy, Crawly Fun (1994)

I can’t think of any other children’s television show that illustrates science so creatively as “The Magic School Bus.” You can get most of these awesome episodes on video and DVD to watch whenever you like. Today my children and I took a look at “Creepy, Crawly Fun.” It was creepy. It was crawly. And it was fun. The DVD contains three episodes. In the first, “Inside the Haunted House,” Carlos is trying to invent a new musical instrument that will really knock the socks off the competition at the band tournament. But no matter how he tweaks his invention, … Continue reading →

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

We met them first as cartoons, but now Alvin, Simon and Theodore become real. Well, as real as singing, talking chipmunks can get. In this 2007 movie “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” we meet Dave Seville, a man who’s in advertising but really wants to be a song writer. After suffering a humiliating defeat, he’s not quite prepared for what happens next, but it happens all the same. Three chipmunks ride home from work in his fruit basket. They came from the forest and were transported to the city in a Christmas tree, found themselves in unfamiliar territory and were lured … Continue reading →

Bee Movie (2007)

“Bee Movie” is a recent cartoon released by Dreamworks and written by Jerry Seinfeld. I watched it with my children last night and we enjoyed it. Barry is a young bee who has just graduated from college. The lifespan of a bee being somewhat short, his entire college career lasted three days, but his graduation is still a big deal. He can now choose which job he wants out of all those offered in the hive. He can stir honey. He can sweep the floors. He can clean the bathrooms. Whatever job he takes, he will do it the rest … Continue reading →

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (2007)

At last, a family movie that we truly can all enjoy, from my husband down to my toddler. “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” had something in it for each of us. Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is a very old man, and I don’t just mean elderly. He’s over two hundred years old, and he’s had a great many adventures. His childlike appreciation of life has made all who know him appreciate it too, and now, in his later years, he shares that love with the customers in his toy store. His store manager, Molly Mahoney, is also is very good friend. … Continue reading →

Alice in Wonderland (1999)

This version of the Lewis Carroll children’s classic was filmed for television and includes the characters found in both “Alice in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass,” the sequel. As a Carroll fan (I’ve even read “The Hunting of the Snark”) I was curiouser and curiouser to watch this film, but I’m sorry to say, I was disappointed. It all began with Tina Majorino, the young lady chosen to play Alice. While I generally consider her to be a great actress, I didn’t feel that she gave us the performance we needed. She was fourteen when she made this film … Continue reading →

The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (1998)

Sixteen years after the release of the original, “The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue” made its appearance on the children’s movie market. Timmy, the sickly child from the first film, is now healthy and a little bit older. Nicodemus, the prophet leader of the rats, prophesied that someday, Timmy would save them all from NIMH again, and now it’s time for Timmy to prepare for his destiny. He’s going to Thorn Valley, where the rats of NIMH have resettled, to go to school and be taught by Mr. Ages and Justin personally. His brother Martin is jealous … Continue reading →