July 14th, 2010 larry
Great summer movies continue to roll on. On the heels of Toy Story 3 and Train Your Dragon, I went to the opening day of Despicable Me with my son. Despicable Me is an animated feature with voices from Steve Carrell as Gru, the evil villian main character, Russell Brand as the mad scientist Dr. Nefario, and Jason Segal as Vector, the new bad guy in town. The cartoon is rated PG because of some fart jokes and sly one liners, but nothing I couldn’t take my 5 year old to.
The general gist of the story is Gru, a master villian, is getting on in years and he may not be the top villian in the world anymore. When he hears that someone stole one of the pyramids (Vector) of Egypt he gets fired up and wants to pull the greatest caper in the world. That caper is his life long dream of stealing (or at least going to) the moon. To help him out is Dr. Nefario, the crazy mad scientist who is a little hard of hearing and his minions; both of whom live in his basement. The minions may be the best part of the story. They are little oval, weeble shaped creatures who have one eye, don’t speak English but just squeak at each other, and slap each other around when they do things wrong. Every scene with these sparks giggles.
Stealing the moon has its challenges though. First, its expensive. So you have to get a loan from the Evil Bank. The Evil Bank is really into Gru’s plan but integral to that plan is a shrink ray gun that will allow him to carry the moon like a bowling ball. The loan is his if he can produce the shrink ray gun. The heist for the shrink ray gun goes flawlessly until Vector comes in and steals the gun from him. No gun, no loan.
So Gru must steal the gun back, and of course, the best way to do that is to adopt three girls who will sell cookies to Vector which will allow his cookie robots to steal the gun back. This plan goes well and the shrink ray is his but the bank still refuses him the loan. Which is where the real story comes in. The girls donate their cookie money and the minions donate their salaries to build a rocket and finance the project.
The movie is really about how these girls soften Gru and confuse him on which is more important, the girls or being evil. There are great scenes where the girls ask for kisses goodnight (”No kisses for anyone”), want him to read them a book (”This book about kittens is horrible”), or tuck them in. No matter how nasty he is to them, they refuse to give up on him and keep being nice to him. He starts to enjoy cooking them breakfast, seeing them dance, and teaching them things. He is very disturbed when the heist for the moon is on the same day as their dance recital. When he tries to make the recital after the heist, he sees a note from Vector that they have been kidnapped.
Despicable Me is really a dark comedy for kids and they pull it off. The one liners are funny, Gru is shaped ridiculously (huge chest and head with tiny legs). They do some standard fart jokes, but there are a lot of slapstick with the minions, and the scenes with the girls keep getting funnier. The ending scene of Gru dancing to the Bee Gees is a perfect ending and he actually writes his own kids book so the kids can get used to real literature. Steve Carrel speaks in some sort of eastern European accent which caused the kids some difficulty at first, but it doesn’t last long. Escape the heat or at the first sign of rain, go see Despicable Me.
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Larry
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June 23rd, 2010 larry
Over the last several years, debate has raged at our house if the best Toy Story was Number 1 or Number 2. Mom and Son consistently argue that Toy Story 2 is the best while I believe 1 was the most creative and interesting. Now that we have seen 3, the debate rages on as a family is split three ways. Of course, my son feels like Toy Story 3 is the best one but that could be just because it is shiny and new. However, no matter which one is your favorite, the consensus is definitely that Toy Story 3 is an excellent movie for the entire family. If you looked around the audience that we saw it with, there were families, people on dates, senior citizens, and teenagers. But if you have kids, Toy Story 3 is a must see.
The whole cast is back and this time the issue is that Andy is leaving for college. And like all of us had to do, Mom is demanding that he cleans out his room before he goes. That includes the toys. They need to go into the attic, donated to the pre-school, or off to college with him. Both Andy and the toys are anxious about the final decision.
After some typical comedic hijinks, the decision is that Woody will go to college but the rest of the toys accidently wind up being donated to the pre-school. The head toy of the pre-school is Lotso and paints a picture of Sunnyside Pre-School as the utopia for toys: they have a repair shop, extra batteries, and tons of kids want to play with you. But the best part is that kids keep coming to the school so you are never left alone without a kid to play with. For our heroes, this is music to their ears because Andy hasn’t played with them in years.
Woody won’t stand for it though, he is not going to leave Andy’s side and he heads back to Andy’s house. Of course, Sunnsyside isn’t all it seems. The toys are put in the toddler’s classroom who don’t play gentle, Lotso doesn’t allow them to roam around the rest of the classrooms, and all of the sudden Sunnyside is a prison and not a vacation spot. The movie centers around a fantastic escape by the toys, led by Woody who comes back from them. And it ends with Andy making hard decisions about his toys that left more than one person in the theatre in tears.
For me though, the charm and fun of these movies is how they creatively bring the toys to life. In the beginning, the green army men go AWOL as they don’t want to go the attic. They parachute out of the window like the green army men you get at Chuck E Cheese that have the wrapped up parachute. The portrayal of Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton) was absolutely fantastic. Whether it was the Ken dream house, his obsession with clothes (there is a scene where he just changes clothes from disco to kung fu, and another scene where he is tortured by Barbie ripping his clothes until he gives up some secrets), or the other toys ribbing him that he is a girls toy, Ken steals a lot of the show. They even throw in a love interest for Rex by way of another dinosaur.
Toy Story 3 was a long wait and worth the wait. My kid is already asking when he can have the DVD.
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Larry and Donna
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May 11th, 2010 larry
Having enjoyed Iron Man 1 immensely, we just had to go see Iron Man 2 in the first weekend. With over $100 million in the first weekend, we weren’t the only ones who thought about it. Some of the the cast is back including Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper, Jon Favreau as the body guard, and Robert Downey, Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man. They ditched Terrance Howard as Rhodey for Don Cheadle, brought in Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, and Mickey Rourke as the bad guy.
First, the plot, well, the plot is kind of all over the place. The movie has about 6 sub plots: the energy that keeps Tony Stark alive is also poisoning him; Mickey Rourke wants revenge from the Stark family because they stole his father’s inventions; Hamme (Sam Rockwell) is trying to take over Stark Industries as the number 1 weapons supplier; the government wants Stark to turn over Iron Man to the government; Pepper is taking over as CEO of Stark Enterprises; and Nick Fury wants Iron Man to join Shield. None of these stories actually fit together really well and the movie bounces back and forth between the different story lines. Jon Favreau (director) said in an interview he was confused as why they had Tony Stark admit he was Iron Man at the end of the first movie. The confusion continues in Iron Man 2.
However, this is an entertaining movie. Robert Downey is great as the wise cracking Stark who doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. His dialogue is very funny and keeps the audience laughing. Definitely the best non-action scene, is Tony Stark being grilled by a Senate committe about Iron Man. The Committee leader is Gary Shandling and the back and forth between Downey and Shandling is hysterical. The action is of course great.
I always think that if they can’t put together a plot, just go crazy on action. This is not wall to wall action unfortunately, but the fights against Mickey Rourke, Whiplash, are very cool. And in another scene Don Cheadle, War Machine, fights Iron Man (Iron against Iron) and the hand to hand combat between the two iron men is really cool. Scarlett’s Black Widow action scene is really cool but fleeting. Mickey Rourke is just a gross bad guy who plays the part well. He wields an energy whip that cuts through everything but Iron Man’s suite so the fights are pretty intense, repulsor blasts against laser whips.
So I was really confused walking out of the theater. I was definitely entertained but really can’t call this a great movie like the first one. It was definitely not as bad as a flop as the second James Bond with Daniel Craig but they missed an important opportunity. It is PG-13 but it was really just comic book violence, no swearing, and not a difficult story to follow. You should see this in the theater with really great sound because of the flying and explosions are immense. And if you are really into the comic book, Marvel is doing some really cool things getting the Avengers together and tying the Hulk (Robert Downey was at the end of the last Hulk), Spiderman, Iron Man, and the soon to be Thor and Captain America movies together.
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Larry
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October 14th, 2009 larry
The movie version of Where The Wild Things Are takes the book and expands it like a balloon. Every aspect of the film is visionary. Spike Jones and Dave Eggers screenplay is so real and evocative of what it’s like to be a kid. Both of these guys have such a knack for touching your memories like they are raw nerves - pretty amazing. The costumes and sets are magic. So simple and yet ridiculously complicated, I can’t do them justice with any description. The soundtrack is by Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. What a brilliant choice! The music is primative, yet modern and original, and absolutely integral to the film.
As a mother of a boy this movie is especially resonant. It makes me appreciate my boy. To understand his need to smash things as much as to build. It’s about a child’s need to be heard, loved, included, useful and powerful. It also reminds me of how scary it is to grow up. And how insecure in the world a child can feel.
This is absolutely a movie for adults, teens and older kids. If people want to know at exactly what age a child will enjoy this movie, I really don’t know. You have to know your kids. Where The Wild Things Are is intense. Only a few parts are scary, but the whole movie is heavy. Sure, Max is on a great adventure and there are some high energy times when Max really tears it up, but overall this is not a movie filled with action. It’s filled with emotions, dreams, and fears. It’s loaded with gorgeous images, amazing Wild Things, and magical moments. Will your younger kid be into that? My five year old is not ready to appreciate it. Hopefully in a few years he will be, because I can’t wait to watch it with him.
Click Here to read more Parent’s Reviews of Where the Wild Things Are.
Donna
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August 24th, 2008 larry
What is Sing-Along Little Mermaid? Aside from the obvious singing along with the words on the screen, the Music Box Theatre has created an interactive way for your little ones to enjoy the classic Disney film. The event is running today through Labor Day. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday at 5:30 and 7:45. Wednesday at 10:30, 3:15, 5:30 and 7:45. Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day 1:00, 3:15, 5:30 and 7:45. Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children.
Your children receive a goody bag as they enter the theater. My son and I looked through it and thought it was fun: bubbles, a noisemaker, glow-sticks, a fork. It wasn’t until “Ariel” came out on the stage to introduce the production that she explained that all the goodies had a purpose. When Ariel takes a bath you blow bubbles, when Sebastian the Crab is on screen you make clicking sounds with your noisemaker, use the glow-sticks to conduct the orchestra, brush your hair with the fork like Ariel, etc., etc., etc.
The Music Box has additional touches to make this a more special experience then just seeing a movie. There is an organist playing in the theater as you enter. A lovely redhead dressed as “Ariel” introduces the movie and she is available after the show in the lobby to meet your children. Many of the children wore their Ariel, Prince Eric and Flounder costumes to the theater. Before the movie started they were invited to parade across the stage. The kids loved it and it provided a good photo op for Mom and Dad.
The audience did get into the show. The loudest singing was definitely for “Under the Sea,” the clickers and glow-sticks were the most popular props, and everyone loved hissing and booing Ursula, Flotsam and Jetsam. The Little Mermaid is a great movie on it’s own. Even if your kids have seen it a thousand times on DVD, it’s cool to see it on the big screen. I recommend Sing-Along Little Mermaid - this is a fun little event to enjoy with your kids before sending them back to school.
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Donna
Mom Says: If you want to buy advance tickets, they are being sold on line through Ticketmaster. As you all know the fees add up to cost more then the tickets themselves. Seats are assigned (not general admission) and I would hate for any of your children to be disappointed by my discouraging you from buying tickets in advance. But…it would not have been a problem to walk up to the box office the day of and get into the 1pm show last Saturday. There was plenty of room in the theater and I do not feel there is much advantage to getting the “best” seats in the center of the theater.
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February 6th, 2008 Penny
Week 3 - Hannah Montana and Mily Cyrus Best of Both World’s Concert in 3D
February 1 was the worst snow storm of the season, over 900 schools cancelled schools in the Chicagoland area and we are on our way out the door to go see the new Disney movie, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus, Best of Both Worlds. We had to get there over an hour early and wait in a roped off maze (true to Disney tradition) because it is a sold out show. The good news is that the show’s run has now been extended an extra week to February 15. If you have girls, you know this is a must-see and you equally must order tickets in advance — approximately $15 a person.
When was the last time you heard an ampitheater of little girls giggling, cheering, singing in unison? Even my grouchy 4-year-old is clapping her hands. The movie glimpses Miley’s family life, as well as her life as rocker Hannah Montana. The girl has talent. She writes some of her own songs, she sings very well without the magic devices of the recording studio, and she can move. I’m so glad we came…the place resonates with happiness. Every girl there - and some of them are high school age - knows she can be all she aspires to be. Hannah/Miley is proof!
Hannah’s stageshow includes a full cast of dancers, a la Madonna, circa Blonde Ambition. The choreography is simple enough to inspire your girl to cut a rug, but flashy enough to include some moves you shouldn’t try at home (including a lift during “I’ve Got Nerve.”) If the dancing doesn’t impress you, surely the laser show and pyrotechnics will. Your ticket price includes all the frills of a Kiss concert, sweetened up for your baby girls.
The Jonas Brothers make an appearance (and if you don’t know who they are, you aren’t alone…suffice it to say they are, in the words of my niece, Yum-Me,) and they, too, know how to entertain.
Miley sings, as both Hannah and herself, all the Montana favorites, including her theme song, “The Best of Both Worlds.” I am by far most impressed with the song she wrote for her late grandfather, “I Miss You”, which she performs (in bare feet, with acoustic guitar) alone on stage. A slide show of photos of her and her pappy runs on the screen behind her, and clips of her teaching the song to father Billy Ray (”Hey, you’re not bad,” she tells him,) are both tender and entertaining. “See You Again” was an incredible performance, both vocally and physically. Some of the other songs she sang: Nobody’s perfect, Life’s what you Make It, Girl’s Night Out. She did not sing “Ready, Set, Don’t Go”, the current Miley/Billy Ray hit.
Although Miley asks for “mommy” when something at rehearsal doesn’t go her way, she is far from spoiled. She relents when she should, which is refreshing, given the disasters the Spears girls have become. Additionally, the audience learns of the effort required to put on a show of this caliber. “You mean she’s been practicing this show for months?” my 6-year-old asks. She’s worrying less about her dance recital now. Here’s to hoping Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus remains such a positive role model for our daughters.
As for the 3-D aspect, this movie would’ve been just fine without the occasional microphone stand jumping toward the audience, but the kids seemed to enjoy it. At several points throughout the show, girls are seen reaching to grasp Hannah and the Jonas Brothers’ outstretched hands.
http://imdb.com/title/tt1127884/
Penny
Mom Says: Well worth the ticket price and the wait, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Concert 3-D was an enjoyable way to pass a snowy afternoon, especially for girls too young to attend an actual concert. A great opportunity to bond parents with daughters, and to whet appetites when the live concert tour comes back around! If you’re on the fence, get yourself to the theater for the few showtimes still available. If the week of showtimes is over, pre-order the DVD…and of course there will be a DVD. Disney doesn’t do anything halfway. All-in-all, a very inspiring and uplifting event!
Dad Says: With football over, you’ll have fewer excuses to sit around and watch TV without being bothered. Let the girls wait in line and watch Miley and you can rent violent movies at home.
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