Now that a record-breaking summer is in our rear-view mirror and the kids are back in school, naturally a parent’s thoughts turn to…. holiday movie going!!!
A cynic would say that this season is full of sequels, prequels, sequels to prequels (Fantastic Beasts 2 pulls off that rare feat), remakes, reboots and superhero films. Well, I’m here to tell you that……actually, yes they’d be right. However, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be plenty of ways to take a break from holiday shopping, spend a fun afternoon with your kids or kill a couple hours inside as the temperatures drop and snow begins to fly outside.
After all, isn’t that what we’re looking for here – a little down time? If you want original, high quality films, there will be plenty of options for you at the local art-house theater during awards season. If, on the other hand, you want to be entertained for a bit with the kiddos, well then, we’ve got you covered.
As always, there is a debate about what constitutes a “family” film. Every family will be different in terms of what works for them, and every child is different – what one 8 year old might consider too scary another 8 year old will want to see multiple times. Nobody knows your kids as well as you, so adjust accordingly, but there should be something for everyone this holiday season.
For our purposes here, unless otherwise noted, I am taking a look at the films that might be considered more traditionally family centric.
(Dates and ratings as of October 1)
9/28: Smallfoot – PG
One of the few original titles this season, and the only original animated release, “Smallfoot” gets an early jump on the season, releasing Sept 28. “Smallfoot” is a twist on the Bigfoot legend, when a Yeti goes in search of the legendary Littlefoot (humans) after spotting one on his mountain and is ridiculed by his village when he tries to warn them. Get it? We call them Bigfoot, they call us Littlefoot….ok, moving on.
This film will likely appeal most to 5-9 year olds and boys and girls will both want to see it. Slapstick comedy, plenty of fish-out-water moments, cute and cuddly Yeti, catchy songs…. what’s not to like if you’re in that group? It comes from Illumination (home of “Minions” and “Secret Life of Pets”), so parents should expect much along those lines. My 9 year old son has mentioned a couple time that he wants to see it, so there will be a Bigfoot sighting in my future.
10/5: Venom – PG-13
The Venom character gets his own movie in this spin-off from the Spider-Man universe. Venom is the alter-ego of journalist Eddie Brock after Eddie comes in contact with an alien symbiote which takes over his body. With the powers bestowed upon him by the symbiote, Eddie becomes Venom and embarks on a campaign to help those he feels are “innocent”. However good-intentioned Eddie may be, Venom has its’ own, sometimes overly violent, ideas on how to accomplish Eddies goals.
Venom is darker in look and tone and less overtly humorous than Spider-Man, but Tom Hardy brings a certain charm and likeability to Eddie, who is the opposite of Spider-Man’s flippant, snarky and teenager-ey Peter Parker. This film is rated PG-13 for intense action, violence and language. Most boys that are into superhero movies, and Spider-Man in particular, will want to see this. However, parents be warned – this is NOT Spider-Man. The violence in “Venom” is less comic-book type violence like you see in Spider-Man and more in-your-face, actually violent violence, and the Venom character is very menacing and scary. There were grumblings/rumors that this film may actually carry an R-rating, so that should give you a sense of how this movie will skew. You know your kid better than anyone, so if they scare easily, you may want to look elsewhere.
10/12: Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween – PG
After the success of 2015’s “Goosebumps”, R.L. Stine’s fun-scary book series is back with “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween”. There is no Jack Black this time around, but there are plenty of scares and fun to be had for the entire family, especially those with older kids. For those looking for a little Halloween fright, but not at the “Halloween”/Jamie Lee Curtis level, this may be for you. “Goosebumps 2” centers on a group of teenagers who discover a hidden Goosebumps book which, once opened, unleashes the best of R.L. Stine’s scariest creations on their town to take over Halloween. Expect lots of creepiness (talking Dummies anyone?), jump-scares, and spooky special effects as the kids rally to try to save their town.
This film should deliver its own family-friendly brand of scares, perfect for kids 9 and older, and the rare film that you can take your 11 to 14 year old to without them being completely embarrassed to be seen with you. Full disclosure – I am a complete Halloween nut and I love sharing that with my kids, so personally, I am really looking forward to taking my 13 -year old daughter. My 9-year old son will likely be on the fence since he struggled with “Ghostbusters” last year.
10/26: Johnny English Strikes Again – PG
For those Mr. Bean fans out there, and there are some, Rowan Atkinson is back as Johnny English in this third installment of the British spy-spoof franchise. This time, Johnny English is called upon when a cyberattack reveals the true identities of all agents in Britain. Johnny must use his, ahem, “very particular set of skills”, to find the hacker and shut him down. Problem is, Johnny is a rotary dial phone in a cell phone age, and so is a bit of a technological fish-out-of-water, even if he doesn’t think so.
This movie is full is pratfalls, slapstick and sight-gags – think “Mission Impossible 1” meets “The Naked Gun” (you younger parents may need to look that up). I can see how this appealing primarily to boys 7-10. If you’ve got a 3 Stooges fanboy, if you are looking for a fairly clean, wholesome action-adventure film for your younger ones, or if you are a fan of Rowan Atkinsons’ brand of silliness, this film will be right up your alley.
11/2: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – PG
Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic gets the Disney treatment in this live-action release coming just in time for the holidays. Here, Clara and Drosselmeyer meet on Christmas Eve and he gives Clara a gift that transports her to the Four Realms where the characters from the beloved ballet will be played out in “Snow White” meets “Alice in Wonderland” meets “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” live-action fashion.
While borrowing themes and characters from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Disney puts a spin on them and has Clara playing the part of action hero trying to save the Four Realms from Mother Ginger. Fans of the traditional ballet may not find the changes to their liking, while those new to the story and fans of Disney’s live-action updated films based on their classic titles like “Maleficent”, “Snow White” and “Cinderella”, will likely find this spectacle very enjoyable.
I find the ballet/action film mashup a little peculiar, as if Disney is trying to cater to both boys and girls – sort of a notch up the cultural scale from “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”, with the end possibly missing the mark for both audiences. It may also be a little too dark for the younger ones – anyone under 5 or 6 may find it a little frightening. However, I would never bet against Disney’s machine, and you know that it will have a killer score. Also worth noting: the wonderful Misty Copeland plays The Ballerina (natch), and this alone may be worth taking younger ballerinas to see the film.
11/9: The Grinch – PG
I love the classic “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” TV special. I love the dated and simplistic (by today’s standards) animation, I love the songs and I love Boris Karloff’s iconic voice as the Grinch. I can’t wait to watch it every year with my kids. However, and at the risk of sounding like a Grinch myself, I don’t feel the need to see the classic redone into a 90-minute stretched-out version, especially after 2000’s Jim Carrey live-action redo.
That version delved into the Grinch’s backstory to see what made him tick, showed how he lives and glimpses of his everyday life, went into the story of Cindy-Lou Who, and concocted a Whobilation and Cheermeister humiliation to serve as a catalyst for the Grinch’s Christmas Eve run on Whoville. Too much filler and nonsense. Bah humbug!! In this, newer, updated version, we get into Grinch’s backstory to see what makes him tick, see a little more of how he lives and a peek into his every day life…. Oh no, not again!!!
Having said all that…. I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be taking my kids, at least my younger two, to see this, and I am sure I will enjoy it, though not as much as the original classic. The design is close enough to the original to satisfy my nostalgia on that front, Max is as lovable and eager to please as ever, and the additional story we get (planning of the heist, more scenes of not-niceness, etc.) isn’t as overblown as the live-action version so it feels more organic and not so much like filler. There is no replacing Boris Karloff, however, try as Benedict Cumberbatch might.
While not my idea of a classic, it may well end up being my kids’ idea of a classic, and one that they will remember fondly and want to share with their kids. That’s good enough for me.
11/16: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – PG-13
“Fantastic Beasts 2” (FB2) pulls off the Marvel-ian feat of being a sequel to a prequel. But, FB2 goes Marvel one better – it’s a sequel to a prequel that itself was a spinoff based on nothing more than a textbook mentioned in the Harry Potter films. Confused? That’s how I felt watching “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (FB1).
Granted, as an origin story, FB1 was tasked with introducing all new characters and magical creatures, plot lines and subplots, all while referencing and staying true to the characters, plots and subplots from the Potter films and setting up the next 4 FB films to come. That’s a lot to cram into one movie, and I think it caused FB1 to feel cumbersome and overly complicated – nearly too hard to follow except for the most diehard Potter fans.
Free from the burden of having to establish that groundwork, Fantastic Beasts 2 can move forward and delve into the more magical aspects that audiences love about the Potter films, and which was missing for me from FB1. FB2 moves from New York to Paris, where Newt Scamander is tracking Gellert Grindlewald, the big bad in this pre-Voldemort wizarding world. Grindlewald wants to assert wizarding supremacy over the world and Dumbledore puts Newt on his trail to stop him before he can.
We watched the HP series with our 9-year-old who thoroughly enjoyed them. I am looking forward to continuing that magical journey with him as we enjoy the FB series, and FB2 will likely draw him in much more that FB1 as the plot lines become clearer and the creatures more magical. The HP series, and FB after that, are wonderful co-viewing opportunities with your kids, but I would suggest not starting with FB2 – too much magical water under the bridge. You don’t necessarily need to watch the entire HP series before seeing this film, but I would highly recommend spending a couple hours and watching (or re-watching) FB1 to get a solid primer before enjoying FB2.
11/21: Ralph Breaks the Internet – PG
The third major animated release of the season comes Thanksgiving weekend when “Wreck it Ralph 2”…er…”Ralph Break the Internet” hits theaters. The first Ralph won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2012, but I have to confess that I was not a huge fan. Ralph wasn’t without its charms, though, and it’s use of early 1980s video game characters was funny and clever and checked the nostalgia box for many parents. On the whole though, it was just OK for me, and not necessarily worthy of an Oscar (down year for animated titles I guess).
Ralph 2 continues its Tron-ish world-within-video-game-world setting, but this time moves the action to the Internet as Ralph and his best friend Venellope go in search of a spare part for a broken arcade video game. In this go-round, the clever use of early video game characters and references are replaced with the not-so-clever use of Disney characters (cross branding and licensing opportunities alert) and Internet references.
On the surface, this feels like a money-grab cross-promotional opportunity for Disney branding, and the thin story line doesn’t feel like it outweighs the negatives. To the film’s (and Disney’s) credit, though, I will say that the various trailers seem to play up Disney’s self-awareness with cracks about the public perception that the Princesses all need Princes to rescue them, and there is a great in-the-know crack about Merida and her thick accent. Again, I wouldn’t bet against the Disney machine, and this may ultimately be a thoroughly enjoyable 90 minutes with younger kids. There should be enough gags and self-aware jokes at Disney’s expense to entertain parents, while the current Fortnite generation of kids will probably related much more to the updated gaming references than they did in Ralph 1.
[Read our review of Ralph here]
11/21: Robin Hood – PG-13
The eternally rebooted Robin Hood makes its’ latest appearance Thanksgiving weekend. Starring Taron Egerton, who parents might recognize from the “Kingsman” films and whose voice kids will recognize as Johnny in “Sing”, and Jamie Foxx, this incarnation looks to breathe new life into the decades-old Robin Hood mythology.
Kids may remember the animated Disney classic – well, this ain’t that. While the classic animated tale squarely targeted younger audiences, this version will have heavy appeal to kids 12+, primarily boys. Previous live-action versions have focused more on the drama, while this take is part “Batman Begins”, part “Assassin’s Creed” and all action, and seems custom made to appeal to the “Game of Thrones” / ”Fortnite” / Generation-e (as in eSports) crowd. Egerton is likable as Robin of Loxely who is trained Liam Neeson/”Batman Begins” style by Little John (Jamie Foxx) to take down the evil Sherriff of Nottingham.
Even though the story is well known, the twist here is the elaborately choreographed fight scenes and the non-stop action. After the heavier Russell Crowe 2010 version, this feels downright fresh and fun – definitely a good way to take a break from Thanksgiving weekend hustle and bustle. Leave the youngsters at home, as there will be violence, but be prepared to take your older kids (12+) and enjoy the popcorn.
12/14: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – PG
The Spider-Man universe continues to expand when “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” hits theaters in mid-December. Not exactly a trailblazer in terms of holiday releases – this is the fourth animated title, the second of three super-hero movies and even the second Spider-Man universe movie – it may nonetheless, be one of the most surprising.
This is quite a departure from the well-known and often-rebooted Spider-Man live-action movies in that: 1) well, it’s animated, 2) Peter Parker is now a grown up looking to impart his “wisdom” on a new generation of Spider-kids, 3) yes, Spider-kids – as in multiple Spidey versions exist in this universe and 4) the central character is Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teenager from Brooklyn. We won’t go into what the Spider-verse actually is, there are many Wiki sites dedicated to that, suffice to say that like most comic-book super-heroes, Spider-Man has his own alternative universes and this movie incorporates some of those stories.
The animation has a very fresh urban-cool feel, and Miles Morales is a breath of fresh air compared to Peter Parker, especially for those who have grown tired of the Peter Parker school-boy schtick in the live-action films. While the live-action Spidey films target an older audience, this version should appeal to the younger fan-boys and fan-girls – think 7-10 years old. Many younger kids who are into comics will likely be into this version, and much like the uber-successful “Black Panther”, “Into the Spider-Verse” could have significant appeal to minority kids as this gives that under-served audience another worthy super-hero film to get excited about.
Film has not yet been rated, but will likely be no worse than PG for cartoon comic-book violence.
12/19: Mary Poppins Returns – G
Mary Poppins makes her return to theaters, dropping in 2 days before the rest of the holiday weekend releases on Dec 19, and 54 years (yes, 54 years!!) after the original film’s release in 1964. That film, of course, starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in the iconic roles of Mary Poppins and Bert, Mary’s multi-hyphenate best friend as well as the role of bank manager Mr. Dawes, and featured some of the most memorable songs in movie history.
In this sequel, time shifts forward to 1930’s London where Jane and Michael Banks have grown up and Michael has a family have his own. His family suffers a personal tragedy, and Mary Poppins magically returns to help the family through loss and to rediscover their joy and happiness.
The tall task of filling Andrews’ shoes falls to Emily Blunt as Mary, and to Lin-Manuel Miranda as Mary’s magical cohort, Jack. Dick Van Dyke returns in a cameo as Mr. Dawes Jr. Miranda is not involved with the music or songs, unfortunately, given his previous work on Disney’s animated filmi “Moana” and the Broadway musical smash “Hamilton”. This film will most likely appeal to young girls and parents who remember watching the original with their parents and want to pass that experience on to their children.
On its own merits, the film will be entertaining, and a fun holiday watch, but would be excused if it falls short of the original. With such a lofty standard, almost any movie would.
12/21: Aquaman – PG-13
The third superhero film of the season (but who’s counting) arrives just in time for Christmas with the release of “Aquaman”.
The film follows on the heels of “The Justice League”, which introduced Aquaman to moviegoers, and tells his origin story and battle with his half-brother Orm for the underwater Kingdom of Atlantis. Jason Momoa (“Game of Thrones”’ Khal Drogo) returns as Aquaman, the latest Justice League hero to get the origin-story treatment after Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman (well, there was also Green Lantern, but we don’t talk about that much).
Momoa is likable and brings a certain playful sense of humor to the role, but the special effects, particularly the ocean creatures, action and underwater battle scenes will be the real stars. Boys 8-12 will be the group most likely to be hounding parents to see this, but boys 8-12 may also be used as a convenient excuse for dads who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s to see the film (as well as moms/fans of GoT’s Khal Drogo). Film is rated PG-13 for super-hero violence and language. Some of the scenes and action may be too intense for the younger boys, so judge accordingly.
12/21: Bumblebee – PG-13
The Transformers universe goes back to its 1980’s roots with the origin-ish story Bumblee, opening pre-Christmas weekend. In this prequel, Bumblebee is discovered by a teenaged girl named Charlie. They embark on a journey of discovery – self and otherwise – while running from a shadowy government agency.
While the premise may sound like it’s been done before (looking at you 2007’s “Transformers”), what is different this time is that this is the first film in the Transformers franchise not directed by Michael Bay, and it shows. Travis Knight takes the helm here and injects some of the sensibilities shown in his prior films “Coraline” and “Kubo and the Two Strings”. Less of what grew stale with Transformers – hard to follow and gratuitous action, slow-motion sequences, pin-up girl shots and slow-motion-pin-up-girls shots (Bay hallmarks) – and more of what made the franchise so popular in the beginning – a sense of discovery, playfulness and fun.
Bumblebee, always one of the more likable Transformers, is like a giant family pet – albeit one that dons a very cool bee/fighting mask and takes defending his girl to the next level. With a female lead played by the popular singer Haylee Steinfeld and Jon Cena as the leader of the agency hunting them down, the film should appeal primarily to boys, but with some definite girl appeal. Film is not yet rated, but I expect it will release with a PG-13 rating similar to other Transformer films.
Some release dates and ratings are subject to change, and I’ll update if that happens, so check back often.