Going to the movies is one of our family’s favorite things to do. As a parent, it’s a challenge to know what movies are appropriate and which are not. Some say, see it yourself first. That is a good idea, however it is not always practical. It can be pricey, not to mention time consuming. You could also wait until the DVD comes out, but some films beg to be seen on the big screen. Here are some reviews from a Mom on the family films of 2010. Read on to get tips on age appropriateness, content and more. Hope it helps.
The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: My son and I were eagerly anticipating this film. We had read a few of the books in the series and couldn’t wait to see Percy on the big screen. I thought they did a great job, however, I did like the books better. They changed a few things which bothered my eight-year-old son, but the changes did not really effect the story. I must say it was very bizaar seeing Pierce Brosnan as a centaur (his hind end was that of a horse). Not as strange, however, as watching him try to sing in Mamma Mia. Percy is a boy who has a lot of trouble at school. In fact he’s been kicked out of more of them than he can count. He struggles with dyslexia and ADHD. Then things really get crazy for him and he finds out he is a demigod — a descendant of the Olympians. He ends of a demigod camp learning the tools of the trade when he is accused of stealing something very important to the gods. Fun movie.
Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland: We are huge Tim Burton fans so we anxiously awaited the release of this film. It was good, however in my opinion no Burton’s best. Mia Wasikowska did a fabulous job as Alice. I have not read Lewis Carrol’s book nor have a seen a movie version in full prior to seeing this one. I expected Alice to be more of a little girl, not a young lady about to become engaged. She doesn’t really like the young man, so she runs off chasing a white rabbit and falls down a rabbit hole. And the rest, they say is history. Alice meets the well-known characters from the book including Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. The scenery is fantastic — definitely worth paying extra for IMAX 3D. My favorite thing is that Alice is not a damsel in distress. She is very much a heroine who even battles a monster. You go girl!
How to Train Your Dragon: This is another film that is definitely worth paying the extra to see it in 3D IMAX. We all reallyenjoyed this movie. In fact, my husband said it was a good as Avatar and that’s saying a lot since he said that was possible the best movie he’s ever seen. Dragon tells the story of Hiccup, a young Viking who shows not promise of ever becoming a dragon slayer. His father is the leader of their people so this is really difficult for both of them. Hiccup finally gets a change to kill one of the most feared dragons in all the land but ultimately ends up befriending it. Their friendship transcends the boundaries that both Vikings and Dragons had grown up being so accustomed to. This one is worth seenig even if you don’t have kids.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Kids love this book. It almost has a cult-like following. I bought the book and read it aloud to my 8-year-old son. I was very disappointed in the main character (Greg), however. The principal was told that his best friend had done something inappropriate, but if was Greg who was really guilty. He didn’t speak up. He let his friend get punished and then couldn’t understand why his friend was mad at him. What!? This is no example I want for my child. We talked about how he was not being a good friend, etc. The mother addressed this and his is found out and is punished. In this case, I liked the movie much better than the book. My husband and son enjoyed it too. Greg narrates the film that covers his middle school adventures and angst. Oh, yeah…watch out for the cheese touch.
Hot Tub Time Machine: The name may seem corny, but hey it says what it is. Three guys revisit their past by going to a ski lodge they frequented in the 80s. A teen age nephew is along for the ride. After a night of partying, they end up waking up in the hot tub and things are quite awry. This is definitely for the oldest of the teen crowd. It’s raunchy and obnoxious, but I dare you not to laugh. There’s tons of profanity and drug use — it’s about the ’80s what do you expect. Chevy Chase also plays a small part. This movie is hilarious — maybe not quite as funny as Hangover, but close. If you grew up in the 80s, don not miss this.
Clash of the Titans: I thought this movie would be great for my son as he has become interested in Greek mythology after reading Percy Jackson books. We also enjoyed that movie. I even rented the original Clash of the Titans made in 1980. I remembered enjoying as a kid. I don’t remember it being that cheesy, but it was. This version was pretty good, though not worth paying to see in 3D. In fact, I forgot it was in 3D about 1/4 way through it. You got to love the pairing of Liam Neason and Raefe Finnes as Zeus and Poseiden. I felt, however despite it’s big budget and big stars, this version did not live up to the first. What the original lacked in special effects, it made up for in story. They changed the story of the remake too much. They left out the romance. The story follows the life of Perseus who discovers he’s a demigod after growing up a fisherman. It’s up to him to save the world.