Family films that feature kids “makin’ all the rules” isn’t exactly fresh or inventive. So, why did I like Yes Day so darn much when I know that it follows this same template? Did this sub-genre improve? Have I gotten softer? While these reflections are valid, it sounds like I have to blame either the movies that came before this one or myself to justify liking Yes Day. Embracing Yes Day shouldn’t be driven by…
DreamWorks Animation hits another homer with The Croods: A New Age, a sequel that’s on par with its clever Oscar nominated predecessor, that’s just as funny but so much weirder.
100% Wolf is a thought-free zone for kids and adults alike. A plus for viewers wanting to look at bright colours and flashing lights, but a bit of a bummer for those who like their animation a little less hyper. Even if young movie goers enjoy the mindless entertainment that 100% Wolf is dishing out, they still might have a hard time grasping the storyline and the type of frenetic fantasy it relishes in.
The only type of comedy worse than an unfunny one is a mean-spirited one. The War with Grandpa is so mean that I was frequently taken out of the film to feel bad for the characters.
The Willoughbys tries to straddle the line between being playfully grim and downright bizarre but, instead, alternates from being one or the other. Based on Lois Lowry’s children’s book and evoking memories of stranger family fare like James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Willoughbys is a unique endeavour that will make you laugh as much as it will straight-up weird you out.
Part way through Playmobil: The Movie, I was settling into a marginal recommendation. As a colourful distraction for young kids who are starting to show interest in action flicks, it’s generic yet harmless entertainment. But as the story dragged on through shameless attempts to emulate The Lego Movie franchise, Playmobil: The Movie began to pick at my patience.
Most movies build towards a crescendo, yet the first act of Ant Timpson’s Come to Daddy is the climax. But then, instead of gradually hitting new heights, Timpson’s film simmers to a tepid temperature. Despite the outrageous feedback you may have heard about the movie’s wild qualities, Come to Daddy is actually family tame (if you’re used to off-the-wall genre pieces).
By: Trevor Chartrand The beloved and monstrous Addams Family returns to cinemas this Halloween; animated for the first time ever on the big screen, and directed by the duo who brought adults Sausage Party. This new film focuses on a real estate mogul trying to drive monsters out of town (à la Shrek), Pugsley Addams’ bar mitzvah, Wednesday Addams’ teenage rebellion, Lurch endlessly playing pop songs on a piano, and a never-ending slurry of other superfluous subplots…
