2050 - Wreck It Ralph

I loved the premise of this when I first saw the trailer, but I have to say that I totally under-estimated this film.  I realize that John Lasseter has his hands in it, so it should be no surprise, really.  The story here is super fun, super tight, and ridiculously smart.  The story turns are very sophisticated and keep me curious where everything was going.  I enjoyed this as much as my son, and maybe even a little bit more.  This one is an easily recommended, especially if you’ve got a kid who enjoys his video games.

2008 - The Lego Movie

This has quickly become one of my son's favorite films, and he has been dying to re-visit it since we watched it way back when.  He's counting down the days till it becomes available on DVD.  The best part about watching it this time was how he got excited as certain things approached.  Watching films with nerdy excitable kids is one of my new favorite things.
I don't love the first act of this film, though in retrospect it's a perfect set-up for everything that follows.  Once we're moving along though this film is a rocket - and it's got one of the best third acts I've seen in recent years, and potentially ever in a family film.
Feel free to check out my previous review of this.  This film has it all - a fun story, great characters, lots of laughs - but most of all it's a conversation piece, and has been between my son and I.  Is it also a blatant commercial for toys?  Maybe a tinge - but it's a great goddamn toy!

1962 - The Lego Movie

In theory the idea of a Lego Movie is terrible.  Seriously.  And when I was asked what it was about, I told someone that the plot was, actually, about how to play with lego.  Which sounds ridiculous.  But it's true - and it's awesome.  It took me a little while to get into it if I'm honest, but part of that was getting my little guy and his popcorn sorted out - so I absolutely need to see it again just to watch it clean and without distractions.  I don't want to say too much about it - the reviews kind of speak for itself, but I will say that the film has one of the smartest third acts in a kid's movie I've ever seen - and what might be my favourite final line of a film - the funniest anyway.
If you've ever played with Lego you should love it.  Unless you're dead inside...

1949 - Frozen

I took my son to see this yesterday afternoon and it was his first 3D experience, which had him pretty excited with the prospect of having things flying at his face.  Ever since Pixar showed up on the block Disney's line-up of films have always felt like they were the not-so-talented cousin - this puts Disney's films back on track, in my opinion.  For me it was up there with the films they were making in my youth - Little Mermaid, Lion King, Aladdin, etc... But what's even better here is we've got an update and a modern message - which I won't ruin with a spoiler alert.  It has an ending that's perfect and inspiring.  It's funny without being silly or annoying - it respects it's audience which can't be said for the humour in most kinds films.  If you've got a little one I highly recommend this one.

1891 - Despicable Me 2

It's been about a year since I took my son to see a movie, which shames me to no end, but here we went again.  We watched the first together and it gave him some genuine belly laughs, as it did me, so I was happy to check this out with him.  The minions, obviously, steal the film - and what I like about here that was smart was that they used them as a major plot point in the film as opposed to just filling the film with more random scenes of them as a lesser movie would have done.  In fact, the minion stuff is so strong that it eclipses the rest of the film, and that's not always a great thing.
I had some story logic quibbles, which I won't bring up here in great detail.  Mostly, it just bothered me that they didn't go as far as they should have with some of the character stuff, with Gru in particular.  There were some missed opportunities.  All in all though, I quite enjoyed it, and I think I even liked it better than the original - which is nice since the second film should be better if there's a point in making it at all.
I see that there's a Minions film coming out, so I'm sure my little guy and I will find our ways over there when it's released.  If you want to see a kid's film that's pretty enjoyable for the parents as well, this is a good one!

1840 - Despicable Me

It's been a lot of fun to rediscover old films with my son, but it's just as enjoyable to experience things for the first time with him as well.  Outside of the voice actors this didn't really seem that interesting to me from the advertisements, but we watched it anyway.  It's the story of an evil villain who is in danger of losing his evil corporate funding to a young hot shot unless he steals something amazing - The Moon!  It's Steve Carell vs. Jason Segal and it's pretty damn enjoyable.  In terms of the quality of writing it's not quite up there with the Pixar team, but it's not bad by any means.  Worth checking out if you haven't, and i'm sure my little guy will drag me to the sequel that's coming out.

1776 - The Incredibles

This was our weekend 'Movie Night' flick for my three year old.  I was worried at first because it's a pretty high-level concept, but it just further proves how well Pixar delivers for kids and adults alike.
I remember seeing this initially in theatres and really loving the set-up - the fake documentary and newsreel stuff was really great.  They set up the world spectacularly.  And Ephraim got a kick out of all the physical stuff.  I think it's a film he'll continue to revisit and appreciate in new ways as it goes along.
It's always surprised me that they haven't followed up with a sequel, but I assume it's because Brad Bird hasn't made it his focus in any way and should he ever get the right idea he'll be on it right away.  But for now we've got this gem to re-watch.
I'll say this - if no other reason - become a parent so you have an excuse to revisit some awesome "kids" movies :)

1772 - The Jungle Book

I haven't watched this in a really long time.  As a child I was involved in Cub Scouts and this is where all of the names of the leaders is ripped off from (well, technically I suppose they're ripped off from the book).  Tonight was a movie night with my little guy and my wife recommended this one for him (I wanted Wizard of Oz, but he's informed me that he's not old enough to not be scared of the scary witch - fair enough).
He loved the hell out of this film.  Baloo made him howl with his physical antics, and he really got caught up with the story and how it played out.  The animation style and limitations are so dated, but it's lovely to see that that doesn't matter story-wise to someone so with such fresh eyes.  I'm going to do my best to keep him in a mixture of classic and modern films - he's got enough of an attention span so long as something's good.
Every movie geek father dreams of having a movie geek child - and so far - so good!

1752 - Brave

I took my three year old son to see this - as his first film in the theatre it was absolutely magic to watch him experience this.  Big theatre, big sound.  He kept looking to me with this wonderful astonished gaze.  As long as I live I'll never forget that smile and amazement.  And now I'm sad knowing that it'll pass as this kind of thing becomes more 'normal' for him.
So I didn't know much of the story going into this, outside of it being a bit of a girl-power story.  But what this film really is, at it's core, is the story about a daughter and a mother, and how they have to learn to accept and embrace one another.  It's quite lovely in that, and the ending brought a bit of a tear to my eye.  I have to say that I found the mother's transformation a tad quick, wherein suddenly she was won over by what her daughter wanted - but I let it go.  It had all the staples of a solid pixar film - lots of laughs - lots of heart - smart and entertaining.  More than happy for it to be my little guy's first theatrical experience.

1705 - Toy Story 3

For our third movie night in a row with my son we went with the latest installment of Toy Story.  And honestly, I was pretty excited to revisit the film myself.  Having re-watched the other two very recently this just might be my favorite of them.  I think that the story is a lot more fun, a lot more poignant, and it's just based on how Pixar is a story-powerhouse, so one would hope that it's the best of the series.  The stakes are higher, more personal.  These friends might all split up - hell - they might not even make it out of the film alive.  There's a lot more excitement and energy to the film as well.  They do smart and clever callbacks as well to the rest of the series that I quite enjoyed.
Pixar is a pretty phenomenal place and I truly hope that they keep turning out gems like this.  I think this film wraps up the series quite well, and I hope they don't try going back to the well.  They ended on a really strong note and I can't imagine how they'd follow it up.  If you haven't seen the newest one yet, you're insane - get on it now!

1704 - Toy Story 2

For Epraim's second movie night he wanted to follow-up Toy Story with it's sequel. 
I think I really only saw this once, and the thing I always thought back to on this is the Sarah McLaughlin song part way through that gives us Jesse' heartbreaking back-story.  That moment still stings to watch, but never quite as much as the first time. 
Ephraim continued to be amazed by it all and followed along like a champ, asking solid questions along the way.  I'll say it again - it's amazing rediscovering films through kids.
As for me?  Well this isn't meant to be an insult, but I think that this one is the weakest of the three Toy Story films.  It's a really fun ride with our friends, and there's a lovely little message to it, but the it falls short of the other two (which are fucking great).  This sequel was rushed through, and the lameness of some jokes play into that, I'm sure.  *Did we really need a nod to Star Wars?*
This one takes from the first one and really opens up the world in terms of story and scope.  We learn more about Woody an Buzz's backstories, and since they can't reuse the gag of Buzz not knowing he's a toy, instead we get to see Buzz deal with a "new" Buzz who is unaware of the situation... that one's a bit easy guys.
So a really fun and solid Pixar film.  It's far from it's best or worst - but the thing about Pixar is that even when it's not amazing it's still pretty damn great (I write this having not seen Cars 2, which has been much bitched about).
I imagine anyone who wants to see this film has already.  I recommend it regardless!

1702 - Toy Story

Now that my son is about to turn three we're starting "movie night" in our house.  A day I've been looking forward to with him since… well… I even knew I was having a kid.  The only true way to re-experience a film for the first time is watching it with someone who hasn't seen it - and that goes double when watching it with a kid.  He really really got into this.  He laughed in some really interesting places.  Got emotional and invested in the characters, and when it was done he instantly wanted to watch it again.  It'll be interesting to see what he thinks of it tomorrow, but it was top marks from him tonight.
Now - how did I feel about the film again?  Well, first I forgot that Joss Whedon worked on the script.  So that was fun.  I also noticed some little easter egg things that I never noticed before.  I'm going to say a lot of lovely things in a moment, but I couldn't help but notice a big flaw in the film this time around.  Buzz Lightyear spends the majority of the film believing that he is not a toy, but a real space ranger.  HOWEVER, when Andy comes into his room, he plays dead just like all the other toys.  Why would he do that?  Why would he play along with this boy instead of confronting him like he does all the other "creatures" in the room?  This actually bothered me quite a bit and I might search around to see if Pixar's ever been called on that hole and what their response is…
But other than that it's a really great film.  From a story perspective it's a really great example of escalating conflict.  Things get worse and worse in this film and the planting and paying off is done with a shitload of skill.  If you've missed this film for some reason, it really is a must see.  I can even let the Buzz thing go 'cause the rest of the film is so damn great.  So… it'll be interesting to see how soon he forces us to watch this again!

1672 - A Christmas Carol

So this is probably the last "holiday" film I'll watch - unless I can think of a solid New Years one - but either way I figured I'd go out with one of my favorite stories, and this is also the third iteration I've covered this season - the first being the Muppets, then Scrooged, and so it's interesting that it ends with something that is, more or less, aiming to be faithful to the source material (of which I've never read... I should do something about that...). 
What makes this version unique is the motion capture CGI and Jim Carrey playing Scrooge as well as all of the Ghosts.  For the most part the motion capture and CGI are welcome additions, making the story visual in a way that's just not possible otherwise.  There's an opening sequence that really gives us a sense of the city - I loved the opening scene with him taking the coins from Marley's eyes - great set-up to the character.  This is clearly designed to be a showcase for Carrey as an actor, however the real scene stealer here is Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchet.  Oldman brings you to tears in the scenes following the potential death of Tiny Tim.  He's phenomenal. 
The medium lends itself to give this story a really cinematic flow, allowing the characters to morph into one another to dramatically illustrate points, and that works very very well.  However it also feels sometimes like Zemeckis just might be showing off a tad with a few little action set pieces that do little to add to the emotional and dramatic impact of the film, they're really just there to add to the visuals, which is a shame since Zemeckis is clearly talented to do both at the same time - shame he doesn't. 
I really quite liked this - far more than I thought I would, so it's easy enough to recommend - however this is not a film for small children - the treatment is almost horror film quality in moments and I'm sure it could easily give kids nightmares, so there's that.  It's a gorgeous looking film and a solid argument for the advancement of technology in certain stories.  I'll do my best to read the source material as well over the course of the next year!

1671 - Tangled

This came highly recommended and despite the fact that I've always liked big epic kid films, since Ephraim doesn't watch a lot of television yet (just starting to introduce him to television and whatnot) I haven't watched many outside of PIXAR lately.  Of course I was at my sister's and the twins picked this up halfway through, so I caught the back half, then when I got back to the farm I noticed that it was on netflix, so I was able to pick up and see the whole thing.
The quality of this is, I believe, in no small part to the fact that John Lasseter is now the CEO of Disney and oversees their production slate.  The film is gorgeous, and despite the use of CGI animation it really feels like it pays homage to the old Disney fairytale films that made that place such a powerhouse. 
I think that they did a really lovely job of taking the foundation of the Rapunzel story and turning it into an epic tale.  I liked what they did with the magic and the hair and it's connection to the witch, I thought that was really smart.  And I liked how connected everything was to the main storyline of her being a lost princess.  The characters were really excellent, particular the non-speaking roles of the horse Maximus and the little chameleon dude.  Eugene and Rapunzel are a really fantastic pair and you really root for them.  The fact that she beats the hell out of him when he climbs up his tower really sets the tone for the flick (wonderful reoccurring gag with the frying pan as well).  Mandy Moore is delightful as our heroine and you develop a bit of a crush on her as the girl, and then you're downright smitten with her by the time she has her transformation at the end.
I thought that this was a really great flick and it's the kind that I look forward to showing my kids once they're old enough for it.  I'm looking forward to whatever else Disney kicks out under Lasseter's direction as well. 

1670 - Frosty the Snowman

Got up this morning and Ephraim wanted to watch something, so I took the chance to introduce him to this.  I remember it from my own childhood, but... well... I guess some things age really well and some age just okay.  There are some cute little moments for the adults, but for some reason I just remember this seeming like a much more grand adventure.  Little things that drove me nuts were the inconsistency of what Frosty knew about and didn't.  He had no clue about traffic lights, etc... but he seems to be well aware that there's such a thing as a President of the United States.  I realize this is just a 'silly little kids film' but come on, have some consistency of character.
Ephraim seemed to like it, so by children's standards I think it still holds up just fine.  Not sure I ever need to revisit it again myself though.  If you've never seen it... I don't know... your call :)
The DVD we have features a sequel with the voice talents of John Goodman and Elisabeth Moss (way before Mad Men) so I might watch that just based on them being in it. 

1669 - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

It's been a long long time since I've seen this and I watched it with my nephews last night.  Ephraim got it, along with some other great classics for Christmas, so I'm sure I'll revisit this and those at some point as well.  I'd seen this so many times as a kid that the story, songs, and characters are really etched into my brain.  I love the dentist elf, love the island of misfits, and just the claymation style in particular.  This is one of those classics that if you haven't seen, and especially if you've got kids, you really need to check it out.  It's not on netflix, sadly, but I think you can find a copy on DVD fairly easily, and they play the hell out of it on television around the holiday season.  Might still be able to find it this week actually...
And believe it or not there is a Wii game of this film.  Here's a review for it here.  Apparently it's terrible :)

1668 - Dreamworks Holiday Classics

Ephraim was up at 4:30am on Christmas morning, and while I don't agree in using television as a babysitter I'm more than happy, from time to time, to curl up with him and watch something that will keep him occupied in the wee hours of the morning and me not having to think too much :)  Given the morning that it was, this seemed like a pretty good option.  Four in the series, my thoughts below:

Merry Madagascar
I've only seen the first film in this series, but what I thought was particularly impressive was how they were able to weave this story into the continuity of the series - play to their big goal while ending in a place that puts them exactly where they started.  This is actually a really solid companion piece in addition to being a nice little Christmas short.

Donkey's Christmas Shrek Spectacular
This was kind of lame, and easily the worst of these four by a wide margin.  I don't think they even bothered to try to string together a storyline, mostly just a few clever sight gags.  Should Ephraim be interested I could revisit the others in this series, but much like Coppola's installment in New York Stories, this is the one I'll skip on repeat viewings. 

Dragons: Gift Night Fury
I've only seen bits and pieces from How to Train Your Dragon but enough to know that they did some pretty wonderful things with the world here.  Much like the first Madagascar one they did a really great job of telling an awesome story that really fit the themes of this world, and still being able to return it to where the story was when we first came in.  Makes me want to try and watch the entire film.

Madagascar Penguins
I know that the penguins were some of the break out characters of this series, and I enjoy them but never loved them the way that some do.  This one falls under the good, not great category. 

Over-all it's the first Madagascar and Dragons that are really quite good and worth seeing if you're a fan of the films that inspired them.  The others, sure if you've got the time and interest.

1424 - Howl

I had a good friend in highschool that introduced me to Ginsberg, so the material is pretty familiar. And I'm the type that knows I'm not intelligent enough to really grasp all that's going on inside of his masterpiece, and that's kind of what the film is about - how to make sense of a work like Howl. As soon as Franco opens his mouth he IS Allen Ginsberg. I really hope his performance gets recognized in some form. This is absolutely not a film for everyone, it's pretty unconventional but at the same time I think this is about the best you can do for an adaptation of this work that also serves a bit as an autobiography. If you're a Ginsberg fan this is a no-brainer.

1400 - The Illusionist

I really liked The Triplets of Belleville so I was excited to see that Chomet had a new film in the festival, and not only that but that it was adapted from an unproduced screenplay by Jacques Tati. There no doubt that this is through and through a love letter to Tati. The characters, the comedy, the commentary, it's all there. But I have to warn you, don't go into this expecting a warm and fuzzy frolicking ride. There is a bitter pill to be swallowed in this film and the ending leaves you feeling pretty lousy. I don't think that spoils anything. I will say that I felt like it started to drag a bit, and it's only eighty minutes long.
If you're a fan of Triplets, Chomet in general, or especially Tati, check this out, but proceed with emotional caution.