Childrens

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

8/21/2011
Hillary Johns

As someone who grew up with the original Spy Kids, I was skeptical of this new sequel. In my mind, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara will always be the best Spy Kids. Their gadgets fueled my childhood imagination. How could this new set of spies ever measure up?

Toy Story 3

6/18/2010
Lauren DuBois
Third installment of Pixar classic best film of 2010

How a movie will fare in the box office depends greatly on how devoted its fans are, and in the case of sequels, the fans are what make or break a movie. The second installment of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise was released 11 years ago in 1999, and now the third part has officially opened.

In the case of Toy Story 3 fans, it was a long wait. But it was worth every minute.

Coraline

7/21/2009
Kelsey Zukowski
All in all,

Coraline is the first stop-motion 3-D animation film. Henry Selick, director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "James and the Giant Peach," brings Neil Gaiman's fantasy horror novella to life in an artsy and dark atmosphere. The film takes us into a child's parallel fantasy world of seeming perfection, but with traces of horror throughout.

Coraline Jones, voiced by Dakota Fanning, has just moved with her family. Her parents, voiced by Teri Hatcher and John Hodgeman, are both garden journalists working on an upcoming project together.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Sky High

7/20/2009
Matthew Doyle
Goofy, fun Superhero film for the family

You'll likely end up satisfied with your movie going experience after watching "Sky High." You won't have that kick-ass, fly off rooftop feeling that the best superhero movies will give you...but presuming you're a jovial enough fellow, you will be giddy and most certainly in a good mood.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

Up

7/10/2009
Ashley Welch
While Disney and Pixar

The movie's main character, Carl Fredricksen, undergoes many hardships, but in the end, his troubles only make him a better person. He lives his life with the woman he loves, Ellie, who is heartbroken when she learns she cannot have children of her own. Here is when the first tear sheds from several audience members, but there are surely more on the way. The two decide to save up to go on the adventure of a lifetime that they've always dreamed about, to the wild lands of South America. Yet, as is life, problems keep cropping up that they have to spend their money on to fix.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Cinderella III: A Twist in Time

5/29/2009
Heather Dykstra
Cinderella III puts a whole new spin on the classic story. What would happen if the slipper didn't fit?

In Disney's newest "Cinderella" sequel, "Cinderella III: A Twist in Time," the classic story is back, but with a whole new spin. This time the audience is asked, what might the story have been like if the slipper didn't fit Cinderella?

After the evil stepmother ends up with the fairy Godmother's wand, she uses it to go back in time, to the day when Cinderella's dreams came true. Yet this time, the slipper fits on the foot of the evil stepsister, Anastasia.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

17 Again

5/3/2009
Manny Carrasco
Matthew Perry heads back to high school...as Zac Efron

Ah, to be 17 again. Judging from the outset of this film, you would think it would be perfect. Mike O'Donnell is the school's star basketball player, getting ready for the game of his life, where a scout from the big university will be in attendance to watch him play. Yet, just seconds before the beginning of the game, his girlfriend drops a bombshell: she is pregnant. As the game begins, Mike makes the right decision and quits basketball to focus on his family.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.00Stars

Leroy & Stitch

12/25/2008
Michael Pascua
Stitch battles an evil clone with the help of all his cousins.

Leroy & Stitch is more of a series finale to the Lilo & Stitch television series than a sequel to the first movie. The movie benefits from the original voice actors returning to reprise their roles. Leroy & Stitch is more action packed, but still teaches that "ohana" can mean "extended family" as well.

Disney tends to skimp on sequels, but Leroy & Stitch isn't that bad. There is an actual plot to the sequel. Any fan of the franchise will appreciate this movie. Basically, Dr.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars

The Little Mermaid II - Return to the Sea

12/25/2008
Michael Pascua
A sequel to the classic Disney film. It follows Melody, the daughter of Ariel, as she learns about her connection to the sea.

Disney wanted to capitalize on "The Little Mermaid" franchise by creating sequels. Just recently, a third movie (a prequel) was released and, to coincide with that, a box set of the trilogy was released. This led to a new one-disk special DVD of the second "Little Mermaid" film, Return to the Sea. Though the story line lacks a little bit, it could have been a lot worse.

There are a lot of anomalies to this movie. I can understand Ariel and Eric having a child, but when did Ursula mysteriously get a sister?

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Lilo & Stitch

12/8/2008
Michael Pascua
Disney goes Hawaiian.

Disney continues the magic of their animation with the movie "Lilo & Stitch." Instead of the cliche fairytale set in Europe, this movie contains an intergalactic monster crash landing in Hawaii. Stitch learns about family, through both Hawaiian values, and a select discography from Elvis Presley. The movie is both classic and modern, showing the next steps that Disney could go with their movies.

The main draw of this movie has to be the Hawaiian culture that gets showcased. Stitch gets to learn about "ohana," which means family, and gains a family that he never had.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars
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