Zteen and I have seen THREE movies in the last week. One at the theater, two at home on DVD. We've reactivated our Netflix membership (after I had late fees at Hollywood Video THREE TIMES IN A ROW), and now always have a movie sitting on top of the DVD player ready to go.
So, let's see, in order:
The Incredibles: Go over to Steven Greydanus' Decent Films Guide website and check out his review. It's exactly what I would say if I were as good a reviewer and writer as he is. Zteen and I both LOVED the movie. Best part? A mom and dad (an intact family!) who are crazy about each other. A dad who sacrifices for his family. Who weeps aloud when he thinks they are dead. Woo hoo Pixar! Our initial reaction was that it was a step down from the greatness of Toy Story, but I think Toy Story was pretty much perfect. To be a step down from that is no disgrace. It is certainly aimed at an older audience than, say, Finding Nemo (which I thought was GENIUS). So I wouldn't advise taking the 5 and unders. Not because there's anything objectionable, but because I think it's too long for them.
2nd movie, at home on DVD: Shrek 2 which was OK, but not as good, in my opinion, as the original. Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas, was pretty funny. Eddie Murphy, reprising his role as Donkey, was hysterical. Especially when he gets turned into the beautiful white stallion in the last 1/3 of the movie. It seems like a kid movie where all the jokes were actually aimed at grownups.
3rd movie, at home on DVD: Insomnia with Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Man, Al Pacino can chew scenery with the best of 'em, can't he? We really enjoyed this movie. Robin Williams said that this movie was part of the "Robin Williams Dark Trilogy" - which included Death to Smoochy (funny, funny, funny) and One Hour Photo (one of the creepiest concepts I've thought about in a long time). He plays a convincing killer in this one. And Al Pacino looks like death warmed over. It's a story about whether the ends justify the means or not. I'm afraid that if I were a homicide detective, and saw murderers every day, I would make the wrong decision on that. Anyway, the movie's worth a look.
do i envy your time, mamaT, or your time management?
LOVED the incredibles. wanna guess who i think STOLE the show? the mini-smock, of course. "shut up, dahlink, of course i'm fobuloss!" simply too too!
i took Gracie to see it and she did very well for a four year old viewer -- of course, she does have a BTA attention span. ah heck, she has a BTA everything. i agree that it is a little long for short attentioners.
eddie murphy reading a laundry list makes me laugh.
We really enjoyed the Incredibles too. A favorite line: "This suit withstands heat up to ten thousand degrees, but it breaths like egyptian cotton"
Smock, I'm confused. Eddie Murphy? Did you mean Samuel L.?
We also loved the Polar Express. It was like watching an animated painting. I've heard the complaints about it but frankly I don't care. I love the story and I think it will be even better in IMAX so we are going again this weekend to see it at the IMAX theater. This time we'll take Daddy with us.
I think you and I are two of the only people on the planet to enjoy Death to Smoochy (my wife didn't even finish the movie)! I also enjoyed One Hour Photo and Insomnia is an excellent (read: highly recommended) movie.
I took my older kids (5 & 3, so still small) to Polar Express and was pretty disappointed - the secular view of Christianity and some scenes that I didn't approve of (kids making dangerous decisions, etc). Kids loved it of course. Thanks for the review of The Incredibles, I keep going back and forth over whether my 5 year old should see it.
God bless,
Jay
Might I recommend posting your reviews at Popcorn Critics?