Kiddie Movies

Inspector Gadget: Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett.

Well, this wasn't good OR bad. It was just flat. It did have some funny moments, and they would probably have been a lot funnier if I was 6 or 7. I had hoped that Rupert Everett would be better, but I don't think he had much to work with. The gadget car was funny and a little edgy, but the rest of the movie lacked sparkle. (Carly)

Stuart Little: Jonathan Lipnicki.

Move over, Mickey Mouse! This movie will have you ahhing at how cute Stuart and his brother, Jonathon Lipnicki of Jerry Maguire, are. The outfits that Stuart Little has on are really cute too. If you haven't read the book, which I have not, Stuart is an intelligent little mouse whom gets adopted into a human family, the Littles. At first his adopted brother is not too thrilled to have a "little brother" but Stuart soon wins him over. However, the cat in the family is another story. This movie is so delightfully charming and will make you want to have a mouse for a sibling too. The animation of the mice are wonderful. And the cartoonish style of the real set creates a good mix between reality and make-believe. (Cindy)
Carly's note: in the actual Stuart Little (the book), Stuart is born to Mrs. Little, not adopted. So is you have moral issues with "messing with E.B. White," as my mom does, you shouldn't watch this, no matter how cute the trailers are.

A Little Princess (1986 Wonderworks version): Amelia Shankley.

This is definitely the best adaption of Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess. It is the only one that follows the book, which is so good it should not be changed. Sara Crewe is a rich little girl who is suddenly left penniless at a private girl's boarding school after her father's death. The headmistress is a real meanie who makes Sara work like a slave. Amelia Shankley is perfect for the part of Sara because, aside from her eye colour, she looks like what the author descibes the girl to look like. This is a great movie for little girls. And in case you don't know, the name "Sara" means princess. (Cindy)

Mulan: Animated.

Disney finally got its magic back with this movie. It is the first good cartoon that Disney has put out since Beauty and the Beast. It's been a while since Disney has put out a non-smutty female character. Mulan is pretty but does not flaunt it. The cricket and Moshu, the dragon, add great comic relief. In addition, you can't beat Lea Solonga as the singing voice of Mulan. (Cindy)

Muppets from Space: Piggy, Kermie, Gonzo, and the gang.

How can you NOT see a movie with a title like this? The opening scene is probably the best: all the Muppets have to share one bathroom in the morning. Anyway, Gonzo thinks he's made contact with his relatives from outer space, and the government kidnaps him for his information. The other Muppets have to rescue him and help him find his people. (Carly)

The Lion King: Animated.

Simba's a cute little cub, but Disney really ought to stick to fairy tales. Some of the characters are really funny, but the story itself is dark and, I think, a little violent for some kids. Simba's bad uncle takes over the kingdom, banishes Simba, kills his father, and ruins the land, and Simba has to come back to make things right when he grows up. Usually good guys don't die at the hands of the dark side in fairy tales--any who do get it over with at the beginning because they're sick or something. The whole story has a more serious feel than this kind of movie should have. The soundtrak is pretty good, though, and it's a shame that the good parts are stuck in a bad framework. (Carly)

The Little Mermaid: Animated.

Ariel is a mermaid princess who wants to be human, especially after she rescues a handsome human prince. She gets her chance after making a deal with Ursula the Sea Witch for 3 days to make him kiss her in exchange for Ariel's beautiful voice. Of course, the deal in rigged by Ursula and her hench-eels, who are very scary. I mean it. Ursula is a frightening fat blob, and she's got all kinds of scary dead spirit-things in her grotto. There are some pretty tense moments, but Ariel makes it out OK. I love the soundtrack, except for the song Part of Your World, which is cheesy. (Carly)

Little Women: Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst.

This movie made me cry SO MUCH (just like the book), and yet I love it. I think I cried the entire second half of the film. This is one of those plots that could get to be too sentimental and moralistic, but it doesn't. I forgot who plays Laurie, but he's boyishly handsome, and that never hurts a movie. Whoever did the screenplay did a great job of adapting the book--everything important is intact, so if you're a huge fan of the novel, don't hesitate to watch this. It shouldn't ruin any of your favorite scenes or conceptions of the characters. (Carly)

The Adventures of Robin Hood: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland.

Errol Flynn has a hidden talent--archery! Watch him show off that and his swordfighting skills in a pretty traditional rendition of Robin Hood. You might be able to pass off a viewing of this as educational--it has a lot more British history in it than other versions I've seen, and you can pick up tips on guerilla warfare and fomenting rebellion. (Carly)

The Neverending Story

This is a great movie for older kids. It has all the elements of a great fantasy, including gnomes, horses, and a really cute luck dragon. The story-within-a-story is very effective. But what is his mother's name? (Christina)

Alice in Wonderland (Disney): Animated.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. If you think you saw this movie as a kid, you really haven't seen it until you've seen it again as an adult. There are so many jokes and witty remarks that are above the heads of little kids, or that fly by too fast for them to catch it. (Christina)

All Dogs Go to Heaven: Animated.

This movie never should have been made in the first place, but instead it has about six million sequels. There were two things that I really disliked about it. First, I think it's kind of scary for little kids. Having been a tenderhearted munchkin, I was bothered by the good dogs being chased by bad people, and several scenes where I thought the dogs were going to fall into a fiery pit and die. I didn't want this sort of suspense at that age. I don't really want it now. The second thing I disliked was the animation style. Until recently, Disney has been the only movie studio with quality animation. You can almost always tell Disney movies from other animated films. I'm not sure what exactly the difference is except to say that non-Disney animation just isn't as pretty. (Carly)

The Flintstones: John Goodman, Rosie O'Donnell.

This is a kid movie for grownups, too. It's not for little-little kids, more for late elementary school and up. But it is funny. Seeing all the silly cartoon Flintstones gags in live action is pretty good in itself (the dinosaur garbage disposal and other pseudo-Stone Age inventions), and the plot's alright, if not stunningly memorable. This is best as a Saturday afternoon matinee followed by some yummy ice cream. (Carly)

The Santa Clause: Tim Allen.

Tim Allen is a divorced guy who's having some custody issues with his ex-wife and some maturity issues with himself. He becomes Santa after a freak accident, and he and his son have to travel to the North Pole in Santa's sleigh to get ready for Christmas. While this isn't a bad movie, it's not too exciting, either. I think it might be rated PG. One thing that can make it really funny is watching it in the version dubbed in French. Tim Allen is not the sort of man you expect to have a French accent, so it's continually startling and amusing to watch this version. (Carly)

Babe: James Cromwell, lots of pigs.

I'm not a big fan of animal movies, but this one is so cute! Babe is a little pig who becomes a sheep-herding pig to help Cromwell, a farmer, win a contest. He has to overcome various obstacles, including some other farm animals who don't like him. Really, just watching an adorable little talking pig run around is enough. Thankfully, this movie doesn't fall into the stupid-sappy trap that attracts most animal movies. (Carly)

The Princess Bride: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Billy Crystal.

If you did not see this movie sometime during your elementary school career, your school did not do you justice. It's one of the silliest movies I've ever seen. Some of the special effects are not the greatest, like the ROUS(rodents of unusual size), but Cary Elwes definitely makes up for it. The scene after they kidnap Princess Buttercup and are sailing down the river is a little slow, but after the cliffs of insanity it is great. Personal favorite parts are the opening scene, Buttercup and Wesley rolling down the hill,and the visit to Miracle Max (Billy Crystal). Some favorite quotes are "inconceivable", "As you wish", and "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die!", and of course "He's not dead! Just mostly dead, and mostly dead is slightly alive." Aside from Cary Elwes (before he aged), it is also worth it to see Fred Savage during his pre-Wonder Years days. (Cindy)

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Toy Story

Toy Story 2

Pinocchio

Cinderella

Beauty and the Beast

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Aladdin

The Parent Trap

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The Addams Family

Home Alone