children’s

Movie Reviews 3.75 Stars: The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, children's, Family , , , , ,
Random movie poster found for this one.

Summary:

Picking up a few years after the last Lego movie ending, this one has our heroes facing a bleak existence in a post-apocalyptic world. Nevertheless, dear Emmet is still just his happy-go-lucky self. Lucy would like him to grow up and face reality.

Additional Comments:

  • So corny, it hurts.
  • You have to expect that it’s going to have the same oddball brand of humor that the first did. There’s an entire song about credits as the credit roll.
  • There are a few intriguing twists.
  • Most of the humor is aimed at adults.
  • Character development is decent.
  • I loved the building scenes and enjoyed the little references to which set numbers applied to each unique piece.
  • I enjoyed how they wove the people and the Lego stories together again.
  • Kid-friendly movie.
  • Songs as a whole here kind of stink.
  • I pretty much knew from the trailer what to expect.
  • Totally jealous of the Lego collection these people have. Literally thousands of dollars in the little building toys.

Conclusion:

Not going down as my favorite movie this year, but I’m glad I saw it once.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 ….)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR

Audiobook Reviews 3.45/5 Stars: The Kitten Who Didn’t Know How to Meow by Rich Linville

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, children's, Family , , ,
Picked up the cover at audible.

Summary:

This is a very, very short children’s book that explores most of the sounds common farm animals make. Since the total runtime of the audio is 3 minutes and 16 seconds, my review probably has more words than the book. Literally a minute of that runtime is a note to kids, parents, and teachers.

Additional Comments:

– It’s cute.
– There’s not much of a story though. It’s just a survey of various animal noises because the kitten’s asking them how to meow. How would a kitten know the word without knowing how to do it?
– I know I’m way overthinking it, but the lack of logic drives me nuts. She’s also a lost newborn kitten in the beginning but talking to her mother at the end. She’s also a lost, newborn kitten trekking all over a farm. They don’t tend to walk that far for a few weeks. (Yeah, yeah, I get it, the whole animal talking thing didn’t bother me one whit. That meets general suspension of disbelief standards.)
– Also, if you’ve ever tried to teach anybody anything, you know that demonstrating it once isn’t really going to stick.
– Animals included: dog, owl, horse, goat, pig, chick, cow, mouse, duck.
– What this book has going for it is the very clever wording. There’s a nice, poetic cadence to the arrangement.
– Audio performance is okay. The rendition of meow at the end is stellar, but the whole audio has a slight tinny quality to it. (That might be ACX’s processing of it.)

Conclusion:

I’m going to chalk this up to I am NOT the target audience. If you have a small child or really love children’s stories, this will probably be a great experience for you.

Associate Links:

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 ….)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

OR

Audiobook Reviews 3/5 Stars: Beds Are for Flowers by R.K. Gold

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, children's, dystopia, Family, Fantasy, middle grade ,

Narrated by Julie Hinton

Summary:

Clarence’s father is dying from some unknown illness. A Reaper comes by every day to see if he’s ready to travel the long road to Ganedyn, which I’m assuming is paradise. Many who travel the road don’t need it. While his mother’s willing to sacrifice years from her life, she doesn’t want the kids, Clarence and Jessi, doing the same. Desperate they resort to different tactics. Jessi sneaks next door and steals a bird from the Neighbor’s garden. That buys a little time. Clarence goes to speak to the neighbor and gets sent on a quest to dislodge the Reaper in the Tree, who’s presence there is pretty much the source of the problem.

 

Additional Comments:

  • World-building (3/5) – A lot of imagination went into creating this bleak, colorless world. Much of the lore is explained fairly naturally, but the worlds don’t make much sense. There’s a normal, mortal world, a paradise, and The End. Part of what bothered me is the naming system or lack thereof. The Neighbor, the Red Reaper, The Reaper in the Tree, etc. I wish they had real names instead of titles. Caggers (sorry about spelling) are fears from one of the worlds creeping into the mortal realm.
  • Characters (3.5/5) – Clarence, Wakoba, and Jessi are stereotypical questing kids. Clarence is the one given the quest. Jessi’s his sister, the brave one who carries a bat around. Wakoba’s the timid friend who has to face his fears to fulfill his part of the quest.
  • Plot (3/5) – It follows a logical path, but I don’t get a good sense of the world space or time passing. Part of that might be that time in the dark place they travel to (forest?) and nearing the Pit gets skewed. The characters go from one conversation to another talking about what’s happening with little actually happening until the final confrontation.
  • It’s 100% kid-friendly.
  • Disclaimer – it’s probably more literature-based fantasy than I’m used to. There are probably deep roots of moral lessons in here about taking care of the Earth/world you have, one person making all the difference, and the power of kids. Guess I just look for more direct, sword or bow-wielding action in my fantasy. There are plenty of scythes about because of the Reapers, but there are too many restrictions on them to make for a good old-fashioned fight. (Can’t kill a reaper with his own weapon.)

 

Conclusion:

Fans of RK Gold will probably enjoy this tale. Those who gravitate to Middle Grade literature too might find lots to love within. It reminds me of Treasure: Seed Savers by S. Smith. They’re both books about a world on the brink of collapse due to mismanagement of resources.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 ….)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR

Awesome Movie Reviews 4.5/5 Stars: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, children's, Family, Movie Reviews , , ,

A simple yet effective ad for the movie. I don’t own it, but I don’t really see Disney complaining about me advertising for them here by posting a favorable review.

Spoilers after ads

A Worthy Sequel to Wreck-it Ralph

Summary:

The steering wheel breaks for Vanellope Von Schweetz’s game, Sugar Rush, and there is only one place they can get a replacement part: eBay. So, Ralph and the kid set off on a grand adventure to get into the internet and track down that part.

 

Additional Comments:

  • It’s a fun sequel that is different but almost as fun as the first.
  • The portrayals of the internet sometimes come uncomfortably close to reality.
  • Themes: There’s a lot in here if you want to unpack deeper meanings. Cyber bullying, friendship, changes to friendship, loyalty, growing up, internet safety, and much more are packed in here somewhere.
  • Part of the middle is irksome (when Ralph’s being an idiot and doing the breaking of the internet part). Everything works out, but the dark moments are rather dark.
  • As with the first movie, Easter Eggs lurk everywhere. That makes for a fun movie to see a couple of times.
  • Coolest new character: Shanks.
  • My favorite parts: Will put in after the ads in the spoiler section.
  • The mid-credit scene was amazing and hilarious.

 

Conclusion:

Fun family-friendly movie.

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR

 

Spoiler Section:

  • I like how of the two options to fix the Ralph virus, the one that ultimately works is “therapy.” Because Ralph gets to figure things out on his own.
  • Funnies parts: Disney princesses save Ralph by using each of their skills. Nobody can understand Merida. Vanellope first meets the Disney Princesses. Spamly tries to catch Ralph but he goes right through the car. Fix-it Felix becomes a father of 15!
  • I wish we could have seen more of the original side characters from the first movie.

 

Movie Reviews 3/5 stars: The Grinch

Julie Gilbert children's, Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , ,

See the source image
I do not own the pic. It’s a generic promo one created to entice people to get their behinds to the theater and see this.

*Spoiler Free

Classic Story, New Wrapping, New Voice

Summary:

This time, Benedict Cumberbatch gets to voice the classic grump. Pretty sure Max is new, as is Fred (the corpulent reindeer).

Additional Comments:

– I don’t know enough about the original story to tell if it was changed much. I’m guessing the short story doesn’t include everything that happened in the movie because it’s significantly shorter.
– Narrator: I get why you need a narrator here, but I found it somewhat jarring at times.
– Beautiful Animations (4.5/5): Besides the grinch himself who’s classically green, there are quite a bit of beautiful scenes.
– Music 3.5/5: I still love the whos Christmas song.
– I’m not sure why the movie didn’t launch 2 weeks before Christmas. It makes more sense. They might want to capitalize on the beginning of the season, but honestly, it’s going to be a footnote by the time Christmas rolls around.
– Humor 3/5: Most of the funny lines were in the trailer.
– Max is adorable. So is Fred.
– Plot/ Moral 4/5: Typical for this type of movie. Not sure there’s more to squeeze out of this, but I would have liked for something to surprise me.
– Cindy Lou Who sounds like the girl from Despicable Me (Margo, I think).
– Kid safe, though judging from the people next to me, boring for most adults. (Or they’re just phone addicts, 50-50 shot either option is correct.)

Conclusion:

If you’re a diehard stickler for being true to source material, you will likely hate this. If you’re just in it for a nice way to spend the afternoon with the kids, it fits the bill.

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR

Movie Reviews 3/5 Stars: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Julie Gilbert children's, Family, Fantasy , , , ,

I don’t own the image, but I’m assuming Disney wants it circulated because it promos their movie.

***Spoiler Free until After the Ads***

Summary:

Clara needs to find a key to open a gift from her late mother. Her godfather has that key, but it takes her quite the journey to actually get to said key. She’s not pleased with her father because he seems unaffected by her mother’s death. He comes across as being obsessed with maintaining appearances. The quest for the key sweeps Clara into a magical world on the brink of war. But is everything as it seems?

Additional Comments:

  • This comes across as a movie that tries very hard, yet falls short in several aspects.
  • Disclaimer: I did know the critic consensus going in, and I might have been tainted by that, though I strive hard to form my own opinion to these things.

The Bad:

  • The Story (2.5/5 stars): I don’t actually know the story of the Nutcracker, so I couldn’t tell you about here it deviates from the original. In the movie, they try very hard to stick in some intriguing, gut-wrenching twists. In fact, I think they try so hard that it ends up making it very predictable.
  • I got bored.
  • Sugar Plum’s voice. It’s beyond annoying. (This is no fault of Keira Knightly. I love her. Pretty sure that’s just the way they wanted the character to be.)

 

The Neutral:

  • Side characters’ performances are also okay. Nobody else really impressed me, but they did their jobs well enough to immerse the audience in the strange world Disney created.
  • It’s mostly a kids story. Hard to predict what they will think of it. Guess you’d have to poll them. Yet, there is at least one section that strikes as downright creepy.

 

The Good:

  • Mackenzie Foy’s performance is decent. She has an air of innocence about her that gives Clara the right balance of naïve heroine and girl-finding-her-way. (Aside: If you’ve ever read Redeemer Chronicles, Mackenzie Foy is definitely an actress I could see portraying Vic.)
  • Small bits of humor, especially from the CGI mouse come across as well-timed and fitting. (specifics below)
  • Soundtrack has some beautiful pieces.

Overall Impression:

  • This movie is a pretty even blend of the color factor from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie (starring Jonny Depp), Effie Trinket’s fashion style from The Hunger Games series, and Oz The Great and Powerful. I thought Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was new, but apparently it was 2005. Yikes.

Conclusion:

It’s okay. I’ve definitely seen worse movies. Perhaps, I secretly had higher expectations than I should have going in. I’m probably not in the target audience anyway. Strangely enough, I’m gonna go with the critics on this and rate it as a semi-disappointment.

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR

Spoiler Section:

  • Funny parts: When Clara orders the nutcracker to do something sternly and the mouse turns and shakes his little fist at the man. Also, before that, when the mouse and the man together move aside the grate in the floor. When Sugar Plum grabs a wad of her hair and eats it. (Pretty sure it is cotton candy.)
  • The concept behind the creation/ turning people into inanimate objects didn’t make much sense to me. Sugar Plum says something like “I gave them life, so they will only obey me.” But later, she has one of the soldiers hitting the button to create the next batch. Does that mean that they will only obey that one soldier?
  • Trade Federation. (When the creator gets turned into a toy, the animated toys keel over.) Why don’t they turn into small toys again?

Audiobook Reviews: 2 Books Narrated by Duncan Cassidy

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, children's, Family , ,

3/5 Just Like Down Home by Dale Stubbart

Narrated by Duncan Cassidy

Length 30 minutes

Summary:

Strange little fantasy story about an English gentleman named Joel September who doesn’t particularly like his job but things are about to change for him.

Additional Comments:

  • The blurb pretty much tells the whole story, though I could have sworn the man’s name was Joe in the book I heard.
  • Not really sure I know what Joel’s day job is exactly. His night job was a tad better described.
  • Nice cover. Very soothing.

 

Conclusion: Strange short story.

 

2.5/5 Spend a Year on the Farm by Baby Professor

Narrated by Duncan Cassidy

Length 5 minutes

Summary:

A brief glance at what happens on farms.

Additional Comments:

  • Pretty sure the Wikipedia page for farms has more substance and actual information than this book.
  • Perhaps this book makes more sense as a picture book.
  • I don’t think it even mentions what can be grown or raised on a farm.
  • The narrator has a very unique style of reading that suits the book. Lots of ebb and flow to the phrasing.
  • I’m fairly certain I’m not in the target audience for the book, but then again, I’m not sure who is. Kids that young probably don’t care about a straight up audio because it lacks the visual piece.

Conclusion:

Not my cup of tea, but it’s totally kid safe.

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.


OR

Movie Review: Smallfoot – Spoiler Version

Julie Gilbert children's, Family, Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , , , ,

movie poster

Summary:

Migo (Channing Tatum) gets banished from his village high in the Himalayan Mountains when he claims to have seen the fabled smallfoot. It’s not so much what he’s claiming, but the fact that he’s going against the Stones, which is where the village keeps all its rules and laws.

Setup:

Essentially, this village of yetis seems to do meaningless tasks every day. The Stones have become venerated as absolute truth and challenging them is unheard of. Until it happens. At the prompting of some friends/fellow outcasts, Migo sets out to prove there are smallfoots in the world, so he can be accepted back home.

He finds one and takes him back, causing quite the uproar. The village elder (Stonekeeper; Common) gives him a talking to that changes everything for him. He basically lets the kid in on the secret that yes, smallfoot exist, but they’re dangerous. The Stones are lies meant to protect the villagers from the truth so they won’t explore, question, and be killed by the vicious savages.

In the end, Percy (the smallfoot; James Corden) gets what he wants—fame—but sacrifices it for the sake of saving the yetis’ secret existence. The yeti decide that living in fear isn’t the way, so they reach out to the humans. There’s a standoff, but after a tense moment, the friendship forged along the way helps bridge the gap. Presumably they live happily ever after.

Additional Comments:

– As a science teacher I noticed there are quite a few clips in here you could use in a class. It raises a lot of great questions about asking questions and daring to explore even though the masses are against you.

– The humor relies heavily upon slapstick type throughout the film, but there are a few things worth laughing aloud. The miscommunications from the language barrier are hilarious.

– Story: Percy basically gets everything he wants but then sacrifices it for the sake of the truth. Things work out, but there’s definitely that classic “hero going down” moment right before things shift from “aww” to “oh, yay.”

– Favorite part: The Stonekeeper’s chat with Migo.

– It’s definitely a modern movie shouting the party lines of Hollywood. Question everything. Reach out and accept others.

– Maybe I should give the songs a second chance, but I still think they sacrificed appeal and repeatability for lyrics that fit the moment. There’s no “Let it Go” equivalent in here that has both message and story application.

Conclusion:

It started off fluffy, but once past the midpoint, the story turned deeper and got significantly better. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was a perfect movie, but the fact that it ends strong is good all around.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.

Spirit’s Bane: Two guardian angels get on Satan’s bad side.


OR

Movie Reviews 4/5: Christopher Robin

Julie Gilbert children's, Family, Fantasy , , , ,

Don’t own the movie poster

Summary:

Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) has grown up and become a responsible adult, but he’s not entirely happy with his life.

Additional Comments:

– The target audience is really anybody who great up loving Winnie the Pooh, not really their kids. Family friendly, though not really aimed at children.
– Pooh goes to London to visit with Christopher Robin and helps him find joy again.
– Cast 5/5: All parts are well-played. I always love McGregor, though to be fair he has picked up some weird roles over the years. Haley Atwell is amazing too. Even the kid who plays “The Madeline” is great in the role.
– Pacing 4/5: Not perfect. Not terrible. It’s a tad on the long side, but you need a fair amount of setup.
– I loved the illustrated book to moving picture bits. It can be overused, but here, I think they found a nice balance.
– Pooh’s all about that red balloon. You actually don’t get to see too much of the other friends. They have small parts, but as per the title, this movie is really all about Christopher Robin.

Conclusion:

Not really something that you must see in theaters, but a fun movie worth seeing.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.) Can I interest anybody in an audiobook? Those links are worth much more, but I think you’d have to become an audible member to benefit me.

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.


OR

Movie Reviews 5/5 Incredibles 2 – Spoiler Version

Julie Gilbert children's, comedy, Movie Reviews , , , ,

Summary:

In a time when super heroes are illegal, the Incredibles still feel called to fight crime. Balancing home and work is never easy, but things are especially grim in the beginning. Elastigirl (Mrs. Incredible) sets out to right the image of super heroes at the behest of a billionaire. Meanwhile, Mr. Incredible deals with math and boy troubles with the kids.

 

If you want to see the non-spoiler version of my review, look here.

 

Additional Comments:

– The beginning movie – I’m pretty sure most of the theater would have rioted if the story had ended right in the middle when she ate the dumpling thing. The end was much more satisfying. It actually pairs very well with the main movie because it’s about the struggles and trials of raising a child. There are moments of fierce pride at every milestone, yet there’s always that breaking away as kids grow up, find themselves, and move on.

– I like a good twist – I actually had the wrong person pegged for the baddie. It was nice to be surprised, though it made perfect sense once the big reveal happened.

– Funniest parts:

  • Jack Jack vs the raccoon.
  • Edna Mode discovering Jack Jack’s a polymorph.
  • Jack Jack imitating Edna Mode.
  • We do not fire the baby.
  • Incredible vs. New Math.

– Pretty sure they released it around Father’s Day for a reason.

– Replay value – I think you could safely watch it 2-3 times and still be entertained.

– Villain – Her motive’s okay, but it could be stronger.

Caution: There are quite a few scenes with strobing lights. Close your eyes or pick a spot outside the screen to focus on for a little while. You won’t miss much.

Conclusion:

It’s a nice family movie.