Certificate:

Directors: Pete Docter & Bob Peterson (co-director)

Release Date: 9 October 2009

Main Cast: (Voice)

Ed Asner … Carl Fredricksen

Jordan Nagai … Russell

Christopher Plummer … Charles Muntz

I don’t know how Pixar do it, but they have raised the bar again with this glorious film.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried. Three times, in fact (and twice during the first twenty minutes or so!) Watching Carl’s life unfold is both joyous and heartbreaking. And then, along comes Russell to cheer us all up!

I could write for hours about what makes Up such a work of pure genius, but I won’t. You need to discover it for yourself.

Please, please do not miss this film!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Matthew O’Callaghan and Todd Wilderman (co-director)

Release Date: 27 January 2009

Tagline: This time it’s pets against wilds. Weiner takes all!

Main Cast: (voice)

Joel McHale … Elliot

Mike Epps … Boog

If you haven’t seen the original you might wonder what on earth is going on, so I recommend you watch Open Season first.  You’ll get more out of it if you do. Of course, being a kid’s film it’s not essential, but I like to watch films in the correct order and you’ll get a better feel for the main characters if you do.

Whilst not in the same league as Pixar (but then again, who is?) I found this to be a really funny sequel and not in the least bit disappointing. There is plenty to amuse kids and adults alike (it had my husband laughing out loud!)

The poor old bunnies get a bit of a raw deal, but they are scene stealers! Their expressions are priceless!

Good, solid entertainment and I would happily watch it again.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Chris Miller & Raman Hui (co-director)

Release Date: 29 June 2007

Tagline: Who’s ready for Thirds?

Main Cast: (voice)

Mike Myers … Shrek

Eddie Murphy … Donkey

Cameron Diaz … Princess Fiona

Antonio Banders … Puss in Boots

After reading reviews of this I wasn’t expecting too much. However, I thought it was much better than reported. I would have liked to have seen more of Donkey though, as I think he’s by far the best character. I do like the fact that Puss has now joined as a second sidekick to Shrek. As usual, there are plenty of little jokes in the background to amuse us adults.

Shrek the Third is not in the same league as the original, but I’d put it on a par with the second one.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava (co-director)

Release Date: 12 October 2007

Tagline: He’s dying to become a chef.

Main Cast: (voice)

Patton Oswalt … Remy

Ian Holm … Skinner

Lou Romano … Linguini

Brian Dennehy … Django

More genius from Pixar!

Ratatouille is a delight from start to finish. It looks fantastic, the characters are great, the story is very engaging, and it’s very, very funny.

I’m sure I’ve said somewhere else on this site that “there’s something wrong with you if you don’t enjoy this film”, and it applies again here.

Nothing else to say other than keep ‘em coming, Pixar!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Jon Favreau

Release Date: 03 February 2006

Tagline: A new adventure from the world of Jumanji.

Main Cast:

Jonah Bobo … Danny

Josh Hutcherson … Walter

Dax Shepard … Astronaut

Zathura is a fantastic film that deserves a tagline far greater than that above. Jumanji was released in 1995 – a whole eleven years before this – so how on Earth do they expect kids to get excited about the mention of an old film that they’ve probably never heard of before, let alone seen?

Anyway, let the review begin!

The film is very original, and presses all my buttons! It’s sci-fi, it’s about an old board game that has been discovered at the back of a wardrobe (so to speak), and it’s a great adventure.

I loved every minute of of Zathura, and I can’t imagine a child out there who wouldn’t. Unless, that is, they are devoid of imagination. Oh, and if they are very ‘girly’ girls who think that space and rockets and aliens are ‘boring’ and would rather play with their plastic pink princess castles & such tripe. Needless to say, I have nothing in common with these girls, and as such, it is very unlikely that I will ever be reviewing a crappy girlie or ‘teen’ movie.

But I digress (and not for the first time on this site!).

If you possess an imagination, and have the same buttons as I do, then watch Zathura – I don’t care how old you are!

It’s a film that I would happily watch again.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson

Release Date: 29 June 2001

Tagline: The greatest fairy tale never told.

Main Cast: (Voice)

Mike Myers … Shrek

Eddie Murphy … Donkey

Princess Fiona … Cameron Diaz

Where to start? What a film! Absolutely brilliant on every level. Perfectly cast, excellent animation, fantastic story and wonderful characters.

Not only is Shrek all of the above, it is also one of those classics that that is irresistable to adults. There are so many instances of ‘nods’ to films that it’s hard to keep track of them.

Shrek himself is a great character. All he wants is to be left alone in his swamp, but his grumpy exterior is soon broken down when he rescues Princess Fiona, and begins to fall for her. Underneath it all, he’s a gentle sole who tries very hard to be a scary ogre, but never really fools anyone.

And then there’s Donkey. Surely Eddie Murphy’s finest hour! He steals practically every scene he’s in. He’s annoying, loveable, and very, very funny. One of my all time favourite characters, it’s hard to see anyone creating anything better.

Basically, Shrek is as near as you can get to a perfect film. It’s only flaw is that it isn’t long enough!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Peter Docter & David Silverman (co-director)

Release Date: 8 February 2002

Main Cast: (Voice)

John Goodman … James P. “Sulley” Sullivan

Billy Crystal … Mike Wazowski

Another masterpiece from Pixar! Excellent story, perfect casting, and fantastic animation. Sulley is a great character; he’s quite possibly the most loveable monster ever (who wouldn’t want their very own Sulley cuddly toy?!) and Mike is the perfect sidekick for him. It’s a classic comedy partnership – the funny guy and the straight man.

As is usual for Pixar films, Monsters Inc can be enjoyed by all ages. I haven’t come across a single person who doesn’t love it, and in my opinion, it’s an absolute must see.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich (co-director)

Release Date: 10 October 2003

Tagline: 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. That’s a lot of space to find one fish.

Main Cast: (Voice)

Albert Brooks … Marlin

Ellen DeGeneres … Dory

Alexander Gould … Nemo

Finding Nemo is another masterpiece from Pixar. The animation is truly stunning, and the script is up to the usual high standard. There are plenty of real laugh out loud jokes that make this film enjoyable for all ages.

The casting is wonderful; Albert Brooks is brilliant as the constantly fretting and over protective parent, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Ellen DeGeneres as Dory.

There’s not much more to be said really, other than watch it!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Brad Silberling

Release Date: 17 December 2004

Main Cast:

Jim Carrey … Count Olaf

Liam Aiken … Klaus Bordelaire

Emily Browning … Violet Bordelaire

Jude Law … Lemony Snicket (voice)

First of all, I know I said that I’d rather gouge out my own eyeballs than watch a Jim Carrey film, but I chose to watch this as it not a typical Jim Carrey vehicle (in fact, I’d go so far as to say that he should have third billing behind the two child leads), and also because Meryl Streep is in it.

I found this a disappointing film on several levels. Firstly, Count Olaf is an evil, murderous character, but Carrey hams it up so much that he comes across as more silly than sinister. At the start of the film, much is also made of how Violet is a brilliant inventor, and Klaus a voracious reader who can remember everything he’s ever read. These elements of the characters are sorely underused (although I have to confess that I have never read the books, so it may be that this is, in fact, as it should be).

Sadly, my attention was lost about a third of the way through, and I kept checking how much longer it had left to go, so that I could move on to something better.

A plus point though, are the children. Both Liam Aiken and Emily Browning are very good, and carry the film well.

As an adult who enjoys many chidren’s films, I found this strangely dull and tedious when it should have held my attention. I’m not even sure that the target audience will be enthralled by it.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Brian Henson

Release Date: 18 December 1992

Main Cast:

Michael Caine … Ebenezer Scrooge

And, of course, The Muppeteers!

This is my all time favourite Muppet film, and also my favourite version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale. The combination of the mean and bitter Scrooge and the madcap antics of the Muppets works perfectly. Gonzo and Rizzo are a perfect double act and provide some real laugh out loud humour. Michael Caine’s Scrooge is well balanced; a slightly lighter character than in the book but tinged with just enough meanness to make him dislikeable.

The Muppet characters fit Dickens’ characters so well, and it’s almost as if Mr Fezziwig was written with Fozzie Bear in mind; of course, he becomes Mr Fozziwig!

And then there’s the Cratchit family. Kermit plays Bob, and Miss Piggy plays Mrs Cratchit. The children are either pigs (the girls) or frogs (the boys). I love what they’ve done here; I’m not a fan of the sickly sweet Cratchits, but the Muppet Cratchits are perfect!

You can hardly describe A Christmas Carol as humorous, but Brian Henson has created a re-telling of the story that is both true to the book and incredibly funny.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars