Nightmare at the Museum 2 - Battle at the Smithsonian

It's two years later and Larry Daley has moved on from night time security guard to head of Daley Devices. Although he is a corporate big wig now he still finds time to check in on the old gang at the Museum of Natural History. He soon discovers that the Museum is being closed for renovations and many of the old exhibits are being sent on to storage in the Smithsonian. Mayhem at the Smithsonian quickly ensues and it's up to Larry Daley to come to the rescue once again. Many of the characters from the original film are included as well as new characters from history such as Amelia Earhart, Al Capone, Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible.

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Christopher Guest, Owen Wilson, Alan Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, John Bernthal, Patrick Gallagher, Jake Cherry, Rami Malek, Mizuo Peck etc..

Rating: PG

If you enjoyed the first Night at the Museum you will certainly enjoy this one. It had a bit of everything. It was full of action, drama, intrigue and even a little bit of romance. It was basically fun for the whole family.

Things I really enjoyed about this movie:

* We actually got to see the inside of the Smithsonian. I mean being from Canada

I had no clue how big this museum was and how absolutely awesome it would be to go there. Apparently no other movie has ever been allowed to film in the Smithsonian until this movie.

*Larry drops what he is doing to go and help out his friends albeit little people who

aren't really real and only come to life because of a special magic tablet. He

could just walk away from it, but he doesn't.

*That even though Larry had achieved what he thought he wanted in life he

realizes that it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, that some things

and people were just more important.

I won't say too much more. It would just give away the film. Let's just say that I felt the story was strong and just as fun as the first.

As for the parental advisory. You could probably stretch that a little to include 6 and up. The action and violence are very mild. There are some fight scenes but no blood or wounds. Some of the exhibits coming to life may be scary to really young views but I sincerely think my daughter probably could have handled this movie.

If you are particularly concerned "Oh my God" is said quite a few times, "damn" is said at least twice and "sucks" is said once. As for sex and nudity, there are a couple of kissing scenes and a couple of naked cherubs where you see their butts but that is it. Nothing they don't see they parents doing.

So over all, it was a great film. Worth checking out!

Movie Mama

Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa

The sequel to 2005's "Madagascar", in which New York Zoo animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, still stranded on Madagascar, start to leave the island. All of a sudden, they land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo. 

Featuring the voice talents of:  Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Andy Richter, Alec Baldwin, Sherri Shepheard and the late Bernie Mac.  Just to name a few. 

Rating:  PG for mild crude humour

As this movie was rated PG, my children were unable to watch it. (Being 5 and under).  So this based strictly on an adult's view. 

I didn't particularly think the first Madagascar was funny so I wasn't expecting to like this one.  Perhaps I am just in a different time in my life but I did find this movie enjoyable.  Both my husband and I laughed out loud several times during this movie. 

Tired of Madagascar, this unlikely crew of friends is determined to get back to New York and the life of ease they are all familiar with.  However, things go awry in one of the most humourous moments of the film when the penguins attempt to fly them in a hollowed airplane shell.  Instead, they land in Africa where Alex meets up with his parents.  

It was a good story, well written with plenty of zip and zany quips.  A family reunited to touch our hearts and four friends who continue to strengthen and evolve their friendship.  

This movie was rated PG.  A rating well warranted I believe as the beginning was a little tense with a hunter shooting at the animals.  Also further along in the film a human gets into a slapping, punching and knock out scrap fighting with the  animals. There are also some lions fighting each other as part of the who's going to be king lion ritual.  That part wasn't too bad but the hunters shooting part was a little too realistic for comfort.  If it hadn't of been for that part, I would have had no problem with letting my children watch this film.  

The villain in this piece was suprisingly mild and understated.  Unlike Scar in the Lion King, Makunga was more of a sleazy lounge singer than a menancing lion who has a lust for power.  More like he wants to be in power because he perceives it to be the easy life. 

I was puzzled by Moto Moto.  Given that he's a toy given out in happy meals, I had thought his character to be bigger than it was.  It wasn't.  It was suprisingly small and I don't recall even hearing him say what his toy says.  

Still, I give this movie a thumbs up.  It made me want to look up information on Africa and the animal reserves there.  If if we had more time with this movie, I may have let my children watch this film once I had fast forwarded through the whole kidnapping lion, hunter shooting scene.  

It was with a pang of sadness though as I realized that Zuba was actually the voice of the late Bernie Mac.  It reminded me of our loss of a great entertainer; however, it's nice to know that through works like this that his memory lives on.  

Zeemaid