Santa Buddies - The Legend of Santa Paws

Join The Buddies (Budderball, B-Dawg, Rosebud, Buddha and Mudbud) in a wonderfully wacky twist on a classic Christmas favorite. When Puppy Paws, the fun-loving son of Santa Paws, gets tired of the North Pole, he finds Budderball on Santa's naughty list and figures he's just the dog to show him how to be an ordinary pup. But when the magical Christmas Icicle starts to melt and the world begins to forget the true meaning of the season, it's up to Puppy Paws and his new found Buddies to save Christmas.

Starring: Christopher Lloyd, Craig Anton, Andrew Astor, Tom Bosley, George Wendt, Field Cate, Tim Conway, Chris Coppola, Josh Flitter, Ben Giroux, Skyler Gisondo, Zachary Gordon and many more.

Rated: G

Just when you thought you had enough, they bring out another Buddies movie. I have to admit though that this film does have it's charms. My children loved this film very much and watched it beginning to end several times over the weekend. It's not often a movie captures their interest that long.

For the grownups, it is definitely watchable at least one time. The story is pretty good. Talks a lot about the spirit of Christmas and what it means. That Christmas is more about giving than receiving and the buddies have to work together as a team in order to save Christmas. In doing so they help transform some of the lives of the people around them, one grumpy dog catcher played in particular.

There is a part or two where the flow doesn't really jive. You see Eli (a real elf) giving a kind lecture to a fake elf about the spirit of Christmas etc and yet you don't see how that ties into the movie. The fake elf wasn't a grump, there were no scenes (unless they were cut) where that Elf lacked Christmas spirit.

I can't really think of any potential warnings for parents. There is some mild action as the puppies are being chased by the dog catcher. In one scene the puppies try to escape and the dogcatcher gets knocked over and falls on his back. That's about all I can think of.

I should add that if you are a Christian you will find the message in the movie falls sadly short on the true meaning of Christmas. However, as always, there are many teachable moments that you can share with your children if you are sitting along with them watching this film.

Movie Mamma

Up

Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager 8-year old Wilderness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time - Carl's front porch! The world's most unlikely duo reach new heights and meets fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, the rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life's biggest adventures aren't the ones you set out for.

Featuring the Voice Talents of: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft and many other talented voices.

Rated PG for some peril and mild action.

Lovely, lovely, lovely movie. I just loved this film. Can you tell? It was altogether delightful and charming. The balloons are such a whimsical touch and there is just something about the graphics and colours in this film that I really love. Not too bright, more pastels. I don't know, it's just lovely.

I was surprised at the PG rating. Roadrunner has more peril and action than this film. Having said that; however, there are a couple of parts that I felt would be too heavy for my oldest (6) to watch and so we did not let her watch this film.

Parents note that this is not just a film for the kids but for the whole family. The beginning starts out with the old man, Carl, as a young child when he meets his wife, Ellie. It then progresses into a silent movie style clips, showing the ups and downs of their lives together. While this may be over many the heads of younger children, some more sensitive children will pick up on the meanings behind some of the sadder clips. Not to say that is necessarily a bad thing. I just recalled a scene from another movie in Meet the Robinsons where a baby is left on the steps of an Orphanage. That had actually upset my daughter quite a bit to imagine a baby being left like that. So when I saw the beginning of this film I thought perhaps it was not for her.

Likewise further into the film, as with most movies, a bad guy develops and is out to get the good guys. There are several small incidents of violence, with bullets being shot at the main characters, while there are no injuries, this may be more than you want your children to see. Oh and there is reference to people being eliminated in a general way. Again, if your child watches anything like Scooby Doo or Roadrunner this movie will be fine for them.

On a side note... if you have Blu-Ray player and are thinking of purchasing this film... buy it on Bluray. The Blu-Ray version has extra features and a short film clip that is not available on the DVD. I was disappointed with this. I think it may well be a sign of the way things are going to go in the technology arena. Blu-Ray will be pushing out DVD's before we know it.

Movie Mamma

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Tinkerbell is back and ready for a new adventure. "Discover how the Pixies make their magic dust! Take off in a hot air balloon with Tinker Bell and her new friend Blaze, a lightning bug who lights her way, on an enchanting secret journey to find a new moonstone, the source of the Pixies mystical dust. But hold on tight! There'll be amazing encounters, some close calls, and a daring rescue by her old friend Terence! In her biggest adventure yet, Tinker Bell not only learns a lesson in responsibility, she discovers the true meaning of friendship. From the creators of Tinker Bell, 'Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure' is a captivating journey of self-discovery everyone will want to take."

Rated: G

Featuring the voice talents of:

Mae Whitman as Tinker Bell (voice)

Jesse McCartney as Terence (voice)

Kristin Chenoweth as Rosetta (voice)

Lucy Liu as Silvermist (voice)

Pamela Adlon as Vidia (voice)

Raven-Symoné as Iridessa (voice)

Anjelica Huston as Queen Clarion (voice)

Grey DeLisle as Lyria / Viola / Narrator (voice)

John Di Maggio as Minister of Autumn

Jane Horrocks as Fairy Mary (voice)

and others......

Another delightful Tinkerbell movie from Disney. I was a little worried that the second Tinkerbell movie would be a tad humdrum, that we had discovered all the enchantment there was to be had in the new Pixie hollow. That was, however, not the case and my girls were just as delighted with this second Tinkerbell film as the first.

The voice talents were incredible, the graphics were gorgeous, the story was delightful. This film gave plenty of opportunities for my girls to see what happens when you allow your temper to get the best of you, how it can hurt friendships and what you must do to set things right again. All in all a captivating film from beginning to end.

For parents, there is very little of concern in this film. There are no evil villains in this film which is atypical Disney style. The worst parts are Tink's own bad behaviour and it's obvious that this type of behaviour is not to be preferred.

Really I can't think of a single warning to give. If you've seen the film and have a warning to suggest, please do leave me a comment.

What's going to be up next?

Movie Mamma

Imagine That

A successful financial executive has little time to spend with his young daughter. Then a personal crisis takes hold, and his career begins a downward spiral. But he finds the answers to his problems in an unlikely place: his child's imaginary world.

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Yara Shahidi, Ronny Cox, Stephen Rannazzisi, Nicole Ari Parker, Deray Davis, Vanessa Williams, Martin Sheen... to name a few.

Rating: Canadian rating is G but the MPAA is PG for "mild language and brief questionable behaviour".

To be honest this movie did not get the best ratings. I, however, disagree. I found the movie to be enjoyable with a strong message to parents about placing our careers ahead of our relationships with our children.

The topic may be beyond younger children. Despite the fact that this little girl has imaginary friends and visits an imaginary world I did not think my kids would find enough in this film to entertain them. The imaginary world is truly imaginary. However, if your children are older it might well be a good movie for the whole family to watch.

Basically, Evan Danielson is a fast paced corporate executive who is separated from his wife. It's easy to see why as work obviously his biggest priority. Things go awry though when he has to take his daughter for the entire week during one of the most stressful times of his career. He ends up finding himself playing with his daughter for the first time in a long while and slowly begins to discover himself and just how precious his daughter is.

The viewer actually gets to walk through this transition along with Evan. Just when you think he's coming along, he suddenly takes a wrong turn. This film provides plenty of discussion material for the whole family.

Movie Mamma

Pink Panther 2

Inspector Clouseau is back. When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther diamond, Clousea is assigned to the dream team of international detectives who are under pressure to bring the master thief to justice before he strikes again.

Starring: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Jeremy Irons, Alfred Molina, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin and John Cleese etc.

Rating: PG

If you have seen the first one and you liked it, then this movie is sure to please. Steve Martin is back as the lovable bumbling Clouseau and I have to admit I couldn't imagine any other actor playing this part half so well as he does.

Again, this is one of those movies that you have to be in the mood for. It's silly, it's light hearted, it's fun. It took me a little while to warm up to it but when I put aside my more analytical side and just enjoyed it for what it was, I had a few laughs.

There are some sexual references in this movie. Apparently at the beginning of the film there is a painting of a fully nude male. I missed this so was not aware until I looked it up that this was in the film. Clouseau calls women sexy a few times and becomes aroused by a description of a woman's clothes being ripped off because of clumsiness. This is part of a whole side plot that Clouseau apparently says things that are not politically correct and he must speak to a consellor about what is and is not appropriate. This is how the whole description scene comes up. I don't get why they had to add this side plot into the film. Now I am not a die hard Pink Panther friend but I have seen the movies before and I don't recall that this was a character flaw of Clouseau. In one scene he calls a fellow dectective who is Japanese "my little yellow friend". They all roll their eyes but no one says anything to him about it. Really, why is this in this film? It does not fit the film in my opinion.

As for violence, there are several scenes of intense action. A SWAT team storms into Dreyfus' office a few times, a restaurant is set on fire twice, a gun is shot several times, no one is hit, a corpse is seen on a crime scene, no blood though.

Profanity: mild terms like ass and damn are said.

Again, stick with the rating guide. I would not suggest letting young children watch this film. Not only is the story line not entertaining enough to hold their interest but the actions scenes are just that much too intense to let them watch it.

Movie Mamma

Paul Blart Mall Cop

With a heart that won't quit, a stomach that won't stop gurgling and a self-sworn oath to protect his turf, He's Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Mild mannered Paul Blart has always had huge dreams of becoming a State Trooper. Until then, he patrols the local mall as a security guard. With his closely cropped mustaches, personal transporter and gung ho attitude, only Blart seems to take his job seriously. All that changes when a team of thugs raids the mall and takes hostages. Untrained, unarmed and a super size target, Blart has to become a real cop to save the day.

Starring: Kevin James, Keir O'Donnell, Jayma Mays, Raini Rodriguez, Shirley Knight, Stephen Rannazziski, Peter Gerety, Bobby Canavale, Adam Ferrara etc.

Rating: PG

This is one of those stupid funny movies. You know, the one that you have to be in the right mood for or it isn't funny at all. Keeping that in mind it was, overall, a pretty funny movie.

Paul Blart is played by Kevin James. I really enjoy Kevin James as an actor and appreciate his sense of humour (most of the time). He kinda went a little over the top in portraying this guy, Paul Blart, as a bit of a loser but then I guess it just makes the ending all the more gratifying with the little guy coming out on top. It's fairly obvious right from the beginning that Paul Blart has not exactly had an easy time of it. His life seems to be a series of failures from which he tries to recover through food. He is a genuinely nice guy that just can't seem to get a break.

The basic premise of the movie is that we get to see Paul Blart go through a day on the job at the mall when a team of thieves take over the mall. Paul Blart manages to slip through the cracks and now he is the only one on the inside who can let the police know on the outside what's going on. He is determined to protect the hostages and stop the thieves.

I enjoyed this movie for a couple of reasons. One, you get to see the little guy finally get a break and come out on top and not in a completely unrealistic way. Okay, I know how many of us would be actually faced with that type of situation but think about when there is a tough situation to be dealt with. Most often, we rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done.

One of thing that stood out for me was the relationship Paul had with his daughter. She obviously thought the world of him and wanted him to meet someone that would be worthy of him. I also liked how self confident and strong this little girl was. When he tells her that she is a great daughter.. she responds... "yeah, I'm pretty great, aren't I?".

This movie is pretty tame rating wise as far as films go. The violence is fairly mild. Guns are used when the mall is taken over, brandished at customers. No one actually gets shot. There a few fight scenes and at one point Paul is attacked by a woman. As far as profanity goes, "hell" is used twice and "ass" is said a few times. The bad guys are not all that scary. But there is one scene, which could have been left out in my opinion, wherein Paul Blart gets drunk (inadvertently mind you but he was in a bar) and acts very stupidly.

So unless you are very strict with your children about what they watch, you may be tempted to ignore the rating because let's face many G rated cartoons are more violent than this movie. Personally though, I wouldn't suggest it as there is just not enough in this film to entertain young children. I couldn't imagine my kids being interested in this film at all.

For older children, at least 8 and up, this is a light enough comedy that the whole family can spend time watching.

Movie Mamma

The Tale of Desperaux

Once upon a time... in the far away kingdom of Dor... lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. Banished from his home for having such lofty ambitions, Despereaux sets off on an amazing adventure with his good-hearted rat friend Roscuro, who leads him, at long last, on a very noble quest to rescue an endangered princess and save an entire kingdom from darkness. Based on the heartwarming children's bestselling book and featuring the voice talents of an all-star cast, The Tale of Despereaux is a magical, modern fairytale.

Starring:  Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline, William H. Macy, Ciarian Hinds, Robbie Coltrane, Tony Hale, Frank Langella, Richard Jenkins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Shaughnessy etc. 

Directed by: Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen   

RATING:  G

This film had all the perfect elements of a fairytale.  A princess, a tragedy, a villain and a hero, albeit a somewhat unusual one.  The story starts out with a rat, named Roscuro.  From the start we can see that he is not your common garden variety rat.  He enjoys being out in the daylight and loves soup.  Unfortunately, it's this love of soup that gets him into trouble.  In the land of Dor, the people all loved soup and every spring the cook would present his newest soup recipe to the whole kingdom.  It was while Roscuro was trying to get a better look and sniff of the soup that he fell into the Queen's bowl causing her such a terrible fright that she drops dead.  The King is so grieved that he banishes soup and all rats from he kingdom.  Roscuro is sent scurrying to the underground where he discovers anew how unlike he is from other rats.  Here the tale really begins as we then witness the birth and growth of Desperaux, a mouse without fear. 

The graphics were clean and in my opinion well done.  Of course, my opinion is purely based upon whether it's pleasing to my eye to look at for an hour and half.  I felt the story flowed well and perhaps could have been a tad deeper in spots but after all, it is a children's film. I do feel; however, that they have erred with the rating of G.  I am grateful that I previewed the movie first, something which I do not always do when a movie is rated G.  Right from the start with the Queen literally dropping dead in her soup, I knew we were going to have problems with this film.  Can you imagine my 5 year old's horror at the "mommy" dying literally 10 minutes into the film.  

In the mouse world, they are taught to fear knives, in the rat world you see human skulls being used as carriages to carry rats around, they keep a caged cat which they use to kill their enemies.  At one point in the movie, the rats kidnap the princess, tie her up and drag her out into their little rat arena while the rat crowds were chanting "Eat her, Eat her" and at one point she is swarmed by the rats until she is rescued.  Of course, the hero carries the day and all is restored and made aright in the Kingdom of Dor; however, the level of violence and the tastelessness of the whole trying to eat the princess scene really put the kibosh on my children seeing this movie. 

From a grown up point of view; however, I enjoyed the film and thought it quiet charming overall.  I have nothing against the adventure seeking little mouse and find his dreams and ambitions to be that of any imaginative child.  A little swashbuckling is fun.  Who among us wouldn't like to run off and rescue the fair damsel in distress?  

So to wrap it up, unless you have very strict notions of what you let your children watch, I see no problem in letting anyone say 8 and older to watch this film.  

And that's my opinion in a nutshell.