Audrey Hepburn is my daughter’s favorite movie star. She has seen all her movies except for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which we continue to think is just a little mature for her.
Funny Face, however, is one of her favorites. Though there are scenes of people smoking, most of it is pretty tame, though it is the kind of love story little girls love.

She has bought three books on Audrey Hepburn with her own money, very quickly realizing that they all use the same photos and have very little new to say. So if anyone is out there thinking of a great book to write for my daughter, an all-new story on Audrey Hepburn would be great. Her birthday is in March, so you have 45 days!

Ghost Town is a very funny movie. If you like Ricky Gervais’ brand of dry, self-deprecating humor (he was the original Michael Scott in the British version of “The Office”), you’re bound to enjoy his character. This is the the story of a socially awkward dentist who has a near-death experience that allows him to act as a bridge between the living and the dead. Just the fact that he can see many people around us who are actually dead creates a lot of confusion and funny situations, as does the fact that they are dressed (or undressed) as they were at the time of their death. Also starring Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni, Ghost Town has an upbeat hopeful story line, despite the deathly subject matter.

While there isn’t any real sex or violence in this film, one of the main characters is open about his infidelity, there are some direct sexual references, as well as some infrequent profanity (f**k and s**t) , making this movie inappropriate for kids younger than twelve.

Just in time to help you maximize the few minutes left before Christmas, here are the top 16 holiday movies captured in their most famous scenes.

This is just enough of a dose of some of them to make you fondly remember your first viewing and save you from a trip to the video store. Many of them, in my opinion, are a bit too cloying for re-viewing again now. And for cynics, read today’s excellent article in the New York Times on the sad dismal life of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. The writer, Wendell Jamieson, opines that the world would have actually been a better more prosperous place without George, citing his felony theft, upstate New York economic trends, and the dismal conformist life that George in which George is forced to find meaning. If you’re mumbling “bah” around this time of year, this is a fun article to read.

As I mentioned in a previous post, our family enjoyed the short 22 minutes Shrek the Halls for its brevity, slapstick and adult humor, and insight on the real meaning of Christmas (as Donkey says, “It’s not Christmas until somebody cries.”).

But back to the video. You may want to send this one from Grandparents.com on to friends and family.

Merry Merry.

What is it about the Shrek franchise that makes both kids and dads laugh out loud? All the Shreks have been good, mostly clean, family fare that work on both adult and kid levels. My kids and I watched Shrek the Halls last night and both my four-year old boy and eight year-old girl laughed through the whole thing. At one point, I even had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard.

Clocking in at 22 minutes, this video is a a very short diversion that may even become a classic about the holiday season like “It’s a Wonderful LIfe” or The Grinch. At least you can tell yourselves that when you take a break from wrapping presents to indulge for a few minutes. The movie’s premise is simple: this is Shrek’s first Christmas and he wants to make it perfect for his new family. And when he says family, he’s not talking about Donkey, Puss ‘n Boots, and all the other fairy tale creatures (Three little pigs, Gingerbread man) who live down the lane. Shrek has to find the real way to celebrate Christmas which, as some character says, isn’t something you follow a cook book recipe to do. Shrek’s Christmas involves the whole extended swamp family and ultimately involves family fighting and bickering. As Donkey says, “My mama always said, ‘Christmas ain’t Christmas until someone cries.” Many adults will find that this is the line that resonates the most for them out of the entire 22 minutes.

At $20 for this video, you may want to buy it bundled with Shrek 3, which may end up even costing less.

Nim’s Island is out on DVD and it’s a good movie for dads and kids. With some interesting graphics and a fantastical series of events, kids and dads should stay entertained throughout this 90 minute adventure.

Abigail Breslin, from Definitely, Maybe, plays 11 year old Nim. She is trapped on a South Pacific island when her scientist father leaves her for two days and then runs into a massive storm. Her only lifeline is an agorophobic adventure story writer (Jody Foster) living in San Francisco.

When her island comes under siege from a cruise ship itching to spoil her deserted island, she calls her for help. The story then follows their parallel adventures as Nim fights off the tourists and Alex fights her fears to rescue her email friend.

The one problem I had with the film was the beginning where, as in movie after movie, we learn that the mother has died very early in the girl’s life. I know Disney always likes to make their characters tougher through this adversity, but they overuse this plot device in my opinion.

Definitely Maybe (Universal Studios)

I have a major problem with the PG warning. It provides so little guidance for parents as to what actually is in a movie. I will let my 8 year-old daughter watch many PG-rated movies, especially if we’re on a plane or even if the theme looks romantic but somewhat adult. At this age, she pretty much ignores what she doesn’t understand, though that is changing very quickly. There is so little time these days, that often, as parents, you end up watching a movie with your child rather than pre-screening it to make sure it’s right. I’m not saying this is the optimum strategy, but sometimes it just happens. Last night, I got a major dose of why you always need to screen a movie, check our ratings, or go to CommonsenseMedia.org to get the complete scoop on a movie.

Definitely, Maybe is definitely a movie on which I should have done more research. While the plot idea seems like it would be cute: early middle-age man tells ten year old daughter how he met her mother and fell in love, their conversations are way too frank both for the main child character and for a little girl my daughter’s age. Within literally five minutes of the start of the film, the dad picks up his daughter at the first day of sex education at her school. Immediately, dialogue refers to “putting a penis in a vagina.” My daughter knows what these words mean, but I don’t think she’s yet heard them in this context, and I certainly didn’t want her to hear about them in this movie. We skipped ahead to the next scene, but it just went downhill from there. The movie was over in fifteen minutes.

Other difficult content includes more sex talk, reference to a threesome, lesbian affairs, and some in-bed kissing though no nudity. It’s just not good content for little kids, though nothing wilder than most teenagers have been exposed to on regular television.

All in all, a seemingly cute film for my wife and I to watch later, but not recommended for kids under about twelve.

Spiderwick Chronicles is out on DVD and a surprise hit in our household. When this movie came out last year, I thought it looked a little goofy and it seemed to be in and out of theatres in short order. Seeing it at home was the first time for us, and it was a happy surprise for both me and my eight year-old. We both enjoyed the story, the action sequences and the funny parts.

The story is an imaginative tale of a single mom and her three kids who go to live in a mansion they soon find to be under attack by goblins out to get a book that details the world of creatures ordinary people can’t see.

While the movie has scenes that make it a bit too scary for little kids (7 and under), my slightly older daughter enjoyed even the attack sequences at the end of the film without being frightened. Be aware that near the end (attention: plot spoiler), the kids’ dad arrives in what looks to be a sweet family reunion moment. However, the father is really an ogre in disguise, and the movie’s hero, Jared, stabs him in the stomach, much to the horror of the rest of the family. This might be a traumatic moment for small children (and some dads).

Here are a few of the date points my daughter (age eight) gave for the movie:

1. Movie is best for: Kids over seven and dads who are willing to enjoy some fantastical entertainment.

2. Favorite part: When the little elf is mad, if you give him honey, he gets nice again.

3. Favorite character: The little elf

4. Main character: Jared, the brother who discovers the Spiderwick Chronicles book.

4. Lesson of the film: Sometimes knowledge gets you into trouble, as Daddy says, “Curiosity killed the cat.” Knowledge can get you out of trouble as well.

My four year old son loves The Transformers and has been hopping around doing action poses since we got this DVD. He loves the action sequences and the clear line between good and evil. He also likes the frenetic pace and anxiety-producing sound effects. This is definitely entertainment for the on-the-edge-of-the-seat viewer.

While all these things make it a hit for him, my wife and I would prefer he watches quieter fare, which also seems to entertain him. I also think this is one cartoon that is probably better for older kids, maybe eight years plus.

The action sequences are pretty violent and action-packed, and you’ll have to decide for yourself whether the fact that the action is between repairable robots make it okay for your child. Personally, we felt that it was too violent even for older kids.

The Jungle Book 2 (Special Edition) is out and a hit with little kids. This is one movie both my four year and eight year old can enjoy together without too much fighting. They both loved the classic original Jungle Book with those great songs by Louis Prima. This one includes the same characters and a reprise of the song “The Bare necessities,” as well as the modern hit, “I Want to be Like You” by Smash Mouth.

With the voices of John Goodman and Haley Joel Osment, Jungle Book 2 is a good movie for young kids. Though there are some scary parts, even two-year-olds can watch this movie without too much anxiety. As an adult, I didn’t enjoy this one as much the original, but for the kids it was fine and there is some comfort in re-discovering the old characters.

Additionally, while I was underwhelmed by the two included video games (using your DVD player’s remote), my son was enthralled with the idea. He made me continue to try to play them for longer than they were worth given old and slow technology.

We have three copies of this DVD available to a movie buff who can identify the voice of Baloo in the 1967 original Jungle Book. Just send your answers to Paul @ GreatDad . com (a couple extra spaces in there to stymie the spammers.) Good luck. If more than three correct entries, we’ll draw a name on June 28.