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Transformers on DVD!
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.
Popularity: 1%
Sword and the Stone – Review for dads and kids
The Sword in the Stone (45th Anniversary Special Edition)
The Sword and the Stone (1963) is being re-released on June 17 in a new edition.
Both my kids, four and eight, enjoyed this movie and want to watch it again. They both voted for it to add to the pack of DVDs that will travel with us this summer. This is the major test for our family, since it’s often hard to find movies they both will enjoy.
Here are a few of the data points my daughter (age eight) gave for the movie:
1. Movie is best for: Kids who don’t like scary movies
2. Favorite part: When the wizard turns Arthur into a squirrel
3. Favorite character: Merlin (wizard)
4. Main character: Arthur
4. Lesson of the film: You should think before asking a wizard to turn you into a squirrel, because there are always problems no matter who you are.
5. Did the mother of the main character die in the first scene? Yes, she dies before the movie started
My four-year old son says his favorite part was the preview for Wall-e, the new Pixar movie.
If you already have the previous Gold release (2001), this release doesn’t have too much that is new, though it does have a widescreen version.
We have three copies of this new release to give away. All you have to do is name the major network show from the 60′s that featured the actor Sebastian Cabot (Sir Ector, the narrator, in the Sword and the Stone) as Mr. French. In the case of multiple entries, we’ll draw three winners from the correct responses on July 4th. 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 July 4.
As of June 28, no one has entered this contest so your chances of winning are sky high!
To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not hear from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win.
We will choose a winner for this on July 4. This means that you have until July 4, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST to enter the contest.
Popularity: 1%
New Jungle Book 2 out on DVD – contest for free copies!
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.
Popularity: 1%
Movie Review: Vantage Point
Whew. I’m still winded from the car chase that ends Vantage Point, the new political thriller, Vantage Point. This is a good intelligent movie for dads, and perhaps mature teens who can handle violence. Be warned that the violence is pretty personal. Think Daniel Craig James Bond versus Sean Connery.
The film is not what you expect from the previews. I don’t want to give it away, but the previews tip off that the film is comprised of five people’s viewpoint of the same scenario, taking place in a square in Salamanca, Spain. Each viewpoint shows the events leading up to an attempted assassination of an American president. A few more clues are let out with each viewing. I defy anyone to figure out the real story based on the first or second showing. There just isn’t enough data until you get deeper into the film, and this makes for a compelling film. At 90 minutes, Vantage Point is long enough to be complex and intriguing, yet short enough to end before the excitement wears off.
Great cast and fine acting make this an above average thriller. It’s marred only by a more thrilling than intelligent finish, but an ending that still satisfies. The star cast includes Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox (of “Lost”), Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, and William Hurt.
Popularity: 1%
Top ten movies to watch with kids in 2007
Which ones were your favorites?
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2.) 
Charlotte’s Web
3.) 
5.) 
The Last Mimzy
6.)
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9.) 
Popularity: unranked
