Rating: Full

 

Cast: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Thomas Middleditch, Nick Kroll, Jordon Peele and Kristin Schaal

 

Director: David Soren

 

Writer: Nicholas Stoller

 

Based on: the epic novels by Dav Pilkey

 

Producers: Mireille Soria and Mark Swift

 

Music by: Theodore Shapiro

 

Rated: PG for mild rude humor throughout

 

Release Date: 06/02/17

 

Tagline: 50% Hero. 100% Cotton

 

Favorite Character: Captain Underpants/Mr. Krupp

 

Quote: “Your problem isn’t that people laugh at you. Your problem is that you can’t laugh at yourself.”- George Beard

 

Fun Facts: Weird Al Yankovic, who sings the song for the film, is mentioned in the first book of the Captain Underpants series.

 

The film was going to be live action with Chris Farley in 1997, but he passed away and the film was shelved.

 

The school around which the film’s actions are centered is named “Jerome Horwitz Elementary.” Jerome Horwitz is the birth name of Curly Howard of The Three Stooges fame.

 

This film is the last DreamWorks Animation film to be distributed by 20th Century-Fox before Universal Pictures took over.

 

Summary: Two fourth graders hypnotized their mean principal into a superhero in his underwear, but they get more than they bargained for.

 

The Review: Snap your fingers and you’re in for such a humorious comedy. It cotains Deadpool style forth wall breaking. The film is like all the first four books smoshed together. A fun film for children but immature for grownups (LOL).

 

 

Rating: Half-Full

 

Cast: James Franco, Bryon Cranston, Zoey Deutch, Cedric the Entertainer, Griffin Gluck and Keegan-Michael Key

 

Director: John Hamburg

 

Writers: John Hamburg, Ian Heifer and Jonah Hill

 

Producers: Jonah Hill, Dan Levine, Shawn Levy and Ben Stiller

 

Music by: Theodore Shapiro

 

Oscar Nominations: 0

 

Rated: R for strong language and sexual material throughout

 

Release Date: 12/23/16

 

Tagline: Of all the guys his daughter could have chosen…

 

Favorite Character: Laird Mayhew

 

Quote: “I mean, what in God’s name is a double dicker?”- Ned Fleming

 

Fun Facts: The app developed by Laird in the movie – “Ape Assassins” – is available on the iPhone App Store.

 

Director John Hamburg was actor James Franco‘s professor at New York University.

 

Lots of paintings in Laird’s home was actually done by James Franco himself.

 

Ironically Gene Simmons is of Jewish heritage, even though his character performs “The First Noel” at the Christmas party in Ned’s house.

 

Summary: Ned Fleming is about to meet a guy no father would want their daughter to date, but it gets worse for ned when he learns that Laird is planning on proposing to her.

 

The Review: It is similar to ‘Meet the Parents’ but with foul mouth Franco. I mean it is such a feel good film but with its unnecessary rowdiness.

 

 

Rating: Half-Full

 

Cast: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wigg

 

Director: Alexander Payne

 

Writers: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

 

Producers: Mark Johnson, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

 

Music by: Rolfe Kent

 

Rated: R for language including sexual references, some graphic nudity and drug use.

 

Release Date: 12/22/17

 

Tagline: We are meant for something bigger.

 

Favorite Character: Ngoc Lan Tran

 

Quote: “Downsizing is about saving yourself. We live like kings. We got the best houses, the best restaurants. Cheesecake factory, we got three of them.”- Dave Johnson

 

Fun Facts: This is the first film, since Citizen Ruth, that Alexander Payne has written that is not based on a book.

 

” Downsizing ” was Alexander Payne’s most expensive project to date costing somewhere between $65m and $90m. In it’s opening weekend, it took less than $9m at the US box-office.

 

Alexander Payne had originally wanted Paul Giamatti to play the Matt Damon role.

 

During filming in Lofoten, Norway, the crew rented a flotell, Edda Fides, to house the 160 people working on the film.

 

Summary: Tired of the boring life, an ordinary man decides to shrink himself to five inches in order to live a luxary life.

 

The Review: For the people, it is making them think of the future. Matt Damon and its crew are the great part of the film but the premise is the best. It gets entertaining in the beginning but fades out toward the end. But it is still full of wonders.

 

 

Rating: Overflowing

 

Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Ranee Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia and Edward James Olmos

 

Director: Lee Unkrich

 

Writers: Matthew Aldrich, Jason Katz, Adrian Molina and Lee Unkrich

 

Producer: Darla K. Anderson

 

Music by: Michael Giacchino

 

Rated: PG for thematic elements

 

Release Date: 11/21/17

 

Tagline: The celebration of a lifetime

 

Favorite Character: Miguel Rivera

 

Quote: “I have to sing. It’s not just *in* me… It *is* Me.”- Ernesto de la Cruz

 

Fun Facts: The other Pixar characters Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Mike Wazowski appeared as piñatas in the beginning of the movie.

 

In Brazil, the title name was changed to “Viva”, for the original title “Coco” could easily be mistaken by the Portuguese word “cocô”, which translates to a curse word.

 

Coco was the second Pixar film to not be accompanied by the short film made by Pixar (although, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure did get a limited release with the film).

 

The orchestra conductor for Ernesto de la Cruz’s musical show “Sunrise Spectacular” is a caricature of the film’s composer Michael Giacchino.

 

Summary: Despite his family has banned music for generations, a Mexican boy dreams of being a musician but it all changes when he accidentally crosses into the land of the dead.

 

The Review: Prepare to do the samba, cause this is 100% Mexican culture! This is the Pixar version of Spirited Away. And I mean beautiful images and great story! A must see!

 

 

Rating: Half-Full

 

Cast: Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis and Kristin Chenoweth

 

Director: John Whitesell

 

Writers: Matt Corman, Chris Ord and Don Rhymer

 

Producers: Arnon Milchan, Michael Costigan and John Whitesell

 

Music by: George S. Clinton

 

Oscar Nominations: 0

 

Rated: PG for some crude and suggestive humor and for language

 

Release Date:

 

Tagline: There glows the neighborhood

 

Favorite Character: Tia Hall

 

Quote: “I want my house to be seen from space!”- Buddy Hall

 

Fun Facts: Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito are Jewish despite that this is a Christmas movie.

 

Matthew Broderick actually had to train with the speed skater before filming the speed skating scene.

 

The original title for the film is “All Lit Up.”

 

Buddy Hall’s NHL Detroit Red Wing hockey jersey he’s wearing during the skate race is Brendan Shanahan‘s #14.

 

Summary: Two neighbors have a feud when one of them has christmas lights so bright it can be seen from space.

 

The Review: It seems an okay holiday film, nuff said.

 

 

Rating: Empty

 

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Robert Conrad and Jim Belushi

 

Director: Brian Levant

 

Writer: Randy Kornfield

 

Producers: Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe and Michael Barnathan

 

Music by: David Newman

 

Rated: PG for action violence, mild language and some thematic elements

 

Release Date: 11/22/96

 

Favorite Character: Myron Larabee

 

Tagline: Two Dads, One Toy, No Prisoners.

 

Quote: “IT’S TURBO TIME!”- Turbo Man

 

Fun Facts: In March 2001, a U.S. District Court jury in Birmingham, Michigan, ruled that 20th Century Fox stole the script idea, “Jingle All the Way”, from Detroit High School biology teacher, Brian Webster. The studio was ordered to pay $19 million, later reduced to $1.5 million. Webster submitted the script, then named “Could This Be Christmas?”, to the studio in 1994 and never received payment or credit despite the film making $183 million. Fox appealed and the verdict was reversed, since Webster’s script was submitted after the studio had already purchased a treatment (summary/outline) of what would become the film’s script.

 

You can actually buy Turbo Man action figures on eBay (at a high price).

 

When Howard and Myron burst into the radio station, the D.J. is taking a call for the Eight Reindeer name contest. The incorrect names the contestant gives are: “Randy, Tito, and Jermaine”. These are the names of three of Michael Jackson‘s brothers.

 

The film’s release coincided with the Tickle Me Elmo craze, in which high demand for the doll during the 1996 Christmas season lead to store mobbing similar to that depicted for Turbo-Man.

 

Summary: A workaholic father vows to get his son a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas, but they have been sold out in stores and he’s competing with a crazy mailman for one.

 

The Review: This is what Christmas is about? Too commercializing. The special effects aren’t that great. Not to mention the demon team is a Power Rangers rip off. But hey it’s a comedy, not an action film.

 

 

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen and Michael Jeter

 

Director: Robert Zemeckis

 

Writers: Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles, Jr.

 

Based on: the book by Chris Van Allsburg

 

Producers: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler

 

Music by: Alan Silvestri

 

Oscar Nominations: 3 (Best Sound Mixing (Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, Dennis Sands and William B. Kaplin), Best Sound Editing (Randy Thom and Dennis Leanord) and Best Original Song (Believe by Josh Groban))

 

Rated: G

 

Release Date: 04/10/04

 

Favorite Character: Hero Boy

 

Tagline: This Holiday Season… Believe.

 

Quote: “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”- The Conductor

 

Fun Facts: Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records 2006 as the “first all-digital capture” film, where all acted parts were done in digital capture.

 

Three different actors play the role of Hero Boy. Tom Banks does the motion capturing and adult voice, Daryl Sabara does the voice acting, and Josh Hutcherson does additional motion capturing.

 

The address spoken by the conductor early in the film “11344 Edbrooke” is the real address of Robert Zemeckis‘ childhood house. The house is in a south side Chicago neighborhood called Roseland.

 

Steven Tyler appears in this film as the Elf Lieutenant / Elf Singer. His daughter, Liv Tyler, appears in Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy as the elf Arwen.

 

Summary: A boy who has doubt about Santa Claus, takes a magical adventure on a train to the North Pole.

 

The Review: Climb aboard on this magical train on this magical adventure. It totally has realistic graphics (despites unrealistic physical elements). It has such a sweet melody to the score. It will still ring its bells for you.

 

 

 

Rating: Empty

 

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Robert Conrad and Jim Belushi

 

Director: Brian Levant

 

Writer: Randy Kornfield

 

Producers: Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe and Michael Barnathan

 

Music by: David Newman

 

Rated: PG for action violence, mild language and some thematic elements

 

Release Date: 11/22/96

 

Favorite Character: Myron Larabee

 

Tagline: Two Dads, One Toy, No Prisoners.

 

Quote: “IT’S TURBO TIME!”- Turbo Man

 

Fun Facts: In March 2001, a U.S. District Court jury in Birmingham, Michigan, ruled that 20th Century Fox stole the script idea, “Jingle All the Way”, from Detroit High School biology teacher, Brian Webster. The studio was ordered to pay $19 million, later reduced to $1.5 million. Webster submitted the script, then named “Could This Be Christmas?”, to the studio in 1994 and never received payment or credit despite the film making $183 million. Fox appealed and the verdict was reversed, since Webster’s script was submitted after the studio had already purchased a treatment (summary/outline) of what would become the film’s script.

 

You can actually buy Turbo Man action figures on eBay (at a high price).

 

When Howard and Myron burst into the radio station, the D.J. is taking a call for the Eight Reindeer name contest. The incorrect names the contestant gives are: “Randy, Tito, and Jermaine”. These are the names of three of Michael Jackson‘s brothers.

 

The film’s release coincided with the Tickle Me Elmo craze, in which high demand for the doll during the 1996 Christmas season lead to store mobbing similar to that depicted for Turbo-Man.

 

Summary: A workaholic father vows to get his son a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas, but they have been sold out in stores and he’s competing with a crazy mailman for one.

 

The Review: This is what Christmas is about? Too commercializing. The special effects aren’t that great. Not to mention the demon team is a Power Rangers rip off. But hey it’s a comedy, not an action film.

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen and Michael Jeter

 

Director: Robert Zemeckis

 

Writers: Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles, Jr.

 

Based on: the book by Chris Van Allsburg

 

Producers: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler

 

Music by: Alan Silvestri

 

Oscar Nominations: 3 (Best Sound Mixing (Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, Dennis Sands and William B. Kaplin), Best Sound Editing (Randy Thom and Dennis Leanord) and Best Original Song (Believe by Josh Groban))

 

Rated: G

 

Release Date: 04/10/04

 

Favorite Character: Hero Boy

 

Tagline: This Holiday Season… Believe.

 

Quote: “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”- The Conductor

 

Fun Facts: Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records 2006 as the “first all-digital capture” film, where all acted parts were done in digital capture.

 

Three different actors play the role of Hero Boy. Tom Banks does the motion capturing and adult voice, Daryl Sabara does the voice acting, and Josh Hutcherson does additional motion capturing.

 

The address spoken by the conductor early in the film “11344 Edbrooke” is the real address of Robert Zemeckis‘ childhood house. The house is in a south side Chicago neighborhood called Roseland.

 

Steven Tyler appears in this film as the Elf Lieutenant / Elf Singer. His daughter, Liv Tyler, appears in Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy as the elf Arwen.

 

Summary: A boy who has doubt about Santa Claus, takes a magical adventure on a train to the North Pole.

 

The Review: Climb aboard on this magical train on this magical adventure. It totally has realistic graphics (despites unrealistic physical elements). It has such a sweet melody to the score. It will still ring its bells for you.

 

 

Rating: Full

 

Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, and Randy Quaid

 

Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik

 

Writer: John Hughes

 

Producers: John Hughes and Tom Jacobson

 

Music by: Angelo Badalamenti

 

Oscar Nominations: 0

 

Rated: PG-13

 

Release Date: 12/01/89

 

Favorite Character:

 

Quote: “We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny (bleep) Kaye.”- Clark Griswold

 

Fun Facts: The film is based on the short story John Hughes wrote in the National Lampoon magazine titled, “Christmas 59” which is also a film reel Clark watched while being locked in the attic.

 

Final film of Mae Questel, whose film career began in 1930, as the voice of Betty Boop.

 

After failing to get the Christmas lights to work one last time, Clark Griswold takes his frustration out on the plastic decorations in the front yard. Chevy Chase actually broke his pinky finger while punching Santa Claus. He resorts to kicking and clubbing the decorations after that. The film kept rolling, and the take was used.

 

Just before Clark gets locked up in the attic, he pulls out an old present from a hidden slot, and it contains a card that reads “Happy Mother’s Day 1983, Love Clark”. The first movie, National Lampoon’s Vacation was released that same year.

 

Summary: The Griswold family tries to make it the best Christmas ever but it becomes a disaster.

 

The Review: Ho Ho Ho, that’s what you’ll be saying while watching this film. Clark Griswold really does it again. This script is certainally terrific. It may be tragic for them but funny to us.