“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
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[films–the preview] Delayed film reaches new generation [For ages 5-10] Lassie Opens Sept. 1, Rated PG This movie has been in the kennel for a year – delayed films are never a good sign – but now that it’s unleashed, another generation of children can enjoy the adventures of Lassie, the world’s most famous collie. The live-action feature closely follows the original 1938 short story published in Saturday Evening Post. On the eve of World War II, an impoverished Yorkshire family is forced to sell their beloved dog to a duke whose remote castle along Scotland’s northern coast is 500 miles away. Unhappy with the arrangement, Lassie runs away. Everyone’s Hero Opens Sept. 15, not rated at press time Like Lassie, young Yankee Irving goes solo on a cross-country journey on the eve of WWII. The boy treks thousands of miles to return Babe Ruth’s stolen bat before the deciding game of the 1932 World Series. The computer-animated feature was Christopher Reeve’s pet project, and he was to direct the baseball adventure himself. After his passing, Dan St. Pierre and Colin Brady took the helm. The all-star voice cast includes Rob Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brian Dennehy. Open Season Opens Sept. 29, Rated PG The first feature-length animated film from Sony Pictures Animation and what seems like the kazillionth computer-animated movie featuring adorable nature friends sends a domesticated grizzly bear into the wild. There, he is “freed” by a motor-mouth mule deer trying to help. Making matters worse, it’s just three days before open hunting season. Martin Lawrence bears with his role while Ashton Kutcher is a dear. Debra Messing and Gary Sinise also are heard, but not seen in a movie that opens simultaneously in conventional theaters and in 3-D on IMAX screens. [For ages 7-14] Goal! 2: Living the Dream Opens Sept. 1, Rated PG The middle chapter of the underdog soccer trilogy has East L.A. soccer phenom Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) transferring from England’s Newcastle United team to Spain’s Real Madrid. The saga concludes next year with a movie that began filming during the Germany-hosted FIFA World Cup in June. [dvds] this month Curious George (Rated PG; available Sept. 26; ages 4-10): Tame but pleasant animated feature that serves as the big-screen debut for the beloved children’s character. Will Ferrell leads the voice cast as The Man in the Yellow Hat, the archaeologist who the mischievous African ape follows back to America for stateside adventures. Grade: B- Family: The Complete First and Second Seasons (unrated; available Sept. 5; ages 13-18): The non-violent, well-written and sincere depiction of an American family was a welcome alternative to the action-packed TV scene when “Family” ran on ABC. The DVD collection of episodes aired in 1976 and 1977 looks dated, but the issues are not. Grade: A- National Lampoon Clubhouse Trick or Treat (Rated PG-13; available Sept. 19; ages 12-15): Get in the Halloween spirit early with this low-budget, yet entertaining direct-to-video family horror flick about a teenage boy who is grounded and forced to baby-sit his brother and sister. They discover that their house is haunted, complete with a secret passage. Grade: B |
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