Cast:
James McAvoy … Arthur (voice)
Hugh Laurie … Steve (voice)
Bill Nighy … Grandsanta (voice)
Jim Broadbent … Santa (voice)
Imelda Staunton … Mrs. Santa (voice)
Ashley Jensen … Bryony (voice)
Marc Wootton … Peter (voice)
Laura Linney … North Pole Computer (voice)
Eva Longoria … Chief De Silva (voice)
Ramona Marquez … Gwen (voice)
Michael Palin … Ernie Clicker (voice)
Sanjeev Bhaskar … Lead Elf (voice)
Robbie Coltrane … Lead Elf (voice)
Joan Cusack … Lead Elf (voice)
Rhys Darby … Lead Elf (voice)
 

This family movie was fast-paced and loads of fun. Entertaining for children of all ages and adults alike.

You will fall in love with the Santa family, Arthur, Bryony, and especially Grandsanta. As a parent you can appreciate the morals of the story; that everyone matters, never give up, and sometimes the old-ways of doing things are better.

Our whole family loved the film, including our children, nieces and nephews. Protective parents need not worry about the little ones, there is no bad words or sexual innuendos.

Though this film is offered in 3D, I think the 2D version is better. Things didn’t pop out as much, but maybe it was suppose to be subtle. For small children, the 2D is better, no parent wants to fuse with a 2 year old trying to wear those oversize awkward glasses.

Bottom line: very enjoyable, good messages, lots of twists and fun humor … Definitely worth downloading and owning!

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Christmas Is Here Again
2. The Santa Clause
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Cast:

Kate Maberly     …     Mary Lennox
Heydon Prowse     …     Colin Craven
Andrew Knott     …     Dickon
Maggie Smith     …     Mrs. Medlock
Laura Crossley     …     Martha
John Lynch         …     Lord Archibald Craven
Walter Sparrow     …     Ben Weatherstaff
Irène Jacob     …     Mary’s Mother / Lilias Craven (as Irene Jacob)

The Secret Garden is the perfect family film.

The movie is a rare treat where in the screenwriter and director actually understand their source, The Secret Garden by Frances Hogsden Burnett, and make a translation to the screen that not only captures the essence of the book but enhances the story as well. Too often directors spoil the story with their own self-interested spin (Little Big Man and Chocolat come immediately to mind)but here is a jewel that leaves the viewer saying “That was as good as the book.” A genuine triumph.

The cast is outstanding, the children in particular, Kate Maberly as Mary Lennox above all. Even to the most minor extra everyone brings a smooth and compelling reality to the story.

However, the real star is director Agnieszka Holland. Against a challenging climate ( a rainy location) she manages to create a movie with a touching commentary on how children can literally change the world. Her insightful grasp of the themes of isolation, growth and rejuvenation, the need for a balance between nurture and allowable risk are all managed through the controlling metaphor of a garden. The artful rendering of these literary themes are what many directors apparently find most challenging ( I’m looking at you Arthur Penn)and generally blissfully ignore them compensating by glib insertions, extra action or clumsy sentiment. Not so here.

Not only is her focus exemplary but the photography is amazing. The interplay of light and dark, the time elapse photos of clouds rolling and flowers emerging all set to beautiful music captivate the viewer. The rainy weather was not shunned but used to fullest effect. I can only imagine the discipline it must have taken to wait for the sun to peep out from the clouds and then roll film hoping that the cast can pull off the shot before the light changed and a second take became a long wait. Fortunately all are up to the task and the film, the final scene in particular, results in a brilliant piece of motion picture art.

The 1993 version of The Secret Garden is a must for every family film collection, one the parents and kids can enjoy for its sophistication or simply for the great way in which this timeless classic is retold.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. The Secret World of Og
2. The Secret Life of Bees
3. Where the Wild Things Are

Cast:

Russell Crowe as Maximus
Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus
Connie Nielsen as Lucilla
Oliver Reed as Proximo
Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius
Derek Jacobi as Gracchus
Djimon Hounsou as Juba
David Schofield as Falco
John Shrapnel as Gaius
Tomas Arana as Quintus
Ralf Moeller as Hagen
Spencer Treat Clark as Lucius
David Hemmings as Cassius
Tommy Flanagan as Cicero
Sven-Ole Thorsen as Tiger

A hero will rise. The general who became a slave. The slave that became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an empire. After another mighty victory on the battlefield, the great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) is requested by the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) to assume his mantle of power. Jealous of Maximus’ favor, the original heir to the throne, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) orders his execution–and that of his family. Barely escaping death, Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows into the great hero in the empire. When he comes to Rome, the Gladiator is intent on avenging the murder of his family.

Quotes:

[Maximus looks at images of his wife and son]
Juba: Can they hear you?
Maximus: Who?
Juba: Your family. In the afterlife.
Maximus: Oh yes.
Juba: What do you say to them?
Maximus: To my son – I tell him I will see him again soon. To keep his heels down while riding his horse. To my wife… that is not your business.

——————-

Lucilla: Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome.

——————-

Maximus: At my signal, unleash hell.

——————-

Maximus: What we do in life echoes in eternity.

——————-

Maximus: I am required to kill, so I kill. That is enough.
Proximo: That’s enough for the provinces, but not enough for Rome.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Hidalgo
2. Dead Snow / Død snø
3. Apocalypto

Cast:

Drew Barrymore as Lisa Piper
Richard Mulligan as Barnie / Barnaby Barnicle
Eileen Brennan as Mrs. Piper / Widow Hubbard
Keanu Reeves as Jack / Jack-be-Nimble
Jill Schoelen as Mary / Mary Contrary
Googy Gress as George / Georgie Porgie
Pat Morita as The Toymaster
Walter Buschhoff as Justice Grimm

11-year-old Lisa has no time for toys; she’s too busy taking care of her siblings and cooking for her mother. During the Christmas Eve blizzard, Lisa travels to Toyland in Wizard of Oz-like fashion and arrives just in time for a wedding. Young Mary Contrary is about to marry mean, old Barnaby Barnacle, despite the fact that she loves Jack Be Nimble. Lisa tries to stop this terrible wedding and, together with her new friends, discovers that Barnaby wants to take over Toyland. Lisa, Mary, Jack, and Georgie Porgie ask the Toymaster for help, but he can’t help them as long as Lisa doesn’t truly believe in toys.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Jack Frost – 1979 (TV special)
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D
3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Cast:

Burl Ives as Narrator: Sam the Snowman (voice)
Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph (voice) (as Billy Richards)
Paul Soles as Hermey (voice)
Larry D. Mann as Yukon Cornelius (voice) (as Larry Mann)
Stan Francis as Santa Claus / King Moonracer (voice)
Paul Kligman as Donner / Clarice’s Father / Comet the Coach (voice)
Janet Orenstein as Clarice (voice)
Alfie Scopp as Head Elf / Other Elves / Jeering Reindeers (voice)
Carl Banas as Charlie-In-The-Box / Spotted Elephant / Other Toys voice)
Corinne Conley as Doll / Others (voice)
Peg Dixon as Mrs. Donner / Others (voice)

A misfit reindeer and his friends look for a place that will accept them.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Jack Frost – 1979 (TV special)
2. Christmas Is Here Again
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D

Cast:

Edward Asner as Krad (voice)
Kathy Bates as Miss Dowdy (voice)
Madison Davenport as Sophianna (voice)
Colin Ford as Dart (voice)
Brad Garrett as Charlee (voice)
Andy Griffith as Santa Claus (voice)
Shirley Jones as Mrs. Claus (voice)
Jay Leno as Narrator (voice)
Norm MacDonald as Buster (voice)
Daniel Roebuck as Paul Rocco (voice)
Chuck Williams as Elf / Selvesr

Christmas Is Here Again is a musical animated tale that follows the exciting journey of a young orphan girl, Sophianna, and her unlikely band of adventurers as they help recover Santa’s magical toy sack. Throughout her pursuit for the elusive sack, Sophianna teams up with a feisty elf, an ambitious young reindeer, and a fox and polar bear duo. In the tradition of The Wizard of Oz, our young heroine and her allies each discover their potential for compassion, loyalty and the importance of never losing hope. This movie is the perfect Christmas movie for kids of all ages.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Arthur Christmas
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D

Cast:

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow
Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport as Norrington
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann
Lee Arenberg as Pintel
Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti

Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
2. The Secret World of Og
3. Babes In Toyland – 1986

Cast:

Sam Worthington as Jake Sully
Zoe Saldana as Neytiri
Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon
Stephen Lang as Col. Quaritch
Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine
CCH Pounder as Moha
Giovanni Ribisi as Selfridge
Joel Moore as Norm Spellman

A band of humans are pitted in a battle against a distant planet’s indigenous population.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Akira
2. The Matrix
3. Total Recall

Cast:

Ben Stiller as Alex (voice)
Chris Rock as Marty / Additional Zebras (voice)
David Schwimmer as Melman (voice)
Jada Pinkett Smith as Gloria (voice)
Sacha Baron Cohen as Julien (voice)
Cedric the Entertainer as Maurice (voice)
Andy Richter as Mort (voice)
Bernie Mac as Zuba (voice)
Alec Baldwin as Makunga (voice)
Sherri Shepherd as Mom (voice)

The sequel to 2005’s “Madagascar”, in which New York Zoo animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, still stranded on Madagascar, start to leave the island. All of a sudden, they land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Madagascar
2. Christmas Is Here Again
3. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Cast:

Matthew McConaughey asBenjamin Finnegan
Kate Hudson as Tess Finnegan
Donald Sutherland as Nigel Honeycutt
Alexis Dziena as Gemma Honeycutt
Ewen Bremner as Alfonz
Ray Winstone as Moe Fitch

Set in 1890, this is the story of a Pony Express courier who travels to Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in a dangerous race for a massive contest prize, in an adventure that sends the pair around the world.

If you like this movie, you'll also like:

1. Fool’s Gold
2. Dead Snow / Død snø
3. Apocalypto