Sunday, February 26, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Super Mario Galaxy: Official Review
Super Mario Galaxy Review
Rating: 5/5
Age recommendation: 7+ (This game is rated E, but it can be quite difficult in places.)
Today I will be writing my formal review of Super Mario Galaxy, a 3d platforming adventure game starring Mario. I wrote an excited fan piece in August, but one can hardly call it an official review. This piece will describe different aspects of the game. I will discuss plot, controls, gameplay, level design, music, and replayability. I will then follow up with my personal favorite parts of the game. Enough small talk. Let's-a go!
Plot: (Spoilers, but it really doesn't matter.)The plot in this game is relatively weak and the ending is long and convoluted in an otherwise straightforward game. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle during the Star Festival, but Bowser, or King Koopa and his minions take over the universe. Bowser uproots the castle out of the ground and goes to the center of the universe, taking Peach captive. Mario is flung off into space where he meets a goddess type woman named Rosalina, who is the caretaker of all the Lumas, which are star creatures. Her ship, the Comet Observatory is out of power and Mario must find and rescue all the power stars from the different galaxies in order to reach the center of the universe and save Peach. When this is done, Bowser's new galaxy goes supernova and creates a black hole, which the lumas have to stop. This is basically a convoluted Big Bang, so don't expect a science lesson from this game (although you might pick up a little about how gravity works). While the plot is mediocre at best and character's personalities are oversimplified and stereotyped, the production values on the cutscenes are great for a 2007 Wii game.
Controls: Overall, this game controls really well. You will need the Nunchuck attached to the Wiimote, and you will need a good connection with the sensor bar for certain things, so the game does consume a lot of batteries. Just be sure to have at least four triple A's on hand. You hold the Wiimote facing away from you, and you use A to jump and the analog stick on the nunchuck to move. You will be shaking the Wiimote for spin attacks and using the point-and-click feature for some actions. You can use the B button to shoot starbits, which are collectables, at enemies, and use Z to backflip or long jump. There are three sorts of missions that rely heavily on motion controls, but they are all optional. The only major issues I had with the controls were the rather imprecise controls when you are swimming.
Gameplay: The game has 120 stars to collect in total but you only need 60 to rescue Peach. The observatory functions as a hub-world and you select levels from certain domes. After you defeat Bowser or Bowser Jr. in each dome, you get a new dome opened up. The more stars you collect, the more galaxies there are available. Some galaxies only have 1 star and some have 3. This is not including secret stars and prankster comets, which are basically challenge levels. Once you are in a level, the objective is to find and rescue a star, just like Mario 64, although you have to do stars in a relatively specific order within galaxies, but sometimes you will have multiple stars to do in different galaxies. There are several suits that Mario can acquire, which give him unique abilities. Some levels are more wide and open and all about precision platforming in the vein of Mario 64. In some levels you will be traveling around on small planetoids or manipulating the gravity in an area. You will sometimes be upside-down or even sideways, and it's a bit disorienting at first, but the game has a relatively gentle difficulty curve. There is a tutorial stage.
Level Design: As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of levels where you are out in space, messing with gravity, but there are also more open levels, or combinations of the two. Many of the levels have cool themes, besides outer space including desert, gardens, ice, volcanoes, beaches, and so much more. There is even an amazing ghost galaxy! The bosses, while relatively easy, are genuinely creative. Sometimes there are arrows that mess with the gravity, and sometimes you can fall off edges and appear on the other side of the planet, but sometimes you fall into a black hole and die, although it isn't gruesome. The scariest bosses are Bouldergeist and Bonefin, but there isn't anything too bad. There also happy levels like Gusty Garden Galaxy where you have to float between planets using large flowers. This reminds me of Flik and that dandelion in A Bug's Life, my third (or forth if you count Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi separately) favorite movie of all time. There are so many great assets in this game, but you really need to experiance it it for yourself.
Music: I'll keep this one short, but the game features a fully orchestrated soundtrack with some truly epic pieces and it fits perfectly with the surrounding levels.
Replayability: If you collect all 120 stars, which is a daunting challenge, you can unlock Luigi as a playable character. Then you can replay the entire game this way. The levels are the same, but Luigi has different physics that will somewhat change up the gameplay. The levels are so amazing that they will keep you coming back.
Bonus!: (My personal favs)
Favorite galaxy: Freezeflame
Favorite stars: Bouncing Down Cake Lane, Through the Meteor Storm, The Dirty tricks of Mr. Burrows
Favorite non-playable characters: Rosalina, Captain Toad, Bowser
Favorite song: Melty Molten Galaxy
Favorite dome: Bedroom
Hardest stars for me: Lava Spire daredevil Run, Battlestation's Purple Coins, Luigi's Purple Coins
Easiest stars for me: Luigi on the Roof, Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, Flipswitch galaxy, Space Junk Road
Favorite powerup: Bee mushroom
Least favorite powerup: Red star
Most annoying stars: Faster than a Speeding penguin (Mario), Cosmic Luigi Underwater Race (Luigi), aforementioned hard stars, Dreadnought's Garbage Dump, Sea Slide Purple Coins
I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment (comet) and check back on my blog!!
Rating: 5/5
Age recommendation: 7+ (This game is rated E, but it can be quite difficult in places.)
Today I will be writing my formal review of Super Mario Galaxy, a 3d platforming adventure game starring Mario. I wrote an excited fan piece in August, but one can hardly call it an official review. This piece will describe different aspects of the game. I will discuss plot, controls, gameplay, level design, music, and replayability. I will then follow up with my personal favorite parts of the game. Enough small talk. Let's-a go!
Plot: (Spoilers, but it really doesn't matter.)The plot in this game is relatively weak and the ending is long and convoluted in an otherwise straightforward game. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle during the Star Festival, but Bowser, or King Koopa and his minions take over the universe. Bowser uproots the castle out of the ground and goes to the center of the universe, taking Peach captive. Mario is flung off into space where he meets a goddess type woman named Rosalina, who is the caretaker of all the Lumas, which are star creatures. Her ship, the Comet Observatory is out of power and Mario must find and rescue all the power stars from the different galaxies in order to reach the center of the universe and save Peach. When this is done, Bowser's new galaxy goes supernova and creates a black hole, which the lumas have to stop. This is basically a convoluted Big Bang, so don't expect a science lesson from this game (although you might pick up a little about how gravity works). While the plot is mediocre at best and character's personalities are oversimplified and stereotyped, the production values on the cutscenes are great for a 2007 Wii game.
Controls: Overall, this game controls really well. You will need the Nunchuck attached to the Wiimote, and you will need a good connection with the sensor bar for certain things, so the game does consume a lot of batteries. Just be sure to have at least four triple A's on hand. You hold the Wiimote facing away from you, and you use A to jump and the analog stick on the nunchuck to move. You will be shaking the Wiimote for spin attacks and using the point-and-click feature for some actions. You can use the B button to shoot starbits, which are collectables, at enemies, and use Z to backflip or long jump. There are three sorts of missions that rely heavily on motion controls, but they are all optional. The only major issues I had with the controls were the rather imprecise controls when you are swimming.
Gameplay: The game has 120 stars to collect in total but you only need 60 to rescue Peach. The observatory functions as a hub-world and you select levels from certain domes. After you defeat Bowser or Bowser Jr. in each dome, you get a new dome opened up. The more stars you collect, the more galaxies there are available. Some galaxies only have 1 star and some have 3. This is not including secret stars and prankster comets, which are basically challenge levels. Once you are in a level, the objective is to find and rescue a star, just like Mario 64, although you have to do stars in a relatively specific order within galaxies, but sometimes you will have multiple stars to do in different galaxies. There are several suits that Mario can acquire, which give him unique abilities. Some levels are more wide and open and all about precision platforming in the vein of Mario 64. In some levels you will be traveling around on small planetoids or manipulating the gravity in an area. You will sometimes be upside-down or even sideways, and it's a bit disorienting at first, but the game has a relatively gentle difficulty curve. There is a tutorial stage.
Level Design: As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of levels where you are out in space, messing with gravity, but there are also more open levels, or combinations of the two. Many of the levels have cool themes, besides outer space including desert, gardens, ice, volcanoes, beaches, and so much more. There is even an amazing ghost galaxy! The bosses, while relatively easy, are genuinely creative. Sometimes there are arrows that mess with the gravity, and sometimes you can fall off edges and appear on the other side of the planet, but sometimes you fall into a black hole and die, although it isn't gruesome. The scariest bosses are Bouldergeist and Bonefin, but there isn't anything too bad. There also happy levels like Gusty Garden Galaxy where you have to float between planets using large flowers. This reminds me of Flik and that dandelion in A Bug's Life, my third (or forth if you count Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi separately) favorite movie of all time. There are so many great assets in this game, but you really need to experiance it it for yourself.
Music: I'll keep this one short, but the game features a fully orchestrated soundtrack with some truly epic pieces and it fits perfectly with the surrounding levels.
Replayability: If you collect all 120 stars, which is a daunting challenge, you can unlock Luigi as a playable character. Then you can replay the entire game this way. The levels are the same, but Luigi has different physics that will somewhat change up the gameplay. The levels are so amazing that they will keep you coming back.
HighwayPrincess
Bonus!: (My personal favs)
Favorite galaxy: Freezeflame
Favorite stars: Bouncing Down Cake Lane, Through the Meteor Storm, The Dirty tricks of Mr. Burrows
Favorite non-playable characters: Rosalina, Captain Toad, Bowser
Favorite song: Melty Molten Galaxy
Favorite dome: Bedroom
Hardest stars for me: Lava Spire daredevil Run, Battlestation's Purple Coins, Luigi's Purple Coins
Easiest stars for me: Luigi on the Roof, Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, Flipswitch galaxy, Space Junk Road
Favorite powerup: Bee mushroom
Least favorite powerup: Red star
Most annoying stars: Faster than a Speeding penguin (Mario), Cosmic Luigi Underwater Race (Luigi), aforementioned hard stars, Dreadnought's Garbage Dump, Sea Slide Purple Coins
I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment (comet) and check back on my blog!!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
SUPER MARIO 64!!!!!!!!
SUPER MARIO 64:
Okay, earlier today I seriously considered changing my profile picture to an N64 controller. No, seriously. I got the game a few weeks back and I haven't had time to write about it yet. Shoutouts to Caroline and Allie K. for making this all so possible (YAY!!!!).
Age recommendation: 8+ (frustration issues; even I have them)
My rating: 4.5/5 stars (I mean 110/120 stars!! lol.)
Okay, so first off, this is a more personal review. If you remember my Galaxy Review (Super Mario Galaxy Is Awesome!) Then you know that even then, I was dying to play this one. (Btw I have all 120 stars in galaxy!) Before I even got the game I knew what I was in for: 1 star speedruns. Okay, probably 16 first). Basically, in short, a speedrun is a playthrough of a game where you try to complete it as quickly as possible. This game has 5 categories (120 stars, 70, 16, 1, and 0.) You ordinarily need 70 stars to beat the game, but you can glitch through it. (I think glitches are awesome too, Vanillope) without getting the required stars.
This game was released in 1996 on the Nintendo 64 console. It was the first major open world video game, period. I mean Star Fox was 3d, but that was a game where you flew through. In Super Mario 64 you can run in circles, jump, walk, tiptoe, double hump, triple jump, wall kick, backflip, sideflip, long jump, and backwards long jump (which is an extremely important glitch) your way through the interior of princess Peach's castle, where she is being held captive by Bowser. You can jump in paintings and be transported to magical worlds full of lethal lava, sunken ships, daunting mountain climbs, killer pianos and soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more. You can even fly, and I think the wing cap controls (although mediocre) are better than the controls of the red star in galaxy. Swimming is just as bad, but for different reasons.
Now for the problems. The camera is pretty bad by today's standards (you can die in stupid ways), and the graphics haven't aged very well. There are only 15 stages, as well as secret stages and boss stages, and there are two water worlds and two snow worlds. But this was the game that introduced us to the Mario we know today; the wahoo and yippie!! Mario. The Gwa Ha Haing Bowser, and an unchanged princess peach with terrible voice acting. There is soooooooooooooooooooooo much more I could say about this game but for now, "Here We GOOOOO!!"
Okay, earlier today I seriously considered changing my profile picture to an N64 controller. No, seriously. I got the game a few weeks back and I haven't had time to write about it yet. Shoutouts to Caroline and Allie K. for making this all so possible (YAY!!!!).
Age recommendation: 8+ (frustration issues; even I have them)
My rating: 4.5/5 stars (I mean 110/120 stars!! lol.)
Okay, so first off, this is a more personal review. If you remember my Galaxy Review (Super Mario Galaxy Is Awesome!) Then you know that even then, I was dying to play this one. (Btw I have all 120 stars in galaxy!) Before I even got the game I knew what I was in for: 1 star speedruns. Okay, probably 16 first). Basically, in short, a speedrun is a playthrough of a game where you try to complete it as quickly as possible. This game has 5 categories (120 stars, 70, 16, 1, and 0.) You ordinarily need 70 stars to beat the game, but you can glitch through it. (I think glitches are awesome too, Vanillope) without getting the required stars.
This game was released in 1996 on the Nintendo 64 console. It was the first major open world video game, period. I mean Star Fox was 3d, but that was a game where you flew through. In Super Mario 64 you can run in circles, jump, walk, tiptoe, double hump, triple jump, wall kick, backflip, sideflip, long jump, and backwards long jump (which is an extremely important glitch) your way through the interior of princess Peach's castle, where she is being held captive by Bowser. You can jump in paintings and be transported to magical worlds full of lethal lava, sunken ships, daunting mountain climbs, killer pianos and soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more. You can even fly, and I think the wing cap controls (although mediocre) are better than the controls of the red star in galaxy. Swimming is just as bad, but for different reasons.
Now for the problems. The camera is pretty bad by today's standards (you can die in stupid ways), and the graphics haven't aged very well. There are only 15 stages, as well as secret stages and boss stages, and there are two water worlds and two snow worlds. But this was the game that introduced us to the Mario we know today; the wahoo and yippie!! Mario. The Gwa Ha Haing Bowser, and an unchanged princess peach with terrible voice acting. There is soooooooooooooooooooooo much more I could say about this game but for now, "Here We GOOOOO!!"
WILDFIRE BY RACHEL PLATTEN: TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW
Description: An explosive debut pop album from tallented artist (some mild languge).
Age Rating: 12+
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Pop
Stand by You: This is an explosive popular single from the album. It is an upbeat love song about not leaving your loved one's side, and is very positive for relationships. It's mostly about not leaving someone's side even in hard times. The word "Hell" is used in the chorus but it is not used in a suggestive way, only metaphorically "Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you."
Hey Hey Hallelujah: This pop-rap song seems top be about someone not being ready for a relationship "You're begging me for more don't know how much I can take." There are a few references to physical intimacy but not any explicit sexual content. One metaphorical referrence to drinking. "Your heart must be drunk."
Speechless: Speechless is a nice love song about how a lover can make you speechless (and quiet your demons). It is musically entertaining and mentions kissing but nothing too sexy.
Beating Me Up: Beating Me up is a musically straightforward, lyrically complex breakup song. "I'd be better off without you, I wish my heart would stop beating me up."
Fight Song: The true empowering gem on this album shines through the darkest times. It is about using your inner power and "taking back your life". Yes, Hillary Clinton used this in her political campaign, but if you can put your political thoughts aside, this is an appropriate song for any cause.
Better Place: This is a sweet, sentimental love song that replaces Platten's typical percussive sound with a lone piano and accompanying strings. The song is about being happier with your love "It's a better place since you came along."
Lone Ranger: This song is very upbeat and energetic but it sends mixed messages. The line "Don't try to get close, I'm just gonna leave 'cause baby I'm a lone ranger!" Is used over and over again. In some ways this destroys the idea that people are stronger together (no Clinton reference intended) that has been already illustrated in "Stand By You" but it is also a positive anthem of independence.
You Don't Know My Heart: This one is just about another messed -up relationship. It used relatively mainstream styling and doesn't really bring anything new to the table. The word "sucks" is used.
Angels In Chelsea: This song is about city life, so it mentions several harder issues in the city a girl is "probably drunk", and people sing the blues for food. There are metaphorical angels here, probably referring to people who help the poor. Overall a nice song for older tweens.
Astronauts: This is a sweet, upbeat love song about metaphorical astronauts. Platten says that she will name a star after her love.
Congratulations: Besides "Fight Song" This pop ballad about heartbreak is arguably the best song on the album. It's about needing to break up with someone and is packed with emotion. "Congratulations, got what you wanted, you're winning now, congratulations, you got your shot and you wore me down." The word "damn" is used once in the phrase "to be so damn aggressive," but compared to other pop stars this is pretty mild. There are also metaphorical references to violence "I need to cut you out of my life," "my ego's raw and bruised," ect.
Superman: This gentle love song brings out many of the themes from "Stand by You" but showcases more tallented vocal depth.
So this album is much milder than anything by Katy Perry, Rihanna, or Lady Gaga, and is great for teens.
Description: An explosive debut pop album from tallented artist (some mild languge).
Age Rating: 12+
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Pop
Stand by You: This is an explosive popular single from the album. It is an upbeat love song about not leaving your loved one's side, and is very positive for relationships. It's mostly about not leaving someone's side even in hard times. The word "Hell" is used in the chorus but it is not used in a suggestive way, only metaphorically "Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you."
Hey Hey Hallelujah: This pop-rap song seems top be about someone not being ready for a relationship "You're begging me for more don't know how much I can take." There are a few references to physical intimacy but not any explicit sexual content. One metaphorical referrence to drinking. "Your heart must be drunk."
Speechless: Speechless is a nice love song about how a lover can make you speechless (and quiet your demons). It is musically entertaining and mentions kissing but nothing too sexy.
Beating Me Up: Beating Me up is a musically straightforward, lyrically complex breakup song. "I'd be better off without you, I wish my heart would stop beating me up."
Fight Song: The true empowering gem on this album shines through the darkest times. It is about using your inner power and "taking back your life". Yes, Hillary Clinton used this in her political campaign, but if you can put your political thoughts aside, this is an appropriate song for any cause.
Better Place: This is a sweet, sentimental love song that replaces Platten's typical percussive sound with a lone piano and accompanying strings. The song is about being happier with your love "It's a better place since you came along."
Lone Ranger: This song is very upbeat and energetic but it sends mixed messages. The line "Don't try to get close, I'm just gonna leave 'cause baby I'm a lone ranger!" Is used over and over again. In some ways this destroys the idea that people are stronger together (no Clinton reference intended) that has been already illustrated in "Stand By You" but it is also a positive anthem of independence.
You Don't Know My Heart: This one is just about another messed -up relationship. It used relatively mainstream styling and doesn't really bring anything new to the table. The word "sucks" is used.
Angels In Chelsea: This song is about city life, so it mentions several harder issues in the city a girl is "probably drunk", and people sing the blues for food. There are metaphorical angels here, probably referring to people who help the poor. Overall a nice song for older tweens.
Astronauts: This is a sweet, upbeat love song about metaphorical astronauts. Platten says that she will name a star after her love.
Congratulations: Besides "Fight Song" This pop ballad about heartbreak is arguably the best song on the album. It's about needing to break up with someone and is packed with emotion. "Congratulations, got what you wanted, you're winning now, congratulations, you got your shot and you wore me down." The word "damn" is used once in the phrase "to be so damn aggressive," but compared to other pop stars this is pretty mild. There are also metaphorical references to violence "I need to cut you out of my life," "my ego's raw and bruised," ect.
Superman: This gentle love song brings out many of the themes from "Stand by You" but showcases more tallented vocal depth.
So this album is much milder than anything by Katy Perry, Rihanna, or Lady Gaga, and is great for teens.
Friday, September 9, 2016
My Favorite Movies That the Whole Family can enjoy!!!! (this is my opinion)
#10: FROZEN (5+) This is a delightful sister story from Walt Disney Animation Studios filled with heart and humor. Older sister Elsa has extraordinary powers to freeze things, but she can't control them. When she runs away from the kingdom, her younger sister, Princess Anna goes after her, and encounters a talking snowman, and a funny guy named Kristoff and his overly expressive reindeer Sven. It has a bit of potty humor, and a snow monster scene might be scary for toddlers, but in general, this is a very kid friendly movie.
#9: WRECK-IT RALPH: (10+) This movie is a hysterically funny, and at times touching Disney film about...video game characters? This one is a little more obscure than Frozen, but it's still delightful. Ralph, the bad guy of his video game decides that he wants to become a hero, goes on a quest to get a gold medal, and messes everything up. To fix things, he has to team up with memorable characters Vanillope and Felix to name a few. There are some scary sequences with bugs, and younger kids might not get all the refrences, but this is a blast for tweens.
#8: THE WIZARD OF OZ: (5+) There is nothing innapropriate in this classic musical based on L. Frank Baum's novel. This is one of the few instances where the movie is better than the book. Little kids might be scared by the witch or the flying monkeys, so be careful with littles, but this is awesome! It tells the story of an ordinary farm girl, Dorothy who stumbles upon a fantasy land and teams up with the scarecrow, tin man, and lion, to get home. This movie has really cutting-edge visuals for 1938, too!
#7 TANGLED: (7+) Yet another Disney Animated movie on this list. There are a lot of them. This is basically a retelling on Rapunzel with one of Disney's classic twists. We've got our strong heroine, Rapunzel, opressed by Mother Gothel, who finds an escape when she befriends dashing criminal Flynn Ryder. And the CGI is amazing. You could never do this "hair thing" with traditional animation! Gothel may be a little scary, there are thugs, and a lot of suspense near the end, but overall, this is family friendly
#6 SINGIN IN THE RAIN (10+) The reason this is 10+ is because it's a classic musical, mostly starring adults, set in the 1920's transition from silent films to talkies. This film is brilliant, but it won't hold younger kids attention. But be sure to show "Singin' in the Rain" and "Make em' Laugh" to the little guys.
#5 STAR WARS: EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE: (8+) You can't go wrong with this one. Great for older kids and families. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, as well as the galaxy far, away, are introduced for the first time. Show your kids this one before Phantom Menace, if you want them to get the "right idea" of Star Wars. Don't be shocked to see this so high. There are two things holding this back. The fact that I've got stuff planned for #1, and the special editions you're probably forced to show them (see what I did there). Of course special eds. are a minor nitpick and no matter what version you have the kids have got to see it. (You can read my post about the topic if you're really interested in unaltered versions). Actually I'm watching 2004 special ed. here in a few (;-)). There are some intense scenes, and a planet and a space station, as well as several spaceships with fighters in them, but nothing too graphic or violent.
#4: DESPICABLE ME: (5+) This movie is a quirky and weird one brought to us from Illumination. Gru, a super villain, attempts to steal the moon, and falls in love with three adorable and funny girls in the meantime. The minions are cute and silly, and the humor is pitch perfect. The action is mild and not too intense until the end. There are a few references to potty humor (including a fart gun), but it's pretty mild. While this movie is not for everyone, I watch it more often than Star Wars for the laughs.
#3: A BUG"S LIFE: (7+): Another quirky movie I love, this one from Pixar and a little more poignant. A colony of ants who are being opressed by grasshoppers send outsider Flik to the city to find warriors, but he comes back with....circus bugs? These guys are hilarious and really quite heroic. The grasshoppers are freaky-looking for little kids (I saw it when I was 5 and hid under a blanket), and the climax is quite intense, but kids should enjoy the adorable bugs, especially, Princess Dot.
#: ZOOTOPIA: (10+): While younger kids will be fine with most of the movie, there were some scenes with savage animals that I thought were especially intense. Judy Hopps, an optimistic bunny, wants to become a police officer! She moves to the big city Zootopia, and predators look down on her because she's a little bunny. She befriends a sarcastic fox named Nick, and has to save the day, and bring the city together. This message delivers a pretty big plot twist (although not as big as the one in the next entry), a sountrack by Giaccnino, and a catchy song by Shakira that's perfectly kids appropriate. The messages are generally positive, about trying your best and bringing people together. This also offers some pretty good insights into the nature of our culture, the CGI is amazing and in my opinion, it's Disney Animated's best yet.
#1: STAR WARS: EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK AND STAR WARS EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI (10+) Okay, okay, Empire is clearly better and the Ewoks are there for merchandising, but seriously, can you really have one without the other? Empire leaves you on a cliffhanger that Jedi sets out to conclude. These movies have pretty intense scenes, so that's why I said 10+ although younger kids will probably be fine, I saw them when I was eight or nine, but didn't really enjoy them until I was 12. I don't want to give anything away, so if you haven't watched these films I have three words for you: GO. DO. IT.
#10: FROZEN (5+) This is a delightful sister story from Walt Disney Animation Studios filled with heart and humor. Older sister Elsa has extraordinary powers to freeze things, but she can't control them. When she runs away from the kingdom, her younger sister, Princess Anna goes after her, and encounters a talking snowman, and a funny guy named Kristoff and his overly expressive reindeer Sven. It has a bit of potty humor, and a snow monster scene might be scary for toddlers, but in general, this is a very kid friendly movie.
#9: WRECK-IT RALPH: (10+) This movie is a hysterically funny, and at times touching Disney film about...video game characters? This one is a little more obscure than Frozen, but it's still delightful. Ralph, the bad guy of his video game decides that he wants to become a hero, goes on a quest to get a gold medal, and messes everything up. To fix things, he has to team up with memorable characters Vanillope and Felix to name a few. There are some scary sequences with bugs, and younger kids might not get all the refrences, but this is a blast for tweens.
#8: THE WIZARD OF OZ: (5+) There is nothing innapropriate in this classic musical based on L. Frank Baum's novel. This is one of the few instances where the movie is better than the book. Little kids might be scared by the witch or the flying monkeys, so be careful with littles, but this is awesome! It tells the story of an ordinary farm girl, Dorothy who stumbles upon a fantasy land and teams up with the scarecrow, tin man, and lion, to get home. This movie has really cutting-edge visuals for 1938, too!
#7 TANGLED: (7+) Yet another Disney Animated movie on this list. There are a lot of them. This is basically a retelling on Rapunzel with one of Disney's classic twists. We've got our strong heroine, Rapunzel, opressed by Mother Gothel, who finds an escape when she befriends dashing criminal Flynn Ryder. And the CGI is amazing. You could never do this "hair thing" with traditional animation! Gothel may be a little scary, there are thugs, and a lot of suspense near the end, but overall, this is family friendly
#6 SINGIN IN THE RAIN (10+) The reason this is 10+ is because it's a classic musical, mostly starring adults, set in the 1920's transition from silent films to talkies. This film is brilliant, but it won't hold younger kids attention. But be sure to show "Singin' in the Rain" and "Make em' Laugh" to the little guys.
#5 STAR WARS: EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE: (8+) You can't go wrong with this one. Great for older kids and families. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, as well as the galaxy far, away, are introduced for the first time. Show your kids this one before Phantom Menace, if you want them to get the "right idea" of Star Wars. Don't be shocked to see this so high. There are two things holding this back. The fact that I've got stuff planned for #1, and the special editions you're probably forced to show them (see what I did there). Of course special eds. are a minor nitpick and no matter what version you have the kids have got to see it. (You can read my post about the topic if you're really interested in unaltered versions). Actually I'm watching 2004 special ed. here in a few (;-)). There are some intense scenes, and a planet and a space station, as well as several spaceships with fighters in them, but nothing too graphic or violent.
#4: DESPICABLE ME: (5+) This movie is a quirky and weird one brought to us from Illumination. Gru, a super villain, attempts to steal the moon, and falls in love with three adorable and funny girls in the meantime. The minions are cute and silly, and the humor is pitch perfect. The action is mild and not too intense until the end. There are a few references to potty humor (including a fart gun), but it's pretty mild. While this movie is not for everyone, I watch it more often than Star Wars for the laughs.
#3: A BUG"S LIFE: (7+): Another quirky movie I love, this one from Pixar and a little more poignant. A colony of ants who are being opressed by grasshoppers send outsider Flik to the city to find warriors, but he comes back with....circus bugs? These guys are hilarious and really quite heroic. The grasshoppers are freaky-looking for little kids (I saw it when I was 5 and hid under a blanket), and the climax is quite intense, but kids should enjoy the adorable bugs, especially, Princess Dot.
#: ZOOTOPIA: (10+): While younger kids will be fine with most of the movie, there were some scenes with savage animals that I thought were especially intense. Judy Hopps, an optimistic bunny, wants to become a police officer! She moves to the big city Zootopia, and predators look down on her because she's a little bunny. She befriends a sarcastic fox named Nick, and has to save the day, and bring the city together. This message delivers a pretty big plot twist (although not as big as the one in the next entry), a sountrack by Giaccnino, and a catchy song by Shakira that's perfectly kids appropriate. The messages are generally positive, about trying your best and bringing people together. This also offers some pretty good insights into the nature of our culture, the CGI is amazing and in my opinion, it's Disney Animated's best yet.
#1: STAR WARS: EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK AND STAR WARS EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI (10+) Okay, okay, Empire is clearly better and the Ewoks are there for merchandising, but seriously, can you really have one without the other? Empire leaves you on a cliffhanger that Jedi sets out to conclude. These movies have pretty intense scenes, so that's why I said 10+ although younger kids will probably be fine, I saw them when I was eight or nine, but didn't really enjoy them until I was 12. I don't want to give anything away, so if you haven't watched these films I have three words for you: GO. DO. IT.
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