Alvin and the Chipmunks (rated G; April 1; ages 4-10): April Fools’ Day is an appropriate release date because the $208 million that this live-action animated kid flick raked in last winter was a joke. Dumb, low-effort non-comedy based on ‘50s TV stars Alvin, Simon and Theodore has some catchy tunes, but the writers belong in the same rodent trap as the rhythmic rodents. Grade: D
The Big Comfy Couch: Upside Down Clown, Volume 5 (not rated; April 15; ages 3-5): Three episodes from the wonderful PBS show will have preschoolers learning about sharing, caring for others and cooperation. Grade: A-
Moondance Alexander (rated G; April 29; ages 5-12): This touchy-feely horse movie that grossed less than $38,000 last fall plays much better on the small screen. Don Johnson gets top billing in this story about a young girl who loses her outcast status at school after finding and caring for a runaway pony. Grade: C-
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (rated PG; April 8; ages 7-12): A family movie that is actually for the entire family is this British fantasy-adventure about a boy who raises a creature that might be the mysterious and fabled Loch Ness monster. This engaging movie peters out a bit at the end when it goes into “Free Willy” territory. The 2-disc DVD includes 6 behind-the-scenes
featurettes. Grade: B+
|
RSS Subscribe
