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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
Films & DVDs
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[a film preview] Martians, ghosts and spiders. It must be Halloween time. [FOR AGES 9-16] The Martian Child Opens Oct. 26, Rated PG martianchild.com The new, adopted son of a recently widowed science-fiction writer (John Cusack) claims to be from Mars in this romantic comedy based on a short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold. A series of strange occurrences might prove that the kid is telling the truth. In a dramatic stretch of microscopic proportions, Joan Cusack plays John’s sister. Amanda Peet stars as Cusack’s love interest, which unlike the sibling relationship, isn’t also true in real life. The movie’s opening has been delayed twice since January, which is never a good sign, but perhaps “The Martian Child” will be, ahem, out of this world. Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour Opens Oct. 26, Rated PG sarahlandon.com Its trailer is so creepy it gave me chills the first time I saw it, and yet the movie is rated PG and is categorized as a “family film.” Indeed...for the Addams family! But if you think your child won’t get recurring nightmares watching a freaky old man sitting dead-like in a wheelchair inside a large circle of lit candles or seeing a little girl playing patty-cake, then turning to the camera to whisper, “You gotta get outta here, it’s not safe for you!” then by all means check out this suspense thriller about a 17-year-old girl (Rissa Walters) who has mysterious encounters with paranormal activity in the small town of Pine Valley. [FOR AGES 13-18] My Kid Could Paint That Opens Oct. 5, Rated PG-13 mykidcouldpaintthatmovie.com As her parents tell it, little Marla Olmstead is a child prodigy of abstract art. Hoping they’re right are patrons who have bought more than $300,000 of the girl’s art since she was 4. Skeptics, including the “60 Minutes” team that aired an expose suggesting that the works were painted by her father, an amateur painter, believe the kid with the brush deserves the brush off. Director Amir Bar-Lev's documentary, urged on by the dad to prove his child’s legitimacy, was bought by Sony Pictures Classics after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. The film examines Marla, her family and the controversy surrounding the art attributed to her, and from what we hear, Marla’s supposed talent remains in question, not that this cloud of suspicion has hurt sales. [dvds]this month Casper’s Scare School (not rated; now available; ages 4 to 7): This CGI-animated film starring the friendliest ghost you know, is an agreeable effort that has Casper saving the world from evil and having a ghoulish good time. Voice cast stars Bob Saget, Phyllis Diller, Jim Belushi and singing duo of Captain & Tennille. Grade: B Evan Almighty (rated PG; available Oct. 9; ages 7 to 16): This dreadful sequel to the wildly entertaining “Bruce Almighty” wastes Steve Carell’s comedic talent and is even an embarrassment to Morgan Freeman, who before this misguided movie could do virtually no wrong. Grade: D Play with Me Sesame (not rated; available Oct. 23; ages 3 to 5): This series of new DVDs melds classic “Sesame Street” footage with new games and activities. Grade: A- Spider-Man 3 (rated PG-13; available Oct. 30; ages 11 to 18): The latest arachnidan adventure falls itsy-bitsy short of the previous ones. But as true as the series loses some steam with No. 3 due to feelings of “been there, done that,” cast and crew, headed by director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire as the world’s greatest spider-bite victim, set the table for a fourth go. Grade: B [dvds]this month Casper’s Scare School (not rated; now available; ages 4 to 7): This CGI-animated film starring the friendliest ghost you know, is an agreeable effort that has Casper saving the world from evil and having a ghoulish good time. Voice cast stars Bob Saget, Phyllis Diller, Jim Belushi and singing duo of Captain & Tennille. Grade: B Evan Almighty (rated PG; available Oct. 9; ages 7 to 16): This dreadful sequel to the wildly entertaining “Bruce Almighty” wastes Steve Carell’s comedic talent and is even an embarrassment to Morgan Freeman, who before this misguided movie could do virtually no wrong. Grade: D Play with Me Sesame (not rated; available Oct. 23; ages 3 to 5): This series of new DVDs melds classic “Sesame Street” footage with new games and activities. Grade: A- Spider-Man 3 (rated PG-13; available Oct. 30; ages 11 to 18): The latest arachnidan adventure falls itsy-bitsy short of the previous ones. But as true as the series loses some steam with No. 3 due to feelings of “been there, done that,” cast and crew, headed by director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire as the world’s greatest spider-bite victim, set the table for a fourth go. Grade: B |
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