Welcome to America's #1 Family Movie Site!
I'm 10 year old Lights Camera Jackson - "Kid Critic". And I'm here to let you kids and parents know what movies to see and which ones to skip.
I started doing movie reviews on the radio two years ago and now, with this website, you can read and listen to my opinions on the newest films out in theaters and those on DVD, as well as check-out my thoughts on the latest happenings in the biz.
Movie reviews for Kids...by a Kid! That's why I'm here.
Blog... Blog... Blog...
.jpg "Movie Reviews for Kids - It's Your Turn")
Every 6 Months I do The LCJ Family Film Awards. And, up until now, I've always picked the winners. But this time the decisions are yours!
Each week for the next four weeks, the LCJ Poll (see below) will show a category and three nominations. The catagories are Animation, Comedy, Action/Adventure and Family. Each poll will last only seven days. After the four weeks I will reveal the winners.
Those winners will become the nominees in the Best Movie category. Again, you only have seven days to vote.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
Now in Theaters
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG) B+
"Ice Age" and "Ice Age: The Meltdown" are two of the most popular animated films of the past decade. The original was nominated for an Oscar back in 2003, and combined they made over $1 billion dollars worldwide. So it's no surprise that we now have a third.
"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" brings back the favorite characters of the others films and adds some new ones. Manny and Ellie (voiced by Ray Romano and Queen Latifah) are expecting their first baby, and they want everything to be perfect. Diego (Dennis Leary) feels left out and is ready to move on, on his own. And Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo)is still looking for a family of his own.
Sid finds three eggs under the ice, and they turn-out to be dinosaur eggs. When the mommy T-Rex finds Sid and her hatched babies she takes them to a land below the ice, where all the dinosaurs live, and the rest of the gang sets out on a journey to find Sid and bring him home.
"Dawn of the Dinosaurs" is a lot of fun. In fact, I think it's even better than the first two. The story is simple and easy for kids to follow. And the film teaches a great lesson about the importance of family.
The voices are great, especially newcomer Simon Pegg, who plays Buck, a one-eyed weasel who's been living in the dinosaur world for years and helps the gang on their adventure. He has a lot of the best lines. All of the dialogue is smart and witty. This is a very funny movie with several laugh-out-loud moments. Plus, the story is action-packed, with many exciting chase scenes, which are great to watch in 3-D.
And, don't worry, everyone's favorite squirrel, Scrat, is back and this time he's got a girlfriend, Scratte. But he must decide between his love for her and his love for....the acorn.
"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" is rated PG. There are a few scary scenes involving the dinosaurs. Very young kids might get a little frightened a couple of times, so parents - be prepared. Outside of those scene the movie is perfect for kids 5 and up. They'll have a ball, as will everyone.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" gets a B+.
Could we see a fourth "Ice Age" film? I certainly hope so!
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13) D
The original "Transformers" was a surprise hit back in the summer of 2007, grossing $319 million. This new sequel will also do well in the box office, but it's not nearly as good as the first film.
In "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", Sam (Shia LaBeouf) is off to college. And he's seeing weird symbols and acting strange. It turns out that the symbols in Sam's head are clues to where an ancient weapon is located. The Decepticons, led by Megatron, want to find the weapon so they can use it to blow-up the Sun and destroy the Earth.
Of course, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and all of the Autobots want to protect Sam and save the Earth. And so the two groups of transformers fight each other. And fight...and fight...and fight.
I think 85% of this 2 1/2 hour movie is the robots fighting. The rest of the scenes are filled with bad acting and corny dialogue. And even the special effects are very special, pretty much the same as the first movie.
If I had to give "Revenge of the Fallen" an award, it would be for LOUDEST MOVIE EVER! In the original you got to know and care about the characters and the robots. This time you only care about saving your hearing.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is rated PG-13, not just for all the action violence and killings, but for a surprising amount of bad language that is totally unnecessary. So parents, be prepared for that. Kids are going to want to see it but if you're bringing little ones, think about ear plugs (you might want to use them as well).
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" gets a D.
It's one of the major disappointments of the year so far.
There's already talk of a third movie...with the tranformers battling in outer space. Maybe it'll be quieter up there.
Year One (PG-13) D
What a difference one year can make!
In 2008 Jack Black voiced the lovable Po in the animated hit "Kung Fu Panda", and was very funny in my favorite film of the year, "Be Kind Rewind". However, in his first film of 2009, Black is not lovable or funny. And the movie will be no one's favorite film of this year.
In "Year One", Black and Michael Cera play two cavemen, living in year 1. Black's character, Zed, is a bad hunter and Cera's Oh is a terrible gatherer. The two are forced to leave their tribe and so they set-out on an adventure in which they meet famous people from the Bible, including Cain and Abel and Abraham.
They eventually get captured and become slaves, and try to free themselves and their girlfriends, who are also slaves.
The first 10-15 minutes of "Year One" are not that bad, with a few good jokes and funny situations, but the rest of the movie is simply terrible. The performances aren't great, the story isn't interesting and, most of all, it's just not funny. Instead, it's mostly gross. Way too many poop and pee and body parts jokes - and I (and just about everyone in the theater) didn't laugh at any of them.
Hank Azaria, David Cross and Oliver Platt are also in the cast. None of them stand out.
"Year One" is rated PG-13. It's filled with bad language, adult humor and scenes that are inappropriate for children. I know a lot of kids love Jack Black, but this is definitely one Jack Black movie they SHOULD NOT see. I say 14 and up is the age for "Year One", but the movie is so bad no kids (or adults) shouldn't waste their time and money on it.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Year One" gets a D.
It could battle for #1 on my worst films of the year list.
Imagine That (PG) B
Eddie Murphy's family comedy, "Meet Dave", was one of the major disappointments of 2008. Well, he's bounced back nicely with his latest film, "Imagine That".
Murphy plays Evan Danielson, a financial advisor and divorced father who isn't a great dad. He has to take care of his 7 year old daughter for an entire week and is pretty lost as to what to do.
Olivia (young Yara Shahidi is delightful) uses a security blanket to travel to an imaginary world and talk with princesses. Evan soon discovers that the blanket and the fantasy characters have the ability to help him decide which stocks to pick and which ones to drop. But his obsession with being a successful businessman and taking over his company interferes with his attempts to become a good dad.
I didn't have high hopes for "Imagine That", but it really surprised me! Murphy doesn't do as much slapstick as in many of his other comedies and the calmer style works in this role. There are some laughs, and some serious moments. Overall, this is a sweet family film, with a nice message.
Thomas Haden Church and Martin Sheen are part of the supporting cast. Church goes a little over-the-top in his role as Evan's rival, and gets most of the laughs.
"Imagine That" is rated PG, for very mild language and some serious themes, but it's good for the entire family. And the timing is perfect with Fathers Day right around the corner.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Imagine That" gets a B. It's one of the pleasant surprises of the year so far. Imagine that!
