Movies That Kids Will Be Drawn To In May

In my last blog, I told you of some films that the kiddies might want to see in April. Here is a list of some films that are coming out in May that look appealing to kids (and adults)...

Thor:
Rating: PG (I believe)
Length: TBD
Who's In It: Chris Hemsworth (A Perfect Getaway, Star Trek), Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Fracture, Last Rite) and Natalie Portman (The Professional, Star Wars 1-3, Black Swan)

Synopsis:
Thor, an arrogant and powerful warrior is punished for reigniting a war and is sent to Earth as a punishment. A dangerous villian (the god of mischief, Loki) sends the dark forces of Asgard to invade earth and Thor must become the hero that the world needs him to be in order to save it.

I think this film will appeal to everyone from adults to the kids so be prepared to be asked if they can go see this one. The trailer looks not too bad for adults but parents will definitely want to learn more before saying "yes" to this one.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Rating: Most likely PG so that kids will be able to see it but still not rated officially.
Length: TBD
Who's In It: Johnny Depp (Sleepy Hollow, Alice in Wonderland, The previous Pirates movies), Geoffrey Rush (Shine, previous Pirates movies, Les Miserables), Penelope Cruz (Sahara, Volver, Nine), Ian McShane (HBO's Deadwood, The Golden Compass, Kung Fu Panda)

Synopsis:
A mysterious woman (Penelope Cruz) from Captain Jack's (Johnny Depp) past convinces him to search for the Fountain of Youth. Is she a con or is it true love? What is her connection to the notorious Blackbeard (Ian McShane)? Mermaids, zombies and lots of special effects in this $200 million film (estimated).

Kids will definitely be clamoring to see this one but as with the previous three, you may want to take caution. I know that most children ages 8 and up will have convinced mom and dad to take them. Teenagers will want to see the special effects and adults have loved this series as well. This is a sure hit unless it tanks really bad with critics. Instead of Gore Verbinski directing this, it's Rob Marshall.

Kung Fu Panda 2:
Rating: PG for sequences of martial arts action and mild violence
Length: TBD
Who's In It: Jack Black (School of Rock, Gulliver's Travels), Angelina Jolie (Beowulf, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), Jackie Chan (Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop), Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Funny People), Lucy Liu (Kill Bill 1, Charlie's Angels), Gary Oldman (The Professional, Little Red Riding Hood, Harry Potter 3, 4 and 5)

Synopsis:
Po (Jack Black) and his Furious Five friends continue on their adventures. Po goes in search of other pandas and comes across a group of thieves. A character called Peacock (Gary Oldman) helps Po on his mission but he is not all that he seems.

I'm not sure if teens will be drawn to this but families will. The previous Panda flick did big box office and I'm sure this one will too. Comic mischief, lots of karate/kung fu and moments of peril will abound.

That's all for now. These 3 films are all but guaranteed to be the big films (along with The Hangover 2 which may be previewed in Got Pop? for adults). I've been surprised before with how films do in the summer but I'm certain these will draw families in for sure.

Pop...
Greg

Welcome to Got Pop? for parents!

I look forward to spring. Not just the warmer weather and no snow but also because in mid-April, all the blockbuster films of the late spring and summer come out. I try to keep up with what's coming out when and what the buzz is on the film (I read my Entertainment Weekly). If you are looking for a breakdown of what's right or wrong with a film, don't look here. Check out Christianity Today's film reviews for a film's artistic merit or pluggedinonline.com's reviews for positive/negative elements. Unlike those websites that can only provide reviews the day before the film hits theatres, I can let you know when the films are due to open and a bit of a synopsis of them. I am not endorsing these films but am letting parents know of their existence because these will be the films that elementary and teenagers are predicted to flock to. With that in mind, here are a list of a few noteworthy films opening in the next 3-5 months:

Hop:
Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Comes out: April 1, 2011
Rating: PG for some mild rude humor
Who's In It: Russel Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Despicable Me, Get Him to the Greek), James Marsden (the X-Men trilogy, Enchanted), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) and Kaley Cuoco

Synopsis: The soon-to-be Easter Bunny (Brand) gets injured and develops a unique friendship with the man (Marsden) who accidentally hits him with his car. E.B. has his heart set on Hollywood in pursuit of becoming a drummer but things change.

This should do well in what has been a lackluster year thus far at the box office. It's animated, it has a pretty good cast and has key ingredients that kids love (i.e. poop jokes, crazy antics, interesting story).

Soul Surfer:
Running Time: TBA
Coming Out: April 8, 2011
Rating: PG for an intense accident sequence and some thematic material
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia, Race to Witch Mountain), Dennis Quaid (Traffic, The Rookie, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Helen Hunt (TV series: Mad About You, What Women Want)

This should do pretty well if it's catering to Christian audiences as it's based on the true tale of a Christian surfer who lost her left arm in a shark attack and the challenges both physically and spiritually that she must overcome. A big focus of the film seems to be about making a difference in the lives of others.

Arthur:
Rating: TBA (my guess is 14A)
Coming Out: April 8, 2011
Starring: Russel Brand (Hop, Get Him to the Greek, Despicable Me), Helen Mirren (Red, The Queen), Jennifer Garner (Juno, Elektra, TV series: Alias)

Not sure how it will do. It is a remake of the classic Dudley Moore film of the same name. A spoiled Arthur must choose between an arranged marriage which the family (aka the money) approves of and an uncertain life with the only woman he's ever loved. I don't believe that this will draw many elementary kids but teenagers familiar with Brand from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek may be inclined to want to see this. A pretty solid cast but I'm not sure if this film will give the boost that the box office desperately needs this year.

Wow, I didn't realize that it would take this long to write 3 movie updates coming out in April. Stay tuned for significant May releases in the next few days.

Pop...
Greg