Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)

Totally not familiar with the Dolls series or book series that this comes from. I went into this with the knowledge of a cute trailer and a basset hound on the cover. I was sold.

I am happy to report that this is a wonderful kid’s film. I am a little surprised. It is generally a smart movie.

Decorated with a great cast of supporting characters, it stars Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin.

There are a lot things that make this a really good movie. There is a vast world of Kit Kittredge which goes from Roaring 20’s to the beginning of the depression. There are the usual things which are right out of the Little Rascals series, such as a tree house, a dog companion to fast talking news paper men. There are so many well developed characters that there is little to no wasted space. Most of the supporting characters have been stars of films at some point and actors such as Stanley Tucci bring great characterization where ever they go.

The story is actually pretty good. It goes from a depression era hardship story to a “Little women” narrative to a good ole fashioned mysterious to a slap stick let’s get the silly bad guys.

As far as I can tell from my stories from my grandfather, who was basically a kid when this movie is set, is that the details of the story are correct. The little facts, the mood, and events seem quite accurate. I asked him about it after I saw it and he confirmed what I asked, but he had never heard of a hobo writing style.

I didn’t this to be a girl movie per se despite the title. I have seen movies like Princess Diaries, which I thought was a good movie but I thought was definitely for girls. I did feel that about this one.

This is a fun little movie. It as about as G rated as it can be. This is a very clean movie. Overall, I thinks its great.

Mr. Magoruim’s Wonder Emporium (2007)

This is a hard one. This is a probably a good for very little kids, and the few kids that were in the audience were laughing every now and then. The adults laughed a little less.

The name Mr. Magoruim’s Wonder Emporium has a feel of a 1970’s kids movie. It had a Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the original) feel to it, in that it seemed to try to amaze in a really low concept and low tech way. Like a giant bouncing ball is a grand idea in concept, but hey it’s large CGI ball that could be done in a first year animation major. It’s a little boring.

The movie centers around huge magical toy store in Chicago. They don’t make a big deal that it is Chicago, but if you have ever been there you will recognize it. There are a lot of crazy things going on in that toy store. Some of it has it’s moments, like Kermit the frog shopping there (some how doesn’t work without Jim Henson’s real voice), and wooden Dinosaurs alive and playful were cool.

Dustin Hoffman plays Mr. Magoruim, avid shoe-wearer, he is exactly how you might picture such a person: crazy hair, clothes, and absent minded. Natalie Portman, who must have been growing her hair out from V is for vendetta, is about to inherit the store, but she doesn’t want it. Magoruim hires an accountant, played by Jason Bateman, who he called “the mutant,” to gauge the worth of the store. There is some kid in there, who wears a different hat everyday but has no friends. All together they work things out.

It is a cute, simple story, but really not much to write home about. I think after first grade your kid might be too sophisticated for it.