Highbrow Magazine - kids movies https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/kids-movies en ‘The War With Grandpa’: A Sweet but Painfully Unrealistic Family Movie https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10953-war-grandpa-sweet-painfully-unrealistic-family-movie <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 09:06</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1warwithgrandpa.jpg?itok=CFdVj3Ly"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1warwithgrandpa.jpg?itok=CFdVj3Ly" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>AT A GLANCE</strong></p> <p><strong>The War With Grandpa</strong></p> <p><strong>Director: Tim Hill (<em>Hop, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Max Keeble’s Big Movie</em>)</strong></p> <p><strong>Starring: Robert De Niro, Oakes Fegley, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Laura Marano, Poppy Gagnon, Cheech Marin, Jane Seymour and Christopher Walken</strong></p> <p><strong>Rated: PG</strong></p> <p><strong>Critical rating: 2½ stars out of 4               </strong></p> <p><strong>                                      </strong></p> <p>According to Margaret Atwood, “War is what happens when language fails.” According to director Tim Hill, it’s what happens when Peter is forced from his room by an unwelcome visit from Gramps.   </p> <p> </p> <p>That’s right, <em>The War With Grandpa</em> tells the story of Peter, a precocious sixth-grader who gets worked up when his mom, Sally (Uma Thurman) and dad, Arthur (Rob Riggle) force him into the attic so Grandpa Ed (Robert De Niro) has a place to sleep. Ed doesn’t want to displace Peter, but a bad encounter with a self-checkout machine convinces Sally that her recently widowed father needs to be closer to family. Since Ed is an old man and Peter’s sisters – Mia (Laura Marano) and Jennifer (Poppy Gagnon) – share a room, the kid draws the short straw.</p> <p> </p> <p>One might expect a youngster to get excited by the prospect of an extended stay from Grandpa, but Peter is more selfish than the average kid. This is a problem area in the script, but viewers should feel some sympathy because Mom and Dad don’t have the decency to fix the leaky roof in Peter’s new home in the attic.  </p> <p> </p> <p>I can’t help but think most sixth-grade boys would dig the prospect of converting an attic to a living space, but not Peter. After going to war with a huge bat (Mom and Dad didn’t clear that out either), he decides it’s Grandpa who needs to pay. So Peter makes a formal declaration of war … and Ed buys in. Pretty soon we’re witnessing a May-December prank-fest with countless pratfalls, significant property damage and, of course, a little grandpa-grandson bonding.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2warwithgrandpa.jpg" style="height:338px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Anyone who has seen more than a dozen family films knows where this one is headed as soon as it starts because the other possibilities are hopelessly dark, and <em>The War With Grandpa</em> is only dark if you stop long enough to think about it. Director Tim Hill, who brought us <em>Hop</em> and <em>Alvin and the Chipmunks</em>, is not the sort to do gloomy. His films are bright and cheerful, and <em>The War With Grandpa</em> is clearly meant to be a warm, slapstick comedy about a friendly feud. The movie IS entertaining.  </p> <p> </p> <p>De Niro and Thurman are too good – and too famous – to be in a picture like this. The same can be said for Christopher Walken, who appears in several scenes as one of Ed’s buddies. These actors elevate the movie to a degree, and I admittedly laughed, probably more than I should have.</p> <p> </p> <p>That said, <em>The War With Grandpa</em> is not objectively good. It mixes TV comedy plotting with an A-list cast and thematic elements that are slightly disturbing. It’s hard to like a kid who won’t willingly give up his room to an aging senior who is nothing but kind to him. The physical comedy is also harder to laugh at knowing the real-world results of virtually every stunt would be an extended hospital stay for Grandpa, likely followed by a permanent spot in a senior home.  And that analysis allows for the rather optimistic assumption that Grandpa would survive. Yes, this war is extreme.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3warwithgrandpa.jpg" style="height:334px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>I do understand this is a movie, and suspension of disbelief is part of the game. If you are willing to embrace a cinematic world where Grandpa can fall from towering heights without winding up in a coma and where Peter is too dim to see this as a horrifying possibility, <em>The War With Grandpa</em> is sort of fun. It also includes the requisite sappy finish and condemnation of war that youngsters need to see. Both are handled awkwardly, but they are better present than not.</p> <p> </p> <p>Although Mom and Dad never address the terrible condition of Peter’s room, we are led to believe there is love in this family. We also see that Peter’s war puts a spring in Ed’s step that wasn’t always there. In other words, if you read the film the way Hill wants, it’s sweet. We just have to hope real-world sixth graders know they shouldn’t duplicate these stunts at home.  </p> <p> </p> <p>Should you watch? That depends on how desperate you are for family entertainment. There are worse ways to spend 90 minutes, but that means there are better ways as well.  </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Forrest Hartman, a </strong></em><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong><em><strong> contributor, is a longtime entertainment journalist who teaches in the Department of </strong></em><a href="https://www.csuchico.edu/jour/" target="_blank"><em><strong>Journalism &amp; Public Relations at California State University, Chico</strong></em></a><em><strong>.</strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/war-grandpa" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the war with grandpa</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/robert-de-niro" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">robert de niro</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/uma-thurman" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">uma thurman</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/christopher-walken" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">christopher walken</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/family-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">family movies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/kids-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">kids movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comedies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comedies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new movies</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Images courtesy of EPK.TV</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:06:31 +0000 tara 9896 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10953-war-grandpa-sweet-painfully-unrealistic-family-movie#comments ‘Artemis Fowl’ Is a Streaming Mess https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10692-artemis-fowl-streaming-mess <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 06/15/2020 - 21:06</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1artemisfowl.jpg?itok=eiI7Vz_L"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1artemisfowl.jpg?itok=eiI7Vz_L" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>It’s fair to say Kenneth Branagh is capable of greatness. We know this thanks to memorable acting turns in films ranging from <em>Dunkirk</em> to <em>Othello</em> and because of his equally thrilling work behind the camera.</p> <p> </p> <p>Branagh is the rare screen star who has shown as much talent and breadth as a director as he has when chewing scenery. Although much of his directorial work is centered on Shakespeare adaptations – think <em>Henry V</em> and <em>Much Ado About Nothing</em> – he has proven himself equally capable in the superhero (<em>Thor</em>) and mystery <em>Murder on the Orient Express</em> genres.</p> <p> </p> <p>Branagh is also adept at entertaining the family crowd, as one of his most charming directorial works is Disney’s 2015 live-action reimagining of <em>Cinderella</em>. That fact made his attachment to the <em>Artemis Fowl</em> screen adaptation promising. Originally intended as a May theatrical release, the movie was derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic and shifted to a June 12 debut on the Disney Plus streaming service. Since most of Disney’s high-profile 2020 pictures have been delayed rather than shifted to this platform, one imagines executives knew what they had when Branagh turned it in. It’s not good.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2artemisfowl.jpg" style="height:250px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Although we know Branagh is capable of greatness because of his lengthy body of work, almost everything we know about the title character in <em>Artemis Fowl</em> is a result of voiceover narration or poorly developed plot contrivances that leave too much to the imagination. In fact, <em>Artemis Fowl</em> is so poorly developed – both in terms of characterization and world building – that it’s hard to imagine how Branagh would let it pass.  </p> <p> </p> <p>The same can be said of the admirable cast. Ferdia Shaw, who plays young Artemis, is joined by Colin Farrell (Artemis Fowl Senior), Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Lara McDonnell, and Tamara Smart. There is enough ability in this group for one to expect a serviceable film. Instead, we get a hodgepodge that – although nifty to look at – alternates between confusing, dull, and maddeningly frustrating. The latter is true because there is good material to work with.  </p> <p> </p> <p>The movie is based on the well-received young adult novels by author Eoin Colfer, and the focus is on the title character, a 12-year-old so bright that he has no patience for school. The intolerance stems from the fact that Artemis knows more than virtually everyone, including his teachers and the psychologist who ineffectually attempts to knock him down a peg. Viewers learn these background points through terse narration and a handful of hasty scenes that do nothing to build empathy with Artemis. That’s problematic because the viewer has to care about him to invest in the adventure that follows.</p> <p> </p> <p>Although young Artemis hates school, he dotes on his father (Artemis Senior), a single parent who thrills his son with fanciful stories about fairies, goblins, and other mystical creatures. These seem like fantasy tales until Artemis Senior goes missing, and young Artemis discovers that his father has actually been feeding him the mysteries of a hidden world. What’s more, Artemis must tap into that world to save his father.  </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3artemisfowl.jpg" style="height:403px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>The movie’s visuals are admirable. In fact, they are quite good for a picture included as part of the base, original content of a streaming service. These are special effects one would expect from a big screen feature … because that’s what was initially intended. It’s not easy to make fantasy material look believable, but Branagh and his crew succeed on that front.</p> <p> </p> <p>Viewers are legitimately transported to a land where fairies and goblins are real, and it’s all very dazzling and Harry Potter-like. <em>Artemis Fowl</em> would seem, then, to be a perfect film for fans of that series. Alas, the Harry Potter features are painstakingly mapped out so viewers understand the rules of the magical world they enter. This is not the case with <em>Artemis Fowl</em>, which teases viewers without elaborating and leads to a long string of questions that are never adequately answered.</p> <p> </p> <p>Equally annoying is the lack of time given each central character. Artemis Junior is an outline at best. His father gets too little screen time to serve as anything other than a treasure for Artemis to chase, and Holly Short (a fairy who is relevant to the action) makes life-altering decisions with whimsical ease. Even the narrator, a “giant” dwarf named Mulch Diggums, is little more than a sketch. One might chalk this up to too many cuts if the film was longer, but at 93 minutes, the film could have added plentiful background without overstaying its welcome. </p> <p> </p> <p>Every writing coach tells students to “show” -- rather than “tell” -- readers what’s happening. The same advice is crucial with film, but <em>Artemis Fowl</em> is invested only in telling. Viewers never see the souls of the characters, and therefore, they’re never allowed to feel much of anything.  A movie without feeling is a movie that fails.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>AT A GLANCE                                               </strong></p> <p><strong><em>Artemis Fowl</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Directed by: Kenneth Branagh</strong></p> <p><strong>Starring: Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, Colin Farrell and Judi Dench</strong></p> <p><strong>Rated: PG                                                                                      </strong></p> <p><strong>Critical rating: 1½ stars out of 4</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Forrest Hartman, a </em></strong><strong>Highbrow Magazine<em> contributor, is a longtime entertainment journalist who teaches in the Department of </em></strong><a href="https://www.csuchico.edu/jour/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><strong><em>Journalism &amp; Public Relations at California State University, Chico</em></strong></a><strong><em>. </em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Image Sources:</em></strong></p> <p><em>--Disney</em></p> <p><em>--Georgia Meschini (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenneth_Branagh_at_the_Roma_Fiction_Fest_2009_by_Giorgia_Meschini.jpg" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Wikimedia.org</a>, Creative Commons)</em></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/artemis-fowl" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Artemis Fowl</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/disney-plus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">disney plus</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/kenneth-branagh" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">kenneth branagh</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/disney-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">disney movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/kids-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">kids movies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/harry-potter-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Harry Potter</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/colin-farrell" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">colin farrell</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/judi-dench" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">judi dench</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/ferdia-shaw" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ferdia Shaw</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/eoin-colfer" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Eoin Colfer</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 16 Jun 2020 01:06:25 +0000 tara 9620 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10692-artemis-fowl-streaming-mess#comments