The Rocchi Files -- Fall Family Film Preview, Part 2

In the first part of our Fall Family Film Preview, we looked at upcoming family titles from Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs to Fame, from Astro Boy to Where the Wild Things Are; in this second installment, we'll be taking a look at upcoming space-adventures and Christmas classics, talking animals and a beloved kid's favorite that's making the leap to the third dimension. Which will be worth your time and money and entertain your kids and which may not be worth the trip to the multiplex?

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 3D -- Oct. 2

The groundbreaking film that launched Pixar and its sequel have been re-vamped and plumped up for 3D, and, frankly, I'm less interested in whatever mathe-magic Pixar's programmers have done to add depth to the height and width of the two films than I am in any chance to see those two films on the big screen. Expect an air of celebration at screenings, which Disney will neatly funnel into anticipation for the upcoming Toy Story 3 -- and, frankly, if number 3 is as good as number 2 (And, really, isn't Toy Story 2 a little better than Toy Story? It kind of is. ...), I'll be first in line.

A Christmas Carol -- Nov. 6

I've had the chance to see some footage from this new Robert Zemeckis film -- an adaptation of the Dickens classic with Jim Carrey as Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas. Pat of me likes the look, and it's a classic tale, to be sure -- but a) I always find these motion-capture productions from Zemeckis a little off-putting, like he's trying to get so close to realism that when he doesn't hit the target, that's all we can obsess about and b) it's been 10 years since Zemeckis -- who made the awesome I Want to Hold Your Hand, Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit -- has made a film with, you know, people in it and not computer-crafted motion capture dolls; maybe, just perhaps, it's time for Zemeckis to get out of the high-tech toy box and make a movie with ... oh, what are they called again? -- oh, that's right -- actors.

Fantastic Mr. Fox -- Nov. 13 (Wide release Nov. 25)

There are rare kid's films that I suspect -- or, rather, I know -- that no one will like, and I don't care, insofar as they seem absolutely made for me, and, worse, me alone. Such is the case with Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, coming to theaters this holiday season -- a stop-motion fantasia based on a novel by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach) with the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. The plot of Fantastic Mr. Fox is fairly standard-issue, as a group of farmers hope to evict the fox who lives in their field, but the look of the trailer, combining jerky, old-school stop-motion with Anderson's dry deadpan (as showcased in his films like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaumsis what has me hooked. Your kids may not wish to see Bill Murray as a neurotic badger in a tweed vest, but, I assure you, I very much do; the only thing is that unless I buy 8 million tickets for myself, I can foresee Fantastic Mr. Fox being skinned at the box office.

Planet 51 -- Nov. 20

Written by Joe Stillman, whose past credits include the Shrek films, Planet 51 is a reverse-alien-invasion film, where the peaceful title planet is visited by invaders from beyond -- specifically, Earth astronaut Chuck Baker, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. The pitch seems to be the standard "fish out of water" plot in outer space, but, frankly, I'm enough of a fan of Johnson's comedy timing I'm willing to give it a chance. The vocal cast includes John Cleese, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Jessica Biehl and more, and the broad, blobby look of the animation has a certain appeal to it; of course, whether or not you like the film may be based on how you feel about the busy, bloated Shrek films, which I've never been a fan of.

The Princess and the Frog -- Nov. 25 (Wide release on Dec. 11)

There's something that feels a little calculated about The Princess and the Frog (pictured above), the upcoming hand-drawn animated effort from Disney; the film's characters include Disney's first African-American Princess, which feels like a deliberate attempt to expand on the profitable "Disney Princess" branding platform. At the same time, though, the fact that this film's hand-drawn -- and not simply computer-generated -- is a plus in its favor, and the New Orleans setting may actually be what sets the film apart. With a voice cast including Terrence Howard, Oprah Winfrey and Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana, there seems to be plenty of talent voicing The Princess and the Frog; now, we have to wait and see if the writing staff is as good as the voice cast. ...

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel -- Dec. 25

While some, I'm sure, are casting a fist to the heavens and screaming "Noooooooo!" at the thought of a sequel to 2007's Alvin and the Chipmunks, I have to say that the first film, considering that it was a naked cash-grab based on a forty-year old set of characters, wasn't bad. Or, at the very least, wasn't bad for kids. Following the inevitable law of sequel inflation, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel sees the three singing chipmunks and their manager/father figure Dave (Jason Lee) joined not only by Dave's brother (played by Zachary Levi of TV's Chuck), but also a trio of female singing chipmunks, The Chipettes, voiced by Anna Faris, Christina Applegate and Amy Pohler. I don't have high expectations for The Squeakquel, but considering how tastefully lame the first film was, I'm more than willing to give it a chance.

(Which Fall kid's films are you most anticipating -- or most doubtful about? Let us know below. ...)

Comments

[Vivienne]

Nuh-uh, Toy Story is better than Toy Story 2. I know you are, but what am I? Infinity!

[Jennifer (5 Minutes for Books)]

Fun! I had heard about the Oct 2 3D thing, but didn't know that Toy Story 3 was coming out. Fun!

I also liked the story of Toy Story better, but they're both excellent films.

[billyrayjoejimbob]

this thurs threes answer: Brad Dourif

[Livia]

Fun article! I would say Alvin and the Chipmucks: The Sequeakquel, I haven't seen that movie yet but whenever I get chance I will see it, looking forward!

I love family fims because they are entertaining and they usually have great actors and the best part of the family films because they are for the whole family to enjoy. Great article!