Summer Family Movie Preview
As I write this, most of the north of England is under water and I’m sitting here down south debating whether it’s okay to put the heating on in the middle of June. I’m beginning to think we won’t have any hot weather in the UK at all this summer, so with that in mind I thought it would be an ideal time to tell you about the family movies coming to a cinema near you from now until the beginning of September – after all, a movie is a great way as any to keep the kids amused during the summer holidays when it’s too wet to go to the park!
All these movies will be reviewed at www.movies4kids.co.uk when they are released, of course.
The Amazing Spider-Man Tuesday 3rd July
I’ll be reviewing this Spider-Man reboot on the site on Monday, so hang on until then to find out whether Andrew Garfield is a better Peter Parker than Tobey Maguire was, if Rhys Ifans’ The Lizard will scare your little ones and whether Garfield and Emma Stone (as Gwen Stacy) are as cute together on film as they are in real life…
Ice Age: Continental Drift Friday 13th July
The fourth Ice Age movie has pals Manny, Diego and Sid embarking on another adventure after their continent begins to break apart. Stranded on an iceberg, the bickering trio meet pirates and unusual sea creatures in this animated tale voiced by Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Jennifer Lopez, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
The Dark Knight Rises Friday 20th July
The final part of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has our hero trying to protect Gotham from scary terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy). Anne Hathaway joins the cast as Catwoman, alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt as cop John Blake. Expect this to be as dark as the previous two movies, so not suitable for the under-12s…
Dr Seuss’s The Lorax Friday 27th July
Dr Seuss’s tale of a creature protecting his world from a man determined to cut down all the trees is given the animated treatment, and it’s bound to be the kiddie hit of the summer. There are jokes, songs, and it looks gorgeous – one to definitely watch out for if you have kids under 10 in the house (though over-10s will love it too).
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Friday 3rd August
The third movie to be based on the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid stories, this one is set during the summer holidays and once again stars Zachary Gordon as cheeky sprog Greg and Devon Bostick as his annoying brother Rodrick.
The Dinosaur Project Friday 10th August
We don’t know much about this movie yet, apart from the fact it has been described as a family action adventure thriller that’s Jurassic Park crossed with Cloverfield. An expedition into the heart of the Congo jungle by a film crew reveals that creatures thought to be extinct for 65 million years are very much alive. We. Are. So. There.
Brave Friday 17th August
Disney/Pixar gives us a red-headed heroine for their latest animated adventure, and the action is set in a mythical Scotland where Princess Merida has to undo a curse using just her bravery and archery skills. Will be interesting to see if this will be too dark for little girls or will give them a feisty princess they’ll all adore (and want dolls of).
In The Dark Half Friday 24th August
A British drama for teens with a supernatural edge, this is the story of 15 year old Marie, who babysits 6 year old Shaun for his dad Filthy. But when Shaun dies in Marie’s care, she becomes aware of a frightening presence. Is it the spirit of Shaun or something much worse?