Ho, ho, hohhh baby. It’s December already. And, of course, that means celebrations of Jesus birth, God’s love and the warmth of family. But it also can mean a lot of rush here, rush there stresses as the last month of 2021 ticks away with jingle-belling craziness. All of which can leave you and your family with a need to kick back at times with cups of cocoa, snuggly blankets and something fun to watch.
Outside of the blanket and cocoa, we’ve got you covered.
Yesterday, Paul Asay gave you some suggestions for Christmas movie fare. And today I’ll toss you some bah-humbug, non-Christmassy streaming fun.
Disney+
Mr. Poppers Penguins (PG, 2011)
Jim Carrey plays a successful real estate developer named Popper whose life changes radically when he receives a final gift from his late father—a live penguin, which is soon joined by five more. Pretty soon these critters start to thaw out this guy’s frozen life. OK, there are a few icebergs along the way that parents will want to navigate with their kids, including bathroom humor and a little chilly language. But Popper’s newfound love for his family and his Grinch-like discovery of the size of his own heart are still great and grin-worthy.
Tron: Legacy (PG, 2010)
The son of a famous video-game developer has been haunted for a long time by his father’s mysterious disappearance. And then a strange signal draws him into the game world of TRON, a digital cyberland in which his father, its creator, has been trapped for 20 years. Don’t expect Shakespeare, but as I said in my review: Tron: Legacy “is a cheerful, colorful and solidly PG popcorn piece that won’t leave you deep in thought. But it’s fun enough that you won’t really care why it’s called TRON.”
Ice Age (PG, 2002)
Set against the onslaught of the ice age, this story revolves around three unforgettable characters: a wooly mammoth loner named Manny, a hungry saber-toothed tiger named Diego, and a jabbering, oddball sloth named Sid. This trio of very unlikely friends must come to terms with each other and also find a way to return a lost and helpless human baby to its tribe. Our Bob Smithouser suggested that some of the rollicking Looney Tunes-like peril might be a bit unsettling for kids under 7. But for all others, he stated that this animated pic has nice themes of friendship and self-sacrifice and that it “benefits from clever writing, delightfully wacky voice work … and some of the wildest action and slapstick possible without an anvil and a ‘That’s all folks!’”
Encanto (PG, 2021)
An extraordinary family—who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed home—have each been gifted with their own magical ability. All, that is, except for Mirabel, who has none. But when things start to fall apart, it’s Mirabel who may have to save the day and her family. Our Paul Asay said, “Encanto is a great movie, almost any way you slice it.” There are lots of loving family themes and interesting discussion-worthy elements. Of course, if magic casts you in a sour mood, you’ll want to find other enchanting things to do when this hits Disney + on Christmas Eve.
Hulu
Dr. Suess’ Horton Hears a Who (G, 2008)
Horton the inquisitive elephant finds a speck of dust floating in the Jungle of Nool. And upon investigation he discovers the tiny city of Who-ville and its residents. He can’t see those teeny-tiny residents, but his big old ears can hear ‘em. “Moviegoers looking for a Sunday school take-home lesson all spelled out and labeled with circles and arrows won’t find it here,” wrote Plugged In’s Lindy Keffer. “But they will be given a chance to engage in meaningful discussion about both faith and responsibility—all because of a lumpy and lovable elephant.”
The Princess Bride (PG, 1987)
A boy stuck at home with a cold gets a read-a-book visit from his Gramps. And the tyke soon finds himself swept up in the rollicking fairy tale adventure of a beautiful young woman’s one true love. OK, you already know about this classic comedy and action pic, right? No? Inconceivable! Well, there’s nothing much to hold you back from enjoying it now.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (PG, 2004)
When gigantic robots attack New York City, “Sky Captain” uses his private air force to fight them off in this retro-looking call back to cliff-hanger action pics of yesteryear. Our Bob Smithouser said: “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow isn’t exactly Raiders of the Lost Ark, but it tries hard and succeeds more often than you might expect. It’s a nifty action adventure with a dynamic visual style and less objectionable material than even those old Indy flicks.”
Amazon Prime
Little Women (PG-13, 2018)
Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, this film places the four March sisters in a modern era where they dream about the future and support each other with unconditional love. Our reviewer Kristin Smith put it this way: “In the end, the latest version of Little Women once again illustrates the importance of loving one another, of practicing forgiveness and of moving forward despite difficult times. And it teaches us to love our family and friends deeply, striving to help them reach their castles, ‘no matter where they may be.’”
All Is Lost (PG-13, 2013)
During a solo voyage, a veteran mariner (played by Robert Redford) awakes to find his vessel taking on water after a collision with a stray shipping container. With his radio and navigation equipment disabled, he sails unknowingly into a violent storm. Paul Asay couldn’t help but nod his head over this grown up and harrowing pic. “All Is Lost is an intense movie, even without offering quantities of content (one f-word, a minimum of violence, no sex). But all is certainly not lost in this deep tale of a man and the sea. As harrowing as the film is, it’s equally encouraging, filled with creativity and courageous action.”
Netflix
Stuart Little (PG-1999)
The Littles go to an orphanage to adopt a new family member and bring home … a charming little mouse named Stuart. You can’t get more little than this newest Little. And some of his new family members aren’t as welcoming as they could be. But Stuart works to fit in with as much pluck, love and courage as he can muster. There’s some light language and a bit of potty humor here, but as our Bob Waliszewski said, “It’s one family friendly world.”
Soul Surfer (PG, 2011)
AnnaSophia Robb stars as Bethany Hamilton, a talented young surfer who had her arm bitten off by a shark and, somehow, returned to surf again. Also featuring Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid, Soul Surfer is a moving biopic that tells a riveting story with an undercurrent of faith. Our Steven Isaac noted that, “Thanks to her amazing courage and determination, and the supportive love of friends and family—and God—Bethany is thriving once more. And in many ways she’s able to embrace more people with one arm than she ever could have with two.” Oh, and if you’re interested in watching the real Bethany Hamilton in her own documentary, Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable is available on Netflix.
Back to the Outback (PG, 2021)
A group of poisonous animal and insect friends are pretty scary to the human world. But to each other, they’re just good pals trapped in a zoo who long to go back to someplace they can call home: a place known as the Australian Outback. This direct-to-streaming pic might have flown under your radar, but it’s good, animated fun with some solid Down Under lessons about family and focusing on what’s behind a book’s cover.
HBO Max
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (PG-13, 2012)
Bilbo Baggins is living a simple hobbit life with his fellow hairy-toed hobbits in the shire, until the wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest. This first of director Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings prequels lets viewers splash into the classic J.R.R. Tolkien tale with lots of visual and immersive story panache.
The Truman Show (PG, 1998)
He doesn’t know it, but everything in Truman Burbank’s life is part of a massive TV show that everyone in the real world is watching. This Jim Carrey-starring pic is interesting and evocative and it looks at the idea of being part of a 24/7, ever-watching tech world back before that was such a thing. “Families in search of an entertaining ‘discussion movie’ will find lots to chew on here,” our Bob Smithouser noted.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (PG, 2021)
LeBron James and his young son are trapped in a digital world and can only get home by leading Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes gang to basketball victory over some A.I. ballers. Our Emily Clark would be the first to note that this Space Jam sequel packs a few missed baskets as compared to its predecessor, but she also said: “This sequel to the 1996 film is way more family focused and teaches a great lesson, especially to dads, about the value of investing in your child’s interests, making it a film that most families can enjoy without too many caveats.”
That’s all folks! Hope your month and your holiday celebrations are a joyous slam-dunk.
One Response
-Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete ever so of course I adore the original Space Jam, but I’m still not sold on its sequel. It probably doesn’t help things that I have no idea who Lebron James is, considering I stopped paying attention to basketball once Jordan retired for good in 1998.