February is known for everything from its love of young love to its love for groundhogs. But if you’re just looking for suggestions of what you and the kids can happily stream in February, well, let us show you some love.
Netflix
Despicable Me – (PG, 2010):
A supervillain named Gru, who delights in all things wicked, plans to steal the moon and show his true evil genius. But nothing in his calculations and groundwork has prepared him for his greatest challenge: three adorable orphan girls. This animated pic, featuring the voice talents of Steve Carell, is fun and silly and will end up stealing your heart away. There’s the inevitable potty humor in the kid mix, but as I noted in my review: “Then the joys of family win the day.” Smiles win out over evil hisses.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – (PG, 2010):
Featuring the voices of Jim Sturgess, Helen Mirren and Sam Neill, this film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father’s epic stories of the Guardians of Ga’ Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who fought a great battle against evil. This epic fantasy adventure is fun and heroic, but parents will want to be aware that there’s quite a bit of peril in the wing-flapping mix, too. Think of it like Lord of the Rings … with owls.
HBO Max
The Book Thief – (PG-13, 2013):
Hans, a kindly housepainter, teaches a young orphan girl the wonders of reading and the written word. She grows to love books so much, she even rescues one from a Nazi bonfire. This isn’t an easy film, with its setting in Nazi Germany and the deadliness of the time and place. But for older kids and adults, this pic—based on a best-selling novel penned by Australian author Markus Zusak—teaches solid lessons on remembering history and holding fast to morality, compassion and freedom.
The Secret Garden – (PG, 2020):
A young orphan girl is sent to live with her uncle in 1947 England and discovers a magical garden. Based on a classic novel, this pic holds plenty of fanciful scenes that would make any child wish that they too had their own secret garden. But our Kristin Smith also added a light warning: “There is a lot to love here for older audiences, but many themes may be too mature for the littlest of viewers.”
West Side Story – (1961):
This is the original musical retelling of a Romeo and Juliet tale amidst the street gangs of New York City. With soaring musical numbers by Bernstein and Sondheim and wonderful onscreen performances, this is a classic musical worth sharing with the fam.
HULU
Planet 51 – (PG, 2009):
Astronaut Chuck Baker lands on Planet 51 and thinks he’s the first human to set foot there. And he’s right. But on this world, filled with little green people, humans are the equivalent of monsters from a scary horror movie, and Chuck has to convince them he’s not a creature set on invasion. It’s a cute idea that totes quite a bit of potty humor in its rocket payload. But if you can bear with that, Planet 51 can be a silly space romp diversion.
That Thing You Do! – (PG, 1996):
A small-town band achieves big-time success in the 1960s after a record company manager hears their tune. This Tom Hanks-written and directed piece is funny, sweet and eye-opening—with a dash of romance, too. As our Bob Smithouser said, “That Thing You Do! will help many teens better understand the environment their parents grew up in—and how drastically American culture has changed in the last 32 years.”
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – (1962):
This classic Jimmy Stewart/John Wayne western tells the story of a man who was accidentally made a hero after a gunfight that he didn’t actually win. There’s some typical shoot-‘em-up violence here. But this is a well-made pic with some interestingly applicable lessons for our modern day about public perceptions and honesty.
Amazon Prime Video
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland – (G, 1999):
Elmo loves his fuzzy, well-worn blanket more than anything in the whole world. But when that blankey gets sucked into Grouchland—the yuckiest place on earth—Elmo has to be brave and go retrieve it. “The Jim Henson Company and the Children’s Television Workshop kept their target audience of 4-year-olds in mind with the simple story line, upbeat lighting, fun sets and well-known Sesame Street characters,” our guest reviewer Jesse Florea noted. “The kids even get to clap for themselves at the end and Elmo concludes the movie by saying, ‘Elmo love you.’ Kids and parents will agree: He’s pretty lovable, too.”
How to Train Your Dragon – (PG, 2010):
Hiccup wants to prove himself to be a true dragon-fighting Viking. But he’s not really the slay and conquer type. Then when he finds an injured dragon and they become friends, things get really interesting. In this rollicking animated pic, young Hiccup doesn’t always make the wisest choices, but as our Paul Asay put it, this is “a fun, thrilling Viking voyage that, in the end, is a simple yet salient story about a dragon and his boy.”
Let’s also include a film that has a few too many adult themes for the littles in the crowd, but Mom and Dad can enjoy it.
Mr. Holmes – (PG, 2015):
Sherlock Holmes is long retired. But there’s one last case that he never solved that’s calling him back into sleuthing action. This new Sherlock Holmes is a very old Sherlock Holmes. But he’s a good one, and his story is a deftly crafted tale of small intimacies and hard-found ruminations. I noted in my review of this film that “in print, the great detective once said that his methods were simply ‘founded upon the observation of trifles.’ And that is exactly what this film does so wonderfully well.”
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