In many respects, American cinema for families simply missed the mark in 2005. How, you might ask?
It’s simple, dear Watson. They were too formulaic, predictable, and lacked interest. Furthermore, it seemed to be the year of the re-hashed and the ripped off–rarely did an American film look or sound original. Besides all of the inane sequels such as Cheaper by the Dozen 2, The Legend of Zorro, and Herbie: Fully Reloaded, there were films that tried re-capturing the magic of yesteryear’s versions – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Yours, Mine, and Ours; and The Bad News Bears. Even Zathura seemed to be Jumanji’s sequel played out in space.
Other than the smell of retread, America’s output of the family-fare simply was mediocre and forgettable. Let me name names: Madagascar, Chicken Little, Racing Stripes, Zathura, Because of Winn Dixie, Shark Boy & Lava Girl, Ice Princess, and Pooh's Heffalump Movie.
And critics weren’t the only ones complaining. People were staying away from many of these films as well. According to Britain’s Guardian newspaper, 2005 was one of Disney’s three worst years at the box office. What was Disney’s response? It’s all Miramax’s fault. Right. [wink, wink]
(Alright. I have to fess up to something. There was one Disney film I thoroughly enjoyed enough to include it as an honorable mention– Sky High, starring Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, and newcomers Michael Angarano and Danielle Panabaker. Sky High is about two of the world’s greatest super-heros who send their teenage son off to the high school for super-heros, only to learn that he isn’t a super-hero. Kurt Russell gives an over-the-top performance that reminded me of his hilarious turn in Big Trouble in Little China. Preston and Russell have great chemistry; and Cloris Leachman’s cameo as the school nurse delights. Sky High never expects to be taken seriously and that is why it works. It’s loads of fun. Besides, the remakes of some of 80's great songs adds to the fun.)
Another note of interest: Many films that I planned taking my whole family to, I couldn’t. They were simply too disturbing, mostly of the psychological nature. For example: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Batman Begins, which I consider to be one of the best super-hero films of all-time. Yet, alas, the sight of a worm-invested mask and people losing their mind isn’t something I want playing in my six and nine year-old’s memories when they try going to sleep. They have over-active imaginations without such prompting. Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, Terry Gilliam’s The Grimm Brothers, and Peter Jackson’s King Kong are other films applicable to this argument.
So, you ask, what does Michael Parker have in his top ten list of family films for 2005. Well, thank goodness filmmakers in foreign lands were working. Here is my list of the more creative, stylish, and memorable films for families last year:
- Howl’s Moving Castle (Hauru no ugoku shiro) (Japan)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (UK)
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (UK)
- Millions (UK)
- March of the Penguins (Marche de l'empereur, La) (France)
- Oliver Twist (UK)
- Steamboy (Suchîmubôi) (Japan)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (USA)
- Corpse Bride (UK)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (USA)
Honorable Mentions: Sky High, Robots, and St. Ralph (Canada).
I was unable to watch the film Duma before compiling my list. It may have affected my list.
Reviews of all of these films forthcoming.
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