"Big Miracle" is not inspired by the true story of the U.S. hockey team beating Russia in the 1980 Winter Olympics. That was 2004's "Miracle". In this movie, one of the first of Universal Studio's 100th anniversary year, the Americans and Russians actually work together, to try to save three whales. And, yes, it's also based on an actual event.

John Krasinski (from TV's "The Office") stars as Adam, a TV news reporter working in Barrow, Alaska (which is located above the Arctic Circle) back in 1988. One day he discovers that three large, grey whales are trapped in the ice, with only one small hole for them to come to the surface to breathe. He does a story on the whales which is shown on the NBC Nightly News. Soon everyone, from school kids to the President of the United States, becomes interested in the plight of this whale family.

Including Adam's ex-girlfriend Rachel, played by Drew Barrymore. She's the leader of Greenpeace, and she comes to Barrow to try to use her power to get the help needed to free the whales. And there's Ted Danson, who plays as an evil and greedy oil company executive and Kristen Bell, as TV reporter sent from L.A. to cover the story. And there are plenty of local Alaskans on hand. They all come together to try to save the whales.

And that's pretty much it. "Big Miracle" is a one-note film. It's all about saving these whales, who are given the Flintstones names Fred, Wilma and Bamm-Bamm for some reason. Some inspirational movies that are based on a true story grab you emotionally and really make you care about what's going to happen. "Big Miracle" just floats there, like a dead goldfish in a bowl, for nearly two hours. You're hoping that maybe it's going to come to life and starting swimming around, but it never does.

One of the main problems is that the three whales just aren't likeable. All they do is pop-up out of the water for a few seconds and then go back down. Over and over and over. Very tough for the filmmakers to get the audience to make a connection with key characters who have no personality. Compare this to last September's "Dolphin Tale", whose main character, an injured dolphin, was fun and very likeable. It also helped that the dolphin in "Dolphin Tale" was real. It's very obvious that the three whales in "Big Miracle" are animatronic creations.

As for the performances, they are shockingly bad, led by Barrymore. But it's not entirely her fault, as the dialogue she and the rest of the cast is forced to deliver is pretty corny. And there are some scenes that are utterly ridiculous, including the ones involving President Reagan and the Russians, that could have been part of a Saturday Night Live skit.

"Big Miracle" is rated PG for some mild language. It's appropriate for kids 9 and up. Parents, don't take your little ones to this thinking it's a fun, cute movie about whales. It's a long, talky movie about "saving whales". Like the two six year olds in the row ahead of me they will quickly get bored and want to leave. Come to think of it, that's kinda how I felt. The only thing that kept me going was the actual news footage of the whale rescue story that's used throughout the film. It was fun seeing Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and the late Peter Jennings once again.

On The Official L-C-J Report Card, "Big Miracle" gets a C-.

This movie was originally called "Everybody Loves Whales". Good decision to change that, since it kept critics from writing such lines as "Nothing to love about 'Everybody Loves Whales'." However, I have to say that the biggest miracle involving "Big Miracle" will be if it makes it's budget back at the box office.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" deals with a very difficult subject: the attacks of 9/11. But this film is much more than that. It's also a story about journeys and taking risks, dealing with grief and moving forward.

14 year-old Thomas Horn was chosen to play young Oskar Schell, the main character of the story, by director Stephen Daldry when he saw Horn competing on "Kids Jeopardy". And Horn is excellent in this very challenging role, which required him to deliver a tremendous amount of dialogue and raw emotion in practically every single scene.

Oskar is very smart but he also has issues with anxiety and socialization. His father (played by Tom Hanks) knew how to get the best out of his son. They loved to play word games and he would send Oskar on adventures throughout NYC that would force him to use his mind and talk with people. When his father dies in the World Trade Center attacks, Oskar and his mother (Sandra Bullock) are devastated, unable to make sense out of what happened. 

A year later, while in his father closet, Oskar finds a key that he believes his father left him as part of a final adventure. So he begins a quest to find the lock that goes with the key, hoping what's inside will provide some answers. Along the way Oskar meets many people, some who change his life as he does theirs.

"Extremely Loud and Incredible Close" is based on a novel which went much more into the details of the 9/11 attacks. For his film Daldry has simplified things. This is Oskar's story: a young boy trying, in his own way, to deal with the sudden loss of his father. But the script and the performances make it work. The film is over 2-hours long, but you stay with it the entire time. Solid supporting performances from Max Von Sydow and Viola Davis compliment the work of Horn, Bullock and Hanks, who is only in a handful of scenes.

As has been the trend with many end of the year releases (including "J. Edgar" and "The Iron Lady"), flashbacks are used extensively, as we see (and hear, in heart-breaking phone messages) the events of 9/11 as they are happening, in bits-and-pieces, throughout the movie. By the end we get the full story of that day for this family, and it helps make for a believable conclusion. The flashback clips help build to a suspenseful climax as Oskar's quest with the key is also coming to an end.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is rated PG-13, mostly for the realistic and tragic subject matter. It's appropriate for teens and up, but it's tricky to recommend. Anyone who lost a loved one or was personally effected by 9/11 in other ways may want to avoid this film, as some scenes may be very tough to handle, even 10 years later. This movie is powerful and quite sad.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" gets a B+. I think it's one of the best films of the year and it definitely deserves a Best Picture Oscar nomination.

From the title you might think "The Iron Lady" is the story of the wife of "Iron Man". And while Meryl Streep could probably pull-off that role too, here she stars as Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female Prime Minister.

Right from the first time Streep is on screen it's hard to recognize her because SHE IS Thatcher. And that convincing portrayal continues throughout the entire film. Much of the story of Thatcher's life is shown in flashbacks (Alexandra Roach plays Thatcher as a young girl). We see how she developed the drive to get to into politics, how she had to fight the men who ignored and dismissed her because of her gender and how she made it to the top.

Along with the flashbacks, director Phyllida Lloyd uses another device to provide some insight into Thatcher - her deceased husband Denis (played by Jim Broadbent). He's seen through hallucinations by the elderly Thatcher, and the couple carry on conversations and discuss events of the past. This choice by Lloyd shows Margaret as quite a different person from the one who was one of the most powerful leaders in the world during her time in office. The flashback scenes provide a look of Thatcher fighting hard for England against the odds and, at times, against everyone else. She's inspiring.

And Streep is amazing. Let's be honest - Meryl Streep should be nominated for just about every role she does and win an Oscar every time she's nominated. She is THE best actress working today - and nobody's a close second. But Academy voters, for some reason, like to give the honor most years to someone else - a surprising performance, a comeback performance, a newcomer. This is a shame. And it may happen again this year (as either Michelle Williams or Viola Davis could walk away with the Best Actress statue). We may be getting to the point where Streep should start receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards if she's not going to get the regular honors she deserves.

As for "The Iron Lady" itself, the flashback scenes are a little distracting during the first part of the film but settle down a bit later. There's a very authentic look to the film, highlighted by the wardrobes and the use of actual news footage of some of the historic events (though we never see the real Thatcher in any of them). All of the other performances are solid, but the story doesn't grab you as much as it should have. Frankly, I would have liked to have seen much more of Thatcher's exciting life when she was The Iron Lady and less of her as a sad, old lady.

"The Iron Lady" is rated PG-13 for some language and violence. It's appropriate for teens and up and, much like "J. Edgar", is a good choice for students who may be studying this time in world history.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "The Iron Lady" gets a B. But it's a must-see for Streep's performance. 

Normally, if a studio is unhappy or not confident in a movie, they'll bury it by releasing it in either January or August. Warner Bros. latest, "Joyful Noise", is one of the first new films of 2012, and while it does have some problems, it's not a complete loss - thanks to the music.

Queen Latifah co-produces and stars as ViRose Hill, the newly appointed director of a Gospel choir for a church in a small town in Georgia. Dolly Parton plays G.G., who's also a choir member. She wanted to be choir director so the two don't get along.

The town is in tough financial shape, and the one thing that brings everyone together and makes them happy is cheering for the choir as they take part each year in the national "Joyful Noise" competition. They've never made it to the finals - but this year could be different - thanks to ViRose's daughter (played by Keke Palmer) and G.G.'s grandson (Jeremy Jordan). They're both great singers who bring some young energy, and some young love, to the choir.

There are also several subplots, including one involving ViRose's son, who has Asperger's syndrome; her husband, who's in the military and a really weird one involving one of the choir members that doesn't even belong in this movie.

"Joyful Noise" needed some serious editing. The 120-minutes could easily have been cut-down to 95, and it would have made for a much better film. And much of what could have gone involves the songs. The film is divided almost equally between the story and musical numbers, some that are great and others that are totally unnecessary. And all of the songs are performed in their entirety, even ones not involving any of the main characters. Parton wrote three of the tunes and she and Latifah have plenty of opportunities to prove they can still sing (though Latifiah's solo midway through the film sadly brings everything to a stand still).

Palmer is the best singer of them all. Her version of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" at the beginning of the movie is tremendous.

From the commercials and the trailers you may think "Joyful Noise" is simply a musical/comedy, but the film does have some dramatic elements. And there are moments when it rises above the cheesy level where it exists most of the time. All of the acting is a little forced but I have to admit I did laugh a few times during the silly fight scene in the restaurant between Parton and Latifah, even though it's ridiculous.

"Joyful Noise" is rated PG-13 for language and brief adult content. Teens will like the young love story while fans of Parton will be thrilled to see her back on the big screen for the first time in 20-years. But the reason to see this movie is for the Gospel music. I'm sure there will be real choirs that will go see this movie and break out in song in the middle of the theater. Again, they're not all hits, but there's enough to make this at least a semi-joyful experience.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Joyful Noise" gets a C+.

Inspirational music overcomes an uninspired story.

"Beauty and the Beast 3D" was originally supposed to be released on February 12th, 2010. But after early test screenings and negative backlash, Disney decided to drop it completely. In September, they decided to release "The Lion King 3D". Once that became a surprise hit, the studio decided to re-release a bunch of their classics in the third dimension.

I got ripped online for my harsh criticisms of "The Lion King 3D" because of how poor the conversion was. Too many scenes were blurry, and for stretches of the movie, there was no 3D at all. But Disney has done it right with "Beauty and the Beast" - giving it the 3D treatment it deserves.

From the memorable opening sequence with the stain-glassed windows to the glorious finale, the 3D is used perfectly. At times the conversion makes the background images (such as the statues in the castle) pop-out and become true characters.

It also enhances many of the musical numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the ballroom sequence for the song "Beauty and the Beast". And there's a moment you'll remember if you're a fan of the movie - during the song "Gaston" when LeFou is swung straight into the camera. Wait till you see that in 3D.

It's no secret that "Beauty and the Beast" is my favorite movie of all time. So there is a part of me that isn't sure that this version was even necessary. Why mess with a classic? But if this version gets more people to see the film, especially young kids, then it was worth it. In fact this is a great first 3-D movie to take little ones to (theaters are even supplying special 3D glasses that are just the right size).

Along with this new version of "Beauty" is a brand new and very funny short called "Tangled Ever After", which takes place right where "Tangled" left off. And, as always, don't leave early because during the end credits there are new black and white artist sketches of the "Beauty" characters in 3D that are very impressive.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Beauty and the Beast 3D" gets a B+.

Director Steven Spielberg's second film for the 2011 hoiliday season is "War Horse", which is based on the novel and Tony Award-winning play. The build-up to this film has been big and while it does provide a nice story and engaging characters "War Horse" goes down a familiar path and therefore fails be to extraordinary.

The plot centers around Albert (Jeremy Irvine), a teenage boy who lives on a farm in Britain with his father and mother. The family needs a new plow horse. But at the auction Albert's father decides to buy a young, energetic horse that catches his eye instead, and he spends all the family's money on him. Albert immediately becomes attached to the horse, who he names Joey, even though his mother wants to sell him back. Albert promises he will train Joey and teach him to plow so they can make enough money to keep the farm.

But then World War I breaks-out and Joey begins an amazing four year journey in which he in involved in war - on both sides - and has several different owners. His impact, as a horse, brings out the best and the worst of everyone he comes in contact with.

The "War Horse" story is simple and straight forward. Once the set-up is in place there are no surprises. It's rare for a film that's nearly 2 1/2 hours long not to have one single twist. What keeps you interested is Joey. Spielberg has done a nice job of making a horse the star of the film but not making it corny. Joey has human qualities and more personality than all of the other characters in the movie combined.

Irvine does fine work as Albert, especially later in the film when he becomes a soldier and joins the war. The rest of the cast, including Emily Watson and Peter Mullan, who play Albert's mother and father, give effective performances.

The biggest surprise for me is the directing, which is pretty ordinary. Where are the typical Speilberg touches? There are way too many close-ups and a couple of bad edits. This was Spielberg's first film to be digitally edited so maybe that was part of the problem, but since this is an old fashioned film maybe they should have stuck with old fashioned techniques. Could it be that he spent too much time on "The Adventures of Tintin", which opened four days prior, and not enough overseeing this final draft of "War Horse"?

There are a few other minor problems, including an annoying goose who is something out of a bad family comedy and where were the horses names in the closing credits? Without them there couldn't have been a movie!

"War Horse" is rated PG-13 for intense battle scenes which include some violent deaths. It's appropraite for teens and up, especially those who may be studying WWI in school. Of course this story is fiction, but the setting and the conflicts are real.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "War Horse" gets an B-. 

There's a very good chance that the Academy will hand Spielberg a Best Director nomination for one of his two films and I'm guessing it will be "War Horse".

Brad Bird is best know for directing critically acclaimed animated movies, such as "The Iron Giant" and Disney/Pixar's "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille" (both of which won him Oscars). He ventures into live-action for the first time with "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol", the fourth installment of the series that began 15 years ago. And much like the franchise, "Ghost Protocol" is stretched-out way too long.

Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt. At the start of the film he escapes from prison, thanks to two of his fellow IMF agents (played by Simon Pegg and Paula Patton). They are on their own for a new mission (which they choose to accept) to prevent a the start of a nuclear war. This involves keeping the codes to fire nuclear missiles out of the hands of the wrong people. Along the way the team picks-up a 4th member (Jeremy Renner), who may or may not be who he says he is.

While the mission is pretty simple, the script complicates things in order to include trips to exotic locations (including Dubai and India), several wild action scenes (some better than others), and ton of characters and a lot of dialogue. In fact everyone in this movie spends more time talking about what they're going to do than actually doing it. This is one of the things that causes "M:I4" to drag and hold-down the fun level. And the movies best sequence - Cruise climbing-up and racing down the outside of the tallest building in the world could have been jaw-dropping if Paramount hadn't used it as it's main marketing tool for the movie.

Another problem is with the dialogue: the characters aren't talking to each other, they're delivering lines. Normally, in entertaining action movies you can ignore the talking and just enjoy the ride, but that's "not possible" here because the talking dominates the film. And I prefer Cruise's character in last year's "Knight and Day" to Ethan Hunt, who is way too serious and therefore has very little personality.

Bird does a nice job directing the action scenes. His experience with "The Incredibles" I'm sure helped him tremendously. "M:I4" looks good, but the weak story (the writers couldn't come-up with something better than preventing a nuclear war between US and Russia? This is 2011!) and underwhelming special effects at times really hurt.

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Proctol" is rated PG-13 for loads of action-violence and some adult language. It's appropriate for kids 12 and up. Fans of the series should enjoy it (many are saying it's the best of them all), but otherwise you'll likely find it close to impossible to rank this as one of you favorites of the action/spy genre.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" gets an C.

"The Artist" is a black and white, mostly silent film that is getting a lot of attention, some of it because it's a black and white, mostly silent film. But it's also getting rave reviews and plenty of awards and honors and deservingly so. "The Artist" proves a simple, but very important point: that you don't need special effects, explosions, 3D or even dialogue and color to create a beautiful, emotional and captivating film.

The story begins is 1927. French actor Juan Dujarin (who won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance) plays actor George Valentin, a very successful silent movie star. He's charming and witty, with perfect comic timing. One day a female fan (played by Berenice Bejo) literally bumps into him while trying to get an autograph. They get photographed together and soon she becomes the talk of the town.

Her name is Peppy Miller and she decides to try out to be an extra on one of George's films. They begin to fall for each other (even though George is married). At the same time, talking pictures begin taking over the movie industry and silent films, and silent film actors, are no longer needed. Peppy becomes Hollywood's hot, new thing while George has to deal with his fading career.

"The Artist" is a gem from the classic opening credits to the incredible final scene. This movie is not only an homage to a wonderful era in movie-making, but it uses the elements of the old black and white films - the dialogue cards, music and silence - to tell a story better than any conversation-filled film this year.

The story itself is simple but powerful and the performances are spectacular. Dujardin and Bejo are perfect alone and wonderful together. If other actors and directors want to know what on-screen chemistry is supposed to look like, all they need to do is watch these two. John Goodman and James Cromwell head a solid supporting cast, but the best supporting performance is provided by George's dog, Uggie, who is amazing. He adds to the authentic look and feel of the times.

And the score plays a major role. Director Michel Hazanavicius has chosen just the right music for each scene and also proves just how powerful silence can be.

"The Artist" is rated PG-13. It's appropriate for kids 12 and up. Now, because it's a smaller film, without any big American stars and especially because it's a silent film in black and white, you're probably thinking it's not for you. You couldn't be more wrong. This is the one film this year that you will stay in your seat after the credits end and think - "Wow - that was amazing!". And many of the scenes will stay with you for years to come.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Artist" gets an A.

As of right now it's the leading contender for the Best Picture Oscar.

Normally when a studio holds an early, nationwide screening for audiences it's because they think the film is really good and that the buzz will be helpful to spread the word. But Fox's decision to show "We Bought a Zoo" to thousands and thousands of people, not a week or two before it's schedule release date, but an entire month early was really puzzling, because this "based on a true story" dramady is a big disappointment.

Matt Damon (capping a very busy year) plays Benjamin, a single father of two who's still coping with the death of his wife six months earlier. He was a writer, but just like the title character in director Cameron Crowe's "Jerry McGuire", Benjamin quits his job looking to start a new life in a new town.

After checking-out many new houses Benjamin and his young daughter fall in love with an old home with loads of land attached. They soon learn that this isn't just any property - it's a zoo. But Ben doesn't see this as a problem, but an opportunity. He decides to buy the zoo, which has been closed-down for awhile. It comes with all the animals and the workers, including head zookeeper Kelly (played by Scarlett Johansson). Together Ben, Kelly and the staff have to get the zoo back in shape so it can pass inspection and re-open.

The biggest problem with "We Bought a Zoo" is that everything is too forced. The main story-line and all the subplots are just so obvious, including the possible romances between Ben and Kelly and Ben's teen son and Kelly's cousin (Elle Fanning). This may be the most manipulative script of any film I've seen all year. This movie tries to get you to tear-up in scene after scene after scene. But it never happens, because these characters are so dry and one-dimensional that you don't care what happens to them. Good movies draw emotions from an audience. Here Crowe tries to reach into your body and squeeze your heart with both hands, piling-on with what are supposed to be dramatic elements and captivating scenes - that just aren't.

Almost as bad are the efforts at comedy the supporting characters - the goofy realtor (J.B. Smoove), Ben's quirky brother (Thomas Haden Church) and the weird inspector (John Michael Higgins). All completely unrealistic and unfunny. Damon does his best with what he's got to work with while Johansson simply delivers her one-note dialogue.

"We Bought a Zoo" is rated PG for language and thematic material. It's appropriate for kids 9 and up but please, with all good holiday films out right now, don't waste your time of this.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "We Bought a Zoo" gets a D+.

All the animals are real and therefore they don't talk, which is too bad because this film makes "Zookeeper", this year's Kevin James comedy in which the animals speak, look like an Oscar contender.

Director Steven Spielberg has two holiday movies this year, both opening Christmas weekend. The first is "The Adventures of Tintin" - a motion-capture "animated" film, based on the comics/graphic novels and co-produced by Peter Jackson. If you're a big fan of the Tintin character and you enjoy action/adventures films such as Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" series then you'll love "Tintin". If not, there's still enough here to give it a mild recommendation.

Tintin (played by Jamie Bell) is a teenage newspaper reporter who investigates mysteries. At the beginning of the film Tintin buys a model ship, that suddenly everyone wants. The ship gets stolen from Tintin's apartment, but the valuable item inside the model is left behind. Tintin and his dog Snowy set out to learn the secret of the ship, named The Unicorn (thus the original title of the film: "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn". Good decision by the studio to use the shorter name).

Tintin and Snowy are kidnapped and end up on a ship, where they meet-up with Haddock, the ship's captain (played by the king of all motion-capture actors - Andy Serkis), who's also behind held captive. They soon learn that there are more than one miniature of The Unicorn and why these models are so valuable. These three team-up to solve the mystery and beat the evil Mr. Sakharine (Daniel Craig) to a lost treasure.

"Tintin" is high-energy, non-stop action from the first scene to the final frame. Whether or not you think this style is exciting or exhausting will pretty much determine whether or not you enjoy the movie. Diehards of the Tintin stories and of this genre will be thrilled. For me the pacing is over-the-top and after a while I became numb from chase scene after chase scene.

On the technical side, the film is well done. The motion-capture is very realistic, especially with the human faces, which can be tricky. Except, unfortunately, with Tintin's face, which is a bit of a problem because he's in practically every scene. The creators made his eyes bug-out too much, and he hardly ever blinks. This makes him look creepy and blank. I find it hard to believe that this was done on purpose, but the fact that they couldn't get the main character's eye right is somewhat shocking.

The Spielberg touches are everywhere. Along with the very detailed chase sequences there are some great transition shots and creative dissolves between scenes. There's a good amount of slapstick comedy in the script, and some comic-relief characters - a pair of bumbling British detectives (played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost). And snowy the dog is not only cute, but he plays a key role as Tintin's sidekick.

"The Adventures of Tintin" is rated PG for the action violence, brief scenes of smoking and the fact that Haddock is drunk a great deal of the time. It's appropriate for kids 10 and up, but I'm not sure that kids who aren't familiar with the books will find this an adventure they'll enjoy.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Adventures of Tintin" gets a C+. The movie has already gotten a lot of attention this awards season, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated feature. I don't consider motion-capture true animation, but even if it did, "Tintin" would not have made it onto my list of the top animated films of 2011.

Actor David Cross, who plays Ian the evil music producer in the "Alvin and the Chipmunks" series, said recently that working on "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" - was the most painful experience of his professional career. All I can say is - David, I feel you - because watching "Chipwrecked" was one of the most painful experiences of my professional career as a critic.

Jason Lee (who starred in the 2007 original but only made a brief appearance in the 2009 sequel) is back as David Seville. As the movie begins he is taking the three chipmunks and the three chipettes on a vacation cruise. Of course it doesn't take long before things get out of control on the ship, thanks mostly to Alvin. The six squeaky furballs end-up stranded on what they think is a deserted island and they have to learn how to take care of themselves while they wait to be rescued. Along the way they deal with a wacky treasure hunter, a spider bite that turns Simon into a French adventurer and a volcano that's set to destroy the island. It's all completely ridiculous.

While sitting through "Chipwrecked" I thought back to the 2007 original "Alvin and the Chipmunks", and how much fun that film was: the clever story and dialogue and the impressive way the chipmunks interacted with the human characters. 2009's "Squeakquel" was not as good, but still passable. But this is a total mess. I smiled two or three times during the (thankfully short) 87 minutes - that's it. Director Mike Mitchell goes from making the final chapter in the Shrek series (last year's very good "Shrek Forever After") to ending the Chipmunks franchise (we can only hope).

"Chipwrecked" is filled with musical numbers - the chipmunks ruining several current pop songs. Studio executives clearly hoping to sell some soundtrack CD's because they know they're not going to sell a lot of movie tickets. The CGI work on the chipmunks is surprisingly poor and at times it's difficult to understand what the chipmunks are saying.

You can only wonder what brought Jason Lee back, besides a paycheck. And it's no surprise that Cross didn't have a good time during production. He spends almost the entire movie in a pelican costume.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" is the first in the series to be rated G (the others were PG). There's nothing offensive in the movie - except that the entire movie is offensive to anyone looking to have a good time. I guess very young kids who liked the other two might enjoy the adventure, but, trust me, even they will be disappointed.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" gets a D.

And in case you're wondering why I didn't mention anything about a shipwreck in this review, it's because there isn't one in the film. The writers apparently thought "Chipwrecked" was a clever name so they went with it even though it doesn't apply to anything in the story. Too bad they didn't spend more time coming-up with a clever script.

Leonardo DiCaprio has received a great deal of praise for his dignified performance as J. Edgar Hoover in this Clint Eastwood-directed biopic, and rightfully so. Eastwood delivers an interesting film, as the focus bounces back and forth from Hoover's early days creating the FBI to his later years, as he's telling his life story to staff writers.

We get to see Hoover's struggles, both professional and personal. Before the FBI was created there were no real methods for gathering evidence from crime scenes or tracking criminals. And the public and politicians were not happy with the idea of an organization such as the FBI having the power over local police. But a few events change that, and we then see Hoover, as the leader of the FBI, becoming powerful and famous.

The movie also focuses on Hoover's relationship with Clyde Tolson (played by Armie Hammer). Tolson becomes Hoover's right-hand man and their personal relationship is also a key part of the story. Naomi Watts plays Hoover's secretary/assistant, Helen Gandy. She is also with him throughout his time as the head of the FBI, which spans eight Presidential administrations. The other powerful figure in Edgar's life was his mother (played by Judi Dench, who had a nice year with this performance and her work in "My Week with Marilyn"). The acting in "J. Edgar" is outstanding.

Eastwood's directing, on the other hand, is not. I'm not a fan of his back-and-forth method of story-telling. Fortunately toward the end of the nearly 2-hours the time periods catch-up to each other and  the movie finishes that way. But the biggest problem with 'J. Edgar" is the make-up. The film tries to show the main characters aging and the attempt with DiCaprio and Watts is pretty believable. But Hammer's older look is simply awful. I can't understand why Eastwood or someone else on the crew didn't notice during the making of the movie that Hammer's make-up was a disaster. Unfortunately it's so distracting at times that it keeps you from being able to appreciate his performance.  

"J. Edgar" is rated R for language, adult content, a disturbing image and brief violence. It's appropriate for teens and up, especially those who may be currently studying this time period in our nation's history.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "J. Edgar" gets a B-. It's a compelling and engaging portrayal of a fascinating life.

- You know a comedy's not funny when the only laughs come from the bloopers during the end credits.

- You know a movie has bad performances when even the one guy playing himself does a terrible job.

- And you know when a movie is going after cheap emotions when it includes a dying man's last wish - and it's to see the Times Square ball drop one more time.

And yes, all of this...and much more...is part of Director Gary Marshall's latest holiday tribute cheese-fest: "New Year's Eve", which is the follow-up to last year's surprisingly successful "Valentine's Day." Marshall clearly wanted to top himself this time so he has an even larger cast of celebrities who are part of six different storylines all taking place on New Year's Eve 2011 in New York City.

The dying man is played by Robert DeNiro. Yes, that Robert DeNiro. His nurse is played by Halle Berry. There's Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays an over-protective mom to teenager Abigail Breslin, who's looking for her first New Year's Eve kiss. Zac Efron reunites with "Hairspray" co-star Michelle Pfeiffer - he's a messenger boy, she's single and lonely. There's a battle to see who can have the first New Year's baby. Seth Meyers and Jessica Biel are involved in that. And there are plot-lines involving Jon Bon Jovi and old flame Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele (from "Glee) stuck in an elevator together and Hilary Swank, who's in charge of the ball drop and guess what: the ball gets stuck!

There's also a slew of cameos, which is good because at least they help keep your interest as you wonder who's going to pop-up next.

However, practically all the performances are way over-the-top and the script is both predictable and bland. And did I mention there are no laughs-none-until the bloopers at the end? I wish Marshall put the kind of effort into the movie itself that he did into the out-takes.

But even with all it's problems, "New Year's Eve" isn't a complete mess. None of the storylines are overdone and they do all come to somewhat satisfying conclusions. There are a few twists but the film is so easy to follow that your mind can wander at times and you still won't miss anything. This movie is simple, mindless entertainment, as long as you don't mind not being too entertained.

"New Year's Eve" is rated PG-13 for some (unnecessary) adult language. It's appropriate for kids 13 and up, who might like the Breslin plot-line and seeing Efron and Michelle (who does sing) , but it's mainly for adults who go to movies to see their favorite stars.

Another good thing: Warner Bros. decided to release this film now, instead of waiting until the actual New Year's Eve. I wouldn't have wanted 2011 to go out like this.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "New Year's Eve" gets a C. Marshall's New Year's resolution should be to get away from these holiday films and try to make a movie  that relies on a good script and believable characters and not just celebrities. And as for the worst acting performance in "New Year's Eve" - that honor goes to Ryan Seacrest, who looks incredibly nervous and uncomfortable...playing himself! When NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg steals a scene from you you know things are bad.

"My Week with Marilyn" contains one of the best acting ensembles of any film this year, led by the amazing Michele Williams as Marilyn Monroe. Williams is clearly the one to beat in the Best Actress Oscar race. As for the movie itself, it's not bad either.

The story, based on actual events, takes place in London in 1956, during the time the movie "The Prince and the Showgirl" was being made. Actor Sir Laurence Olivier is both the male lead and the movie's director. Monroe is the world's biggest star at the time, but she wasn't exactly the easiest actor to work with, as she was constantly late getting to the set, had problems memorizing her lines and was always very nervous and constantly taking pills.

At the center of the movie is Colin Clark, a 23-year old who's left his home to get into the movie business. This is his story. Clark gets a job working on this film, hired as the Third Assistant Director, which means he pretty much runs errands for Olivier. After awhile his main duty becomes keeping an eye on Marilyn, trying to be sure she gets to the set each day on time. Even though Monroe is married to her third husband, playwright Arthur Miller, at the time and Colin is beginning to date a girl in the wardrobe department (Emma Watson) the two begin to develop a relationship - Monroe out of need, Clark out of love - a relationship that both know cannot last.

"My Week with Marilyn" is based on Clark's own diary entries, written in 1995. The plot line is straight forward, with no twists or distracting subplots. And this simple treatment of the story works, because it allows us to easily enjoy the time, the place and especially the performances.

Williams will get most of the attention, and rightfully so. From the clips I've seen of the real Marilyn Monroe Williams was spot on. She shows us all sides of Monroe, in front of and away from the camera. And it can't be easy being a good actress playing a bad actress who, at times, was a good actress, but Williams is tremendous in those scenes. This will be a star-making role for Eddie Redmayne as Colin, but it's the veteran supporting cast that gives the film it's depth. Kenneth Branagh is outstanding as Olivier. Expect Oscar buzz for him as well. Julia Ormond plays his wife, an aging Vivien Leigh, and Dame Judi Dench is wonderful as film actress Cybil Thorndike.

The main problem I have with "My Week with Marilyn" is the pacing. The film's first 20-minutes or so move incredibly fast, then things calm down to a more enjoyable pace for awhile, before really slowing down at the end.

"My Week with Marilyn" is rated R for language, smoking and brief nudity. It's appropriate for teens and up.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "My Week with Marilyn" gets a B.

"The Prince and the Showgirl" ended-up not being a success, either critically or financially. But look for "Marilyn" to get plenty of attention this awards season, with Williams leading the way.

Awards season is here - which means loads of quality films (we hope) will be making their way to theaters over the next six weeks or so. There's no doubt in my mind that "The Descendants" will be a contender for numerous honors, including Best Picture.

Alexander Payne ("Sideways") directs this compelling, often amusing and ultimately satisfying drama which stars George Clooney, who delivers yet another completely convincing performance. Clooney plays Matt King, an attorney who lives in Hawaii with his wife and two daughters. As the story begins his wife is in a coma, after hitting her head in a boating accident. He soon finds out that she's not going to live. And then he learns from his oldest daughter (no spoiler alert here - it's in all the trailers) that his wife was having an affair. Matt doesn't have a great relationship with his kids, so things are going to get a little rough.

At the same time he's also dealing with his two dozen or so cousins. They all own a large piece of land on one of the islands which they have to sell. So they all must decide who to sell it to - and Matt has the final say.

He's a good guy dealing with some very serious issues and situations, including wanting to find the man his wife was having the affair with. Clooney handles the complexity of this character perfectly.

"The Descendants" begins with narration, as Clooney sets-up the plot and his emotions at the time. This goes on a little too long and is distracting at times. Thankfully the narration is toned-down as the movie goes on.

The movie does a great job of pulling you in. You're immediately invested in these characters and what's unfolding on screen. This is one of the few films I can honestly say that I was disappointed when it ended. Even at  nearly two hours I wanted to see more of how things worked-out for this family.

Clooney is in practically every scene once, as always, owns the screen. He is one of the few actors today who brings his A-game every time, and makes every role believable. The rest of the cast, including the kids, are very good. Beau Bridges, Robert Forester, Judy Greer and Matthew Lillard makes-up the nice supporting cast and each has a pivotal scene in which they shine (Lillard holds his own in a key one-on-one showdown with Clooney).

The film's tone is key to the story and it's pitch-perfect. Payne does a great job of keeping the story on track and true to itself. And there's just the right amount of Hawaiian atmosphere.

"The Descendants" is rated R for some adult subject matter and a decent amount of language, mostly spoken by the kids. It's appropriate for teens and up. If you're a George Clooney fan or just a fan of good movies this is a must-see.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Descendants" gets a B+.

Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese is best-known for making gritty adult crime dramas, thrillers and biopics. "Hugo" is both his first 3D film and his first family film. While the movie is being promoted as a family adventure and two of it's main characters are a pre-teen boy and girl, Scorsese's new effort is really a drama that's not intended for children.

"Hugo" is based on the award-winning 2007 book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, which is part novel, part picture book.

Young Asa Butterfield stars as the title character. He's an orphan living in a clock tower inside a train station in Paris during the 1930's. His father (played by Jude Law) was a clockmaker before he died. Hugo helped him run the family business. And in their spare time they worked on fixing-up an old automata (a large, mechanical, wind-up figure). But after Hugo's father dies, he goes to the train station to live with his uncle (who operates all of the clocks), but eventually abandons him. Hugo is now responsible for operating the clocks but wanders the station, stealing food to stay alive and hoping not to be caught by the inspector (played in an over-the-top performance by Sacha Baren Cohen).

Hugo also steals mechanical parts from an old toy shop owner named George (Sir Ben Kingsley). He finally gets caught and George takes away Hugo's notebook, which is full of details on fixing the automata. Desperate to get the notebook back, Hugo asks George's goddaughter Isabelle (young actress Chloe Grace Moretz) if she will help him. She's also an orphan, and eager for an adventure. So together they try to figure out why George is holding on to the book and why he's so sad and angry all the time.

"Hugo" is two movies in one - and that's it biggest problem. The first half (which will appeal more to kids) is the story of these two kids trying to solve a mystery in this strange, exciting, scary setting. Then, once all the pieces come together, the movie focuses on the old man trying to forget the past and then dealing with it . Each of these plotlines may have made pretty good movies on their own, but they simply don't fit well together. It seems that Scorsese wanted to have it both ways by trying to make a fun kids film with a serious, adult themes. But it just doesn't work.

There's loads of symbolism in "Hugo", most of it heavy-handed, and it drips with sentimentality. There are several side characters who are thrown in to add flavor to the train station atmosphere, who all have issues they're trying to work-out. In other words - they're all broken in some way. In fact everyone one is this film is broken - and that's the theme. And it's up to little Hugo to fix them. 

"Hugo" also provides an interesting look back to the beginning of the movie industry, but again, this storyline doesn't flow well with the rest of the film.

However, Scorsese has made a beautiful-looking film. The exterior shots of Paris are amazing and he captures the atmosphere inside the crowded train station perfectly. Few directors have the imagination with a camera - angles, composition, than Scorsese, and it's all on display here. Scenes with Hugo in the clock tower, with all the gears and pulleys, are spectacular, The costumes and set design are authentic, and this is one of the best uses of 3D in a live-action movie I've ever seen. There aren't too many gimmicks, which helps the look of the film shine in the extra dimension.

Kingsley bounces back nicely from "Prince of Persia" and gives a solid performance. The two kids are O.K. but kind of bland, though that's obviously what Scorsese wanted. There are some attempts at light humor with the supporting characters (including one where the inspector's romantic troubles), but they fall flat.

"Hugo" is rated PG for some language, action, thematic material, peril and brief smoking. It's appropriate for kids 9 and up, but the problem is, after the first hour, most kids will lose interest.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Hugo" gets a C.

It'll be interesting to see if Scorsese tries his hand at more family films in the future. Next up, a biopic on Frank Sinatra, which is much more his style.

Over the past five years Sony Pictures Animation has produced some outstanding animated films, including "Open Season", "Surf's Up" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." For "Arthur Christmas" they partnered with Aardman (the Wallace and Gromit folks) and together they've have created a modern holiday classic.

James McAvoy (who also voiced Gnomeo is this year's "Gnomeo and Juliet") stars as the voice of Arthur. He's Santa's cheery, but clumsy youngest son, who works in the mail department at the North Pole. Older brother Steve (Hugh Laurie) is cocky, self-centered and all business, as he impatiently waits for his father, Santa, to retire, so he can get out of mission control and actually take over the reigns of the toy delivery operation as the new Santa.

Following what seemed to be another successful Christmas Eve mission Arthur discovers that one toy has been left behind, meaning a child was missed. Steve doesn't think it's a big deal but Arthur believes that no child should wake-up Christmas morning without a gift from Santa under the tree. So he and his Grandsanta (the hilarious Bill Nighy), who's been retired from the job for some time, decide to get out an old sleigh, and with the assistance of an equally old reindeer and an inexperienced elf, set-out to deliver the present before it's too late.

What seems like a very simple storyline actually branches-out into unexpected areas. The script has so much to say about the holidays, sibling rivalry, family relationships, modern technology - and it does it in a sweet, smart and very funny way. The characters are complex as are the issues. First time Director Sarah Smith, who also co-wrote the script, has packaged a film that's great for kids and adults - on many different levels.

At first I thought "Arthur Christmas" was going to be a big-screen rip-off of "Prep and Landing", Disney's 2009 Christmas special, which stars Santa's elves, and shows how they "really" get the job done on Christmas Eve, using high-tech, secret agent-style methods. And the opening scene in "Arthur" takes that idea to the next level, with a spectacular 3D sequence. But then the focus shifts to Arthur and his family (including Mrs. Santa, who has a small, but important role) and the movie blossoms into a genuine original.

Jim Broadbent, Laura Linney and Eva Longoria are also part of the talented voice cast. And all of the elf voices are very well done - just listen closely because you don't want to miss any of the funny lines.

"Arthur Christmas" is sweet - but it's so much more than that. This movie captures the spirit, wonder and magic of the holiday so beautifully that it does what all great holiday movies do: make you forget about all the craziness and stress of the season and simply appreciate what Christmas is all about.

"Arthur Christmas" is rated PG for some very mild language. It's appropriate for kids 7 and up. Little ones will be mesmerized by the brilliant 3D images and delightful characters and older kids, parents, grandparents and everyone else will be thoroughly amused and delighted by the story and the messages.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Arthur Christmas" gets an A-. The movie's pace does slow down a little bit in the middle, but other than that it's a perfect holiday treat for the entire family.

It's movie-goers first true Christmas present of the year - and it may be our best!

"The Muppets" is the first Muppet movie since 1999's "Muppets in Space". Following a long lay-off and recent partnership with Disney, Kermit and friends are back in a new adventure that's one of the best times you'll have at the movies all year.

Jason Segal co-wrote the script and stars as Gary. His girlfriend of 10 years is Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother is Walter, who happens to be a Muppet. In flashback we see Gary and Walter growing-up and being best friends. They also discover "The Muppet Show" on TV, and Walter immediately becomes the shows biggest fan.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary Gary and Mary decide to take a trip to Hollywood and bring Walter with them. Once there they discover that old Muppets Studio has been abandoned for years and is about to be demolished by an evil oil baron named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper).

Walter decides that he needs to find Kermit and convince him to get the Muppets back together to do one more show - a telethon to raise #10-million dollars to save the studio. This isn't going to be easy, because the old gang has gone their separate ways and all have new lives.

The first part of "The Muppets" is a road picture, and then it becomes a "let's put on a show" picture, and there's some romantic storylines, a nasty villain and loads of laughs. You would expect that Kermit would be the star of the film, but this is a true ensemble, with each of the beloved Muppet characters - Fozzie, Animal, Gonzo and, of course, Miss Piggy - all getting their share of screen time. But it's the story of Walter that gives the film it's heart, as he tries to decide where he fits in the world.

Others in the human cast include Rashida Jones ("Parks and Recreation"), who plays a tough TV executive. And there are nearly two dozen celebrity cameos, led by Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin and Neil Patrick Harris (who has the movie's best line) - some playing themselves, some playing characters. I was worried that the cameos would be overdone, but they're actually very well placed.

All of the performances are great and there's some fun dance numbers and several songs, including two performed by Kermit (a new one and the classic "Rainbow Connection") that may choke-up longtime fans. I've seen most of the old episodes of "The Muppet Show" on DVD and all of their movies and watching this comeback film was even an emotional experience for me.

"The Muppets" is rated PG for some brief, mild violence. It's appropriate for everyone 6 to 96. Many of those who worked on the old show and previous movies have been criticizing this new film for being unfaithful to the Muppet name and legacy. I have to disagree. "The Muppets" honors the characters and their history and is a very worthy addition to the franchise. 

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Muppets" gets a B+.

It's a heartwarming comedy, action, adventure, suspense, romantic musical. Normally I would blast a movie that tried to be all that. But Kermit and the gang pull it off in style. Maybe, after all these years, it's easier being green. 

“Twilight” movies have dominated the box office, and the hearts and minds of female fans, for the past three years - with “Twi-Hards” packing theaters representing either “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob“. After seeing “Eclipse” last year I proclaimed myself a member of “Team I Can’t Understand What All the Fuss is About”. Now, after seeing “Breaking Dawn Pt. 1”, the first half of the series finale, I’m now a member of “Team Man, that was Boring”.

Everyone who cares has to know the plot of this one by now:
- Bella and Edward get married - and Jacob isn’t happy.
- Bella and Edward go on their honeymoon - and Jacob isn’t happy.
- Bella discovers she’s having a baby - and Jacob REALLY isn’t happy.
- There are complications with the pregnancy (you think? she’s having a baby vampire!) - and EVERYBODY’s not happy.

And, of course, the vampires and werewolves still hate each other - so no one will be happy until all the others are dead.

Here’s the main problem with the movie: - it suffers from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” syndrome. In order to make these books into two films, the first parts had to be streeeetched-out, with long, dull periods with nothing going on. The wedding and the reception section takes forever. Then the honeymoon section goes on and on. I started to really understand what’s it like to be a vampire as these parts of the film just wouldn’t die.

After that things pick-up a little bit, but the film also turns pretty gruesome.However, I should mentioned that Taylor Lautner fans don’t have to wait too long for what most of them go to the “Twilight” movies for: 10-seconds in Lautner takes his shirt off. So Ladies…don’t be late.

As for the performances, no one can expect any type of real acting in these films, but Lautner does stand-out as the angry, yet “friend to the end” Jacob. In fact, he is actually the pivotal character in the story.

The make-up is pretty good, especially with Kristen Stewart, and the dramatic changes she goes through during her pregnancy. There are only a few action scenes and, as usual, there are intentionally fast and blurry so you can’t really appreciate the battles.

“Breaking Dawn Pt. 1” is rated PG-13 for language, violence, adult content and disturbing images and situations. Even if your kid sister, who’s 10, read the book, she, or anyone else younger than 13, should not see this movie. I’m guessing “Twi-Hards” will enjoy it (the crowd in the theater I was at seemed to) but anyone else will…because it’s so drawn-out…find it very difficult to sink their teeth into.   

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1” gets a C-. Here’s hoping “Pt. 2” follows the “Harry Potter/Deathly Hallows” trend and is filled with exciting action scenes and dramatic, climactic moments. We’ll find-out next November. But, just like the “Potter” finale, this would have been better as one, long film.

I was not a big fan of 2006's "Happy Feet" and became even less of a fan when it went on to win the Academy Award that year for Best Animated Feature (beating-out "Cars", a much, much better film).

Now, five years later, comes "Happy Feet Two", which, amazingly, is an even more painful viewing experience than the original.

"Happy Feet" (in case you don't remember) was the story of a young male penguin named Mumble who couldn't sing like all the other penguins. Instead his thing was dancing. He was thrown out of the colony for being different but, by the end of the movie, he's a hero and everyone realizes that dancing is fun.

In this 3D sequel Mumble (again voiced by Elijah Wood) and his wife Gloria (the singer P!nk, who takes-over the role from the late Brittany Murphy) are raising their own son - Eric - who can't dance. He doesn't have a great relationship with his father and he and two other young penguins wander away from their families and discover a new group of penguins led by Sven, who everyone thinks is a flying penguin and a great hero. Mumble finds the kids, by while they're gone there's a shift in the icecap and all the penguins back home, including Gloria, become stranded. So Mumble, Sven and the kids have to figure out a way to rescue them before they all starve to death.

Meantime, there's also a subplot involving two krill named Will and Bill (voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon) that is a total waste of time. The writers obviously were trying to duplicate the success of the Skrat vignettes from the "Ice Age" movies. Instead we get these very unfunny, distracting and annoying interruptions, over and over, with these two characters saying such lines as "I'm one in a krilllion". They may be the most poorly written animated characters in any film this year. I kept praying for them to be eaten.

As for the main story - it's completely misguided and uninteresting. Sorry folks, having hundreds of animated penguins singing and dancing to pop sings doesn't make for an entertaining feature length movie. This would have been much better as a half-hour holiday special (which I would have avoided). And there's actually more singing than dancing in the film. They should have called it: "Happy Beaks" - except that some of the muscial numbers will make you cringe.

There's no suspense or drama (what - thousands of cute little penguins are going to die in the end?). At least the first "Happy Feet" was unique when it came out in '06. The only reason this was made was because the original grossed $200 million domestically. The writers and director George Miller have nothing to say with this sequel.

Robin Williams is back in dual roles but neither of his characters gets much screen time. Hank Azaria voices Sven, who has a huge secret that we in the audience know from the first time we see him at the beginning of the film. So later, when all the penguins finally learn the truth, there's no payoff for the audience.

And another thing I hated about this film (as I did with the original) is the use of real humans in several scenes (using motion capture technology). It just doesn't work here.

"Happy Feet Two" is rated PG for some mild adult language and scenes of peril. It's harmless enough for all kids and I'm sure the little ones will enjoy the penguins and the songs and the dance numbers. But anyone over 10 will be completely frustrated and bored.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "Happy Feet Two" gets a D. It's one of the worst animated films since..."Happy Feet One". Good news is, since penguins only have two feet, they couldn't make a "Happy Feet Three"...could they?