What to Watch This Quarantine: Kids Edition

As many of us are stuck indoors trying to balance work and newly home schooled children, an afternoon movie is often a needed break!  Here are some kid-focused options to keep you and your little ones entertained while we all quarantine and chill.

Angry Birds Movie 2 (Netflix)
The Angry Birds Movie 2 takes the unenviable task of following on to the unlikely movie based on the mobile game.  It is a fun adventure that is at times laugh out loud funny, but also a little too disjointed.  For more information, check out our review!

Born in China (Disney+)
Disney Nature movies are a great way to give you kids something fun and educational to watch.  Born in China ventures into the wilds of China to follow a panda and her growing club and a snow leopard and her two cubs.  

Frozen II (Disney+)
It's Frozen II.  You have already seen it multiple times and thanks to Disney+, you can now see it ALL THE TIME.  Frozen II has beautiful animation, catchy songs, and laugh out loud moments (for kids and adults) will make you appreciate a trip back to Arendelle.  For more information, check out our review!

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Netflix)
Now that Po is a kung fu master, he must learn to calm himself and find inner peace to defeat the newest foe.  Kung Fu Panda 2 returns all of your favorite characters and introduces a new threat for Po and the furious five to deal with.

Madagascar (HBO)
Help your kids get their wiggles out and move it move it with this Dreamworks animation classic.  It is a fun adventure with some very memorable characters that provides a fun animated escape. 

Monkey Kingdom (Disney+)
Give your kids an educational documentary, with this fun Disney nature look at monkeys!  This film follows a young monkey and his mother as they try to navigate the social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a dynamic group of monkeys that live in ruins deep in Sri Lanka.

Sesame Street (HBO)
Now that everyone is learning from home, teach your kids some important lessons with the original television tutor.  Newer episodes have tried to tackle modern societal issues with new characters along with the cast of your favorite.  

Surf's Up (VUDU Free with Ads)
The story of a penguin that wants to surf is a surprisingly heartfelt film with an interesting, documentary style and great characters.  It also has some really beautiful animation and a novel world of penguin surfers.

Wonder Park (Amazon)
Wonder Park is an imaginative, enjoyable experience for all ages.  The movie has some memorable characters, an interesting setting, is an enjoyable ride that will not leave you disappointed.  For more information, check out our review!

What to Watch This Weekend: February 28, 2020

In Theaters: Emma.

Emma brings the Jane Austin classic to life with a colorful style, a stellar cast, and an absolute charm that will capture you from the first scene.  For more information, check out our review!

In Theaters: The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man is a new take on the classic concept, with great, minimalist effects, wonderful tension, and an amazing performance by Elisabeth Moss..  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: Knives Out

Knives Out assembles a killer cast of characters and pairs it with Rian Johnson's amazing style and wonderful, witty writing to create a very entertaining whodunit.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Showtime): On The Basis Of Sex

The RBG biopic--helped by fantastic performances by Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer does a great job of highlighting the challenges that she encountered trying to practice law and fight against inequality in a male dominated profession and culture.

Streaming (Netflix): The Angry Birds Movie 2

The Angry Birds Movie 2 takes the unenviable task of following on to the unlikely movie based on the mobile game.  It is a fun adventure that is at times laugh out loud funny, but also a little too disjointed.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Amazon): Good Newwz
Good Newwz delivers some enjoyable characters, laugh out loud comedy, and tackles some important issues with surprisingly heartfelt dramatic moments in a film that will entertain you right from conception.  For more information, check out our review!

Review: Angry Birds Movie 2

Release date: August 14, 2019
Running time: 96 minutes
Starring:  Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Leslie Jones 

The popular Rovio mobile game turned movie gets a sequel in The Angry Birds Movie 2.  This time, the birds and pigs have an unlikely truce due to the discovery of a new island bent on the destruction of the home islands of both the birds and the pigs.  The film reintroduces us to the main characters of the first film, while adding several new fun birds and pigs to keep the movie feeling fresh.

The first thing you’ll notice in the movie is the animation.  It is really fun and surprisingly captures the style of the mobile game.  The characters are brightly animated, and the environments are varied and beautiful.  The voice acting is very good, with some funny cameos by recognizable actors making the characters instantly like able.  And the film has some good lessons for young and old alike.  

However, the film is a little too disjointed, with a sort of sketch comedy feel at times.  The characters cut back and forth between situations and some of them are funny, some of them are just odd.  That being said, there are definitely plenty of laugh out loud moments.  And although I enjoyed the jokes, some of the humor is a little inappropriate for kids and might lead to some interesting conversations.  Additionally, for a game released at the end of the first decade of the 2000s, there are a ton of 90s references.  I really enjoyed them but I also didn’t know why they appeared and contributed to the disjointed feeling of the film.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 takes the unenviable task of following on to the unlikely movie based on the mobile game.  It is a fun adventure that is at times laugh out loud funny, but also a little too disjointed.

Rent it.