Hollywood was very kind to its young audience in 2009 spoiling audience with a growing number of movies available in 3-D. Fast developing technology especially in a visual effects field allows to create a jaw dropping result. Luckily, only few directors overestimated importance of CGI effects over thrilling plot and intriguing story. Listed below are top 10 kid’s movies of 2009.
Up
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Box Office: $292,913,068
Both thumbs up to the Disney/Pixar movie – “Up” with superb graphics, recognized Pixar’s signature, engaging plot and well written story. It made “Up” a worthy addition to must-have DVD collection of Pixar’s instant classics like “Nemo” and “Cars. Unlike silent “Wall-e”, “Up” is full of snappy lines that will make kids laugh and adults crack up. Being an adventurous comedy, the movie is true to its genre with a soul touching beginning that will definitely make you think or even re-evaluate your life approach. “Live your dreams now – before it’s too late!”
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family
Box Office: $196,442,957
“Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is a third sequel to the brilliant “Ice Age”. It is tough to maintain a good pace movie-after-movie and the story’s decline is inevitable, yet the third Ice Age had managed to deliver a pretty decent job. The quality of the animation is amazing and that helped a lot. There is a new character, brave to the fault, wearing a patch over one eye, ferret Buck, who may be a questionable role model but he surely is funny. For all the fans, which fall in love with crazy Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel, nut hunting as a side story, this movie will be a worthy addition to the DVD’s collection completing “Ice Age” trilogy.
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Box Office: $177,233,619
Night at the Museum is another sequel betting on the success of the original movie. Even though the idea of museum exhibits coming to life is not new – it is well compensated by stunning visual effects and unexpected turns and twists of the plot. Introducing more new characters and expanding the adventure to Washington, DC Smithsonian museum, this sequel is a worthy competition to its predecessor. Night at the Museum” is a children comedy which is also witty and charming, and yes, sometimes plain silly – making it fun experience for all ages (read – entire family).
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Box Office: $122,560,112
If you loved the book “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” when you were a kid, then… scratch that – you will enjoy this move whether you’ve read the book or not. Funny, fast-paced story, based on a crazy idea of raining food, will keep kids amused and adults engaged. A likable character Flint, the inventor, is a living reminder that no good deed goes unpunished, just kidding. Flint, going through his life’s ups and downs, demonstrates important traits in different areas of the relationship, from romantic to family (especially with his hard to please Dad). Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is surprising combination of a good story delivered with astonishing visual effects.
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Box Office: $78,898,769
Miley Cyrus is a talented actor and singer loved by her fans of “Hannah Montana” popular teen-centric television show. Hannah Montana: The Movie, besides borrowing the main character, doesn’t relate to a TV series’ storyline and surprises the audience with a well rounded narrative in itself. You don’t have to be neither a twelve-year old nor a fan of Miley Cyrus to enjoy the movie.Hannah Montana (the Movie)is about a teenage girl’s soul searching, well it’s complicated with the fact that this teen is a pop star and that her Dad, to help her with her soul searching, sends her to the country hometown of Crowley Corners. Nice country folks, lots of horses and hey, musically talented family members (surprise) – all this makes a perfect setting for a musical comedy with an emphasis on the family values.
Coraline
Studio: Focus Features
Genre: Animation
Box Office: $75,195,256
Peculiar and simultaneously intriguing, this twisted fairy tale may not be suitable for very young children as movie contains a scary images and disturbing scenes. Yet “Coraline” has all ingredients to become an instant classic movie along with “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” – another work of Henry Selick and his team of stop-motion animators. “Coraline” creates a new mind-twisting fantasy world that draws in the viewer.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Animation
Box Office: $14,084,495
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is energetic, intelligent, hilarious film for all ages. This is a stop-motion animation film with a story that is equally cute and edgy; portraying quite a feud between wild animals and humans – foxes and farmers. Mr. Fox is a strong, unpolished leader who shows a style. May be he isn’t perfect but he is clever and ready to carry the battle on, refusing to give up. The movie is full of savvy “behind the curtains” show business jokes targeting all age-spectrum of the audience.
Bandslam
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Genre: Family, Musical
Box Office: $5,205,343
Vanessa Hudgens plays a school misfit Sa5m (“the 5 is silent”) in the smart teen musical “Bandslam” – a refreshing change from a recent parade of sinful movies for teens. With its healthy mixture of youth’s challenges, sharp humor and rock music the movie will find its healthy share of followers.
The Princess and the Frog
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Genre: Animation, Musical
Box Office: $2,410,810 (limited release)
Princess” might not be as illustrious as classic “Mermaid.” But it is a reason to cheer for fans of old-fashioned hand drawing animation and for African-Americans, who finally get a Disney animated heroine of their own. Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is born in 19th century New Orleans, surrounded by jazz and poverty. Her Dad passed away, leaving her with the dream of opening a Cajun restaurant. Grown-up Tiana works at two waitressing jobs and keeps dreaming. Isn’t it how all princess start off? The story decisively targets girls of middle-school age and under.
G-Force
Studio: Buena Vista
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Family
Box Office: $119,251,463
G-Force team is a top secret group of highly trained guinea pigs armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment and an attitude. They used to work in a secret government program until budget was cut and they end up in a regular pet shop. G-forceians are cute, furry and funny, their act is silly and laughable. Parents who are looking for over-kid’s-head jokes will probably be disappointed, as this movie and its fluffy cute characters targets younger audience only; and that is why kids love it.
