Subgenre Sampler

Show: All FilmsRental Rental DVD Rental Blu-Ray Rental VHSSales Sales DVD Sales Blu-Ray Sales VHS

Robot Dreams (2023): Dir. Pablo Berger; A lonely dog uses a mail–order electronics kit to build himself a friend. Together; Dog and Robot embark on adventures (and misadventures)…
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023): Feat. Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson…; The alternative Spider–man returns for the second part of this fresh 'multi–verse' saga. A rift between the spider–...'people'…
Super Mario Bros. Movie, The (2023): Dir. Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic; A plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess. From the creators of Teen…
Amazing Maurice, The (2022): Dir. Toby Genkel, Florian Westermann
Feat. Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Himesh Patel…; An adaptation of Terry Pratchett's book that revisits the tale of the pied piper. Maurice is a streetwise, opportunistic tomcat who contrives a…
Bad Guys, The (2022): Dir. Pierre Perifel; Action comedy from DreamWorks Animation based on Aaron Blabey’s best–selling book series about a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws…
Marcel: the Shell With Shoes On (2022): Dir. Dean Fleischer-Camp
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Jenny Slate, Thomas Mann…; Marcel is an adorable one–inch–tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once…
Where Is Anne Frank? (2022): Dir. Ari Folman; A new film from the director of adult animated tales “Waltz With Bashir” and “The Congress” that follows the journey of Kitty, the imaginary…
Boss Baby, The: Family Business (The Boss Baby 2) (2021): Dir. Tom McGrath; Sequel to the 2017 Dreamworks animation BOSS BABY, about the suit–wearing, briefcase–carrying baby. The Templeton brothers have become…
Clifford The Big Red Dog (2021): Dir. Walt Becker
Feat. Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale…; Spirited animal caper about a 12–year old girl whose love for a rescue dog causes the animal to grow into a giant ten–foot hound, which…
Cruella (2021): Dir. Craig Gillespie
Feat. Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry…; Crime comedy starring Emma Stone as the villainous character Cruella de Vil from Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Director…
Encanto (2021): Dir. Jared Bush, Byron Howard; Colourful Disney musical following a multi–generational Colombian family who recieve magical gifts that help them serve their rural community,…
Ghostbusters Afterlife (2021): Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace…; The fourth Ghostbusters movie with much of the original cast reappearing alongside fresh young faces, directed and co–written by Jason Reitman…
Luca (2021): Dir. Enrico Casarosa; Delightful coming–of–age movie from Pixar Animation Studios, set on the Italian Riviera in the 1950's and 60's, where a sea–monster…
Peter Rabbit 2 (The Runaway) (2021): Dir. Will Gluck
Feat. Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, David Oyelowo; Bouncy sequel to the 2018 reboot based on the beloved books by Beatrix Potter. Peter creates more chaos on an adventure to the big city following…
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021): Dir. Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada; A sophisticated Disney animated feature set in a re–imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization known as Kumandra, where a feisty…
A Christmas Gift from Bob (A Gift from Bob) (2020): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Luke Treadaway, Anna Wilson-Jones; A Christmas sequel to A STREET CAT NAMED BOB with Luke Treadaway returning as James Bowen (who wrote the loosely autobiographical books) – a…
Call of the Wild (2020): Dir. Chris Sanders
Feat. Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens…; Adventure film for all ages based on the Jack London novel of the same name, about a sled dog fighting for survival in the Yukon.
Croods: A New Age, The (Croods 2) (2020): Dir. Joel Crawford; The animated prehistoric family the Croods are challenged by a rival family, the Bettermans (geddit?), who claim to be better and more evolved.…
Dolittle (The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle) (2020): Dir. Stephen Gaghan
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen…; Nutty remake of the 1967 musical with Robert Downey Jr. as the Welsh veterinarian who can talk to animals. Based loosely on the book The Voyages of…
Love and Monsters (2020): Dir. Michael Matthews
Feat. Dylan O’Brien, Michael Rooker, Jessica Henwick; After a Monsterpocalypse forces humans into underground colonies, a young man decides against all logic to brave the surface and face the monsters…
Mulan (2020): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Tzi Ma…; Spectacular Disney live action re–make of the classic 90's animation, based on the Chinese folktales about a maiden who disguises herself as a…
Onward (2020): Dir. Dan Scanlon; Slick animated fantasy adventure following two elf brothers who go on a quest to find a magic magic gem that will bring their deceased father. A…
Penguin Bloom (2020): Dir. Glendyn Ivin
Feat. Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Jackie Weaver…; The luminous Naomi Watts leads this gracious Australian drama as the mother of three boys who take in an injured Magpie after she suffers a…
Scoob! (2020): Dir. Tony Cervone; Update of the classic animated franchise with Scooby and the gang facing a mystery involving a ghost dog that threatens to unleash a dogpocalypse…
Secret Garden, The (2020): Dir. Marc Munden
Feat. Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Dixie Egerickx…; Update of Francis Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic about the spirited orphan girl who discovers a magical garden hidden at her strict Aunt and…
Sing 2 (2020): Dir. Garth Jennings; Sequel to the endearing children's musical comedy SING, set in a world of anthropomorphic animals who are involved in the theatre industry. Buster…
Sonic The Hedgehog (2020): Dir. Jeff Fowler
Feat. James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter…; Action–packed video game spin off following the supersonic hedgehog as he teams up with a small–town cop to defeat an evil genius who…
Soul (2020): Dir. Pete Docter; Cosmic adventure from Pixar Animation Studios, directed by Pete Docter (INSIDE OUT). Jamie Foxx voices a middle–school music teacher whose…
Trolls World Tour (2020): Dir. Walt Dohrn; Sequel to the Dreamworks animation TROLLS (2016) that no one was asking for, notable if only for it's sheer comedic stamina and eye–watering…
Witches, The (2020): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci…; Robert Zemeckis' re–imagining of Roald Dahl’s beloved story that tells the darkly humorous yet heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy who,…
A Dog's Journey (2019): Dir. Gail Mancuso
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger; Sweet and sentimental sequel to A DOG'S PURPOSE (2017), following the various reincarnations of a lovable canine, who carries out a promise to a…
A Dog's Way Home (2019): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Ashley Judd, Alexandra Shipp, Edward James Olmos…; A spirited puppy travels 400 miles across Colorado over 2 years on an epic adventure to reunite with her beloved owner in this heart warming family…
Abominable (2019): Dir. Jill Culton, Todd Wilderman; Warm–hearted animated adventure following a pair of teenagers who attempt to save a yeti from a wealthy man and a zoologist, and help him…
Addams Family, The (2019): Dir. Conrad Vernon, Greg Tiernan; An animated version of Charles Addams' series of cartoons about a peculiar, ghoulish family who here move to a bland suburb where Wednesday Addams'…
Aladdin (2019): Dir. Guy Ritchie
Feat. Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott; Spirited, if a tad unnecessary, live action update of he classic 1992 animation of the same name, where a magic lamp is fought over by the…
Angry Birds Movie 2, The (2019): Dir. Thurop Van Orman, John Rice; Sequel to the delightful ANGRY BIRDS movie (2016), continuing the boisterous feud between the flightless birds and scheming green piggies on Bird and…
Astro Kid (Terra Willy: Unexplored Planet) (2019): Dir. Eric Tosti; Delightful French sci–fi animation about a ten–year old boy who discovers an unexplored planet after getting separated from his parents…
Biggest Little Farm, The (2019): Dir. John Chester; Inspirational and utterly picturesque documentary made by a farmer who ditched city life and moved onto 200 acres of barren farmland with his wife,…
Cats (2019): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba…; Vilified remake of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about a group of cats competing at an elaborate ceremony to decide who will be reincarnated. A…
Children of the Sea (2019): Dir. Ayumu Watanabe; Powerfully resonant Japanese animated adventure reflecting on the connections between humanity and the natural world. Centered around a troubled…
Detective Pikachu (Pokémon Detective Pikachu) (2019): Dir. Rob Letterman; Thrilling Pokemon adventure set in Ryme City, a sprawling metropolis where humans and Pokemon live side by side. When a detective goes missing, his…
Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019): Dir. James Bobin
Feat. Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Pena…; Live action adaptation of the Nickelodeon animated series about the adventures of Dora, the daughter of Peruvian explorers. Now 16, Dora takes her…
Dumbo (2019): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny De Vito…; Tim Burton's colourful live–action reboot of the beloved Disney classic set in a travelling circus where a family discovers that a baby…
Frozen 2 (2019): Dir. Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee; Sequel to the beloved 2013 Disney hit FROZEN, continuing the adventures of Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven as they leave Arendelle to seek out…
Here Comes The Grump (A Wizard's Tale) (2019): Dir. Andrés Couturier; Magical family adventure where a teen boy and a princess team up to prevent a mean–spirited wizard called "The Grump" from casting a spell that…
Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans (2019): Dir. Dominic Brigstocke
Feat. Emilia Jones, Sebastian Croft, Nick Frost…; Live action historical farce based on the book and TV series of the same name, about a teenager in the Roman era who is forced to join the Roman Army…
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (How to Train Your Dragon 3) (2019): Dir. Dean Deblois; The beloved Dreamworks series comes to a fitting close with this third delightful fantasy film following the adventures of Hiccup, who has…
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019): Dir. Jake Kasdan
Feat. Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan …; The cast of the successful, enjoyable reboot return for more jungle fantasy adventure, this time to rescue one of their own through braving parts…
Kid Who Would Be King, The (2019): Dir. Joe Cornish
Feat. Louis de Francesco, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Tom Taylor…; Fantasy adventure riffing enjoyably on the King Arthur legend, were a 12–year old boy finds the legendary sword Excalibur, and embarks on an…
Lego Movie 2, The (2019): Dir. Mike Mitchell, Trisha Gum; Endearing and inventive follow–up to the beloved 2014 movie, with Duplo invaders from outer space causing havoc to the lives of the Lego…
Lion King, The (2019): Dir. Jon Favreau; Lavish big–budget remake of the 90's favourite, a coming–of–age tale of a young lion prince following the murder of his father.…
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019): Dir. Joachim Roenning
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Harris Dickinson…; Sequel to the 2014 Disney fantasy, with Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) returning to new adventures, this time…
Missing Link (2019): Dir. Chris Butler; Stop–motion animation from Laika studio (CORALINE) set in the 19th century, about a charismatic English expert in myths and monsters who…
Mosley (2019): Dir. Kirby Atkins; Locally animated adventure about a family of four–legged “Thoriphants”, intelligent creatures with the ability to speak like humans but who…
Pinocchio (2019): Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Federico Lelapi, Roberto Benigni, Rocco Papaleo; A new, live–action imagining of the iconic fairytale that focuses on the authentic roots of the Carlo Collodi story. Shot in stunning Italian…
Secret Life of Pets 2, The (2019): Dir. Chris Renaud; Accomplished follow–up to the hit animation from Illumination Studios (DESPICABLE ME, SING) which continues the story of Max and his pet…
Shaun the Sheep Movie, A: Farmageddon (2019): Dir. Richard Phelan, Will Becher; Another delightfully idiosyncratic offering from Aardman Animations, a stand–alone sequel to SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE (2015), with Shaun…
Spies in Disguise (2019): Dir. Nick Bruno, Troy Quane; Entertaining animated adventure with Will Smith voicing a secret agent who is accidentally turned into a pigeon, leaving his nerdy tech officer (Tom…
Spread Your Wings (Donne-moi des ailes) (2019): Dir. Nicolas Vanier
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey, Louis Vazquez; A gorgeous boys' own eco–adventure from France, based on the true story of a visionary scientist and his 14–year–old son who bond…
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019): Dir. J.J. Abrams
Feat. Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver…; The conflict between the Jedi and the Sith escalates in this dazzling conclusion to the Skywalker saga from director J.J. Abrams, backed by…
Toy Story 4 (2019): Dir. Josh Cooley; A belated fourth, and customarily excellent, installment in the Pixar flagship franchise that follows on from the last with Sheriff Woody, Buzz…
Ugly Dolls (2019): Dir. Kelly Asbury; Animated adventure based on the beloved toy brand. Set in the town of Uglyville, where Moxy and her friends celebrate being different, and all the…
Wendy (2019): Dir. Benh Zeitlin
Feat. Devin France, Yashua Mack, Gage Naquin…; A visionary reimagining of the Peter Pan story from director Benh Zeitlin, with two children from different worlds fighting to hold onto their…
Wonder Park (2019): A bright, imaginative young girl discovers an abandoned amusement park hidden in the woods, and sets about bringing it back to life, only to discover…
A Wrinkle in Time (2018): Dir. Ava DuVernay
Feat. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Storm Reid…; High–pitched Disney fantasy that follows a young woman and friends through space in search of her missing father who is held in the clutches of…
Ailo's Journey (A Reindeer's Journey) (2018): Dir. Guillaume Maidatchevsky; Remarkable nature documentary set in picturesque Lapland, following a reindeer from birth to adulthood. Narrated by Golden Globe winner Donald…
Alpha (2018): Dir. Albert Hughes
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson; Set 21,000 years ago during the last ice age, a young hunter (Kodi Smit–McPhee) befriends an injured wolf. A unique setting for a timeless and…
Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2018): Dir. Alexandre Astier, Louis Clichy; Another delightful Roman–era adventure adapted from the beloved French comic books. Asterix and Obelix embark on a quest across Gaul to find a…
Bumblebee (2018): Dir. Travis Knight
Feat. Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr.…; This sixth installment in the live–action Transformers film series gets a fresh, family–friendly "reboot" with a 1980s period setting…
Christopher Robin (2018): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings…; Gorgeously rendered live–action/animation hybrid, an adaptation of the Disney franchise inspired by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard's book…
Duck Duck Goose (2018): Dir. Christopher Jenkins; Cute comedy about a carefree and goose whose independence is threatened after he rescues two young ducklings who start to see him as a parent. A…
Early Man (2018): Dir. Nick Park; Stop motion animation from Aardman Studios, set in the prehistoric era and telling the story of Dug and his sidekick Hognobas, who defend their land…
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler…; Second installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series, following Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore as they go up against the dark wizard Gellert…
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018): Dir. Ari Sandel
Feat. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Madison Iseman…; Following on from the popular 2015 big screen adaptation, two young boys accidentally unleash a cacophony of monsters and demons after they open an…
Grinch, The (2018): Dir. Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney; A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville. A fun holiday animation with simple messages about the value of kindness, with…
Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (2018): Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky; As entertaining and lively as the previous two movies, this threequel sees Dracula's family embark on a vacation abroad a luxury monster cruise ship.…
House With the Clock in its Walls, The (2018): Dir. Eli Roth
Feat. Jack Black, Cate Blanchett; Gore maestro Eli Roth changes pace with this kids fantasy horror about a young orphan who teams up with his magical Uncle to find a clock that could…
Incredibles 2 (2018): Dir. Brad Bird; Belated sequel to the 2004 Pixar animated original that follows the Parr family as they try to restore public's trust in superheroes while balancing…
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018): Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall…; Sequel to JURASSIC WORLD (2015) and part of a planned trilogy, this creature feature blockbuster keeps the franchise alive with a fun, if…
Little Women (2018): Dir. Clare Niederpruem
Feat. Lea Thompson, Allie Jennings, Sarah Davenport; A re–telling of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel translated into the present day, where four spirited sisters maintain their optimism despite…
Luis and The Aliens (2018): Dir. Wolfgang Lauenstein, Christoph Lauenstein; Colourful animation about a lonely 12–year old boy who plans to escape going to boarding school with the help of three lovable aliens who crash…
Mary Poppins Returns (2018): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw…; Emily Blunt couldn't be more perfectly cast as the delightful Mary Poppins in this sequel that proves it's worth. Set in 1930's London, 25 years…
Mia and the White Lion (2018): Dir. Gilles de Maistre
Feat. Daniah De Villiers, Mélanie Laurent, Langley Kirkwood; Adventurous family drama following a young girl who befriends a lion cub when her parents move to Africa from London to manage a lion farm.
Mirai (2018): Dir. Mamoru Hosoda; Gorgeous anime from director Mamoru Hosoda (SUMMER WARS, WOLF CHILDREN) where a 4–year–old boy discovers he can travel through time to…
Nutcracker and the Four Realms, The (2018): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom, Joe Johnston
Feat. Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy, Eugenio Derbez…; Lavish but hollow Disney retelling of E.T.A. Hoffmann's short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and Marius Petipa's "The Nutcracker" about a…
Penguin Highway (2018): Dir. Hiroyasu Ishida; Delightful anime about a fourth–grader trying to unravel the mystery of penguins suddenly appearing in his village, which may be connected to a…
Peter Rabbit (2018): Dir. Will Gluck; Based on the beloved books by Beatrix Potter, about the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his three sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton Tail. A mix of…
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018): Dir. Phil Johnston, Rich Moore; Set 6 years after the events of WRECK–IT–RALPH, where Ralph and Vanellope, now firm friends, discover a Wi–Fi router at Litwack’s…
Sherlock Gnomes (2018): Dir. John Stevenson; Sequel to GNOMEO & JULIET in which the animated loved–up couple recruit renowned detective, Sherlock Gnomes, to investigate the mysterious…
Smallfoot (2018): Dir. Karey Kirkpatrick; An intelligent animated musical movie about a bright young yeti who discovers that a human exists beyond his snowy village, with each species…
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany…; Han Solo gets his own movie in this stand–alone Star Wars anthology film, taking place a decade prior to the events of A New Hope, where Han…
Storm Boy (2018): Dir. Shawn Seet
Feat. Jai Courtney, Geoffrey Rush, David Gulpilil; Beautifully nostalgic re–telling of the beloved Australian book, following the young boy who finds, rescues and raises three orphan pelicans on…
Strike (2018): Dir. Trevor Hardy; Stop–motion animation about Mungo the mole, who dreams of becoming a footballer in a town called Diggington, where everyone works at the local…
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018): Dir. Peter Rida Michail, Patrick Horvath; Sprightly animated satire in which the DC Comics teen superhero gang head to Hollywood to pull off their dream of starring in a movie, but are…
Zoo (2018): Dir. Colin McIvor
Feat. Art Parkinson, Toby Jones, Penelope Wilton; Touching and uplifting family adventure based on the true story. While bombs fall on Northern Ireland during WWII, the plucky son of the veterinarian…
A Bag of Marbles (Un sac de billes) (2017): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Dorian Le Clech, Batyste Fleurial; The experience of the French occupation during WWII is told uniquely using a child's perspective in this latterday adaptation of the book by Joseph…
A Dog's Purpose (2017): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson, Josh Gad; One for the dog–lovers, this unashamedly sugary canine caper features a single dog reincarnated fives times and each time offering boundless…
Beauty and the Beast (2017): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans…; A live–action re–telling of Disney's own animated classic which refashions the original French fairy tale for a contemporary audience,…
Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life (Belle et Sebastien 3) (2017): Dir. Clovis Cornillac
Feat. Félix Bossuet, Tcheky Karyo, Clovis Cornillac; Third installment of the delightful French film series about an orphan and his friendship with a wild mountain dog during the upheaval of WWII.
Boss Baby, The (2017): Dir. Tom McGrath; A hit–and–miss Dreamworks animated lark about a suit–wearing, briefcase–carrying baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) who pairs up…
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017): Dir. David Soren; Zany Dreamworks animation where two elementary school pranksters manage to hypnotise their mean–spirited principal into believing he is a…
Cars 3 (2017): Dir. Brian Fee
Feat. Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper…; Hailed as a return to form for the vehicular franchise, with Lightning McQueen back as the celebrated stock car racer, now past his prime and facing…
Changeover, The (2017): Dir. Stuart McKenzie, Miranda Harcourt
Feat. Erana James, Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey…; Maragret Mahy's beloved fantasy romance novel is translated into a post–earthquake Christchurch setting, and marks an impressive debut from…
Coco (2017): Dir. Lee Unkrich
Feat. Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt…; A charming Pixar film based on the Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead, that proves to be more than just a bunch of Halloween cliches. The story…
Despicable Me 3 (2017): Dir. Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda; Gru (Steve Carell) faces off against new villain Baltazer Bratt (Trey Parker), a former child star who is obsessed with the character he used to play…
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Long Haul (2017): Dir. David Bowers
Feat. Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott; An all–new cast and more "wimpy" mischief graces this fourth installment of the series based on the bestselling book franchise.
Emoji Movie, The (2017): Dir. Anthony Leondis; The first "textploitation" movie, set inside your smartphone which in fact harbours a bustling micro–city called Textopolis where the emoji…
Ferdinand (Ferdinand the Bull) (2017): Dir. Carlos Saldanha; A gentle–hearted bull eschews the machismo of the bull–fighting ring in favour of cultivating friendships with a gorgeous array of farm…
Fireworks (Fireworks: Should We See It from the Side or The Bottom?) (2017): Dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi; Beautifully romantic Japanese anime set during a school summer vacation, based on Shunji Iwai’s 1993 TV series, “Fireworks”. Refreshingly…
Kiwi Christmas (2017): Dir. Tony Simpson
Feat. Luca Andrews, June Bishop; Fed up with the materialism of Christmas, Santa runs away to New Zealand for a summer holiday. When two Kiwi kids figure out who he is, they have to…
Lego Batman Movie, The (2017): Dir. Chris McKay; Spawned from the success of the "block"–buster satire, THE LEGO MOVIE, the po–faced LEGO Batman returns with his own hilariously…
Lego Ninjago Movie, The (2017): Dir. Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher; The LEGO franchise assails the big–screen once again with this adventure concerning the battle for Ninjago City that calls to action the young…
Man Who Invented Christmas, The (2017): Dir. Bharat Nalluri
Feat. Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce…; Delightful Christmas movie to suit all ages, following the life of Charles Dickens as he writes A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge was inspired by…
Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017): Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi; Beautiful Japanese animation telling the coming–of–age story of a boisterous girl whose summer holiday with her great aunt leads her to…
Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (2017): Dir. Cal Brunker
Feat. Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, Jackie Chan…; Further adventures for Surly Squirrel and the gang, with an interesting subtext about the dangers of personal and governmental greed. When an evil…
Paddington 2 (2017): Dir. Paul King
Feat. Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville…; The beloved bear Paddington returns in this more than worthy sequel to the 2015 movie. Full of pure, big hearted happiness, this delightful and witty…
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017): Dir. Joachim Roenning, Espen Sandberg
Feat. Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites…; Johnny Depp reprises his role as anarchic pirate Jack Sparrow in the fourth sequel of the swashbuckling fantasy franchise.
Power Rangers (2017): Dir. Dean Israelite
Feat. Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler…; Reboot of the fondly remembered teen super–hero TV Series, where aliens attack a small town and five ordinary adolescents must call upon their…
Richard the Stork (A Stork's Journey) (2017): Dir. Toby Genkel, Reza Memari; European animated feature about an orphaned sparrow who is raised by a stork family and sets out to prove his true identity as a stork after the…
Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017): Dir. Kelly Asbury; Delightful animated romp following a Smurfette who discovers an uncharted land of Smurfs. Full of fun and laughs, but with a refreshingly substantial…
Son of Bigfoot, The (2017): Dir. Jeremy Degruson, Ben Stassen; From the Franco–Belgian producers of HOUSE OF MAGIC comes another splendidly–animated flick for youngsters about a teenage outsider who…
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017): Dir. Michael Bay
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Stanley Tucci…; A cacophonous plot and state–of–the–art special effects mark this fifth installment of the franchise, a largely…
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (TV Series) (2017): Animated TV series created by Guillermo Del Toro, following the adventures of an ordinary teenager who becomes endowed as a Trollhunter after…
Wonder (2017): Dir. Stephen Chbosky
Feat. Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay…; The inspiring and heartwarming story based on the bestseller by R.J. Palacio about a boy born with facial differences that have prevented him from…
A Monster Calls (2016): Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones…; A splendid and skillfully–told fantasy drama in which a 12–year–old boy faces his mother's terminal illness, his strict…
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): Dir. James Bobin
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter…; Effects heavy sequel to Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND has Alice returning to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travelling back in time to help…
Angry Birds Movie, The (2016): Dir. Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly
Feat. Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride…; The video game franchise gets a surprisingly decent cinematic treatment. Set on an island populated by happy, flightless birds visited by mysterious…
Anne Of Green Gables (2016): Dir. John Kent Harrison
Feat. Martin Sheen, Ella Ballentine, Sara Botsford; A very respectable retelling of L.M. Montgomery's evergreen story of Anne Shirley, an orphan who is accidentally sent to a couple looking to adopt a…
Ballerina (Leap!) (2016): Feat. Elle Fanning, Dane DeHaan; A runaway orphan travels to Paris with her friend an eccentric young inventor. There she follows her dream of becoming a Ballerina. Animated dance…
BFG, The (2016): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Jemaine Clement…; Steven Spielberg directs this adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic about a young girl named Sophie who encounters the Big Friendly Giant,…
Dear Eleanor (2016): Dir. Kevin Connolly
Feat. Isabelle Fuhrman, Liana Liberato, Jessica Alba…; Family–friendly drama follows two teenage girls who travel across the U.S. in 1962, during the chaos of the Cuban missile crisis, in search of…
Eagle Huntress, The (2016): A 13–year–old nomadic Mongolian girl breaks a 2,000 year–old gender barrier to follow her father and train hunting eagles in this…
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler…; This 1920's period fantasy adventure is the first in the HARRY POTTER universe to be adapted for the screen by J. K. Rowling herself. Eddie Redmayne…
Finding Dory (2016): Dir. Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
Feat. Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill…; Beautifully rendered sequel to Pixar's FINDING NEMO follows Ellen DeGeneres' forgetful blue tang fish as she searches for her long–lost…
Ice Age: Collision Course (Ice Age 5) (2016): Dir. Mike Thurmeier, Galen T. Chu
Feat. Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo…; More colourful adventures for Manny, Diego, and Sid as they attempt fend off a meteor strike that would destroy the world.
In This Corner of the World (Kono sekai no katasumi ni) (2016): Dir. Sunao Katabuchi; Picturesque war–time animation exploring the everyday challenges faces by Japanese people during WWII. The setting, a small town outside…
Jungle Book, The (2016): Dir. Jon Favreau
Feat. Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley…; An eye–popping, effects–driven take on the tale of Mowgli a young boy raised by wolves who's existence is threatened by the tiger Shere…
Kubo & The Two Strings (2016): Dir. Travis Knight
Feat. Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes…; Another gorgeously animated tale from Laika studios (BOXTROLLS, etc) about a young boy named Kubo who must locate a magical suit of armour worn by…
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016): Dir. Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Feat. Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman…; Charming third outing in the animated franchise has Po and the gang fighting off against a supernatural being intent on destroying the Kung Fu…
Moana (2016): Dir. John Musker, Ron Clements
Feat. Aulii Cravalho, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jemaine Clement…; An epic CGI Disney adventure about a Polynesian girl who sets sail on a daring ocean voyage to find a home for her people. Features Kiwi voice…
Monster Trucks (2016): Dir. Chris Wedge
Feat. Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan…; A truck–obsessed teen builds a monstrous vehicle out of spare parts in an attempt to escape his troubled small town existence.
My Life as a Zucchini (Ma Vie de Courgette) (2016): Dir. Claude Barras; Expressive, bittersweet French stop–motion animated feature about a boy (Courgette) who must adjust to life in a foster home of orphans, who…
Pete's Dragon (2016): Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley…; Inspired Disney remake vastly improves upon its own forgotten 70's adventure that tells the tale of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend…
Queen of Katwe, The (2016): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo; The true story of a young girl from the streets of Uganda whose world changes when she is introduced to the game of chess. A widely acclaimed Disney…
Ratchet & Clank (2016): Dir. Kevin Munroe, Jericca Cleland
Feat. James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, John Goodman…; Noisy adaptation of the popular game in which the galaxy comes under the threat of a nefarious space captain and a mechanic and his newfound robot…
Red Dog: True Blue (2016): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Jason Isaacs, Levi Miller, Bryan Brown; Prequel to the iconic Aussie hit RED DOG set in remote Western Australia and following the exploits of a scrappy, one–of–a–kind dog…
Red Turtle, The (2016): Dir. Michaël Dudok de Wit; The first non–Japanese film to be produced by Studio Ghibli follows a nameless shipwrecked man who meets a giant red turtle on a deserted…
Robinson Crusoe: The Wild Life (2016): Dir. Ben Stassen, Vincent Kesteloot; Fresh animated take on Robinson Crusoe, this time told from the perspective of a daring parrot.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016): Dir. Gareth Edwards
Feat. Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk…; The phenomenal mythology of Star Wars expands again with this first of the "standalone" films, a suitably epic adventure that inaugurates a fresh…
Secret Life of Pets, The (2016): Dir. Yarrow Cheney, Chris Renaud
Feat. Louis C.K, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart…; An all–star lineup of comedic talent livens up this otherwise undemanding tale of animals running wild. Louis C.K. voices a spoiled terrier…
Sing (2016): Dir. Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane…; Zany animated musical about a struggling impresario who enters a singing competition in a last ditch attempt to save his beloved decaying theatre…
Storks (2016): Dir. Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland
Feat. Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Keegan-Michael Key…; Lively family adventure has a parcel delivering stork frantically attempting to deliver one more baby before the boss finds out.
Swallows and Amazons (2016): Dir. Philippa Lowthorpe
Feat. Kelly MacDonald, Rafe Spall, Andrew Scott…; Based on the 1974 film that was in turn adapted from the series of 1930's children's novels by Arthur Ransome, this reprise retains the setting and…
Trolls (2016): Dir. Mike Mitchell, Walt Dohrn
Feat. Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel…; Exuberant Dreamworks animation based on the toy franchise, where blissfully happy Trolls must defend themselves against the Bergens, who want to eat…
Zootopia (2016): Dir. Rich Moore, Byron Howard
Feat. Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba…; This Pixar animation smash is a smart, hugely entertaining romp set in a city of anthropomorphic animals in which a rookie bunny cop and a cynical…
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015): Dir. Walt Becker
Feat. Jason Lee, Justin Long, Jesse McCartney…; More squeaky inanities as Alvin and the gang head cross–country to prevent Dave getting married.
April and the Extraordinary World (2015): Dir. Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Jean Rochefort, Olivier Gourmet…; Steampunk–infused tale set in an alternate world where France is a country under the iron rule of Napoleon V, a young girl goes in search of…
Batkid Begins (2015): Dir. Dana Nachman; Misty–eyed documentary records the occasion when a city came together to grant one 5 year old cancer patient his wish, to fight crime as…
Belle and Sebastian: The Adventure Continues (Belle et Sebastien 2 - L'aventure Continue) (2015): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Félix Bossuet, Tcheky Karyo, Thierry Neuvic; Sequel to the delightful 2013 French adventure about an orphan and his friendship with a wild mountain dog during the upheaval of WWII.
Boy and the Beast, The (2015): Dir. Mamoru Hosoda; Inventive anime fantasy about a young orphaned boy living on the streets of Shibuya who stumbles upon a fantastic world of beasts and is taken in by…
Capture the Flag (Atrapa la bandera) (2015): Dir. Enrique Gato; Environmentally aware kids film with a young surfer rallying his friends to stop a billionaire from rewriting history as a way to hoard Helium 3, the…
Cinderella (2015): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden…; Dir. Kenneth Branagh re–imagines the classic tale of young Ella who finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters, and…
Fungus the Bogeyman (TV Mini-Series) (2015): Dir. Stuart Orme
Feat. Timothy Spall, Paul Kaye, Victoria Wood…; Raymond Briggs' much loved classic gets a laudable live–action adaptation with Timothy Spall going green to play the titular Fungus, a…
Good Dinosaur, The (2015): Dir. Peter Sohn
Feat. Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin…; Charming pre–historic tale, set in an alternate world where the dinosaur–killing asteroid misses Earth. about the unlikely friendship…
Goosebumps (2015): Dir. Rob Letterman
Feat. Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush…; Fantastical spin on the popular kidult horror series with Jack Black perfectly cast as horror maestro R.L. Stine whose imaginary demons come to life.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015): Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky
Feat. Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez…; More monster mayhem in this fun follow–up to the hit family comedy. This time Dracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half…
Inside Out (2015): Dir. Peter Docter, Ronaldo del Carmen
Feat. Kaitlyn Dias, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader…; Pixar's beautifully realised and inventive fantasy follows a young girl who is uprooted from her mid–western life and moved to San Francisco,…
Long Way North (Tout en haut du monde) (2015): Dir. Rémi Chayé
Feat. Christa Theret, Féodor Atkine; Beautiful hand–drawn animation by the director of THE SECRET OF KELLS, telling the story of a 15–year old Russian aristocrat called Sasha…
Max (2015): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Thomas Haden Church, Lauren Graham, Josh Wiggins…; Heartwarming true story about a dog that helped US Marines in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering…
Minions (2015): Dir. Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton…; The evil yellow blobs are back in this entertaining – or deeply annoying, depending on your disposition – prequel to DESPICABLE ME.…
Oddball (Oddball and the Penguins) (2015): Dir. Stuart McDonald
Feat. Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Alan Tudyk…; Charming family adventure about an eccentric chicken farmer, with the help of his granddaughter, who trains his mischievous dog Oddball to protect a…
Pan (2015): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund…; Visually dazzling but widely panned prequel to J.M. Barrie's classic tale has a young orphan spirited away to the magical world of Neverland to…
Peanuts Movie, The (2015): Dir. Steve Martino; Sweet updating of Charles M Schulz's much loved comic has Snoopy battling his arch–nemesis, and Charlie Brown smitten with none other than the…
Pixels (2015): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan…; Adam Sandler and pals must use their old–school gaming skills to save the world after aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games…
Roald Dahl's Esio Trot (2015): Dir. Dearbhla Walsh
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Judi Dench, James Corden; Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman star in this fine Roald Dahl adaptation about a retired bachelor who has a thing for his tortoise–obsessed…
Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015): Dir. Mark Burton, Richard Starzak; Without a scrap of dialogue, this Aardman animation production cleverly sustains the frequently funny story of Shaun, Bitzer and the flock who…
Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015): Dir. Paul Tibbitt; Sequel to THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE. When an evil pirate named Burger Beard steals the secret Krabby Patty formula, Spongebob must team up with…
Stick Man (2015): Dir. Jeroen Jaspaert, Daniel Snaddon
Feat. Martin Freeman, Jennifer Saunders, Rob Brydon…; Family friendly Christmas fun adapted from the writer of THE GRUFFALO with the titular stick racing to get home to his twiggy family in time for…
Thunderbirds are Go! (TV Series) (2015): WETA Workshop lends their skills to this remake of the legendary TV series about the five Tracy brothers pilot remarkable, cutting–edge…
Tomorrowland (2015): Dir. Brad Bird
Feat. George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie…; Disney live–action adventure that allies a scientifically–curious teenage girl and a former boy–genius inventor (Clooney) who…
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014): Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Ed Oxenbould…; Tailor–made, exemplary family entertainment that follows the exploits of 11–year–old Alexander as he experiences the most terrible…
Annie (2014): Dir. Will Gluck
Feat. Quvenzhané Wallis, Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx…; Modernized, hip–hop version of the Broadway classic tells the tale of a foster kid, who sees her life change when a business tycoon and mayoral…
Asterix: Mansion of the Gods (2014): Dir. Louis Clichy, Alexandre Astier; Computer–animated outing for Asterix and friends as they do battle with the Romans after Caesar orders a large estate built next to the…
Barbie: The Pearl Princess (2014): Dir. Ezekiel Norton; Entry into the Barbie film series where the fashion doll is a mermaid who has the power to change the colour of pearls and make them dance.
Big Hero 6 (2014): Dir. Chris Williams, Don Hall
Feat. Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter; Oscar–winning animation about the special bond that develops between a plus–sized inflatable robot and a young robotics wiz who team up…
Birds of Paradise (2014): Dir. Daniel De Felippo
Feat. Drake Bell, Ashley Tisdale, Jane Lynch…; Colourful family animation centred on the adventures of a shy sparrow who wishes he could be more outgoing.
Book of Life, The (2014): Dir. Jorge R. Guitierrez
Feat. Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum…; Visually striking animation follows a a young man who embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
Boxcar Children, The (2014): Dir. Mark A. Z. Dippe, Kyungho Jo, Daniel Chuba
Feat. Illeana Douglas, Mackenzie Foy, Zachary Gordon…; Based on the popular children's novels this depression set animation with four young orphans traveling across country in search of a new home.
Boxtrolls, The (2014): Dir. Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Jared Harris, Nick Frost…; More wonderful, ghoulish animation from the studio behind CORALINE and PARANORMAN, this tells the story of a young orphan raised by underground…
Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (2014): Dir. Arild Fröhlich
Feat. Kristoffer Joner, Emily Glaister, Eilif Hellum Noraker; From the pen of Norwegian crime writer Jo Nesbo comes this earthy family caper. Two lonely children help an eccentric inventor gain recognition for…
Dolphin Tale 2 (2014): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jnr.…; Stirring sequel to the Florida–set tale of an injured dolphin, here placed in further jeopardy when her surrogate mother passes away.
Earth to Echo (2014): Dir. Dave Green
Feat. Teo Halm; A group of kids band together to help a stranded alien make its way back to its home planet in this spirited homage to E.T. and the stargazing family…
Get Santa (2014): Dir. Christopher Smith
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kit Connor…; Rollicking seasonal comedy about a father and son who team up to save Christmas once they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage after…
Giovanni's Island (2014): Dir. Mizuho Nishikubo; Affecting anime drama in the mould of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES set in the Kuril Islands during the aftermath of WWII where a friendship blossoms…
Home (2014): Dir. Tim Johnson
Feat. Jim Parsons, Rihanna , Steve Martin…; An alien on the run from his own people, lands on Earth and makes friends with the adventurous Tip, who is on a quest of her own.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014): Dir. Dean Deblois
Feat. Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler…; Splendid sequel to the medieval animated hit about the ongoing mission of a pair of vikings to maintain the peace between dragons and men.
Last, The: Naruto The Movie (2014): Dir. Tsuneo Kobayashi; The conclusion of the epic hit story!
Lego Movie, The (2014): Dir. Chris Miller, Phil Lord
Feat. Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks…; This quick–witted, pop–culture laden adventure set in the Lego universe centres on an ordinary minifigure destined to save his fellow…
Maleficent (2014): Dir. Robert Stromberg
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley…; Angelina Jolie plays Sleeping Beauty's iconic villain in this visually striking update of the Disney animated classic.
Maya the Bee (2014): Dir. Alexs Stadermann
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Noah Taylor, Jackie Weaver…; Sprightly Aussie animation of a curious bee whose good–natured personality gets her into trouble with the local hornets' nest.
Moomins on the Riviera (2014): Dir. Xavier Picard; Slight but agreeable take on Tove Jansson's creatures has the Moomins – plus Little My and Snorkmaiden – setting sail for adventure in…
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Mr. Peabody and Sherman) (2014): Dir. Rob Minkoff
Feat. Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter…; Mr. Peabody, a canine inventor, scrambles to fix a time rift after his time travelling experiences go astray. A zippy kids adventure that's also…
Mune: Guardian of the Moon (Mune, le gardien de la lune) (2014): Dir. Benoît Philippon, Alexandre Heboyan; A French CGI feature from On Animation Studios set in a fictional world populated by creatures of the day and creatures of the night and their…
Muppets Most Wanted (2014): Dir. James Bobin
Feat. Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey…; The latest sing–a–long Muppet adventure finds the gang embroiled in a European jewel–heist lead by a Kermit the Frog imposter.
Nicholas on Holiday (2014): Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Valérie Lemercier, Kad Merad, Mathéo Boisselier…; Delightful Gallic family comedy based on the popular series of Little Nicholas children's books. This time our titular hero gets caught up in a…
Night at the Museum 3:Secret of the Tomb (2014): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson…; Concluding chapter in the trilogy has museum guard Stiller trying to decipher why the exhibits are behaving so erratically.
Nut Job, The (2014): Dir. Peter Lepeniotis
Feat. Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson…; An exiled squirrel finds himself helping his former park brethren raid a nut store to survive, that is also the front for a human gang's bank robbery
Over the Garden Wall (2014): Feat. Elijah Wood, Collin Dean, Melanie Lynskey; Animated tale in which two brothers find themselves lost in a mysterious land and try to find their way home.
Paddington (2014): Dir. Paul King
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters…; Britain's beloved bear gets the big screen treatment as he travels to London in search of a home, and where he catches the eye of a museum…
Paper Planes (2014): Dir. Robert Connolly
Feat. Ed Oxenbould, Sam Worthington, Deborah Mailman…; Imaginative children's film about a young Australian boy's passion for flight and his challenge to compete in the World Paper Plane Championships in…
Penguins of Madagascar (2014): Dir. Eric Darnell, Simon J Smith
Feat. Tom McGrath, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Malkovich…; The heroic quartet of penguins join forces with undercover organization The North Wind to stop the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine from destroying the…
Ping Pong Summer (2014): Dir. Michael Tully
Feat. Marcello Conte, John Hannah, Lea Thompson…; A sweet 80's nostalgia film that follows a shy 13–year–old whose obsessions with ping pong and hip hop bring him out of his shell while…
Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014): Dir. Robert Gannaway
Feat. Dane Cook, Ed Harris, Julie Bowen…; Dusty, world–famous air racer, turns his attention to aerial firefighting in this fly–by–night sequel.
Postman Pat: The Movie (2014): Dir. Mike Disa
Feat. Stephen Mangan, Jim Broadbent, Rupert Grint; Everyone's favourite postie is drawn away from his usual delivery route to compete in a Britain's Got Talent–style contest in this upbeat…
Rio 2 (2014): Dir. Carlos Saldanha
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jemaine Clement…; Rio's colourful family of Macaws relocate to the wilds of the Amazon in this peppy sequel to the animated musical hit.
Ronja, The Robber's Daughter (TV Series) (2014-2015): Dir. Goro Miyazaki; Goyo Miyazaki, son of Hayao, directs this Ghibli animated TV series based on the novel by Astrid Lindgren (Creator of Pippi Longstockings). A ten…
Song of the Sea (2014): Dir. Tomm Moore; From the director and production team behind THE SECRET OF KELLS comes another distinctive hand–made animated feature from Ireland that serves…
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast (2014): Dir. Steve Loter
Feat. Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman, Pamela Adlon…; Final in the Tinker Bell series has the scout fairies grow fearful that the mysterious NeverBeast will destroy Pixie Hollow, friendly Fawn must…
When Marnie Was There (2014): Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi; Beautifully rendered – but possibly final – Studio Ghibli animated feature focuses on the unlikely friendship between a tomboy and a…
A Monsterous Holiday (2013): Dir. Gordon Crum
Feat. Sean Astin, Kyle Chandler, Brooke Shields; A fun–loving Halloween romp about the friendship between a science–obsessed teenager and a football–mad Young Frankenstein.
Adventurer, The - The Curse of the Midas Box (2013): Dir. Jonathan Newman
Feat. Aneurin Barnard, Lena Headey, Sam Neill…; Spiffy period adventure set in Victorian England about a teenager racing to find the eponymous 'Midas Box', a treasure which can turn any object to…
Amazonia (2013): Natural Amazonian wildlife is fused with some narrative excitement in this family–friendly tale of a very cute capuchin monkey – born and…
Barbie and Her Sisters in A Pony Tale (2013): Dir. Kyran Kelly; Equine–themed inclusion into the Barbie film series, set at a riding academy in the alps.
Belle and Sebastian (Belle et Sebastien) (2013): Dir. Nicholas Vanier
Feat. Félix Bossuet; Stirring big screen adaptation of the much–loved children's book about a six–year–old orphan and his friendship with a wild…
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013): Dir. Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Feat. Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan…; Boy inventor Flint Lockwood's wacky contraption wreaks more havoc in this equally inspired sequel, turning food into dangerous animal hybrids that…
Croods, The (2013): Dir. Kirk De Micco
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone…; Dreamworks animate the life and times of a Stone Age family as they come to terms with evolution in the prehistoric era. Though predicable in…
Despicable Me 2 (2013): Dir. Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Feat. Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt…; Steve Carell's reformed villain is coaxed out of retirement to thwart a powerful new super criminal in this energetic sequel.
Doc Mcstuffins (TV Series) (2013): Imaginative animated series about a young girl who aspires to be a doctor and uses her magic stethoscope to attend to her toys.
Epic (2013): Dir. Chris Wedge
Feat. Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Beyonce Knowles…; Appealing animated adventure centred on a teenager who is transported to a magical forest kingdom where she must help a band of rag–tag…
Escape from Planet Earth (2013): Dir. Cal Brunker; An interplanetary adventurer is captured on Earth, prompting his family to mount a daring rescue mission. Serviceable family animation adventure…
Free Birds (2013): Dir. Jimmy Hayward
Feat. Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler…; Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson voice two turkeys fighting to avoid their species' traditional Thanksgiving fate in this broad animated comedy.…
Frozen (2013): Dir. Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Feat. Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff…; Phenomenally successful Disney animated fairytale musical based on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen', about the quest to free a kingdom from…
House of Magic, The (Thunder and the House of Magic) (2013): Dir. Jeremy Degruson; Charming animation tells the story of an abandoned cat who finds a new home with an eccentric old magician at his mansion of wonders.
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013): Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor…; 'Jack and the Beanstalk' is reimagined for the big screen in this hulking fantasy adventure about a naïve farm boy who attempts to rescue a…
Jake and the Neverland Pirates (TV Series) (2013): Kids animated TV show about a band of young pirates, along with their parrot Skully, who spend their days competing against Captain Hook and Mr. Smee…
Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013): Dir. Manuel Sicilia
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Freddie Highmore…; Essentially Pixar's BRAVE turned inside out, this amusing medieval fantasy centres on a young aspiring knight whose parents wish for him to instead…
Khumba (2013): Dir. Anthony Silverston
Feat. Liam Neeson, Steve Buscemi, AnnaSophia Robb…; An ostracised half–striped zebra learns to find himself in this jolly safari adventure.
Legend of Sarila, The (2013): Dir. Nancy Savard; Three young Inuits set off in search of a promised land to save their clan from starvation in this snowbound animated adventure.
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2013): Dir. Will Finn
Feat. Lea Michele, Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi…; A lightweight animated 'sequel' to the original Wizard of Oz film finds Dorothy returning to help her old friends Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Man to…
LEGO Batman DC Heroes Unite (2013): Dir. Jon Burton; A video game adaptation that follows the source material closely, this animated Lego movie provides a family–friendly introduction to the DC…
Miffy The Movie (2013): Dir. Hans Perk; The beloved rabbit gets her first movie in this engaging toddler–fodder. Miffy's parents organise a treasure hunt for Miffy and her friends at…
Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants (2013): Dir. Hélène Giraud, Thomas Szabo; Wonderfully original animation details the fight for the contents of an abandoned picnic basket – including a box of prized sugar cubes –…
Monsters University (2013): Dir. Dan Scanlon
Feat. Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi…; Mike and Sulley's halcyon days as monsters in training are chronicled in this splendid prequel to MONSTERS, INC.
My Little Pony (TV Series) (Equestria Girls) (2013): Dir. Jayson Thiessen; Having garnered a new cult following since the popular toy franchise was refurbished as an animated series, this feature–length adventure for…
Nowhere Boys (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Darci McDonald, Dougie Baldwin, Joel Lok…; Australian fantasy action–adventure series that follows four teenage boys who get lost in the forest and discover, when they return home, that…
One Direction - This is Us (2013): Dir. Morgan Spurlock; SUPER SIZE ME's Morgan Spurlock directs this official documentary of the English boy–band juggernaut, who emerged from being solo contestants…
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013): Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz…; Sam Raimi directs this spectacular re–imagining of the Wizard of Oz legend for Disney studios – an origin story centred on the coming of…
Painting, The (Le tableau) (2013): Dir. Jean Francois Laguionie; Gorgeous French animation intriguingly set within a half–finished painting, which follows the characters (left in various states of completion…
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013): Dir. Thor Freudenthal
Feat. Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Douglas Smith…; Another young adult fantasy franchise rolls on, this time continuing the adventures of the titular Percy Jackson and his demigod friends as they race…
Planes (2013): Dir. Klay Hall
Feat. Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett…; A low flying spinoff of Pixar's CARS series, about a crop duster who aspires to become an air racer. Adds nothing to the tried–and–true…
Smurfs 2, The (2013): Dir. Raja Gosnell; Smurfin' sequel in which the blue–skinned cuties team up with their human friends to rescue Smurfette, who has been abducted by…
Tarzan (2013): Dir. Reinhard Klooss; The adventures of Tarzan and Jane live on in this new 3D animation.
Toy Story of Terror! (2013): Dir. Angus MacLane
Feat. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack…; This all–new Pixar short finds the Toy Story crew taking an ill–advised detour to a creepy roadside motel. Perfect for…
Turbo (2013): Dir. David Soren
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena…; Fuel–injected snails race to compete in the Indy 500 in this zippy animated adventure, firmly in the spirit of Pixar's winning CARS.
Underdogs (Metegol, aka The Unbeatables) (2013): Dir. Juan José Campanella; An Argentine–produced animated feature aimed at young football fans in which the players of a table soccer (or "Foosball") game come to…
Walking With Dinosaurs - The Movie (2013): Dir. Barry Cook, Neil Nightingale; The BBC's popular 'Walking With..." series graduates to the big screen, with its educational prehistoric history combined here with a light narrative…
Wiki The Kiwi (2013): Beautifully crafted show specifically for kiwi children about two very different friends, Wiki the Kiwi, a bird who cannot fly and his best friend…
Wind Rises, The (2013): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Hideaki Anno; Hayao Miyazaki's glorious swansong is the poignant story of aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi and his dreams of designing the perfect flying machine…
Yonderland (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Martha Howe-Douglas; Family friendly sitcom from the creators of HORRIBLE HISTORIES in which a suburban mum is charged with saving the magical Yonderland.
Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet, The (2013): Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Kyle Catlett, Helena Bonham Carter, Judy Davis…; The director of AMELIE's first American–set feature is another fairy–dusted vision brimming with child–like wonder and as a road…
Adventures in Zambezia (Zambezia) (2012): Dir. Wayne Thornley
Feat. Leonard Nimoy, Abigail Breslin, Jeff Goldblum…; A wing–tipped animated adventure set in Africa, about a spirited young falcon who, with the help of his bird friends, must rescue his father…
Asterix and Obelix in Britain (God Save Britannia) (2012): Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Edouard Baer, Valérie Lemercier…; Another big–budget, live action outing for the Franco comic duo, here aligning with the British to repel the Julius Caesar's invading Roman…
Big Miracle (2012): Dir. Ken Kwapis
Feat. Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski; Cheery, family–friendly environmentalism, with Drew Barrymore as a Greenpeace activist who helps rally a small Alaskan community around saving…
Brave (2012): Dir. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Feat. Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson…; Pixar's latest winning animation centres on an impetuous Scottish princess torn between her royal duty to the kingdom and her true desire to become…
Christmas Story 2, A (2012): Dir. Brian Levant
Feat. Daniel Stern, Braeden Lemasters; Belated sequel/update to the 80's classic, A CHRISTMAS STORY, sees a teenage Ralphie desperately trying to raise money to re–pay a car salesman…
Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days (2012): Dir. David Bowers
Feat. Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron…; Further chronicles in the Wimpy Kid series sees our titular hero negotiate the perils of Scout camp while trying to win over his long–time…
Dragons: Riders of Berk (TV Series) (2012-2014): Good quality animated TV series from Dreamworks based on their 2010 film HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, and serving as the first part of a bridge between…
Ernest & Celestine (Ernest and Celestine) (2012): Dir. Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Lambert Wilson, Lauren Bacall…; A bear and a mouse become firm friends in this lovely French animation.
Fish N Chips: The Movie (2012): Dir. Dan Krech
Feat. John Leguizamo, Mario Cantone; A disgruntled fish and cat seek revenge on the world for their misfortune in this fun animated buddy movie.
Frankenweenie (2012): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short…; Based on his own 1984 short film, Tim Burton returns to stop–motion animation with this endearing tale of a curious boy who reanimates his dead…
Gravity Falls (TV Series) (2012-2016): Animated mystery comedy from creator Alex Hirsch, set in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, where siblings Dapper and Mabel (voiced by…
Hotel Transylvania (2012): Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky
Feat. Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez…; Dracula, owner of a lavish "five–stake" resort, invites Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Werewolf to the 118th birthday of his…
Ice Age 4: Continental Drift (2012): Dir. Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Feat. Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo…; The continental break–up is the basis for yet more malarkey with Manny, Sid and Diego as they're set adrift to encounter pirates and various…
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012): Dir. Brad Peyton
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson…; The Rock and friends return for this hammy, high–wire sequel to JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, with the intrepid explorers taking on the…
Jungle Safari (Delhi Safari) (2012): Dir. Nikhil Advani
Feat. Cary Elwes, Christopher Lloyd, Vanessa Williams…; A gaggle of jungle buddies, led by a tenacious cub leopard, try to save their habitat from man–made destruction in this environmental family…
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012): Dir. Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz
Feat. Katy Perry; A suitably bubbly and inspirational fly–on–the–wall doco that intimately follows the candy–coloured pop chantreuse, Katy…
Kiwi Flyer (2012): Dir. Tony Simpson
Feat. Edward Hall, Tikirau Hathaway, Tandi Wright…; Amiable family fun follows twelve–year old Ben as he sets out to win Nelson's annual trolley derby, but he's up against some stiff Aussie…
Legend of Korra (TV Series) (2012): An excellent, serious–minded sequel to the popular AVATAR – THE LAST AIRBENDER series, this is again set in a fictional universe where…
Little Red Wagon (2012): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Anna Gunn, Frances O’Connor, Chandler Canterbury; An unapologetic tearjerker from the director of RUDY, about a determined eight–year–old whose mission to help the homeless inspires a…
Lorax, The (2012): Dir. Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
Feat. Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny De Vito…; Dr. Seuss's beloved environmental fable of a grumpy, otherworldly creature who fights to protect his world is revisited in this big screen 3D…
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012): Dir. Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon
Feat. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer…; The Madagascan gang are a long way from their beloved Central Park zoo in this rambunctious European outing. As good, if not better than the…
Margaret Mahy's Rumbustifications (2012): This magical blend of animation and live storytelling finds the late Margaret Mahy reciting five stories and eleven poems to her grandchildren and…
Mirror Mirror (2012): Dir. Tarsem Singh
Feat. Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer…; Supreme visualist Tarsem Singh (THE FALL) directs this striking adaptation of the Snow White fairytale, starring Julia Roberts as the iconic wicked…
Mr. Stink (2012): Dir. Declan Lowney
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, David Walliams, Sheridan Smith…; Lovely small screen version of David Walliams' best selling children's book, about a 12–year–old girl's friendship with a stinky tramp.
Odd Life of Timothy Green, The (2012): Dir. Peter Hedges
Feat. Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams…; A married couple struggling to start a new family are greeting in the aftermath of a storm by a curious young boy on their doorstep in this…
One Direction - Up All Night The Live Tour (2012): 70 minutes of live footage, videos and behind the scenes of pop sensation One direction. 1. Na Na Na 2. Stand Up 3. I Wish 4. I Gotta…
ParaNorman (2012): Dir. Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck…; A young boy who can speak to the dead must help save his town from a centuries–old curse of the undead in this latest stop–motion wonder…
Pinocchio (2012): Dir. Enzo D'Alò; This brightly animated Italian adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic fairytale is a mildly eccentric take on the story of a wooden puppet who…
Pirates!, The - Band of Misfits (2012): Dir. Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt
Feat. Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton…; Aardman's latest claymation spectacle centres on a bumbling captain and his crew determined to pillage the most booty in pursuit of the coveted…
Rise of the Guardians (2012): Dir. Peter Ramsey
Feat. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law…; An imaginative spin on childhood mythology, this excellent animated fantasy casts Jack Frost, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and…
Room on the Broom (2012): Dir. Jan Lachauer, Max Lang
Feat. Simon Pegg, Gillian Anderson, Rob Brydon…; An exquisite animated version of Julia Donaldson's popular illustrated story, about a kind–hearted witch who offers a ride to various animals…
Shrek's Thrilling Tales (2012): A Halloween–themed three–episode compilation with two episodes set within the Shrek universe ("The Pig who cried Werewolf" and "The Ghost…
Sir Billi (2012): Dir. Sascha Hartmann
Feat. Sean Connery, Alan Cumming, Patrick Doyle; Sean Connery voices an aging, skateboarding veterinarian caught up in a chaotic land–sea adventure in this action packed animation set in the…
Snow Queen, The (2012): Dir. Vladlen Barbe, Maksim Sveshnikov; Russian–produced animation of Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairytale.
Standing Up (Goat Island) (2012): Dir. D. J. Caruso
Feat. Chandler Canterbury, Annalise Basso, Radha Mitchell…; Uplifting and morally salient adventure story about a pair of shy 12 year old kids who find strength and confidence together after a cruel prank…
Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings (2012): Dir. Robert Gannaway, Peggy Holmes; Fourth feature in Disney's Tinker Bell franchise has Ms. Bell and Periwinkle learning the secret of their wings and trying to unite the warm fairies…
Wolf Children (2012): Dir. Mamoru Hosoda; This beautiful, serious–minded take on werewolf folklore focuses on a young woman and her struggle to raise two children of mixed…
Wreck-It Ralph (2012): Dir. Rich Moore
Feat. John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch…; A gleeful 3D animation set in the world of video games, where an 8–bit arcade character must fight to overcome his arch nemesis, Fix–It…
A Monster in Paris (2011): Dir. Bibo Bergeron; A delightfully off–beat Francophile animation exudes class and nostalgia in its heartfelt tale of a friendship between a sassy singer, a…
A Second Chance (2011): Family–friendly Australian indie set in the competitive world of kids gymnastics, which stays light–weight while touching upon themes of…
Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn (2011): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig…; Wellington's Weta Digital work their magic on this rollicking first installment of Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson's 3D animated trilogy of…
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011): Dir. Mike Mitchell
Feat. Jason Lee, Justin Long, David Cross…; Parents will want to block their ears at the shrill sound of this third Chipmunks adventure, in which Alvin and the gang find themselves marooned on…
Arthur Christmas (2011): Dir. Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Feat. James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy…; Aardman takes on Christmas in this fun–filled holiday claymation about Santa's high–tech operation beneath the North Pole.
Cars 2 (2011): Dir. John Lasseter, Brad Lewis
Feat. Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine…; Solid sequel has the roaring return of Lightning McQueen and friends as they head overseas to compete in a World Grand Prix and find themselves…
Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (2011): Dir. David Bowers
Feat. Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron…; Inoffensive sequel with our put–upon hero forced to bond with his loser older brother while still vainly searching for the popularity which…
Dolphin Tale (2011): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Harry Connick Jnr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble…; High–spirited aquatic tale of an injured dolphin nursed back to health by a young boy after its tale is caught in crab trap off the coast of…
Family Guy: Christmas Special (Road to the North Pole) (2011): Particularly ghoulish Christmas outing for fans of the controversial animated series. Stewie and Brian take a trip to the North Pole after receiving…
From up on Poppy Hill (2011): Dir. Goro Miyazaki
Feat. Masami Nagasawa, Jun'ichi Okada; Studio Ghibli's latest offering is an affecting, nostalgia–laden drama of teenage idealism and high school romance, set during the lead up to…
Geek Charming (2011): Dir. Jeffrey Hornaday
Feat. Sarah Hyland, Matt Prokop; Glossy Disney comedy based on the novel by Robin Palmer in which a film nerd makes a documentary about the life of his classmate, the school diva.
Gnomeo & Juliet (2011): Dir. Kelly Asbury
Feat. James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Ashley Jensen…; A charming, if smugly delivered animated tale which reimagines Shakespeare’s most recognisable work in the setting of a garden decorated by…
Gruffalo's Child, The (2011): Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt…; Charming sequel sees the Gruffalo's daughter setting off into the woods to discover the 'big bad mouse' – the only thing her father is afraid…
Happy Feet 2 (2011): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Sofia Vergara…; The all–singing, all–dancing Emperor penguins return to tap up a storm while facing the ever apparent consequences of climate change in…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane…; This eighth and final Harry Potter installment concludes the boy wizard's epic journey from Hogswart apprentice to world savior.
Hop (2011): Dir. Tim Hill
Feat. James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco…; The Easter Bunny myth is turned on its head in this zazy combination of live action and computer animation. Russell Brand voices a furry heir to the…
Horrid Henry: The Movie (2011): Dir. Nick Moore
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Parminder Nagra, Theo Stevenson…; Stink–bomb wielding Henry and his gang of pint–sized terrors fight to save their school from closure. Cartoonish kids pic has the…
Hugo (2011): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley…; A state–of–the–art fantasy and homage to the origins of film and one of its earlier innovators, George Méliès (Kingsley), whose…
I Wish (2011): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Koki Maeda, Ohshiro Maeda, Yui Natsukawa…; Two brothers living in different cities because of their parents' separation conspire to reunite them through a mythical 'wish' in this delicate,…
Jock the Hero Dog (2011): Dir. Duncan MacNeillie
Feat. Bryan Adams, Donald Sutherland, Helen Hunt…; The classic South African story of a Staffordshire bull terrier who explores the African wilderness, helping to free mistreated animals along the…
Johnny English Reborn (2011): Dir. Oliver Parker
Feat. Rowan Atkinson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West…; The blundering Bond returns in this agreeably silly sequel. This time round a series of international assassins are hunting the Chinese premier, and…
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011): Dir. John Schultz
Feat. Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham; Third grader Judy Moody makes a pact with transform her summer holidays after getting stuck at home with her kooky aunt. Jolly tween confection is…
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011): Dir. Jon M. Chu
Feat. Justin Bieber; Boy idol of–the–moment, Justin Bieber, swoons for the female teen age populous in this slick marketing package of concert performances…
Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom (2011): Dir. Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Feat. Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan…; The portliest martial–arts panda is back in this beautifully rendered – if entirely unnecessary – sequel. This time around Po finds…
Lego Ninjago (2011): The ever popular toy line branches into the chop–socky arena with a planet of ninja's under threat from a skeleton army seeking powerful…
Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (2011): Cute expansion of the STAR WARS universe with Yoda and his young charges uncovering a plot to destroy the republic. There's some genuinely amusing…
Lemonade Mouth (2011): Dir. Patricia Riggen
Feat. Bridgit Mendler, Naomi Scott, Adam Hicks…; FIzzy teen musical about five struggling high school students who meet in detention and empower themselves through forming a rock band. Tolerably…
Letter to Momo, A (2011): Dir. Hiroyuki Okiura; Bittersweet tale young girl recovering from her father's death moves to a small island where strange events start to occur.
Little Engine That Could, The (2011): Feat. Whoopi Goldberg; This timeless story comes to life in an all–new feature length animation. When Little Engine must leave Dreamland to deliver toys into the real…
Lost Christmas (2011): Dir. John Hay
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Jason Flemyng; BBC drama set in Manchester over two Christmases that shows a group of people who are brought together by a mysterious drifter who helps them find…
Mars Needs Moms (2011): Dir. Simon Wells
Feat. Seth Green, Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler; A young kid comes to appreciate just how much he needs his mother when she is kidnapped by Martians, who plan to steal her 'mom–ness' for their…
Minuscule - Private Life Of Insects (TV Series) (2011): A bright and colourful journey into the secret world of insects that mixes 3D animated characters with stunning real life locations.
Monte Carlo (2011): Dir. Thomas Bezucha
Feat. Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy…; Undemanding tween fantasy with Gomez and pals vacationing in Paris, that is until Gomez is mistaken for a wealthy heiress and whisked away to Monte…
Mouk (TV Series) (2011): A quirky, French–flavoured animation for pre–schoolers, about two buddies who travel to exotic locations around the world via their…
Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011): Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury…; Jim Carrey grins and bears his way through this good–natured animal farce, about a businessman who inherits six penguins, and promptly…
Muppets, The (2011): Dir. James Bobin
Feat. Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper…; Jim Henson's beloved family of puppets make a long–overdue comeback in this buoyant musical–comedy reunion of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo…
Neverland (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel, Bob Hoskins…; Clever prequel to "Peter Pan" from the producers of TIN MAN and ALICE that gives a fresh, alternative take on the origins of Peter Pan and Captain…
Phineas and Ferb - Across the Second Dimension (2011): Feature–length spin–off from the hugely successful Disney Channel cartoon series. Step–brothers Phineas and Ferb discover that…
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides (2011): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane…; Johnny Depp returns with more limb–flailing shenanigans in this fourth installment of the increasingly tired franchise. This time Sparrow…
Prom (2011): Dir. Joe Nussbaum
Feat. Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell, DeVaughn Nixon…; Cheerful teen comedy follows a high school president who scrambles to save the prom after an act of vandalism.
Puss in Boots (2011): Dir. Chris Miller
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis…; Slinky fairytale spin–off of SHREK finds the titular swashbuckling Spaniard on a whole new steal–stealing adventure. Despite slick…
Rango (2011): Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin…; Johnny Depp slithers his way through this lively and often brilliant animated western, voicing a lizard who winds up as the sheriff of a lawless…
Red Dog (2011): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor, Keisha Castle-Hughes…; True blue Ocker hit inspired by the "true story" (ie. legend) of a charismatic kelpie who united a disparate local mining community before roaming…
Rio (2011): Dir. Carlos Saldanha
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez…; Charming kids tale with a domesticated and land–locked Macaw heading to sunny Rio with the bird of his dreams. More warm–hearted fun that…
Smurfs, The (2011): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry; La la la–la la la, la la–la–la laa! La la la–la la la, la la–la–la laa! La la la–la la la, la…
Spy Kids 4 (All the Time in the World ) (2011): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Rowan Blanchard…; Rebooted fourth edition of the cartoonish espionage fantasy sees original spy kids Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara hand over the reins to a new duo…
Treasure Island (2011): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Toby Regbo, Donald Sutherland…; Eddie Izzard provides plenty of scowl and swagger as the latest incarnation of Long John Silver in this gritty and imaginative adaptation Robert…
War Horse (2011): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson…; Steven Spielberg revives the magic of Old Hollywood with this rousing saga of a plucky farm stallion who goes on to inspire soldiers and citizens…
War of the Buttons, The (2011): Dir. Yann Samuell
Feat. Eric Elmosnino, Mathilde Seigner, Alain Chabat; A spirited adaptation of Louis Pergaud's classic novel, relocated to the 60s where two rival factions of children wage war in provincial…
We Bought a Zoo (2011): Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church…; A grieving father attempts foolhardily to rebuild his life by investing in a run–down zoo, in this bright, family–friendly dramedy from…
Winnie the Pooh (2011): Dir. Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall; A. A. Milne's beloved teddy bear and friends receive a beautiful makeover in this Disney produced feature, lovingly rendered by traditional cell…
Witches of Oz, The (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Leigh Scott
Feat. Christopher Lloyd, Sean Astin, Ethan Embry…; Disappointingly shoddy re–imagining in which Dorothy, now a best–selling children's book author discovers, upon moving to New York, that…
Zookeeper (2011): Dir. Frank Coraci
Feat. Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb…; Beastly comedy vehicle for the witless Kevin James who plays the titular character whose quest for love is aided by talking animals.
A Cat in Paris (Une Vie De Chat) (2010): Dir. Alain Gagnol, Jean-Loup Felicioli; A delightful, roughly hewn French animation about a mild–mannered family cat who moonlights with a crafty cat burglar via the rooftops of Paris…
Adventure Time (TV Series) (2010): One of the more inspired Cartoon Network creations follows the wildly original, mind altering adventures of Finn, and his best friend Jake – a…
Africa United (2010): Dir. Debs Paterson
Feat. Eriya Ndayambaje, Roger Nsengiyumva; An aspiring Rwandan footballer attracts a throng of like–minded soccer fans on a road trip to Johannesburg for the opening ceremony of the 2010…
Alabama Moon (2010): Dir. Tim McCanlies
Feat. John Goodman, Jimmy Bennett, Clint Howard; Simplistic family drama about an eleven year old boy raised in the Alabama wilderness, who is forced out into the modern world when his survivalist…
Alice in Wonderland (2010): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter…; Dir. Tim Burton goes down the rabbit hole in this feverish retelling of Lewis Carroll's classic tale told with his customary visual brio. Bonham…
Alpha and Omega (2010): Dir. Anthony Bell, Ben Gluck
Feat. Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Dennis Hopper…; Good–natured comedy with two lost wolves forced to put aside their mutual animosity and learn to rely on each other as they attempt to find…
Animals United (2010): Dir. Reinhard Klooss, Holger Tappe
Feat. James Corden, Stephen Fry, Andy Serkis…; Comedy and environmentalism combine in this safari story about the survival of a group of animals whose food and water supply has been affected by…
Arrietty (The Secret World of Arrietty) (2010): Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Feat. Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki; Studio Ghibli's latest animated triumph respectfully borrows from the classic English children's tale of 'The Borrowers', about a family of tiny…
Barbie in a Mermaid Tale (2010): Barbie stars at Merliah a pro–surfer from Malibu with a shocking secret: she is in fact a mermaid. Sure to make a splash with the kiddies.
Ben 10: Destroy All Aliens (2010): Cartoon Network's boy wonder becomes trapped in alien form in this feature length episode, the popular franchise's CGI debut.
Big Barn Farm (TV Series) (2010): Animal antics for the little ones with Digger, Petal, Gobo and Dash living it up on the farm. Clever mixture of live action and puppets will appeal…
Camp Rock 2 - The Final Jam (2010): Dir. Paul Hoen
Feat. Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas…; Disney Channel sequel sees Mitchie returns to Camp Rock for the summer only to find it's existence threatened by a rival camp which has set up across…
Care Bears to the Rescue (2010): Welcome return of the animated magic bears is a short and sweet compendium of bravery with Share Bear overseeing an awards show for particularly…
Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010): Dir. Brad Peyton; Detente is reached in the feline and canine cold war with the former enemies uniting to track down a rogue cat spy with a dangerous Machiavellian…
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Ben Barnes, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson…; Rollicking third installment has the children returning to Narnia to join Prince Caspian for a voyage on the majestic royal vessel known as The Dawn…
Despicable Me (2010): Dir. Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Feat. Julie Andrews, Steve Carell, Jason Segel…; Steve Carell voices the diabolical super–villain of this uproarious animation, whose plans for world domination are put on the…
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010): Dir. Thor Freudenthal
Feat. Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick…; Likable, live–action adaptation of the popular cartoon novel with much of book's wit retained. Zachary Gordon plays the titular…
Flicka 2 (2010): Dir. Michael Damian
Feat. Tammin Sursok, Patrick Warburton, Clint Black; Wholesome story in a similar vein as the first film, this time with a disgruntled city teenager sent out to the Wyoming horse–ranch. She…
Flipped (2010): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Callan McAuliffe, Madeline Carroll, Aidan Quinn…; A welcome return to 50's childhood for the director of STAND BY ME, this equally charming tale charts the believably awkward courtship between two…
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010): Dir. Will Geiger
Feat. Bindi Irwin, Beau Bridges, Mike Falkow; Genial revival of the FREE WILLY franchise with Bindi Irwin sent to spend her summer in South Africa with grandfather Beau Bridges and his failing…
Gulliver's Travels (2010): Dir. Rob Letterman
Feat. Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel…; Raucous adaptation of the Jonathan Swift classic with Jack Black at his brashest.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane…; Seventh and penultimate film in the H.K. Rowling–penned franchise now finds Harry and pals Ron and Hermione on the lam as Lord Voldemort…
How to Train Your Dragon (2010): Dir. Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders
Feat. Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson…; Top–flight animated feature about a hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons but becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself,…
Illusionist, The (2010): Dir. Sylvain Chomet; Sylvain Chomet's long awaitied follow–up to THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE is another exquisite animation, this time based on an unfilmed script by…
Jack and the Beanstalk (2010): Dir. Gary J. Tunnicliffe
Feat. Colin Ford, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Lloyd…; Gently subversive telling of the classic tale with young Jack trading his computer for the requisite magic beans, and there's enough…
Just William (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Rebecca Front, Caroline Quentin, Warren Clarke…; Cute kids comedy, based on the eternally popular books, with a young scallywag and his gang running amok. Parents may well enjoy the…
Kaitangata Twitch (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Te Waimarie Kessell, George Henare; A fine adaptation of Margaret Mahy's novel about a teenager who possesses a strange connection to a mysterious island where a young girl vanished…
Karate Kid, The (2010): Dir. Harald Zwart
Feat. Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson; Solid remake of the '80s classic with Jaden Smith as the bullied teen learning to fight back with the help of Jackie Chan.
Last Airbender, The (2010): Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Feat. Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz…; Based on the weirdly popular Nickelodeon series, this cheesy live–action version from know–it–all director M. Night Shyamalan was…
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga' Hoole (2010): Dir. Zack Snyder
Feat. Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren…; A young owl who is abducted by an evil Owl army, and must escape with newfound friends to seek out the legendary Guardians to stop the menace.…
Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers (2010): Dir. Howard E. Baker; Breezy kids pic is the first LEGO movie out of the gate. Clutch Powers – space's greatest explorer – responds to a distress call from a…
Marmaduke (2010): Dir. Tom Dey
Feat. Owen Wilson, Emma Stone, George Lopez…; Breezy family fare with the lovable Great Dane wreaking havoc in a new neighbourhood and plotting a bullying doberman's…
Megamind (2010): Dir. Tom McGrath
Feat. Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt…; This zesty Dreamworks animation is a wry take on superheroes, with the fiendish baddie Megamind finding himself at a loose end after dispatching…
Monster High (TV Series) (2010): Animated web series based on the Mattel fashion doll franchise Monster High, following a group of teenagers whose parents are all famous monsters.
Moomins and the Comet Chase (2010): Dir. Maria Lindberg
Feat. Max von Sydow, Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard…; Tove Jansson's beloved creatures get an animated outing as Moomintroll and his friends rush to save everyone in Moomin Valley from a ferocious comet.…
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010): Dir. Susanna White
Feat. Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor…; Emma Thompson again pens and stars in the second installment about the otherworldly nanny, accompanied again by a staggering array of British…
Nutcracker, The (2010): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Elle Fanning, Nathan Lane, John Turturro…; A clunky, though nonetheless eye–popping new rendering of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, with Elle Fanning as the young girl who discovers a world of…
Penguins Of Madagascar, The (TV Series) (2010): Four penguins from the MADAGASCAR franchise reunite in this lively animated series about their daily adventures at Central Park Zoo. Raucous humour…
Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario…; Striking fantasy that follows a gangly teenager who discovers that he's the son of Poseidon and has inherited some of Dad's powers. Percy soon finds…
Ramona and Beezus (2010): Dir. Elizabeth Allen
Feat. Joey King, Selena Gomez, John Corbett…; Sweet and playful adaptation of Beverly Cleary's popular children's novels about a young girl's overactive imagination which keeps things interesting…
Regular Show (TV Series) (2010): This sophisticated Cartoon Network curio is a thinly–veiled Gen–Y hipster satire that concerns two mischievous groundskeepers at a park…
Santa's Apprentice (2010): Dir. Luc Vinciguerra; Charming animation with a young orphan selected to train as Santa's replacement, but first he must overcome his lack of self–confidence and…
Shrek Forever After (Shrek 4) (2010): Dir. Mike Mitchell
Feat. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz…; Surprisingly enjoyable fourth entry in the franchise has the dastardly Rumpelstiltskin tricking the beloved green ogre into a dark alternate time…
Sorcerer's Apprentice, The (2010): Dir. Jon Turteltaub
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina, Jay Baruchel…; Playing to type, Jay Baruchel is the average, unassuming new recruit of a master sorcerer (Nicholas Cage) who needs the help of a protégé to defeat…
Spy Next Door, The (2010): Dir. Brian Levant
Feat. Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Carroll…; Cheesy chop–socky for the kids with Jackie Chan as an international spy who gets more than he bargained for while looking after three…
Starstruck (2010): Dir. Michael Grossman
Feat. Danielle Campbell, Sterling Knight, Maggie Castle…; Dippy tale of a young girl visiting her grand parents in Los Angeles where she bumps into a dreamy teen mega star. Romance ensues. Undemanding…
Tangled (2010): Dir. Byron Howard, Nathan Greno
Feat. Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Ron Perlman…; Disney's animated reimagining of the Rapunzel fairytale, with Mandy Moore as the voice of the long–locked princess held captive by an evil…
Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue (2010): Dir. Greg Tiernan; The engines are hard at work to build the new Sodor Search and Rescue Center. When Thomas helps a friend in need, he is rewarded with an exciting…
Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010): Dir. Bradley Raymond; Third film in the Disney's Tinkerbell franchise in which TB must team up with a rival fairy to keep their existence a secret from humans.
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010): Dir. Stuart Beattie
Feat. Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis…; John Marsden's enduring 'Tomorrow' series of novels for young adults receives its first big screen treatment in this story of foreign (Asian!)…
Tooth Fairy (2010): Dir. Michael Lembeck
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Ashley Judd, Stephen Merchant…; Gently funny family comedy has boorish and particularly violent hockey player whisked away to Fairyland where he's given gainful employment as a…
Toy Story 3 (2010): Dir. Lee Unkrich
Feat. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack…; Pixar Studios live up to – and arguably exceed – expectations for this, the third and probably final entry in their beloved flagship…
Uncle Grandpa (TV Series) (2010): The wacky misadventures of a magical uncle and grandpa to everyone in the world and his friends.
Victorious (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Victoria Justice; Yes another Nickelodeon hit with the kids, this snappy sitcom stars tween idol Victoria Justice as an aspiring singer attending a fictional…
Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention (TV Series) (2010): Dir. Nick Park; Clay mates Wallace and Gromit expand into the realm of science, hosting this delightful look at inventions, man–made or otherwise. Series…
White Lion (2010): Dir. Michael Swan; Entertaining and adorable fodder for wildlife lovers follows the journey of an endangered albino lion, destined according to legend to be a messenger…
Yogi Bear (2010): Dir. Eric Brevig
Feat. Tom Cavanagh, Anna Faris, David Ackroyd…; Innocuous family comedy hodgepodge of live–action and computer animation, with Dan Ackroyd and Justin Timberlake voicing Yogi and Boo Boo…
9 (Nine) (2009): Dir. Shane Acker
Feat. Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly…; Successfully expanded from an Oscar–nominated animated short, this quite extra–ordinary fable pits nine thumb–sized creations…
A Christmas Carol (2009): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Jim Carrey, Daryl Sabara, Gary Oldman…; The sure hand of dir. Robert Zemeckis guides this lavish CGI–animated retelling of Dickens' classic about a Victorian–era miser taken on…
Aliens in the Attic (2009): Dir. John Schultz
Feat. Ashley Tisdale, Carter Jenkins, Austin Robert Butler; Trifling family comedy about a group of kids who must fight off an alien invasion in their home while keeping the battle a secret from their parents.…
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel (2009): Dir. Betty Thomas
Feat. Jason Lee, Justin Long, David Cross…; Brash sequel has the furry brothers struggling with fame and running amok while Dave recuperates in hospital after one frenetic concert too many.…
Astro Boy (2009): Dir. David Bowers
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell…; A gleaming Hollywood update of the classic Japanese serial about a young robot traveling the world and discovering what it means to be human.…
Bandslam (2009): Dir. Todd Graff
Feat. Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Alyson Michalka, Gaelan Connell…; A bunch of ragtag misfits set out to win a High School 'Battle of the Bands' in this unusually clever teen comedy. With a soundtrack that…
Barbie - Thumbelina (2009): Barbie takes a leaf from the environmentally conscious crusade by educating a group of young children about the story of 'Thumbelina' – a young…
Barbie and the Three Musketeers (2009): Surprisingly action–oriented CGI Barbie flick sees Barbie join a group of buccaneering female musketeers despite the fact she is told 'girls…
Ben 10: Alien Swarm (2009): Dir. Alex Winter
Feat. Ryan Kelley, Galadriel Stineman; Second installment of the BEN 10 live action series follows Ben, a boy with super–hero powers granted by a magical wristwatch, go on a quest to…
Ben 10: Gwen Special Edition (TV Series) (2009): Spin–off of Ben 10 focused on Ben's cousin, sassy, smart–mouthed Gwen, with 6 different 'Gwen–centric' episodes on one disc.
Bionicle - The Legend Reborn (2009): Dir. Mark Baldo; Bewildering addition to the BIONICLE franchise follows the great spirit Mata Nui who, after banishment from his own kingdom, unites with an alien…
Black Lightning (Chernaya Molniya) (2009): Dir. Dmitriy Kisselev, Aleksandr Voytinskiy
Feat. Grigoriy Dobrygin, Ekaterina Vilkova, Viktor Verzhbitskiy; Timur Bekmambetov–produced action–adventure, about a poor Russian student who's gifted a used car by his father for his birthday.…
Bran Nue Dae (Brand New Day) (2009): Dir. Rachel Perkins
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Magna Szubanski, Rocky McKenzie…; Lively comedy adapted from the stage musical that follows a teenage Aborigine who runs away from Catholic boarding school in the mid…
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009): Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson, John C. Reilly…; Disjointed family friendly fright fest has a teenager accidentally trigger a war between two vampire factions. Despite an excellent cast and a great…
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): Dir. Chris Miller, Phil Lord
Feat. Bill Hader, James Caan, Anna Faris…; Delicious family fun with an adult streak sees clumsy whizkid Flint Lockwood invent a machine that turns water to food – upon firing into the…
Coraline (2009): Dir. Henry Selick
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders…; The prodigious talents of fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and animator Henry Selick combine for this wonderful – though admittedly creepy –…
Dear Lemon Lima (2009): Dir. Suzi Yoonessi
Feat. Savanah Wiltfong, Shayne Topp, Eleanor Hutchins…; Sweetly spun tale of a teen outcast who after experiencing rejection from her high–school crush sets out to find like–minded individuals.
Dragonball Evolution (2009): Dir. James Wong
Feat. Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun-Fat, Emmy Rossum…; Live–action feature based on the popular anime series DRAGONBALL Z sees a young warrior compete with an evil Lord to collect seven powerful…
Eagle Hunter's Son, The (2009): Dir. René Bo Hansen
Feat. Bazarbai Matei, Mardan Matei; Wistful Mongolian adventure follows a 12–year–old boy and his rite–of–passage between the lure of city life, and the…
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Dir. Wes Anderson
Feat. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman…; Wes Anderson’s quirky, buttoned–up sensibility is a fantastic match for Roald Dahl’s classic tale about a sly, debonair fox (George…
Frog & Friends (Kikker & Vriendjes) (2009): Simple, joyful TV series about the animated world of Frog and his friends. Based on the work of Dutch illustrator Max Velthuijs. Six Episodes:…
From Time to Time (2009): Dir. Julian Fellowes
Feat. Alex Etel, Timothy Spall, Maggie Smith…; Charmingly old–fashioned family film set at the tail end of the second world war has a young boy discovering a portal back to 1805, where he…
G-Force (2009): Dir. Hoyt Yeatman
Feat. Bill Nighy, Sam Rockwell, Will Arnett…; Mega–star voiced animated feature follows a group of trained guinea pigs as they go up against a billionaire with plans of…
Gruffalo, The (2009): Dir. Max Lang, Jakob Schuh
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt…; Delightful adaptation of the bestselling children's book about the brave little mouse who uses his wits and imagination to thwart predators.
Hachi - A Dog's Tale (Hachiko) (2009): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Jason Alexander; Transposed to an American setting, Lasse Hallstrom adapts this timeless Japanese tale of a loyal dog and the irrepressible bond shared with his…
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009): Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment…; Musical spin–off of wholesome kids series Hannah Montana sees Miley 'Stewart' (Cyrus) escape to her hometown in Tennessee in order to escape…
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent…; The epic sixth movie in the Harry Potter franchise sees Harry prepare for the final battle against his nemesis Voldemort while struggling with his…
Hole, The (2009): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble…; Spooky fun with two brothers who stumble upon a mysterious hole in their basement of their new home. Joe Dante brings his sly touch to a horror…
Horrible Histories (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Sarah Hadland…; Educational irreverance for kids, offering an unconventional take on history's funniest – and most gruesome – moments in a multitude of…
Hotel For Dogs (2009): Dir. Thor Freudenthal
Feat. Emma Roberts, Don Cheadle, Lisa Kudrow; Sugary family fare concerning two orphans who take in stray dogs at an abandoned hotel and must keep it a secret from the authorities. This may be…
Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (2009): Dir. Carlos Saldanha; A sequel fit for adults as well as little big fans of the frosty franchise, this is more exuberant than its predecessor and at least a technical…
Imagine That (2009): Dir. Karey Kirkpatrick
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Ronny Cox; A magic blankie transforms Eddie Murphy's prospects on the stock market in this pleasantly surprisingly family movie, recommended for its healthy…
Iron Man Armored Adventures (TV Series) (2009): Animated series that re–invents Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) as a teenager who dons a state–of–the–art armour suit that gives…
Jonas (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Kevin Jonas; Endearing update of THE MONKEES has the superstar bro's in a band playing, well....bro's in a band. Kevin's the mature one, Joe wants a solo career,…
Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience (2009): Dir. Bruce Hendricks
Feat. Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Kevin Jonas; Tween pop phenomenon The Jonas Brothers perform their 'Burning Up' concert, coupled with documentary footage of their daily lives. For those not…
K-9 (TV Series) (2009): K9 the robotic dog and his trio of teen companions, defeat aliens, defuse evil plots and protect the world from whatever comes through the holes in…
Kipper (TV Series) (2009): BAFTA award winning series based on the books by Mike Inkpen, following a curious dog called Kipper and his sweet–natured fascination with the…
Monsters vs Aliens (2009): Dir. Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon; Rollicking animated flick in which Reese Witherspoon's "50 Ft. Woman" leads a rag–tag group of 'B–movie' monsters kept secret by the…
Night At The Museum 2 (Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian) (2009): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson…; Sequel to 2006 mega–hit NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM sees Ben Stiller return to his role as security guard, this time on a mission to infiltrate the…
Oblivion Island (Haruka and the Magic Mirror) (2009): Dir. Shinsuke Sato; Emulating Pixar's gold standard animation, this crowd pleasing 3D anime centres on a teenage girl who stumbles through a magical portal to a world…
Old Dogs (2009): Dir. Walt Becker
Feat. John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston…; Tepid ‘house–husband’ comedy, with Travolta and Williams flexing their middle aged spread as business partners saddled with the care of…
Ours (2009): Dir. Emma Heke; Kiwi 'children's doco' informs kids of the creatures, environments and eco issues that are unique to New Zealand, based around an…
Planet 51 (2009): Dir. Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad; Cosmic comedy sees a less–than–stellar astronaut land on supposedly uninhabited Planet 51 only to find little green people living in what…
Princess and the Frog, The (2009): Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker
Feat. Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David…; Winning animation for all ages invites the viewer to tag along with a hard working young waitress and a cocky prince as their paths cross after an…
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (2009): Dir. Masakazu Hashimoto; Originating from an immensely popular Nintendo DS puzzle game, this kiddie mystery–adventure centred on the deducing skills of the titular hero…
Race To Witch Mountain (2009): Dir. Andy Fickman
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Tom Everett Scott, AnnaSophia Robb…; A flashy but bland reboot of the 1975 Disney film ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN that sees Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson play a cab driver who inadvertently…
Sesame Street - 40 Years of Sunny Days (2009): Further highlights from the enduring educational series, this 40th anniversary release packages five hours of the Street's best and most memorable…
Shine of Rainbows, A (2009): Dir. Vic Sarin
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Connie Nielsen, John Bell…; Genial family drama about a young boy living on an isolated island with his adoptive parents and his friendship with an abandoned seal. A…
Shorts (2009): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Jimmy Bennett, Jon Cryer, Leslie Mann…; Another worthy excuse for dir. Robert Rodriguez (SPY KIDS) to go to town on CG effects, this high–energy fantasy spins the…
Sonny with a Chance (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Demi Lovato, Sterling Knight; Disney Channel show about the experiences of teenager Sonny Munroe, who becomes the newest cast member of her favorite live comedy show, So Random!.
Space Buddies (2009): Dir. Robert Vince; Disney's latest entry in their talking dog series sees a pack of golden retrievers shoot for the moon. Inoffensive and cutesy kids flick should go…
Spectacular! (2009): Dir. Robert Iscove
Feat. Nolan Gerard Funk, Tammin Sursok, Victoria Justice; Hardly spectacular but decent showbiz musical based around a high school 'show choir' who recruit a reluctant wannabe rocker to help them win a…
Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure (2009): Feat. Kristin Chenoweth, Jesse McCartney, Anjelica Huston; Adequate sequel to 2008's TINKERBELL sees the feisty fairy and friends go on a journey to find the source of the Pixies mystical dust.The stellar…
Totally Spies! (2009): Dir. Pascal Jardin; The winning animated adventures of three high school girls who also happen to be spies. Based on the popular Cartoon Network series, this…
Toys in the Attic (2009-2012): Dir. Vivian Schilling, Jirí Barta; Dark stop–motion animated fairytale following the adventures of a doll, a marionette, a teddy bear, a Mechanical Mouse and the plasticine…
Under the Mountain (2009): Dir. Jonathan King
Feat. Tom Cameron, Sophie McBride, Sam Neill…; The special effects are right up to spec, and it's a step up for the director of BLACK SHEEP, but in souping up its source material for a teenage…
Up (2009): Dir. Peter Docter, Bob Peterson
Feat. Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai; Pixar are on top yet again with this inspired flight of fancy, about a widowed octogenarian (voiced by grizzly Ed Asner) and his dream of traveling…
Velveteen Rabbit, The (2009): Dir. Michael Landon Jr.
Feat. Jane Seymour, Tom Skerritt, Ellen Burstyn; Modern retelling of Margery Williams’s beloved children's book, about a boy who discovers a 'magic attic' where three forgotten toys come to life…
Walk On The Wild Side (TV Series) (2009): Highly youtube–able, family oriented sketch show with comedians dubbing over footage from the BBC's natural history department.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Dir. Spike Jonze
Feat. Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini…; Expanding on the simple text of Maurice Sendak's modern children's classic, this glorious, visionary adaptation from director Spike Jonze and writer…
Wizards Of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009): Dir. Lev L. Spiro
Feat. David Henrie, Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin; Feature–length spin–off from popular Disney series THE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE, focused around a family of…
WotWots, The (TV Series) (2009): Charming, energetic, and entirely home–grown kids series about two soft, puppet–like aliens who land in a local zoo and go on a mission…
Adventures of Food Boy, The (2008): Dir. Dane Cannon
Feat. Lucas Grabeel, Brittany Curran, Kunal Sharma; HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL alumnus Lucas Grabeel moves centre stage here for this High School family comedy with a mildly bizarre twist – he inherits…
Adventures Of Merlin, The (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James…; Ambitious drama series loosely based on the legend of King Arthur, following a young Merlin's arrival in Camelot where he must face great danger…
Adventures of Paddington Bear, The (TV Series) (2008): Charming animated revival of the beloved British bear. Also available on VHS: an animated, Hanna–Barbera adaptation of the…
Adventures Of White Tuft, The (White Tuft,The Little Beaver) (2008): Dir. Phillipe Calderon; Gentle family drama follows White Tuft, a young beaver, who is separated from his family after the dam they dwell in collapses. Skilfully weaving…
American Mall (2008): Dir. Shawn Ku
Feat. Nina Dobrey, Autumn Reeser, Rob Mayes; Fluffy teen pop–fest set in a mall concerns the budding romance between two mall denizens – an aspiring singer/songwriter and a janitor…
An Extremely Goofy Movie (2008): Goofy sets off to join his son Max at college in this Disney follow–up to the original.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008): Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Georgia Groome, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alan Davies; Louise Rennison’s much–loved youth novel comes to the screen as a sprightly feelgood comedy about a teenager recording the pitfalls of her…
Asterix at the Olympic Games (Astérix Aux Jeux Olympiques) (2008): Dir. Frederic Forestier, Thomas Langmann
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Clovis Cornillac, Benoit Poelvoorde…; Fairly loose adaptation of the original comic follows the oddball duo as they try to win the Olympic Games in order to set their friend up with a…
Barbie Mariposa and her Butterfly Fairy Friends (2008): The newest addition to the 'Barbie Fairytopia' collection with Barbie taking centre stage as a whimsical butterfly fairy who along with her…
Bedtime Stories (2008): Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce…; Sure–fire Disney high–concept comedy starring Adam Sandler as a baby–sitting uncle whose bedtime stories start to influence his…
Ben 10: Alien Force (TV Series) (2008): The return of Cartoon Network's adventure animation series 'Ben 10' taking place 5 years on from the original series. A now more mature…
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Piper Perabo, Andy Garcia…; Cute, comedic tale of self–discovery follows a spolit socialite pooch lost in Mexico (voiced by Drew Barrymore), desperate to find her way home…
Bolt (2008): Dir. Byron Howard, Chris Williams
Feat. John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman…; Dog–gone charming furball flick about a pampered puppy called Bolt (voiced by Travolta) who stars in his own superhero show and believes his…
Britannia High (TV Series) (2008): British twist on the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL phenomenon, centred on a fresh–faced cast of young ones pursuing their dream of theatrical and dance…
Camp Rock (2008): Dir. Matthew Diamond
Feat. Demi Lovato; Latest kids musical flick from the Disney Channel focusing on a young girl with the opportunity to spend her summer at a top rock camp where she is…
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008): Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Ben Barnes, Sergio Castellitto…; This epic–leaning return to the fantasy world of Narnia finds the Pevensie children heading back through the wardrobe to help Prince Caspian…
City Of Ember (2008): Dir. Gil Kenan
Feat. Harry Treadaway, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins…; Dystopian children's fantasy set in an underground city of the future that is threatened by eternal darkness but whose leaders protect their citizens…
CJ7 (Cheung Gong 7 hou) (2008): Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao); Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow turns his directing talents to the family–friendly fantasy, playing a dirt–poor father who surprises his…
Colour of Magic, The (2008): Dir. Vadim Jean
Feat. Sean Astin, Jeremy Irons, David Jason…; A live–action return to Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld,' where an unfortunate wizard, enthusiastic tourist and fierce wooden box with legs must…
Delgo (2008): Dir. Marc F. Adler, Jason Maurer
Feat. Freddie Prinze Jnr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Malcolm McDowell…; Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt and others voice this fantasy animation about a magical world on the brink of destruction. Lacks subtely and…
Dragon Hunters (2008): Dir. Guillaume Ivernel, Arthur Qwak
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Vincent Lindon; French–produced animated tale of two dragon hunters in a world that has become infested with a terrible plague, with famished, mutant creatures…
Eyewitness (TV Series) (2008): Comprehensive Emmy Award winning nature and science series, based on the book series, that educates and entertains with its investigations of…
Forbidden Kingdom, The (2008): Dir. Rob Minkoff
Feat. Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano; Hokey martial arts vehicle for Hong Kong’s two biggest action stars, which finds an American teen transported back to ancient China in the throws…
Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (2008): Feat. Miley Cyrus; Live performance from tween superstar and Disney channel darling Miley Cyrus and her stage persona Hannah Montana from her recent sold–out…
Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger (2008): Dir. Cathy Randall
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Toni Collette, Danielle Catanzariti; Aussie coming–of–age comedy portraying a geeky social outcast encouraged to break away from her restrictive existence by a…
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008): Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale…; More than delivering on fan expectations, this ambitious concluding chapter to Disney's HCM phenomenon sees the well–loved characters approach…
Hilltop Hospital Heart Trouble (TV Series) (2008): This clever, BAFTA–winning British claymation series is like ER, SHORTIE STREET, GENERAL HOSPITAL, etc. – only with animals as the…
Igor (2008): Dir. Anthony Leondis
Feat. John Cusack, John Cleese, Steve Buscemi…; Gothic animated outing about a hunchbacked lab assistant who wants to become a mad scientist in his own right and win first place at the annual Evil…
Inkheart (2008): Dir. Iain Softley
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Paul Bettany…; An under–rated, imaginative rendering of German author Cornelia Funke's novel about a young girl and her father who have the ability to bring…
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (2008): Dir. Eric Brevig
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem; A "rollercoaster" entertainment based very loosely on Jules Verne's famous novel, this version sees a contemporary trio embarking on an inadvertent…
Knight Rider (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Paul Campbell…; Slick re–boot of the '80's 'classic' with Michael Knight's son teaming up with smart car K.I.T.T. to fight baddies and rack up speeding tickets…
Kung Fu Panda (2008): Dir. Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Feat. Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie…; Spot–on animation featuring a daydreaming panda called Po (Jack Black) that finds his portly middle and lazy ways getting in the way of his…
Lost and Found (2008): Dir. Phillip Hunt
Feat. Jim Broadbent; Exquisite adaptation of Oliver Jeffers's beloved children's book, about a lonely boy who one day finds a penguin on his doorstep, and resolves to…
Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa (2008): Dir. Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Feat. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer…; Delightful sequel to MADAGASCAR with our four crazy Zoo animals bungling their escape plan and ending up in the African plains where they encounter…
Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack (TV Series) (2008): Feisty animated sitcom following the misadventures of Flapjack, a young boy who lives under the sea, and his whale companion Bubbie. Intricate and…
Mary and Max (2008): Dir. Adam Elliot
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Barry Humphries…; Clay–mated marvel from Australia that tells an adorable yet heart–breaking tale of friendship between an eight–year–old…
Milly, Molly (TV Series) (2008): Animated children’s series based on the best–selling New Zealand books that celebrates diversity. Each episode carries a subtle message…
Missing Lynx, The (2008): Dir. Raul Garcia
Feat. Abraham Aguilar, Beatriz Berciano, Carlos del Pino; Eco–friendly CGI flick from Spain follows a group of ragtag animals as they try and prevent a millionare from rounding up endangered species…
Moomins and Midsummer Madness (2008): Dir. Maria Lindberg; A stop–motion adventure compiled from the seventies TV Series has the Moomins evading a flood by seeking shelter inside an abandoned house.
Mr. Men Show (2008): Modern adaptation of the popular children’s' books by Roger Hargreaves features the personality–defined Mr. Men, and their slapstick…
Nim's Island (2008): Dir. Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Feat. Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler; Sun–baked family adventure set in the magical land of Nim's Island, where an imaginative bookworm (Abigail Breslin) must enlist the help of her…
Phoebe in Wonderland (2008): Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Elle Fanning…; Affecting drama starring Elle Fanning (Dakota's little sister) as an gifted but unstable young girl who retreats into the fantastical world of Alice…
Picture This (2008): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Ashley Tisdale, Kevin Pollak, Robbie Amell; HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL brat Ashley Tisdale goes bad again for this teen romp, where she must get to a party at all costs despite being grounded. This…
Pinocchio (TV Mini-series) (2008): Dir. Alberto Sironi
Feat. Robbie Kay , Alessandro Gassman, Bob Hoskins; Lengthy, live–action adaptation of the children's classic stars Kay as the boy made of wood and Hoskins as his gruff old father, Gepetto. Quite…
Ponyo (Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea) (2008): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi; Utterly irresistible, Miyazaki’s latest animated triumph is one for all ages (even toddlers!); a Little Mermaid–inspired adventure of a…
R.L. Stine's Mostly Ghostly (2008): Dir. Richard Correll
Feat. Luke Benward; Spooky tween horror from the pen of kids horror king R.L. Stein, centred on a dorky young boy who makes a pact with a couple of ghosts to help them…
Roxy Hunter (2008): Dir. Eleanor Lindo
Feat. Aria Wallace; Nancy Drew–ish family drama revealing another precocious kid sleuth and her best buddy as they use their investigative know–how to solve…
Secret of Kells, The (2008): Dir. Tomm Moore; Sparkling Celtic fable based on the ninth–century Irish historical text, The Book of Kells, follows a young monk whose artistic creativity…
Secret Of Moonacre, The (2008): Dir. Gabor Csupo
Feat. Dakota Blue Richards, Juliet Stevenson, Tim Curry…; Orphaned teenager Maria Merryweather (Richards) discovers her new home, the foreboding Moonacre Estate, is under an ancient curse in this lushly…
Simpsons, The - Season 20 (TV Series) (2008-2009): This season had a fast–track release in order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic animated TV Series. It is clear that the once…
Sky Kids (The Flyboys) (2008): Dir. Rocco de Villiers
Feat. Stephen Baldwin, Tom Sizemore, Jesse James…; Big hearted adventure follows the exploits of a bullied loner and protective best friend who inadvertently cross paths with a scheming mobster (a…
Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2008): Dir. Jamie Jay Johnson; Offering a worldly antidote to the show–biz reality TV norm, this "pop–umentary" chronicles four contrasting sets of hopefuls (from…
Space Chimps (2008): Dir. Kirk De Micco; Spirited animation adventure in which a group of monkey astronauts are sent on a wormhole mission to a supposedly uninhabited planet where they find…
Speed Racer (2008): Dir. Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman…; The Wachowskis(THE MATRIX) take the wheel in this hyperactive version of 60s animation series SPEED RACER, with the eponymous hero (Hirsch) battling…
Spiderwick Chronicles, The (2008): Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Nick Nolte, Sarah Bolger…; Enchanting fantasia in the Gothic tradition, centred around three children (including Freddie Highmore as twins!) who move into a dilapidated mansion…
Star Wars - The Clone Wars (2008): Dir. Dave Filoni; Watered down kids animation from the STAR WARS franchise, focusing on the Jedi Knights battle to retain peace in the galaxy during the…
Tale Of Despereaux, The (2008): Dir. Sam Fell, Robert Stevenhagen; Adaptation of the exquisite 2003 book by Kate DiCamillo about a mouse with over–sized ears who dreams of becoming a knight, and his call to…
Tales of the Riverbank (2008): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Stephen Fry, Jim Broadbent, Steve Coogan…; Based on the classic UK tv series, this tells the story of Hammy Hamster, Roderick Rat and GP the Guinea Pig, who, in the wake of a big storm, embark…
Tamagotchi The Movie (2008): Kids movie based on the popular 'virtual pet' toys sees a child from Earth being inadvertently sent to the Tamagotchi Planet, where mischief and…
Tinkerbell (Tinker Bell Movie, The ) (2008): Dir. Bradley Raymond; The feisty fairy from PETER PAN stars in her very own movie set in the land of 'Pixie Hollow,' where she must learn from her fairy friends how to…
Unstable Fables: Three Pigs And A Baby (2008): Dir. Howard Baker, Arish Fyzee; The Jim Henson Company presents this warped take on the classic fairytale 'The Three Little Pigs' – with the trio of portly porkers finding a…
Unstable Fables: Tortoise VS Hare (2008): Dir. Howard Baker; Number two in the Jim Henson Company's 'Unstable Fables' collection, this time round the ultimate underdog tale of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' is…
Vampires, Pirates and Aliens (2008): A triptych of animations dedicated to the fiendish and nefarious. Based on the best–selling books by Colin and Jacqui Hawkins. Vol 1: nine…
Wall-E (2008): Dir. Andrew Stanton; Another stroke of Pixar genius, this time one for our conservationist times, this is the delightful eco–tale of the last surviving "waste…
Wallace and Gromit - A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008): Dir. Nick Park; BAFTA–winning animation from the unstoppable clay characters of cheese–loving Wallace and his trusty dog Gromit. This time round the…
World According to Miley Cyrus, The (2008): Feat. Miley Cyrus; Unauthorised documentary tracking the super fast rise of button–nosed performer and tween idol Miley Cyrus and her overnight success in the…
Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007): Dir. Tim Hill
Feat. Jason Lee, David Cross; Animated/live action update of a much–loved 80s cartoon series, about a trio of singing chipmunk siblings who inadvertently shoot to stardom…
Arctic Tale (2007): Dir. Adam Ravetch, Sarah Robertson
Feat. Queen Latifah; Something of a cross between AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH for kids and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, this heartwarming, educational documentary spins a similarly…
August Rush (2007): Dir. Kirsten Sheridan
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers…; Celebrating the inspiring power of music, this captivating drama follows the quest of an orphaned musical prodigy who uses his gift to find his…
Ballet Shoes (2007): Dir. Sandra Goldbacher
Feat. Emma Watson, Richard Griffiths, Yasmin Paige…; Utterly enchanting contemporary adaptation of the beloved 1936 novel by Noel Streatfeild about three orphan girls (Pauline, Petrova, and Posy) who…
Battle for Terra (2007): Dir. Aristomenis Tsirbas
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Brian Cox, James Garner; A peaceful alien race comes under siege from a human race starved of natural resources in this animated sci–fi adventure. Owen Wilson and Evan…
Bee Movie (2007): Much–hyped family animation from Jerry Seinfeld (and his many, many boldface friends) that features Barry B. Benson, a young bee who, shocked…
Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix (2007): Splashy feature film outing for Ben 10 sees the eponymous boy hero in a race against time to stop the all–powerful omnitrix from…
Brambly Hedge: The Four Seasons (2007): Timeless tales based on the books by Jill Barklem about the mice that build their homes hidden in the tangled roots of a hedge row. Featuring the…
Bratz - The Movie (2007): Dir. Sean McNamara
Feat. Logan Browning, Janel Parrish, Nathalia Ramos…; Live–action feature debut for the mega–popular ‘Bratz’ doll franchise and animated spin–off series, bringing to life Jade,…
Bridge to Terabithia (2007): Dir. Gabor Csupo
Feat. Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel…; Faithful adaptation of a much–loved young–adult novel, which tells the story of two 10–year–olds creating a fantasy world to…
Caravaggio (2007): Dir. Angelo Longoni
Feat. Alessio Boni, Elena Sofia Ricci, Jordi Molla…; The tumultuous and adventurous life of Michelangelo Merisi, controversial artist, called by Fate to become the immortal Caravaggio. A violent genius…
Chop Socky Chooks (TV Series) (2007): Dir. Sergio Delfino; Outlandish martial arts animation featuring three kung–fu trained chickens ready to defend the citizens of Wasabi World (a giant shopping mall)…
Chowder (TV Series) (2007): Quirky animated series about an apprentice chef who must cater to the eccentric demands of the citizens of Marzipan city. A wonderfully…
Doctor Strange - The Sorceror Supreme (2007): Dir. Jay Oliva; Another popular comic book adaptation from the Marvel animated stable: here, the ‘Dr. Strange’ series makes for a fantastical world’s end…
Doctor Who (Animated TV Series) (2007): Feat. David Tennant, Freema Agyeman, Anthony Head…; Animated spin–offs that aim predominantly at a younger audience, but have enough well–crafted animation locations and clever technique to…
Edgar and Ellen: Mischief Mansion (TV Series) (2007): Gleefully kooky kids animation series concerning the exploits of a pair of twins – Edgar and Ellen that live by themselves in an eerie mansion…
Enchanted (2007): Dir. Kevin Lima
Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams, James Marsden…; Top–rating, truly charming family fantasy uses a clever mix of live action and animation to quite literally 'bring to life' a perfect, cartoon…
Evan Almighty (2007): Dir. Tom Shadyac
Feat. Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham; Noah's Ark–themed follow–up to the successful BRUCE ALMIGHTY. A congressman (Carell) is visited by God (Freeman) and told to build an ark…
Firehouse Dog (2007): Dir. Todd Holland
Feat. Bruce Greenwood, Josh Hutcherson, Bill Nunn; A pampered performing stunt–dawg from Hollywood goes awol after an airplane stunt misfires and discovers his true calling, living la vida…
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (TV Series) (2007): Conceptually quirky kid's show from the bright minds at Cartoon Network, based in a world where imaginary friends materialise into living beings,…
Fox and the Child, The (Le renard et l'enfant) (2007): Dir. Luc Jacquet
Feat. Bertille Noël-Bruneau, Isabelle Carré; A visually impressive, curious hybrid from the director of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS that combines nature documentary and a "fairy tale" look at the…
Fred Claus (2007): Dir. David Dobkin
Feat. Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson…; Middling Chrissie comedy centred on Santa's troublemaking big brother (Vaughn) and his misplaced attempts to help spread Christmas cheer at the North…
George of the Jungle (TV Series) (2007): The Cartoon Network breathes new life into the 'George of the Jungle' story with this stripped back kids animated series. Utilising the same action…
Golden Compass, The (2007): Dir. Chris Weitz
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker…; Visually magnificent fantasy epic adapted from the first installment in Philip Pullman's controversial "His Dark Materials" trilogy traverses similar…
Happily Never After (Happily N'Ever After) (2007): Dir. Paul Bolger, Yvette Kaplan
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jnr.; Plundering another beloved storybook fable, this CGI fairytale remixes the Cinderella fairytale by omitting the crucial role of the wizard, giving…
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter…; The fifth movie of the Harry Potter franchise finds the Wiz–kid struggling with adolescent hormones, a blind bureaucracy and most memorably,…
High School Musical - The Concert (2007): Feat. Vanessa Anne Hudgens; The HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL phenomenon migrates to the stage in this lavish live production, performed by the bulk of the original core cast.
High School Musical 2 (2007): Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale…; Exuberant sequel to the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL phenomenon leaps into its senior year, concerning East High’s summer vacationing students who face…
Horton Hears a Who! (2007): Dir. Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino; A Dr. Seuss animation favourite gets a fresh lick of paint thanks to the wonders of modern animation and the makers of ICE AGE, in this imaginative…
iCarly (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, Nathan Kress; Excellent Nickolodeon show focused around teenaged Carly (Cosgrove) and her friends, who create their own web show based around their lives. Acute…
In the Night Garden (TV Series) (2007-2010): From the team behind TELETUBBIES comes another enchanting and engrossing series for pre–schoolers. A thoroughly modern interpretation of a…
Jump In! (2007): Dir. Paul Hoen
Feat. Corbin Bleu; More teen boppin’ from the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL crowd, with a boxing Brooklyn teenager (Bleu) taking time out from boxing training to learn jump…
Last Mimzy, The (2007): Dir. Robert Shaye
Feat. Rhiannon Leigh Wryn, Chris O'Neil; Bro and sis develop amazing mental powers when they uncover a mysterious black box full of objects including Mimzy, a stuffed rabbit, sent from the…
Like Stars on Earth (Taare Zameen Par) (2007): Dir. Aamir Khan
Feat. Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra; Drama from Indian actor–director Aamir Khan (3 IDIOTS) following the life of an imaginative 8–year old boy with diagnosed dyslexia, who…
M.I. High (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Rachel Petladwala, Chris Stanton, Bel Powley; Light–hearted kids series following three secondary school pupils who work as undercover spies working for the British government.…
Magic Roundabout (TV Series) (2007): This modern version of the classic children's television series features familiar characters with a CGI glean: Dougal the dog, Ermintrude the singing…
Martian Child (2007): Dir. Menno Meyjes
Feat. John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet; Nicely judged performances from a quality cast lend weight to this rather feathery, maudlin tale of a lonely sci–fi author who adopts an…
Meet the Robinsons (2007): Dir. Stephen J. Anderson; A whizz–bang animated riff on BACK TO THE FUTURE that sees a young orphaned inventor travel in time to find his birth mother, but who instead…
Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007): Dir. Steve Bendelack
Feat. Rowan Atkinson, Emma de Caunes, Willem Dafoe…; Rubber–faced Rowan Atkinson returns to the big–screen with the bumbling Bean, his most accessible, successful comic hero. This time…
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007): Dir. Zach Helm
Feat. Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman…; Elves–in–the–toyshop fantasy with Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium, the kindly, Wonka–esque, owner of a magical toy…
Nancy Drew (2007): Dir. Andrew Fleming
Feat. Emma Roberts, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tate Donovan…; Witty update of the indomitable girl detective, with Nancy Drew poking her nose into the mystery of a murdered movie star during one of her…
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007): Dir. Jon Turtletaub
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger…; Family adventure sequel joining up with a treasure hunter on a global quest for clues to prove his family's innocence over Abraham Lincoln's death. A…
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End (2007): Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom…; Blockbuster third installment in the ever–popular swashbuckling franchise finds Johnny Depp and crew having to sail off the edge of the map and…
Pixar Short Film Collection Vol. 2 (2007-2012): A second superb compilation of previously unseen short films from Pixar studios. Shorts include: Your Friend the Rat, Presto, BURN–E, Partly…
Prince and the Pauper, The (A Modern Twain Story) (2007): Dir. James Quattrochi
Feat. Dylan Sprouse, Cole Sprouse, Vincent Spano…; Identical Sprouse twins (THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY) team up again in this modern take on the classic Twain story as two wayward boys from…
R.L. Stine's Haunting Hour (Don't Even Think About It) (2007): Dir. Alex Zamm
Feat. Tobin Bell; Jocular tween horror tale of a spooky lil Goth girl who discovers a puzzling book that unleashes unthinkable evil. Suitably creepy…
Ratatouille (2007): Dir. Brad Bird; Another Pixar masterpiece from the genius creator of THE INCREDIBLES, this follows Remy, a French country rat, who pursues his dream of culinary…
Razzle Dazzle (2007): Dir. Darren Ashton
Feat. Kerry Armstrong, Ben Miller, Tara Morice…; Family–friendly Australian mockumentary goes behind the scenes of kids’ dance competitions, spinning the BEST IN SHOW concept to reasonably…
Roman Mysteries (TV Series) (2007): Children's mystery series set in 79 AD, Rome, based on a series of kids books that focuses on a group of young friends embarking on crime solving…
Secret of the Magic Gourd, The (Bao hu lu de mi mi) (2007): Dir. John Chu, Frankie Chung; One of the first children's fantasies from mainland China to be formally released in the West tells the story of an imaginative under–achiever…
Seeker, The - The Dark is Rising (2007): Dir. David L Cunningham
Feat. Alexander Ludwig, Ian McShane, Christopher Eccleston…; Choppy big screen adaptation of Susan Cooper's popular children's series, which pits a chosen young boy against Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane,…
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars (2007): Dir. Julian Kemp
Feat. Jonathan Pryce, Bill Paterson, Anna Chancellor; Holmes gets kicked into the 21st century with this made–for–TV family drama in which the crime–busting duo must rely on a gang of…
Shrek The Third (2007): Dir. Chris Miller, Raman Hui
Feat. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz…; The franchise rolls on in this third installment of the animated comedy when the big green ogre’s new father–in–law falls ill.…
Simpsons Movie, The (2007): Dir. David Silverman; Big–screen debut of America’s yellowiest suburban family, with Homer inadvertently causing an ecological meltdown that threatens Marge, Bart,…
Son of Rambow (2007): Dir. Garth Jennings
Feat. Bill Milner, Neil Dudgeon, Jessica Stevenson…; Typically quirky and satisfying British family film about a young boy who befriends and collaborates with the school trouble–maker to make…
Staines Down Drains (TV Series) (2007): New Zealand–made animated plunge through the plughole of a basement sink, revealing an underground drain world navigated by two intrepid…
Stardust (2007): Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Feat. Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer…; An elaborate and wildly entertaining fairytale adventure from the imagination of British fantasy maestro, Neil Gaiman (MIRROR MASK), this tones down…
Surf's Up (2007): Dir. Ash Brannon, Chris Buck
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel…; Everybody’s surfin’ in this animated comedy about a group of penguins – among other creatures great and small – who converge on a…
Sydney White (Sydney White and the Seven Dorks) (2007): Dir. Joe Nussbaum
Feat. Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton; Favourable contemporary take on the 'Snow White' fairytale, with a fed–up college freshman (Amanda Bynes) commandeering seven geeky guys to…
T3I: Three Investigators, The (The Secret of Skeleton Island, The Secret of Terror Castle) (2007): Feat. Chancellor Miller, Nick Price, Cameron Monaghan; A pair of good–looking family flicks based on a popular US book franchise sees 'Jupiter Jones' and his fellow Californian teenagers investigate…
TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) (2007): Dir. Kevin Munroe
Feat. Sarah Michelle Geller, Laurence Fishburne, Chris Evans…; Well–intentioned remake sees the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles looking resplendent on the screen in this comeback that is all action and…
Total Drama Island (TV Series) (2007): An on–target and high–spirited animated parody of the 'Reality TV' format in which 22 teens battle it out for celebrity supremacy as the…
Underdog (2007): Dir. Frederik Du Chau
Feat. Jason Lee, Peter Dinklage, James Belushi…; An average dog is endowed with super powers, prompting his boy owner to join in the canine's crusade against crime, mad scientists, and world…
Water Horse, The: Legend of the Deep (2007): Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, Emily Watson…; NZ–filmed magical adventure inspired by the legend of Loch Ness in which a small boy secretly adopts a baby mythical creature that grows to…
Wizards of Waverly Place, The (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin; Bland cash–in on the HARRY POTTER series centers on the Russo children, three young wizards in training. Broad comedy with a 'twist' is…
Yo Gabba Gabba! (TV Series) (2007): Delightful kid's series for the over 1's, set in a kaleidoscopic world of music and song, hosted by DJ Lance Rock and populated by a cast of friendly…
Amazing Adrenalini Brothers, The (TV Series) (2006): Dir. Dan Chambers, Claire Underwood
Feat. Sartaj Garewal; Quirky and original animated television series recounting the dare devil adventures of three brothers Xan, Edi and Enk who set out from their…
Amazing Extraordinary Friends (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Carl Dixon, Hannah Marshall, David McPhail…; Lightweight, tongue–in–cheek Kiwi kids series focused around a young boy who gains heroic powers and goes on a quest to recruit other…
Ant Bully, The (2006): Dir. John A. Davis
Feat. Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep…; Decidedly appealing 3D animation from the makers of JIMMY NEUTRON about a bullied 10–year–old boy who in turn picks on the…
Aquamarine (2006): Dir. Elizabeth Allen
Feat. Emma Roberts, Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque, Sara Paxton; Likeable 'tween' fantasy that’ll appeal especially to young girls, this swimmingly pairs two best friends with a teenaged mermaid who washes up on…
Arthur and the Invisibles (Arthur et les Minimoys) (2006): Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Jimmy Fallon…; Blending animation and live–action, Luc Besson directs the tale of ‘Arthur and The Minimoys’ (translated to ‘Invisibles’ for English…
Asterix and the Vikings (2006): Dir. Stefan Fjeldmark, Jesper Moller
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Sean Astin, Brad Garrett…; Everyone’s favourite Gaul returns to his penciled roots with this sprightly animated feature, based on the volume “Asterix and the…
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest (2006): Dir. Michel Ocelot; Exotic story–book style adventure set in the Arabic world and following childhood friends Azur and Asmar as they become rivals on a quest to…
Baby Genius (TV Series) (2006): Celebrated TV show for tots focuses on themes of learning, music, and playtime outings. A blend of puppetry, live action and animation keeps wee ones…
Barbie - Fairytopia: Mermaidia (2006): Sequel to FAIRYTOPIA with Barbie reprising her role as Elina. This time, she'll need the help of mermaid Nori to save her friend Nalu, a merman…
Barnyard (2006): Dir. Steve Oedekerk
Feat. Kevin James, Courteney Cox, Sam Elliott…; Pleasingly madcap musical set on an animated farm where the animals get up to all varieties of fun when the farmer's back is turned, chiefly singing…
Ben 10: Race Against Time (2006): Dir. Alex Winter
Feat. Graham Phillips, Lee Majors; Live–action version of the kid's animation phenomenon about a boy wonder with a magic wristwatch who must protect the earth from a space…
Camp Lazlo (TV Series) (2006): Boistererous hijinx from the Cartoon Network stable, revolving around an energetic Brazilian monkey, wreaking havoc among a rule–abiding group…
Cars (2006): Dir. John Lasseter
Feat. Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt…; Another superb Pixar animation, set in a world of talking automobiles, in which a cocky race car ('Lightning McQueen') gets stranded in a small town…
Charlotte's Web (2006): Dir. Gary Winick
Feat. Dakota Fanning; Live–action adaptation of the children's classic, here with ubiquitous child star Dakota Fanning as animal whisperer Fern, and a barnyard of…
Cheetah Girls 2 (2006): Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Raven -Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan…; All–grrrl teen band the Cheetah Girls travel to Spain for a talent contest, encountering various speed bumps along the way before uniting to…
Crusade: A March Through Time (Kruistocht in spijkerbroek) (2006): Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Stephanie Leonidas, Joe Flynn, Emily Watson…; From the popular Dutch children’s book, this biblical fantasy follows a young boy who accidentally travels through time back to the 13th Century,…
Curious George (2006): Dir. Matthew O'Callaghan
Feat. Will Ferrell, Frank Welker, Drew Barrymore…; Popular monkey 'Curious George', who first appeared in the 1940s picture–books by Margaret and H A Rey, gets a nicely mischievious bigscreen…
Curious George (TV Series) (2006): This latest animated reincarnation of the inquisitive, lovable chimpanzee chronicles more of George's animal antics in an all–new TV series,…
Deck the Halls (2006): Dir. John Whitesell
Feat. Danny De Vito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis; Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick odd–couple it as neighbours competing over their annual display of Christmas lights in this silly, seasonal…
Dish Dogz (2006): Dir. Mikey Hilb
Feat. Luke Perry, Haylie Duff, Marshall Allman; Glossy teen drama set at an extreme sports camp, following the relationship between a chef and one of the dishwashers, who dreams of being a…
Dogstar (TV Series) (Dog Star) (2006): Off–kilter Aussie kids series following the exploits of a family on an intergalactic search for the family dog, after a gigantic spaceship…
Eight Below (Antarctica) (2006): Dir. Frank Marshall
Feat. Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Jason Biggs; Rousing Antarctic adventure, loosely based on the true story of a 1950s research team who were forced by weather and circumstances to abandon their…
Eloise (TV Series) (2006): Charming animated series centered around young Eloise who lives in New York City's Plaza Hotel, and all the adventures she has growing up in a life…
Eragon (2006): Dir. Stefan Fangmeier
Feat. Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich…; A child–friendly fire–breathing fantasy set in a land where dragons are almost extinct, and a farm boy named Eragon must meet his destiny…
Flicka (2006): Dir. Michael Mayer
Feat. Alison Lohman, Maria Bello; Nicely polished revision of horse classic MY FRIEND FLICKA, with a plucky Alison Lohman taking the reins of an untamable mare to prove to her father…
Flushed Away (2006): Dir. David Bowers, Sam Fell; From the Aardman stable, this first foray into CGI from the stop–motion animators retains the signature look of WALLACE & GROMIT and CHICKEN…
Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties (2006): Dir. Tim Hill
Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Bill Murray, Billy Connolly…; Sardonic feline Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray) and his owner travel to England in this demure and vastly superior sequel, where the purrfect one…
Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The (2006): Dir. Mamoru Hosoda; An enchanting, girl–centric 'anime', centred around a teenager’s ability to time travel and adjust the course of her social and romantic…
Growing Up Creepie: Creepie Creatures (TV Series) (2006): Delectably gothic animation about a kooky schoolgirl raised by a family of bugs. Quirky and entertaining series that also manages to teach kids about…
H2O - Just Add Water (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Cariba Heine, Claire Holt, Phoebe Tonkin; Australian series about three, hitherto normal teenage girls who accidentally disturb a magic cave and become moonlighting mermaids, with special…
Hannah Montana (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Miley Cyrus; Disney’s latest tween sensation riffs the likes of pop princesses Ashley Simpson and Hilary Duff into a catchy number about a sweet natured…
Happy Feet (2006): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman…; A winning animated tale of all–singing, all–dancing penguins in Antarctica, with Elijah Woods as the vocally–challenged 'Mumble'…
High School Musical (2006): Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale…; Top–notch Disney telemovie brims with youthful energy in telling the tale of two teens meeting at a party, being suddenly inspired by Karaoke…
Hoot (2006): Dir. Will Shriner
Feat. Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Luke Wilson…; An altogether successful and rewarding family movie, turning three wide–eyed teenagers into staunch environmentalists as they fight housing…
Horrid Henry (TV Series) (2006): Hugely successful adventures of the mischievous, prank–pulling Henry. Though kids will delight in Henry's anarchic bad behaviour the show's…
How to Eat Fried Worms (2006): Dir. Bob Dolman
Feat. Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg; A deliciously icky pre–teen story of a boy who challenges the school bully to a worm–eating contest. Some rather squeamish…
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006): Dir. Carlos Saldanha; Continuing animated fun among the gaggle of furred critters from ICE AGE – a mammoth, sloth, sabre–toothed tiger, possums, vultures and a…
Legend of Sasquatch, The (2006): Dir. Thomas Callicoat
Feat. William Hurt, John Rhys-Davies; Warrm–hearted, ecologically sound kids film has a family on holiday in the mountains of Seattle stumble upon a clan of Bigfoot, who's lives are…
Leroy and Stitch (2006): From the ends of the universe, Lilo, Stitch, and the gang re–team to battle a legion of ‘Leroys’ – Stitch's evil twin – in this…
Let's Get Inventin' (TV Series) (2006): Interesting local series has some ambitious kids bring their ideas for various inventions to fruition with the help of Kidventor 'Build Buddy' Sam…
Little Princess (TV Series) (2006): The charming adventures of a little princess, grounded in the everyday trials and tribulations of growing up young. Six episodes per volume.
Maddigan's Quest (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Michael Hurst, Timothy Balme, Danielle Cormack; Nicely–produced local series for children – adapted from Margaret Mahy's bestseller – set in a post–technological future…
Material Girls (2006): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, Anjelica Huston…; Powder–puff girls Hilary and Haylie Duff go from riches to rags in this mostly slim–witted stab at vacuous socialites having to slum it…
Meg And Mog (TV Series) (2006): Adapted from the much–loved series of children's books, this follows the adventures of Meg, a witch whose spells always seem to go wrong, her…
Merlin's Apprentice (2006): Feat. Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson; Fantastical sequel to the popular mini–series version of MERLIN, this also stars Sam Neill as the legendary wizard, now mentoring a young…
Monster House (2006): Dir. Gil Kenan
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Lee; Rollercoaster haunted–house ride for kids expertly CGI–animated around the story of three suburban teens who decide to challenge a…
Mr Men and Little Miss (TV Series) (2006): Roger Hargreaves' beloved illustrated children's series – memorable for its jewel–sized booklets and colourful characters, each…
Nacho Libre (2006): Dir. Jared Hess
Feat. Jack Black; Although quirky this is an altogether 'straighter' followup to NAPOLEON DYNAMITE for dir. Jared Hess, steering Jack Black through the cock–eyed…
Nativity Story, The (2006): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Ciaran Hinds; Not the greatest telling of the 'greatest story ever told' but it does nicely as a festive family film, with the casting of WHALE RIDER's Keisha…
Night at the Museum (2006): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Dick Van Dyke…; Rambuctious creature comedy starring Ben Stiller as a 'desperate dad' who takes the graveyard shift as a night guard for the Natural History Museum,…
Open Season (2006): Dir. Roger Allers, Jill Culton, Anthony Stacchi; A fun, well–paced family animated film about a grizzly bear named Bloog who must work together with a rag–tag group of endangered species…
Over the Hedge (2006): Dir. Tim Johnson
Feat. Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell…; Jovial animation tells of the best laid plans of a scheming raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis), who recruits a gaggle of forest creatures to invade the…
Polly World (2006): The popular Mattel doll 'Polly Pockets' gets her own animated excursion here, journeying to the amusement park 'PollyWorld' where she takes in the…
Reef, The (Shark Bait) (2006): Dir. Howard Baker, John Fox IX
Feat. Freddie Prinze Jnr., Rob Schneider, Evan Rachel Wood…; Animated kid's film with a superb voice over line up that introduces us to a fish who must save his one true love and the Reef that they share.
Ruby Gloom (TV Series) (2006): Super–cute, goth–inflected animation based on the retail character (think pencil–cases, bobble–headed dolls, socks) of the…
RV (Runaway Vacation) (2006): Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Feat. Robin Williams, Jeff Daniels, Cherly Hines…; Amusing recyled family–disaster comedy with Robin Williams behind the wheel of a lumbering bus–wagon (or 'RV') and determined to make his…
Shaggy Dog, The (2006): Dir. Brian Robbins
Feat. Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jnr., Kristin Davis…; Dishevelled and inane comedy, sees family man Tim Allen accidentally bitten by a 300–year old pooch (smuggled by commandos out of Tibet) and…
Shaun the Sheep (TV Series) (2006): Further claymation antics from the Aardman workshops, about the misadventures of one Shaun the Sheep (seen in WALLACE & GROMIT – A CLOSE…
Stormbreaker (2006): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Alex Pettyfer, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy…; A British–oriented spin on the kid super–agent premise, with gadgets and evil masterminds galore, based on the popular Alex Rider series…
Tales From Earthsea (Gedo senki) (2006): Dir. Goro Miyazaki; The animated feature debut from Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao, based on Ursula K Le Guin's popular 'Earthsea' novels, this is a commendable addition to…
Thief Lord, The (2006): Dir. Richard Claus
Feat. Jasper Harris, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jim Carter…; A delightful HARRY POTTER–esque fantasy chronicling the adventures of two runaways who join a scalawag band of abandoned kids in search of a…
Tom's Midnight Garden (2006): Dir. Willard Carroll
Feat. Greta Scacchi, James Wilby, Joan Plowright; A handsome screen version of children's novel by Phillipa Pearce, in which a young boy in the 1950s is sent to live with his aunt and uncle because…
Ugly Duckling and Me, The (2006): Dir. Karsten Kiillerich, Michael Hegner; An unscrupulous rat called Ratso leads the menagerie in this animated, family–friendly Danish update of the classic Hans Christian Anderson…
Ultimate Avengers (2006): Dir. Bob Richardson; Slim, cheerfully low–grade Marvel animated feature which unites six iconic superheroes (Captain America, The Hulk, etc.) in a fight against…
Unaccompanied Minors (Grounded) (2006): Dir. Paul Feig
Feat. Wilmer Valderrama, Lewis Black, Tyler James Williams; Five kids flying solo create in–transit Christmas mayhem when their airport is snowed in. Strong on seasonal sentiment, this…
Wild at Heart (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Stephen Tompkinson, Amanda Holden; Gratifying drama series following the adventures of a middle class British family who travel to the wilds of Africa with their veterinarian father…
Wild, The (2006): Dir. Steve 'Spaz' Williams
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, James Belushi, Eddie Izzard…; Lively if ultimately average Disney animation about a young zoo–born lion who is accidentally shipped back to Africa, prompting to his…
Wind in the Willows, The (2006): Dir. Rachel Talalay
Feat. Matt Lucas, Bob Hoskins, Imelda Staunton…; Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger are incarnated once again in this lush BBC "masterpiece theatre" production of Kenneth Grahame's classic. More…
Young Dracula (TV Series) (2006): Dir. Joss Agnew
Feat. Gerran Howell, Keith-Lee Castle, Clare Thomas; Great low–budget kids show that revolves around the children of single father Count Dracula, who has moved his family to a small town in Wales.
Zoom - Academy for Superheroes (2006): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Chevy Chase…; Tim Allen plays a has–been caped crusader, recruited in his twilight to train four gifted children with superpowers into a new…
Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl, The (2005): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Kristin Davis, David Arquette; Colourful fantasy involves a 10–year old boy, who to escape parental neglect and the attentions of school bullies, invents his own…
Are We There Yet? (2005): Dir. Brian Levant
Feat. Ice-Cube, Nia Long, Jay Mohr; Broad, but essentially successful comedy has a determined Ice–Cube proving to his girlfriend that he is 'child friendly' by transporting her…
Avatar - The Last Airbender (TV Series) (2005): Anime–influenced cartoon series from the Nickelodeon stable set in a timeless quasi–prehistoric world, which begins with the discovery of…
Barbie - Fairytopia (2005): Barbie stars as a flower fairy who lives in a meadow in the magical realm of Fairytopia, but is spurred into stopping the evil Laverna from…
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus (2005): The CGI–ed blonde doll returns for another trip into fantasy land, this time with a completely original story and setting. Barbie must here…
Ben 10 (TV Series) (2005): Imaginative 'boys own' Cartoon Network adventure series inspired by Japanese anime. The story of Ben Tennyson, a typical kid who becomes very…
Cave of the Yellow Dog, The (2005): Dir. Byambasuren Davaa; The dir. of THE WEEPING CAMEL weaves an enchanting tale of nomads through the eyes of a young girl, using her friendship with a stray dog as a launch…
Charlie and Lola (TV Series) (2005): Gorgeous animated series for three to seven–year–olds, based on Lauren Child's award winning books. Uniquely voiced by children using…
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter…; Lavish with magnificent visual icing, this version of Roald Dahl's classic childrens' story is a pretty tasty updating of the story of young Charlie…
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005): Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, Bonnie Hunt…; Lacklustre sequel to the 'family comedy' in which Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt marshall and grapple with their impressive brood of twelve children,…
Chicken Little (2005): Dir. Mark Dindal; Beautifully animated tale of an easily–alarmed, nerdish young chicken who one day causes a coop–wide panic that the sky is falling, and…
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005): Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent…; A splendid and meticulous vision of C.S. Lewis' classic children's fantasy novel in which a group of four young siblings – ensconced in an…
Corpse Bride (Tim Burton's Corpse Bride) (2005): Dir. Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Feat. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson; An animated tour–de–force from dir. Burton which fuses spindley puppetry and subtle CGI for its mythic tale of a sallow young bridegroom…
Dr. Dog (TV Series) (2005): Zippy animated series based on the celebrated book by author Babette Cole about a well–meaning pooch with a medical degree. Kinda kooky fun for…
Dreamer (2005): Dir. John Gatins
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell, Kris Kristofferson…; Good, old–fashioned family fare in which Russell plays an ace horse trainer who rescues an injured filly on behalf of his young daughter…
Dress-Up Box, The (TV Series) (2005): Delightful roleplay series for pre–schoolers, with each episode revolving around a bottomless dress–up box full of costumes and props,…
Duma (2005): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Campbell Scott, Hope Davis; A 12 year–old South African boy, who has rescued a cheetah cub and raised it on his father's farm, must fulfil a pledge to return it to the…
Fantastic Four (2005): Dir. Tim Story
Feat. Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans…; A surprisingly fetching adaptation of Stan "Spider–man" Lee's tale of a group of astronauts transformed by accidental exposure to cosmic…
Great Yokai War, The (Yôkai daisensô) (2005): Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Chiaki Kuriyama; The latest cinematic mash–up from dir. Miike (AUDITION) is a family–orientated adventure in which a shy young boy from a broken family…
Greatest Game Ever Played, The (2005): Dir. Bill Paxton
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane; Inspiring Disney drama based on the true story of an ambitious amateur golfer determined to defeat his idols at the 1913 US Open. Shia LaBeouf…
Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs (TV Series) (2005): Cuddly and innocuous pre–schoolers animation concerns young Harry, whose Nana has given him an amazing gift – a bucket with six toy…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman…; The fourth chapter in the unfolding Harry Potter series marks a devastating plunge into raw suspense and truly epic adventure for the young wizard…
Hating Alison Ashley (2005): Dir. Geoff Bennett
Feat. Delta Goodrem, Saskia Burmeister; Candyfloss comedy set in a Melbourne high school, where the arrival of pretty Alison Ashley (Goodrem) creates difficulties for Erica Yurken…
Herbie Fully Loaded (2005): Dir. Angela Robinson
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Matt Dillon, Michael Keaton; A refit of the 1970s classic about a Volkswagon 'beetle' with a mind of its own, with Lohan playing a the teenage daughter of a race–driver…
Holly's Heroes (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Dominique Crawford; Trans–Tasman co–production about an ex–pat Kiwi new to Australian and mad about basketball. Follow the titular Holly as she scores…
Hoodwinked! (2005): Dir. Cory Edwards, Todd Edwards, Tony Leech
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, James Belushi…; Postmodern childrens' animation loosely based on the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood' follows the SHREK–model of rewiring fairytales with smug…
Ice Princess (2005): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Michelle Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall; A gawky high schooler (Trachtenberg) who excels at physics but dreams of being an ice skater, gets a slim chance to slide her way into the National…
Jane and the Dragon (TV Series) (2005): Weta Workshop’s magic fingerprints are all over this charming animated series adapted from Martin Baynton’s illustrated books about a…
Kicking and Screaming (2005): Dir. Jesse Dylan
Feat. Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall; A family sports–comedy with a moral twist, this has 'Saturday Night Live's Will Ferrell play a stressed–out father who takes on the…
Kong: King of Atlantis (2005): Although of limited appeal to older KING KONG fans, this Warner Bros animation will please the younger crowd with its tale about a clone of the big…
Lassie (2005): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Samantha Morton, Peter O'Toole, Peter Dinklage; The 'Lassie' franchise returns faithfully to England in this rambling and affable remake, in which an impoverished mining family in 1930s Yorkshire…
Little Einsteins (TV Series) (2005): Colourful pre–school adventurism combines sing–a–long music and participatory elements in the worldly pursuits of five young…
Little Manhattan (2005): Dir. Mark Levin
Feat. Josh Hutcherson, Bradley Whitford, Cynthia Nixon…; Contemplative and sweetly romantic comedy following a 10–year old boy who experiences falling in love for the first time amidst his parents'…
Mad Hot Ballroom (2005): Dir. Marilyn Agrelo; A fetching and occasionally poignant documentary which follows the efforts of pre–teenage students from three multiracial NYC elementary…
Madagascar (2005): Dir. Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Feat. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer…; Punchy and old–fashioned animation concerning a group of animal residents of Central Park zoo in New York who have an adventure in the 'real'…
March of the Penguins (2005): Dir. Luc Jacquet; An engrossing and naturally spectacular documentary epic, which 'dramatises' the perils and hardship of the Emperor Penguin's annual migration…
Mee-Shee (The Water Giant) (2005): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Bruce Greenwood, Rena Owen, Joel Tobeck; A modest yet engaging family adventure, partly filmed in New Zealand, with special effects by 'Jim Henson's Creature Shop'.
Mickybo and Me (2005): Dir. Terry Loane
Feat. Adrian Dunbar, Gina McKee, Susan Lynch…; Widely praised though little–seen drama which observes the friendship between two young lads – one Catholic, one Protestant –…
MirrorMask (2005): Dir. Dave McKean
Feat. Gina McKee, Stephanie Leonidas; Inventive fantasy drama in which a teenage girl – born into a circus family – is traumatised by her mother's sudden illness and retreats…
Nanny McPhee (2005): Dir. Kirk Jones
Feat. Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Kelly MacDonald…; A well–bred British entertainment for children which fuses the traditional likes of MARY POPPINS with the current wave of gothic fantasy (Harry…
Neverwas (2005): Dir. Joshua Michael Stern
Feat. Ian McKellen, Aaron Eckhart, Brittany Murphy…; Emotive, 'realist' fairytale concerns a psychiatrist (Eckhart) who discovers the magical world his deceased father (Nolte) wrote about in a Lewis…
Oliver Twist (2005): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Barney Clark, Ben Kingsley; The latest adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic sees prominent Polish dir. Polanski helm an artful, if not straightforward interpretation of the…
Opal Dream (2005): Dir. Peter Cattaneo
Feat. Vince Colosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie; Semi–precious gem of a family drama about a precocious 10–year–old girl in Australian 'opal country', who wreaks a cute brand of…
Peekaboo! (Cache Cache) (2005): Dir. Yves Caumon
Feat. Bernard Blancan, Lucia Sanchez, Antoine Chappey; Peculiar fable of a hermit who takes residence inside a well after being ousted from the abandoned farmstead he’s squatted in for many…
Perfect Man, The (2005): Dir. Mark Rosman
Feat. Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear; Romantic comedy finds teenager Duff trying to devise a romance between her mother (Locklear) and a 'dream' man, so as to inject some stability into…
Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005): Dir. Frank Nissen
Feat. Jim Cummings; When a new animal comes to the Hundred Acre Woods Winnie the Pooh and his pals learn something about acceptance and understanding in this delightful…
Puzzle Inc. (TV Series) (2005): Highly educational kids series originally aired on TV2 that brings a collection of puzzle shapes to life through music, sounds and movement to create…
Racing Stripes (2005): Dir. Frederik Du Chau
Feat. Bruce Greenwood, M. Emmet Walsh, Hayden Panettiere; Likable family comedy has 'Stripes' the zebra (voiced by Frankie Muniz) growing up on a farm believing he is a racehorse and being humoured by other…
Robots (2005): Dir. Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha; Set in a future world inhabited totally by robot creatures, this sparky animation from the creators of ICE AGE ratchets through its thriller plot…
Sky High (2005): Dir. Mike Mitchell
Feat. Michael Angarano, Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston…; Likeable family comedy set in a future where superheroes are trained as teenagers at special schools, such as the 'Sky High' of the title, before…
Skyland (TV Series) (2005): Stunningly animated, environmentally themed French–Canadian production, placed within a self–contained sci–fi universe where the…
Snow Queen, The (2005): Dir. Julian Gibbs
Feat. Sydney White, Patrick Stewart; The classic Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, about a young girl who sets out to find a friend bewitched and abducted by an evil enchantress, here…
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005): Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor; Dir. George Lucas completes his blockbusting space opera saga with a gratifying flourish, providing certainly the most thrilling of the 'prequels'…
Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Dylan Sprouse, Cole Sprouse, Ashley Tisdale…; Fun kids TV sitcom series from the Disney Channel starring real–life identical twins as two mischievous brothers who live in a hotel with their…
Tarzan 2 (2005): Dir. Brian Smith; A decent sequel to Disney's animated version of the Edgar Rice Burrough's creation, with the young dude striking out from his ape family for fresh…
Transformers Cybertron (TV Series) (2005): The Transformers revival continues with this latest addition to the popular animated series.
Valiant (2005): Dir. Gary Chapman; A lowly pigeon named Valiant must overcome his diminutive size in the service of Great Britain's Royal Air Force Homing Pigeon Service during WW2, in…
W.I.T.C.H. (TV Series) (2005): Five American girls must not only deal with the usual homework and boyfriends, but also defend the universe as 'Guardians of the Veil' from the…
Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005): Dir. Nick Park
Feat. Peter Sallis, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes; Triumphant big–screen leap for the amiably English claymation heroes – Wallace and Gromit – with this effort finding them running…
Yours, Mine and Ours (2005): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, Rip Torn; A 'bigger is better' knock–off of CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (based on a 1968 comedy) in which two high school sweethearts (Quaid and Russo), both…
Zathura (A Space Adventure) (2005): Dir. Jon Favreau
Feat. Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, Tim Robbins; Highly effective 'sequel of sorts' to JUMANJI, with two squabbling kid brothers unearthing a strange clockwork boardgame in the basement, which upon…
Agent Cody Banks 2 (Destination London) (2004): Dir. Kevin Allen
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Anna Chancellor, Keith Allen…; Fairly average sequel to Cody Banks' first James Bond Jr. adventure, here travelling to London as a disguised clarinet player to thwart an evil…
Back to Gaya (Boo, Zino and the Snurks) (2004): Dir. Lenard Fritz Krawinke, Holger Tappe
Feat. Patrick Stewart, Emily Watson; The first completely CGI feature to emerge from Germany follows the postmodern tone of SHREK, with a gaggle of cartoon characters from a fantasy TV…
Backyardigans, The (TV Series) (2004): Five animal pals transform their backyards into a surreal landscape of adventure in this whizzy, free–wheeling show for…
Bear Named Winnie, A (2004): Dir. John Kent Harrison
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Gil Bellows, David Suchet…; Interesting telemovie based on the true story of a Canadian black bear cub who was 'adopted' by a soldier in 1914, eventually placed in the London…
Because Of Winn-Dixie (2004): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson; Solid and old–fashioned family movie based on the lauded novel by Kate DiCamillo, in which a lonely girl befriends a small, mischievous dog in…
Bionicle 2 (Legends of Metru Nui) (2004): Prequel to MASK OF LIGHT, this casts back into the dark early history of Metru Nui, with six Metoran being given the task of recovering the powerful…
Birthday Boy (2004): Dir. Sejong Park; Oscar–nominated animation set around a young boy who wanders through his deserted village in the midst of the Korean War. Comparable to GRAVE…
Blue Butterfly, The (2004): Dir. Lea Pool
Feat. William Hurt, Pascale Bussieres; With the help of lepidopterist William Hurt, a young cancer patient sets out in their wheelchair on a quest to find the elusive Blue Morpho butterfly…
Bratz - Starrin' and Stylin' (2004): The popular four 'Bratz' dolls (Jade, Close, Sasha and Yasmin) come to life in various animated episodes of their lives' as The Girls with a Passion…
Cat in the Hat, The (2004): Dir. Bo Welch
Feat. Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston…; The classic Dr Seuss tale of the anarchistic feline is translated into a 'live action' version, with stunning surrealistic set–design and Mike…
Chestnut (2004): Dir. Robert Vince
Feat. Abigail Breslin; Sweet family movie with Oscar–nominated Abigail Breslin and up–and–coming child actor Makenzie Vega playing two orphans adopted by…
Christmas with the Kranks (2004): Dir. Joe Roth
Feat. Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd…; A yuletide chucklefest, with Allen and Curtis playing a suburban couple, the Kranks, who decide to opt out of Christmas celebrations when their…
Cinderella Story, A (2004): Dir. Mark Rosman
Feat. Hilary Duff, Jennifer Coolidge, Chad Michael Murray; A bubbly updating of the 'Cinderella' fairytale, with Hilary Duff (LIZZIE MAGUIRE) playing a put–upon modernday teenager who must slave away…
Clifford's Really Big Movie (2004): Dir. Robert C Ramirez; Feature version of the animated TV Series about the lovable red mutt, who here runs away to join the circus and take the load off his hard–up…
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004): Dir. Sara Sugarman
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Adam Garcia; Light 'tweeny' comedy in which teenage centre–of–attention Lohan (FREAKY FRIDAY) is moved to the dull suburbs with her family and finds…
Dennis and Gnasher (TV Series) (2004): The rambunctious characters from the Beano comic – Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher – get into all sorts of mischief and delightful…
Dust Factory, The (2004): Dir. Eric Small
Feat. Hayden Panettiere, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ryan Kelly; An interesting and moderately spooky family drama, in which a traumatised teen (Kelly) – who can't bring himself to speak after witnessing his…
Ella Enchanted (2004): Dir. Tommy O’Haver
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes…; Anne Hathaway (THE PRINCESS DIARIES) stars in this family fantasy as a princess who must travel to distant lands to offload her gift (curse) of…
Finding Neverland (2004): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie…; Impressive journey into the private life of Edwardian 'Peter Pan'–creator JM Barrie (played by Depp), and the unique circumstances in which he…
Five Children and It (2004): Dir. John Stephenson
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Kenneth Branagh, Zoe Wanamaker…; A fond adaptation of the E. Nesbit novel in which a group of children are befriended by a disenchanted green 'sand fairy' called 'It' (voiced by…
Fungus the Bogeyman (2004): Dir. Stuart Orme
Feat. Martin Clunes, Fay Ripley; An adventurous, if flawed adaptation of Raymond Briggs' children's book – in many ways a precursor to SHREK – where a typical British…
Garfield - The Movie (2004): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Stephen Tobolowsky; 'Garfield the Cat' reaches the big–screen finally in fairly good shape, retaining the core of banal domestic mindtrips of Jim Davis' cartoons…
George and the Dragon (2004): Dir. Tom Reeve
Feat. James Purefoy, Piper Perabo, Patrick Swayze…; Broadly entertaining revision of a medieval legend about the search for a captive princess and dragon in old–world England.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004): Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane…; Young Harry's troublesome education continues at Hogswarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry, in this increasingly confident series, here given a…
Home on the Range (2004): Dir. John Sanford, Will Finn; A Disney Western–spoof, in which a herd of cows aim to track down a wily cattle rustler and forestall the closure of their 'Patch of Heaven'…
Howl's Moving Castle (2004): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki; Yet another miraculous animated odyssey from Hayao Miyazaki, who finds a perfect vehicle in the English fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones, about a…
Incredibles, The (2004): Dir. Brad Bird
Feat. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson…; Living up to its title, this stunner from Pixar studios sets the benchmark in children's entertainment yet again, while being their most…
Land Before Time 11: Invasion of the Tinysauruses (2004)
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004): Dir. Brad Silberling
Feat. Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Billy Connolly…; Unfolding as a series of beautifully designed events, this Hollywood adaptation of the popular fantasy books fortunately doesn't water down the…
Lion King 3, The (Hakuna Matata) (2004): Dir. Bradley Raymond; The story of THE LION KING told from the perspective of warthog Pumbaa and meerkat Timon. Recyling many of the scenes from the first two movies, this…
Masai - The Rain Warriors (2004): Dir. Pascal Plisson; Simple and visually–sweeping, this African epic follows a group of teenage warriors from their drought–stricken village out into the…
Millions (2004): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon, James Nesbitt; A magical family film concerning an idealistic seven–year–old Manchester lad (Etel) whose will to 'do good' is complicated when a…
Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Kids (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Kristin Davis; Delightful pre–school animation series that is not only entertaining but educational also. Teaches kids important lessons through the world of…
New York Minute (2004): Dir. Dennie Gordon
Feat. Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Eugene Levy; Fairly innocuous comedy in which the uber–marketing triumph 'The Olsen Twins' head to New York as chalk–and–cheese sisters who…
Nutcracker and the Mouse King, The (2004): Quaint animated adaptation E.T.A Hoffman’s timeless fairytale about a young Prince and the nutcracker he becomes trapped inside by a magic spell.…
Pacifier, The (2004): Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Vin Diesel, Lauren Graham, Tate Donovan; A breezy reprise of KINDERGARTEN COP, with the sleek Vin Diesel playing a disgraced Navy Seal who is assigned to protect the children of a US…
Peep And The Big Wide World (TV Series) (2004): Delightful preschooler animation featuring a newly hatched chick named Peep and his pals Chirp the Robin and Quack the Duck who explore the urban…
Peppa Pig (TV Series) (2004-2006): A Bafta award–winning animation for pre–schoolers, featuring Peppa, a loveable, cheeky little piggy who lives with her younger brother…
Polar Express, The (2004): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Tom Hanks; Expertly animating the childrens' book by Chris Van Allsburg, this makes a Christmas Eve excursion into mythical childhood fantasies of Santa Claus…
Pride (2004): Dir. John Downer
Feat. Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Sean Bean…; Quaintly original and rather winning BBC production about a lionness who rebels against her home 'pride', first, by thinking of becoming a…
Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004): Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo…; Opening on the 21st birthday of the budding Genovian Princess (Hathaway), this creditable, if hardly superior sequel, finds the transplanted San…
Raise Your Voice (2004): Dir. Sean McNamara
Feat. Hilary Duff, John Corbett, Rita Wilson…; The fetching Hilary Duff plays an aspiring young singer from Arizona, who after the tragic death of her brother, elopes to a music–training…
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (Scooby Doo 2) (2004): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jnr., Matthew Lillard…; More shenanigans from the Scoob and his human pals – Fred, Shaggy, Velma and Daphne – this time defending the city of Coolsville from an…
Shark Tale (2004): Dir. Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, Rob Letterman; A snappy deep–sea animated comedy from the makers of SHREK whose tale almost sinks under its load of gags and in–jokes. Oscar, a lowly…
Shoebox Zoo (TV Series) (2004): Dir. Justin Molotnikov
Feat. Vivien Endicott Douglas, Jason Connery, Rik Mayall…; An imaginative British fantasy series for children, has a Canadian exchange student (Douglas) living in Edinburgh inherit a box of toy animals, that…
Shrek 2 (2004): Dir. Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury; The cranky beast with a heart of gold returns to the big screen in this sequel to the computer–animated smash hit, here coping with the…
Spongebob Squarepants Movie, The (2004): Dir. Steven Hillenburg
Feat. David Hasselhoff; Excellent big–screen version of Nickolodeon's most celebrated cartoon TV series, set in a cheerfully off–colour undersea world, where a…
St. Bear's Dolls Hospital (TV Series) (2004): Nicely–produced puppetry fun set in the emergancy room of St. Bear's Dolls Hospital, where injured and disconsolate toys and dolls from all…
Strings (2004): Dir. Anders Rønnow Klarlund
Feat. James McAvoy, Catherine McCormack, Derek Jacobi…; An extraordinary Danish puppet fantasy epic about the course of kingdoms and warriors in an ancient world, which is distinguished by the integration…
Teacher's Pet (2004): An ambitiously stylised Disney animation set around a small, but clever dog, Spot, who makes the leap from his TV series into this big–screen…
Thunderbirds (2004): Dir. Jonathan Frakes
Feat. Bill Paxton, Ben Kingsley, Barry Corbet…; A live–action replay of the classic 60s sci–fi series which bears more relation to generic teen adventure than the spirit of the…
Transformers Energon (TV Series) (2004): Dir. Jun Kawagoe, Yutaka Sato; Fairly creditable sequel to the original animation series (following on from Transformers: Armada), with the Autobots and Decepticons living in peace…
Treasure Island Kids (2004): Dir. Gavin Scott; Hearty adventure series for kids, based around an island and its most interesting inhabitant: the wacky inventor Conrad Dawson, who has spent his…
Two Brothers (2004): Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Guy Pearce, Jean Claude Dreyfus; One of the most compelling 'wildlife' films of recent years proffers the tale of two Bengal tiger cubs, orphaned and separated by a remorseless…
Very Hungry Caterpillar, The (2004): A short compilation of stories from Eric Carle's bestselling childrens' books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Papa Please Get the Moon For Me, The Very…
Walt Disney Short Films Collection (2004-2015): A collection of short films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, including "Frozen Fever" (2015), "Get A Horse!" (2013), starring Mickey Mouse, and…
Winx Club (TV Series) (2004-2005): An animated Italian series (dubbed into English) that concerns a gang of fairy–girls at a magic high–school learning about boys and the…
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie (2004): Dir. Hatsuki Tsuji; An Americanised version of the Japanese cartoon, based around a complicated card–trading game (a la POKEMON) in which card–collector Yugi…
Agent Cody Banks (2003): Dir. Harald Zwart
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Cynthia Stevenson, Hilary Duff…; Teen heart–throb Frankie Munz plays a junior CIA agent in this lightweight but savvy James Bond–parody. Skateboarding his way into a…
Astro Boy (TV Series) (2003): An updated English–language version of the cult 60s TV Series, reprising the jet–powered robot lad and his adventures. Volume 1…
Backyard Science (2003): A likeable demonstration of the basic principles of science, with four Australian kids finding all they need in the kitchen, garage, and the garden…
Barbie of Swan Lake (2003): Dir. Owen Hurley; Third of Barbie's animated adventures is a high quality plundering of Tchaikovsky's ballet of the fairy tale.
Bionicle: Mask of Light (2003): Animated spectacular from the makers of 'Lego', set on a half–mystical/half–futuristic islands of Mata Nui. Subject to a devious plot…
Boo! (TV Series) (2003): Nicely designed animated series in which the amorphous 'Boo' continually changes his spots with a chameleon–like changing appearance. His…
Brother Bear (2003): Dir. Aaron Blaise, Bob Walker; Set in the prehistoric Rocky Mountains, this Disney animation follows the plight of a young Inuit boy who is magically transformed into a…
Catch That Kid (2003): Dir. Bart Freundlich
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Max Thieriot, Corbin Bleu…; First there were SPY KIDS, then CODY BANKS and now, three more sub–teens with special skills, this time planning to rob the world's…
Charlotte's Web 2 - Wilbur's Great Adventure (2003): Dir. Mario Piluso; More fun and games at the Zuckerman's farm with the next generation of animals, including Charlotte's three daughters, Wilbur and his friend the…
Cheaper by the Dozen (2003): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duff…; Based around the true–life experiences of parents with responsibility for twelve children, this may have you counting your blessings between…
Cheetah Girls, The (2003): Dir. Oz Scott
Feat. Raven -Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan…; Bubblegum pop teen chick flick following four New York teens trying to make it big in the music world who end up having to choose between fame and…
Creature Comforts (TV Series) (2003): Dir. Richard Goleszowski, Nick Park; Charming claymation television series based on the Oscar–winning short by dir. Park (WALLACE AND GROMIT) set around various eccentric English…
Daddy Day Care (2003): Dir. Steve Carr
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Steve Zahn; Two unemployed dads open their own day–care centre in this charming, if overly restrained comedy. Eddie Murphy is present in heavy doses,…
Elf (2003): Dir. Jon Favreau
Feat. Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart…; This latterday Christmas favourite has a man (Ferrell) who has been raised as one of Santa's elves leaving the North Pole and heading out in search…
Finding Nemo (2003): Dir. Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton; Another giant splash from Pixar studios that, like TOY STORY and MONSTERS INC., is almost mandatory family viewing. This time ground–breaking…
Fish Bay (2003): Dir. Bob Stenhouse; Three animated children's stories based on tales by Joy Cowley, all set in the secluded, supernatural world of 'Fish Bay' in the Marlborough Sounds.…
Freaky Friday (2003): Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon; Thoroughly updated and spunky version of Disney's 1977 original, one the best 'body–swap' comedies. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, play…
Good Boy! (2003): Dir. John Robert Hoffman; Family comedy has a canine agent is sent to Earth (from the Dogstar) to find out why the planned invasion by dogs has gone awry. Here he finds the…
Holes (2003): Dir. Andrew Davis
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson…; Surprisingly cunning comedy, where a teenager is unjustly sent to an isolated reformatory, and set to work digging holes in the desert for no…
Jungle Book 2, The (2003): Dir. Steve Trenbirth
Feat. Haley Joel Osment, John Goodman, Jim Cumming…; Another of Disney’s recent animated ‘sequels’, here revisiting the characters of their classic 1967 version of Kipling’s…
Kangaroo Jack (2003): Dir. David McNally
Feat. Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Estella Warren…; A misadventure comedy ensues when two friends from Brooklyn, NY are forced to deliver mob money to Australia, only to see it 'stolen' by a kangaroo…
Land Before Time 10: The Great Migration (2003): A revival of the series and climax of various subplots, as the dinosaurs set out on a migratory journey in which Littlefoot is reunited with his…
Little Robots (TV Series) (2003): A group of cute robots are the motley heroes of this likeable animated series. There are jokes, drama and songs to be had aplenty as they construct…
Looney Tunes - Back in Action (2003): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Steve Martin…; Veteran toons Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are successfully dusted off for the 21st century big–screen, interacting with live actors in a frantic…
Metalheads (TV Series) (2003): Animated TV series set among a group of kids training in a jousting school in the Middle Ages. Volume 3 – The Stick in the Stone, Ye…
Miffy (TV Series) (2003): The iconic, Dutch–designed rabbit makes her animation debut (with friends) in this adorable series of pithy animations, based on Dick Bruna's…
Miracle of Bern, The (2003): Dir. Sonke Wortmann; Set in grim post–WW2 West Germany, this passionate, if broadly–handled drama respools a backdrop of events leading to the shock triumph…
My Dad The Rock Star (TV Series) (2003): Animated Nickelodeon series centred around a close replica of that living–breathing cartoon: Gene Simmons of the rock group 'Kiss'. Rock…
Party Animals (TV Series) (2003): Young childrens TV series featuring singing and dancing with Buddy, Chopper, Snuffles, Poppy and Tippy in their party house at the edge of the…
Peter Pan (2003): Dir. P.J. Hogan
Feat. Jason Isaacs, Geoffrey Palmer, Richard Briers…; Commendably conservative version of the now–classic J M Barrie play, in which Peter Pan persuades a family of children away to Never Never…
Piglet's Big Movie (2003): Dir. Francis Glebas
Feat. John Fiedler, Jim Cumming; Feeling neglected in the 100–Acre Wood, Piglet sets out for a solo adventure, closely followed by Pooh, Tigger and all his other…
Pirate Islands (2003): Feat. Dan Chesterman, Brooke Harmon; A freak accident sends three Australian kids into a computer–generated world of pirates and swashbuckling heroes.
Postman Pat (TV Series) (2003): Returning to the small–screen are Postman Pat (and his black–and–white cat) in a fresh series of animated episodes. Included here…
Rainbow (2003): Based around Shirley Barber's fairy books, this DVD contains an interractive series of sing–alongs, dance–alongs, animated stories and…
Rugrats Go Wild (2003): Dir. John Eng, Norton Virgien; Two of Nickledeon's best cartoons – Rugrats and Wild Thornberrys – come together for an actionpacked 'shipwreck holiday' on an inhabited…
Seeing Double - The S-Club Movie (2003): Dir. Nigel Dick; Qualifying for their own movie, popstar sensations 'S–Club' bring their bubblegum charm to a fairly harmless tale involving a record company…
Shrek 3-D - The Story Continues (2003): Dir. Simon J Smith; A bridging story between the first two SHREK feature–films, has the same great 'voice cast' return for a modest adventure in which Princess…
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003): Dir. Patrick Gilmore, Tim Johnson
Feat. Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta-Jones; A traditionally–animated high sea adventure in which young rogue pirate Sinbad must cutlace his way out of the fine mess cooked up by the…
So Little Time (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen; The ever–cutesome Olsen twins took over the world with this television series where they cope with the pressures of school, social life and…
Spy Kids 3-D (Game Over) (2003): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Ricardo Montalban…; Another installment in the successful SPY KIDS franchise, adding the gimmick of '3–D' to the family action format. This time round, the…
Star Wars - The Clone Wars (TV Series) (2003): Animated Star Wars 'micro' series set between EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES and EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, detailing the grand–scale…
Stitch! - The Movie (2003): Dir. Robert Gannaway, Tony Craig
Feat. Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders; Sequel to LILO AND STITCH continues the travails of the animated friends in Hawaii, with a more cryptic array of intergalactic sideplots than in the…
Teen Titans (TV Series) (2003-2006): Well–executed if overly violent adaptation of the DC Comics 'teen' series in which younger superheroes gang together for a spot of…
Three Musketeers, The (Mickey, Donald and Goofy) (2003): Dir. Donovan Cook; A rousing, if overfamiliar, version of Dumas' 'Three Musketeers' in which Disney's finest help save the kingdom of Princess Minni from the dastardly…
Tractor Tom (TV Series) (2003): Feat. James Nesbitt; Vroom vroom! Animated adventures with Tom the anthropomorphic tractor and his buddies who get themselves into all sorts of scrapes.
Triplets of Belleville, The (Belleville Rendezvous) (2003): Dir. Sylvain Chomet; Witty, inventive and lovingly designed with retro–chic flair, this 'all–ages' animated feature is distinctively and delightfully…
Tutenstein (TV Series) (2003): Quirksome kids animation which begins when the Egyptian mummy of a 10–year old pharoah is struck by lightning in a museum and 'Tut' comes back…
Way Things Work, The (2003): Set on the fantastical Mammoth Island, this animated series seeks to dramatise the great, groundbreaking inventions of history. Guided by The…
Whale Rider (2003): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton…; A stirring, widely–acclaimed adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel about a young girl’s struggle to win the approval of her patriarchal…
A Monkey's Tale (2002): Dir. Jean Francois Laguionie
Feat. Rik Mayall, John Hurt, Michael York…; More sophisticated than most, this French animated fantasy concerns two rival monkey tribes – the Woonkos and Laankos – who live a…
Ace Lightning (2002): Feat. Michael Riley, Marc Minardi, Thomas Minardi; Heroes from a computer game are transported into the real world, in this cutting–edge blend of CGI and live–action.
Asterix and Obelix - Mission Cleopatra (2002): Dir. Alain Chabat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Alain Chabat, Monica Bellucci…; The core cast of 1999's disastrous ASTERIX AND OBELIX TAKE ON CAESAR return for a far more successful adaptation of one of those classic…
Atlantis 2 - Milo's Return (2002): Milo, Kida and the crew embark upon another sterling animated adventure set around the lost city of Atlantis.
Barbie as Rapunzel (2002): Dir. Owen Hurley; The world's most famous doll has her second screen adventure with a CGI–ed version of the Grimm Brothers fairytale 'Rapunzel'. Voices include…
Berenstain Bears, The (TV Series) (2002): Based on the books by Jan and Stan Berenstain, this animated series concerns a family of 'country yokel' bears (visual cousins to the Dr. Suess…
Big Fat Liar (2002): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti; Congenital teenage liar Frankie Muniz goes up against Hollywood producer Paul Giamatti, who has surreptitiously turned one of his…
Butt Ugly Martians (TV Series) (2002): A mildly witty animation following the exploits of three un–pretty Martians – Do–Wah, B–Bop and 2T – as they con…
Butterfly, The (Le Papillon) (2002): Dir. Phillippe Muyl
Feat. Michel Serrault, Claire Bouanich, Nade Dieu; Gentle family drama concerns the relationship between a gruff old man and his eight year old neighbour. Setting out one day in search of an elusive…
Cat Returns, The (Neko no Ongaeshi) (2002): Dir. Hiroyuki Morita; A young girl helps a cat, with surprising consequences – including an offer of marriage to the son of Cat King. Typically warm and emotionally…
Christmas Shoes, The (2002): Dir. Andy Wolk
Feat. Rob Lowe, Kimberley Williams; An effective Christmas tear–jerker about a young boy who tries to get a pair of Christmas shoes for his dying mother, while a lawyer tries to…
Chrysanthemum ...and more Kevin Henkes stories (2002): Beautiful animated adaptation of three Kevin Henkes stories, focused around a group of inquisitive mice who learn to engage with the world around…
Country Bears, The (2002): Dir. Peter Hastings; Well done but rather odd family movie, follows the reunion of a country music band made up of fuzzy, guitar twanging… bears. Incorporating…
Dinotopia (TV Mini-series) (2002): Dir. Marco Brambilla
Feat. David Thewlis; Teledrama based on the popular, illustrative fantasy books by James Gurney, following two young brothers who survive a plane crash and wash up in a…
Fimbles (TV Series) (2002): In the tradition of the wildly successful "Teletubbies", this assembles four new colour–coded furry creatures (Fimbo, Florrie, Rockit and Baby…
Get a Clue (2002): Dir. Maggie Greenwald
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Bug Hall, Amanda Plummer; 'Queen of the tweenies' Lindsay Lohan plays a fashionable NYC teenager who stumbles into knowing of a secret affair between two of her teachers. When…
Harold and the Purple Crayon (TV Series) (2002): A whimsically charming animation, based on the Crockett Johnson books. Young Harold explores the world around him using a magic purple crayon in 13…
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese…; The second Harry Potter adaptation is better fun and more settled in its mingled tone of magic, fantasy and thriller. Daniel Radcliffe again plays…
Hey Arnold! - The Movie (2002): Dir. Tuck Tucker
Feat. Spencer Klein, Francesca Smith, Jamil Walker Smith; "Big–headed" fourth–grader Arnold tries to save his neighbourhood from corporate takeover in this movie version of Nickelodeon’s…
Home Alone 4 (Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House) (2002): Dir. Rod Daniel
Feat. Mike Weinberg, French Stewart; Fourth installment in the Home Alone series, with all new actors. Kevin McCallister tries to defend his future stepmother's house from nemesis Marv…
Ice Age (2002): Dir. Carlos Saldanha, Chris Wedge
Feat. Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary…; Another exceptional CGI–computer–animated feature that compliments those now customary state–of–the–art visuals with a…
Kermit's Swamp Years (2002): Dir. David Gumpel; Kermit hops back to his childhood years in the swamp, putting an original twist on the Muppet–Movie puppet formula. Still more witty than…
Land Before Time 9: Journey to Big Water (2002): Further migratory adventures for the growing young dinosaurs of the Great Valley, as they set off to discover the seaside, undergoing many rites of…
Like Mike (2002): Dir. John Schultz
Feat. Lil' Bow Wow, Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Lipnicki…; Diminuitive rapper Lil’ Bow Wow plays a basketball–loving orphan who finds a pair of Michael Jordan’s discarded sneakers which magically…
Lilo and Stitch (2002): Dir. Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders
Feat. Ving Rhames, David Ogden Steers, Tia Carrere; An oddball cartoon–feature, where Hawaiian girl Lilo adopts Stitch, who she thinks is a dog, but is actually a dangerous…
Little Secrets (2002): Dir. Blair Treu
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Angarano, David Gallagher; Clever writing elevates this quality teen drama which centres around 14–yr old violinist Evan Rachel Wood and her sideline business, keeping…
Lizzie McGuire Movie, The (2002): Dir. Jim Fall
Feat. Hilary Duff; Likeable comic fluff, this teenage fantasy has Lizzie McGuire (Duff) on a school holiday trip to Italy where she is mistaken for a fashionable…
Mr. Bean (Animated TV Series) (2002): An animated version of Rowan Atkinson's bumbling comic creation (voiced by Rowan himself). Tailored more for the younger audience.
Naruto (TV Series) (2002-2007): Dir. Jeff Nimoy; Compelling Ninja anime series in the vein of DRAGON BALL Z, following a young orphan by the name of Naruto striving to become the next Hokage of his…
Peter Pan 2 - Return to Neverland (2002): Dir. Robin Budd, Donovan Cook; Bright and energetic sequel to Disney’s original animation from 1953, set around Jane’s (daughter of Wendy) journey to the enchanted…
Pinocchio (2002): Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni; Pre–eminent Italian comic Roberto Benigni stages the greatest Italian fairytale as a prestige project, but belly–flops perhaps namely…
Powerpuff Girls Movie, The (2002): Dir. Craig McCracken; The heroines of the small–screen get their own feature–length action–packed bustout which explains the origins of the three…
Rookie, The (2002): Dir. John Lee Hancock
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez…; Disney sports drama based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999–2000.
Santa Clause 2, The (2002): Dir. Michael Lembeck
Feat. Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Spencer Breslin…; Creditable sequel has Allen well–esconced as the red–suited one after saving Christmas 8 years previously. Here he invents a…
Scooby-Doo (2002): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Sarah Michelle Geller, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jnr.…; The bumbling antics of pooch–detective ‘Scoob’ will continue to endear him to most youngsters in this big–screen version of the 1960s…
Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings (TV Series) (2002): Magical animation (modelled on a 1970s TV series) about a little boy called Simon whose drawings come to life! Simple and charming visuals contribute…
Simpsons, The - Season 14 (TV Series) (2002-2003): Further episodes from the iconic animated TV Series. Some of the gags hold up, although the sparks of the shows subversive conception are now long…
Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron (2002): Dir. Kelly Asbury, Lorna Cook
Feat. Matt Damon, Daniel Studi; Spirit, a wild mustang, sets out across 19th century America in this animation from Dreamworks. A not particularly spirited effort though, despite a…
Spirited Away (2002): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Miyu Hiragi, Miyu Irino; Animation visionary Hayao Miyazaki gets to fully unlock his boundless imagination through the otherworldly adventures of an innocent young girl that…
Spongebob Squarepants (TV Series) (2002): Another anarchic children's animation from the Nickelodeon stable, this time featuring the gregarious titular seasponge and his marine pals.
Spy Kids 2 - The Island of Lost Dreams (2002): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Steve Buscemi…; The diminutive spies of the hit family thriller return for another colourful, goofy round of saving the day for the grownups. In team with a rival…
Stuart Little 2 (2002): Dir. Rob Mankoff
Feat. Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Michael J. Fox…; A worthy sequel to the live–action/CGI original, with spritely mouse Stuart still living with the Little family (Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie),…
Tarzan and Jane (2002): Animated Disney sequel to TARZAN, with the titular characters enjoying domestic hijinks in the jungle.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (...And More Stories That Sing) (2002): Animated adaptation of three classic children's stories dealing with music, including: There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly, Antarctic Antics,…
Thunderpants (2002): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Paul Giamatti…; Sweet but slight comedy concerning a 10–year old prodigy who turns his scientific talents towards helping a misfit friend who suffers from high…
Treasure Planet (2002): Dir. John Musker, Ron Clements
Feat. Emma Thompson, Martin Short, David Hyde Pierce; A spaced–up animated version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s TREASURE ISLAND, with young Jim shipping aboard a galactic galleon with…
Tuck Everlasting (2002): Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek, William Hurt…; Family costumer set in 19th century Maryland, where a rebellious teenage girl discovers a mysterious world in the woods owned by her father. Therein…
Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears (...and More Stories From Africa) (2002): Sublime animated adaptation of three stories from authors Verna Aardema and Gail E. Haley, offering quirky tales from the animal kingdom. Aardema's…
Wild Thornberrys Movie, The (2002): Dir. Jeff McGrath, Cathy Malkasian
Feat. Lacey Chabert, Tom Kane, Tim Curry…; The peculiar wilderness family that makes wildlife documentaries together get the big–screen treatment in this well liked version of…
Worst Witch, The (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Una Stubbs; British TV Series chronicling the misadventures of Miss Cackle and her Academy for witches.
Angelina Ballerina (TV Series) (2001-2002): Animated TV series charts the pirouetting adventures of a young mouse who wants to be a ballerina. Cutesome stories are bolstered by thoughtfully…
Atlantis - The Lost Empire (2001): Dir. Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise; An exciting new direction for Disney animations, this swift–moving pulp adventure story is more Indiana Jones than LION KING. Concocting an…
Back to the Secret Garden (2001): Dir. Michael Tuchner
Feat. Joan Plowright, George Baker, Cherie Lunghi…; Sequel to the 1993 enchanted family adventure THE SECRET GARDEN set years later with the original children Mary and Colin now married (yes, they are…
Badjelly the Witch (2001): Based on the Spike Milligan story that entranced a generation of children, and translated into an unfussy animation. Follow the adventures of Tim…
Being Eve (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Fleur Saville; Spunky, good–natured Kiwi comedy essays the angsty teenage years of girl philosopher Eve Baxter, whose unconventional outlook on life is…
Cats and Dogs (Cats & Dogs) (2001): Dir. Lawrence Guterman
Feat. Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins, Alec Baldwin…; More one for dog–people than cat lovers, this finds feline resentment at dogs (being man’s best friend and all) leading to a plan for cat…
Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True (2001): Having snagged herself a prince, Cinderella enjoys the life being a royal housewife in the palace. Rather in–essential sequel from Disney.
Clifford (TV Series) (2001): Feat. John Ritter, Grey DeLisle; Clifford the Big Red Dog comes to the rescue on Birdwell Island in this amiable children's animation. The VHS tape for hire "Saves the Day"…
Cyberchase (TV Series) (2001): An animated series which packs its tale of three kids sucked into cyberspace with various educationally–minded computer maths problems, related…
Hamilton Mattress (2001): Dir. Barry Purves; A clever and kooky clay–mation featuring Sludger, an aadvark with a talent for jazz drumming who pals up with a caterpillar and goes in search…
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman…; Immensely popular, this star–studded adaptation of JK Rowling’s first book thankfully captures the essence of orphan Harry’s tale of…
Hildegarde (2001): Dir. Di Drew
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Tom Long, Tara Morice; Three children pursue those who have stolen their loved pet duck, who seek to imprison her in their travelling nature–show. Richard E Grant is…
Hoobs, The (TV Series) (2001-2006): Created by the Jim Henson workshop, this TV series is set in Hoobland – a colourful and bouncy kind of place – where Iva, Tula and Groove…
Ivor The Invisible (2001): Feat. Timothy Spall, Jane Horrocks, Alison Steadman; Another one of Raymond Briggs' (WHEN THE WIND BLOWS) evocative children's animations has young John waking up one morning to discover and invisible…
Jack and the Beanstalk - The Real Story (2001): Dir. Brian Henson
Feat. Matthew Modine, Jon Voight, Vanessa Redgrave…; TV sequel to the fairytale of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in which a descendant of Jack (Modine) must lift a family curse by returning the world of the…
Jimmy Neutron - Boy Genius (2001): Dir. John A Davis; Sophisticated animated feature from Nickelodeon TV is a mite hyperactive but is breathtaking in design and has a captivating story that will…
Land Before Time 8: The Big Freeze (2001): Further challenges face the dinosaurs of the Great Valley when they wake one morning to find themselves in the grip of a cold snap and set off to…
Little Polar Bear, The (2001): Feat. Mijail Verona, Maximilian Artajo; Based on the internationally best–selling German picture books set around the Arctic frolics of a young polar bear. Attractively animated too.
Monsters, Inc. (2001): Dir. Peter Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
Feat. John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Jennifer Tilly…; Discovering that children’s screams can be converted into an energy source (‘Scream Heat’), monsters lurk in their closets to feed the…
Nightmare Room, The (TV Series) (2001): Essentially a reprise of the creepy kids TV Series GOOSEBUMPS, this posits a series of spooky scenarios similarly narrated by R.L. Stine.
Osmosis Jones (2001): Dir. Pete Farrelly, Bob Farrelly
Feat. Bill Murray, Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne…; The Farrelly Bros (KINGPIN) take their comic fixation with bodily functions to extremes by setting this icky animation within the bowels of Bill…
Pokemon 2000 (2001): Feature–length delve through the world of those cute, sometimes lethal Japanese balls of coloured fuzz. Ash Ketchum must save the world from…
Princess of Thieves (2001): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Keira Knightley, Malcolm McDowell, Stuart Wilson; A pre–blockbuster Kiera Knightley plays the daughter of Robin Hood in this Disney re–imagining of the Sherwood legend: sporting the…
Reboot (TV Series) (2001): Dir. Steve Ball, Gavin Blair
Feat. Michael Benyaer, Sharon Alexander, Kathleen Barr; Popular Canadian CGI series set in a computer system where a group of sprites must defend their territory known as the 'Mainframe' from viruses and…
Recess: School's Out (2001): Dir. Chuck Sheetz; Disney cartoon which follows the shenanigans of several cocky schoolkids. Most importantly they try to foil the plans of their former…
Ripping Friends, The (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Eric Bauza, Mark Dailey, Dwayne Hill; Animated series from John Kricfalusi (REN & STIMPY) where four muscleheaded superheroes humourously flub their assigned roles. Not quite on a par…
Saddle Club, The (TV Series) (2001-2003): Likeable family drama follows the fortunes of the Pine Hollow Stables, horses and the girls who ride them. Sunny characters and storylines make for…
Samurai Jack (2001): The first three episodes (as a 'pilot movie') of the animated TV series concerning a silent and angular warrior who defends a quasi–ancient…
Samurai Jack (TV Series) (2001): Cartoon Network's zen warrior in series mode, broadening the pilot's movie–length setup of a young samurai thrust into the future by evil…
Shrek (2001): Dir. Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Feat. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow…; Flipping the rules of fairy–tales (and especially the Walt Disney incarnations) on their head, the ‘hero’ of this animation is in fact…
Simpsons, The - Season 13 (TV Series) (2001-2002): By the 21st century; the Simpsons had obtained such status that they could no longer pretend to be a band of outsiders. A–list celebrities and…
Snow White - The Fairest of Them All (2001): Dir. Caroline Thompson
Feat. Miranda Richardson, Kristin Kreuk, Vera Farmiga…; When baby Snow's father frees a bewitched djinn, he is granted three wishes: nourishment for his child, a kingdom in which to raise her, and a queen…
Spy Kids (2001): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Cheech Marin…; Smashing kidult adventure, in which action dir. Rodriguez lends his action talents to a James Bond–type tale with a twist: Antonio Banderas and…
Station Jim (2001): Feat. George Cole, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laura Fraser; Old–fashioned family frolic set in Victorian England that especially entertains through the wily antics of a Jack Russell terrier, and its…
Tom Thumb (Le Petit Poucet) (2001): Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Nils Hugon, Catherine Deneuve, Said Taghmaoui; Ambitious, enjoyably dark rendering of Perrault’s classic fable, "Le Petit Poucet" told with trademark French twistedness and aplomb, kids will…
102 Dalmatians (2000): Dir. Kevin Lima
Feat. Glenn Close, Gerard Depardieu; 'Rehabilitated' dalmation–hater Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) isn't long out of the clink before she's back to her old ways in this worthy…
10th Kingdom, The (Mini-series) (2000): Dir. David Carson, Herbert Wise
Feat. Kimberley Williams, Scott Cohen, John Larroquette…; Elaborate, 7–hour fairy–tale extravaganza is engaging and imaginative family fare made under the 'Hallmark' television banner, and is…
Adventures of Curious George and His Friends (2000): Dir. John Matthews; Cute king of the jungle George and The Man in the Yellow Hat gets the full–length feature treatment and along for the picnic are his pals Toad,…
Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The (2000): Dir. Des McAnuff
Feat. Robert De Niro, Jason Alexander, Rene Russo…; Cutting–edge technology combines animation with live action for this wacky cross–country romp adapted from a television show…
Amazon (Amazone) (2000): Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Arielle Dombasle; Convoluted sci–fi adventure has jewel thief Belmondo stumbling upon an alien visitor in the guise of a twelve year old girl. Almost…
Angela Anaconda (TV Series) (2000): Kooky kids animation series set in Tapwater Springs Primary School where a freckly girl cursed with a nasally voice tries to make it through the…
Annie (2000): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Alicia Morton; Remake of the love–it–or–hate–it original, again finds the feisty carrot–top fleeing her orphan home (and a mean Kathy…
Blue's Clues (TV Series) (2000): Feat. Steve Burns; Innovative, inter–active children's television especially for the very young, with host Steve and a host of simply animated creations including…
Brum (TV Series) (2000): From the creative stable that bore the 'Teletubbies', this precursor applies the same winning formula of simple narrated stories that discover…
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command - The Adventure Begins (2000): Dir. Tad Stones; The TOY STORY character spins–off into his own franchise (still with Tim Allen’s voice) for an animated space–adventure battling…
Chicken Run (2000): Dir. Nick Park, Peter Lord
Feat. Mel Gibson, Jane Horrocks, Miranda Richardson; Britain's Aardman animation studio make the feature film leap with the aid of Hollywood and pull it off with wit and spirit in tact, while making…
Dinosaur (2000): Dir. Eric Leighton, Ralph Zondag; Essentially a prehistoric road movie with a little TARZAN thrown in, Disney offers a visually splendid computer animation. Follows the journey of…
Dora the Explorer (TV Series) (2000-2003): Extremely popular Nickleodeon series about a bilingual (English and Spanish) girl who goes exploring with her friend Monkey Boots, having to read…
Elmo's World (TV Series) (2000-2008): The super friendly little red monster from SESAME STREET now has his own educational kids series. Elmo's World series shows children how to have a…
Emperor's New Groove, The (2000): Dir. Mark Dindal
Feat. David Spade, Eartha Kitt, John Goodman; One of Disney’s less–publicised recent cartoons set in a stylised Inca kingdom, stringing together some zany gags without the usual…
Geppetto (2000): Dir. Tom Moore
Feat. Drew Carey, Brent Spiner, Rene Auberjonois; Disney telemovie version of the much–filmed Italian fairytale, better known as 'Pinocchio', where the wooden toy wishes he were a real…
Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, The (TV Series) (2000): Cartoon Network deviancy finds two off–kilter kids who befriend – and manipulate! – the Grim Reaper, convincing him to relocate to the…
Grinch, The (2000): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor; Live–action version of the Dr Seuss classic that does some justice to the anarchic vision of the mean–spirited Grinch, who’s heart is…
Help I'm a Fish (2000): Danish animation where three children find themselves transformed into fishies after accidentally drinking a scientific potion. Reasonable…
Iron Giant, The (2000): A robust, state–of–the–art adaptation of British poet Ted Hughes' The Iron Man novella, transposed to small–town Maine in the…
Jellabies - Jellytastic (2000): Dir. Ralph Tittley; The six gelatinous Jellabies and Duffy the Dragon explore the Jolly Jelly World. Narrated by Rik Mayall
Kid, The (2000): Dir. Jon Turteltaub
Feat. Bruce Willis, Spencer Breslin, Lily Tomlin; Bruce Willis’ likeable persona serves the child audience well, playing a rich, cynical image consultant, who is visited by his 8–yr old self…
Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure (2000): Dir. Darrell Rooney; Lady and Tramp's pup Scamp has a whole movie to himself, venturing into the tree–lined suburban streets of his hometown, getting acquainted…
Little Mermaid 2, The (2000): The captivating musical style returns for this quality Disney sequel in which daughter of the little mermaid, Ariel, takes centre stage. Five new…
Madeline Lost in Paris (2000): The cheeky French mademoiselle becomes animated in this feature–length odyssey through the environs of gay Paris (a la Dis–ney).
Magic Pudding, The (2000): Feat. Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving…; Based on Norman Lindsay's hilarious classic book about Albert, a magic pudding and his three companions who must defend him against the Pudding…
Miracle Maker, The (2000): Dir. Stanislav Sokolov, Derek Hayes
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Julie Christie, William Hurt…; Once you get used to the jerky, THUNDERBIRDS puppet–style, this version of the Bible–story is something quite unique, allowing the…
Mr. Rice's Secret (2000): Dir. Nicholas Kendall
Feat. David Bowie; David Bowie is the 400–yr old ‘friend’ of a terminally ill boy who is directed into a magical adventure in this British–Canadian…
Play School (TV Series) (2000): Episodes of the excellent pre–schooler's edu–tainment program including Meets the Orchestra, Live in Concert, Everybody Sing, Dinosaurs,…
Pokemon - The First Movie (2000): First feature from the billion–dollar Japanese furry franchise, containing more intrigues in the cryptic–to–adults world of…
Powerpuff Girls, The (TV Series) (2000): Spunky super–sisters Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup trade school lessons for fighting crime in this savvy, sugar–coated superhero series…
Prince and the Pauper, The (2000): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Alan Bates; Admirable, entertaining adaptation of Mark Twain's classic story of lookalikes who get caught up in imperial intrigue when a young Prince and a…
Princes and Princesses (Princes et Princesses) (2000): Dir. Michel Ocelot
Feat. Arlette Mirapeu, Philippe Cheytion, Yves Barsacq; French animation compilation made up of six episodes from director and animator Michel Ocelot's silhouette animation television series Ciné si. The…
Railway Children, The (2000): Dir. Catherine Morshead
Feat. Jenny Agutter, Michael Kitchen, Richard Attenborough; Reviving Edith Nesbit’s classic turn–of–the–century tale of three siblings displaced to the English countryside is this freshly…
Rat (2000): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Imelda Staunton; After a hard night at the pub, Pete Postlethwaite greets the day transformed into a white rat, giving a nicely surreal twist to this surprisingly…
Road to El Dorado (2000): Dir. Eric Bergeron, Don Paul; Prime musical animated adventure from Spielberg's Dreamworks studio, set in 1519 Spain, where con–artist pals Miguel and Tulio escape jail and…
See Spot Run (2000): Dir. John Whitesell
Feat. David Arquette; Super–sleuth police–dog Agent 11, must go into hiding from the Mafia, with inept, dog–shy mailman David Arquette (who humiliatingly…
Sesame Street (TV Series) (2000): Elmo, Big Bird, Grover and many others return for a new edition of the perennial edu–tainment series from the "Children's Television Workshop".
Seven Little Monsters (TV Series) (2000-2003): Endearingly fantastical and un–cute children's animation based on the book by Maurice Sendak ('Where the Wild Things Are'). Set around the…
Simpsons, The - Season 12 (TV Series) (2000-2001): Further episodes from the iconic animated TV Series: Treehouse of Horror XI, A Tale of Two Springfields, Insane Clown Poppy, Lisa the Tree Hugger,…
Spot (TV Series) (2000): Spot, the dog with the spot, has adventures in his friendly animated world. On tape – "Goes to a Party" – with nine adventures. On…
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble (2000): Dir. John Hay
Feat. Lewis McKenzie, Robert Carlyle, Gina McKee…; Feelgood hit about one boy's quest for football fame in the estates of Manchester, where he emerges from the school–of–hard–knocks…
Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000): Dir. Britt Allcroft
Feat. Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda; Yikes! An Americanised feature film version of the very British children’s institution incorporates live actors into the mix and new…
Tigger Movie, The (2000): Dir. Jun Falkenstein; Those who enjoy Disney's superb (though American–voiced) versions of A.A. Milne will not be disappointed with jolly Tigger's very own…
Toy Story 2 (2000): Dir. John Lasseter, Ash Brannon
Feat. Tim Allen, Tom Hanks; Returning to the ultimate CGI toy–box pulls out the old gang and adds a few fresh novelties to join in Buzz Lightyear's attempt to rescue…
Trumpet of the Swan, The (2000): Dir. Richard Rich, Terry L Noss; Based on E.B. White’s (CHARLOTTE’S WEB) book about a mute young swan, with low self–esteem but a talent for the trumpet, this…
Alice in Wonderland (1999): Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley…; The creators of the MERLIN TV–series pull–off another updating, this time Lewis Carroll's childrens' classic. Seamless special effects…
Animal Farm (1999): Dir. John Stephenson
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite; George Orwell's classic farmyard yarn (which also happens to be an allegory of the Russian Revolution) brought to life with hi–tech effects a…
Asterix and Obelix Take on Caesar (1999): Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Christian Clavier, Roberto Benigni; An ambitious, 'live–action' adaptation of Goscinny and Uderzo's classic Roman Age comicbook. Visually lavish, this was a box–office…
Babar - King of the Elephants (1999): Dir. Raymond Jafelice
Feat. Kristin Fairlie, Jennifer Martini, Dan Lett…; The story of a how a little elephant named Babar grows up to become King of the Elephants is animated with care and true to the spirit of the…
Baby Geniuses (1999): Dir. Bob Clark
Feat. Christopher Lloyd, Kathleen Turner; A thriller with LOOK WHO'S TALKING–style kiddie overdubs, this has a scary Christopher Lloyd tending a laboratory full of ultra–brainy…
Bartok the Magnificent (1999): Dir. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman; This feature–length animated tale features the hapless winged hero from 'Anastasia', who must rescue his new friend Prince Ivan from the nasty…
Bicentennial Man (1999): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Robin Williams, Sam Neill, Embeth Davidtz; The indefatigable Robin Williams extends his range into the robotic, playing a household android who, over the course of 200 years learns what it is…
Big Daddy (1999): Dir. Dennis Dugan
Feat. Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams; Dysfunctional but lovable oaf Adam Sandler adopts a five–year–old boy in order to impress girlfriend Joey Lauren Adams. Cue life lessons…
Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1999): Dir. Robert C Ramirez; The talking two–slice pop–up and fellow appliances Blanky, Lampy, Radio and Kirby the vacuum cleaner are back, striving to rescue some…
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1999): Catchy tunes and anthropomorphic letters combined make for an an entertaining and educational show for the little ones.
Courage the Cowardly Dog (TV Series) (1999-2002): Cartoon Network series centering on the exploits of 'Courage', a small fuchsia dog who despite his name is afraid of the most mundane things, but…
Digimon - The Movie (1999): Dir. Bob Buchholz, Jeff Nimoy; Another American–ised Japanese animation in the POKEMON and DRAGONBALL Z vein – here ‘digital monsters’ threaten the world’s…
Doug's First Movie (1999): Feature version of the 'Doug' TV–series, in which the thoughtful Doug hopes to woo classmate Patti Mayonnaise when he discovers the secret of…
Dragonball Z (TV Series) (1999): A violent Japanese children’s animation that features standoffs between various good and evil characters. Rather repetitive after a while, though…
Elmo in Grouchland (1999): Dir. Gary Halvorson; The famed Muppet of Sesame Street'' loses his precious blanket, the one he promised he would always hug, and goes on a rollicking search in the…
Fantasia 2000 (1999): Dir. Various; Conceived for the IMAX giant screen, this eco–themed revision of Disney's 1940 milestone marries more classical music excerpts to whimsical…
Inspector Gadget (1999): Dir. David Kellogg
Feat. Matthew Broderick; Fast, silly and proud of it, this is the Disney take on a hero with more gizmos than a Swiss Army Knife. Matthew Broderick dodges death as both…
Jack Frost (1999): Dir. Troy Miller
Feat. Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy; After a fatal car accident, Michael Keaton returns to life as… a snowman in this rather slushy Christmas movie. Seeking to fulfil his neglected…
Kids World (1999): Dir. Dale G Bradley
Feat. Ryan Mitchell, Christopher Lloyd; Set–in–America, but made–in–NZ, this cute wish–fulfilment fable has 12–yr old Ryan Mitchell and his pals…
Little Bear Movie, The (1999): Dir. Raymond Jafelice; The affable creation of Maurice Sendak, Little Bear gets his own movie, in which he and his new pal Cub, go on an expedition with Owl, Hen, Cat and…
Maisy (TV Series) (1999): Animated versions of the colourful, gentle and educational world of Maisy the Mouse and friends. BEDTIME & OTHER STORIES – Maisy goes…
Mighty Joe Young (1999): Dir. Ron Underwood
Feat. Charlize Theron, Bill Paxton; Good natured eco–action movie, a remake of the 1949 film of the same name (KING KONG lite, if you will), follows the re–habitation of an…
Muppets from Space (1999): Dir. Tim Hill; Kermit and co. leap to the rescue of Gonzo the Great, whose been kidnapped for research purposes after it's discovered he's from another planet.…
My Dog Skip (1999): Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane, Kevin Bacon…; Heart–warming childhood memoir of Willie Morris, growing up poor and awkward in 40s Mississippi, but finding confidence through his friendship…
My Favourite Martian (1999): Dir. Donald Petrie
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Christopher Lloyd; Family sci–fi comedy based on the US 60s TV series, with Jeff Daniels as the ordinary Joe who harbours a stranded extra–terrestrial…
My Neighbours the Yamadas (Houhokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun) (1999): Dir. Isao Takahata; With an original eye and ear for the burdensome triviality and difficulties of everyday life, this Japanese animation concerns a set of suburbanite…
Night of the Headless Horseman (1999): Dir. Shane Williams; Sticking closer to Washington Irving's 18th century gothic tale than SLEPPY HOLLOW, the mildly scary haunting of town–wimp Ichabod Crane by a…
Olive, The Other Reindeer (1999): Dir. Oscar Moore
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Dan Castellaneta, Edward Asner…; Animated TV special about a cute wee dog, who after mis–hearing a radio broadcast about Santa cancelling Christmas due to an injured reindeer,…
Pablo the Little Red Fox (TV Series) (1999): Mischievous Pablo relocates from the country to the city, where new challenges – humans, namely – face him and his friends.
Pocahontas 2 - Journey to a New World (1999): Disney's Native–American heroine returns for voyage to the Old World with animal hangers–on Meeko, Percy and Flit. Romance looms, then…
Redwall (1999): Dir. Raymond Jafelice; In a world of mice versus rats, a young novice monk must rise to his destiny and help defend his abbey. A tastefully animated tale based on the…
Robbie the Reindeer (1999): Excellent kidult clay–mation in the WALLACE & GROMIT mold, with the son of Rudolph, an apprentice to Santa Claus contending with the vicious…
Rocket Power (TV Series) (1999-2004): Easy–going skater animation series centred on four skatie pals – Otto, Reggie, Twister and Sam that love nothing more than outdoing their…
Sally Marshall Is Not an Alien (1999): Dir. Mario Andreacchio
Feat. Natalie Vansier; A modern day Pippi Longstocking, set in the playgrounds of Adelaide, Australia, where the kooky Sally's (Natalie Vansier) best friend must prove to…
Simpsons, The - Season 11 (TV Series) (1999-2000): Further episodes from the iconic animated TV Series: Disc 11.1: Beyond Blunderdome. Brother's Little Helper. Guess Who's Coming to Criticize…
Sleepy Hollow (1999): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Christopher Walken…; The oft–filmed short story 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is fashioned by illustrious iconoclast Tim Burton as the goriest, most…
Soccer Dog (1999): Dir. Tony Giglio
Feat. James Marshall, Olivia d'Abo; A talented dog lends skill to a kids soccer team in this moderately amusing family comedy. Successful enough to spawn a (inferior) sequel, it's worth…
Stuart Little (1999): Dir. Rob Minkoff
Feat. Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Michael J. Fox…; Sophisticated CGI wizardry brings alive E.B White's fluffy, all–American tale of an orphaned mouse adopted by a squeaky–clean couple…
Switching Goals (1999): Dir. David Steinberg
Feat. Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Michael Cera; Sticks like glue to the Olsen formula of pulling the old switcheroo, this time the twins trade places so they can each play in the soccer team they…
Tarzan (1999): Dir. Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Feat. Tony Goldwyn, Rosie O'Donnell, Minnie Driver…; Sticking faithfully to Edgar Rice Burroughs' original story, Disney return to the top of the animated game. No–nonsense, traditional…
Thunder Stone (TV Series) (1999): Feat. Jeffrey Walker, Kate Keltie; Effective Aussie sci–fi kid's series of a heroic teenager who exists in a future where all animals have become extinct, once he figures out the…
Tom Sawyer (1999): Dir. Paul Sabella; Tom Sawyer and best–buddy Huckleberry Finn float down a Disney–fied Mississippi in this sparkly animation, which appropriately features…
Tweenies, The (TV Series) (1999): A BBC children's show for ages 3–5, with four quasi–muppet creatures (Fizz, Jake, Milo and Bella) directing the songs, dances,…
Watership Down (TV Series) (1999): Feat. Richard Briers, Jane Horrocks, Andrew Falvey; Extended adaptation of Richard Adam's bestselling novel following a group of rabbits leaving their endangered warren in search of a new home, and the…
Alice Through The Looking Glass (1998): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Jonathan Bailey, Steve Coogan…; Impressively cast version of Lewis Carroll's second Alice book takes the unusual liberty of presenting Alice (Beckinsale) as a young adult woman.…
Anastasia (1998): Dir. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman; After disappearing into an animated turmoil of Russian history, the lost Romanov Princess quests to regain her inheritance with the help of various…
Antz (1998): Dir. Eric Darnell, Tim Johnson
Feat. Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone…; Fully computer–animated family film takes best advantage of current technology, and successfully implants the voice and persona of Woody Allen…
Babe 2: Pig in the City (1998): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Elizabeth Daily, Mary Stein, Magda Szubanski; More walking–talking bacon, this time trotting off to the big city in search of cash to save the farm. Special–effects are again…
Black Cat, White Cat (1998): Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Bajram Severdzan, Srdjan Todorovic, Branka Katic; An endearingly chaotic and convivial comedy from Bosnian–born film–maker Kusturica that follows the slapstick rivalry between criminal…
Bob the Builder (TV Series) (1998-2002): Dir. Sarah Ball; The jolly and quite sensible clay–mated builder has everyday adventures with friends Scoop, Muck, Wendy and Spud. Of course backed by one of…
Body Troopers (1998): Dir. Vibeke Idsoe
Feat. Adolf Bjerke, Sigve Boe, Leif Dubard; An adventure of the non–precocious variety, in which an 8–year–old boy is shrunk and injected into his sick grandfather's…
Borrowers, The (1998): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. John Goodman, Jim Broadbent; Inhabiting the wall and floor–spaces of our houses, colonies of tiny people eek out an existence 'borrowing' food–scraps and those items…
Bug's Life, A (1998): Dir. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton; Computer–generated follow–up from the creators of TOY STORY concocts a wondrous microcosmic setting where inventor ant Flik enlists an…
Casper Meets Wendy (1998): Dir. Sean McNamara
Feat. Cathy Moriaty, Shelley Duvall, Teri Garr; Casper the Friendly Ghost helps apprentice–witch Wendy and her three aunts (Cathy Moriaty, Shelly Duvall and Teri Garr) evade a wicked warlock.…
Crackers (1998): Dir. David Swann
Feat. Warren Mitchell, Peter Rowsthorn, Susan Lyons; Exploring the rituals and humour of a Melbourne suburban backyard at Christmas time as four generations of a typical clan booze and squabble their…
Dalmatian Vacation (1998): Dir. 1998; It may be the sequel, but its still that same old litter of spotted pups strutting their stuff, this time on vacation with owners Roger and Anita.…
Dr. Dolittle (1998): Dir. Betty Thomas
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Ossie Davis, Oliver Platt…; Slick remake of the 1967 musical replaces songs with tech wizardry and the comic mugging of Eddie Murphy as the medic who can 'talk to the…
Enid Blyton - Magic of the Faraway Tree (1998): Writer Enid Blyton (FAMOUS FIVE) waxes whimisical in these connected fantasy tales set in the upper branches of a great cosmic plant, animated with…
Ever After (1998): Dir. Andy Tennant
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston; Update of the 'Cinderella' story tweaks the moral emphasis of the original Grimm fairy–tale. A brunette Drew Barrymore wrestles with an English…
Goodnight Mister Tom (Goodnight Mr. Tom) (1998): Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. John Thaw; Touching tele–adaptation of the beloved wartime novel about a young boy relocated during London’s air raids to live with an old hermit in the…
Jungle Book - Mowgli's Story (1998): Dir. Nick Marck; Disney's live–action version of Rudyard Kipling's famous children's series in which the boy Mowgli is adopted into the ways of the jungle by…
Kirikou and the Sorceress (1998): Dir. Michel Ocelot; A stunning French animation based on a West African folktale in which a tiny boy, Kirikou, emerges walking and talking from his mother's womb and…
Land Before Time 6: The Secret of Saurus Rock (1998): The series shows no sign of diminishing returns with this adventure in which Dinah and Dana have run away to search for the mysterious Saurus Rock. …
Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998): Dir. Rob LaDuca, Darrell Rooney; Life on the Savannah continues with Simba's lion–cub daughter Kiara running away from the pride into a movie of her own, where she falls in…
Madeline (1998): Dir. Daisy Von Scherler Mayer
Feat. Hatty Jones, Frances McDormand; Little Hatty Jones is quite marvellous as a cutey–rebel redhead boarding at a school of etiquette presided by groovy nun Frances McDormand in…
Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot, The (1998): Dir. Frederik Du Chau; When King Arthur's sword Excalibur disappears, teenage tearaway Kayley and her squire Garrett pursue the culprits through an animated fantasy world…
Merlin (1998): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Sam Neill, Isabella Rossellini, Rutger Hauer…; Playing the titular wizard, Sam Neill lends his talents to a well thought–out, monster–filled variation on the King Arthur cycle. Other…
Mouse Hunt (1998): Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, Christopher Walken; Larger than life, very entertaining all–ages comedy follows the misfortunes of brothers Nathan Lane and Lee Evans, who inherit the family…
Mr. Magoo (1998): Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Leslie Nielsen, Kelly Lynch; Disney live–action remake, with Leslie Nielsen assuming the squint and bumbling crankiness of the small–screen 'toon. In this instance,…
Mulan (1998): Feat. Eddie Murphy, Donny Osmond, Ming Na; Animated epic based on a kind of Chinese Joan of Arc character from the Wei Dynasty, who disguises herself as a man so she can take her father's…
My Giant (1998): Dir. Michael Lehmann
Feat. Billy Crystal, Gheorghe Muresan, Kathleen Quinlan…; Novelty comedy in which Billy Crystal plays a desperate movie agent who uncovers the next "big" thing in Romania when he meets a giant basketballer…
Parent Trap, The (1998): Dir. Nancy Meyers
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, Lindsay Lohan; A–list entertainment for the pint–sizes is the Disney remake of their own Hayley Mills–as–twin–sisters favourite from…
Paulie (1998): Dir. John Roberts
Feat. Tony Shalhoub, Gena Rowlands; Another BABE–inspired talking–animal movie, this time recalling the worldly escapades of a wise–cracking exotic parrot.…
Prince of Egypt, The (1998): Dir. Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells; Inspired translation of biblical grandeur by Disney rival, Dreamworks, telling the story of Moses with a handful of hummable, Oscar–winning…
Real Mccaw, The (1998): Dir. Mario Andreacchio
Feat. Jason Robards Jr.; A wise–cracking 149–year–old former pirate's mate upstages Jason Robards and co. in this talking–parrot comedy that's at…
Rugrats - The Movie (1998): Dir. Norton Virgien, Igor Kovalyov
Feat. Elizabeth Daily, Whoopi Goldberg, David Spade…; The babies–eye view of the TV sitcom is given a longer attention span, with Tommy Pickles, Anjelica and friends released from domestic…
Simpsons, The - Season 10 (TV Series) (1998): Further episodes from the iconic animated TV Series: Disc 10.1: Lard of the Dance, The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace, Bart the Mother, Treehouse of…
Small Soldiers (1998): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Kirsten Dunst; A kidult toy story that concocts a legion of CGI plastic soldiers into a live–action smalltown America. Doing battle with the toy monsters…
Ugly Duckling, The (1998): Classic Hans Christian Anderson tale of the not–so–handsome quacker who grows up to be a you–know–what, is diligently…
Wiggles Movie, The (1998): Dir. Dean Covell; The highly popular Australian kid's entertainers successfully extend their brand of zany humour and catchy song–and–dance numbers into a…
Angry Beavers, The (TV Series) (1997): Kids buddy–slacker series from the heyday of Nickelodeon after school TV about two adolescent beaver brothers who set up flat in a forest pack.…
Barney's Great Adventure (1997): Dir. Steve Gomer; A GODZILLA for the soft and cuddly set, his purpleness leads a young girl on an improbable, musical quest on her grandparent's farm after a…
Bean (1997): Dir. Mel Smith
Feat. Rowan Atkinson; Rowan Atkinson's famous alter–ego gets to prank about in this fish–out–of–water Hollywood comedy but its Atkinson himself who…
Buddy (1997): Dir. Caroline Thompson
Feat. Rene Russo, Robbie Coltrane; Animal freaks Rene Russo and Robbie Coltrane incur a series of fine messes when they attempt to domesticate an adult gorilla into their feathered and…
Casper - A Spirited Beginning (1997): Dir. Sean McNamara
Feat. Steve Guttenberg, Rodney Dangerfield; Sequel to CASPER similarly combines live actors Steve Guttenberg and Rodney Dangerfield, with the usual gang of wispy animations: Casper, again on…
Castle, The (1997): Dir. Rob Sitch
Feat. Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Sophie Lee…; Uniquely Antipodean comedy about a blissfully naïve family that become forced to take on the council Goliath who wish to convert their beloved…
Cats Don't Dance (1997): Dir. Mark Dindal; Danny the cat has showbiz in his blood and tries to make it in Hollywood, but finds out that, damn, only humans get the parts. Packed with dance and…
Corduroy (TV Series) (1997): Lovely animated adaption of Don Freeman's much loved tales of Corduroy the Bear. Contains three stories: Corduroy. Yo! Yes? Here Comes the…
Cow and Chicken (TV Series) (1997-2001): Relentlessly mad–cap Cartoon Network creation that's clearly inspired by "Ren and Stimpy", featuring a cow and his poultry 'sibling' who live…
Education of Little Tree, The (1997): Dir. Richard Friedenberg
Feat. Joseph Ashton, James Cromwell, Mika Boorem…; Smoky Mountains set family drama adapted from the best–selling novel about a small Cherokee orphan sent to live with his grandparents in the…
Enid Blyton's Secret Series (TV Series) (1997): Follow–up to the popular Kiwi–produced 'Adventure Series', with the intrepid Arnold family embarking on more thrills and spills the world…
Fairytale: A True Story (1997): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Harvey Keitel; An exquisite kidult flight–of–fancy based on one of the great popular myths of the 20th Century – the mysterious, allegedly…
Fathers' Day (1997): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Robin Williams, Billy Crystal; Middle–aged slacker Robin Williams and finnicky lawyer Billy Crystal dish up more of the same in this…
Ferngully 2 - The Magical Rescue (1997): Treefairies Crysta and Pips return to protect their rainforest from poachers in this environmental and child–friendly sequel.
Flubber (1997): Dir. Les Mayfield
Feat. Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden; Robin Williams again gets the character–chemistry right in a reprise of the classic Absent–Minded Professor, the inadvertent inventor of…
George of the Jungle (1997): Dir. Sam Weisman
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church; Loose JUNGLE BOOK parody has Brendan Fraser as the hunky klutz in a loin cloth, raised by gorillas, who discovers love in the form of Ursula, whose…
Hercules (1997): Dir. Phil Weinstein; Disney animated blockbuster is a thrilling odyssey among the mythological figures of ancient Greece. With pals Pegasus, Phil and Meg, father Zeus,…
Hercules and Xena - Battle for Mt. Olympus (1997): Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless and Michael Hurst lend their voices to this sprightly animated feature combining the playful elements of their popular TV…
Home Alone 3 (1997): Dir. Raja Gosnell
Feat. Alex D. Lintz, Scarlett Johansson; Guard–brat, Alex D Lintz, takes up the keys to the house from Culkin, to extend the series into fresh realms of burglar abuse. Alas, Joe Pesci…
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997): Dir. Dean Cundey
Feat. Rick Moranis, Bug Hall, Robin Bartlett; Final installment in the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" trilogy follows Rick Moranis' inventor who accidentally shrinks himself and most of his family.…
I Am Weasel (TV Series) (1997): Dir. David Feiss; Cartoon Network series that originated as part of the COW AND CHICKEN show, about the adventures of an internationally famous and gifted weasel and…
James and the Giant Peach (1997): Dir. Henry Selick; The animators behind NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS bring their fastidious stop–motion work to gradual bloom as a boy journeys along a magical path…
Joey (1997): Dir. Ian Barry
Feat. Jamie Croft, Alex McKenna, Rebecca Gibney; A boy, a girl and a lost baby kangaroo set forth on a perilous homeward journey via Aussie wilderness and cityscapes. Look no further for a bonza…
Johnny Bravo (TV Series) (1997): Elvis–emulating, Fonz–imitaing man–child Johnny Bravo postures his way through this nonsensical Cartoon Network romp, preoccupied…
Jonny Quest (1997): Animated special–agents Jonny, Hadji and the Quest Team, fight for the sake of the environment, in this Hanna–Barbara cartoon. Two…
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997): Dir. John Pasquin
Feat. Tim Allen, Martin Short, JoBeth Williams…; New–Yorker Tim Allen (in his second big–screen outing), discovers he has a 13–yr old son who's had an Amazon rainforest unbringing.…
Kiwi Cartoon Collection, The (1997-2007): A showcase of homegrown children's animation, highlighting a decade of work from the award–winning Flux Animation Studios. Features episodes…
Land Before Time 5: The Mysterious Island (1997): More charming adventures for dinosaur tot Littlefoot and his family as they set off from the Great Valley to find a new home, now that their feeding…
Leave It to Beaver (1997): Dir. Andy Cadiff
Feat. Christopher McDonald, Janine Turner, Cameron Finley…; Update of the golden–age television classic for the Wired generation, proving that's nothing changed in fifty years. The little Beaver…
Matilda (1997): Dir. Danny De Vito
Feat. Mara Wilson, Danny De Vito, Rhea Perlman; An achingly funny and mischievous Roald Dahl story about a browbeaten nine–year–old girl who has the last laugh when bestowed with…
Mighty, The (Freak the Mighty) (1997): Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Elden Henson, Kieran Culkin, Sharon Stone…; Poignant, well–crafted story of two phenomenally mismatched boys who become perfectly complementary friends, escaping the slings and arrows of…
Owd Bob (1997): Dir. Rodney Gibbons
Feat. Colm Meaney, James Cromwell; Set on the Isle of Man, this drama avoids the recent Irish cockle–warming for a more realistic account of rural feuding, that's…
Paws (1997): Dir. Karl Zwicky
Feat. Billy Connolly; Post–BABE talking dog, PC (voice by Billy Connolly) and budding boy detective Zac, dig into the murder of PC's master, who's hidden a million…
Pokemon (TV Series) (1997-2005): Deliver your children into the hands of this Japanese computer–game spinoff created by Nintendo, centred around little fur–ball creatures…
Pooh's Grand Adventure: Search for Christopher Robin (1997): Dir. Karl Geurs; Winnie and friends embark on a search for 'lost' Christopher Robin, unknowing that he's in fact left for school. Musical numbers sweeten the ride in…
Simple Wish, A (1997): Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Mara Wilson, Martin Short, Kathleen Turner; Mara Wilson's (MATILDA) simple wish for a fairy–godmother upturns the blundering Martin Short, who helps/hinders her crusade to rescue her…
Simpsons, The - Season 09 (TV Series) (1997): The first cracks begin to appear in the stories of this almost perfect TV Series: Disc 9.1: The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson, The Principal…
Teletubbies (TV Series) (1997): The 'beings' of this wildly successful BBC–series, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa–Laa and Po, will delight your children and/or make them go all…
That Darn Cat (1997): Dir. Bob Spiers
Feat. Christina Ricci, Doug E. Doug; Teenage sleuth Christina Ricci and pet detective Doug E. Doug investigate a mysterious kidnapping with the help of her cute puss–puss. Fun…
Weird Al Show, The (TV Series) (1997-1998): Dir. Peyton Reed
Feat. Al Yankovic; Short–lived 'educational' children's TV show from the mind of 'Weird Al' Yankovic, perhaps best known in New Zealand for his pop song parodies,…
Whole of the Moon, The (1997): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Toby Fisher, Nikki Si'Ulepa, Pascale Bussieres…; Heartfelt yet uplifting story of two disparate teenage cancer patients who find strength in their misfortune. Dir. Ian Mune's talent for coaxing…
101 Dalmatians (1996): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson…; Ambitious live–action remake of Disney's own animated hit sends both dog and breeder into panic mode when fiendish designer Cruella De Vil…
A Very Brady Sequel (1996): Dir. Arlene Sanford
Feat. Shelley Long, Gary Cole; Superior script propels this 'equal' sequel in which the '70s squarest pegs unwittingly contend with such taboos as bigamy (Mom's first husband shows…
Adventures of Pinocchio, The (1996): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Martin Landau, Jonathan Taylor Thomas; The beloved Carlo Coloddi story receives an enchanting treatment that mixes live–action and wondrous animatronic/CGI effects. Martin Landau…
Alaska (1996): Dir. Fraser Heston
Feat. Thora Birch, Vincent Kartheiser, Dirk Benedict…; Chilly warm–fuzzies abound in this amenable children's adventure – a kind of CLIFFHANGER for kids! Bro and Sis set off in search of their…
Angelmouse (TV Series) (1996): Thoroughly cutesome BBC animated series set around the world of a cheeky mouse who happens to be a floating, halo–headed angel. His various…
Babysitters' Club (1996): Dir. Melanie Mayron
Feat. Brooke Adams, Peter Horton, Ellen Burstyn…; For the girl club–members, about to encounter the world of high–school, those treasured nights of babysitting may be over. Based on the…
Bag of Rice (1996): Dir. Mohammad-Ali Talebi
Feat. Jairan Abadzade, Shirin Bina, Masume Eskandari; A child and her elderly neighbour have small adventures on the streets of Tehran while trying to buy a sack of rice. Those seeking a rare alternative…
BBC Children's Favourites (1996-2002): A smorgasbord of television episodes encompassing the best of the BBC's pre–school stable of delights including The Fimbles, The Tweenies, Bill…
Beast Wars (TV Series) (1996): CGI–animated TV–series set in a semi–futuristic world where various ‘beasts’ battle it out. Although the imagery is often…
Bonjour Timothy (1996): Dir. Wayne Tourell
Feat. Dean O'Gorman, Sabine Karsenti, Angela Bloomfield; Dean O'Gorman and Sabine Karsenti get a dose of culture shock as international exchange students in this Kiwi–French Canadian…
Boy Who Stopped Talking, The (1996): Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Brader Masiki, Ercan Orhan, Halsho Hussain; A nine–year–old boy is forced to flee war–ravaged Turkey for the Netherlands, but decides to stop talking in protest. As well as…
D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996): Dir. Robert Lieberman
Feat. Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson, Jeffrey Nordling…; Inconsequential third film in the Mighty Ducks trilogy sees the Ducks hockey team get scholarships to a respected prep school, only to go head to…
Dexter's Laboratory (TV Series) (1996): Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky
Feat. Christine Cavanaugh, Eddie Beezen; Inventive animation from the world of boy genius Dexter, saving the world after his high–tech gadgets are stolen by arch–enemy Mandark.
Enid Blyton's Adventure Series (TV Series) (1996): Kiwi–made series based on stories by Enid Blyton has four children embark on a series of adventures that takes them across land and sea.
Famous Five, The (TV Series) (1996): Dir. John Gorrie
Feat. Jemima Rooper, Marco Williamson, Paul Child…; The most recent TV incarnation of Enid Blyton's outstanding series of childrens books, in which four intrepid English youngsters and their dog, solve…
Feast at Midnight, A (1996): Dir. Justin Hardy
Feat. Freddie Fidnlay, Aled Roberts, Christopher Lee; A ten–year–old with a knack for cookery cheers up his miserable life at a boarding school by founding a club dedicated to midnight feasts…
Flipper (1996): Dir. Alan Shapiro
Feat. Elijah Wood, Paul Hogan; Withdrawn teen Elijah Wood finds his unlikely kindred spirit in this nineties makeover of the original animal–kid bonding classic. Paul 'Croc…
Fly Away Home (1996): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Anna Paquin, Jeff Daniels; Hutt girl Anna Paquin gets blessed with a role that many a Hollywood brat would kill for! After adopting a flock of baby geese, she sets about…
Gargoyles (1996): Mythical winged warriors who fight evil, the Gargoyles awaken after a thousand years in 21st century New York, to find there's still plenty of work…
Goofy Movie, A (1996): Disney's favourite underdog is finally given his own feature film. As a concerned parent, Goofy is keen to establish a bond with his wayward son,…
Goosebumps (TV Series) (1996): Ghoulish anthology series based on R. L. Stine's popular kidult horror novels. Bound to raise goosebumps on the younger ones. Season One Episodes:…
Gumby, The Movie (1996): That invincible bit of green plasticine stretches himself further in this feature outing, to such hot spots as Camelot and Toyland.
Harriet the Spy (1996): Dir. Bronwen Hughes
Feat. Michelle Trachtenberg; 11–year–old Harriet learns her nose for a story isn't worth the price of friendships. Eye–catching outfits and non–precocious…
Hey Arnold! - The Helga Stories (1996): 5 episodes of the animated TV series, where fourth–graders Arnold and Helga undergoes the trials of life.
Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1996): Dir. Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise; Handsomely designed Disney version of the classic tale. Hunchback Quasimodo, exiled to a cathedral belfry high above Paris, harbours his secret…
Is Your Mama A Llama? (1996): Charming educational stories for tots teaching them important life lessons about growing up. Includes: Is Your Mama A Llama? Leo The Late Bloomer,…
Jack (1996): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Robin Williams, Diane Lane, Brian Kerwin…; Robin Williams plays a nine–year–old who suffers from a medical condition that makes him decidedly more wrinkly and hirsute that his…
Jingle All the Way (1996): Dir. Brian Levant
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad; Big–lug–with–heart–of–gold Arnie promises his son the latest action figure, Turbo Man, for Christmas, but his neglect…
Land Before Time 4: Journey Through the Mists (1996): More animated adventures in the Jurassic period with the characters Cera, Spike, Ducky, Petrie and Ali as they explore the swamps and the wetlands in…
Loch Ness (1996): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ted Danson, Joely Richardson, Ian Holm…; Setting out to trap the Loch Ness monster, Ted Danson is waylaid by the charms of his landlady Joely Richardson. The mystique of the legend is all…
Muppet Treasure Island (1996): Dir. Brian Henson
Feat. Tim Curry; Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of that bunch pull off an excellent, lavish version of R.L.Stevenson's classic tale of high seas piracy. Tim Curry is…
Napoleon (1996): Dir. Mario Andreacchio
Feat. Jamie Croft, Philip Quast; Another fancily–monikered dog's tale – this time a labrador pup, complete with Ozzie voiceover, gets to cavort around in the Outback.…
Oliver Twist (1996): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Timothy Spall, William Miller, Adam Arnold; Faithful BBC adaptation of the Charles Dicken's classic, most notable for Timothy Spall's sympathetic take on Fagin.
Operation Dumbo Drop (1996): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Danny Glover, Ray Liotta; A comedy based on a real–life military assignment – to deliver a full–size live elephant to a remote jungle village by any means…
Peter and the Wolf (1996): Dir. George Daugherty, Jean Flynn
Feat. Kirstie Alley, Lloyd Bridges; Respectable version of the fairytale with the famous score by Sergei Prokofiev. Has its strengths, particularly the character design by Chuck Jones.…
Robinson Crusoe (1996): Dir. George Miller, Rodney K Hardy
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Ian Hart, Polly Walker…; Pierce Brosnan is washed up on a desert island in another version of Daniel Defoe’s classic.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996): Dir. Tibor Takacs
Feat. Melissa Joan Hart; The pilot TV–movie for the ongoing series about a teenage girl who moves to a new town to be taken care of by her eccentric aunts. Struggles to…
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV Series) (1996): Feat. Melissa Joan Hart; The terrible teens got a whole lot tougher for Sabrina, who upon turning sweet sixteen, is informed by her two spellbinding aunts that she is now a…
Shiloh (1996): Dir. Dale Rosenbloom
Feat. Blake Heron, Michael Moriaty, Scott Wilson…; Pedigree version of the prize–winning book, has young laddie Blake Heron taking a runaway beagle in, then having a fight on his hands to keep…
Simpsons, The - Season 08 (TV Series) (1996): Further episodes from the iconic animated TV Series: Disc 8.1: Treehouse of Horror VII, You Only Move Twice, The Homer They Fall, Burns Baby…
Space Jam (1996): Dir. Joe Pytka
Feat. Michael Jordan, Bill Murray; Basketball star Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny slam dunk with other looney tunes and a host of midget aliens. Anarchic humour and a decent…
Stickin' Around (TV Series) (1996): An oddly original kids animation drawn in a "stick figure" style in an attempt to reflect childrens' own art and perspective. Although this means the…
To the Ends of Time (1996): Dir. Markus Rothkranz
Feat. Joss Ackland, Christine Taylor; Elaborate fantasy–tale concerns a sorceress who tampers with Time, causing young hero Joss Ackland to prematurely age. While also keeping an…
Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (1996): Five episodes of Felix's hectic and surreal life.
Willows in Winter, The (1996): Dir. David Unwin; The heroes of The Wind in the Willows, Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad continue their animated adventures in the bucolic yet unpredictable English…
Wind in the Willows, The (1996): Dir. Terry Jones
Feat. Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Nicol Williamson…; With the cream of British comic acting talent, this live–action adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's story is quite possibly the…
Wish Upon a Star (1996): Dir. Blair Treu
Feat. Katherine Heigl, Danielle Harris; A little Disney magic is sprinkled on this fetching TV movie about a younger sister who wishes to switch places with her popular older sister (a very…
Wubbulous World of Dr Seuss, The (TV Series) (1996-1999): Dir. David Gumpel; Nicely rendered puppet–CGI version of the crazed universe of Dr Seuss, produced by the late great Jim Henson. Most episodes centre on the…
Zeus and Roxanne (1996): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Kathleen Quinlan, Steve Guttenberg, Arnold Vosloo; A friendship no–one ever thought possible between cute canine Zeus and cute, er, dolphin Roxanne, becomes the toast of new neighbours and their…
Amazing Panda Adventure, The (1995): Dir. Christopher Cain
Feat. Ryan Slater, Stephen Lang; An American kid in China loses his way in mountainous terrain and becomes embroiled in a panda bear poaching conflict. Some exciting action and an…
Angus (1995): Dir. Patrick Johnson
Feat. Charlie Talbert, Kathy Bates, Rita Moreno…; Angus, the uncoolest geek in school, gets his big chance at popularity and girlfriends. Unsentimental and geniunely funny boyhood tale, with Kathy…
Babe (1995): Dir. Chris Noonan
Feat. James Cromwell, Magna Szubanski; Clever, funny, original pig movie, with a hoard of farmyard animals more convincingly dubbed than their human co–stars. Seen through the eyes…
Balto (1995): Dir. Simon Wells
Feat. Kevin Bacon, Bob Hoskins, Bridget Fonda…; When diptheria threatens the children of an Alaskan village, a sled–dog team are called in to supply the serum. Balto, the outcast…
Barney (TV Series) (1995): The irrepressible purple Barney, with his winning and addictive personality, on this tape – "Songs" – trots through 27 favourite songs,…
Brady Bunch Movie, The (1995): Dir. Betty Thomas
Feat. Shelley Long, Gary Cole; Here's a story of a bunch named Brady. The '70s sitcom is transposed to the brash '90s, where nothing is sacred, especially nostalgic pop culture!…
Casper (1995): Dir. Brad Silberling
Feat. Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriaty…; Technology breathes fresh air into that rather soppy '60s cartoon creation, the friendly ghost without a real friend. Enter spook–psychologist…
City of Lost Children (1995): Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Feat. Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet; Visual wonderstuff from the unique genius pairing of the creators of DELICATESSEN, this is as good a follow up as one could wish for. While…
Cure, The (1995): Dir. Peter Horton
Feat. Joseph Mazzello, Brad Renfro, Annabella Sciorra…; A touching story about two pre–teen boys, one of whom has AIDS, who venture to New Orleans on a raft to track down a miracle cure they read…
Dunston Checks In (1995): Dir. Ken Kwapis
Feat. Jason Alexander, Faye Dunaway; A dastardly British jewel thief smuggles his cat–burgling Orangutan into a posh hotel but his plans backfire thanks to a couple of meddling…
Earthworm Jim (TV Series) (1995-1996): Feat. Dan Castellaneta; The groovy guardian of goodness, together with sidekick Peter Puppy, valiantly dig up the dirt on galactic evil–doers, in this often silly,…
Fluke (1995): Dir. Carlo Carlei
Feat. Matthew Modine, Nancy Travis, Eric Stoltz; After a fatal car accident, Matthew Modine is reincarnated as a pooch that wanders home to find his best friend kindling a relationship with his…
Free Willy 2 (1995): Dir. Dwight Little
Feat. Jason James Richter, Michael Madsen, Mykeltin Williamson; Willy returns with the same cast (older, less cute) to get into more trouble, this time a big nasty oil tanker has spilled its wares. Smart kids will…
Gulliver's Travels (1995): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Peter O'Toole…; Epic, state–of–the–art version of Jonathan Swift's classic fairytale stars Ted Danson as the long–shipwrecked doctor who must…
Hairy Maclary (TV Series) (1995): Based on Kiwi Lynley Dodd's world famous series of children's books, here's ten shaggy dog stories animated in two volumes on tape or one DVD.
Home for the Holidays (1995): Dir. Jodie Foster
Feat. Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jnr., Anne Bancroft…; Holly Hunter returns to her family for a holiday get–together and finds a mixture of romance and family conflicts amid some bright, eccentric…
Indian in the Cupboard (1995): Dir. Frank Oz
Feat. Hal Scardino, Litefoot , Lindsay Crouse…; A young boy possesses a bedroom secret – a special cupboard that brings his miniature toys to life, chiefly a native Indian and a cowboy. High…
Jumanji (1995): Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Robin Williams, Jonathan Hyde, Kirsten Dunst; A pair of orphans roll the dice on a mysterious board game that brings the perils of the Amazon to virtual life. The spirited high–concept is…
Junkers Come Here (1995): Dir. Junichi Sato; Nicely touching story about an 11–year old girl whose lonely life is relieved by the affections of a Schnauser dog, who has the ability to talk…
Kid in King Arthur's Court, A (1995): Dir. Michael Gottlieb
Feat. Kate Winslet, Daniel Craig, Art Malik…; Handsome if inessential Disney spin on the Camelot legend, in which a young boy journeys back in time to help King Arthur overcome an evil villain.…
Land Before Time 3: The Time of the Great Giving (1995): The popular animated feature series continues with the further adventures of Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike, Petrie and guests. A huge meteorite…
Little Miss (TV Series) (1995): The animated adventures of various 'Little Misses' – 8 tales in all.
Little Princess, A (1995): Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Liesel Matthews, Vanessa Lee Chester; From the quill that inked THE SECRET GARDEN, this is an equally exotic tale of an Indian–rasied girl who escapes the formality of a boarding…
Magic in the Water (1995): Dir. Rick Stevenson
Feat. Mark Harmon, Joshua Jackson, Harley Jane Kozak…; Loch Ness–monster concept is ably transposed to the Canadian lakeside hamlet of Glenorky, which has its own 'Orky' mystery. Thrills ensue for…
Mirror, Mirror (TV Series) (1995): Feat. Michala Banas, Peter Bensley, Petra Jared…; Kiwi family series about two teenage girls from alternate periods who can see through identical twin mirrors and travel to one another's time. A…
Pagemaster, The (1995): Dir. Joe Johnston, Maurice Hunt
Feat. Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Ed Jr. Begley…; Taking shelter at a public library opens up a world of imagination that comes to magically animated life for an introverted pre–teen (Macaulay…
Pocahontas (1995): Dir. Michael Gabriel, Eric Goldberg; Disney accounts the historical union between the daughter of an Indian chief and an English colonist. No surprise that this is politically and…
Power Rangers: The Movie (1995): Dir. Bryan Spicer
Feat. Paul Freeman; Homogenised big–screen translation of controversial kids TV show in which six Californian teens morph into Japanese superheroes to battle evil.…
Roald Dahl's Little Red Riding Hood (1995): Feat. Julie Walters, Ian Holm, Danny De Vito; Mr. Dahl’s twisted sensibility is all over this loose version of Grimm’s tale, that boasts an acting pedigree and imaginative costume and…
Sailor Moon (TV Series) (1995): An ordinary teenage girl discovers she's a super–heroine in this delightful blend of soap–opera and fantasy. Japanese cartoon has won a…
Simpsons, The - Season 07 (TV Series) (1995): More of the greatest episodes from this iconic animated TV Series. Disc 7.1: Who Shot Mr. Burns?: Part 2, Radioactive Man, Home Sweet…
Snow Queen (1995): Dir. Martin Gates; Young lass Ellie must rescue her brother Tom from the clutches of the evil Snow Queen, who vindictively aims to turn the planet into one big…
Toy Story (1995): Dir. John Lasseter; The cinema's first computer–animated feature matches its technical trail–blazing with beautiful storytelling. Concerning the rivalry…
Wallace and Gromit - A Close Shave (1995): Dir. Nick Park; Wallace & Gromit return in their most hair–raising adventure yet. A stray lamb wanders into their humble home and kicks off a…
Whisper of the Heart (1995): Dir. Yoshifumi Kondo; A bookish, teenage girl grows into maturity through her love for a lad who wishes to be an Italian–trained violin–maker. With only…
White Balloon, The (1995): Dir. Jafar Panahi
Feat. Aida Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kalifi, Fereshteh Sadr Orfani; Sophisticated kids and adults alike should seek out this multiple prize–winner from Iran that follows a seven–year–old–girl's…
Andre (1994): Feat. Keith Carradine, Tina Majorino, Keith Szarabajka…; In '60s Maine, a seal cub is nursed back to health by a young girl and her father, bringing with it both popularity and problems. Canny blend of…
Baby's Day Out (1994): Dir. Patrick R. Johnson
Feat. Joe Mantegna, Lara Flynn Boyle, Joe Pantoliano; Writer John Hughes' tweaks his HOME ALONE formula with a crawling toddler wreaking havoc in Chicago while deftly eluding incompetent crooks.…
Beanstalk (1994): Dir. Michael Paul Davis
Feat. Margot Kidder; A modern retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk yarn, made for small screen and younger viewers. Mad scientist Margot Kidder plants the…
Black Beauty (1994): Dir. Caroline Thompson
Feat. Sean Bean, David Thewlis; The screenwriter of THE SECRET GARDEN and EDWARD SCISSORHANDS brings this century–old tale to the modern screen with Sean Bean and David…
Blank Check (1994): Dir. Rupert Wainwright
Feat. Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, Miguel Ferrer…; A HOME ALONE–style childhood fantasy in which a resourceful pint–size shows shifty grown–ups who's boss after he is bestowed with a…
D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994): Dir. Sam Weisman
Feat. Emilio Estevez, Kathryn Erbe, Michael Tucker…; Sequel to the popular 'little Rockys on ice' movie, CHAMPIONS, Emilio Estevez returns with his endearing team of stick–weilding underdogs.
Fantastic Four (TV Series) (1994-1995): An animated TV series, in which Marvel Comic's superhero foursome – Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing – battle…
Far from Home - The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1994): Dir. Phillip Borsos
Feat. Mimi Rogers, Bruce Davison, Jesse Bradford…; A 14–year–old boy becomes separated from his father and is washed ashore in the Pacific Northwest. He overcomes great odds against…
Hocus Pocus (1994): Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy…; Wild witches conjured up from Salem set out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth, but the 300–year–old trio must first…
Iron Will (1994): Dir. Charles Haid
Feat. Mackenzie Astin, Kevin Spacey, David Ogden Stiers; A young man embarks on a treacherous cross–country sled race in an endeavour to save his family from financial ruin. True–life story of…
Jungle Book, The (1994): Dir. Stephen Sommers
Feat. Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes, Lena Headey…; Disney's live–action rendering of the adventures of Mowgli is a treat, with Jason Scott Lee perfectly cast as the adult jungle boy. Spectacular…
Junior (1994): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny De Vito, Emma Thompson; High–gloss whimsy in which Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito contrast screen personas once again, this time as science mavericks…
Land Before Time 2: The Great Valley Adventure (1994): 'Timeless' sequel reprises the cutest clan in prehistory – Littlefoot, Sera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie. Mandatory viewing for…
Lassie (1994): Dir. Daniel Petrie
Feat. Helen Slater, Frederic Forrest, Richard Farnsworth; Updated feature film of the perennial TV favourite about a superintelligent collie who befriends and defends a farming family from nasty poachers.
Lion King, The (1994): Not only the king of animated success stories, but very close to the top grossing movie of all time, thanks not only to Disney's marketing beast but…
Little Rascals, The (1994): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Travis Tedford, Bug Hall, Brittany Ashton Holmes…; By the numbers update of the Our Gang tele series of yesteryear offers more colour but less laughs than the original. Youngsters, though, will…
Magic Flute, The (1994): A princely couple protect their love and honour from corrupt monarchs in this enchanting musical fairytale, fashioned from Mozart's classic opera.
Miracle On 34th Street (1994): Dir. Les Mayfield
Feat. Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott; Richard Attenborough plays Kris Kringle, a department store Santa who defiantly thinks he's the real thing. Sweet remake of classic Christmas tale…
Monkey Trouble (1994): Dir. Franco Amurri
Feat. Thora Birch, Harvey Keitel, Mimi Rogers…; A excellent family comedy involving a young girl, her pet monkey, and a gypsy hustler (Harvey Keitel) who's trained the ape in art of stealing and…
My Girl 2 (1994): Dir. Howard Zieff
Feat. Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Anna Chlumsky; Reasonable sequel runs the gamut of problems that the onset of womanhood brings to Anna Chlumsky and her folks. Tailored to please those caught in…
Neverending Story 3, The (1994): Dir. Peter MacDonald
Feat. Jason James Richter, Jack Black; "Fantasia" comes to Earth in this third installment, and get chaotic in when the magical book "Never Ending Story" falls into the hands of the…
Next Karate Kid, The (The Karate Kid Part IV) (1994): Dir. Christopher Cain
Feat. Pat Morita, Hilary Swank; Hilary Swank steps into Ralph Macchio's shoes to receive mentorship from Pat Morita's martial artiste in this fourth installment of The Karate Kid…
North (1994): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Scarlett Johansson; Perfect 11–year–old Elijah Wood 'divorces' his unappreciative ordinary parents an embarks on a journey across apple–pie America in…
Pom Poko (1994): Dir. Isao Takahata; A community of raccoon–like creatures called Tanuki battle to defend their forest community from encroaching human developers in another…
Return of Jafar, The (1994): Dir. Toby Shelton; Though missing Robin Williams' vocal talents, the animation quality and songs of this sequel to ALADDIN are equally impressive.
Richie Rich (1994): Dir. Donald Petrie
Feat. Macaulay Culkin, John Larroquette, Edward Herrmann…; An unfortunate reflection of the real life of its star, Macauley Culkin, the richest kid in the world without any real friends who wants nothing more…
Santa Clause, The (1994): Dir. John Pasquin
Feat. Tim Allen; Holiday confection marks Tim 'Home Improvement' Allen's silver screen debut as a slightly mean–spirited Pop who gets chosen to fill in (and…
Secret of Roan Inish, The (1994): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Jeni Courtney, Eileen Colgan, Mick Lally…; A young girl is sent to live with her grandmother at a coastal town in Ireland, 1949, and makes an unexpected connection with its mystical history…
Simple Twist of Fate, A (1994): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney…; Big–hearted family movie written by and starring Steve Martin as a recluse who is brought out of his shell by the orphaned toddler he…
Simpsons, The - Season 06 (TV Series) (1994): More of the finest episodes from the mid 90's peak of this iconic family series. Funny and smart. They could do no wrong. 25 episodes on four…
Swan Princess, The (1994): Non–Disney animated fairy–tale deviates none from the tried–and–true formula, and therefore likely to prove most diverting…
Thumbelina (1994): Dir. Don Bluth; State–of–the–art animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's tale of the tiny girl with an out–sized heart.
Troll in Central Park (1994): Dir. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
Feat. Hayley Mills, Dom DeLuise; Two intrepid New York youngsters befriend Stanley, a jocular troll with a magical green thumb, banished to Central Park's isle of greenery by wicked…
War of the Buttons (1994): Dir. John Roberts
Feat. Greg Fitzgerald, Gerard Kearney; The feuding children of two neighbouring Irish villages learn about love, war and democracy through their mischievous games. A good–hearted and…
War, The (1994): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Kevin Costner, Elijah Wood; Vietnam vet father, Kevin Costner, looks on as Elijah Wood plays elaborate war games with his buddies. Themes of war, compromise and remorse are…
Addams Family Values (1993): Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd; Not bad sequel focuses less on Gomez & Morticia, and gets more comic mileage from the rest of the gang.
Aladdin (1993): Feat. Robin Williams; Disney regain their Midas touch in animation, courtesy, perhaps, of the leaps and bounds in technology. The grooviest, most broadly appealing cartoon…
Alex (1993): Dir. Megan Simpson
Feat. Lauren Jackson, Chris Haywood, Josh Picker; Fact–based story about teenager Alex Archer, who overcame rivalry and tragedy to win selection for the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Evocative of…
Animaniacs (TV Series) (1993): Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, are three 1930s cartoon stars (of unknown species) that were locked away in the iconic Warner Brothers water tower until the…
Beatrix Potter - The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1993-1994): A series of beautifully animated tales of the author's most famous furry creations. All nine tales across two DVD volumes: Vol. 1: Peter Rabbit…
Beethoven's 2nd (1993): Dir. Rod Daniel
Feat. Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt; A second symphony of silliness in which the big B raises a litter to make life even more unbearable for the self–centred grown–ups.
Borrowers, The (TV Series) (1993): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ian Holm, Rebecca Callard; First–class BBC serial about a family that live under the floorboards and 'borrow' everything they need from the 'giant' family who reside in…
Busy World of Richard Scarry, The (1993): Dir. Marcos De Silva, Greg Bailey
Feat. Keith Knight, Sonja Ball; Animated series of stories from the quaint world of Richard Scarry books.
Dennis the Menace (1993): Dir. Nick Castle
Feat. Mason Gamble, Walter Matthau, Christopher Lloyd…; 5–year old mobile disaster–zone Dennis (Mason Gamble), spreads glorious chaos wherever he pops up. As it is, he keeps Walter Matthau on…
Far Off Place, A (1993): Dir. Mikael Soloman
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Ethan Randall, Jack Thompson…; Quality drama follows two teenagers across the African desert after they witness a poacher's deadly assault. Superb location photography, but maybe…
Free Willy (1993): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson…; Hollywood heart–warmer about a friendship between a 70 pound 12–year–old boy and a 7000 pound Orca whale held captive at an…
Halloween Tree, The (1993): Dir. Mario Piluso
Feat. Ray Bradbury, Leonard Nimoy; Ray Bradburyís animated tale of four youths who discover the meaning of Halloween through a magic tree that allows them to travel through space and…
Heidi (1993): Dir. Michael Rhodes
Feat. Jason Robards Jr., Jane Seymour, Patricia Neal; Charming retelling of the children's classic about the spirited adventures of a lively orphan in the Swiss Alps, as she forges friendships and…
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993): Dir. Duwayne Dunham; An updated version for the MTV generation of Disney's own 1963 classic about a cat and two dogs who trek across a mountain range in search of their…
Into the West (1993): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, David Kelly, Ellen Barkin…; A grand ol' Irish tale about two gypsy boys who 'steal' back a majestic white mare and take off into the wild green yonder. Magical,…
Life With Mikey (1993): Dir. James Lapine
Feat. Michael J. Fox, Nathan Lane, Cyndi Lauper…; Michael J. Fox plays a former child star who becomes a talent agent for child stars as an adult, and takes on a difficult kid who gets by from…
Mighty Morph'n Power Rangers (TV Series) (1993): Sci–fi superhero series for children, with a band of Rangers' protecting Earth from evil forces, using a range of multi–dimensional plays…
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Robin Williams, Sally Field; Robin Williams rummages around in the women's costume closet and finds the biggest hit of his career. Not since Mork and Mindy has he been given the…
Muppet Christmas Carol (1993): Dir. Brian Henson
Feat. Michael Caine; Jim Henson's lovable creations are back for an all new musical version of Charles Dicken's classic tale. Michael Caine, the sole human…
Nightmare Before Christmas, The (1993): Dir. Henry Selick; Tim Burton's (as producer) unmistakable stamp is on this whimsical marriage of the ghoulish and garish with the warm and fuzzy. Staggeringly…
Nutcracker, The (1993): Dir. Emile Ardolino
Feat. Macaulay Culkin; You'll have the best seat in the house for this splendid filmed version of Balanchine's Yuletide ballet. Stars Macauley Culkin in a refreshing change…
Ocean Waves (1993): Dir. Tomomi Mochizuki; A sweet, sentimental tale of unrequited teen romance as seen in flashback through the eyes of a man attending his high school reunion forms the basis…
Once Upon a Forest (1993): Dir. Charles Grosvenor; Another eco–friendly cartoon feature, with Abigail the mouse, Edgar the mole and Russell the Hedgehog endeavouring to save their habitat from…
Princess and the Cobbler, The (The Thief and the Cobbler) (1993): Dir. Richard Williams; Arabian–Nights style animation from the makers of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? has a poor cobbler and his pals doing battle with a wicked sorcerer.…
Reckless Kelly (1993): Dir. Yahoo Serious
Feat. Yahoo Serious, Melora Hardin, Alexei Sayle…; One–man–movie–machine Yahoo Serious follows up YOUNG EINSTEIN with another zany send–up of a famous historical figure. This…
Sandlot, The (1993): Dir. David Mickey Evans
Feat. Art La Fleur, Denis Leary, Karen Allen…; High–spirited comedy about a shy fifth–grader who befriends a gang of backyard baseballers. The adventures start when they lose their…
Secret Garden, The (1993): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Maggie Smith, Kate Maberly, Heydon Prowse…; A splendid, lavish update of Francis Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic in which a troubled orphan visits her domineering aunt's mansion, befriends…
Simpsons, The - Season 05 (TV Series) (1993): Many of the most memorably hilarious and iconic episodes from the iconic animated TV Series. 22 episodes on four discs: Homer's Barbershop…
Sirga (1993): Dir. Patrick Grandperret
Feat. Were Were Liking, Souleyman Koli, Salif Keita; French director Luc Besson presents this story of an uncanny friendship between a young boy and a lioness, set against a majestic native African…
Sonic the Hedgehog (TV Series) (1993): Dir. Gary Dehan; Hyperactive hedgehog, Sonic, is the star of this dubbed–into–English version of the Japanese serial. Known for its darker atmosphere,…
Sooty and Co - Sooty's Magic Box of Tricks (1993): Dir. Stuart Hall, Alan Yardley; Sooty, Sue and Sweep open the box of magic in this inspired piece of TV puppetry.
Super Mario Brothers (1993): Dir. Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel
Feat. Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Samantha Mathis…; Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo are incarnated as the vid–game characters – plumbers who slip in saving the world between odd jobs. Will…
Three Musketeers, The (1993): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Chris O'Donnell…; Very glossy and yet very average version of the classic Alexandre Dumas novel. Tim Curry's eccentric villain is perhaps the highlight.
Toys (1993): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack…; Even Robin Williams' enormous talent and inspired art direction fail to enliven this comic fantasy. It plays more like a bad dream from which you…
Wallace and Gromit - The Wrong Trousers (1993): Dir. Nick Park
Feat. Peter Sallis; Second clay–mated adventure has Wallace and Gromit's quiet life disrupted by a pair of mechanical trousers and a criminally–inclined…
We're Back (1993): Dir. Simon Wells, Phil Nibbelink, Ralph Zondag; Primo animation set in New York, where kids Louie and Cecilia get treated to a wild ride with a fun gang of dinosaurs. Voices by John Goodman and…
Wiggles, The (TV Series) (1993-2002): Dir. Phillip Cullen
Feat. Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field…; The four kings of pre–school entertainment in the Antipodes reign supreme with an infectious mix of bright humour and musical talent helped out…
Champions (The Mighty Ducks) (1992): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Emilio Estevez; Self–centred yuppie lawyer Emilio Estevez is busted for drunk–driving and is assigned community service as coach of a rag–tag ice…
Clean Machine, The (1992): Dir. Jean Beaudry
Feat. Vincent Bolduc, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Delphine Piperni…; Enterprising youngsters with a 'get rich quick' scheme to tidy–up the local neighbourhood – by getting the younger kids to work –…
Ferngully - The Last Rainforest (1992): Dir. Bill Kroyer
Feat. Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Tim Curry…; A righteous environmentalist message suffuses this animation, which boasts some excellent voices – by Tim Curry, Robin Williams, Cheech and Chong…
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern; Macaulay Culkin gets a whopping great pay rise to star in what is essentially a remake of his small–fry blockbuster set in Big Apple.
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Rick Moranis, Lloyd Bridges, John Shea; Sequel to HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS sees prof Rick Moranis turn his infant into what fast becomes an Empire State Human!…
Jock of the Bushveld (1992): Feat. Jonathan Rands, Robert Urich, Sean Gallagher; Based on the beloved South African book of the same name, this is the true story of a hopeful prospector, and his faithful canine companion, who…
Polar Bear King, The (1992): Dir. Ola Solum; Splendid Scandanavian fairy–tale about a noble King who has been cursed with an evil spell making him a Polar bear by day and human unable to…
Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta) (1992): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki; A world weary pilot, with a pig's head, protects shipping on the Adriatic from air pirates in the wake of World War I. Although not one of his…
Radio Flyer (1992): Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin…; Bittersweet story of two young brothers who free themselves from their wicked stepfather by transforming a red wagon into a fantastical flying…
Silver Brumby, The (1992): Dir. John Tatoulis
Feat. Russell Crowe; Ex–pat Kiwi Russell Crowe plays a courageous mountain horseman who becomes obsessed with claiming and taming an elusive silver mare that roams…
Simpsons, The - Season 04 (TV Series) (1992): The episodes of season 4 brought the Simpsons global acclaim in the early 90's as the sharpest (slightly subversive) voice in family…
Tom and Jerry - The Movie (1992): Dir. Phil Roman; This recent attempt to bring this most famous cat–and–mouse to a new generation is just fine for anyone not familiar with the original.
Vincent and Me (1992): Dir. Michael Rubbo
Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Nina Petronzio, Christopher Forrest; A young girl learns to paint like Vincent Van Gogh and sells one of her works to an unscrupulous art dealer. You'll learn much about the Dutch master…
Wallace and Gromit - A Grand Day Out (1992): Dir. Nick Park; Aardman animator Nick Park brings breath–taking life to eccentric inventor Wallace and canine companion Gromit. In their debut adventure,…
X-Men (TV Series) (1992-1997): Futuristic animated action adapted from the Marvel comic–strip which, like BATMAN, has found favour with both toddlers and mature purveyors of…
Addams Family, The (1991): Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd…; Huston, Julia and Lloyd star in this glossy update of the '60s TV series. Inventive, blackly comic and lavishly gothic production design.
An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West (1991): New adventures start for the mouse tyke who heads into the Wild West when his family find themselves cheeseless, Voices include those of Jimmy…
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (TV Series) (1991): 13 episodes of the first season of this 90's Nickelodeon show following the escapades of the "Midnight Society", a group of teen horror aficionados.
Beauty and the Beast (1991): Dir. Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale; Highly successful Disney animated feature revamps the old fairytale. While taking advantage of the (then) cutting–edge CGI technology, the…
Beethoven (1991): Dir. Brian Levant
Feat. Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Jones; Box–office bonanza about, no, not that deaf German composer, but a lovable Saint Bernard whose sheer bulk and slobbishness wreaks havoc on an…
Bingo (1991): Dir. Matthew Robbins
Feat. Cindy Williams, David Rasche; Continuing the tradition of caper–comedies featuring super–intelligent dogs, Bingo is a canine pup in search of his trustee young owner…
Curly Sue (1991): Dir. John Hughes
Feat. James Belushi, Alisan Porter, Kelly Lynch…; James Belushi and nine–year old adopted daughter Alisan Porter are luckless scam–artists who finally get lucky in Chicago, conning/wooing…
Dinosaurs (TV Series) (1991-1994): Sitcom about a family of dinosaurs living in the modern world, brought to life by Jim Henson's puppets. The series explores topical issues such as…
Drop Dead Fred (1991): Dir. Ate De Jong
Feat. Rik Mayall, Phoebe Cates, Marsha Mason; Rik Mayall extends his hyperactive 'Young Ones' persona as the imaginary childhood friend of a grown–up Phoebe Cates. The silly stuff is offset…
Edward Scissorhands (1991): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Vincent Price; This inspired contemporary fairy–tale posits Johnny Depp as a boy endowed with sharp appendages, a mixed blessing when it comes to fitting into…
Felix the Cat - The Movie (1991): Dir. Tibor Hernádi; Appealing animation movie starring the beloved black and white kitty–cat Felix in feature–length film format. Canny Felix must rescue the…
Grampire (Moonrise) (1991): Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Al Lewis; The Munsters' Al Lewis turns up on our shores to star in a ghoulish comedy as the blood–sucking but well–meaning grandfather of a…
Hear My Song (1991): Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Adrian Dunbar, Ned Beatty, Tara Fitzgerald; A night–club owner goes to convoluted lengths to restore his credibility by tracking down a long–reclusive singing star (Beatty –…
Hook (1991): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts…; Spielberg's big–budget rendition of the magical fairy tale. Robin Williams stars as a grown–up Peter Pan enticed to Neverland to reclaim…
King Ralph (1991): Dir. David S Ward
Feat. John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, John Hurt; John Goodman stars as the boorish American heir to the British throne.
Magic Riddle, The (1991): Dir. Yoram Gross; Animated feature from Australia follows the adventures of an orphan girl with many favourite fairytale characters including Pinocchio, Red Riding…
Mon Pere Ce Heros (1991): Dir. Gerard Lauzier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu; Gerard Depardieu is the adoring roly–poly father of a pubescent daughter whose emerging hormones prompt her to proclaim dad as her lover on a…
Motorama (1991): Dir. Barry Shils
Feat. Flea, Meatloaf, Drew Barrymore…; Hip road movie about a 10–year–old delinquent who steals a car and gets life lessons en route from the likes of Flea, Meatloaf and Drew…
My Girl (1991): Dir. Howard Zieff
Feat. Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin…; In the summer of '72, pint–sized Macauley Culkin meets the girl of his innocent dreams, who comes to learn the hard facts about love and death.…
Only Yesterday (1991): Dir. Isao Takahata; Studio Ghibli's most 'adult' offering is a moving, poignantly drawn rumination on childhood and regret, told through the eyes of a disenchanted…
Pirates of the Dark Water (1991): Animated Arabian Nights–style adventure, with the dashing Prince Ren having to collect seven magical treasures to save his kingdom from the…
Rescuers Down Under (1991): Dir. Hendel Butoy, Michael Gabriel; The furry little S.A.S. are called to the aid of a young Ozzie lad who's been kidnapped by a ferocious poacher. Fun–filled whimsy, nicely…
Rock-A-Doodle (1991): Dir. Don Bluth; A lively animated musical based on the French fable, Chanticleer, the rooster who raises the sun. The feathered hero is updated as a…
Rupert (TV Series) (1991): One of the many animated versions of the famous 1910s newspaper cartoon series which followed the exciting excursions of a curious and capable…
Sarah, Plain and Tall (Winter's End; Skylark) (1991-1999): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. Glenn Close, Christopher Walken; A beloved made–for–TV adaptation of Patricia MacLachlan's famous children's novel. A widowed farmer places an ad for a wife, with a…
Simpsons, The - Season 03 (TV Series) (1991): By season 3, the US president George H. W. Bush highlighted The Simpsons as an affront to "family values". The show had perhaps mirrored modern…
Suburban Commando (1991): Dir. Burt Kennedy
Feat. Hulk Hogan, Christopher Lloyd, Shelley Duvall…; Kids will love Hulk Hogan strutting his stuff as an inter–galactic crime fighter who crash lands in suburbia.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze (1991): Dir. Michael Pressman
Feat. David Warner; A sillier, brighter, bigger–budgeted follow up to the original early 90s kids hit.
Truckers (1991): Intricate 3D animation brings to life Terry Pratchett's world of the Nomes who, at just four inches high, struggle for survival in the human world.…
White Fang (1991): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ethan Hawke, Seymour Cassel…; Magnificent Disney adventure based on Jack London's novel. An ambitious young gold prospector treks into the Alaskan frontier where he discovers and…
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991): Dir. Steve Miner
Feat. Gabrielle Anwar, Cliff Robertson; A young Gabrielle Anwar plays an orphaned 'wild heart' in the Depression era who finds her calling in Doc Carver's travelling stunt show. Her…
Adventures of the Black Stallion, The (TV Series) (1990): Feat. Mickey Rooney; Fine televisation of Walter Farley’s famous thoroughbred novels, chronicling the learning curve of a 15–year–old jockey and his…
Adventures of Tintin (TV Series) (1990-1991): All 21 animated versions of the classic comicbooks by Herge, in which Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, the Thompson Twins and Calculus find themselves…
Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair (1990): Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. David Thwaites, Camilla Power, Tom Baker; Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This final part of the saga sees Jill, Eustace, Aslan and King Caspian search for the lost Prince…
Danny: Champion of the World (1990): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Robbie Coltrane, Samuel Irons; Jeremy Irons stars with his real son Samuel, as father and son crusading to protect their rural community from the ravaging interests of big…
Duck Tales - The Movie (Treasure of the Lost Lamp) (1990): Feisty Disney animation brings to life Scrooge McDuck and nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, who in their first feature, battle with evil forces over a…
Four Enchanting Stories by Roald Dahl (1990): Four deliciously twisted tales from the wicked wit of Roald Dahl, inspired by the illustrations of Quentin Blake and the voices of Dawn French and…
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover; This commendable sequel sees the little critters take the mayhem to gargantuan proportions, attempting to take over the entire city of New York.
Home Alone (1990): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern…; The third highest grossing film at the U.S. box–office made Macaulay Culkin one bankable pre–pubescent. Accidentally left alone while his…
Jetsons - The Movie (1990): Dir. William Hanna, Joseph Barbera; Feature length reprise of the futuristic family sees George Jetson face an ecological dilemma upon him landing a promotion. Jane, Judy, Elroy and…
Madeline (TV Series) (1990-1995): The original animated TV Series featuring the precocious girls of Miss Clavelle's orphanage in Paris. The French accents are charmingly retained for…
Neverending Story 2, The (1990): Dir. George Miller; A young boy escapes from his drab reality in a storybook land called Fantasia where a child empress (Alexandra Johnes) is in danger. Some cute animal…
New Adventures of Black Beauty, The (1990): Feat. Amber McWilliams; The continuing adventures of Black Beauty, this time shot on location in picturesque New Zealand. Series One: 12 episodes across four discs.
Nutcracker Prince (1990): Dir. Paul Schibli; Finely animated story of the prince who endeavours to reverse the spell cast by the evil mouse–queen that turned him into wood. Voices include…
Problem Child (1990): Dir. Dennis Dugan
Feat. John Ritter, Michael Oliver, Jack Warden; A seven–year–old tearaway makes life misery for his newly acquired foster parents in this wild and crazy farce. Kids will love it, but…
Richard Scarry's Best Learning Collection (Best Learning Collection) (1990): Children will laugh & learn with the antics of Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm and all their friends as they present the abc's and the 123's in the context of…
Road to Avonlea (TV Series) (1990): Dir. Paul Shapiro, Dick Benner
Feat. Colleen Dewhurst, Frank Converse, Sarah Polley; A must see for those who appreciated ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, this is another enchanting country tale of childhood intrigue and mischief.
Samurai Pizza Cats (TV Series) (1990): A classic wiseacre cartoon import from the 90s, in which three cyborg cat samurais are employed to thwart the designs of a villainous rat determined…
Shipwrecked (1990): Dir. Nils Gaup
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Bjorn Sundquist; Satasfying South Seas yarn with a young boy wrecked on a 'treasure isalnd' which draws the attention of pirates. A Disney production that's full of…
Simpsons, The - Season 02 (TV Series) (1990): The Simpsons really get their footing in season 2. Pointed satire and a more detailed Springfield made the show a household staple in America.…
Storyteller: Greek Myths, The (1990): Feat. Michael Gambon; Another excellently produced run of Jim Henson's STORYTELLER tales, this time focusing on the Greek myths of "Daedalus and Icarus", "Orpheus and…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990): Dir. Steve Barron; Now something of relic from a fad gone by, but it remains an entertaining, if fairly violent slice of '90s pop culture. Jim Henson's creature shop…
Three Men and a Little Lady (1990): Dir. Emile Ardolino
Feat. Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson…; None–too–demanding sequel to THREE MEN AND A BABY should please the younger set. It follows the three handsome bachelors and their…
What the Moon Saw (1990): Dir. Pino Amenta
Feat. Pat Evison; A family delight from across the Tasman about a young boy who attends a pantomime of Sinbad's Last Adventure, and finds himself caught up in a wild…
Witches, The (1990): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher…; Anjelica Huston is a scream as the grotesque Queen of witches who plots to rid the nation's children by turning them into mice! Marvellously macabre…
Adventures of Milo and Otis (1989): Dir. Masanori Hata
Feat. Dudley Moore; Dudley Moore narrates this charming story about a dog and a cat that stray from their home and experience the obstacles of man and Mother Nature.
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989): Dir. Don Bluth; From Disney renegade Don Bluth comes the slightly off–beat animated adventures of a rascal dog called Charlie.
Angel and the Soldier Boy (1989): Dir. Alison de Vere; Charming story about a little girl's toy soldier and angel, who try to recover her piggy–bank savings, stolen while she was asleep by wicked…
Babar (TV Series) (75th Anniversary Collection) (1989): Excellent Anniversary Collection featuring 14 Babar episodes across three discs.
Babar: The Movie (1989): Dir. Alan Bunce; Feature–length animated antics of the lovable, wise and courageous King of Elephantland, who defends his folk from the evil Rhinos.
Bear, The (1989): Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Jack Wallace, Tcheky Karyo; Shot in the Canadian mountains, this follows the unique story of an orphaned bear cub, the Grizzly who befriends him and the two hunters who try to…
Beetle Bailey (1989): Latterday remake of the 1960s TV series based on Mort Walker's classic cartoon character: a recalcitrant WW2 private who devises unlimited ways to…
BFG, The (Big Friendly Giant) (1989): Dir. Brian Cosgrove; Animated as a telemovie this version of Roald Dahl's story is commendable is a little stiff. Concerns the adventures of orpahn Sophie who is abducted…
Butter Battle Book (1989): Dir. Ralph Bakshi
Feat. Charles Durning; Ralph Bakshi animates the Dr. Suess favourite about the ridiculously trivial feud between the Yooks and the Zooks.
Cheetah (1989): Dir. Jeff Blyth
Feat. Keith Coogan; Bored American teenagers in Kenya befriend a Masai boy and together they attempt to raise an orphaned cheetah cub. Battles with a gang of poachers…
Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian (1989): Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Johnathon R. Scott, Sophie Cook…; Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This second part of the saga sees Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to the enchanted land of…
Chronicles of Narnia - Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1989): Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Johnathon R. Scott, Sophie Cook…; Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This third part of the saga sees Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace search with King Caspian…
Dink the Little Dinosaur (1989): A recent creation from the Hanna–Barbera stable. Dink and his prehistoric pals brave it against the perils of Mother Nature over five episodes.
George's Island (1989): Dir. Paul Donovan
Feat. Ian Bannen, Sheila McCarthy, Maury Chaykin…; Fleeing his nasty foster parents, 10–year old George goes in search of Captain Kidd's buried treasure, having to outwit, among other adults,…
Ghostbusters 2 (1989): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver…; A cash–in for sure, but as much fun as the original, with the paranormal pests here thriving on all the "bad vibes" of grumpy Manhattanites.…
Gleaming the Cube (1989): Dir. Graeme Clifford
Feat. Christian Slater, Steven Bauer; Featuring a lead teenage role for Christian Slater, this suspense–drama follows a skateboarder’s attempts to track down his brother’s…
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989): Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Rick Moranis; An inventor inadvertently reduces his and the neighbour's kids to a grasshopper's knee–height. With the help of FX wizardry, they fend for…
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott…; When Sean Connery turns up as Indy's feisty dad, the pair embark on an adventure–laden search for a mystical Holy Grail. You'll have fun…
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Matthew Lawrence…; A magical animation from the masterful Japanese dir. Miyazaki, which delivers a contemporary fairytale with strong characters, rich visuals and a…
Little Mermaid, The (1989): Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker; A modern Disney animated musical blessed with a wonderful score and a touching story. Based loosely on Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale, a…
Look Who's Talking (1989): Dir. Amy Heckerling
Feat. John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Bruce Willis…; Amiable comedy featuring 'Mickey', the infant that thinks aloud, courtesy of Bruce Willis. He's more than handful for Mom Kirstie Alley and boyfriend…
Magical World of Margaret Mahy, The (1989): Dir. Euan Frizzell; Five stories from New Zealand’s premier children’s writer gets nicely animated – “Keeping House”, “The Three–Legged Cat”, “The…
Prancer (1989): Dir. John Hancock
Feat. Sam Elliott, Cloris Leachman, Abe Vigoda…; Warm–hearted festive tale of a young girl who after stumbling across a wounded reindeer and after nursing him back to health sets out to return…
Red Riding Hood (1989): Dir. Adam Brooks
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Amelia Shankley, Craig T. Nelson; Musical interpretation of the classic fairy tale with real, flesh–and–blood actors (including Isabella Rossellini), some Disney–ish…
Round the Twist (TV Series) (1989): Feat. Ebonnie Masini, Andrew S. Gilbert, Rian Mclean…; Australian television classic from the mind of author Paul Jennings following the off–the–wall adventures of the Twist Family, who leave…
Simpsons, The (TV Series) (1989): Dir. Various; Fun at home with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson – the definitve animated American family, in the iconic TV series of the 1990s has…
Spaced Invaders (1989): Dir. Patrick Johnson
Feat. Douglas Barr, Royal Dano; Five bumbling, misguided aliens crashland on earth and cause havoc in a small–town, especially for the parents of their little human friends!
Wallace and Gromit - Three Cracking Adventures (Grand Day Out, The Wrong Tousers, A Close Shave) (1989-1995): Dir. Nick Park
Feat. Peter Sallis; All three classic "Wallace and Gromit" short films on a single disc. Perfection.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1989): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy…; A staggering blend of live–action and brillaint animation conjures up a believable world where people and cartoons…
Beetlejuice (1988): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin…; A deceased couple return as ghosts and discover their home has been occupied by an obnoxious family, so decide to enlist the services of…
Big (1988): Dir. Penny Marshall
Feat. Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia…; Tom Hanks is perfect as a 12–year–old trapped in an adults body, having to cope with big business and romance without the benefit of…
Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (1988): Dir. Marilyn Fox
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Sophie Cook, Johnathon R. Scott; Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This first part of the saga sees Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy travel through the wardrobe into…
Count Duckula (TV Series) (1988-1993): Feat. David Jason; A DANGER MOUSE spinoff, this childrens' animation about a vegetarian vampire duck, developed its own minor cult. The humour is alternately black or…
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) (1988): Dir. Isao Takahata; Modest 'classic' of Japanese anime that tells the story of two children caught up in the devastating fire–bombing of Kobe in WW2. Amid the…
Hansel and Gretel (1988): Dir. Len Talan
Feat. Nicole Stapleton, Cloris Leachman, Hugh Pollard; Musical interpretation of the classic fairy tale with real, flesh–and–blood actors, some Disney–ish musical numbers and a few plot…
Just Ask for Diamond (1988): Dir. Stephen Bayly
Feat. Colin Dale, Dursley McLinden, Saeed Jaffrey…; Whimsical British spoof on 'The Maltese Falcon' that tells the story of a precocious private eye and his kid brother who are given £200 to guard a…
Lady in White (1988): Dir. Frank LaLoggia
Feat. Lukas Haas; If you prefer your spook story with subtlety and atmos–fear, then don't overlook this gem. A young boy discovers the truth concerning a young…
Land Before Time, The (1988): Dir. Don Bluth; A young dinousaur named Littlefoot ventures in search of a lush sanctuary of vegetation and tranquility. An animated charmer particularly…
Man from Snowy River 2, The (1988): Dir. Geoff Burrowes
Feat. Brian Dennehy, Tom Burlinson; Tom Burlinson returns to gather wild horses from up the Snowy River in this lesser sequel. Fits a love–triangle into the draw as well as the…
My Neighbour Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) (1988): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki; Dir. Miyazaki’s first huge hit in Japan is a model family film: realistic characters responding to realistic crises in a realistic way, though…
Oliver and Company (1988): Dir. George Scribner; Walt has a stab at Charles Dicken's 'Oliver Twist', with orphan kitten Oliver set adrift in big bad New York City. Grittier, and less fairytale…
Pippi Longstocking, New Adventures Of (1988): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Tami Erin, Eileen Brennan; Updated feature film version of the mischievous orphan girl, all pigtails, freckles and high spirits.
Short Circuit 2 (1988): Dir. Kenneth Johnson
Feat. Fisher Stevens, Michael McKean, Cynthia Gibb…; The lovable robot of SHORT CIRCUIT fame is back, with the same endearing naivety – this time he's up against street hoods, a greedy banker and…
Storyteller, The (1988): Feat. John Hurt; John Hurt is the storyteller of Jim Henson's award–winning classic tales of magic and fantasy. The three volumes each contain three stories.
Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1988): Dir. Michael Rubbo; Tommy Tricker is a crafty lad who discovers how to shrink oneself onto postage stamps and thus be mailed anywhere in the world. Quality,…
Willow (1988): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis…; Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley–Kilmer employ swords against sorcery to protect a young baby from the powers of evil. A…
Wonder Years, The (TV Series) (1988-1993): Feat. Fred Savage; One of the more endearing US TV series of the period, depicts the 'growing up' of its adolescent protagonists with humour and empathy. This disc…
Adventures in Babysitting (1987): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp…; A young Elisabeth Shue is serious crush material as the teenage babysitter who must escort two rug rats through the treacherous urban jungle of…
Batteries Not Included (1987): Dir. Matthew Robbins
Feat. Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy; Produced by Steven Speilberg, this version of E.T. has frisbee–sized flying saucers enter the lives of an elderly couple whose NYC building is…
Emperor's New Clothes, The (1987): Dir. David Irving
Feat. Sid Caesar, Clive Revill, Robert Morse…; Lively adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale with a rambunctious Sid Caesar in the title role.
Footrot Flats - A Dog's Tale (1987): Dir. Murray Ball
Feat. John Clarke, Peter Rowley, Rawiri Paratene; Murray Ball brings his indigenous comic strip to animated life – Dog, Wal, Jess, Horse and the villainous Murphys provide corka entertainment…
Full House (TV Series) (1987-1995): Feat. John Stamos, Bob Saget, Mary-Kate Olsen…; The ultimate in 24–carat family friendly fare, this light American sitcom expanded on the THREE MEN AND A BABY formula, with its premise of a…
Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, The (TV Series) (1987): Feat. Gian Sammarco, Lulu; Sue Townsend's spotty teenage creation Adrian Mole contines his rites of passage comedy drama series set in the early eighties where Adrian's Mum…
Harry and the Hendersons (1987): Dir. William Dear
Feat. John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon; On summer camp, a family get more than they bargained for when they bump into an eight foot hairy creature they come to know as Harry.
Hello Kitty (TV Series) (1987): Animated fairytale series based around a cute wee kitty on the loose. Tape contains four stories – Kitty and the Beast, Grinder Genie and the…
Innerspace (1987): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan…; The premise of FANTSTIC VOYAGE is comically reworked with a vastly different plotline involving a miniaturized Dennis Quaid is inadvertently injected…
Lionheart (1987): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Gabriel Byrne, Nicholas Clay…; Young knight Eric Stoltz and a band of medieval tykes join King Richard II's crusade to defeat the Black Prince.
Princess Bride, The (1987): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin…; An elaborate and whimsical fairytale told to a bedridden young boy conjures up images of good versus evil in a world of monsters, giants and…
Russkies (1987): Dir. Rick Rosenthal
Feat. Whip Hubley, Joaquin Phoenix, Peter Billingsley; Cold–War adventure story in which Danny (JOAQUIN PHOENIX in one of his earliest roles) and his friends discover a Russian sailor hiding in some…
Sesame Street - Best of Ernie and Bert (1987): Dir. Jon Stone, Lisa Simon; Puppetry’s ‘odd couple’, Ernie and Bert, bicker, endure each other, then make–up in a series of classic sketches, incl. …
Sleeping Beauty (1987): Dir. David Irving
Feat. Morgan Fairchild, Tahnee Welch; Musical interpretation of the classic fairy tale with real, flesh–and–blood actors (including Morgan Fairchild), some Disney–ish…
Snow White (1987): Dir. Michael Berz
Feat. Billy Barty, Diana Rigg, Sarah Patterson; Musical interpretation of the classic fairy tale with real, flesh–and–blood actors, some Disney–ish musical numbers and a few plot…
Sylvanian Families Collection (1987): Lovable animated adventures of the little animal families (and iconic toy franchise) who reside in Sylvanian Forest. Full of good natured homilies in…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV Series) (1987-1996): The cult comicbook turned TV–series about 4 ninja turtles and their endless urban struggles with the forces of evil.
Three Men and a Baby (1987): Dir. Leonard Nimoy
Feat. Ted Danson, Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg; Hollywood remake of French comedy makes the grade.
Alf (TV Series) (1986): Feat. Max Wright; Irresistibly cute sitcom about a furry, wise–cracking alien that settles into American suburbia in the 1980s. Season 1 available. Disc 1:…
American Tail, An (1986): Dir. Don Bluth; A Russian mouse called Fievel emigrates to America to escape cat persecution, but loses his parents in the stormy boat trip. This enchanting animated…
Basil The Great Mouse Detective (1986): Dir. Ron Clements; A Sherlock Holmes–inspired animated feature from Disney. Set in turn–of–the–century London, Basil sets on the trail of a…
Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986): Dir. Gene Saks
Feat. Blythe Danner, Bob Dishy, Jonathan Silverman; A humourous slice of nostalgia set in pre–war Brooklyn, from the pen of Neil Simon.
Castle in the Sky (Laputa) (1986): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Cloris Leachman; A triumph of craft and narrative sophistication, this is an epic, supremely imaginative feature from master animator/storyteller Miyazaki that will…
Flight of the Navigator (1986): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young…; An ordinary boy is thrown behind the wheel of a fantastic flying machine, accompanied by an assortment of bizarre aliens. A fun–filled odyssey…
Frog Dreaming (The Quest, The Go-Kids) (1986): Dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith
Feat. Tony Barry, Rachel Friend; E.T. star Henry Thomas heads to the land down under in this unsettling children's film, directed by the distinguished Ozploitationist Brian…
Labyrinth (1986): Dir. Jim Henson
Feat. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly; Jennifer Connelly goes in search of her baby brother, kidnapped by the Goblin King (David Bowie). An entourage of creatures from Jim Henson highlight…
My Little Pony: The Movie (1986): Dir. Michael Joens; Extemely cutesy animation about a herd of Little Ponies threatened by witchcraft. Should appeal to most young girls and has a certain 80s cache…
Pee-Wee's Playhouse (TV Series) (1986-1991): Feat. Paul Ruebens, Laurence Fishburne; Successfully spinning–off from his big–screen Big Adventure, Paul Reubens returns as his man–child alter–ego Pee–Wee…
Pingu (TV Series) (1986): Pingu the penguin gets in and out of icy water with his pals, in school, playing hockey etc. Suitable for the very young, as Pingu doesn't even…
Real Ghostbusters, The (TV Series) (1986): Popular eighties cartoon series furthers the adventures of Ghostbusters Peter, Egon, Ray and Winston, although this time they're joined by past…
Short Circuit (1986): Dir. John Badham
Feat. Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg; A family adopts an alien–robot which develops a personality of its own. Good family fodder.
Stand by Me (1986): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman…; Stephen King adaptation has its darker moments, as four boys journey across 50s rural Maine to see a dead body, but a genuine feeling for childhood…
Transformers - The Movie (1986): Dir. Nelson Shin; Accompanying the mid–80s craze for ‘Transformer’ toys – robots which could transform into cars, planes etc. – was this animated…
When the Wind Blows (1986): Dir. Jimmy T. Murakami
Feat. John Mills, Peggy Ashcroft; Superb animated version of Raymond Brigg's comicbook about an elderly couple who prepare for an impending nuclear disaster. Engaging and powerful…
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1985): Dir. Peter H. Hunt
Feat. Jim Dale, Lillian Gish, Barnard Hughes…; One of the best adapatations of the Mark Twain classic, this was produced as a 4–part PBS television series which included more or less the…
Anne of Green Gables (1985): Dir. Kevin Sullivan
Feat. Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst; Megan Follows is perfect as the orphan who overcame a turbulent adolescence to triumph as a young woman. Timeless children's television…
Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985): Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. William Katt, Sean Young, Patrick McGoohan; Adventure fantasy film about a paleontologist and her husband who discover a mother and baby brontosaurus in Africa, and try to protect them from a…
Back to the Future (1985): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson…; A bona fide 80s classic, this original sci–fi comedy/adventure has a perfectly cast Michael J. Fox sent back to the '50s to have his mother…
Biggles - Adventure in Time (1985): Dir. John Hough
Feat. Peter Cushing, Alex Hyde-White; Curious, though effective recasting of the 'Biggles' stories by W.E. Johns, in which a NYC office–worker travels through time back to WWI to…
Black Cauldron, The (1985): Dir. Richard Rich, Ted Berman; Fairytale animation set in the mythical realm of Prydain, where a young boy sets out to defeat ruling villain, the Horned King. Based on the book…
Care Bears Movie, The (1985): Dir. Arna Selznick; Animated orphans Kim and Jason are transported to the land of Care–a–Lot, where they assist the various ‘care–bears’ in…
D.A.R.Y.L. (Daryl) (1985): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean, Barret Oliver; A whitebread American couple adopt a young boy (Oliver) who has striking talents and abilities. Turns out he is in fact a Pentagon robot or Data…
Explorers, The (1985): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix; Imaginative space adventure film also has enormous fun at the expense of American popular culture. Among the explorers are a very baby–faced…
Fireman Sam (TV Series) (1985): Dir. John Walker, Ian Frampton; Two tales from the jovial, animated fireman on a '2 for 1' tape: “The Hero Next Door” and “Deep Trouble”.
Goonies, The (1985): Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton; Junior edition of 'Indiana Jones', from a Steven Speilberg story, has seven bored kids on the Oregon coast hunting for pirate booty after they…
Jem! (TV Series) (Jem and the Holograms) (1985): Jerrica runs a foster–home for girls, but has a secret career as lead singer of 'Jem and the Holograms' , who when touring project themselves…
Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985): Dir. Jeremy Kagan
Feat. John Cusack, Meredith Salenger, Ray Wise…; Lowkey and rich in atmosphere, this superior Disney feature crosses Depression–era America with a young runaway, who forms an unlikely bond…
Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, The (1985): Dir. Arthur Rankin Jnr, Jules Bass; Stop–motion animated version of the story by "Wizard of Oz" creator, L. Frank Baum about how St. Nick became the symbol of Christmas.
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Paul Ruebens; A stylised masterpiece in which Pee–Wee Herman embarks on a priceless search for his prized possession; a bicycle. A brilliant,…
Return to Oz (1985): Dir. Walter Murch
Feat. Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh; This unusually–conceived sequel to THE WIZARD OF OZ is almost too scary for kids, with a disturbed Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) blown by a storm from…
Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4, The (1985): Dir. Peter Sasdy
Feat. Gian Sammarco, Julie Walters, Lulu …; Engaging TV adaptation of Sue Townsend's much–loved book about the pains of adolescence chronicled by a teenage diarist as he struggles to come…
Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear (1985): Dir. Barry Levinson; Highly watchable updating of Sherlock Holmes, with his teenage incarnation plumbing 'thugee' cult mysteries in Victorian London. Notable at the…
Children Of The Dog Star (TV Mini-series) (1984): Feat. Sarah Dunn, Jason Wallace, Hamish Bartle…; Beloved New Zealand sci–fi series following 12–year–old Gretchen (Dunn) who discovers a link to an extra–extraterrestrial…
Chocky (TV Series) (1984): Dir. Vic Hughes, Christopher Hodson
Feat. Carol Drinkwater; One of the best sci–fi TV serials of the 1980s is set around a schoolboy who begins to develop supernormal talents. It seems an alien force has…
Christmas Carol, A (1984): Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. George C. Scott, Frank Finlay, Angela Pleasence…; Faithful adaptation of the Charles Dickson classic with George C. Scott as the DEFINITIVE Ebenezer Scrooge. Faultless Christmas fare.
Cloak and Dagger (1984): Dir. Richard Franklin
Feat. Henry Thomas, Dabney Coleman, Michael Murphy; A boy with a reputation for "crying wolf" is convinced he's just witnessed an espionage plot by Russian spies in America, only no one believes his…
Dream One (Nemo) (1984): Dir. Arnaud Sélignac
Feat. Jason Connery, Harvey Keitel, Mathilda May; Very strange, tonally confused but often fascinating fantasia, a very loose adaptation of Winsor McKay's 1920s comic strip Little Nemo – itself…
Ghostbusters (1984): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver…; Blockbuster supernatural comedy follows the lives of three flaky paranormal investigators who find themselves in countless gooey situations. The…
Gremlins (1984): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Hoyt Axton, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates…; Comedy–horror gold just mild enough for the kids, about a boy's new pet that spawns a legion of furry, unruly monsters.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Roshan Seth…; The second in the Indiana Jones trilogy follows further outlandish exploits of the intrepid archeologist.
Karate Kid, The (1984): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue; Chop–sock your way out of those teen blues with some prime 80s pulp: Ralph Macchio, learning his martial arts the hard way, sanding Pat…
Muppets Take Manhattan, The (1984): Dir. Frank Oz
Feat. Art Carney, James Coco, Dabney Coleman…; The third in the series of live–action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets sees Kermit and friends go to New York City to get…
Neverending Story, The (1984): Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Barret Oliver, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn; A boy escapes the neighbourhood bullies by retreating into a mysterious book, where fantasical and exhilirating adventures take flight. Visually…
Pixar Short Film Collection Vol. 1 (1984-2007): Superb compilation of the entire Oscar–winning short films from Pixar studios. Shorts include: The Adventures of Andre & Wally B, Luxo Jr,…
Punky Brewster (TV Series) (1984): Feat. Soleil Moon-Frye, George Gaynes; Colourful family sitcom with Soleil Moon Frye attaining semi–iconic status as the feisty orphan adopted by a grumpy old widower.
Silent One, The (1984): Dir. Yvonne MacKay
Feat. George Henare, Pat Evison, Teraki Tokorangi; An endearing and visually striking tale of a gifted young mute boy who becomes ostracised by his isolated Pacific community, but finds solace in the…
Star Wars Ewok Adventures (Caravan of Courage / The Battle for Endor) (1984-1985): Feat. Wilford Brimley, Warwick Davis, Aubree Miller…; George Lucas–created fantasies especially for younger STAR WARS admirers, following further adventures of the creatures so fondly remembered in…
Tail of a Tiger (1984): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Grant Navin, Gordon Poole; Australian treasure Rolf De Heer's thoughtful debut about a young boy who's fascination with aeronautics reaches grand heights when he befriends a…
Thomas the Tank Engine (TV Series) (1984-1999): Simple yet captivating series taken from the stories and characters by Rev W. Awdry, thats phenomenal success has made Thomas and friends the pride…
Transformers (TV Series) (1984): One of the defining children's TV series of the 1980s, featuring autobotic heroes who transform into cars, planes etc. to defend Earth against…
Wind in the Willows (TV Series) (1984-1988): Fine puppet–animation brings to life Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger in three episodes of from the Thames TV series. Based on Kenneth Grahame's…
Bananaman (TV Series) (1983-1986): An animated series from the 80's featuring the talents of "The Goodies" themselves, based around the silly adventures of a schoolboy who eats a…
Black Stallion Returns (1983): Dir. Robert Dalva
Feat. Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano, Allen Garfield…; Sequel to the horse–flavoured favourite.
BMX Bandits (1983): Dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith
Feat. Nicole Kidman, David Argue; With youthful energy making up for a lot, this kids' heist movie stars a young, frizzy–haired Nicole Kidman as one of a trio of teens who…
Bush Christmas (1983): Dir. Henri Safran
Feat. John Ewart, John Howard, Nicole Kidman; Australian Christmas 'classic' focused around a debt–ridden family who must rescue their prize–winning racehorse from bandits before the…
Christmas Story, A (1983): Dir. Bob Clark
Feat. Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin; This gem is little known in this neck of the woods, yet is roundly celebrated in America as a modern Yuletide classic. Set in 1940s Indiana…
Fraggle Rock (TV Series) (1983): Creature curator Jim Henson developed this Muppet side project about a community of subterranean ‘Fraggles’ as an allegory for the human world,…
Inspector Gadget (TV Series) (1983): Twenty–one animated episodes from the life of the ingeniously–mechanised sleuth and his friends Quimby, Penny and Brain.
Legend of the Eight Samurai (Satomi hakken-den) (1983): Dir. Fukasaku Kinji
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Hiroyuki Sanada; In an ancient unspecified era, eight samurai must battle supernatural forces, witches and other hazards to rescue a princess, who is about to be…
Never Cry Wolf (1983): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy; Contemplative true story with a biologist studying the declining population of caribou in the Canadian tundra. Caused a small storm for being the…
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983): Dir. Jack Clayton
Feat. Jason Robards Jr., Jonathan Pryce, Diane Ladd…; Classic Ray Bradbury story of good and evil, set in a small American town, where two adventurous boys become entangled with a diabolical carnival and…
Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983): Dir. Richard Marquand
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford…; Final installment in George Lucas' space–trilogy sees the conclusion of the galactic war between the Empire and the 'Rebel forces'. Mark…
Super Ted, The Very Best of (TV Series) (Superted) (1983): Appealing 80's kids series about the adventures of an abandoned teddy bear who is brought to life with "cosmic dust" and becomes a superhero teddy on…
War Games (1983): Dir. John Badham
Feat. Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman; One of the best movies about computer hacking, is a highly effective comedy–thriller, with child–star Matthew Broderick accessing an…
Wind in the Willows, The (1983): Stop–motion puppetry brings the world of Toad, Ratty and Mole to delightful life in this nice TV version of Kenneth Graham's classic book..…
Annie (1982): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Tim Curry; Rumbunctious Broadway musical, set in the Depression–era, follows the young moptop's orphanage experiences, and fateful encounter with…
Dark Crystal, The (1982): Dir. Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Feat. Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw…; Wonderful fantasy from the Muppet main–man about a cute Gelfling who is must return light to a dark world by restoring the Crystal. With an…
Dr Seuss - The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982): Emmy Award–winning tale in which two of Dr. Seuss' most popular characters square off in a whimsical showdown as the ever–clever Cat puts…
E.T. (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) (1982): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote…; Steven Spielberg cemented his genius with this, possibly the best live–action family film ever made. It's the moving tale of a benign alien who…
Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) (1982-1985): Feat. Shelley Duvall, Robin Williams, Teri Garr…; Shelley Duvall curated this popular Cable TV series in eighties (which she also hosts and narrates), attracting an impressive roll call of Hollywood…
Garfield (TV Series) (1982): The classic comic–strip about a sardonic house–cat who presides over his owner and the other pets, animated faithfully into a TV series.…
Ginger Meggs (1982): Dir. Jonathan Dawson
Feat. Garry McDonald; Colourful movie adaptation of the iconic Australian comic strip, following the antics of a red–haired prepubescent mischief–maker who…
Last Unicorn, The (1982): Dir. Arthur Rankin Jnr, Jules Bass
Feat. Alan Arkin, Christopher Lee, Mia Farrow…; Underrated (and under–known) animated gem, concerns the quest of the world’s last unicorn to find the rest of the unicorn herd. Strongly…
Mysterious Cities of Gold, The (TV Series) (Taiyô no ko Esteban) (1982-1983): Richly detailed 80's kids anime series centred on a young boy on a worldwide quest to discover his true identity via the Seven Cities of Gold. A…
Plague Dogs, The (1982): Dir. Martin Rosen; Sensitive animated version of Richard Adam's (WATERSHIP DOWN) novel about two dogs who escape from a vivisection laboratory and try to evade their…
Secret of Nimh, The (1982): Dir. Don Bluth; The best of Don Bluth's animated features, about a widowed field mouse who faces the impending threats of man and nature. Help is sought through a…
Snowman, The (1982): Delicately animated version of Raymond Brigg's beautiful, wordless storybook about a snowman that comes to life. One to melt the heart, this won a…
Tripods, The (TV Series) (1982): Dir. Graham Theakston
Feat. John Shackley, Jim Baker II, Peter Dolphin; One of the BBC's most expensive serials was this imaginative, if uneven, handling of John Christopher's Tripods trilogy. In 2089, the Earth is ruled…
Under the Mountain (TV Series) (1982): Feat. Kirsty Wilkinson, Lance Warren, Roy Leywood; Disquieting, dark–hued tele adaptation of Maurice Gee's beloved sci–fi fantasy, about a pair of twins with latent psychic powers,…
Condorman (Condor Man) (1981): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed, Barbara Carrera; An odd, but likeable superhero–spy yarn from Disney, in which a cartoonist (Crawford) turns himself into a living version of one of his own…
Danger Mouse (TV Series) (1981-1987): Dir. Brian Cosgrove; Classic 1980s British cartoon series set around the wild and quirky adventures of super secret agent Danger Mouse and his sidekick Penfold, emerging…
Fox and the Hound (1981): Dir. Ted Berman, Richard Rich; Pleasurable Disney fable tells the story of a wily hunting dog and a parentless fox, traditional enemies who forge an unlikely bond, but must decide…
Great Muppet Caper, The (1981): Dir. Jim Henson
Feat. Jim Henson, Frank Oz; Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo become amateur sleuths when Miss Piggy is framed for a jewel heist. MUPPET MOVIE sequel is at least as good as the first.
Greatest American Hero, The (TV Series) (1981): Feat. William Katt, Robert Culp, Connie Sellecca…; A reluctant superhero if ever there was one, William Katt is engaging in this spoof sitcom as the toussle–haired school–teacher who is…
Grendel Grendel Grendel (1981): Dir. Alexander Stitt
Feat. Peter Ustinov, Keith Michell, Arthur Dignam; Lively animated version of the Beowulf legend, but this time told from the perspective of the monster.
Man from Snowy River , The (1981): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Jack Thompson; Sterling entertainment in the old fashioned sense, this Western has both spectacle and a big–hearted story of a man who must prove himself to…
Night Crossing (1981): Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. John Hurt, Jane Alexander, Beau Bridges…; A gripping account of the true attempt by two East German families to flee to the West in 1979 using a home–made hot air balloon. Cast all lend…
Postman Pat (TV Series) (1981): Dir. Ivor Wood; Amiable and charming animated TV series with the infectious theme–tune, that concerns the rural goings–on of English village Greendale…
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman…; Iconic adventure movie catapults one Indiana Jones into a world of endless peril to retrieve the mystical Arc of the Covenant. Breath–taking,…
Smurfs, The (TV Series) (1981-1990): Originally the Belgian creation of Pierre " Peyo" Culliford, the little blue creatures became a worldwide hit in the 1980s with an…
Willo the Wisp (TV Series) (1981): Feat. Kenneth Williams; Quaint wee BBC animation set in an enchanted forest where various sprites, trolls and elves get in little adventures and spots of bother, with the…
Herbie Goes Bananas (1980): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Cloris Leachman, Charles Martin Smith; Final sequel to THE LOVE BUG is set at Rio De Janiero's Grande Premio.
Last Flight of Noah's Ark, The (1980): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Elliott Gould, Genevieve Bujold, Rick Schroder…; Disney adventure begins with a forced landing on a desert island by pilot Gould, missionary Bujold and an assortment of children and animals. Soon,…
Popeye (1980): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall; Robin Williams is a livewire as the iconic spinach eating sailor man, but it’s Shelley Duvall as gangly Olive Oyl who steals the show in Robert…
Storm Boy (1980): Dir. Henri Safran
Feat. Greg Rowe, Peter Cummins, David Gulpilil; Minor Australian classic set in the beautiful, windswept wilds of South Australia, where a young boy leads an isolated existence with his father and…
Watcher in the Woods, The (1980): Dir. John Hough
Feat. Bette Davis, David McCallum, Carroll Baker…; One of Disney's spookier efforts, this concerns a family who move into a country house in Britain and are beset with supernatural occurances.…
Black Hole, The (1979): Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster…; Maniacal scientist Maximilian Schell plans to dive into a vast ‘black hole’ in space – this is the compelling idea of one of…
Black Stallion, The (1979): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr…; A young boy is saved from a shipwreck by a magnificent black horse that he eventually enters in a prestigious racing championship. A stylish and…
Bugs Bunny Roadrunner Movie, The (1979): Feat. Mel Blanc; Bugs and Roadrunner collaborate for a feature–length jaunt of Chuck Jones madness.
Flambards (TV Series) (1979): Feat. Christine McKenna, Rosalie Williams, Steven Grives; TV adaptation of the book by K. M. Peyton about an orphaned child who moves to a country estate in early 1900's England and falls in love with…
Flash Gordon: The Animated Series (1979): Wonderfully retro Saturday morning animated series sees Flash Gordon crashland on Planet Mongo, ruled by the evil dictator Ming the Merciless, and…
G.I. Samurai (Sengoku jieitai; Time Slip) (1979): Dir. Mitsumasa Saito
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Jun Eto; A squadron of Japanese soldiers, together with their weaponry, helicopter and gunboat, are accidentally caught in a 'time slip' and transported back…
Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The (1979): Dir. Bill Melendez; Emmy Award–winning animated version of C.S.Lewis’ classic children’s tale that nicely captures the spirit of the text with a unique, visual…
Littlest Hobo, The (TV Series) (1979-1985): Winning family serial follows a wandering German shepherd who who travels from place to place befriending and helping the struggling.
Muppet Movie, The (1979): Dir. James Frawley
Feat. Dom DeLuise, Charles Durning; The first Muppet feature has Kermit the Green One taking a long hop from his swamp in Georgia all the way to Hollywood, en route collecting Miss…
Unidentified Flying Oddball (The Spaceman and King Arthur) (1979): Dir. Russ Mayberry
Feat. Dennis Dugan, Kenneth More, Jim Dale…; A lighthearted and updated Disney version of Mark Twain's comic novel 'Connecticut Yankee'. Here an astronaut and his robot pal do the timewarp and…
Worzel Gummidge (TV Series) (1979-1981): Feat. Jon Pertwee, Una Stubbs, Geoffrey Bayldon; Oddball and much–loved children's TV series about a living, grubby and rather bad–tempered scarecrow (Pertwee) who muddles through life…
Battle of the Planets (TV Series) (1978): Dir. David E Hanson; Ground–breaking serial, a dubbed and re–edited Japanese sci–fi cartoon, that became one of the most popular TV–shows of the…
Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series) (Different Strokes) (1978-1986): Feat. Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Conrad Bain…; Classic American sitcom had a rich white widower (Bain) adopt two black boys, notably a pint–sized Gary Coleman who proved the…
Famous Five, The (TV Series) (Enid Blyton's The Famous Five) (1978-1979): Feat. Michele Gallagher, Marcus Harris, Gary Russell…; The original and most beloved of The Famous Five TV serials, based on Enid Blyton's classic children's adventure novels. Of Blyton's 21 stories,…
Grange Hill (TV Series) (1978-2008): Candid British kids series following the exploits of a group of school misfits dealing with the day–to–day struggles of life in a…
Heidi (TV Series) (1978): Dir. Tony Faadt, Joachim Hesss
Feat. Katharina Balhm, Katia Polletin; Thirteen episodes of the fondly remembered classic Heidi series.
I Love Cult Kids (1978-1990): An exemplary compilation of episodes from seven classic kids TV shows spanning several decades. Includes Jamie and the Magic Torch (1978), Chorlton…
International Velvet (1978): Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Tatum O'Neal, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Plummer…; Belated and earnest sequel to classic NATIONAL VELVET has an adult Velvet Brown take in an orphaned niece from America, who, with the help of an…
Lord of the Rings (1978): Dir. Ralph Bakshi; Likable animation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy classic, admirably captures the personalities of the novel's horde of eccentric characters and…
Return From Witch Mountain (1978): Dir. John Hough
Feat. Bette Davis, Christopher Lee; Above–average sequel to ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN reprises the story of two runaway orphans with supernatural powers, adding the star presence…
Water Babies, The (1978): Dir. Lionel Jeffries
Feat. James Mason, Bernard Cribbins, Billie Whitelaw…; The children's classic by Charles Kingsley, given a sterling treatment by its English cast and some nifty animation. A young chimney sweep finds…
Watership Down (1978): Dir. Martin Rosen; A family of rabbits escape impending threats of nature and make a perilous journey in search of a tranquil burrow. Adapted from Richard Adams'…
Wiz, The (1978): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor; Much maligned 'black musical' version of L. Frank Baum's classic fairytale (best known through the Judy Garland version). Here, New York City was…
Blue Fin (1977): Dir. Carl Schultz
Feat. Hardy Kruger, Greg Rowe; From the creators of STORM BOY, this ocean adventure focuses on the demanding relationship between a father and his son on a tuna–fishing boat…
Christmas Carol, A (1977): Dir. Moira Armstrong
Feat. Sir Michael Hordern, Bernard Lee; Charles Dickens' time–honoured tale of how Ebenezer Scrooge, too mean to celebrate Xmas, is brought to account by the ghosts of Past, Present…
Freaky Friday (1977): Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Jodie Foster, Barbara Harris; Barbara Harris and a 13–year–old Jodie Foster are mother and daughter who miraculosly swap personalities for a day. Plenty of fun here.
Gulliver's Travels (1977): Dir. Peter Hunt
Feat. Richard Harris, Catherine Schell; One of the first films to combine live action and animation, this 1977 version has the gruff old Harris play the shipwrecked sailor who awakens in a…
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Dean Jones, Don Knotts; Second sequel to THE LOVE BUG, starring everybody's favourite Volkswagen, adds the extra panache to the Paris–Monte Carlo race.
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The (1977): Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman; The original Disney version of A A Milne's classic creation, splices together three mis–adventures of Pooh, Tigger, Eey–Ore etc, all…
People That Time Forgot, The (1977): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Patrick Wayne; Sequel to THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, sees Patrick Wayne return to the monster–ridden island in search of lost colleagues.
Pete's Dragon (1977): Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Mickey Rooney, Shelley Winters, Jim Dale…; Young orphan Pete (Sean Marchall) bonds with animated green dragon Elliot in this lesser–Disney live–action movie. Sentimental songs…
Red Hand Gang, The (TV Series) (1977): Fondly–remembered show has five city kids and their dog Boomer solving crimes. This fun caper–filler seventies kids show that was more…
Rescuers, The (1977): Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery; Two intrepid mice, of the Rescue Aid Society, set out to save orphan girl Penny from the clutches of the evil Madame Medusa. Disney animation is…
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977): Dir. Sam Wanamaker
Feat. Patrick Wayne, Jane Seymour, Patrick Troughton; The last of Ray Harryhausen's 'Sinbad' series and probably the weakest as hero sails to break a spell that has turned a prince into a baboon. Some…
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977): Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford…; George Lucas' epic trilogy of space adventure begins "long ago and far far away", with the life of Luke Skywalker being disturbed by the galactic war…
What's New Mr. Magoo? (TV Series) (1977): The myopic animated star returns in this follow–up series. Jim Backus (Gilligan's Island) stars as the lovable near–sighted goof,…
Wonder Woman, The New Adventures of (TV Series) (1977-1979): Feat. Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner; Charles Moulon’s 1940s comic strip updated to the feminist 70s, his superheroine fighting terrorist and subversive elements for undercover…
At the Earth's Core (1976): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Peter Cushing, Doug McClure, Caroline Munro; Eccentric doctor Peter Cushing burrows down into the Earth onboard a huge iron mole to emerge in an underground world ruled by the Mahars:…
Barney (1976): Dir. David Waddington
Feat. Spike Milligan, Sean Kramer, Brett Maxworthy; Aussie family movie shipwrecks a 12 year old boy with a common criminal as they both emigrate to 19th century Australia.
Big John Little John (TV Series) (1976): Feat. Herb Edelman; Wacky 70's sitcom concerning the misadventures of a forty–something school teacher. After drinking from a fountain of youth finds himself…
Bugsy Malone (1976): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Scott Baio, Jodie Foster, John Cassini; Alan Parker's directing debut was this startlingly original feature debut reinvents the gangster movie as a musical pastiche cast entirely with…
Monster Squad (TV Series) (1976): Feat. Fred Grandy; Short–lived kids show has wax museum figures Wolfman, Dracula and Frankenstein come to life to help young mortal Fred Grandy (Gopher from THE…
Muppet Show, The (TV Series) (1976-1981): Dir. Various; Six volumes of inspired puppetry from Jim Henson’s legends: Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gopher, Animal, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and the rest, beguiling,…
Pinocchio (1976): Feat. Danny Kaye; Bright and energetic musical adaptation of the beloved children's fable, framed around the story of a young theater girl's desire to study and work…
Shaggy D.A., The (1976): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Dean Jones, Tim Conway, Suzanne Pleshette…; Extremely shaggy later Disney live–actioner, with Dean Jones playing a District Attorney who finds himself repeatedly turning into a dog.…
Apple Dumpling Gang, The (1975): Dir. Norman Tokar
Feat. Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Harry Morgan…; Attractive Disney adventure set on the Californian frontier in the 1870s, with an inveterate gambler (Bixby) ending up in charge of three orphaned…
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975): Dir. John Hough
Feat. Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence; One of Disney's best live–action telemovies, where two orphans with mysterious telekinetic powers flee the attentions of a shifty entrepeneur.…
Huckleberry Finn (1975): Dir. Robert Totten
Feat. Ron Howard, Royal Dano, Antonio Fargas…; Fairly straightforward version of Mark Twain's best–loved book, with Howard playing Huck with freckled charm. Avoids some of the darker…
One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Peter Ustinov, Helen Hayes, Clive Revill…; Inane British slapstick involving spy games, hidden microfilm, a colossal dinosaur skeleton and a squadron of English nannies. Ustinov helps keep the…
Paddington Bear (TV Series) (1975): London's cuddly, overcoated bear made his television debut in 1975 as a stop–motion puppet (a la Postman Pat), much to the delight of children…
Secret Garden, The (TV Mini-series) (1975): Dir. Katrina Murray
Feat. Sarah Hollis Andrews, John Woodnutt, Hope Johnstone; One of the best of the many adaptations of Francis Hodgkins Burnett's childrens' classic, in which a disagreeable young girl becomes fascinated with…
Shadows (TV Series) (1975-1978): Feat. Jenny Agutter, Pauline Quirke; Atmospheric and superbly scripted, this quintessential children’s series of the 1970s offers up psychological and supernatural tales in which young…
Benji (1974): Dir. Joe Camp
Feat. Peter Breck, Edgar Buchanan, Christopher Connelly…; Seminal wonder–dog movie started a craze for little terriers. Small budget hasn't aged it well but you'll still work up a lot of affection for…
Castaway Cowboy, The (1974): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. James Garner, Vera Miles, Robert Culp; Well–made Disney adventure yarn has Texas cowboy Garner land in troubled Hawaii in the 1850s. Here, he falls in with helping Miles drive cattle…
Happy Days (TV Series) (1974): Feat. Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley…; Rockin’ and rollin’ time capsule nostalgia recaptures the simple, all–American life of the Cunninghams in the jukebox fifties, and their…
Herbie Rides Again (1974): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Stefanie Powers, Helen Hayes; Fist sequel to THE LOVE BUG concerns the lovable Volkswagen's efforts to protect an old lady from a corrput land developer.
Island at the Top of the World, The (1974): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Donald Sinden, Jacques Marin, Mako; Four explorers on an expedition to the Arctic discover dangerous volcanos and a lost Viking race in this appealing Disney live–actioner. In the…
Land That Time Forgot, The (1974): Dir. Kevin Conner
Feat. Doug McClure, John McEnery, Susan Penhaligon; After ending up on a German submarine in WWI several Americans stumble across an undiscovered South American island, which holds adventure in the…
Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) (1974-1982): Feat. Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert; Gently focused account of a settler family building their 'little house' on the plains of Minnesota in the 1870s. While not exactly gritty, this is…
Little Prince, The (1974): Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Richard Kiley, Bob Fosse, Gene Wilder; The classic childern's story by aviator Antoine de Saint–Exupery is here translated with whimsy and wit intact. A pilot is stranded in a desert…
Swallows and Amazons (1974): Dir. Claude Whatham
Feat. Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser; Solidly crafted adaptation of Arthur Ransome's celebrated children's novel about a group of children having a variety of holiday adventures in the…
Zoo Gang, The (TV Series) (1974): Feat. Brian Keith, John Mills, Barry Morse…; Old fashioned but fun espionage series centered around five aged resistance fighters scamming scamming the scammers and gifting the money to the…
Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1973): Dir. Gordon Hessler
Feat. John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker…; Arabian Nightish saga with Tom Baker (Dr Who) as Sinbad's adversary. The swordplay of a six–armed statue is but one of the Harryhausen FX…
Oliver Twist (animated) (1973): Dir. Hal Sutherland; Warner Brothers' merry musical feature based on Charles Dicken's classic.
Optimists, The (1973): Dir. Anthony Simmons
Feat. Peter Sellers; Gentle, affirmative tale of a busker (Sellers) who inspires London's poor and neglected children to look on the bright side of life. Hard to dislike.
Robin Hood (1973): Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman; Uncle Walt's animated version of the oft–told tale, with American elements sprinkled among the swordfights and songs. Some nice suprises too.
Sigmund and the Seamonsters (TV Series) (1973-1975): Sid and Marty Krofft's low–budget kids sitcom about two brothers, Johnny and Scott, who harbour a friendly sea monster named Sigmund in their…
Tom Sawyer (1973): Dir. Don Taylor
Feat. Johnnie Whitaker, Celeste Holm, Warren Oates…; Award–winning musical version of Mark Twain's classic raggamuffin adventures. A youthful Jodie Foster appears as Tom's girlfriend.
Tomorrow People, The (TV Series) (1973): Dir. Paul Bernard
Feat. Nicholas Young; Fitted out with stun–guns, digital watches and a talking biotronic computer called TIM, a group of highly–evolved youngsters also enjoy…
Wombles, The (TV Series) (1973-1999): Tomsk, Wellington and Orinoco are some of the furry creatures of Wimbledon common, whose life's work is to recycle human refuse. This collection…
World's Greatest Athlete, The (1973): Dir. Robert Scheerer
Feat. Jan-Michael Vincent; Fun Disney comedy about the discovery and exploitation of a super–athlete. Gags runs the gamut of Olympic events aided by zany special…
Adventure's of Black Beauty, The (TV Series) (1972-1974): Based on the classic children's book, in which a thoroughbred horse is adopted into the household of a local doctor and widower, and befriended by…
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972): Dir. William Sterling
Feat. Michael Crawford, Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore…; Star–packed, centennial adaptation of Lewis Carroll's masterpiece follows young Alice (Fullerton) down the rabbithole and on to her adventures…
Biscuit Eater, The (1972): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Lew Ayres, Earl Holliman, Patricia Crowley; Sweetly sentimental version of James Street's novel about two young lads – one black, one white – who combine their efforts in training a…
Call of the Wild (1972): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Charlton Heston, Michele Mercier; Fairly average version of Jack London's classic tale of Alaskan survivalism, with Heston traipsing the wilderness with his tough German Shepherd.…
Charlotte's Web (1972): Dir. Joseph Barbera, William Hanna; Nicely animated adaptation of E.B. White's fable about a barnyard spider who befriends a shy piglet whom she tries to save from the bacon factory.
Dr Seuss - The Lorax (1972): Award–winning animated version of the Dr. Seuss environmental fable about the greedy, tree–chopping Once–lers and the brave little…
Escape into Night (TV Series) (Marianne Dreams) (1972): Feat. Vikki Chambers; A convalescent young girl's drawings become the basis for her dreams in this six–part British TV serial that left an indelibly haunting…
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (TV Series) (1972-1984): Feat. Bill Cosby; Great compilation of episodes from the long–running 70s cartoon series, based on Bill Cosby's own childhood. "Greatest Hits" Disc 1: Lying,…
Panda Go Panda (1972): Dir. Isao Takahata; An early proto–Studio Ghibli kids flick (made as a 2–part TV special) features Hayao Miyazaki as writer and character designer and…
Railway Children, The (1972): Dir. Lionel Jeffries
Feat. Jenny Agutter; When their father is jailed for espionage, Jenny Agutter and her siblings are relocated to rural Yorkshire. Local adventures slowly turn into an…
Rainbow (TV Series) (1972-1992): Cult kids show both educational and slightly surreal, and responsible for introducing generations to Bungle, George, Zippy and horrendously colored…
Snoopy Come Home (1972): Dir. Bill Melendez; The second Peanuts film has Snoopy traveling to see his sick former owner and feeling obliged to return to her permanently.
Sounder (1972): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks…; Celebrated tale of a family of black sharecroppers struggling in the the American South during the 1930s. Hooks is excellent as a teenager who…
Tintin and the Mystery at Shark Lake (Lake of Sharks) (1972): Dir. Raymond LeBlanc; Standalone animated Tintin feature (and second of two) finds Snowy, Captain Haddock and co. on a lakeside vacation – picturesque front to a global…
Treasure Island (animated) (1972): Dir. Hal Sutherland; Warner Brothers' animated feature–length version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Angela Lansbury; An apprentice witch wants to use her powers to contribute to the English war effort against the Nazis, plus a trip to the cartoon Island of…
Best of the Best of the Electric Company, The (1971-1977): Feat. Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno…; A generous selection of excerpts from the long–running 1970s children's TV show, which mixed up its educationalist intentions (especially…
Black Beauty (1971): Dir. James Hill
Feat. Mark Lester, Walter Slezak; Faithful version of Anna Sewell's childrens' novel, concerning a magnificent black horse who is cursed with a cruel owner.
Dr Seuss - The Cat in the Hat (1971): Animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss' iconic children's story is a television classic in its own right, with script and musical direction overseen by the…
Lidsville (TV Series) (1971): Feat. Charles Nelson Reilly, Butch Patrick, Billie Hayes; Kookiest and perhaps the most hilarious of the Sid & Marty Krofft children's productions about a teenager who gets lost in a fantasy world of…
Million Dollar Duck (1971): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Dean Jones, Joe Flynn, Tony Roberts; Disney comedy about a duck who lays golden eggs is fairly well hatched, with the usual animal shenanigans nicely delivered.
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971): Dir. Al Viola
Feat. John Hurt, Hayley Mills, Dudley Sutton…; Worthy version of NZ–er Graham Billing's classic novel about an immature young scientist who volunteers for a season observing penguin…
Point, The (1971): Dir. Fred Wolf; Animated fable (and later a succesful childrens' book) set in a world where everyone has a pointed head, and therefore a 'point'. When…
Tales of Beatrix Potter, The (1971): Splendid version of Beatrix Potter's timeless tales, brought to life by members of The Royal Ballet (in costume).
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) (1971): Dir. Mel Stuart
Feat. Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson; Roald Dahl adapts his own book for this lively, almost psychedelic musical adaptation about a boy's desire to see inside a chocolate factory run by…
Archie's Funhouse (TV Series) (1970): Animated 70's series based on the popular comic strip starring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and Reggie, the famous group of friends at Riverdale…
Aristocats, The (1970): Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman; A charismatic alley–cat escorts his feline friends back to their Paris mansion after they are dumped in the country by their mean…
Bugaloos, The (TV Series) (1970): Another camp and colourful Sid & Marty Kroft series. An intrepid, squeaky–clean British pop group spread their warm cozy feelings much to the…
Catweazle (TV Series) (1970-1971): Feat. Geoffrey Bayldon, Charles Tingwell; An eccentric, disheveled 11th century wizard teleports to the 1970s, spending much of his time in a state of utter bewilderment at the many…
Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne) (1970): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais, Delphine Seyrig…; A vibrant, whimsical and genuinely fantastic adaptation of Perrault's classic 17th century fairy tale in which a Princess (Deneuve) disguises herself…
Dougal And The Blue Cat (The Magic Roundabout (Pollux et le chat bleu)) (1970): Dir. Serge Danot; Enchanting and wonderfully surreal movie length tale from beloved childrens' series The Magic Roundabout, sees Dougal become suspicious when Buxton…
Dr Seuss - Horton Hears a Who (1970): Dir. Chuck Jones; Remastered edition of the original animated Seuss story of a sentimental elephant who determinedly protects the tiny inhabitants of the microscopic…
Josie and the Pussycats (TV Series) (1970): Animated version of the ‘Archie’–comic characters, done in glorious low–budget Hanna–Barbara style.
Partridge Family, The (TV Series) (1970-1974): Feat. Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, Susan Dey…; A TV series that became a cause celebre, this concerns a struggling family who dream of becoming pop musicians, and using their combined talents hit…
Pippi In The South Seas (Pippi Longstocking III) (1970): Dir. Olle Hellbom
Feat. Inger Nilsson, Pär Sundberg, Maria Persson; Sea faring shenanigans with Pippi in search of her father kidnapped by fiendish pirates. Pleasant whimsy populated with unlikely sequences strung…
Pippi Longstocking (1970): Dir. Olle Hellbom
Feat. Maria Persson, Inger Nilsson, Pär Sundberg; Classic kids adventure in this, Pippi's first feature–length film. Here the troublesome redhead moves into an abandoned house with her monkey…
Pippi On The Run (Pippi Longstocking IV) (1970): Dir. Olle Hellbom
Feat. Inger Nilsson, Maria Persson, Pär Sundberg; Fourth and final outing for the popular preteen heroine with this time the freckled star accompanying two runaways on their journey. There's a…
Pufnstuf (1970): Dir. Hollingsworth Morse
Feat. Jack Wild, Billie Hayes, Martha Raye; Fabulous feature version of the HR PUFNSTUF TV–series, that's a 60s counter–cultural rival to the WIZARD OF OZ. Mildly psychedelic…
Scrooge (1970): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Albert Finney, Alec Guinness, Dame Edith Evans…; Enchanting musical version of Charles Dickens' tale of the old miser who is taken through Christmas past, present and future to realise his selfish…
Timeslip (TV Series) (1970-1971): Feat. Spencer Banks, Cheryl Burfield, Denis Quilley; A smart children’s sci–fi series that tells in four separate stories what happens when two intrepid siblings discover an invisible portal…
Boom Boom! Best of the Original Basil Brush (TV Series) (1969-1979): A hand–puppet sensation and British icon, Basil is a lovably cheeky red fox. Re–live some of his most mischievous moments and classic…
Boy Named Charlie Brown, A (1969): Dir. Bill Melendez; The first big–screen appearance for Charles M. Schulz's celebrated cartoon gang of kids, in which Charlie Brown tries to make it through a…
Brady Bunch, The (TV Series) (1969): Feat. Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis…; America’s archetypal model for domestic bliss concerns the merger of two single parents, six kids, and their perpetually perky housemaid Alice into…
Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The (1969): Dir. Robert Butler
Feat. Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Joe Flynn…; One of Kurt Russell's early, family–friendly appearances in a straightforward Disney comedy. He plays a student who is injected with a…
HR Pufnstuf (TV Series) (1969): Feat. Jack Wild, Billie Hayes; The brainchild of Sid and Marty Kroft, Pufnstuf was one of their most endearing characters. Armed with infectious goodwill, he never fails to foil…
Kes (1969): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Colin Welland, Brian Glover; Dreary life in Northern mining town takes on a new lease for a young boy when he discovers and nurtures an injured kestrel. A sensitive, moving film.
Love Bug, The (1969): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Dean Jones, Michele Lee, David Tomlinson…; The original Disney live–action comedy classic about Herbie, the VW with a mind of it's own. He takes his faithful new owner (Dean Jones) for…
Phantom Tollbooth, The (1969): Dir. Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow; Young lad Butch Patrick gets a ‘magic tollbooth’ which transports him into the crazed animated world of Chuck Jones (Bugs Bunny), whose…
Pippi Goes On Board (Pippi Longstocking II) (1969): Dir. Olle Hellbom
Feat. Inger Nilsson, Maria Persson, Pär Sundberg; Second in the popular series follows on directly from the previous with Pippi abstaining from a voyage with her father and instead setting off for…
Ring Of Bright Water (1969): Dir. Jack Couffer
Feat. Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna; Charming, autobiographical story about a Londoner who moves with his pet otter to a cottage on the coast of Scotland, where they make the…
Scooby Doo's Original Mysteries (1969): Feat. Don Messick, Casey Kasem, Frank Welker…; The first five episodes of the Hanna–Barbera cartoon series featuring the Shaggy, Scoob and the rest.
Secret Service, The (TV Series) (1969): Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's (THUNDERBIRDS) final excursion into "supermarionation", this gadget–laden spy series concerns a priest (voiced by…
Sesame Street - Old School (1969-1974): A treasure trove of highlights from Jim Henson and co.'s ground–breaking, iconic and totally enchanting educational children's series, as it…
Tintin and the Prisoners of the Sun (1969): Dir. Raymond LeBlanc; Feature–length sequel to TINTIN AND THE CALCULUS AFFAIR, this installment sees Tintin, Professor Haddock et al journey through the Andes in…
World of Sid & Marty Krofft, The (1969-1984): Excellent sampler of the children’s television productions made by the Krofft brothers, whose most famous hit was perhaps 'H.R. Pufnstuf', but who…
Banana Splits, The (1968): Psychedelia for kids! The first three episodes of the cult kids show featuring the mind–boggling antics of Drooper, Snorky, Bingo and Fleegle.
Blackbeard's Ghost (1968): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Peter Ustinov; Peter Ustinov applies his comic talents to playing the ghost of the notorious pirate, conjured into the present by Disney Studios, to rescue a high…
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968): Dir. Ken Hughes
Feat. Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries…; Dick Van Dyke stars as eccentric inventor and who gives a run–down race car a magical new lease of life. This musical comedy masterpiece…
Heidi (1968): Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. Maximilian Schell, Jean Simmons, Walter Slezak…; TV movie adaptation of the 1880 novel about the Swiss orphan who is left in the care of her grumpy grandparents in the alps.
Jungle Book, The (1968): Walt Disney's truly exceptional animated tale is probably the one that adults enjoy as much as young ones. The songs of Mowgli and his animal friends…
Oliver! (1968): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Ron Moody, Oliver Reed, Mark Lester; Perfect screen adaptation of the 1960 stage musical by British writer and composer Lionel Bart, based on Charles Dickens' timeless tale. For a…
One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, The (1968): Dir. Michael O'Herlihy
Feat. Walter Brennan, Buddy Ebsen, Lesley Ann Warren…; A rambunctious Disney musical in which the large Bower family band sets off to the 1888 Democrat Party convention in St. Louis to support Grover…
Thunderbird 6 (1968): Dir. David Lane; Ah! So there is a sixth Thunderbird! See it battle with the Black Phantom in this second and final T–bird feature.
Wacky Races (TV Series) (1968-1970): Dir. William Hanna, Joseph Barbera; Hanna–Barbera cartoon saga of a madcap cross–country car race in which villain Dick Dastardly (and his canine sidekick, Mutley) schemed…
Yours, Mine and Ours (1968): Dir. Melville Shavelson
Feat. Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Van Johnson…; Family comedy based loosely on the life of Helen Beardsley, who in the 1960's had a family of 18 children with husband Frank Beardsley, from their…
Asterix (Animated Series) (1967-1994): Overdubbed into English, this series of adaptations from Goscinny and Uderzo's classic comicbooks concern a village of plucky Gauls (including…
Captain Scarlet - Revenge of the Mysterons (1967): Dir. Gerry Anderson; Feature–length adventure of the super–marionated inter–galactic agency's battle against their long–running arch–enemy…
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (TV Series) (1967): Dir. Gerry Anderson; The complete series of Gerry Anderson's most technically accomplished sci–fi puppet, Captain Scarlet, who has limitless clones of himself…
Dr. Dolittle (1967): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Rex Harrison; Rex Harrison plays the eccentric doctor who has devoted himself to the animal kingdom. A family musical at its most extravagant.
Flying Nun, The (TV Series) (1967-1970): Feat. Sally Field, Marge Redmond, Madeleine Sherwood…; Wholesome, if rather off–kilter, family sitcom in which the young Sally Field plays a novice nun, whose starched headgear somehow enables her…
Gentle Ben (TV Series) (1967): Feat. Clint Howard, Dennis Weaver; Based on the children's novel of the same name, Gentle Ben follows the adventures in the Florida Everglades of a game warden, Tom Wedloe (Dennis…
Gnome-Mobile, The (1967): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Walter Brennan, Ed Wynn, Richard Deacon; Fanciful Disney comedy has a gnome on a mission crossing paths with two children and a wily entrepeneur.
Herculoids, The (TV Series) (1967): Dir. Joseph Barbera, William Hanna; Saturday–morning cartoon from Hanna–Barbera in the late 60's, following a space barbarian family and their giant pets the Herculoids…
Jack and the Beanstalk (1967): Dir. Gene Kelly
Feat. Gene Kelly; Gene Kelly and his live–action cast interact with animated characters and backgrounds for this musical version of the fairytale favourite.…
Speed Racer (TV Series) (1967): One of the most complex early anime series to be dubbed from Japanese into English, set around the comic adventures of driver Speed and his supercar,…
Alice in Wonderland (1966): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Peter Cook, Michael Redgrave, Peter Sellers…; Cult BBC version of Lewis Carroll's classic children's book, in which drowsing Alice enters the dreamscape of 'Wonderland'. Influenced by the…
Batfink (TV Series) (1966-1967): Late–1960s kids animation about a superhero bat "with wings of steel" who looks to make the world a safer place with the help of his assistant…
Cool McCool (TV Series) (1966): Swinging animated spoof from the creator of Batman follows ace spy Cool McCool as he uses gadgets and wits to overcome the baddies. Despite crude…
Follow Me, Boys! (1966): Dir. Norman Tokar
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles, Lillian Gish; Disney classic about a simple man who settles in a small town during the 1930's and starts a Boy Scout Troop.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966): Dir. Chuck Jones; A classic Warner Bros cartoon, puts an animated spring into Dr Seuss's tale of the vicious Grinch who tries to steal Christmas from the folk at…
Namu, My Best Friend (Namu, The Killer Whale) (1966): Dir. Laslo Benedek
Feat. Robert Lansing, John Anderson, Richard Erdman…; A compassionate marine biologist forms an unlikely friendship with a killer whale in this tenderly told story for all ages.
Paddle to the Sea (1966): Dir. Bill Mason; This breathtaking miniature classic tells the story of a hand carved Indian in a toy canoe, which journeys from the snowcapped mountains of Canada,…
Belle and Sebastien (TV Series) (1965): Dir. Cecile Aubry, Jean Guillaume; Cherished children's series lovingly recreates the classic French tale of a six–year–old orphan who forms an enduring friendship with a…
Born Free (1965): Dir. James Hill
Feat. Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Geoffrey Keen; Famous family film about the real–life adventures of Joy and George Adamson and the lion cub, Elsa. Richly emotional with an enduring theme.
Gidget (TV Series) (1965-1966): Feat. Sally Field, Don Porter, Betty Conner; Truly likeable television spinoff series of the 1959 movie, about a spunky young surfer girl (Field) who comes of age around her friends, solo Dad…
Kimba the White Lion (TV Series) (Janguru taitei) (1965-1967): A cutely effective animation series that combined American and Japanese production influences in its story of a white lion cub who strives to bring…
Lassie's Great Adventure (1965): Dir. William Beaudine
Feat. Jon Provost, Richard Kiel, June Lockhart…; Timmy and Lassie get carried away in a hot air balloon and land in the wilds of Canada. This theatrically released movie, pretty much the last gasp…
Milton the Monster (1965): Soft–hearted and strangely adorable, Milton is the very model of what no self–respecting monster should be. Three wild and woolly…
Pink Panther (Animated) (1965-1975): The cartoon adventures of the fabulously slinky feline who always comes out on top, developed from the hugely popular opening credits of Blake…
That Darn Cat! (1965): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Hayley Mills, Dean Jones, Dorothy Provine…; One of the very best Disney live–action comedies, has Hayley Mills and her Siamese cat help solve a bank–robbery and kidnapping case.…
Those Calloways (1965): Dir. Norman Tokar
Feat. Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Walter Brennan…; Sincere and effective Disney drama about a smalltown eccentric (Keith) in New England, who, with the help of his family, decides to buy a lake and…
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox…; Great theme tune sets the tone of this large–scale, rip–roaring comedy about a 1910 aeroplane race, rife with international conflicts,…
Thunderbirds (TV Series) (1965- 1966): The complete series of Gerry Anderson's exemplary puppet suspense TV series that continues to enthrall new generations. Set around the…
Addams Family, The (TV Series) (1964-1966): Feat. John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Ted Cassidy…; Macabre 1960s sitcom about a family whose gothic lifestyle and trappings make for a mordant contrast with 'apple–pie' America. 22 episodes…
Christmas Television Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town) (1964-1970): Feat. Fred Astaire; Three festive features garanteed to bring nostalgic cheer to any child of the sixties.
Daniel Boone (TV Series) (1964): Feat. Fess Parker, Albert Salmi; Daniel Boone was a big man, and Fess Parker was a huge television star as the coon–skin wearing frontier hero of this iconic TV series set in…
Famous Five, The: Five Have a Mystery to Solve (1964): Dir. Ernest Morris
Feat. Darryl Read, Mandy Harper, Paula Boyd…; Jolly hockey sticks! The Five are back, and set for even more adventures this time on a mysterious island, with perilous cliffs, and secret treasure.…
Flipper (TV Series) (1964): Feat. Brian Kelly; Popular, laid–back TV incarnation of the enduring dolphin/boy relationship makes for perfect family viewing splashed with natural aquatic…
Mary Poppins (1964): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke; Disney's beloved live–action feature is a timeless, dazzling musical with Julie Andrews as an enchanted London nanny. Dick Van Dyke…
Misadventures of Merlin Jones, The (1964): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Leon Ames; Disney live–actioner about a brainy freshman (Kirk) who causes a stir on campus when he goes to college, with the help of a mind–reading…
Moon Spinners, The (1964): Feat. Hayley Mills, Eli Wallach, Peter McEnery…; A Hitchcockian thriller for the younger set from Disney in which a young girl (Hayley Mills) becomes involved in a jewel theft in Crete.
Mr. Magoo Show, The (TV Series) (1964): Animated 60's series starring Mr. Magoo–the bumbling geriatric with shoddy eyesight voiced by Jim Backus (GILLIGAN'S ISLAND). Magoo gets…
Munsters, The (TV Series) (1964-1965): Dir. Various
Feat. Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis…; Memorable TV–comedy set around a ghoulish–looking, but otherwise normal family – who are mystified as to why everyone reacts so…
Roger Ramjet (TV Series) (1964): Entertaining, slightly wacko animated series, set around the super–strength Roger, who was voiced by LA radio personality Gary Owens, as he…
Tintin and the Blue Oranges (1964): Dir. Philippe Condroyer
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Jean Bouise, Félix Fernández; Second live–action version of Herge’s cult boy journalist, this time in pursuit of some valuable ‘blue oranges’ in Valencia, Spain. As…
Tintin and the Calculus Affair (1964): Dir. Raymond LeBlanc; Full length animated feature sees Tintin, Captain Haddock and the gang go on a rescue mission to save Professor Calculus, who has been kidnapped for…
Whistle Down the Wind (1964): Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Alan Bates, Hayley Mills; Alan Bates plays an escaped convict who Hayley Mills meets and believes to be Jesus himself. Unsentimental yet moving account of childhood faith…
Astro Boy (TV Series) (1963-1980): Dir. Noboro Ishiguro; The Japanese–animated robot boy struts his stuff in this historic series, performing Superman–style heroic deeds and dealing with a bit…
Flipper (1963): Dir. James B. Clark
Feat. Chuck Connors, Luke Halpin, Connie Scott; Original depiction of dolphin/boy friendship, with the sea–mammal and 60s TV lad Chuck Conners having thrills and splashes in the Florida Keys,…
Incredible Journey (1963): Dir. Fletcher Markle
Feat. Emile Genest, John Drainie, Tommy Tweed…; Two dogs and a Siamese cat attempt to return to their family by travelling over 200 miles of lush Canadian countryside. The original Disney adventure…
Jason and the Argonauts (1963): Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack; Masterpiece of fantasy based on Greek mythology features the best stop–motion animation work from Ray Harryhausen. The skeleton…
Peanuts (1963-1993): On DVD: 9 episodes over 3 DVDs culled from a 30 year span of TV specials. Each DVD is themed to a particular character. DVD 1 feats. Charlie Brown,…
Petticoat Junction (TV Series) (1963-1970): Feat. Edgar Buchanan, Bea Benaderet; Charming cornpoke sitcom was a 'sister–show' to both THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES and GREEN ACRES, being also set in the town of Hooterville and…
Son of Flubber (1963): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn…; A (then) rare Disney sequel in which Fred MacMurray returns as THE ABSENT–MINDED PROFESSOR for another round of visual gags based around the…
Stingray (TV Series) (1963): Dir. Gerry Anderson; One of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's first 'Supermarionation' series, set around W.A.S.P. and the submarine 'Stingray' as it battles the evil…
Summer Magic (1963): Dir. James Neilson
Feat. Hayley Mills, Burl Ives, Dorothy McGuire; Sweetly sentimental Disney version of the Kate Wiggins novel 'Mother Carey's Chickens', about a poor Boston family who make a drafty Maine homestead…
Sword in the Stone (1963): Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman; Disney cartoon musical follows a young boy's attempt to remove the golden sword from the stone and be crowned King Arthur, but not before a few life…
Big Red (1962): Dir. Norman Tokar
Feat. Walter Pidgeon, Emile Genest; Likeable Disney outing has a young boy hired by wealthy Pidgeon to train his Irish Setter. When the boy is fired 'Big Red' escapes with him.
Courtship of Eddie's Father, The (1962): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Glenn Ford, Ron Howard, Shirley Jones; Wholesome family comedy, wherein widower Glenn Ford is prodded into romance by his six–year son Ron Howard (who went on to become the…
In Search of the Castaways (1962): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Hayley Mills, Maurice Chevalier, George Sanders…; Excellent Disney adventure has Mills perilously search for her lost father across the far corners of the globe. Based on the Jules Verne novel, this…
Jack the Giant Killer (1962): Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher…; From the same stable as Sinbad, comes another fantasy using wonderful stop–motion animation. Jack, against all odds, fights the evil Pendragon…
Jetsons, The (TV Series) (1962): Feat. George O'Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Janet Waldo…; Meet George Jetson… 6 stories from the heyday of Hanna–Barbera’s family of the future. Two tapes. DVD version has all 24 episodes.
Top Cat (1962): The irrepressible TC and gang – Benny, Choo Choo, Fancy, and Brain – make mischief at the expense of Officer Dibble.…
101 Dalmatians (1961): This 17th Disney animated feature marked a departure from adapting traditional fairy tales. It liberated them to incorporate a jazzy soundtrack and…
Absent-Minded Professor, The (1961): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn…; One of Disney's perenial comedies conserns absent–minded prof MacMurray and his invention – 'flubber', a gravity–defying substance,…
Babes in Toyland (1961): Dir. Jack Donohue
Feat. Ray Bolger, Annette Funicello, Ed Wynn; The second version of Victor Herbert's operetta set in the fantasy world of 'Toyland' where the wedding plans of two young toys are interrupted by an…
Magnificent Rebel, The (1961): Dir. Georg Tressler
Feat. Karlheinz Bohm, Ivan Desny; Unambitious but competent biopic of Ludwig van Beethoven, with Bohm (himself a classical pianist) convincingly ruffled in the lead. Worth a look for…
Mysterious Island (1961): Dir. Cy Endfield
Feat. Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Michael Callan…; Robust adventure yarn finds a group of Yankee soldiers escaping a Confederate jail using a hot air balloon during the American Civil War. After…
Parent Trap (1961): Dir. David Swift
Feat. Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith…; Breezy comedy in which Hayley Mills plays estranged twin sisters who meet at summer camp and conspire to bring together their divorced parents.
Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece (1961): Dir. Jean-Jacques Vierne
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Georges Wilson, Georges Loriot; One of two live–action adaptations of Herge’s Tintin adventures, this stars a look–alike Jean–Pierre Talbot as the eponymous boy…
Yogi Bear Show, The (TV Series) (1961): The show that launched the bear that's "smarter than the average" is a little dated animation wise, but there's enough picnic basket thieving and…
Beany and Cecil (TV Series) (1960-1961): REN & STIMPY–creator John K cut his teeth on the zany adventures of young Beany and his friendly sea serpent, Cecil. Available on VHS (6…
Flintstones, The (TV Series) (1960-1966): Dir. Joseph Barbera, William Hanna
Feat. Alan Reed, Jean Vander Pyl, Mel Blanc…; All–time classic animated sitcom set in the prehistoric suburbia of Bedrock. Centred around working–class schmo Fred Flinstone, his smart…
Greyfriars Bobby (1960): Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Donald Crisp, Laurence Naismith, Kay Walsh; Beloved Disney classic concerns a loyal Skye terrier who guards his master's grave for many years and eventually recieves a medal! Set in 19th…
Kidnapped (1960): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Peter Finch, James MacArthur, Bernard Lee…; The third screen version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic about a young lad who lands in the middle of the 18th century Scottish uprising. With…
My Favourite Martian (TV Series) (1960): Dir. Sheldon Leonard
Feat. Ray Walston, Bill Bixby; Affectionate 60's TV sitcom starring Ray Walston and Bill Bixby about a friendly alien who settles down in modern America. Season One: 37 episodes…
Pollyanna (1960): Dir. David Swift
Feat. Hayley Mills, Jane Wyman, Richard Egan…; Disney live–action classic about the little orphan whose lust for life brings inspiration to not only her stuffy Aunt, but the entire New…
Swiss Family Robinson (1960): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur; The shipwrecked family prove as resourceful as the eponymous army–knife in their fight for survival against Mother Nature and dastardly…
Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960): Dir. Jack Sher
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Jo Morrow, June Thorburn…; Gulliver's travels bring him to the lands of the giants and the tiny in this adaptation of Johnathan Swift's classic. The then break–through…
Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Albert Sharpe, Sean Connery, Jack MacGowran…; Sharpe plays an Irish caretaker who befriends the King of the Leprechauns. This live–action classic from Uncle Walt, mixes whimsy, humour and…
Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (TV Series) (1959): The classic family cartoon series. Join the titular reindeer and chipmunk, plus Snidley, Horse, Nell, Dudley, Mr Peabody, Sherman and the rest for…
Shaggy Dog, The (1959): Dir. Charles Barton
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Jean Hagen, Tommy Kirk…; Fred MacMurray excels in this Disney live–actioner, playing a postman whose son accidentally transforms himself into a talking sheepdog with…
Sleeping Beauty (1959): Dir. Clyde Geronimi; Classic animated feature interprets the fairy tale material with Disney's usual flair for storytelling and impeccable production values.
Smiley Gets A Gun (1959): Dir. Anthony Kimmins
Feat. Sybil Thorndike, Chips Rafferty, Keith Calvert…; Sequel to the 1956 Aussie family movie, with Archer and Rafferty again appearing, as young hero and local constable respectively. Likeable,…
Torchy The Battery Boy (TV Series) (1959): Children's TV series from the late 1950's with string puppets depicting the adventures of a boy doll who has a battery inside him and a lamp on his…
Auntie Mame (1958): Dir. Morton DaCosta
Feat. Rosalind Russell, Peggy Cass, Coral Browne; Classic Oscar–nominated showcase for Rosalind Russell, as a colourful, high–living rouser who educates her 10yr old nephew in the ways of…
Disney Fables - Volume 1 (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Prince and the Pauper) (1958): Two classic short animations from Disney: Washington Irving’s spooky “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and Mark Twain's "Prince and the Pauper".…
Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958): Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Kathryn Grant (Crosby), Richard Eyer…; In his first and most engaging adventure, Sinbad convincingly duels the Cyclops, a dragon and a hyperactive skeleton without any computer assistance,…
Famous Five, The: Five on a Treasure Island (1957): Dir. Gerald Landau
Feat. Rel Grainer, Richard Palmer, Gillian Harrison…; Ginger beer and picnics are put on hold as the five set out in search of hidden treasure, and in pursuit the requisite dastardly villains.…
Old Yeller (1957): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk…; Many Mums and Dads (and Grand–folk) will remember queuing up for this Disney classic about a boy's love for his dog in 1850s Texas.
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956): Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Jeff York…; Fess Parker returns as the frontier folk–hero, here battling his way down the Mississippi enroute to New Orleans. plenty of excitement to be…
Great Locomotive Chase, The (1956): Feat. Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York; An adventure story based on a true American Civil War mission behind Confederate lines to steal a Union train and destroy some strategically…
Red Balloon, The (Ballon Rouge, Le) (1956): Dir. Albert Lamorisse; Classic French short that still manages to captivate audiences with its simple premise of a young Parisian boy who discovers a red balloon with a…
Smiley (1956): Dir. Anthony Kimmins
Feat. Ralph Richardson, John McCallum, Chips Rafferty…; An iconic, simple depiction of smalltown life in rural 1950s Australia, loosely revolving around the life of a young boy, whose father is a nomadic…
It's A Dog's Life (1955): Dir. Herman Hoffman
Feat. Jeff Richards, Jarma Lewis, Edmund Gwenn…; Drama narrated by a bull terrier called Wildfire, and following his adventures in turn–of–the–century New York.
Lady and the Tramp (1955): Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson; This superlative animated Disney feature tells the evergreen story of a pampered cocker spaniel and her faithful friend Tramp, a jaunty,…
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas…; Kirk Douglas and Peter Lorre are shipwreck survivors aboard the Nautilus under the strange command of Captain Nemo (James Mason). From Jules Verne's…
Animal Farm (1954): Dir. John Halas; Animated adaptation of George Orwell's dark political satire keeps faith with the book, except for the optimistic ending.
Davy Crockett - King of the Wild Frontier (1954): Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, William Bakewell…; TV version of the quintessential American story, which created such a phenomenal interest when screened that it was released in a movie version. Fess…
Lassie (TV Series) (1954-1974): Feat. Jon Provost, Tommy Rettig; A representative selection of episodes from the long–running US series depicting the adventures of a rather intelligent collie dog with a…
Rin Tin Tin (TV Series) (1954): Feat. Lee Aaker, James Brown, Joseph Sawyer; Two episodes from the TV series about the eponymous Alsation's adventures at a cavalry outpost.
Tobor the Great (1954): Dir. Lee Sholem
Feat. Charles Drake, Karin Booth, Franz Roehn…; Sentimental sci–fi curio examines the attachment between a young boy and a robot called Tobor. When dastardly communists kidnap the youngster…
5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953): Dir. Roy Rowland
Feat. Tommy Rettig, Hans Conried; From the genius of Dr. Seuss comes this live–action fantasy worthy of his wondrous imagination. A nine–year–old boy's daydreams of…
Genevieve (1953): Dir. Henry Cornelius
Feat. John Gregson, Dinah Sheridan, Kenneth More…; The London to Brighton car rally sets off this high–spirited, fondly remembered comedy in which a couple make a wager with their affectionate…
Little Fugitive (1953): Dir. Raymond Abrashkin
Feat. Richie Andrusco, Richard Brewster; A young boy runs away to Coney Island after fearing that he shot his older brother, who is only faking. An exquisitely naturalistic film with…
Peter Pan (1953): Dir. Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson; Walt's version of the J M Barrie classic, animated with consummate skill by his army of inhouse artisans. The flying imp Peter Pan leads Wendy and…
Shane (1953): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Alan Ladd, Jack Palance, Emile Meyer; Former gunfighter Alan Ladd comes to the defence of homesteaders menaced by Jack Palance (satanically clad all in black). Classic Western is splendid…
White Mane (Crin-Blanc) (1953): Dir. Albert Lamorisse
Feat. Alain Emery; Striking, allegorical children's fable from the dir. of THE RED BALLOON concerns the taming of an unruly ‘white mane’ by a young boy, and his…
Crimson Pirate, The (1952): Dir. Robert Siodmak
Feat. Burt Lancaster; Camp swashbuckler stars Burt Lancaster as a spirited pirate who leads an island people's revolt against a ruling tyrant. Rollicking entertainment…
Hans Christian Andersen (1952): Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Danny Kaye, Farley Granger; A fabricated musical 'biopic' of the famed 19th century Danish fairytale writer, sees him (played by Danny Kaye) smile through a succession of…
Jack and the Beanstalk (1952): Dir. Jean Yarbrough
Feat. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello; Abbott and Costello romp through the fairytale passages of Jack and his Beanstalk. While their comedy doesn’t transpose so well, this is an amiable…
Lili (1952): Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Leslie Caron, Mel Ferrer; Fairytale–like story of Leslie Caron's amorous adventures in a carnival is swimming in charm, whimsical songs and 'circus–type'…
Story of Robin Hood, The (1952): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Richard Todd, Joan Rice, Peter Finch…; Colourful, uncomplicated rendering of the famous tale should delight younger viewers. Filmed in England by Walt Disney Studios.
Alice in Wonderland (1951): Dir. Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson; Disney add their special touch of magic to Lewis Carroll's classic fairytale, bringing Alice, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of…
A Christmas Wish (The Great Rupert) (1950): Dir. Irving Pichel
Feat. Jimmy Durante, Terry Moore, Tom Drake; Holiday classic about a down and out family at Christmas who discover they have a squirrel guardian angel living in their rafters.
Cinderella (1950): Disney's beautifully constructed, joyful rendition of the timeless fairytale. A favourite for children and adults alike.
Cisco Kid, The (TV Series) (1950-1956): Feat. Duncan Renaldo, Leo Carrillo; A generous selection of episodes from the 1950s TV Western serial, in which the semi–masked 'Cisco Kid' (Renaldo) redistributes justice and…
Long John Silver (1950): Dir. Byron Haskin
Feat. Robert Newton, Bobby Driscoll, Basil Sydney…; Rambunctious adventure with arch pirate Long John Silver on the hunt for his young friend Jim Hawkins and maybe some treasure. Arrrrrgh!!! Notably…
Magnet, The (1950): Dir. Charles Frend
Feat. Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh, James Fox; After tricking a school–chum out of a toy magnet, an 11yr–old James Fox gets the guilts and resolves to 'do good'. Quirkily…
Treasure Island (Long John Silver) (1950): Dir. Byron Haskin
Feat. Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney…; This definitive version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story was the first live–action feature from Disney studios, and contains…
Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad (1949): Dir. James Algar, Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney; Vastly underrated Disney animation with the odd–sounding combination of Washington Irving’s spooky “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and an…
Secret Garden, The (1949): Dir. Fred M. Wilcox
Feat. Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell…; Story about an orphan who discovers a secret garden at her Uncle's Victorian manor continues to fascinate young and old. Colour sequences give the…
Story of Seabiscuit, The (1949): Dir. David Butler
Feat. Shirley Temple, Barry Fitzgerald, Lon McCallister; Shirley Temple stars in this version of the Seabiscuit racehorse story in which the 1930s 'underdog' triumphed against the thoroughbred champions of…
Melody Time (1948): Feat. Roy Rogers, Bobby Driscoll; Disney's tenth animated film was this showcase of seven animated vignettes and short stories set to jazz and samba music, making it a contemporary…
Oliver Twist (1948): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Robert Newton, Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh…; Astonishing version of the Dicken's classic, notable for great atmosphere and Alec Guinness.
Miracle On 34th Street (1947): Dir. George Seaton
Feat. Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn; Original version of the Yuletide fantasy, where child–sceptic Natalie Wood becomes gradually convinced that department–store Santa,…
Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947): Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff; Danny Kaye shines in this delightful family film as a quiet day–dreamer whose real life catches up with his elaborate adventure fantasies.
Black Beauty (1946): Dir. Max Nosseck
Feat. Mona Freeman, Richard Denning, Evelyn Ankers…; Based on Anna Sewell's much loved novel about the bond between a young girl and her beautiful black colt. Also contains "Courage of Black…
Looney Tunes (TV Series) (Bugs Bunny) (1946-1969): 56 Restored shorts from the Warner Bros classic (violent) cartoon vault. Appearing are Sylvester, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety, Daffy Duck, Road…
Yearling, The (1946): Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Claude Jr. Jarman, Jane Wyman, Gregory Peck; Delightfully quaint fable of childhood, has innocent lad Claude Jarman Jnr raising a pet deer in backwoods Florida, while Ma and Pa, scrape together…
My Friend Flicka (1945): Dir. Harold Schuster
Feat. Roddy McDowall, Preston Foster, Rita Johnson; Rancher lad Roddy McDowall is finally allowed a horse of his own, but chooses a wild, unmanageable colt, whose trust he only slowly, and painfully,…
Three Caballeros, The (1945): Dir. Norman Ferguson; Donald Duck and compadres Carioca and Panchito mardi–gras their way around Mexico, Brazil and the world in this early Disney feature.…
Wonder Man (1945): Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen…; A typically zany fairy–tale for Danny Kaye, as a mild–mannered student persuaded by the ghost of his dead twin to seek out his murderer.…
National Velvet (1944): Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney; Ever–exciting family classic, with 12 year–old budding equestrian Elizabeth Taylor, taking her horse Velvet all the way to the Grand…
Lassie Come Home (1943): Dir. Fred M. Wilcox
Feat. Roddy McDowall, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp…; Brilliant emotional manipulation for all the family, with the impoverished parents of Roddy McDowall forced to sell their beloved Collie, who…
Bambi (1942-2006): Dir. David Hand; Serene Disney classic which tells the tale of an innocent fawn's first adventures. It continues to break little kids hearts the world over. Sequel…
Dr Seuss (TV Series) (1942-1994): Dir. Various; The classic children's books in their animated television versions. On tape and disc: "Best of..." containing three Dr Seuss tales – ‘Horton…
Jungle Book (1942): Dir. Zoltan Korda
Feat. Sabu; Live–action version of Rudyard Kipling's novel with Sabu as Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves who attempts to adapt to human custom.
Dumbo (1941): Dir. Ben Sharpsteen; The elephant with oversized ears learns to overcome his apparent handicap. This classic Disney cartoon is often sighted by non–animation…
Superman (TV Series) (1941-1943): After being invented by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, then debuting as an 'Action Comics' superhero, Superman went on to become an animated movie…
Woody Woodpecker and Friends (1941): Classic cartoons from the Walter Lantz archive, featuring the iconic woodpecker and stablemates Chilly Willy, Andy Panda, Swing Symphonies and Oswald…
Fantasia (1940): Dir. Ben Sharpsteen; Glorious Disney musical fantasy set to a rousing classical score. Highlights include Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's apprentice and the hippos and…
Little Nellie Kelly (1940): Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Judy Garland, George Murphy; Filmed version of the hit Broadway musical comedy from 1922 about Irish–American immigrants starring Judy Garland, who was fresh to…
Pinocchio (1940): Dir. Hamilton Luske, Ben Sharpsteen; One of Disney's crowning achievements is this triumphant animated rendition of the Italian fable. Technically outstanding and emotionally…
Thief of Bagdad, The (1940): Dir. Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger, Tim Whelan
Feat. Sabu, Conrad Veidt, June Duprez; Sabu stars in this magical, intoxicating vision of the Arabian Nights, some twenty years before the genre was revived in SINBAD. Romance, tragedy,…
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1939): Disney's first animated feature is a milestone in cinema history, with the artistic heights matched by characters, songs and storytelling. As fresh…
Wizard of Oz, The (1939): Dir. Victor Fleming, King Vidor
Feat. Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr…; The world's best loved film down through and across the generations, and a key cultural icon. MGM pulled out all the stops to realise L. Frank…
Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938): Dir. Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
Feat. Errol Flynn, Claude Rains, Olivia de Havilland…; The remakes look stodgy next to this stirring and vibrant original which basks in breakthrough technicolour and the definitive presence of Errol…
Disney Fables - Volume 2 (Little Hiawatha, The Ugly Duckling) (1937): Two short animations from Disney: Hans Christian Anderson's “The Ugly Duckling” and the "Little Hiawatha" poem by Henry Longfellow. Together…
Heidi (1937): Dir. Allan Dwan
Feat. Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Arthur Treacher…; Ideal vehicle for Shirley Temple, who jerks the tears as the lovable orphan taken from her grandfather by her nasty Aunt in 1800's Switzerland.
Wee Willie Winkie (1937): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Shirley Temple, Victor McLaglen; Charming adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's adventure story, with young Shirley negotiating between the British army and Afghani rebels.
Chronological Donald, The (1936-1941): An excellent archive collection of all the early shorts starring Walt Disney's most successful cartoon character – Donald Duck. Includes an…
Dimples (1936): Feat. Shirley Temple, Frank Morgan, Robert Kent; Shirley Temple musical set in the New York Bowery, where the young lass helps her pickpocket grandfather., Soon however her musical talents come to…
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936): Dir. Irving Cummings
Feat. Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Gloria Stuart…; One of the great Shirley Temple musicals, with the wee dynamo playing a runaway who is successfully recruited into a travelling vaudeville show, of…
Popeye - The Sailor Man (1936-1956): One of the longest–running cartoon sensations of all time, Popeye the Sailor Man burst into cinemas in 1933 in a BETTY BOOP cartoon and soon…
Little Colonel, The (1935): Dir. David Butler
Feat. Shirley Temple; One of Shirley Temple's best vehicles is set in the Deep South, with young Shirl attempting to patch–up her grandparent's broken marriage.
Mickey Mouse in Living Color (1935-1995): The ultimate cartoon personification of Walt Disney's entertainment empire – Mickey Mouse – is presented in all his glory here, in two…
Scrooge (1935): Dir. Henry Edwards
Feat. Donald Calthrop, Sir Seymour Hicks; First screen adaptation of Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' in which a mean old miser is shown the ghosts of Christmas past, present and…
Anne of Green Gables (1934): Dir. Dawn O'Day
Feat. Dawn O'Day, Tom Brown, Sara Haden…; Charming early adaptation of the classic L.M. Montgomery novel starring Dawn O'Day as Anne Shirley (Dawn legally changed her name to Anne Shirley…
Bright Eyes (1934): Dir. David Butler
Feat. Shirley Temple, James Dunn, Jane Darwell…; Colourised version of an early Shirley Temple classic – with the recently orphaned cutie mixed up in an adoption battle. Features the song,…
March of the Wooden Soldiers (Babes In Toyland) (1934): Dir. Gus Meins, Charles R. Rogers
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy; Imaginative musical fantasia also makes the most of Laurel and Hardy's comic genius – as dim–witted toymakers whose mistaken order for…
Alice in Wonderland (1933): Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Charlotte Henry, Edward Everett Horton, W.C. Fields…; Extravagant early version of the Lewis Carroll classic was a box office bomb in its day, but age has been kind, and if Charlotte Henry is a little…
Little Rascals, The (1929-1938): Highlights from the classic 30s movie serial starring a band of young rapscallions up to adventurous and inventive trouble. On tape, 6 episodes:…
Silly Symphonies (1929-1939): An exemplary collection of 31 animated musical shorts from the astonishing heyday of the Walt Disney empire. With animation that is sometimes rough…
Felix the Cat - Felix in Hollywood (1923): An hour of adventures of Felix, Poindexter and the entire cast of characters from the cult cartoon.
Bananas in Pajamas (TV Series): Australian pre–school series that features the two pajama–dressed bananas, the Teddies and the Rat in a Hat.
Barney - Live: The purple dinosaur rocks it live on live stage in New York, for the pleasure of ages 1–8.
Cartoon Hall Of Fame: Five packed compilations of theatrical cartoon shorts, mainly from the Warner Bros. stable including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Pink Panther, Porky Pig,…
Cat in the Hat... , The: plus two other Dr. Suess stories semi–animated especially for younger children.
Charlie Brown's All Stars: Charlie's baseball team walk out on him after their 999th loss in a row!
Dr Seuss - Green Eggs and Ham & Other Stories: Three Dr. Seuss classic stories, "Green Eggs and Ham", "The Zax", and "The Sneetches" animated with script adaptation and musical embellishments…
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons: 4 hour long cassettes featuring episodes from Hanna–Barbera's famous animated TV creations: The Flintstones, Scooby–Doo, Animal Follies…
Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profiles: Feat. Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus; There is drama when another big star comes into town. Plus a day wirh Miley and her family.
Harry the Dirty Dog (...And More Terrific Tails): Award–winning children's stories brought faithfully to life using original illustrations from the books, and featuring celebrity…
Lazy Lucy (TV Series): The clever animated tales of an imaginative 8–year–old French girl who, true to her name, tries to do as little as possible – but…
Little Engine That Could: Animated version of the enduring tale of determination as Tillie the little engine comes to the rescue of the stranded Birthday Train. 'I think I…
Noddy: Noddy and friends' come to life through the magic of puppet animation. Eight episodes from the BBC TV series on two cassettes.
Rik Mayall's Grimm Tales: Feat. Rik Mayall; Television's most famous Young One, Rik Mayall channels his raucous exuberance into narrating and performing a series of Grimm fables for your young…
Roger Ramjet: 10 campy episodes of the over–testosteroned dare–devil pilot who does his stuff for Uncle Sam with striking expediency.
Sing Along Songs: A compilation of music favourites (complete with on–screen lyrics) from six of Disney's animated features. Especially for toddlers or budding…
Spiderman: The Ultimate Villain Showdown: Swinging action here... An animated Spiderman flic, where our stocking clad hero squares off against evil fiends such as the Green Goblin, Kingpin,…
Starring Donald: Donald Duck headlines these classic Disney cartoon shorts – Bee at the Beach, Grin and Bear It, Donald’s Double Trouble, Bootle Beetle,…
Tom and Jerry: A festival of five classic cartoon strips starring the evergreen cat–and–mouse dynamic duo.
Where Did I Come From?: An animated version of the popular book of the same name, this entertains while it informs kids about sex and all that embarrassing stuff.
Where the Wild Things Are (and Other Maurice Sendak Stories): Collection of three short stories from the beloved Maurice Sendak, brought faithfully to life using original illustrations from the books, and…
Winnie the Pooh: A BBC presentation especially for tiny tots, Willie Rushton reads some of Pooh's adventures. A fully animated Disney tape is also available.

Main menu

Section navigation menu

Subgenre Sampler