vchimpanzee

Not that it matters, but this is one of those movies I recorded and didn't get around to watching for a long time. It wasn't one I had seen, even if for some reason I thought Dax Shepard as an astronaut was familiar.

I don't have a brother but I've seen this kind of relationship between brothers many times on TV and in movies. It seemed realistic but eventually, what seems like hate has to change as the brothers realize how much they care about each other. I thought the actors' performances were good. And these boys are quite intelligent, coming up with solutions to problems. Danny can't read but that may be normal at his age. Other than that he seems quite smart.

Dax Shepard was mostly good but he had a nasty attitude to begin with. That's fine, I guess, since he later makes up for the way he behaved. I am familiar with him from "Parenthood", the TV series. I actually thought this was where he met wife Kristen Bell, even if Kristen Stewart didn't look like her, because somehow I misread the opening credits. There are a couple of scenes that suggest they have a future. But then it was Stewart, not Bell.

And on the subject of Kristen Stewart, she looked good in shorts when she finally got out of bed, but she was mostly in bed, and then she was mostly frozen, which I read was a statue if you want to call it that. Her acting got better after she was ... thawed. But she changed clothes. Tight jeans look good, too.

Tim Robbins made a good father, and the conflict between him and the boys over custody arrangements seemed realistic, even if I've never experienced anything similar. I've seen it many times on screen.

Amazing visuals. I don't care how they did it. It looked like it was really happening and it was quite scary. If this is really a kids' movie, I would say it's not for all kids. It was scary for me and Tim Robbins was the right age to be my son. A Saturn like planet, a star much like the Sun, and of course robots and monsters.

Some situations weren't very realistic. Walter tells Danny there can't be water because they're in space. Well, there is. No gas, either. No, the stove works and the furnace works. Did anyone even think to ask about electricity before it had to be turned off to protect the house? And pulling out a card causes things to change? This just has to work.

Is this movie for kids? A couple of bad words that made it to broadcast TV don't belong in a movie really intended for kids. And I mentioned that it was scary.

I read criticism about this being like "Jumanji". Who cares, really? "Jumanji" is not in space. This is very different. And it's been a while since I even saw the sequel. And that movie had people changing bodies. This one didn't.

I think this is worth seeing.

This movie was so old I held off on watching my recording, thinking I might realize I had seen it. I guess the reason I surely hadn't was that people thought it was bad.

There's not that much to make me recommend this. I sort of liked the story. It eventually had the expected twists and turns a romantic comedy should. And I found the ending satisfying.

Greg Kinnear is considered a respected actor, I think. Just not here. He was likable enough, I guess.

I know the name Lauren Holly. But the reason she seemed familiar had nothing to do with her. I finally realized she looked just like Christina Hendricks in the highly regarded "Good Girls" TV series, a much better actress. I will give Holly points for her scenes negotiating for a better deal on her perfume.

Jill Hennessy.is a familiar name and I guess she did a good job, but wow, did she look good in her sexy outfits, even her dress for success outfit with a very short skirt.

While they may not have appealed to me personally, I think the actors who stood out here had small roles. Jay Thomas is an exception in that I liked him, probably better than anyone else. I've seen him in lots of good roles, and he made a good best friend.

Joan Cusack I didn't like, but it doesn't change the facts. She was quite good as the best friend and business partner who liked sex too much.

Shirley MacLaine was good as usual in a brief role as Jennifer's mother.

Marle Gaines was an exceptionally perky airline ticket agent who sounded like a recording.

Helen Swee had all of one line as a nasty flight attendant.

Ben Stein did his usual style narrating a video about how children are born.

And the best performance of all, one I found very unpleasant, but one I feel many should enjoy. Marianne Muellerleile was described as the woman who used to be Nurse Ratched, making a fertility clinic experience miserable for Danny.

The "I Love Lucy" scene where Lucy told Ricky she was pregnant was a highlight.

Some people might enjoy the karaoke performances. They were good, with at least one notable exception the movie's stars. It doesn't help that The Captain didn't sing, but Tennille did, in the original. Most of the music was Motown, which I can enjoy now but might not have developed a taste for when this movie was made. Then there was junk (my opinion) like the Tracie Simpson song about rain, which young women probably would like. Natalie Cole did the title song, which wasn't quite my taste. I like her better when she does music more like her father's.

This isn't family friendly at all. The sex talk and various sex-related scenes were about as naughty as what broadcast TV will allow. And yet some people might like the naughty humor. And based on one imdb review, there may be something I didn't get to see and for that I am grateful.

Is it worth seeing? Probably. Just don't expect too much and be happy with what is good.

This doesn't seem anything like what I remember. And I don't think I've seen this movie, but I avoided watching it for several years after i recorded it, because I don't have time for something I've already seen. The only thing that could possibly have been familiar was Lisa's outfit. Because I didn't remember anything else.

First, some background about my experience. I have an LP which includes a version of this story and some great songs. Those songs aren't here. That was a disappointment. There was the instrumental "March of the Toy Soldiers" and an instrumental version of the theme song here. I think I also saw the Laurel and Hardy version of the story, and there may have been one other movie. But this didn't seem familiar at all.

As a story on its own, I suppose this was okay. Most of the writing and acting was below par. But Richard Mulligan, who I know primarily as a much nicer pediatrician frustrated when his grown daughters moved back home, did an outstanding job as a truly evil villain, both in the real world and the fantasy world. He reminded me of Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump if Trump had been truly threatening as portrayed. Pat Morita was fine as The Toymaker but this role doesn't compare with the "Karate Kid" master. Also, Walter Buschhoff as the kindly Justice. Eileen Brennan didn't appear much but was okay as Mother Hubbard. Googy Gress makes a fine Georgie Porgie given the material.

The monsters were truly scary, especially the one-eyed Trollog.

Drew Barrymore doesn't live up to the family name. But she is adorable and has some good moments. The fact is in my opinion, her best scene is one where she accepts flowers from Barnaby at Mother Hubbard's house, a large boot. Given what she has to accomplish, that's not a good sign.

Keanu Reeves? One of our most respected actors? I didn't know he was in this, and there's no sign here of what he will become. It's not even a case of why would someone this good do this movie? He's just not any better than the movie.

The fantasy land is quite colorful and I thought it looked good. The many animals who acted human at least had the right look even if they didn't seem to talk.

The cast members drive these cute cars which make what I will call Hanna Barbera noises. Some of the slapstick violence includes sound effects that are familiar to anyone who watched cartoons in the 60s.

I already mentioned the music. Maybe it was better not to try to make this a musical. And the "Cincinnati" song was not needed. Certainly not in the fantasy world.

Is this appropriate for children? It had better be since they're the only ones who will likely enjoy it. And yet there was an unnecessary Metoo moment in the real world with Barnie and Mary. I thought I heard some bad words in the "Cincinnati" song. Or maybe those are the reactions to that dreck. The monsters are a little intense.

If you want to watch this story, there are surely better versions.