Daddy Mojo

Shazam! is super-fun and great entertainment for 9 and up

Movies from DC Comics and Stephen King need to go bowling or form a support group. People will talk about them, see them in theaters but might add the caveat ‘for a DC Comic movie’ or ‘for a Stephen King film’ when describing them in a positive light. Shazam! is a very entertaining film and is just the sort of superhero film that upper middle school ages and up will love. We saw it with a pair of highly excitable 9 year-old boys who couldn’t get enough of the humor, charm and humility of it all.

Movies based in the DCEU have been frustratingly inconsistent. They are on a roll lately. If you count Teen Titans GO! To The Movies, that makes the most recent three films that have been exceeded their box office multiple times over, as well as, a favorable critical response. Given the huge cannon of superheroes and stories that DC is able to produce, it’s likely that with Shazam! they can finally shake that suffix adjective of ‘for a DC Comic movie’.

Shazam! is rated PG-13 and firmly sits in the middle of that rating. The violence wasn’t too much for kids of the age we went with, nor was the language. There were a couple choice 4-letter words, but it’s nothing that they haven’t heard in school and our two audience members knew not to repeat them. The violence was a little more than I expected, specifically, a monster sticking a human into his mouth and then (presumably) biting his head off. Again, this is common for PG-13 films like Jurassic (insert sequel here), but it caught our kids off guard. After the film one of them said, “aw, it’s OK, DC has better villains so that just set things up”.

The greatness of Shazam! also lays in its trailer. The trailer sets up the film, but gives absolutely nothing away. The similarities beween Shazham! and Superman are too many to name. The unknown variables of Shazam! are huge too. The film bridges both of these by setting up the mythos, as well as, letting audiences know that it too is aware of the superhero tropes.

The kids in the film are completely relatable and ones that kids in third grade and up will understand. Ours were laughing out loud and actively cheering on our hero as the film went along. The story in the film is also one that they will easily be able to follow. There are friends like they have, be them good, bad or the bullies.

Shazam! was enjoyable up until the very last frame. It has surprises aplenty and keeps them very close to the chest so that even the most ardent DC fan will see them coming. Middle school and up see this movie without question. Elementary school and up use caution for the language and some action, but ages 9 and up should be OK.

Storm Boy, Pelecanus drama maximus-a la Old Yeller, but with guilt

Storm Boy is based on a revered Australian book by the same name. Published in 1964 and later made into a film in 1976, it seems as germane to growing up down under as their young American contemporaries must do in watching The Sandlot or The Wizard of Oz. If you’re new to how respected this intellectual property is I’ll quote the thespian J. Lo in how to approach Storm Boy in saying “Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got”. Except, in this case, the ‘rocks’ are the film, ‘got’ is that it might be entertaining for children and I completely blame my wife for getting that earworm stuck in my head.

I thought it was a children’s film. Look at the poster for the film, it has a young boy hugging a pelican. This looks just like an Old Yeller poster would look if that film were re-imagined for today, I initially thought. Wait a minute, Old Yeller was a 50’s film that they showed us in school when teachers needed a break or students had to be taught that it’s OK to have feelings about a lovable, yet now rabid dog. That wasn’t really a film for children at all, was it?

I completely understand the fact that children must be taught the lessons of loss and the hardships of life. Many times it’s far easier to teach these lessons through film, then to have them experience it first- hand. I’m not the type of parent that bubble wraps our kids. Actions have consequences and sometimes it’s better to teach these things with real people or animals, instead of CGI characters that get traded or fall down the PIXAR memory hole.

To that end, Storm Boy is a gorgeously shot film that serves as much as a travel advert for Australia as it does a drama. The beaches are amazing and some of the shots with the pelicans are guaranteed to induce wanderlust. The film might be engaging for audiences middle school and older, just be ready for a heavy, slow paced film that requires your attention. There is a taut dramatic line that the film creates, it was just hard for us to stay on that line with a not-so-serious 9 year-old.

He was into it far longer than I thought he would be, but by the 50 minute mark he was wiggling, asking me questions and wishing that this was animated, had superheroes or fart jokes in it. And maybe that’s the point of Storm Boy, this is an old soul film that requires your attention and does deliver it in a dramatic fashion. There are also modern elements of guilt that older audience will roll their eyes at. The stereotypical teen daughter who is angry and her dad who is not listening to the press over environmental aspects of their business which strains the grandfather/son relationship and where the heck is the pelican to save this film??! That’s what I was thinking.

Pelicans are awesome. For older drama movie fans Storm Boy might be also, but younger audiences will tire of scenes where the pelican isn’t the star. Unfortunately, that would be for about 70% of the film. Storm Boy opens in theaters on April 5.

All age comic books for April 3

This week the all age comic books come full circle for a couple titles. A regular monthly series is presenting its final regular issues in a graphic novel, while other comic books that ended, see a collection of their (eat my) shorts shown for all to have a cow. In the podcast we’ll chat about Marvel Team Up, True Believers, Catwad. Adventure Time and more. For now though let’s look at three all age comic books that will interest readers as young as 6.

Bart Simpson: Breaks Out

Sad Panda when Simpson’s Comics ended in 2018. Much like Plants Vs. Zombies they said that new graphic novel collections will come out. Bart Simpson: Breaks Out is most likely not an entirely new collection of Simpson’s favorite lost son. This is a collection of previously published shorts…from a spikey-haired youth. This is a great graphic novel from a classic character. It will appeal to fans of The Simpsons or those readers in middle school and up who are looking for a great laugh.

Marvel Action: Black Panther

These Marvel Action comic books that IDW Publishing is putting out in conjunction with Marvel Comics are outstanding. Black Panther is the latest to get his own version. This is one of the all age comic books that define what makes a cool comic book. It has action and content, but doesn’t water things down to a young level. It has action, but it’s age appropriate for ages 6 and up that will leave then entertained, while still being a great read for those older Wakanda fans.

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller Sirens

We are huge fans of this ongoing mini-series from Boom! Stutios. Jim Henson’s The Storyteller Sirens is a four issue mini-series with gorgeous artwork a story that will interest those middle-Earth audiences. A mermaid by any other name, but this is the kind of mermaid with mystery and dread. Much like a poisonous snake, leave them along and your day will end up just fine. However, the folks in these short stories most likely don’t heed that advice. The art and story in these comic books are top notch and will interest those middle school readers who like a bit of renaissance with their story.

Humor

All age comic books for April 3, bart simpson, graphic novel

Catwad

Superhero

Action/science-fiction

Rosie and Rasumus is an old soul, book that 4 and up will love

Normally I’m not a fan of any children’s illustrated book that has lots of white space on its pages. I feel that it’s a cop out and that they’re leaving me out of some of the show. For the record, I’m also not a fan of the sound of crinkling potato chip bags and drinking orange juice after I brush my teeth. Every once in a while a children’s book will come around and utterly demolish my silly pet peeve. Rosie and Rasmus is the latest Trojan Horse to charm me, and other kids, who discover this lovely illustrated book for ages 4-8.

From the first four pages it’s obvious what the Achilles Heel is and that is its artwork. We meet Rosie, who’s a shy young girl who lives in a picturesque, coastal town. She sees all of the kids playing, laughing or having fun and simply wants someone to see her. The next page starts out just like the first two pages, except this time we see Rasmus, a dinosaur who lives in a big tree that overlooks the town where Rosie lives.

One day Rosie goes for a walk, where she’s given a flower by Rasmus. The two become friends, despite their obvious differences, but what Rasmus really wants to do is fly. Rosie plants and schemes, like only a 6 year-old can, in order to help her much larger friend with thagomizers* down his back and tail.

Soul is a characteristic that few children’s illustrated books have. Most of them are entertaining and enjoyed by children, but very few of them have soul. I don’t mean the get-up-and-dance James Brown kind of soul. I mean, at some instance in reading the book, or looking at the art, the book pierces your soul, stays there for a moment and asks you to remember when you felt how the characters in the book feel. Rosie and Rasmus has that kind of soul.

Ironically, it’s the combination of the pages that are not fully colored, the economy of words and the illustrations that make the book remind parents of childhood. Rosie and Rasmus will resonate as much with children. Sometimes kids want to play by themselves. However, some kids are shy and want other kids to say hello first. This book is great for either camp of kids. It’s written and illustrated by Serena Geddes and it’s the illustrations that will make you feel like this book is written just for you. Moreover, Rosie and Rasmus deals with the difficult subject of good-byes, but it does it with a smile and the promise that even though things change, they can also get better.

Dumbo is a mostly joyless, PC driven pachyderm Free Willy

Please don’t mess this up. That was my thought when I first saw the trailer for Dumbo. It’s not that I have fond memories of the 1941 original. I’m sure I saw it as a child, but I have no memory of it. The only thing I know of Dumbo is that he’s a flying elephant. Having said that, it’s classic intellectual property, an icon and a symbol of all things Disney. If they could mess up this film then the next you know they’ll go about closing classic theme park attractions like The Great Movie Ride. *

To the film’s credit, Dumbo isn’t a total dumpster fire. It’s just that the film doesn’t know exactly what it’s trying to be. There are very few funny scenes so it’s not funny enough to be a comedy. There are enough dramatic elements for it to be considered a drama, but for what age? Audiences under 14 won’t find the laughs or entertainment that they require to fully hold their attention. Those older than 14 will be able to predict what’s going to happen the moment that we’re introduced to the characters-which aren’t given enough rope to run with.

We meet Milly, the daughter of Holt, a WWI veteran who returns home. Milly is a rebellious tween who wants nothing to do with the circus and has an interest in science. Note to Hollywood: we get it now; girls can be scientists too, thanks for the update and quit hammering audiences with this message. We also know that animals in the circus is a bad thing, now that we’re reminded of this can we get on with the guilt trip that audiences will pay $12 for?

When Holt returns from WWI we see that he lost an arm in battle. Wait, a one-armed rodeo rider in the circus, the same circus with a big-eared elephant, a strong-man and other human performers who are on the outcast of mainstream society? This is just one example where the not-so-subtle characteristics project their intentions from a big tent away.

There are a couple moments of joy. When Dumbo first flies it’s quite entertaining, but then the audience is labored with more story that’s as obvious as the obelisk to the chimpanzees in 2001. Here comes the wealthy investor who, wait for it, also has a theme park and circus. He’s looking for a main act and Dumbo could just be the ticket for the small town travelling circus and the big time entertainment mogul to make a match.

So now, Dumbo and (spoiler alert) his mother are in the same circus. You’ll never guess what happens next….unless you’ve seen the 1993 film Free Willy.

There are some nice inside baseball moments when the film goes to the investor’s theme park, Dreamland. It’s like a steam punk Disney World, complete with its own version of Carousel of Progress. Literally, this is a generic version of Carousel of Progress. Initially it’s quite complimentary, but as (spoiler alert) Dreamland burns down, we see the robots melting and malfunctioning. I’m guessing that Dumbo wasn’t given the theme park QA check before it went to print.

It’s obvious that the film, set designers and aspects of the cast are trying very hard to make it all work. That’s what’s all the more frustrating as a fan of everything involved with the film. I should have loved this film, yet it’s a hodgepodge of big ears, guilt and nostalgia wrapped up in a Disney bow.

Tim Burton directs Dumbo. In theory this is great because he’s a left of center guy that is capable of making the ordinary seem cool. Alas, Dumbo is more Planet of the Apes (2001) or (Mars Attacks!) than Alice in Wonderland. As a movie fan and Disney fan, I’m sensing that the live action movie parade is fading or at the minimum suffering from Star Wars fatigue or poor development. I’m getting the same vibe from Aladdin and The Lion King as I did when I first saw the Dumbo trailer.

The good news for Disney, to an extent; is that these bad review of their live action films will fall on deaf ears. The classic Disney fans will see them to be reminded of what they love and most likely take their children. The downside, if their kids are like ours then after they leave Dumbo they’ll be ambivalent at best or worst case for Disney, ask when the next Minions film comes out.

*I know that The Great Movie Ride closed. GMR4L yo.

Dragons Get Colds Too doesn’t catch fire

I love pizza. However, after having eaten pizza for more than a couple of decades I’ve realized that while bad pizza is almost impossible, there certainly are varying degrees of its caliber or preference. Dragons Get Colds Too is a book about being sick, acknowledging that you’re sick and hopefully, respecting the caregiver who is assisting you. If this book were a pizza place then it’d be a pleasant enough place with OK tasting pie that fills you up, but isn’t one that you’d visit unless it wan on the way to where you’re going.

Dragons, dragons get colds too, children’s illustrated book, children’s book

The premise of the Dragons Get Colds Too is certainly one that any parent can relate to. There’s a sick patient who isn’t being the best recipient of care that’s being offered to them. It’s a situation that is ripe for comedy and lessons that can hopefully be learned by younger readers.

The book is told in a step-by-step process where the girl is being instructed by a doctor and their book on what to do for the dragon. The issue for us, and our 7YO reader, is that the book felt stilted and lost its rhythm every time the narrator and their book popped up on the page. In some books the narrator moves the book along nicely, however, in this book it’s more confusing and distracting than an asset to the story.

There are some humorous physical elements that the book brings up about caring for something as large as a dragon. They breathe fire, their neck is impossibly long and their snot is especially gooey. The illustrations are clever enough, everybody loves a dragon right? However, the book moves so slowly that few audiences, except for the dragon die hards and those looking for a children’s illustrated book about being sick will want a repeat reading.

It also has lots of white space on the pages. Granted this is a pet peeve of ours, but I find that pages with more color tend to capture and hold the attention of young readers more effectively. If you’re a fan of dragon books, buying books for a doctor’s waiting room or for the kid’s renaissance fair this book is for you, otherwise, it’s one that you’ll want to get from the library.

All age comic books for March 27

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If you’re looking for a sign to dig into the cool all age comic cooks, this is it.

There are some weeks where a much higher than average number of go-to comic books hit the shelf it’s a virtual no brainer to visit your local comic book store. In the podcast we’ll chat about Dumbo, Scooby, Teen Titans, Moon Girl and much more. To see the entire list of comic books that are OK for ages 6 and up just look down in the post. For now let’s look at three great comic books that will be great for elementary ages and up.

Barbie: Fashion Superstar

The landscape for all age comic books has shifted dramatically over the past couple of years. It’s gone from very few girl-centric comics to very few all age super heroes to where now there is something for every 6 and up. Barbie even has her line up of graphic novels from Papercutz. Barbie: Fashion Superstar features her as a fashion entrepreneur when things go awry at a show. It’s business savvy, plus the fashion sense that people have come to expect from Barbie.

Looney Tunes #248

Go into any elementary school library and there’s bound to be at least one issue of Looney Tunes. This is one of our go-to all age comic books. If the kids or I are looking for a solid, entertaining comic book this is it. As there’s no ongoing story line each issue stands on its own. They’re new stories, every other month that have that classic Warner Bros vibe. Bonus: the Looney Tunes comic book is only $2.99.

Jim Henson Beneath the Dark Crystal #8 of #12

Jim Henson Beneath the Dark Crystal is a mini-series from Boom Studios! The content isn’t gratuitous, but it’s realistically drawn and has too much reading for elementary school kids to really enjoy. This is one for those middle-Earth kids who want a fable, but not the Jack and the Beanstalk variety. This story has its roots from The Dark Crystal and will be of interest to those who liked it or are in middle school and want some fresh goblins and monsters.

Humor

Superhero Action/science-fiction

Secrets of Topsea, The Extremely High Tide! Is lovably weird and pleasant

A couple of years ago my wife and I went out for date night. It’s that mythical time where moms and dads leave the kids at home then out with other parents, get a drink and eat food with too much cheese. When we got home, part of our conversation led me to say, “the journey is the destination”. Mind you, this was years before I heard it used as a luxury car tagline. But, when I said it, my wife commented that it made sense, we weren’t headed to a big finale, rather; life is the little things that we do and encounter on the way. Secrets of Topsea, The Extremely High Tide! By Kir Fox and M. Shelley Coats is a book that fits that description.

This is the second book in the Secrets of Topsea series and it solidifies the tone that the authors are going for. I’ll readily admit that I didn’t get the first book in the series, A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always by the Ocean. I thought it was slow, pointless, weird and rather aimless.

With The Extremely High Tide! I get it now-and so will any middle school readers who latch onto this series. As it wears its weirdness as a superhero cape you don’t really need to read the first book to understand what’s going on.

Talise is a fifth-grade student who knows a lot about the ocean. She also has a pet sea blob and has a fear of rubber ducks. As the book starts we see the class by the seaside. Not long after that Talise finds a bottle with a note in it. The note has a drawing of a boat and Talise takes that as an omen that she should build a boat.

This is where the ‘journey is the destination’ aspect factors in. The boat and the journey to build it seems like it’s a main plot point. However, the main thing that ties the characters together is friendship, albeit a friendship that’s painted across all manner of oddities. Parents will also enjoy this series because it manages to keep young reader’s attention without any potty humor. Granted, potty humor is more of a low elementary thing, I’m sure it’s just our upper elementary reader who can’t seem to squeeze it out of his system.

Another thing that the book does well is to balance the interest between boys and girls. The main character is a girl, but it’s not set against a Lilith Fair quilt. Girls will enjoy it more than boys, but not by much. It’s odd and creative to where the overwhelming vibe of the book is trippy, fun and silly-without being sophomoric.

The chapters are presented in a creative, unpredictable fashion with some pages pushing the story forward. Other chapters are short newspaper clippings or the cafeteria menu. In other words, it’s a format that middle school readers will be immediately attracted to, because the journey is the destination.