Two Films the Entire Family Can Enjoy © 2004 by Donna Schwartz Mills

It\'s mid-June and the summer of 2004 is already shaping up to be a wonderful season for taking your kids to the movies.

There are currently four quality family films playing in theaters nationwide and more to come. Two of them have done such fantastic business with audiences of all ages that this year will most likely break new box office records.

We\'ve already reviewed \"Shrek 2\" and \"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban\" here. These movies do not need additional accolades from us - they are bona fide hits.

The other two have received mostly negative reviews from the big-time critics and as a result, they are languishing at the box office. This is a shame, because both films are clean, optimistic, entertaining productions that can be enjoyed by even the youngest members of your family.

Both movies are rated PG, but are so close to G-rated fare that I would not hesitate at all in taking my 3 or 4-year- old to see them. They will like these... and you may, too.

Garfield

Studio: 20th Century Fox MPAA Rating: PG for for brief mild language Mom Rating: 4 out of 5 Kid Rating: 5 out of 5 Cast: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Bill Murray, Stephen Tobolowsky, Evan Arnold, Mark Christopher Lawrence Writers: Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow Director: Peter Hewitt

On paper, \"Garfield\" did not sound good.

We have here yet another comic strip movie where the lead character is created through CGI. Not only that, but the character last appeared on the nation\'s \"Hot\" list about 20 years ago. I expected it to be dreadful.

This goes to show why it\'s important to have an open mind.

\"Garfield,\" voiced by the incomparable Bill Murray, is  *funny*. True, it did not have me rolling in the aisles, as I have done with more adult fare (think \"Meet the Parents\" or \"Dumb and Dumber\"). But my 8-year-old was giggling hysterically -- and it will be many, many years before I\'ll allow her to see anything directed by the Farrelly brothers.

The plot is silly but the actions of the characters and the consequences all make sense within the confines of Garfield\'s world. Murray is perfectly cast as the voice of the biggest, baddest, laziest cat on the block, who is spurred to action when his owner, Jon, acquires a dog named Odie.

The movie explores two relationships: that of Garfield and Odie, and the budding romance between Jon (Breckin Myer) and veterinarian Liz Wilson (Jennifer Love Hewitt).

Bringing Odie into their family helps Jon make points with the beautiful Dr. Wilson... but it throws Garfield into a classic case of sibling rivalry. When the cat causes the dog to disappear, he feels remorse and sets out to find him. Unfortunately, an unscrupulous TV host (Stephen Tobolowsky) has found the dog (who has a talent for dancing) and wants to use him to further his career.

None of the other animals in the film are computer-generated (although there were probably digital maneuvers to get them to appear to talk). Voices for the other cats, dogs and mice are supplied by accomplished comics and actors like Debra Messing, Alan Cumming, Brad Garrett, David Eigenberg, Jimmy Kimmel and Nick Cannon.

Odie is also portrayed by a real dog; a half-Dachsund, half- Cairn cutie named Tyler, who does some tricks that wil l knock your socks off.

Myer and Hewitt make a sweetly attractive couple and were very good in their roles. I appreciated the fact that  screenwriters Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow (whose previous credits include \"Toy Story\") kept their relationship chaste.

Around the World in 80 Days

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media, Balloon Productions MPAA Rating: PG for action violence, some crude humor and mild  language Mom Rating: 3 out of 5 Kid Rating: 4 out of 5 Cast: Steve Coogan, Jackie Chan, Jim Broadbent, Robert Fyfe, Ian McNiece, David Ryall Writers: David Benullo, David Goldstein, David Titcher Director: Frank Coraci

Of all the cartoon shows my daughter watches on Saturday mornings, I think the most original is \"Jackie Chan Adventures.\" Thanks to his animated series, my daughter and I are fans of Chan... which is the only way we could have been exposed to him. All of his previous movies have been  inappropriate for young children.

Chan may have been thinking of his cartoon audience when he signed on as star and a producer of this remake of the film that was named \"Best Picture\" of 1956. But in casting him as the \"French\" valet Passepartout, the writers had to make a  lot of adjustments to the story. For one thing, I\'m pretty sure Jules Verne\'s 1873 novel did not include scenes where the characters engage in martial arts. I\'m also fairly certain that Phileas Fogg and company were not being chased around the world by a gang led by a female (!) Chinese warlord.

Because of these accommodations to the unique talents of Jackie Chan, this movie is a little bit schizoid: part martial arts film, part old-fashioned (I mean, like from the 1950\'s!) comedy, part travelogue.

The story goes like this: Chan has stolen a valuable artifact from the Bank of England and while escaping from the police, he stumbles into the position of valet to a wealthy eccentric named Phileas Fogg (played by British comedian Steve Coogan). Fogg is an inventor who wagers with the stuffy head of the Academy of Science that he can travel around the world in just 80 days... an amazing feat during the reign of Queen Victoria.

The movie truly is an international production: it was shot in the United Kingdom, Germany, Thailand, and the United States. And much of the fun comes with references to what was going on in the world during the era (i.e., encountering famous impressionistic painters in Paris and the unassembled Statue of Liberty in New York City).

The rest of the fun is in the cameos of stars like Kathy Bates, Owen and Luke Wilson, Arnold Schwarzenegger (his scenes were filmed before he entered the California governor\'s race), John Cleese and more.

While it is not likely that this remake will win any awards, it is not without merit. Again, my daughter was enthralled -- she found the physical comedy very funny and while the fight scenes were abundant, the violence was very cartoon-y... there\'s no gore and our heroes walk away almost unscathed.

I always hear parents complain that the studios do not make movies for families to see together. Here they have. If we want them to continue to make them, it\'s up to us to support them.

Previous reviews of current movies:

Shrek 2: http://www.family-content.com/articles/data/20040524134924.shtml

Harry Potter 3: http://www.family-content.com/articles/data/20040610144342.shtml

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Donna Schwartz Mills took film classes in college and spent 13 years working in the entertainment industry before \"retiring\" to marry a \"non-pro\" (Variety\'s term for anyone in any other business) and become a mom. Today she writes reviews of family films at her website, http://www.Family-Content.com.