downthehobbitholeblog Reviews

Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

Great Adaption- Parents Should Know

[10/10 · 29 April 2023]

Peter Pan and Wendy is a fabulous adaption of the Peter Pan story. Parents and caregivers should be aware that the movie is a little slower paced. It definitely is not the speed of an action or animated movie. While there are some tense moments and a very light amount of scary imagery, this is one of the more tame live action Disney movies. Kids that are seven or older should be able to enjoy it. I will say that the story itself could be triggering for families or kids who have experienced any sort of family trauma or loss. Overall it was a really well made movie and adaption. We appreciated that it was more culturally respectful and inclusive. And it was definitely one of our favorite Disney live action remakes.

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture (2022)

Well made educational doc that is hope filled, not retaliating

[10/10 · 15 November 2022]

1946 was a very well made and informative documentary. It follows the stories of 3 people as they research how to be faithful to God and LGBTQ+ allies. I appreciate that the documentary specifically focused on being educational and reconciliatory over being aggressive and condemning. I'm currently working on some discussion questions but this is an excellent discussion starter. And while you won't come away knowing every single argument to the difficult Biblical passages they discuss, you will have a really good starting point. An encouraging, but also potentially triggering, watch for those who are exploring their religious and sexual identities. Personally, I've only been an ally for a few years and am struggling through my own church hurt and religious identity- and this was a hope filled watch. And it didn't have to be. I loved how they ended it. God loves you.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Parents Should Know: Characters and Jump Scares

[10/10 · 11 June 2022]

Parents should know that Jurassic World Dominion is a fan movie. It really focuses on the characters wrapping up their storylines. And when it's not character driven, it's jump scare driven. While I would say it is not as violent as the previous films there are significantly more jump scare moments. The kid behind us seemed to be about 8 and left the movie crying. If your kids can handle the previous movies on the small screen, they will probably be able to handle this one on the small screen. But also be aware that a jump scare at home is a lot different than a jump scare on a giant theater screen. We really loved it though because of the way it positively represented biological and adoptive family members as well as adoptees. Find our full adoptive parent review on our blog. Down the Hobbit Hole Blog. Besides those points, it was very similar to the rest of the series. The cursing and bloodshed are about on par with the previous movies, possibly less. The movie concludes the entire Jurassic movie series (reportedly) and it was definitely made with the fans in mind.

Encanto (2021)

Heartwarming Disney Flick just in time for the Holidays- Parents Should Know!!

[10/10 · 24 November 2021]

There are very few scary scenes in this movie. There is only a small amount of violence depicted but it is more realistic (think knife at the end of Tangled). The short beforehand is almost more scary than the movie. There is one scene that is a little darker with lightning and a couple that allude to violence and death- but those will fly right over the little viewers. They absolutely pack a heartwrenching punch for the older viewers- as intended. (Think parent death scene in Frozen). Will the Madrigal family be able to save their enchanted house before it's too late? Will Mirabel be able to help even though she's feeling so isolated from her family?!

Overall, Disney's Encanto movie is a beautiful tribute to the strength of community, loving family, and being true to yourself. It is a more STORY driven movie than a grand adventure movie (like Inside Out, Mary Poppins, and Luca), so it can be a little slower. The animation is so stunningly engaging and detailed. The music is fabulous, Lin-Manuel Miranda was a part of the team to bring the music to life and you can feel that Vivo/ In the Heights musical blend. It just all fits together SO well. And we loved seeing a movie about a Columbian family with some gorgeous cultural nods. There are also some very deep themes in this movie to discuss. We've got discussion questions and a fuller review on our blog. In a world that is trying to ban books from the classroom for possibly upsetting someone, this movie comes out with a powerful storyline that reminds us that kids absolutely can process the fact that people cause pain and that they (and we) can do better. So inspirational, so fun. Such a great watch. Personally I'm a fan of the dual theater and at home releases BUT I am glad I saw this one in theaters. A great new Disney movie just in time for the holidays!

The Loud House Movie (2021)

Do you need to see the show first? Is it appropriate?

[9/10 · 22 August 2021]

This is a fun movie based on a popular series. You do NOT have to have seen the show to follow the story, characters, or follow the story. It's a little darker, so I would say 7yr olds plus but every kid is different. We've got a full parent review on down the hobbit hole blog dot com that has more specific warnings. I was pretty impressed with the story and music. It's a fun family night movie watch.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021)

Parent Info- Comfortable Taking my 4 yr old...

[10/10 · 11 June 2021]

Bea and Thomas are getting married and extending the business! But Peter is feeling left out and misunderstood. Is running away going to provide what he's looking for? Can Thomas and Peter learn to live harmoniously together? This movie is filled with mischievous laughter and marvelous family lessons- a great watch for family movie night. The director specifically wanted this to be a movie that adults and kids would enjoy and it does that well. In a very rare turn of events, I think I enjoyed Peter Rabbit 2 even more than the first movie. And I think it is more family friendly as well! For a full parent review with more information on how appropriate it is for younger children, check out our full review at the down the hobbit hole blog. There is a lot of slapstick comedy, but also a lot of heart in this sequel! The twist they put on the classic story is magnificently fun. And while there is a fair amount of bathroom humor and cartoonish violence- I absolutely feel comfortable taking my 4 year old to see this one. It's a really cute sequel!

Yes Day (2021)

A great family fun watch from Netflix, if you enjoyed...

[9/10 · 12 March 2021]

Based off of a children's book and a growing trend, Netflix's Yes Day is a fun family comedy starring Jennifer Garner as a mom who is struggling to both relate to and parent her kids. The movie isn't for everyone, if you are not a fan of cheesy family comedies, avoid this one. But it's also not just for parents or kids. If you enjoy comedies, have ever felt frustrated by the mundane tasks of being a kid or adult, and want a good laugh- this is a great watch! The premise is that the kids are in charge and that the parents have to say yes to everything they want to do- with some solid boundaries. A break for both the parents who have to say no 'a million times an hour' and the kids who feel like they are never in control. The main goal- a fun family day of connecting and hilarity. Will it go according to plan?? Looking for guidelines for your own yes day or a fuller parent review? Check out our full post on it at Down The Hobbit Hole Blog Yes Day. Netflix is doing a great job with the family movies. I think this will be one of our favorites, along with Animal Crackers. If you like the Pacifier or My Spy- you'll enjoy this one!

Come Away (2020)

Sometimes we forget that fairy tales are also daring adventures...

[8/10 · 22 November 2020]

Fairy dust enchants us so much that sometimes we forget that fairy tales aren't entirely sparkly dreams, but daring and brave adventures. In this reimagining of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pans origin stories, Alice and Peter are siblings navigating a terrible loss. It's a beautifully told story with unique twists but great and super creative nods back to the original texts. We've got a full parent review with discussion questions at down the hobbit hole blog. It's an incredibly sad and moving story but there are handfuls of hopeful fairy dust sprinkled throughout the film and the ending. If you've enjoyed remakes, like the newer Alice in Wonderlands and Finding Neverland- this is one you will not want to miss! It's a really creative drama with a lot of heart!

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

review for parents

[9/10 · 22 November 2020]

Quick Summary: What's the square root of impossible?! A grandmother tells a Christmas story of magic, imagination and determination to her grandkids. In this story there's a little girl, Journey, that goes on a musical adventure trying to find her place in the world. And in the process tries to reconcile her family and become an inventor. And this little actress is a POWERHOUSE!

Parents should know: It's a magical new Christmas musical that's safe for pretty much every age! There are a couple of warnings I would give. The movie involves magic, and even though it's more a science skill than supernatural power- if that bugs you, you won't like the movie. There is also a fair amount of fire. And a parental death (not a spoiler- it's in the description). Check out our full parent review with discussion questions at down the hobbit hole blog. I think this one will become an annual watch for us! Such a fun and inspiring holiday movie.

H is for Happiness (2019)

A new kind of parent trap, great for family movie night...

[9/10 · 18 September 2020]

It's a new kind of Parent Trap! Candice does not fit in with the other kids, she's very literal and loves school. People call her odd. Douglas is also odd. Meeting him inspires her to try something miraculous- to reunite her grieving family and get her parents back together. A huge adventure that starts with meeting the new kid and getting a new homework assignment! This is a cute family comedy!

Parents should know that there is a family death that's central to the storyline as well as a lot of bullying around special needs. For more parent info, check out our full review on down the hobbit hole blog dot com. Based on the popular Australian YA Book- My Life as an Alphabet (released in the US as The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee). It's a great movie/book combo for 10+! A dramedy with a lot of heart!

Mulan (2020)

Parents should know...

[7/10 · 5 September 2020]

Every family must send someone to fight for the Emperor, but Mulan can't bear to see her injured and aging father go off to war. Risking her life and defying her families wishes, she sneaks off to the army to fight in his place- as a boy. Can she succeed? Will she be found out? Parents should know that it is more action oriented and more intense than the animated movie. The long scenes will bore younger viewers if the battle scenes don't scare them. Find our full parent review with discussion questions at Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. The newest Disney live action remake is action and drama oriented, but I missed the heart and character connection that came with the comedy. While it's not my favorite of the Disney remakes, it's a good action movie and one that has a lot of great lessons in it!

The Sleepover (2020)

Parent Review

[9/10 · 24 August 2020]

Everyone else has a phone and can go to parties, except for Clancy. (Which I thought was a cute reference to Tom Clancy Spy Novels.) Her mom is the most boring, strict, and frustrating parent ever! Or is she?! Clancy and her brother Kevin, with their friends, go an epic quest to rescue their parents who are on a secret spy mission. No one's going to be sleeping on this sleepover...

This movie contains a few scary scenes, some suspense, mild language (sucks, etc...) and a fair share of bathroom humor. It's very family and kid friendly, but with the level of suspense, I would say 10 plus is a safe age range. We've got a fuller parent review on Down the Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. It's a cute, and fairly clean, family comedy. While not particularly deep or unique, it's engaging and ends well. A fun family movie night pick that the kids will probably want to stream again.

The One and Only Ivan (2020)

Family Friendly Streaming from a Great Book!

[10/10 · 22 August 2020]

Mack's mall show is starting to fizzle. Ivan the incredible gorilla isn't bringing in the crowds like he used to. So he finds a new headliner and Ivan isn't sure how to feel about it. He would be content to draw with Julia and stay in his cage forever, but he wants freedom and protection for his friends. But what can a lone gorilla do? In this heartwarming movie, based on a true story, friendship and creativity save the day in more ways than one. You can catch it now streaming on Disney plus! On Down the Hobbit Hole Blog dot com we have discussion questions, a parent review and curriculum resources. A beautiful reminder that we all need friendship and hope to get by, this one is definitely worth streaming with the family!

Hamilton (2020)

Amazing- Parents Should Know...

[10/10 · 3 July 2020]

The most in demand musical is now streaming on demand. Hamilton follows the founding of the United States through the War of Independence and foundational historical events up to 1804 through the perspective of Alexander Hamilton. The musical really packs a musical punch, there's really no dialogue outside of the songs and they combine your typical broadway music with rap, hip-hop, and jazz. Although the musical is about events that are centuries old, it's incredibly relevant to today. Lin-Manuel Miranda says "This is a story about America then, told by America now." An engaging powerhouse of a musical that really dives in to the human experience in an incredible and educational way. Like many other broadway musicals, it deals with hard life issues and is not appropriate for younger viewers. Parents should be aware that the film earns the PG-13 rating mostly through cursing and sexual innuendo. We've got a full review, discussion guide, and more up on our blog now at Down the Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. It's really amazing how they managed to capture the live performances and bring it to the screen.

My Spy (2020)

Is it OK for kids?

[8/10 · 26 June 2020]

A soldier is trying to change the trajectory of his career but being a spy isn't quite the same as the military life he knows. He suddenly finds his CIA career on the line and dependent on a super smart 9 year old girl. Find our full parent review of My Spy at Down the Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. This is a solidly cute family action flick that is light, fun and safe to watch with your teens.

A little bit of saving the world, a dash of romance, and a whole lot of being manipulated by a 9 year old- a recipe for a great summer movie night. I would have liked it even more if they had left some of the cursing out, but it really wasn't bad. One I'll definitely stream again.

Scoob! (2020)

Better than the live action- parents should know...

[8/10 · 15 May 2020]

The Mystery Inc. gang is ready for some bigger work. And a bigger mystery with bigger monsters is what they get!

Much truer to the original series than the newer shows or movies- Scoob is a fun watch and a good intro to the series for kids who haven't seen any Scooby Doo before. We had so much fun watching classic Scooby in a modern movie.

Parents should know that some of the humor is crude- there are some phrases you aren't going to want repeated 8,000 times. While there are some scary images and suspenseful moments- nothing is scarier than the original Scooby Doo Where are You monsters or scares!

BE AWARE that this is an early theatrical home release! Which means for the next few months, until it comes out on DVD, the movie will be about 20 to rent and 25 to buy. This is still a great deal and cheaper than taking the whole family to the theater!

Warner brothers also has a great family movie night packet to go along with the movie that you can find by googling scoob party pack! It has coloring sheets, recipes and more! You can also find our full parent review, lessons from the movie and discussion questions at down the hobbit hole blog dot com. I was honestly more impressed with the movie than I thought I would be! It was a really fun watch and we will definitely be watching it again a lot at our house!

The Willoughbys (2020)

Parents should know that it's based on a book and good BUT DARK!

[8/10 · 23 April 2020]

Based on the book of the same name by Lois Lowry, The Willoughbys appear to be a perfectly normal family from the outside. Two parents who greatly love each other and their four children. The problem: Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby never wanted children and have no extra love or tolerance for them. When these four kids grow up, they determine they would be better off living on their own. This is overall a fairly heavy kid's movie. It deals with child neglect and abuse, abandonment, and death. It is all shown in cartoonish manner, but if you or your kids have any history with any of the previously mention topics, this is not something I would consider a safe or fun watch. There's also some slightly creepy imagery, mostly coming from the young twins. For our full parent review with lessons, discussion questions and age suggestion check out the post on our blog- Down the Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. There are a lot of great lessons that can be discussed from this great adaption!

Trolls World Tour (2020)

Nice to see something so light hearted and appropriate right now

[8/10 · 10 April 2020]

It was nice to see something so light hearted and appropriate right now. Parents should know that this movie was very much on par with the first movie. It was a cute Poppy and Branch adventure that felt more like a couple of episodes of the show than a full length movie. For less than the price of three movie tickets it was definitely worth renting this weekend. You can find our full parent review plus lessons we learned from the movie to talk to your kids about on Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. It was a very fun watch.

I Still Believe (2020)

A Beautiful Reminder

[8/10 · 13 March 2020]

The tear-jerking true story of musician Jeremy Camp and his journey of love, loss, musical success and faith. This story centers around a the complexities of a relationship. A beautiful, and timely, reminder that in this crazy world we will all struggle but we can hang onto faith and love.

Parents should know that there are intense scenes and we do not think that the movie is suitable for kids under ten, or kids who can't talk through serious topics with you afterward.

We have a small group discussion guide for this posted on our website. Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. We also have a full parent review up and Bible study questions for it.

We were really impressed with this movie and left better for having watched it!

Adventure Boyz (2019)

Great Family Watch

[8/10 · 21 February 2020]

Two brothers are thrown into an adventure when, while riding around having fun, they find clues to a treasure. Chaos erupts as the boys must dodge villains and help their father! A movie that encourages kids to get out there, put down their devices and have their own adventures! It's a fun family movie night watch. A nice, safe, fun movie! We suggest it for ages 6+. You can find our full parent review with discussion questions at Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com.

Abominable (2019)

Made with a younger audience in mind, but heartwarming and an enjoyable watch for adults too

[8/10 · 27 September 2019]

Yi is struggling to connect with people when suddenly a yeti appears on her roof. Peng and Jin help Yi smuggle the yeti out of the city and the group ends up embarking on the adventure of a lifetime trying to get home. The movie boasts strong female leads- it's written and directed by Jill Culton (Monsters Inc.) with the main character, Yi, voiced by Chloe Bennet (Agents of SHEILD). Made with younger viewers in mind, it's a sweet animated movie that reminds viewers of all ages that music and kindness are universal languages. You can find our full review, what parents should know, and discussion questions by looking up Down the Hobbit Hole Blog Abominable Discussion Questions. While I don't think this will become a classic, it's one I'm glad I did not miss and would absolutely watch again.

Downton Abbey (2019)

Will You Like it if You Haven't Seen or Finished the Series?!

[9/10 · 19 September 2019]

The good news is that there is a short re-cap of the show at the beginning of the movie to help you get acquainted with or caught up on all of the major characters. We also have a five minute video recap on our blog review of the movie. If you have never seen the series before, you might not enjoy it quite as much as your friend who is deeply invested in the characters. HOWEVER, it is a marvelously fun, happy, and engaging watch. So regardless if you love the characters already or not, if you enjoy shows or movies about older era's, beautiful costumes, and hopeful story lines- I think you will still come out of the theater loving the movie! We really enjoyed the movie and were thankful to escape back to Downton, if only for a little while. *PS- if you're a die hard fan you might be disappointed that some characters did not get more screen time, but remember that it is a short movie instead of a full season. All the fans we went with loved the film!

Overcomer (2019)

Quick Summary and Family Review

[6/10 · 24 August 2019]

A plant shuts down in a small town, impacting thousands of residents. As the local Christian school scrambles to deal with the sudden decline in student population, the teachers and coaches are asked to step outside of their comfort zone to cover classes. In this case, Coach Harrison, the basketball coach and Hannah Scott, from the track team, have to learn how to work together to move forward. In doing so- their lives are changed.

Viewers should be aware that this movie deals with adoption (and reunification) in extremely stereotypical ways. They should also be aware of who the movie was made for- an evangelical Christian audience. I would not take my friends who do not believe in God to see this movie and I would not want my adopted child to see this movie. That being said, the movie was encouraging and had messages that are needed within evangelical circles right now. I would watch this again with a small group or friends. For a fuller review with small group discussion questions you can check out our family blog at Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)

Great way to end the summer...

[9/10 · 9 August 2019]

We were very impressed with how family friendly this movie was! The adults and kids were all laughing. The comedic timing was excellent! If you know anything about Dora and like a good laugh- this movie is absolutely for you! Still not sure if you or your kids will like it? Check out our full review with discussion questions at Down The Hobbit Hole Blog dot com. We have not laughed this hard at a movie in a long time! The acting and script were so great!

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (2018)

Keep Getting Back Up

[9/10 · 13 July 2019]

A motivational and encouraging watch! It was not quite what I was expecting it to be but it was an amazing documentary that left me feeling inspired! The shots they show you of the ocean are breathtaking, as is Bethany's incredible resilience! We highly recommend checking out this movie, especially if you've been a fan of Bethany's or if you have a teen girl. You can check out our full review, what to know before you see it, and discussion questions for after the movie on our blog DownTheHobbitHoleBlog dot com. It's the best documentary we've seen in a very long time!