Book Review: Art Attack by James Ponti (The Sherlock Society #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Wonderful characters, good mystery overall

Cons: Pacing could have been better

The Bottom Line:

Tracking a “writer”

Can these kids find any clues?

Kids will devour it

Hunting for a Graffiti Artist

While I seem to have dropped most of the middle grade authors I was reading for a while, I’ve stuck with James Ponti.  It helps that my nephew loves his books.  The Sherlock Society isn’t my favorite of his series, but I do still enjoy checking in with the characters, and book three, Art Attack, just dropped.

The main characters in this series are all in middle school.  Alex Sherlock is our narrator.  The Sherlock Society is made up of his older sister, Zoe, and their friends Yadi and Lina.  Rounding out the society is Alex and Zoe’s grandfather.

As this book opens, the friends have just been hired for their first case.  A developer wants to have Funky Munky, graffiti artist (or graffiti writer, which is their preferred term), do a mural on their new building.  Just one problem – Funky Munky has kept their identity a secret for the year that they’ve been tagging buildings in Miami.  But it’s hard to turn down the money, so the society takes on the case.  Will they be able to piece together some clues?  Or will Funky Munky remain elusive?

This series uses one of my least favorite literary devices, which is to start with something exciting or surprising and then flashback to how we got there, leaving us hanging until the very end.  I find it makes me impatient waiting for the story to catch up to that moment.  It doesn’t help that this book has quite a bit of information about graffiti culture in the early chapters.

Speaking of graffiti, that was an issue I had with the book in general.  Yes, we do eventually hear that it is bad, but that seems like an afterthought.  When, guess what, it’s vandalism.

Anyway, I was impressed with how the plot unfolded.  The kids piece together some genuine clues to figure out what is going on, and there are some entertaining twists along the way.  Unfortunately, I think one plot point was left dangling, which bugged me but might not bug the target audience.

One thing I love in all of James Ponti’s books is the relationship between the characters.  We can feel the friendship between the kids, which has grown since the first book.  And the parents are responsible parents, too, not just people who let their kids do whatever.  Oh, the kids still find danger, but it’s treated appropriately.

Overall, I did enjoy Art Attack.  And I’m sure the middle grade audience will devour it.

Movie Review: Coyote vs. Acme

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Laughs and fun character moments

Cons: A bit broad overall

The Bottom Line:

Taking on a corp

Looney Tunes humor in court

Goal? To entertain

“How Hard Could It Be to Catch a Bird?”

The first time I heard about Coyote vs. Acme, I was on board.  It just sounded like so much fun.  Then, there was the whole drama with Warner Bros. deciding to shelve it for a tax write off.  So, I was thrilled when I heard that Ketchup Entertainment had bought the film, and I made a point of going to see it in the theater.

While the film is more live action than animated, we do have a good mix of animation in the real world.  And it starts like a classic Coyote and Road Runner cartoon.  Coyote is out to catch his dinner, Road Runner, and his latest Acme products do not work as he envisions them.  When he goes home that night, defeated, he sees an ad from a lawyer who represents people like him, harmed by shoddy products.

So Coyote heads into Albuquerque, New Mexico to hire Kevin Avery (Will Forte).  But Kevin just wants to go for the simple settlement, something that Coyote doesn’t want.  Suddenly, Kevin finds himself going up again his law school nemesis, Buddy Crane (John Cena), in a case that is drawing national attention.  Can he figure out how to win the case?

As I said earlier, this film is a mix of mostly live action with a little animation.  But the animation looks wonderful.  It’s more modern 3D, although they do have some fun nods to 2D animation.  The effects are outstanding.  It’s easy to buy what we are seeing on the screen.  And the human actors do a fantastic job of making us believe this world is real.

And yes, many of the Looney Toons characters show up.  Most have extended cameos to further the story.  This is Coyote’s film, and that’s fine.  But I did appreciate how the rest of the characters were used.

Anyone who goes to see the movie will have fun.  There are plenty of laughs from start to finish.  Yes, most of them are slapstick, but what would you expect?  This is a movie that is having fun, and it invites us along for the ride.  It knows it has one job, to entertain us, and it does it.

It is also refreshingly free of so much of the modern movie agenda.  Yes, the movie is an allegory for one issue (I’m being vague so as to not spoil things), but it’s never preachy about it, and it’s an easy issue to agree with the movie on.  While there is a mention or two of corporations being bad, in this case, Acme is pretty evil, so it works.  Again, the movie is focused on entertaining us.

Yet, it does have some nice, tender moments near the end.  These moments kind of snuck up on me, but they were well earned.

I mentioned earlier that the actors did a great job with the effects of the film.  The acting overall was good.  The characters were fairly broad, but that’s the writing.  Likewise, the character arcs were fairly predictable, but I was having fun overall, so I didn’t care.

Coyote vs. Acme is the light comedy we don’t get much anymore.  It’s not an event movie, but it’s a fun way to spend an hour and forty minutes.  You won’t be sorry you gave it a chance.

Movie Review: Toy Story 5

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good message; nice to see old friends again

Cons: Missing the charm of the first three

The Bottom Line:

It’s toys vs. tech

Tackles subject thoughtfully

But lacking the fun

Surprisingly Nuanced

It’s been several years since I watched any Disney or Pixar animated movie.  And my feelings on Toy Story 4 have changed over the years (I don’t like it as much as I tried to convince myself I did when I first saw it.)  But I have seen all the Toy Story films in the theater (not counting the Buzz Lightyear movie), and I knew I’d kick myself if I didn’t go see Toy Story 5 while it was still in the theater.

After letting Andy grow up in real time, Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) has stayed a young girl.  And, as we rejoin her and her toys, she is too shy to make any friends, even with her neighbors.  Of course, soon Sheriff Jessie (Joan Cusack) learns that a plague is sweeping through the world, technology.  It is turning all the kids into mindless zombies who just stare at their screens.

To Jessie’s horror, Bonnie’s parents get her Lilypad (Greta Lee), Lily for short.  This device connects Bonnie with some girls from her dance class.  Will they be good friends for Bonnie?  Or is there someone better out there?

Yes, this is Jessie’s movie.  Honestly, I’m okay with that.  They do give Woody and Buzz (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) a substantive subplot, while many of the familiar toys are reduced to extended cameos.  I do miss them, but I get it.  If you are going to tell new stories, you can’t keep all these toys in the story, too.  It just gets too cluttered.

This movie really plays on Jessie’s background, first introduced in Toy Story 2.  Again, I’m not sure we needed to go there, but I did feel like it worked, and I appreciated it.  And I especially appreciated the growth Jessie got as a result.  I feel like it’s something that has been missing from the franchise, but maybe I just need to rewatch the original trilogy.

Which brings us to something I especially appreciated.  In the discussion about devices and technology, it starts out fairly black and white, but it becomes gray as the movie goes on.  After all, like almost anything else, technology can be good or bad.  I also appreciated that it clearly showed adults just as addicted to technology as the kids because it is true.  (Admits the guy who spends so much time working on internet reviews.  And thanks for reading them!)

Having said all of this, the movie was missing that spark that made the original trilogy so special.  I’m not sure what they had to say about technology was worth a new entry in the franchise.  I still would have been okay if they had stopped at the original trilogy with the occasional special.

Then there’s Buzz’s storyline.  I’ve always appreciated his romance with Jessie, but I felt like they were trying too hard for laughs with him.  He’s never been the sharpest, but he felt especially clueless here.

On the other hand, there are a couple of running gags with Woody that I enjoyed.

I guess part of the problem is the things that made the originals feel so special, all those little details, are now such a familiar part of the world these characters live with, they’ve lost the special feeling and they’ve lost the ability to make us laugh and smile.  Instead, the majority of the humor came from a new potty-training device.  Yeah, you can guess where those jokes are going.  I wasn’t a big fan.

There is a mid-credits scene you’ll want to watch.  And there is something at the end of the credits as well, but I didn’t think it was worth sticking around for.

I’m glad I saw Toy Story 5, but I’m glad I went on a discounted night to see it.  It’s fun to see old friends again, but the spark that made the original trilogy so special is still missing.

TV Show Review: Step by Step - Season 2

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: More laughs as the characters get stronger

Cons: The writing still needs to find ways to use all the characters better

The Bottom Line:

A step family

Learning to blend in sitcom

Glad I found these laughs

“We Tried to Help and Both Kids are Miserable.  I Think Our Work Here is Done.”

My journey through 90’s sitcom Step by Step continues with season two.  With when this show ended, I never watched it when it was originally on.  I didn’t really begin to hear much about it until I started listening to some rewatch podcasts that mentioned it.  So, I’m watching this show now blind.  But I’m glad I am giving it a chance since I am really enjoying it.

If you’ve missed it, this was a 90’s take on a blended family sitcom.  The parents are Frank and Carol (Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers) who each brought three kids into their second marriage.  Frank’s three kids are J.T., Al, and Brendan (Brandon Call, Christine Lakin, and Josh Byrne) while Carol’s three kids are Dana, Karen, and Mark (Staci Keanan, Angela Watson, and Christopher Castile).  Rounding out the main cast is the required goofy character, in this case, Frank’s nephew Cody (Sasha Mitchell). 

Fans know that there is a cast change between seasons one and two.  Carol’s mother and sister, regular characters in season one, aren’t back.  And, in true 90’s sitcom fashion, they are never mentioned this season.  Considering they worked with Carol in her beauty salon, that’s quite an omission.  Honestly, with nine characters for the writers to juggle, they had plenty of characters to try to write for each week.  And, with how underutilized these two characters were in the first season, it’s no surprise they didn’t return.

So, what does happen this season?  Dana takes the SAT and is surprised to find Cody taking them as well.  All the kids struggle to adjust to the new school year, with Al’s cooking being bad, Mark struggling in wood shop, and J.T. having an unfair English teacher.  J.T. starts a Wayne’s World knock off on the local cable access station.  (Truly, those two episodes are horrible.)  Dana finds out being a boss is harder than she expected when she is hired as the manager of a 50’s themed café with Karen and J.T. as her employees.  An overdue video under Brendan’s bed prompts the family to cut down their spending.  Cody inherits money from the resident of a retirement home he regularly visits.  And the family wins a trip to Hawaii.  Plus watch for a very fun storyline poking fun at Christopher Castile’s role in the recent (at the time) hit movie Beethoven.

While I did enjoy season one, I found the writing stronger here for the most part.  Many of the episodes included some wonderful laugh out loud moments and some tender moments as well.  Still, the writers are struggling to find things for all the characters to do.  Even with two storylines per episode, the younger kids often get under served, especially poor Brendan, who somethings only has a line or two.  While all the characters get at least one episode focused on them this season, you can tell who the writers favored by who has more.  It’s definitely not even.

Not that I’m blaming the writers.  There are twenty-four episodes this season, and that’s a lot of work.  If there are characters it’s easier to come up with storylines for, it’s going to be natural to focus on them more.  Still, I hope things even out a little going forward.

One thing that makes this sitcom stand out is that not all the characters like each other.  Frank and Carol got married before the kids had even met each other, so they are trying to navigate that while all living under one roof.  That makes for some great one liners and insults.  And, we do see more evidence that those relationships and bonds are growing this season, which I appreciate.  It’s more realistic than some shows while not being as spiteful as others. 

The actors are all killing it this season.  They are getting more familiar with their characters, and they are hitting the jokes well.  I find everyone a joy to watch.

As I said earlier, the jokes are funny.  Yes, it’s a typical family sitcom in that department, but I love sitcoms, so I’m really enjoying getting to laugh at these characters as I get to know them better.  In addition to the dialogue, the cast does some great physical comedy, especially the adults.

The show is already diving into some very special episodes this season.  I’m thinking especially of a couple this season involving teenage sex lives, and I appreciated how both were handled.  Of course, I would have preferred they not be included at all since I cringed more than laughed, but if they had to be here, this was a nice way to handle the topics.

This season featured 24 episodes.  The show doesn’t appear to be available for streaming, but I got it on DVD.  We don’t have any extras, but the show looks and sounds great for a 90’s sitcom.

I’m so glad I found Step by Step.  I’m truly enjoying getting to know these characters and watching what happens despite some minor flaws.  Now that I’ve finished season two, I’m looking forward to diving into season three.

Book Review: The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Entertaining allegory on dealing with grief

Cons: Doesn’t quite stick the landing

The Bottom Line:

A grieving Colin

Goes on quest to find answers

Weak ending; still good

Journey with Colin Through the Maze

When I finally decided to branch out beyond Dorothy Gilman’s Mrs. Pollifax books, I wasn’t going to venture to her young adult novels since those were harder to find. But after finding that The Maze in the Heart of the Castle played a part in her adult novel The Tightrope Walker, I had to track it down and give it a read. 

This is a hard book to pigeonhole. It is partially a book with a fantasy setting. Not that it involves wizards or magic but more unknown realms. More than anything, it uses these elements as allegory. 

The story follows Colin, who has recently lost his parents. He’s struggling, as you would expect for any sixteen-year-old who was in that situation. So when a family friend tells him that there is a castle on Rheembeck Mountain that might hold the answer for him, he sets out. When Colin arrives, he learns he will have to journey through a maze in the castle to find what he is looking for. Will he find it?

This book is essentially a series of challenges that Colin faces along the way. While that gives us more of an episodic narrative, in this case, it works. I was always anxious to see what would happen to him next and how he’d deal with the next complication. 

As such, Colin is the only character we see in the entire book. But even those he meets along the way are strong and help bring their sections to life. 

It’s the allegory where things fall a little flat for me. Obviously, the challenges Colin faces along the way represent various responses to grief. And I liked the way Colin grew from each stop he made. But when we reached the climax, I just didn’t feel like it quite worked the way I wanted it too. The allegory didn’t reach the climax I was expecting. But maybe that is the point, what getting through grief looks like for one person is different for someone else. 

I do have to comment on the history of this book. As I said earlier, it was originally mentioned in The Tightrope Walker, where what happened to the fictional author drove the story. Then, several years later, Ms. Gilman actually wrote the story and published it under her own name. That kind of thing is very fun to me. 

I’m glad I tracked down The Maze in the Heart of the Castle. Even if the ending didn’t quite work for me, I still enjoyed the book. 

TV Show Review: The Brady Bunch - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Charming and wholesome stories that will make you smile if not laugh

Cons: Dated and unrealistic, but that’s part of the charm. 

The Bottom Line:

Bradys – second dose

Still dated but still charming

And still fun today

“Well, We Managed to Survive Another Crisis.”

While I was never a super fan of The Brady Bunch, I watched the show enough over the years that I’ve seen many of the episodes. And, while the show is definitely a groovy time capsule, there is still something fun and charming about it, especially in season two. 

Just in case you’ve missed this particular bit of pop culture, this sitcom tells the story of the Brady family, which is formed when Mike (Robert Reed) married Carol (Florence Henderson). Of course, they each have their own three kids they are brining into the marriage. Mike’s three kids are Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland), while Carol has three daughters, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and Cindy (Susan Olsen). Rounding out the bunch is their housekeeper, Alice (Ann B. Davis). 

Over the course of this season Greg and Marcia are left in charge for the first time.  Marcia also has a big sleepover.  Greg makes a home movie about the first Thanksgiving.  Jan makes up a boyfriend and buys a wig in separate efforts to stand out from Marcia.  Jan’s practical jokes and Cindy’s tattle tailing get out of hand.  Peter breaks Carol’s favorite vase, and everyone else confesses to the deed.  Bobby takes up the drums.  The family tries to save a local park…but Mike’s firm is designing the new building that is supposed to be put there.  And Carol decides to try her hand at writing a story, using the family as inspiration.

Then there’s my personal favorite from the season. Cindy is scared after seeing a vanishing act at a magic show just as Peter starts working on a magic act. 

And that episode perfectly captures why this show is still so popular today. Oh, you can point out how unrealistic it is, and you’d be right. And, every situation is resolved in 24 minutes? Must be nice. But that’s also the draw. We want to live in a world where family cares for each other. There are some truly sweet moments. It’s a perfect escape from the real world. And that’s okay. 

As a sitcom, I’m not sure how often I laugh out loud, but it is still charming, keeping me smiling. Since this was filmed on a sound stage with one camera instead of multiple cameras in front of a live audience, we get a fake laugh track. 

Thanks to an effort to cut costs, all of the kids but Greg miss an episode this season. A couple of times it’s obvious, but occasionally, you only notice if you are truly paying close attention. 

The acting is fine here. It’s not going to win any awards, but it is good enough to pull you into the story each week. Notable guest stars are Don Drysdale and Deacon Jones, both sports legends of the day.

In the first season, I found the episodes dragged a bit. Here, that wasn’t the case. Sometimes, that’s thanks to a B story that winds up tying into the main storyline. Other times, the writers find that extra plot point that keeps the story interesting. 

And, as I stated earlier, this show is definitely dated. These episodes aired in 1970 and 1971. Between the styles, the decor, and the groovy language, you definitely notice. But, somehow, that is still part of the charm. 

I get this show might not be for everyone or every mood. But if you are looking for a light escape from your cares, you will find yourself enjoying season two of The Brady Bunch. 

Book Review: Europa by James Ponti (City Spies #7)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, action, and humor well mixed 

Cons: Pacing a time or two, but never for long

The Bottom Line:

Second crack of code

Sends team racing to Paris

Another fun book

Race to Find the Target

If book six had been the end of City Spies, I would have been disappointed because I love the series, but I would have felt like the characters got a satisfying send off. Fortunately for all of us, author James Ponti wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters either, so everyone is back in Europa. 

If you are new to this middle grade series, it features the most secret, and the most unusual, of MI-6’s agents. It’s a team of teens. But they have been trained as spies and have proved over and over again that they are very good at their missions, going places where adults might be suspect. 

I was a little surprised when I realized this book didn’t give us any background on the characters. We got some backstory that related to the plot and some spoilers for the last book, which wrapped up a major storyline for the series to date. So if you started here, you might be a little lost. But as a fan since book one, I easily slipped back into this world, even with some changes the team has recently undergone. 

You see, the team has had to relocated from Scotland to London thanks to the events of the previous book. But that means they can get some special training from those higher up in MI-6. The first such session involves looking at a coded message the agency has recently gotten. The City Spies quickly realize that the agents who had looked for it missed one thing - the targets are in Paris. But which of the potential targets is the real one? Can the team figure it out in time?

You’ll notice that I didn’t focus on any specific character. That’s because, more so than in earlier books, this is about the team. That’s always been the case to a certain extent, but often it felt like there was one that was a little more front and center. I didn’t feel that way this time. 

Now, this isn’t to say that the characters don’t get their chances to shine. I feel like all the kids had moments to stand out and grow. That isn’t as true for the adults, but they are still good characters themselves. 

And the plot itself was good. I did feel like we got a bit too much info in data dump fashion early on, but it wasn’t long before we were back in the action. There are some fun twists and good action scenes along the way. And the ending? I really want to see what it means going forward. 

And there’s the humor, too. Yes, we are facing life and death stakes, but the characters still joke and tease each other. I smiled and laughed plenty when I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. This balance just makes me love the book even more. 

I also appreciated that the code was using Shakespeare and Renaissance painters. Most of the time, we were given some info about these things in an entertaining way. It was a nice way to introduce those subjects to kids without making them feel dry. 

I might be well beyond the target audience, but Europa entertained me from start to finish. Kids will love this book, as will anyone who wants an entertaining story. 

Check out the rest of the City Spies adventures. 

TV Show Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good episodic version of the second Percy Jackson book

Cons: Nothing major for me

The Bottom Line:

Hunting for the fleece

Trying to save friend as well

Fun and adventure

“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.  Usually There’s More S’mores and Less Ground Assaults.”

I was looking forward to revisiting the Percy Jackson characters for season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. In the time between seasons one and two, I’d read the recent books, so I was a bit more connected to the characters. And I enjoyed the ride. 

Based on the second of the original novels, The Sea of Monsters, it’s been a year for Percy (Walker Scobell) since we last visited him. During that time, he’s made a new friend, Tyson (Daniel Diemer). Well, friend may be too strong a word for how Percy feels about the cyclops, but Tyson definitely appreciates their relationship. Unfortunately, Percy is taking Tyson to Camp Half-Blood with him this year, something that isn’t going to make him very popular. 

When Percy arrives at camp, he finds things are in chaos. The tree that has protected the camp is weakening, leading to increased attacks from monsters. Rumor has it that the famed Golden Fleece has been found, and it might help restore the camp’s protection. But Percy’s nemesis Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), is chosen to lead the quest. Even weirder, Percy’s good friends, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) doesn’t seem to want Percy to go. Yet somehow, Percy and Tyson wind up on the quest, too. As they travel to the Sea of Monsters, will they find the fleece? And can they rescue Grover (Aryan Simhadri), who is being held in the area as well?

It’s been a long time since I read the book and watched the movie version, so I didn’t remember much of this story at all. That meant, I found the cliffhangers at the end of the episodes suspenseful and couldn’t wait for the next episode. 

Like with the first season, this show really highlights just how episodic the books are. Percy and the rest face a fun series of obstacles along the way, and many of them fit perfectly in a TV episode. Then, next week, we are off to a new complication as we get closer to the ultimate climax. It’s not my favorite storytelling method, but it works pretty well here. 

Along with the adventure of the week, we do get some nice character development for Percy and Annabeth. Grover doesn’t have quite enough screen time to feel like he’s grown as much as the other two. I also appreciated how Percy’s relationship with Clarisse grew. I don’t remember that happening at this point in the books, but maybe that’s just my faulty memory. 

Speaking of which, the show differs from the book in a pretty major way in the final episode. Okay, so I had to read up on it since I didn’t remember, but it will be interesting to see how that plays out going forward. 

Once again, the cast was excellent. We have some bigger names popping up in some of the episodes, but the leads hold their own when acting with them. 

And the special effects are good as well, although I did find myself creeped out by Tyson’s one eye. Good effect, but unsettling. 

Like with the first season, we got eight episodes, each roughly in the 35-to-40-minute range. 

And the season ramped up the larger story of the Titans, which fans of the books know is going to be more and more important. 

I’m glad to hear that season three is coming later this year. Season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians was another fun adventure. 

Book Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: interesting start to a fantasy series for kids

Cons: The set up, while entertaining, feels a little slow. 

The Bottom Line:

Trip to grandparents

Hiding magical secret

Slow to start, speeds up

Unexpected Visit

My nephew has been recommending the Fablehaven series to me for a while now, and I haven’t picked it up. There are just so many books to get to, right? But when he gave me the first one for Christmas, I prioritized reading it. And I’m glad I did. 

This is a middle grade fantasy series, not my typical mystery. Of course, I’ve enjoyed middle grade fantasy over the years, and I often say I fell into mystery and I can’t get out (not that I’m trying that hard). It was a nice change of pace for me. 

This book introduces us to siblings Kendra and Seth. When their parents need to take a trip, they arrange for the pair to stay with their grandparents. You might think that sounds ideal, but Kendra and Seth barely know their grandparents, who live in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut. But slowly, the siblings begin to discover there is more to their grandparents’ property. What does the revelation mean?

Being the first in the series, this book has a certain amount of set up to do. I expect this, and it is as entertaining as it can be while doing that, but I did find my attention wandering a bit during this part. Still, I’m not sure how we could have gotten the information we needed any faster.

However, once that set up has happened, the story kicks into high gear and never lets up. I didn’t want to put the book down when I got to this point, and I found the payoff very satisfying. Yes, the story is wrapped up well here while still leaving things opened for future books in the series. 

Kendra and Seth are a study in contrast, but they are both well suited for the story we get here. While I feel like we follow Kendra the most, we do get some scenes from Seth’s third person point of view as well. I did find Seth annoying at times, but I appreciated the growth we saw in his character. I also appreciated where Kendra ended the book. And I liked the rest of the characters we met along the way. 

Some of the scenes in the back half of the book might be a little intense for sensitive kids. But I’m sure most kids will devour those pages like I did. 

Would I be opened to a return visit to Fablehaven? Absolutely. It’s easy to see why so many kids are fans of this series. 

Book Review: Framed! by James Ponti (Framed! #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun characters and an interesting plot

Cons: Set up, while fun, does slow down the beginning

The Bottom Line:

Solving an art heist

Book does take time with setup

But overall fun

Can Florian Solve an Art Heist?

James Ponti’s Framed! series has been on my radar since I found his books years ago. But I finally sat down and read the first, also called Framed! I’m not at all surprised that I enjoyed it. 

The book introduces us to Florian Bates. His parents have worked for various art museums, so he’s moved around his whole life. The family has now landed in Washington DC, with both parents working for the National Gallery. Before Florian even starts at the local middle school, he meets his neighbor Margaret, and the two become fast friends. 

One of the things they bond over is Florian’s ability to pick up on small details that help him piece together bigger things. It’s a game until some paintings are stolen from the National Gallery and Florian realizes that he’s got some clues that could help. But can he and Margaret piece together what really happened?

I have to start where the book does because, yep, my least favorite storytelling technique is on display here.  We start with an exciting scene and then flash back to see how Florian got into that predicament.  In some ways, it feels even worse since there is some set up in this book.

Now, don’t get me wrong, that set up is still entertaining, but it does mean it takes a bit to get to the heart of the mystery.  I enjoyed my time meeting Florian and Margaret and the supporting players.  I love Florian and Margaret’s friendship, and watching them play off each other was great.  I’m happy knowing we get two more books with them, and I’m anxious to find out what happens to them next.

And the story, once it got going, was very interesting.  We had some good twists and a very fun climax.  I did find a twist at the end a little hard to buy into as I was reading, but as I thought about it more, it didn’t bother me as much.  I’m guessing the target middle grade audience won’t be bothered by it at all.

Those familiar with the mystery genre will quickly identify Florian’s ability as being a direct descendent from Sherlock Holmes.  I found it a fun homage, and I didn’t feel like the author dragged out the reasoning behind Florian’s deductions any more than needed.  I also liked the fact that Florian did get it wrong occasionally and have to backtrack to figure things out.

As I already said, I’m happy to know there are two other books with these characters for me to enjoy.  If you or your middle grader has missed this series, be sure to pick up Framed! today.

Book Review: Hurricane Heist by James Ponti (Sherlock Society #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Interesting mystery with great characters

Cons: Set up takes way too long

The Bottom Line:

Body unburied

Along with story from past

Slow start but still good

Hurricane Uncovers a Heist from History

While I do know that hurricanes hit Florida, I sometimes wonder if citizens of that state feel about their portrayal in fiction like I do about earthquakes here in California. Yes, they happen. But do they happen as often as they pop up in fiction? Either way, they form the basis of Hurricane Heist, the second Sherlock Society mystery from James Ponti for Middle Grade readers.

The Sherlock Society are a group of middle schoolers. Alex is our narrator, and his sister Zoe is a reluctant member. The other two kids are their friends Yadi and Lina. Rounding out the group is Alex and Zoe’s grandfather, a former reporter for the Miami Herald.

This book finds the friends about to head back to school after a fantastic summer. But their return to school gets delayed by a few days when a hurricane hits the city. In the aftermath, a body is found at a nearby hotel. When it is identified as a man who disappeared in another hurricane 60 years before, Grandpa is intrigued. He knew the man back then, and he never bought the story from the time that the man was involved in a jewelry heist. Can the Sherlock Society figure out what happened all those years ago?

As with the first, this book starts out with an exciting scene from the climax, and then flashes back. Aside from how much I hate that storytelling device to begin with, I found it even more annoying here since we flashed back to Grandfather as a boy, setting up what happened sixty years ago. Honestly, with the tangents we took along the way, we were a third of the way into this book before the mystery really kicked off.

Once it did, it was fantastic. I was intrigued by what happened all those years ago and how the Society was going to uncover it. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, but my questions were answered.

I liked the characters when we met them in the first book, and that held true here. Some of the character growth from the first book didn’t quite stick, but in a realistic way. I actually appreciated how that was dealt with. And I loved some of the new characters. I hope we see them again in future books.

Kids might struggle a bit with the first third of Hurricane Heist, but if they can get beyond the extended set up, they’ll be hooked and enjoy this second visit with the Sherlock Society.

Movie Review: Freakier Friday

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Laughs and heart with strong performances from the four leads

Cons: While fun, definitely not as good as the original

The Bottom Line:

Switching characters

Not nearly as good as first

But entertaining

Flawed But Ultimately Entertaining Sequel

As much as I might roll my eyes at the number of reboots and sequels we are getting at the movies these days, it worked on me. I’ve been in the theater three times this summer for sequels. The third of those was Freakier Friday. I must say, this one made me really nervous since I love the 2003 version so much. While it has its flaws, I found myself enjoying it by the end.

Before we go further, I want to call out the inaccuracy I’ll be making in the rest of the review. Yes, I know the 2003 Freaky Friday movie is actually the third time Disney has adapted that novel by Mary Rodgers for the screen. However, since this movie is a sequel to that version, which starred Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, I’ll be referring to that one as the original and this as the sequel from here on out. It’s just easier that way. 

This movie picks up 22 years after the original.  Anna (Lindsay Lohan) is now a single mother (by choice) raising her teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters).  Anna’s mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) is living nearby and happy to help Anna raise Harper, whether Anna wants it or not.

Harper is annoyed by her new lab partner, Lily (Sophia Hammons).  When the two of them cause an accident in the lab, Anna is called to the principal’s office, as is Lily’s dad, Eric (Manny Jacinto).  The sparks between the two adults are immediate, and they leave the meeting with plans for a date.

Fast forward six months, and the two are getting married, much to their daughters’ dismay.  Nope, they haven’t found a way to get along, and now the daughters are worrying about where the new family will live, since Eric and Lily were only supposed to be in LA for a year before moving back to London.

But on the night of Anna’s bachelorette party, something happens.  The next morning, Friday, Lily and Tess and Harper and Anna have switched bodies.  The girls think this is their chance to break up their parents.  But what might they learn along the way?

I rewatched the original last week, and I’d forgotten just how good it really is.  Every time I watch it, I am impressed again with how it balances quite a few plot lines and creates such great laughs and tender moment.  But that’s a review for a different movie (which I posted here).  This movie isn’t as good.  It tries.  It really does.

One area where this movie falls short is that it just doesn’t have enough for Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons to do after the switch takes place.  The original had several things that Tess and Anna needed to learn while they lived in each other’s lives.  This one focused on Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as the kids and the antics they get up to.

And, this movie was pretty much solely focused on the wedding and how everyone was feeling about it.  Yes, as wedding was an important part of the original, but it wasn’t all that was going on.  I wish there had been some other storylines as well.

Now, I’m going to contradict myself.  One thing that I’ve felt a lot of recent movies have done is try to cram too much into the run time, leaving what we do get feeling rushed and underdeveloped.  I didn’t feel that way with this movie at all.  Yes, introducing anything else might have led to just this problem, so it was nice they didn’t fall into that trap.  I enjoyed watching a film that didn’t try to take on too much and felt like it was allowed time to fully explore what it did set out to talk about.

While I’ve been reading about this movie, I was impressed seeing that they were going to bring back almost all of the original cast.  Granted, most of them are just there for cameos.  But it felt good to see them again, and I felt their presence did add something to this film.  I wasn’t a fan of what they did with Jake, Chad Michael Murray’s character, but I get the jokes they were going for (and one of those jokes definitely worked for me).

As a comedy, this movie is pretty good.  Some scenes went on too long, but there were lots of places where I was laughing right along with the rest of the theater.

And as we reached the climax, I found myself tearing up, just like with the first one.  Those moments were very much earned.  Maybe these moments were a little too easy, but I’m being picky here. 

I also appreciated the message about the importance of family.  It didn’t feel forced.  It also wasn’t that surprising given the first one or the premise of this movie to begin with.  But it was still very well handled.  I also appreciated that Eric and Ryan, Tess's husband played again by Mark Harmon, are both good men.

I’ve got to give all the actors credit for their work.  All four of the leads were great.  It’s one reason why I wish Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons had more to do since they were fantastic when they were on screen.  And you can tell that Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are having fun.  Everyone else is just as good.

As expected, Freakier Friday is a step down from the original.  But that’s the case with most sequels.  Still, this one was entertaining.  I’m glad I saw it, and I would watch it again.  As long as you go into this one not expecting the brilliance of the original, you’ll enjoy this one, too.

Book Review: The Final Draw by Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers Inheritance #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Magical adventures in the Kingdom Keepers universe

Cons: Characters thin as always

The Bottom Line:

A final battle?

If so, fans will enjoy it

Lots of adventure

The Kingdom Kids Face Their Final Battle

It’s come down to this.  After countless adventures as the Kingdom Keepers, and now their kids, face off against the Overtakers, there will be one final batter for control of the Disney parks.  Fans will want to pick up and see where things go in The Final Draw.

If that last paragraph made no sense to you, then this book isn’t for you…yet.  This is the final adventure in a saga that has spanned three series and over a dozen books.  There is lots of backstory and mythology that you are not going to follow if you jump in here.

But, so you’ll have some context here, the series has followed five ordinary kids who were the model for interactive holographic hosts in the Disney parks.  They discovered that it came with an unexpected ability, to cross over to the parks as their holograms in their sleep.  Sounds sweet, right?  It might be except for their other discovery.  All the characters in the movies we love?  They are real, and the villains have formed a group called the Overtakers who are trying to take over the magic in the parks and use it for evil.  And these teens, known as the Kingdom Keepers, are the only defense against this happening.

This is the third book in the Inheritance spin off series that focuses on the kids of the original Keepers as they find themselves fighting the villains 20 years in the future.

This book opens with Eli Finn and his friends, who have dubbed themselves the Kingdom Kids, are in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the fireworks on Friday night.  But the fireworks all go off at once.  And then the kids make another discovery – all the villains and henchmen have vanished from the various rides in the parks.  Can they figure out the riddle they got from Tiana in time to save the magic?  Or will it be lost for good?

As I said earlier, if you’ve read the series this far, you’ll definitely want to pick up this book to see how things turn out for our characters.  While the original Kingdom Keepers have much smaller roles in this book than they had in the first two books in this trilogy, I really liked the scenes that Eli got with his parents.  In fact, I found a couple scenes with them to be better than much of what we get in a typical middle grade book.  They are very well done.

As is always the case with these books, I find the characters to be fairly thin.  But I wouldn’t have minded as a kid, and I’m sure today’s kids won’t mind either.

The plot allows for plenty of tense scenes in deserted Disney theme parks, which is always a highlight.  We get some time in various attractions as well.  As a Disnerd, these are the reasons I pick up and enjoy the books.

The story itself holds up fairly well.  Honestly, with these books, it is easier to go along for the ride than try to keep track of all the logic and plot twists.  Internally, the stories are consistent, but it’s the logic when you try to incorporate this into the rest of the world that doesn’t quite work for me.  As a kid, I wouldn’t have tried to be that logical about things, so just sit back and enjoy.

Author Ridley Pearson has stated that this will be his last story in the Kingdom Keepers universe.  But I feel like he said that several years ago before he started this trilogy.  So we’ll see if that stays true or not.

Whether this turns out to be our last adventure or not, The Final Draw is a fun one.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Kingdom Keepers saga.

Book Review: London Calling by James Ponti (City Spies #6)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Page turning story with wonderful characters

Cons: A couple of things wrapped up quickly

The Bottom Line:

Goal: Rescue Annie

Can the team balance missions

Satisfying book

Family Found Finally?

Fans of the City Spies books have been waiting since the beginning of the series for this book. You see, London Calling is the culmination of the story that’s been woven through the previous five books in the series. And they will find the payoff worth it. 

If you’ve missed this middle grade series, it features a group of teens who work for MI-6. And no, I don’t mean behind the scenes. These teens work in the field, taking on cases where adults would stand out. Their code names are all various cities around the world, hence the name of the group. 

As I’m sure you can guess, I’m going to recommend you don’t start here. Yes, the backstory you need is here, but you’ll miss the twists and turns of this particular storyline over the course of the series. And you’ll miss the character growth as well. Trust me, it is worth it. 

This book starts with Annie in Istanbul. Thanks to things her mom has drilled into her, she realizes someone is following her and manages to give them the slip before she sends out a cry for help. A cry that the City Spies get and immediately jump into action. 

You see, Annie is the daughter of Mother, their leader. But the spies are already on assignment protecting the fiancée of one of the princes before their royal wedding. Can they find Annie and rescue her while keeping their current assignment on track?

And that’s all I’m teasing. If you are a fan of this series, drop everything and read it now. You’ll thank me later. 

As I said, this book is the culmination of what’s been going on in the series so far. A couple of things got glossed over, but they are minor. We have the full picture and some resolution to this particular storyline. 

Of course, we get plenty of action along the way. This wouldn’t be a City Spies book without that. Likewise, there are puzzles to solve and codes to break. 

One thing I absolutely love about this series is the team that has been formed. You can tell how much the characters truly care for each other. And they work so well together. It’s heartwarming to see. Not to say there aren’t some squabbles along the way, but they are resolved realistically. All of this is done without the characters seeming like they are too perfect or sickeningly sweet, which is a delicate balancing act. 

This book leaves things open for more adventures, and I certainly hope we haven’t seen the last of the City Spies. But if this does signal the end of their adventures, I will be satisfied. 

As I’ve already said, if you are a fan of the series, pick up London Calling today. And if you’ve yet to start the series, fix that today, no matter your age.

Book time with the rest of the City Spies series. 

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 4

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Action and humor are fun

Cons: Very predictable story

The Bottom Line:

Po’s next adventure

Is mostly predictable

But still fun for fans

“You Have Got to Workshop Those Proverbs.”

I haven’t watched any of the Kung Fu Panda movies in a long time.  (And I didn’t even know there was a recent show, or I’d forgotten about it if I knew.)  But I was curious to see what they were going to do with Kung Fu Panda 4.  I did wait until the movie hit streaming, but I’m glad I watched it since I enjoyed it overall.

This movie opens with Po (voiced by Jack Black) being the Po we all know and love.  He’s saving the day in ridiculous ways and helping his dad open his new noodle restaurant.  However, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) says that it is time for Po to pick the next Dragon Warrior so that Po can take on his new role as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.  Po has no desire to do that, however.

So it works to his advantage when word that a powerful sorceress, The Chameleon (Viola Davis) is back and terrorizing a village.  Po decides that this should be his final Dragon Warrior adventure.  Since he doesn’t know the territory, he agrees to let Zhen (Awkwafina) help guide him.  Zhen is a thief who doesn’t seem to want to give up her ways.  Can Po reform her?  Will he defeat The Chameleon?

I’ve got to say, I was disappointed that we didn’t see much of the supporting cast.  There was a subplot with Po’s dad’s that was okay.  It wasn’t terribly original and pretty much was there to help with the climax, but it had some entertaining moments.

Not that the main storyline was terribly original, either.  I pretty much knew where it was going after about 20 minutes – at the end of act one.  But that’s never a problem if I’m having fun.  And I had fun.  The big scenes were well done and the jokes worked to make me laugh.  I wasn’t fully engaged, but I was having fun.  Granted, the entire franchise hasn’t been terribly original.  I just feel like the first movie had more fun along the way.

I will say, it took me a while to warm to Awkwafina’s voice work in the movie.  You know how sometimes, the voice actors come across as they are reading a script?  That’s how I felt about her character.  I’m not sure if I warmed up to her performance or she got comfortable with the voice acting, but by the end, I was buying her character.

The rest of the cast?  They were fine.

Likewise, the animation was good.

If you are a fan of this franchise, you’ll want to check out Kung Fun Panda 4.  It’s fine for fans, but it won’t change the minds of anyone who isn’t a fan of the franchise.

Movie Review: The Secret Life of Pets

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Main characters, humor early on

Cons: Change in tone made much of the movie only okay for me

The Bottom Line:

Pets in NYC

Cuteness in the early scenes

Mostly average

“I’m Never Eating a Pill Like That Again.  Unless It’s Covered in Peanut Butter Because, You Know, Peanut Butter.”

The Secret Life of Pets was one of those movies I never could quite decide on.  The previews made it look like it could be fun, but I was never completely certain what it was about.  I finally caught it on TV.  I wanted to like it more than I did.

Max’s (Louis C.K.) life is good.  He was adopted as a puppy by a wonderful woman whose only flaw is going to work each day.  He’s even made some friends with other pets in the neighborhood, although his favorite activity is sitting by the door waiting for his owner to return home.

One day, she returns home with a brother for Max – Duke (Eric Stonestreet).  Duke is a big dog, and Max doesn’t want to share his home with anyone, especially a big dog like Duke.  However, his attempt to get rid of Duke turns into a war with both of them being chased by New York City dog catchers.  Will they ever get home again?

Most of the scenes from the previews were in the first few minutes of the film.  That can be good because it doesn’t spoil any of the movie, but in this case, it left me with little idea what the film was going to be about.  I will say, I enjoyed these scenes.  In the context of the film, they were even funnier and heartwarming.  They are pure pet cuteness.

However, once the plot kicks in, we lose some of that cuteness.  The story definitely takes some interesting turns, and there are characters who are the opposite of cute.  In fact, a couple scenes might frighten more sensitive kids.

Personally, I didn’t care for those scenes either but for a different reason.  I didn’t find them funny.  In fact, I felt like the first 15 or 20 minutes of the film were from something completely different.  I get what was supposed to be funny in the rest of the film, but to me it wasn’t.  Instead of being more pulled into the film, I actually began to get tired of it.

Still, there were moments late in the film that I did enjoy, and one scene in particular near the end was extremely heartfelt.  I knew what was coming before it happened, but I was still affected by it.

Most kids will enjoy this film, and I can see why it proved popular enough for a sequel.  The change in tone didn’t quite work for me, however.  I wish The Secret Life of Pets had stayed cuter.

Book Review: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger (Keeper of the Lost Cities #9.5)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Interesting revelations and character development

Cons: Pacing. For some parents, two unnamed characters

The Bottom Line:

Focus is on Keefe

See what he learned from humans

Has pacing issues

Keefe’s Adventures in the Human World

Keepers of the Lost Cities fans have learned that the story has plenty of twists and turns. And some of those include the way the books are released. In order to fully tell the story, author Shannon Messenger realized she needed to tell the story of the time that Keefe spent in the human world during the first part of Stellalune, book nine in the series. And so we got Unraveled, book 9.5 in the series. 

It goes without saying that if you haven’t started this series yet, don’t jump in here. Not only are there massive spoilers, but you’ll be very confused. But you’ll enjoy the journey along the way, so definitely pick up these books. 

This book picks up where book 8.5 ended. (Told you there were lots of twists and turns in the series itself.) In order to protect his friends from his new abilities, Keefe leaves the Elfin world behind to hide out among the humans. While his first attempts are rocky, he soon finds a way to survive. And then he hits on an idea to not only figure out how to control his new abilities but also to figure out some things from his past. Will he succeed at either?

Yes, I’m being vague here. Remember what I said about spoilers. Although, anyone who has read Stellalune can pretty much guess the setup of this book. The important thing would be the details along the way. 

This book in the series is only 400 pages. Compared to some of the volumes we’ve gotten, it’s practically novella length. Even so, I felt like some things could have been cut. Yes, I get what they were supposed to be showing, but I felt like it took us longer than it needed to to get to the meat of the story. 

But once we got there, yes, we got some interesting developments. Things we didn’t know yet. And I’m very curious to see how everything is going to come into play for the rest of the series. 

I do want to discuss one aspect of the book that is causing controversy in the reviews I’ve seen. In the course of his travels, Keefe meets a couple of characters who are gay or lesbian. They are so unimportant that they don’t even get names, although Keefe does think it is nice that they can live their lives as they see fit. These references take up maybe two pages of the entire book, so clearly they are extremely minor. But that also makes them feel a little forced into the universe that’s been created. Do I wish they were not there? Absolutely. As an adult reading the books, they are easy to tune out. But parents will want to know it is there is they want to talk them over with their kids. 

Let’s move on, shall we? 

Over the course of the book, Keefe travels all over the globe. While some of these scenes are the ones that slowed down the plot, I did find some of them fun watching Keefe’s reaction to what we take for granted as humans. 

And yes, we also got some nice character development. We also got a couple scenes from Stellalune from Keefe’s point of view, which was really interesting given all that had come in this book. 

While Unraveled isn’t as action packed as I would have liked, it will still prove to be important going forward. Fans of the series will be glad they picked it up. 

Check out the rest of the Keeper of the Lost Cities books. 

Book Review: Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Percy and co, lots of laughs

Cons: A little low stakes and slow start

The Bottom Line:

Task two?  Pet sitting

Great characters and humor

But too much set up

Pet Sitting at Halloween

Percy Jackson is back to collect another college recommendation.  Of course, being a demigod, that means something much more difficult than it does for us mere mortals.   But we do get the fun of reading about it in Wrath of the Triple Goddess.

If you haven’t met Percy Jackson, you probably won’t want to jump in here since there are references to past adventures.  Of course, it’s been so long since I read those earlier books that I have forgotten much of the details, so maybe you’d be okay jumping in here after all.  What you need to know is that Percy is a demigod, the son of the Greek god Poseidon.  After several years spent saving the world, he’s now a senior in high school and hoping to get into New Rome University so he and his girlfriend can stay together.  But, since his grades are so poor, he needs to get three recommendations from gods.  And, in order to get those, he has to do favors for them.  And favors for gods are never easy.

This book opens in October, and things are been quiet for a few weeks now.  While Percy has enjoyed the down time, he is worried about needing to get two more recommendation letters to get into college.  So he has mixed emotions when he is contacted by Hecate.  She is planning to travel to enjoy all the Halloween festivities around the world and needs someone to pet sit.  Of course, when those pets are a polecat and a hellhound, both of whom used to be human, things aren’t as easy as they appear.  Especially when they escape.  Can Percy and his friends track them down before Hecate returns?  And what about repairing her mansion?

If you are looking for the world on the line stakes we had in the earlier books featuring Percy, you’ll be disappointed.  Don’t get me wrong, Percy faces death several times, but these are less dangerous books overall.  To be honest, I miss a bit of that life and death stakes.  I also found the set up took a bit longer than it truly needed to.

Now, this isn’t to say I didn’t find the book fun.  I honestly was wondering just how Percy was going to overcome the dangers he was facing here, and that kept me turning the pages.

I also really enjoy the characters.  Those familiar with the series will be happy to hear that the trio of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are once again the focus.  We also get some updates on a few other characters from the franchise.  But it is always great to spend time with these three.  I also really enjoyed learning about the new characters in this book.  I really appreciated where Percy left them.

But I can’t leave out the humor.  Whether it’s the situations that Percy finds himself in or his narration, there are plenty of laughs the entire way through the book.

Given the premise for the recent releases, I’m assuming we have at least one more book coming.  I’ll definitely be back for it.  Fans will be happy they picked up Wrath of the Triple Goddess.

Check out the rest of Percy Jackson’s adventures.

Movie Review: The Jungle Book (2016)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Mostly enjoyable; amazing visuals

Cons: Christopher Walken, darker tone

The Bottom Line:

New take on classic

Adds some interesting parts

Darker overall

Disney’s Newest Jungle Book Remake Offers a Slightly Different Take on the Tale

Near the beginning of Disney’s recent live action remake craze came The Jungle Book.  No, I’m not talking about the ones they released in the 1990’s (which I never have seen); I’m talking about the one from 2016.  Unlike the some of the other early ones, this one stuck close to the animated original, but made a few tweaks to the story.

The set up is definitely familiar.  Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a man cub raised by wolves.  Despite his best efforts, he has never been able to quite fit into his pack because, well, he’s human.  However, when Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) shows up planning to kill the boy, Mowgli gets off with Bagheera the panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley).  What will happen to them along the way?

As I said, if you think you know the story, be prepared for a few surprises along the way.  I appreciated many of them as they helped flesh out Mowgli and especially his relationship with the wolves a bit more.  Shere Khan is a much more fearsome and present villain in this take on the story, another change I appreciated.

Of course, there was the time I spent expecting certain events or characters from the animated film to pop up.  I kept having to remind myself that this was a different take on things and it was okay that it was different.  It’s not like Disney didn’t really change things around when they made the original animated movie based on some unconnected short stories.

I’ve fallen into Disney’s trap so far by referring to this as a live action movie.  It really isn’t.  Mowgli is real, but everything he is interacting with, including the sets, is computer generated.  They do a marvelous job.  It’s easy to turn off your brain and believe that everything you are seeing is real.  The animals do have just a hint of animation to them, making their speaking seem more natural than in the computer animated The Lion King remake.

And I have to give praise to Neel Sethi.  He was interacting with nothing as his part of the film was made, but I believed his performance completely.  It’s real and helps ground the movie for us.

The voice cast is good.  I enjoyed Bill Murray as Baloo.  Scarlett Johansson was fun as Kaa.  I’m realizing I’m not really a fan of Christopher Walken, and that didn’t help me enjoy his take on King Louie.

The movie does incorporate some of the songs from the original, but not all.  They aren’t a big feature of this film, and maybe that’s why a couple of them seemed out of place.  (See once again, King Louie.)  But it’s hard to go wrong with “The Bare Necessities,” and I certainly enjoyed that scene.

Parents of young kids should know that there are some intense scenes.  This movie is rated PG for a reason.  Most kids will probably be okay, but sensitive kids should still with the animated version from the 1960’s until they are ready for something more intense.  I’m sure parents will be able to judge that for their own kids.

I think that darker tone was what bothered me the most about this film.  It felt like they went needlessly dark, keeping some of the humor and fun from the original out.  That doesn’t make this film bad, but I think I prefer the animated original over this one.

I enjoyed most of what the new material added to the story, but overall, I found the newest version of The Jungle Book a little dark for my tastes.  I’m not sorry I finally watched it, but if you want a fun story, it’s best to stick with the original.