Wall-E is appropriate for all ages. It’s old school cartoon cuteness with Pixar’s eye candy visuals. It’s also completely lacking in subtlety about the message. If you are uptight, looking for something to complain about, don’t believe in global warming and are unconcerned about how humans destroy the Earth, don’t go see Wall-E. Everyone else, take the family and feel the warm fuzzies you felt when Lady and Tramp shared spaghetti. When the camera pans the trash piles, pay close attention to what you see. There are Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. items in the piles and in Wall-E’s collection. I wonder if Michael Crawford knew he was going to have a major role in this movie?

Get Smart surprised me. I expected non-stop stupidity. I thought the main character would be a doofus. The movie was actually laugh out loud funny. The tv series is everywhere in the new movie, but most of it blends so seamlessly that people who never saw Don Adams will not even notice it. The characters are likable and the age difference between the leads is completely forgivable because of the background stories. Steve Carell is easy to love, but when he smiles at a potential dance partner and tells her it will be fun, he won the heart of every woman in the audience. I liked this one so much that I’m sending Tommy and his grandfather to watch it. They are going to looove it. The very best lines in the movie come from Alan Arkin, especially after a car chase and a close encounter with a swordfish. Go see Get Smart and frolic in the silliness.

Prince Caspian was good, but it felt like a children’s movie when it could have been so much more. It’s too scary for small children and too bland for older children. The 15-y-o’s in our group all thought the centaurs were silly, but they liked watching Ben Barnes. Wait for the DVD on this one.