All Forms of Art

  Hoppers may not be Pixar at its absolute best, but it has something just as important: a big heart. Sweet, funny, and full of beautiful messages, the movie reminds us to connect with nature and respect the other species we share our planet with. But what I particularly like is how it goes beyond the usual environmental message. At its core, this is also a story about empathy . What happens when we stop looking at the world exclusively from our own perspective? What if we try to understand how others experience it? Sometimes, all it takes is putting ourselves in someone else's place to realize that things are a little more complicated than we thought. It's a lovely message, especially for younger audiences, but adults could probably use a reminder, too. A Delicious Villain Of course, a good message means little if the movie isn't entertaining, and Hoppers knows how to have fun. Titus (voiced by Dave Franco) is a delightful villain who brings plenty of humor to the ...

  I'll admit it: I went into Julie and the Phantoms expecting the predictable, overly polished teen show Disney Channel has made me associate with this genre. I wasn't expecting much. Fortunately, I was wrong. This Netflix series turned out to be a genuinely enjoyable surprise, with good music, likable characters, and a story with more heart than I expected. At its center is Julie (Madison Reyes), a teenager trying to reconnect with music while dealing with grief and the complicated emotions surrounding her family. When she meets three teenage ghosts who were once musicians, an unexpected partnership begins.  The Relationships Are the Real Stars What I enjoyed most about Julie and the Phantoms wasn't necessarily the supernatural element. It was the relationships. Julie's family storyline gives the series an emotional foundation, while her relationships with her best friend and her school rival add the kind of tension and awkwardness that make teenage stories int...

  I started watching The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix with my pre-teen, expecting something sweet and easy to watch together. And while it certainly is sweet, I was genuinely surprised by how good it actually is. Friendship, Responsibility, and Growing Up At its heart, The Baby-Sitters Club is about friendship, but it's also about responsibility, learning to work with others, and figuring out who you are as you grow up. The girls face more than babysitting mishaps. They navigate grief, illness, family problems, and the everyday challenges of growing up. The show handles these stories with warmth and sensitivity, making difficult subjects accessible without making it feel too heavy. And I think that's one of its greatest strengths. It takes its young audience seriously, acknowledging that children have real feelings, complicated relationships, and problems that matter to them. Different Girls, One Friendship What I love most about this show is that it follows a group of fr...

  Toy Story 5 feels very much like a film for our times. This time, the conflict goes beyond toys being forgotten in favor of something new. It explores the impact of technology on young children in a funny, entertaining, and accessible way, making a complicated subject easy to understand. Growing Up Is Getting Complicated What I particularly liked is that the film doesn't underestimate its audience. Children can understand what's happening, reflect on the issues being presented, and recognize that sometimes adults need to step in to help them navigate the world around them. Growing up has always come with challenges, but today's children face a different set of obstacles. Making friends can be more complicated, bullying can follow them online, and even when parents try to protect them from these problems, new ones emerge. Sometimes, children are simply left out while everyone else is busy looking at a screen. The Magic of Old-School Play And that's where Toy Story...

  I have to admit that I’m suspicious of movie sequels. Especially when I really liked the first movie. Something about a second film makes me expect disappointment. The characters are already established, the story has already had its big emotional moment, and sometimes it feels like the sequel exists simply because the first movie was successful. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Moana 2 . It isn't perfect, and I don't think it has quite the same freshness as the first film, but I genuinely enjoyed it.  A Different Kind of Disney Heroine Modern Disney has moved away from the idea that every heroine needs a romantic story, and Moana fits into this new view. She doesn't need a boyfriend. She doesn't need a boy to rescue her, complete her, or give her story meaning. She can stand on her own, but that doesn't mean she's completely alone, either. Moana is independent, but she still needs other people. Friendship and Teamwork Independence doesn't mea...

  I probably would never have watched Anne with an E if it wasn't for my daughter. I didn't think I could like it. I was wrong. Anne with an E is cute, but it is also surprisingly heavy at times. There is friendship, family, hard work, and adventure, but also loneliness, prejudice, bullying, abuse, and the very real limitations placed on children — particularly girls — at the time. It is a coming-of-age story, but it doesn't pretend growing up is always pretty. Anne's Imagination Is More Than Imagination What interested me most about Anne (Amybeth McNulty) is how she constantly escapes into fantasy. At first, this can seem like simply part of her charm. Anne is imaginative, dramatic, endlessly talkative, and can turn almost anything into a story. But once we understand what she has experienced, her imagination feels less like a quirky personality trait and more like a survival mechanism. Fantasy is where Anne has some control. When reality has been cruel and unpre...

  There is something interesting about trying to figure out what children today actually want from their stories. Adults often imagine that the answer has to be something completely new. New characters, new worlds, new aesthetics, new ways of telling stories. But perhaps children haven't changed as much as we think. They still want heroes. They still want to feel special. They still want friendship, adventure, glamour and the possibility that they could somehow make the world a better place. What has changed is the language we use to tell those stories. And KPop Demon Hunters seems to understand that very well. Instead of knights, superheroes or traditional fantasy warriors, we get K-pop idols. They have the glamour, the fame, the music and the huge performances that are already part of the cultural world many children and teenagers recognize. But underneath all of that is a surprisingly familiar story about identity, shame, belonging and hope. The demons are almost secondary....

  If you are looking for a lighthearted family movie with adorable fantasy creatures, positive messages, and a genuinely satisfying ending, Swapped delivers exactly that.  While it follows some familiar themes from modern animated films, it also makes a few unexpected choices that help it stand out from the crowd. A Familiar Setup That Becomes Something Better At first, Swapped seemed likely to follow the same path as Migration — especially with the overprotective parent trope and the constant fear of the outside world. Recent animated movies often lean heavily on this formula, so initially it felt predictable. But surprisingly, the story takes a different direction, and in many ways, a better one. The movie still focuses on themes we see everywhere in kids’ entertainment today: friendship, teamwork, bravery, self-confidence, and the discovery of one's potential. Those are all good lessons for children, even if they have become a little repetitive lately. Thankfully, Sw...

  Migration is a sweet, easy-to-watch animated movie that works best as a family experience.  It’s the kind of film that invites everyone to sit together on the couch, relax, and enjoy a lighthearted adventure. There’s nothing too heavy here, but there is heart — and that’s where the movie shines. Taking Risks Without Losing Yourself At its core, Migration is an empowering story about taking risks and overcoming fear. The movie explores the idea that growth doesn’t happen without stepping outside your comfort zone, while also gently reminding us that risk-taking needs balance. Safety, caution, and responsibility still matter. This theme feels familiar — much like Finding Nemo , where fear of danger clashes with the need for independence, or Up , where adventure only begins once the main character dares to let go of routine. Migration fits comfortably into that tradition, delivering its message in a way that’s accessible for kids while still meaningful for adults. Freed...

  Man vs Baby , starring Rowan Atkinson , is a short Netflix comedy series that immediately feels familiar.  That’s not surprising — Atkinson is, after all, the unforgettable face behind Mr. Bean , one of the most iconic slapstick characters in television history. But while familiarity can be comforting, in this case it’s also the show’s biggest weakness. A Familiar Formula That Wears Thin From the very beginning, Man vs Baby tries to present something new. The character has a different name, a slightly different setup, and a new situation. However, as the episodes progress, it becomes increasingly clear that this is essentially Mr. Bean all over again . At first, that nostalgia might bring a smile. But after a while, it becomes tiring. The character’s exaggerated stupidity, which once felt fresh and clever, now feels  forced and repetitive . Some moments were mildly funny, but I must admit: I didn’t really laugh . The humor leans heavily into silly, physical co...

  Wednesday brings us back the Addams family in a great spin-off. If you don't like spin-offs and always feel they let you down, well, you may rethink your perspective. This one is really good.  Wednesday brings back that dark humor we always loved, giving us a fantastic time. Jenna Ortega What an actress! Many people say that she "was" the show. Well, there are many good things on the show, but those comments only tell us how amazing Jenna Ortega was as Wednesday Addams.  She had, without a doubt, a lot of work to build such a fantastic character. She had to learn a lot of stuff like playing the cello and sword-play… but the most impressive is how she could control (or hide) feelings.  She showed the perfect sense of indifference that characterizes Wednesday's posture without looking like apathy. She deserves congratulations for her excellent part and hard work.   Oh, the mystery… Who of us can ignore a good mystery? Even when a show is not that good, if...

  This is a story about a teenage boy making a documentary for school about his family. He has two dads and uses the film to show all the difficulties these two men faced throughout the last 20 years. It is a sweet movie, in a sweet language - Italian. Social Awareness Fortunately, the LGBTQ community issues in many different areas are nowadays more often shown in shows and movies. So why is this one different? Because it is not about them, it is about the boy. How would you feel if you could not be, legally speaking, son of both your parents? Why should technicalities define your family? This kid shows resilience to deal with so many things he shouldn’t have to. The documentary for school is super sweet. Perhaps because of that, the movie looks so thoughtful. They were able to deal with a social complex theme with humor and naturalness.  Drama The film is a drama, but you might forget that at some point because it has so many funny lines and hilarious scenes. That makes every...

  La familia madrigal. A family full of magic helps everyone in the small village they live in. The grandmother had to run away in the past, and when everything seemed to be lost, a miracle happened - magic! Now, every member of the family receives their special magical abilities. Well, most of them… Being different Mirabel is the only one in her family who has no powers. So can you imagine the problem? I see it as an inverted version of Frozen . In this case, the problematic one is the girl who doesn't have magic. The problem is not the magic. The problem is to be different. We can not forget that this is a Disney movie, so it has life lessons for children (and not only for them). It is okay to be different because that means you can solve problems that others can't. Also, you don't need to be perfect. You need to be happy.  Abuela In my opinion, the most crucial lesson in the film is for adults, not children. It is related to the Abuela character.  She was so focused...

Coco was the Christmas Eve movie last year. It could be surprising. It has nothing to do with Christmas, or does it? It is a beautiful story about love, family, and… music. Miguel, the main character, wants to be a musician, but his family has banned music from their lives for a few generations now. How to live without music? Latin culture and family   Disney and Pixar focused on different cultures around the world to tell their stories. This is most probably one of the reasons their movies are so popular in so many places. In  Coco , Pixar chooses a vibrant cultural background and, in my opinion, the most unexpected of their traditions for a children’s movie: the Day of the Dead ( Día de los Muertos ). It was adorable to see how tight-knit a traditional Mexican family can be, helping their elderly and taking on demanding responsibilities from everyone in the house.  I think what was more surprising, after all, was that the movie was ...

An animated movie usually tends to be a good time for everyone, whether it’s just to relax a little or to enjoy some quality family time. I watched Big Hero 6 last Christmas, and I must say, it was absolutely delightful. A very pleasant surprise At first, I assumed it would be another generic robotics film—something full of gadgets, unrealistic inventions, and empty spectacle meant to dazzle kids without truly connecting with them. Fortunately, I was wrong. So very wrong. Big Hero 6 turned out to be a beautiful, heartfelt story about love, friendship, and sacrifice. Real Emotion, Real Impact The film surprised me with its emotional depth. It's sweet, yes—but also sad and sobering in a good way . It doesn’t shy away from showing young audiences that life includes loss and pain, and that growth often comes from hardship. Rather than shielding kids from life’s challenges, it empowers them to face those challenges and come out stronger. Right and Wrong Are Never Out of ...