Ferdinand

Ferdinand (2017)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Based on the book by the same title, this tells the story of a bull who is nothing but a gentle giant and loves flowers. His size and the all too applicable adage of a bull in a china shop get him labeled as a beast and shipped back to the bull farm to be used as in bull fights. Somehow in the process of figuring out his own second escape, he reconnects with the other bulls at the stable and they all escape together. It's a rather amusing tale with a series of ups and downs, including several happy accidents that ultimately play well to Ferdinand's intent. The best is near the end when he's sitting in the arena with flowers raining down on him and the bulls he sacrificed himself to rescue come charging in to save him, only to end up sitting on the outskirts of that same flower field.

Monster High: Adventures of the Ghoul Squad

Monster High: Adventures of the Ghoul Squad (2017)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Spinning off the reboot of Monster High, this follows the girls as they continue to "rescue" more monsters. The animation is much more sloppy and the episodes are extremely short given they were released directly on a YouTube Kids app. Still enjoyable for kids who like the series, but not really anything too exciting. While a lot of familiar faces are brought back on stage (Operetta, Rochelle, etc) there are also some new ghouls and none of the rescued monsters ever seem to stick around for much of a part after their initial introduction to Monster High.

Alpha & Omega 8: Journey to Bear Kingdom

Alpha & Omega 8: Journey to Bear Kingdom (2017)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


There are traitors among the bear kingdom who are teaming up with rogue wolves. Luckily, the bears have many allies, including Winston's pack. Kate and Humphrey and up helping the queen while their pups protect the princess and the birds locate the king. Meanwhile there are squirrels and caribou taking front and center positions in helping protect the queen and adding to the bear army's charge to take back their territory. We even get to see probably the strangest song and dance ever when Humphrey goes in as a "Trojan wolf" to try and turn the bear traitors and rogue wolves against each other.

Alpha & Omega 7: The Big Fureeze

Alpha & Omega 7: The Big Fureeze (2016)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Food as scares as winter is in full swing and the caribou have all disappeared. Kate and Humphrey are missing as they went looking for the caribou in the snow storm. Of course it wouldn't be an Alpha & Omega movie without some adventure for the family. The pups decide they need to find their parents before the big storm comes in, but their parents are trying to escape a pack of angry bears just as they finally find the caribou. Nothing is ever easy for this family. Good thing they have a few bears on their own side, including a cub who's pretty much glued to their pups ever since the Great Wolf Games.

Alpha & Omega 6: Dino Digs

Alpha & Omega 6: Dino Digs (2016)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Kate and Humphrey have moved from their cave in the valley to a new artificial cave with the hope that it will be "safer" for the pups. They didn't expect it to be so near a dinosaur dig that literally brings the carnivores back to life. Luckily the first one is friendly, leading to yet another adventure for the pups before they have to figure out how to drive the humans away from the dig site and get the dinosaurs back home to their own time. Maybe and artificial cave isn't as safe as they'd first thought... (doesn't help any that it's destroyed in the t-rex's rampage).

Alpha & Omega 5: Family Vacation

Alpha & Omega 5: Family Vacation (2015)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Hunters are back in the valley again, making for a rather harrowing escape for Kate and Humphrey to actually take the pups on vacation. Not only does this add to the difficulty, but the pups friends all decide that they need protection from the hunters and invite themselves along for the ride. This unlikely pack ends up retracing many of their parent's original adventure from Idaho to Canada in reverse from the first movie. Good thing they always have their goose and duck friends giving them a birds-eye-view of things.

Alpha & Omega 4: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave

Alpha & Omega 4: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave (2014)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Stinky ends up being the unofficial king of the forest after discovering the blind wolf that is protected by the forest and several of the animals within. He ends up helping her discover what happened to her own family before helping her request to join his grandfather's pack. The rest of the wolves seem to have a bad habit of thinking they can just claim whatever they want to and take out anyone who stands in their way. Thank goodness for some sassy porcupines that help keep them in line.

Alpha & Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games

Alpha & Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games (2014)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The pups learn about the great wolf games, which their parents competed in when they were "juniors" but apparently their pack has declined to participate in the one year the pups are old enough to play. They take matters into their own paws, making unlikely friends to get their required 5 members for the team, and enlisting their father was their coach since their mother is out on a hunting trip. Fleet, the pup who tells them about the games, is under some rather high expectations from his own father/coach to win the games, especially as he lost to Kate when he was a junior. The pups have their own plans for the games though and do the best they can with a bad situation, turning everything out for the best and having fun in the process.

Alpha & Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure

Alpha & Omega 2 - A Howl-iday Adventure (2013)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Runt, one of three pups belonging to Kate and Humphrey from the original movie, goes missing as the family prepares for the "howlidays." Of course this is not what the family had originally planned. The rescue brings the family together again as they make some unexpected alliances along the way and save their pup from some rogue wolves that would rather take the territory for themselves.

Alpha & Omega 1

Alpha & Omega 1 (2010)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The whole alpha and omega trope has been overused in a variety of fanfiction lately, making me wonder exactly where it was coming from and landing on this series. Apparently alphas and omegas kept to their own within their packs, though Humphrey has always liked Kate. Kate's omega sister, Lilly, however, is invisible to him. Somewhat ironic perhaps as Lilly ends up taking a liking to Garth, Kate's betrothed alpha partner from the neighboring pack. War almost breaks out between the two packs when Kate goes missing during the Moonlight Howl, not knowing humans have relocated her and Humphrey to Idaho. The two end up on a rather epic adventure with some unexpected help from unlikely fowl friends as they find their way back to Jasper Park in Canada. Somewhat predictable once the two groups are split up, though I suppose the ending could be considered cute. Not the best animation or artwork style I've seen. Their attempts at making the animals seem more human in ways just ends up with odd and disjointed movements that seem even more foreign.

Breyer Stablemates: Penny

Breyer Stablemates: Penny by Jane E. Gerver

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This was a hand-me-down book set that was gifted to us knowing my love for horses growing up, which so far seems to be true for both of my kids as well. My husband called this book "insidious" for it's advertising of Breyer toys in the back of the book, especially after I pointed out it is a Breyer book. Personally, I thought the story length was perfect for small children. Not overly enthralling, but a cute story just the same. Won't surprise me to find the other in the to-read list sooner rather than later.

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Comet's Nine Lives

Comet's Nine Lives by Jan Brett

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This was another school library pick my daughter brought home. Comet keeps trying to find a new home or adventure, each ending up in losing one of his nine lives until the very last home he stumbles across when he finally meets another cat. Granted, it takes place on an island, but it's hard to believe he'd never find another cat in all that time. The villagers are also humanoid animals themselves, which is interesting. Don't know that it's really a great idea to perpetuate the idea that cats have nine lives when kids are this little and impressionable, but it's a common enough saying that I can't say it's surprising that there are books written playing off it. One thing is for sure, Comet has rotten luck up until the very end and can't seem to get a break as his previous eight lives flash by all too quickly.

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Pinkalicious: Fairy House

Pinkalicious: Fairy House by Victoria Kann

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This was a library book from my daughter's school. It's a cute story that turns morning dew into a tale about garden fairies. As an early reader book, it's also very simple. Not my type of story, but my 5-year-old daughter loved it. Hard to tell if that was genuinely for the story or because these books appear to be popular in her class. Either way, at least she enjoyed her library book for the week.

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Pete's Dragon

Pete's Dragon (2016)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As a modern adaptation of the old Pete's Dragon, this was very well done. Not as much singing. Pete is also not running away from any insane relatives, though Gavin does fill in the crazed hunter bit rather well. Despite the basic story line being the same, there are enough variations that it still feels new. The CGI is obvious but also well done at the same time. Better overall to the animation combo from the original movie, too. If you like the first movie, or even just like Disney live films, this is one you'll want to watch. Touching family scenes, drama, something unique, and a fun story with a touch of Disney magic.

The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman (2017)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I love music, I enjoy a good show, and Hugh Jackman is one of my favorite actors. All this added together to put this movie on my to-watch list when I saw the trailers. The story itself is somewhat predictable and lacking overall, as well as not really historically accurate despite using real history and people as the cast for the story. That being said, it is riddled with catchy music that pulls you in and is beautiful to listen to. Much of the movie itself felt rather predictable and anti-climatic. Regardless, I still enjoyed the ride a lot. The soundtrack may end up being a bigger hit with me for longer, but it's still worth seeing.