FILMS from AFAR

The Sleepover is, simply put, good family fun. The plot isn't wildly original and the action is pretty predictable, but the characters are sketched in such a loving and silly way that it's hard not to like and root for them. This is especially true for the parents, played with charm and physical adroitness by Malin Ackerman and Ken Marino, and the son, an adorably clueless yet clever misfit perfectly embodied by Maxwell Simkins. All of the child actors are believable in their roles. There's also some interesting commentary on modern-day parenting built into the script. The kids chafe against overprotective moms, calling them out for losing sight of their own lives in their quest to offer round-the-clock care. Three out of the four lead children have peanut allergies. One little boy, the son's friend, Lewis, is burdened with a laundry list of "not allowed" rules and supposedly helpful gear (like nighttime undies with a built-in moisture alarm system). It's all played for humor, but when Lewis breaks the rules and eschews the gear, he seems to finally feel he's living a little. It's a message parents might take to heart. Read the full review on Common Sense Media.

This movie misses an opportunity to craft a more realistic portrayal of the teen years, which seems to be its intention, by striking an excessively melancholic tone. One telling scene is when Grace discovers a suicide theme within the books on a teacher's syllabus. The books -- The Catcher in the Rye and Ordinary People among them -- have something else in common: they portray the teen years as generally sad and ultimately scarring. Chemical Hearts conveys that mood in its languid pace, memorable nighttime scenes at an abandoned mill, a graveyard, and a Halloween party, and visual analogies like Grace's leg scars and Henry's broken ceramics. The lead actors (Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams) both offer sensitive performances that capture the hole Grace finds herself in and pulls Henry temporarily into. The problem is that the film wants to generalize about teens, yet Grace is the exception rather than the rule. This is captured in the generally vivacious background characters, whose stories unfortunately go largely unexplored. Chemical Hearts opens with a quote: "You're never more alive than when you're a teenager." The line works as almost a caveat, a way of justifying character actions or emotions that might come across as, well, unrealistic. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

If you like actor Adam Devine, you'll like this movie. Magic Camp feels built around him: he's present in just about every scene and playing to type as the sweet and funny underdog (see his previous roles in Modern Family, Pitch Perfect, and Isn't It Romantic, for example). Devine's unthreatening style of self effacing humor is well-matched for a tween movie. Despite being down on his luck and resentful, his character is ultimately generous and optimistic, and Devine does a good job embodying those contradicting traits. Magic Camp's storyline is predictable and some of its jokes fall a little flat, so it really is up to the actors to make the journey worthwhile. Jeffrey Tambor is entertaining if a bit subdued as the camp founder and magician-in-chief. The filmmakers did a solid job casting the diverse group of kids, whose stories are used to offer a range of valuable life lessons for younger viewers. Worth highlighting especially are Cole Sand as "mathemagician" Nathan and J.J. (Josie) Totah as Judd, the son of a famous magician whose real passion turns out to be costume design. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

This is a refreshingly likable high school movie that follows a formula but hits just the right notes nonetheless. That is largely thanks to the charisma -- not to mention dancing chops -- of its multitalented lead cast, many of whom will be known to the film's target audience for creative endeavors beyond acting. Sabrina Carpenter is sweet as Quinn, the do-gooder with a purpose. Liza Koshy balances her out with some spicier humor as BFF Jasmine. Keiynan Lonsdale is divine as Juilliard, the Artist Formerly Known as Isiah, delivering the film's best one-liners, like "Sashay away!" and "Sage the space!" Netflix should find a natural audience for Work It. The music-oriented teen tale can thank its predecessors for forging a well-worn path, with special nods to the innocent self-expression of the High School Musical gang and the discover-life-through-dance theme of the Dirty Dancing series. All the genre's clichés are here: high school pressures, underdogs and misfits, self-discovery, first love, embarrassing parents. That could combine to make this film predictable, which it is. But it's also enjoyable along the way. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

This visual album is a stunning tour de force. It would be hard not to appreciate the work that went into Black Is King, evidenced by the colossal list of collaborators in the end credits and Disney's touting of its year-long production across multiple continents. The effort is on full display in the finished musical numbers, with their detailed choreography featuring diverse casts, unique interiors, gorgeous exterior settings, and plenty of symbolism. And then there are Beyoncé's glamorous get-ups, dotingly filmed from every angle. The film can easily be digested in pieces/multiple viewings, divvied up by musical numbers. Some of the most memorable come in the second half of the film. Black Is King also radiates labor of love. Beyoncé dedicates it to her son "and to all our sons and daughters," as well as "the Black diaspora across every continent," which has faced "insurmountable odds. You inspire the world." This expansive acknowledgement may explain why the film doesn't seem to want to be specific about African nations or cultures but is instead focused on a widely inclusive message of self worth and Black empowerment. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

This filmed performance will delight the hordes of die-hard fans of the theater production's now iconic musical score, story, and original cast. It may also give viewers who couldn't get -- or couldn't afford -- a coveted ticket to Hamilton during its extraordinarily successful run on and off Broadway since 2015 the sense that they're catching up on something they missed. The shift to the small screen does mean a loss of some of the immediacy and emotional punch of a live performance in front of a large and invested audience, but this version offers many rewards of its own. Multiple cameras supply new perspectives on the action, from bird's-eye views above the stage to close-ups that allow viewers to really see the actors' expressions -- right down to King George's spittle during his hilarious numbers. Fans can stop, rewind, repeat, and study these original, groundbreaking performances. Captured on film principally during a live Broadway show in 2016, the moments that seem to get the biggest applause in this recording are the most political: one-liners about enslaved people, women, and immigrants. It reminds you why Hamilton continues to feel so contemporary, relevant, and valuable -- in any format. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

It would be hard not to be moved by the raw emotion each man brings to telling his story of becoming not just a father, but a dad. Maybe it's appropriate that the daughter of Ron Howard, costar of that quintessential TV portrait of fatherhood, The Andy Griffith Show, would be behind a documentary on Dads. Director Bryce Dallas Howard certainly seems to have found inspiration in her own paternal role models, including dad Ron and grandfather Rance, and she incorporates home movies and testimonies from her own family members into her film. She's also dedicated Dads to Rance, who passed away in 2017, but not before she could capture him on film. Her personal connection to the material, and apparent friendships with the celebrities she interviews, add warmth and sincerity to Howard's direction, helping to offset the reality that celebrities may not represent the most typical experiences. Howard has also pulled together some riveting case studies of a diversity of non-celebrity dads from varied backgrounds. These stories are further supplemented by clips from home videos from a variety of parents -- some touching and some hilarious, especially where teenage kids are concerned. The film can sometimes feel like it's advocating for a specific enlightened model of parenting, or serving as a pep talk for new or expecting dads (including her brother). That essence is captured in the documentary's tagline: "You got this. Even when you don't." Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

This film has several laugh-out-loud moments, many meant-to-shock sequences, and even some tender scenes of friendship between its two male leads. But like the Borat and Jackass films before it, Bad Trip will turn many audiences off with its over-the-top vulgarity, violence, and gross-out scenes, mostly involving bodily fluids (go ahead and imagine the worst because it's all here). The actors are all convincing in their roles: Howery as the sweet underdog Bud, Andre as the misguided but well-intentioned Chris, Conlin as love interest Maria, and especially Haddish as the hilariously unhinged bully Trina. A perennial comic tool, the male characters seem stuck in a prolonged adolescence. You can tell the cast and crew had a blast making this movie, but even if it's sometimes a fun ride, it definitely won't be for everyone. The hidden-camera genre always offers some insights into human behavior. It's eye-opening to see how regular people react in completely abnormal circumstances, like a man getting raped by a gorilla, a woman escaping prison or threatening to throw a man off a building, and two men emerging from a spectacular car crash. Some speak out, others ignore what's going on, and some offer advice or assistance -- even in committing a crime. Most pull out their phones and begin filming. This movie is set primarily in Black neighborhoods and businesses up the Southeast corridor between Florida and New York, except for some notable exceptions, like an all-White cowboy bar. A final, racially-tinged sequence is reminiscent of Borat at the Conservative Political Action Conference and pays homage to the Wayans brothers' 2004 movie White Chicks. Stick around for the end credits to see how some of the unsuspecting bystanders react when they're told they've been pranked. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

Stargirl's messages are positive ones for tween viewers, who will be drawn in thanks to the popularity of the book and the novelty of the film debut of VanderWaal. So, first things first: the young star gives a charming performance and proves she can act as well as sing. Co-star Verchere and a diverse supporting cast are equally charming. Fans of VanderWaal or the book likely won't be too put off by significant changes to the original story, the film's uneven pace, or some corny magical undertones. Stargirl could be called the High School Musical of misfits and underdogs. But considering that the majority of real-life teenagers are probably a lot more like Leo, Kevin, and even Stargirl than Troy, Sharpay, and the HSM gang, the film may actually be the more representative high school movie. There's no shortage of genre staples, including awkward encounters at school, football games, and the obligatory school dance. Stargirl falls into a growing body of films, like the HSM series, that show teens to be kinder, more genuine, and more accepting than the '80s screen teens of their parents' generation in, say, The Breakfast Club or Footloose. And while their typical teen identity issues are magnified in the age of social media, a minor theme in Stargirl, they're shown here to also benefit from healthier relationships with their parents. That, and the '80s musical references, make the film an okay watch for the whole family. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

This inventive, book-based movie pulls off the rare trick of being a thinking person's film for kids. The Oregon city that provides the setting for Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made has the unofficial slogan to "Keep Portland Weird." Likewise, this film's tagline could read, "Keep Timmy Weird." The quirky tale celebrates difference, be that in the form of a misfit 5th grader with an exceptional imagination, or in its Portland setting, home to self affirming murals, naked bike races, bearded hipsters, activist kids, and tattooed librarians. "Normal is for normal people," Timmy and his struggling mom say, in defiance as much as self preservation. Timmy's single-minded, boy-against-world superiority is laugh-out-loud funny, but as it slowly dawns on the viewer that his refusal to adapt is actually problematic for his own well being as well as for the adults who care for him, the film also becomes a poignant psychological study. His imaginary friend and emotional crutch is the polar bear Total, and their tender, E.T.-like hand-to-paw farewell implies a new beginning for the boy. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

Togo has all the elements of a great tale for the big screen -- gorgeous settings, action enhanced by special effects, A-list star power, and an inspiring tale of humans and their handsome sled dogs. But the film juggles all these elements a little awkwardly, resulting in a solid and worthy but not entirely fulfilling movie set to premiere on the small screen. Togo is another reminder that Dafoe can make just about any character feel authentic, though he's straddled here with a slightly distracting accent and some eccentric character moments, like when he shouts Shakespeare at his sled dogs. There are drastic shifts in tone between past and present -- Togo's puppyhood on Seppala's austere but pleasant homestead and breakneck adventure on their death-defying rescue mission. Scenes in between, when Seppala and Togo restore their physical and spiritual energy at dimly-lit Inuit-run rest houses, combine these moods and are among the most memorable in the movie. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.

There's always risk involved in remaking a beloved classic, and this remake is no different; it both pleases and falls short. Some will love this version of Lady and the Tramp, especially for the technical advances that have brought the CGI characters to life or for the diverse cast that will allow kids from more backgrounds to feel represented on-screen. And others will find things to complain about, like the phoniness of the unnamed time and place the movie is set in or the generally slow pacing. The remake -- which is an hour and 42 minutes long -- might have benefited from a length closer to the original's 76 minutes. Curiously, the animals come across as more genuine than the live people in this remake. Even the secondary characters, like Lady's neighbor friends (hilariously voiced by Sam Elliott and Scottish actress Ashley Jensen) or Tramp's street friends (especially the commanding Janelle Monáe) are given much fuller personalities than Jim Dear, Darling, or the dog catcher. In this sense, and perhaps rightfully so, the film will appeal more to younger audiences than to adults. Let them have their version; the adults can hang on to the original of their own childhoods. Read the full review at Common Sense Media.