 |
 |
Want to find the best international, classic or unusual movies for kids? We've carefully assembled a list of films on DVD that have played the New York Int'l Children's Film Festival, as well as some of our own favorites! Even better: Every DVD you buy through this site helps make us rich. Not Bill Gates rich. Just “not-in-spiraling-amounts-of-debt” rich. Ka-ching! |
 |
 |
 |
Tales of the Night
Age Recommendation: 8+
Director: Michel Ocelot
From the imagination of internationally renowned animator Michel Ocelot ( Kirikou and the Sorceress, Azur & Asmar) comes a magical and visually stunning new film, delighting kids, families and animation fans of all ages. Silhouetted characters are set off against exquisitely detailed... From the imagination of internationally renowned animator Michel Ocelot ( Kirikou and the Sorceress, Azur & Asmar) comes a magical and visually stunning new film, delighting kids, families and animation fans of all ages. Silhouetted characters are set off against exquisitely detailed Day-Glo backgrounds bursting with color and kaleidoscopic patterns, as the film weaves together six exotic fables each unfolding in a unique locale, from Tibet, to medieval Europe, and even the Land of the Dead. In Ocelot's celebrated storytelling, history blends with fairytale as viewers are whisked off to visit enchanted lands full of dragons, shape-shifting werewolves, captive princesses, and enormous talking bees - and each fable ends with its own ironic twist.
"Michel Ocelot's ravishing animation and magical storytelling are a delight from start to finish!" - Empire
NOTE: Blu-ray includes both Blu-ray and DVD editions. A DVD-only edition is also available!
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
trailer
 |
Released: 2011
  |
|
ADVERTISEMENT 
|
|
|
sort titles by...
search by...
sort by age...
search dvds
got an idea for a film we should be listing?
Click here to send us your recommendation.
Thanks!
DO AS IT SAYS
|
|
The Secret of Kells
Age Recommendation: 6+
Director: Tomm Moore
Academy Award Nominee - Best Animated Feature! Magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes, in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times...
Academy Award Nominee - Best Animated Feature! Magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes, in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears and venture into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the fairy Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him fulfill his dangerous quest.
"A magical adventure unlike anything we've seen before."- USA Today
"Critics Pick! Extraordinary!" - AO Scott, New York Times
"Four Stars! Ravishing! Magical! Glorious!” - Kenneth Turan, LA Times
"One of the most beautiful works of animation ever!" - NY Press
NOTE: Blu-ray includes both Blu-ray and DVD editions. A DVD-only edition is also available!
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 2010
|
|
|
Azur and Asmar
Age Recommendation: 6 to Adult
Director: Michel Ocelot
Azur & Asmar is a poetic, fairytale-like story set within a shimmering landscape of incomparable brilliance and beauty. Audiences and critics have been unanimous in their outpouring of praise for the film...
Azur & Asmar is a poetic, fairytale-like story set within a shimmering landscape of incomparable brilliance and beauty. Audiences and critics have been unanimous in their outpouring of praise for the film: "Quite simply, it's a visual masterpiece that combines cutouts with CGI and the mesmeric beauty of Islamic art to create a magical world, in which scarlet lions with blues claws and birds with rainbow wings stand between the blonde Azur and Asmar, the estranged Arab friend of his childhood." Empire Magazine, "Beautiful!" New York Times, "Mesmerizing! Dazzling! A Feast for the Eyes!" Seattle Times, "Five Stars! Absolutely gorgeous!" Time Out New York, "Impossibly Gorgeous! The year's most beautiful animated film!" Salon, "Sheer Dazzlement! Cinema whose every frame could be hung on an art gallery wall!" Financial Times, "Is it too early to announce the most beautiful film of 2009? It's hard to imagine a more transporting cinematic experience coming our way than this animated feature from the French writer-director Michel Ocelot." Chicago Tribune.
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 2006
|
|
|
Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends: The Complete First Season
Age Recommendation: 5+
Director: Various
From the subversive mind of Jay Ward comes the complete first season of this Cold War era classic. Rediscover Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose as they race to create a rocket fuel recipe while evading the very evil... From the subversive mind of Jay Ward comes the complete first season of this Cold War era classic. Rediscover Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose as they race to create a rocket fuel recipe while evading the very evil Boris Badenov and the femme fatale, Bonnie-to-his-Clyde, Natasha. Laced with equal parts wit and satire, this collection includes baby-boomer favorites "Fractured Fairy Tales," Fearless Leader, Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties, and much more.
Released: 1959
|
|
|
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Remastered Deluxe Edition)
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Bill Melendez
The Peanuts gang returns in this classic holiday story of Charlie Brown and his efforts to find the true meaning of Christmas. When he is chosen to direct the school's Christmas pageant, Charlie Brown is elated. He enlists his best friend, Linus, to help him pick a tree. But when he returns to check on Lucy and the rest of the cast, they are not rehearsing their lines! Charlie Brown flees as they mercilessly taunt his choice of the smallest, sickliest tree. As he approaches Snoopy's doghouse - decked out in hoards of lights and decorations - he is relieved to find that his beloved beagle has, in fact, embraced the Christmas spirit. But Snoopy is simply trying to win money in a decorating contest! Good grief. The Peanuts gang returns in this classic holiday story of Charlie Brown and his efforts to find the true meaning of Christmas. When he is chosen to direct the school's Christmas pageant, Charlie Brown is elated. He enlists his best friend, Linus, to help him pick a tree. But when he returns to check on Lucy and the rest of the cast, they are not rehearsing their lines! Charlie Brown flees as they mercilessly taunt his choice of the smallest, sickliest tree. As he approaches Snoopy's doghouse - decked out in hoards of lights and decorations - he is relieved to find that his beloved beagle has, in fact, embraced the Christmas spirit. But Snoopy is simply trying to win money in a decorating contest! Good grief. Can the gang come together to save Charlie Brown's ailing tree, the pageant and learn the true meaning of Christmas?
Released: 1965
|
|
|
Pom Poko
Age Recommendation: 5 to 12 (In English)
Director: Isao Takahata
The first animated feature to be submitted for the Oscar for Foreign Language Film, Isao Takahata's Pom Poko is a true Japanese folk tale. The lives of the tanuki raccoons of the Tama Hills are in danger as human developers begin to turn their rural homeland into suburban sprawl. Under the leadership of the tribal elders, the raccoons will stop at nothing to protect their community. The first animated feature to be submitted for the Oscar for Foreign Language Film, Isao Takahata's Pom Poko is a true Japanese folk tale. The lives of the tanuki raccoons of the Tama Hills are in danger as human developers begin to turn their rural homeland into suburban sprawl. Under the leadership of the tribal elders, the raccoons will stop at nothing to protect their community.
Unlike Takahata's earlier environmental heart-wrenchers, the lavish illustrations in this survival story are packed with hilariously adorable hijinks as the raccoons use their ability to shape-shift into humans to defer the developers.
Released: 1994
|
|
|
Lotte From Gadgetville
Age Recommendation: 3 to 8 (In English)
Director: Ernits/Poldma
Lotte From Gadgetville is a sweet and gentle-spirited crowd-pleaser, full of wacky contraptions, silly/happy songs, and a refreshingly un-cynical sense of humor. Lotte is a cheerful girl-dog who lives in the seaside town of Gadgetville, a village crazy about inventing. Every year there is a competition to show...
Lotte From Gadgetville is a sweet and gentle-spirited crowd-pleaser, full of wacky contraptions, silly/happy songs, and a refreshingly un-cynical sense of humor. Lotte is a cheerful girl-dog who lives in the seaside town of Gadgetville, a village crazy about inventing. Every year there is a competition to show off the best homemade Rube Goldberg-esque machines, which Lotte's father Oscar always wins. But at this year's competition, the town is abuzz about the Japanese bee Susumu, who introduces Gadgetville to the concept of judo. After the town becomes obsessed with the sport, Lotte and her three friends try to help Susumu get back to Japan, where they plan to test their new skills in an international judo contest.
This first feature-length animated film from Estonia was enormously popular in its home country, besting The Incredibles at the box office, winning the prize for best animation, and becoming something of a national treasure - the Estonian government even issued a Lotte postage stamp!
Released: 2006
|
|
|
The Point
Age Recommendation: 4 to 10
Director: Fred Wolf
In a world of pointy-headed people obsessed with making pointy objects, it's hard for a boy born with a round head to fit in! Banished along with his faithful dog Arrow, Oblio must prove that nobody is "pointless"... In a world of pointy-headed people obsessed with making pointy objects, it's hard for a boy born with a round head to fit in! Banished along with his faithful dog Arrow, Oblio must prove that nobody is "pointless." Based on a Harry Nilsson soundtrack, which includes the hit song "Me and My Arrow," The Point also features narration by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, making it great throwback entertainment for any family looking for something groovy with a good message.
Released: 1971
|
|
|
Yellow Submarine
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: George Dunning
As one of the best animated films based around one of the best bands in the world, Yellow Submarine is a beautiful psychedelic ode to the music of the Fab Four... As one of the best animated films based around one of the best bands in the world, Yellow Submarine is a beautiful psychedelic ode to the music of the Fab Four. What was supposed to be a contract-fulfilling cash-in, so piddling that the band didn't bother providing the voiceovers for their own characters, turned into something remarkable. When the Blue Meanies begin to attack the world inhabited by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a lone survivor is sent to our universe in a yellow submarine to track down the only four chaps who could help. Striking imagery is backed by a soundtrack including "When I'm 64," "Nowhere Man," "Eleanor Rigby," and of course, the memorable title track.
The DVD release, which introduced a restored picture and newly-created 5.1 surround sound for the tunes, has since gone out-of-print, but there are numerous copies available used through Amazon. Or you could just wait patiently for the eventual re-release...
Released: 1968
|
|
|
Astro Boy
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Osamu Tezuka
How much do you love Astro Boy, the groundbreaking anime series about a robot boy who combats evil? If you said, "A whole lot," then you just might be the target market for the amazing 11-disc box set put together by Right Stuf, featuring over 20 hours from the show's original 1963-64 run! How much do you love Astro Boy, the groundbreaking anime series about a robot boy who combats evil? If you said, "A whole lot," then you just might be the target market for the amazing 11-disc box set put together by Right Stuf, featuring over 20 hours from the show's original 1963-64 run! Even more impressive is the restoration and treasure-hunting work done to try and restore what's available of the original English TV dubs.
And if you really, really love Astro Boy, then you'll want to complete the original black-and-white series by picking up the second Ultra Collector's Edition box set, which features the remaining 20+ hours of action!
Released: 1963
|
|
|
Wall-E
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Andrew Stanton
One of the best films of the year, Wall-E combines beautiful animation with brilliant slapstick comedy and a stirring environmental message... One of the best films of the year, Wall-E combines beautiful animation with brilliant slapstick comedy and a stirring environmental message. Wall-E is an industrial robot charged with cleaning up the planet Earth, which humans (and a massive WalMart-esque conglomerate) destroyed with skyscraper-high piles of garbage. Joined by his faithful cockroach friend, Wall-E spends his days sorting through the trash and watching Hello Dolly!, until the introduction of the lovely robot EVE takes him to the humans' spaceship and an even bigger adventure. The first 30 minutes are some of the best in all of cinema, with Wall-E channeling the genius of silent comedy legends like Chaplin or Keaton in a daringly avant garde performance that still left the all-ages audience in stitches. And although the rest of the movie doesn't hit quite the same lofty heights (few things can), it's still one of those rare movies that reveals more depth and enjoyment with every viewing. Technophiles looking to show off their high-def televisions are pointed towards the pixel-perfect Blu-ray edition (which needs a Blu-ray player). Also, both the DVD and Blu-ray versions include an interesting full-length documentary on the Pixar animation studio.
Released: 2008
|
|
|
Dragon Hunters
Age Recommendation: 5 to 12 (In English)
Director: Arthur Qwak/Guillaume Ivernel
This action-packed, lusciously animated adventure from France is set in a fantastic kingdom in the sky, a decaying world of floating, interconnected islands suspended in midair. Lord Hector fears the impending awakening of the World Gobbler, a monstrous dragon... This action-packed, lusciously animated adventure from France is set in a fantastic kingdom in the sky, a decaying world of floating, interconnected islands suspended in midair. Lord Hector fears the impending awakening of the World Gobbler, a monstrous dragon who will bring apocalyptic destruction with him. Hector’s niece, the brave and adorable Zoé, dreams of being a legendary dragon-dueling knight like the kinds she reads about in her books, but all her uncle wants to do is send her off to the Crooked Teeth Convent for a safe and proper upbringing.
Zoé gets her chance to escape this dull fate when two third-rate warriors show up at the castle doors. Gargantuan and kindhearted Lian-Chu (voiced by Forest Whitaker) and his wily, money-hungry partner Gwizdo seek a job that will finally pay the bills and allow them to buy the small, relaxing farm of their dreams — and because they are two of the few living warriors remaining, they are quickly drafted by Hector to destroy the World Gobbler. Zoé sneaks off to join the duo, and together they set off on the path towards the End of the World, finding new friends and plenty of danger along the way. Dragon Hunters is set apart by its heartfelt characters (Lian- Chu and Gwizdo reference Lenny and George from Of Mice and Men) and an imaginative world, filled with intricate backgrounds, unpredictable physics and exotic monsters, such as the Red Cloud, a creature formed from thousands of individual bats, and the skeletal monstrosity that is the World Gobbler himself.
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 2008
|
|
|
Kiki's Delivery Service
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
This is one of the most acclaimed animated films of all time, created by legendary animation director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. A resourceful young witch uses her broom to create a delivery service... This is one of the most acclaimed animated films of all time, created by legendary animation director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. A resourceful young witch uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self doubt. We had the honor of screening this as the opening film of the 1999 New York International Children's Film Festival.
© 1989 EIKO KADONO · NIBARIKI · TOKUMA SHOTEN © Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 1989
|
|
|
Castle in the Sky
Age Recommendation: 8+
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
A young girl with a mysterious crystal pendant falls out of the sky and into the arms--and life--of young Pazu. Together they search for a floating island in the sky, site of a long-dead civilization promising enormous wealth and power to... A young girl with a mysterious crystal pendant falls out of the sky and into the arms--and life--of young Pazu. Together they search for a floating island in the sky, the site of a long-dead civilization promising enormous wealth and power to those who can unlock its secrets.
Images © 1986 NIBARIKI · TOKUMA SHOTEN © Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What Others Say...
"Frequently astounding!" - Richard Harrington, Washington Post
"Extraordinary... Drawn in a dazzling range of jeweled but subtle colors, the film is always a joy to watch!" - Caryn James, New York Times
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 1986
|
|
|
Kirikou and the Sorceress
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Michel Ocelot
An exquisitely animated African tale of Kirikou, a small boy with extraordinary abilities. When he discovers that his village is cursed by the terrifying sorceress Karaba, Kirikou sets off on an adventure to rid the village of Karaba's curse by understanding what has made her so angry. Kirikou and the Sorceress is one of the most stunningly beautiful, poetic and entertaining films for children in a great many years. An exquisitely animated African tale of Kirikou, a small boy with extraordinary abilities. When he discovers that his village is cursed by the terrifying sorceress Karaba, Kirikou sets off on an adventure to rid the village of Karaba's curse by understanding what has made her so angry. Kirikou and the Sorceress is one of the most stunningly beautiful, poetic and entertaining films for children in a great many years.
NOTE: Film contains ethnographic nudity (villagers with bare breasts) similar to what's found in National Geographic.
What Others Say...
"A marvel for eye and ear!" - Ted Shen, Chicago Reader
"A sunny spot in the mire of frenetic, violent and often dopey cartoon films produced by Hollywood" - Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
"Ingenious, comical and beautifully original" - Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Released: 1998
|
|
|
My Neighbor Totoro
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In one of anime master Hayao Miyazaki's best-known works, two sisters move into a new home in the countryside with their father. There they discover a family of Totoros--huge, furry raccoon-esque animals--and a host of other unbelievable creatures... In one of anime master Hayao Miyazaki's best-known works, two sisters move into a new home in the countryside with their father, while their mother stays for treatment at the local hospital. Undeterred by their mother's illness, the young girls remain optimistic and adventurous, exploring every dusty nook and cranny of their house and traveling deep into the local forest. There they discover a family of Totoros--huge, furry raccoon-esque animals--and a host of other unbelievable creatures! This classic family film is uplifting and full of the wonders of nature and the power of the imagination, all without seeming the least bit sappy. And try naming a creature more adorable than a Totoro. You just can't, except maybe a Cat Bus! (Oh, and this deluxe two-disc DVD set is the first time viewers have been given the option of the original Japanese audio with subtitles, in addition to a star-studded English voiceover option.) Images ©1988 NIBARIKI • TOKUMA SHOTEN © Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
"Whenever I watch it, I smile, and smile, and smile... I'm afraid that in praising the virtues of My Neighbor Totoro I have made it sound merely good for you, but it would never have won its worldwide audience just because of its warm heart. It is awe-inspiring and enchanting..." - Roger Ebert, Great Movies Selection
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 1988
|
|
|
Wallace and Gromit: The Complete Collection
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Nick Park
Audiences around the world continue to enjoy the lovable comic duo of the eccentric cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his faithful dog Gromit. Their short films, winners of numerous awards (including Oscars and NYICFF Grand Prizes), pack great verbal puns... Audiences around the world continue to enjoy the lovable comic duo of the eccentric cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his faithful dog Gromit. Their short films, winners of numerous awards (including Oscars and NYICFF Grand Prizes), pack great verbal puns, wacky inventions and hand-crafted claymation into stories that are affectionate spoofs of popular movie genres. This new DVD set gathers all four short films, including the most recent Oscar-nominee A Matter of Loaf and Death, and it's a wonderful way to be introduced to two of Aardman Studio's most endearing characters. (The same films are also available on high-definition Blu-Ray.)
Released: 1996
|
|
|
Pixar Short Films
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Pixar
A wonderful collection of shorts from the studio that redefined CGI-animated films, this new compilation brings together the shorts that have previously been seen before their feature-length films and at the NYICFF Pixar Shorts retrospective. Spanning the entire history of their company, from the days... A wonderful collection of shorts from the studio that redefined CGI-animated films, this new compilation brings together the shorts that have previously been seen before their feature-length films and at the NYICFF Pixar Shorts retrospective. Spanning the entire history of their company, from the days of early computer-generated graphics to today's realistic marvels, these shorts demonstrate the studio's unique storytelling and sense of humor.
Images © Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 2004
|
|
|
The Iron Giant
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Brad Bird
Before joining Pixar, director Brad Bird showed his talent for incredibly touching but non-syrupy storytelling in this tale of a boy and his behemoth robot. When young Hogarth discovers the hulking robot at the height of Cold War paranoia, they become fast friends, but Hogarth... Before joining Pixar, director Brad Bird showed his talent for incredibly touching but non-syrupy storytelling in this tale of a boy and his behemoth robot. When young Hogarth discovers the hulking robot at the height of Cold War paranoia, they become fast friends, but Hogarth has an increasingly difficult time hiding the robot's existence from his mother and a nosy government.
What Others Say...
"A cool, unique-looking animated feature (the Ike-era design elements make for great eye candy), director Brad Bird's tale of a small-town boy and his outer-space robot is hip and entertaining without pandering, or condescending, to the kiddie set" - Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
"As entertaining as it is intelligent!" - Wally Hammond, Time Out
"An unalloyed success!" - Variety
"Animated films excel in conjuring up colorful fantasy worlds, but few evoke an actual time and place as vividly -- and playfully -- as The Iron Giant does" - Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
"Remarkably unassuming, genuinely playful, and superbly executed, The Iron Giant towers over the cartoon landscape" - J. Hoberman, Village Voice
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
trailer
 |
Released: 1999
|
|
|
Winged Migration
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud
A fantastic and beautiful documentary about the migration of birds features nature footage you'd swear was computer-generated. From the co-director of nature doc Microcosmos comes this touching true account of the extraordinary journeys undertaken every year by the most ordinary animals. A fantastic and beautiful documentary about the migration of birds features nature footage you'd swear was computer-generated. From the co-director of nature doc Microcosmos comes this touching true account of the extraordinary journeys undertaken every year by the most ordinary animals.
What Others Say...
"Whether we're seeing a startled flock taking sudden flight or zapping into a mountain lake to catch fish, our eye is constantly bedazzled" - Richard Schickel, TIME
"There's not a single special effect, and yet the visuals are spectacular" - Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
"Arguably the most beautiful documentary ever made, Winged Migration has a 'wow!' factor that is off the charts" - Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"This film by French director Jacques Perrin is to most nature documentaries what King Kong is to monster movies: It towers over them" - Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
|
|
trailer
 |
Released: 2001
|
|
|
Microcosmos
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Jacques Perrin and Kristin Scott Thomas
From the creators of Winged Migration comes this documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching. From the creators of Winged Migration comes this documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching.
What Others Say...
"Amazing! The movie is a work of art and whimsy as much as one of science" - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"Photographed with terrific patience and agility, this quick, captivating film offers a taste of the exotic to viewers of any stripe (or spot). And it's a breathtaking reminder that Mother Nature remains the greatest special effects wizard of all" - Janet Maslin, New York Times
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
|
Released: 1996
|
|
|
The Red Balloon
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Director: Albert Lamorisse
The Red Balloon is a classic of children's cinema, as the image of the film’s titular balloon, glowing an impossibly dazzling shade of Technicolor red, has seared itself into so many childhood memories. The film’s story is deceptively simple...
The Red Balloon is a classic of children's cinema, as the image of the film’s titular balloon, glowing an impossibly dazzling shade of Technicolor red, has seared itself into so many childhood memories. The film’s story is deceptively simple: a young boy discovers a balloon, which seems to express free will through its movements, and together they go on an adventure through Paris. The movie moves at a languid pace, self-assured of its jokes in the first half and the dramatic chase scene that anchors the second, but it never drags (nor does it really have time to, with a running time of just over half an hour). In something of a scandal, Red Balloon also won the 1956 Oscar for Original Screenplay, despite the film only having a few lines of dialogue. What the Oscar instead symbolizes to me is the film’s great reliance on cinematic technique to tell the story, giving the non-verbal balloon human properties of playfulness and friendship, and setting up jokes as if the balloon were to join Chaplin and Keaton among the masters of silent comedy. The lack of dialogue also means that The Red Balloon’s sense of humor and magical drama can appeal to kids of all ages, even if they can’t yet read the subtitles for the French drama.
What Others Say...
"An utterly charming little story" - Bosley Crowther, New York Times
"A beautiful little meditation on childhood, on imagination literally taking flight" - Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
screen shot
 |
screen shot
 |
trailer
 |
Released: 1956
|
|
|
The Secret of Moonacre
Age Recommendation: 5+
Director: Gabor Csupo
An audience favorite at the NY Int'l Children's Film Festival! The latest film from director Gabor Csupo ( Bridge to Terabithia), with Dakota Blue Richards ( The Golden Compass) and Tim Curry, is a fantasy adventure complete with misty castles, a danger-filled forest, a magic pearl necklace, and... An audience favorite at the NY Int'l Children's Film Festival! The latest film from director Gabor Csupo ( Bridge to Terabithia), with Dakota Blue Richards ( The Golden Compass) and Tim Curry, is a fantasy adventure complete with misty castles, a danger-filled forest, a magic pearl necklace, and a reluctant city-girl-turned-princess decked out in an ever-growing collection of opulent, Victorian-era dresses.
Newly orphaned Maria Merryweather is forced to leave civilized London and live with her reclusive uncle at Moonacre Manor, the family’s remote and rundown estate in the woods. She soon discovers a secret within the walls of the large and crumbling castle. Long ago, a bitter feud between the Merryweathers and the rival De Noir family placed a curse on the land that only the young Moon Princess can undo. So Maria leaves the safety of Moonacre and enters the forbidden forest, where she comes face to face with a gang of marauding De Noir bandits - though with their black eye-liner and coordinated bowler hats, these smooth-faced young ruffians are about as menacing as an 80’s New Wave boy band. But this is a fairy tale and all is for the best, as soon the head boy-bandit and scion of the De Noir clan has switched sides, defying his father to help Maria find the magic pearls and fulfill her quest.
screen shot
 |
|
|
Released: 2010
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)