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 CURIOUS
GEORGE
by Jane Louise
Boursaw
Rated G.
Great for kids 2 and up. Released in theaters Feb. 10, 2006. 4 out of
4 Reels.
Should you
bring the kids? Yes! Finally, a real, honest-to-goodness kids'
movie! What a joy to sit in the theater, hear the innocent laughter of
children, and feel the gratefulness of parents for a movie that contains
no sexual innuendos, double meanings, or questionable scenes. For more
on particular age groups, see "Bringing the Kids" below.
THE
STORY: It all begins with Ted (voiced by Will Ferrell), a tour
guide at the Bloomsberry Museum who's never explored anything beyond the
cafeteria. When his kindly boss, Mr. Bloomsberry (Dick Van Dyke),
realizes he may have to sell the museum due to declining attendance, he
asks Ted (a.k.a. The Man With the Yellow Hat) to go to Africa and find
the Lost Shrine of Zagawa.
It's Ted's
first big adventure, and he discovers more than he bargained for
namely, a curious little chimpanzee who follows him back to America.
There's nothing the spunky monkey won't try, which, of course, lands him
in all sorts of hot water. Meanwhile, Mr. Bloomsberry's sleazy son,
Junior (David Cross) is determined to turn the museum into a parking
lot.
Enter Maggie
(Drew Barrymore), a cute schoolteacher who brings her class to the
museum every week because she has a big crush on Ted. With the help of
George, Maggie helps Ted break out of his shy exterior to discover
friendship, adventure, and a whole new world of fun.
 Other
characters include Clovis (Eugene Levy), the museum's nutty inventor
whose shop is overflowing with wild contraptions; Ivan (Ed O'Ross), the
stern doorman at Ted's apartment building, which has a strict "no pets"
rule; and Miss Plushbottom (Joan Plowright), a snooty socialite and
opera singer who lives in the penthouse above Ted's apartment. Her plans
to paint her apartment take a turn for the worse, thanks to one curious
little monkey.
BRINGING
THE KIDS:
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Whether your preschoolers are already
friends with Curious George or meeting him for the first time, they'll
love this innocent movie filled with bright colors, cute sounds, and
most of all G-rated content. It's also the perfect opportunity to
introduce your kids to the books by Margret and H. A. Rey, including
several new ones tied to the movie (a sticker book, picture book, and
touch-and-feel book, to name a few). As a bonus, a new TV show based on
Curious George will air this fall as part of the preschool block on PBS
KIDS. Narrated by actor William H. Macy, the show will focus on math,
science, and engineering concepts revolving around the comic adventures
of the little chimp.
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 10): This movie is best suited for
younger kids, but even grade-schoolers will get a kick out of George,
especially if they're familiar with the books. There's a reason why more
than 25 million copies of the Curious
George books have been sold and continue to thrive generation after
generation they're fun!
TWEEN
/ TEEN (ages 11+):
Although most kids this age will probably think this movie is too kiddy-ish
for them, the young-at-hearts might get a kick out of it. I'm 45, and I
loved it! The soundtrack includes original songs by Jack Johnson, the IT
musician at the moment, and there's even a little romance between Ted
and Maggie. Maybe tweens and teens can get around the "kiddy" factor by
taking their little brothers and sisters to see it!
SCORE:
4 out of 4 Reels.
Jane's Reel Rating
System:
One Reel Pathetic.
Even The Force cant save it.
Two Reels
Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels
Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels Wow! The
stuff dreams are made of.
E-chat with me
at
jane@reellifewithjane.com - I
LOVE to talk about movies!
 Read my other reviews
here.
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