\n<\/p>\n
At a time when A.I.-generated anything sends many of us into a panic, this stop-motion tale<\/a> from Aardman Animations (\u201cChicken Run,\u201d \u201cShaun the Sheep Movie\u201d) hits the spot. It\u2019s been almost two decades since the zany inventor Wallace (voiced by Ben Whitehead) and his devoted dog, Gromit \u2014 from their creator, Nick Park \u2014 got the feature-film treatment, in the Oscar-winning<\/a> \u201cWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.\u201d This time they\u2019re battling the villainous penguin Feathers McGraw and an army of sinister robotic garden gnomes.<\/p>\n There are action sequences, plenty of clever puns (Gromit reads \u201cVirginia Woof\u201d), and sweet messages about real human (or animal) connection and work being more satisfying than any \u201csmart\u201d device. Park co-directed with Merlin Crossingham (\u201cMorph\u2019s Epic Adventures\u201d) and wrote the script with Mark Burton (\u201cShaun the Sheep Movie\u201d).<\/p>\n Stream it on Max.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n There\u2019s a lot going on in this sequel<\/a> to the director James Wan\u2019s 2018 \u201cAquaman.\u201d The titular dude-bro superhero (Jason Momoa) now rules over Atlantis with his wife, Mera (Amber Heard). They have a baby, and in between cracking beers and jokes, Aquaman must now juggle the demands of fatherhood with ruling his people, protecting the planet from global warming and battling the villainous Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Black Manta, a.k.a. David Kane, has been possessed by an evil spirit and is seeking revenge on Aquaman for the murder of his father. Aquaman breaks Orm (Patrick Wilson), his rival brother, out of a prison run by blood-drinking demon creatures, and the two mend their broken relationship as they embark on a quest to stop Black Manta and save the day.<\/p>\n Nicole Kidman and Temuera Morrison return as Aquaman\u2019s parents, and Randall Park plays Dr. Stephen Shin, a scientist who is (reluctantly) helping Black Manta. It\u2019s not quite as fun as the first film, but the action, visuals and superhero-ness of it all should captivate older children and teenagers who won\u2019t have nightmares about those blood-drinking demons. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (\u201cThe Conjuring 2,\u201d \u201cAquaman\u201d) wrote the script.<\/p>\n Stream it on Paramount+.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n While your children wait for the recently released \u201cSonic the Hedgehog 3\u201d to start streaming, they can get their fix by watching (or rewatching) the second installment of Sega\u2019s videogame-to-film franchise. The speedy bright blue hedgehog from space (voiced again by Ben Schwartz, of \u201cParks and Recreation\u201d) lives with a small-town Montana cop, Tom (James Marsden), and his wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), who act as his live-action surrogate parents. Sonic uses a gold portal ring to send Tom and Maddie to Hawaii for the wedding of Maddie\u2019s sister, Rachel (Natasha Rothwell, of \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d and \u201cInsecure\u201d), to Randall (the \u201cJustice League\u201d alum Shemar Moore), creating another story line that\u2019s threaded throughout.<\/p>\n Sonic\u2019s longtime enemy Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) has been rescued from exile by a spiny anteater called Knuckles (Idris Elba), who is out to get the hedgehog. Sonic\u2019s buddy Tails, a two-tailed fox once again voiced by Colleen O\u2019Shaughnessey, helps Sonic before Robotnik and Knuckles can nab them.<\/p>\n There\u2019s plenty for younger and older children here, including goofy humor, attention-holding action and, of course, the charms of the blue hedgehog. Jeff Fowler returned to direct, and the \u201cSonic\u201d writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller teamed up to write the script with John Whittington (\u201cThe Lego Batman Movie\u201d).<\/p>\n Stream it on Netflix.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This South African family comedy is a little bit like the 1983 classic \u201cNational Lampoon\u2019s Vacation.\u201d Instead of Chevy Chase\u2019s Clark Griswold, we have a hardworking divorced father named Joseph (Kenneth Nkosi from \u201cDistrict 9\u201d and \u201cTsotsi\u201d), who ropes his children and new wife into taking a road trip to the gorgeous beaches of Zanzibar for some much-needed bonding time. When his boss pressures him to take a work trip to the crowded coastal city of Durban instead, he changes plans and drags the family along with him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Lunathi Mampofu plays the stepmother who is trying to fit in with the youngsters: the daughters Zamo (Kopano Mahlasi) and Lily (Yeya Ralarala), and son Junior (Lubabalo Tala). The kids provide some heart and humor, and while this slapstick, over-the-top romp won\u2019t win any awards, it has enough high jinks (cars submerged in water, crazy allergic reactions, chases, jail) to entertain elementary-age children who like family comedies with heart. After all, when I was little, I thought \u201cBenji\u201d and \u201cPippi Longstocking\u201d were epic. Rethabile Ramaphakela, who has been nominated for several South African Film and Television Awards, wrote and directed.<\/p>\n\u2018Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Sonic the Hedgehog 2\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Disaster Holiday\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Storm Crashers\u2019<\/h2>\n