The Tooth Fairy (2010)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 9 out of 10
Director: Michael Lembeck
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ashley Judd, Stephen Merchant
Rated: PG
Genre: Comedy, Family
Runtime: 101 minutes

When Derek Thompson (Johnson), a hardened hockey player (stuck in the minor leagues after a shoulder injury) tells his girlfriend’s little daughter that there is no such thing as the Tooth Fairy, he receives a shocking surprise: as punishment for his thoughtlessness, the council in the Fairy World has decreed that he take on the role of Tooth Fairy for one week.  Any attempts to skirt his duties will only end with more time being tacked onto his sentence.  So, dressed in powder-blue satin pajamas and big, fuzzy, fairy wings, Derek has to serve out his sentence AND hide his new “condition” from his girlfriend and teammates.  He is accompanied by Tracey (Merchant), his fairy advisor who keeps track of his progress. 

This is an adorable movie, and a great film for the entire family.  Dwayne Johnson continues to amaze me every time he comes out with another silly children’s movie.  I have a lot of respect for a former pro-wrestler who is totally cool with playing silly, possibly emasculating roles for the sake of a comedic children’s film.  Also, Stephen Merchant is a delight.  This is the first time I’ve seen a film with him in it, and with his considerable height, stick figure build, and large eyes, he’s quite a comedic presence.

For children, this movie provides inspirational lessons, including the importance of following your dreams and never giving up.  In addition, it reminds them that anything is possible and that dreams do come true.  The feel-good nature of this film will be felt by the whole family.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 10 out of 10

Director: David Mallet

Starring: Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, and Richard Attenborough, Joan Collins

Rated:Not rated

Genre: Musical, Religious, Family

Runtime:78 minutes

This is one of my favorite movies.  I've loved Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat since I was in THE FOURTH GRADE, and even now, this is a movie I treasure.  It's cute, quirky, and fun, with music that makes you want to get up and dance!  I can't even remember how many times I've seen this film.....but at least 20, to give a conservative estimate.

This is based off of Andrew Lloyd Webber's first musical: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, written in collaboration with Tim Rice. It retells the Biblical story of Joseph (Osmand), son of Jacob (Attenborough), and his eleven jealous brothers.  Joseph is his father's favorite, and when Jacob buys him a brilliant coat of many colors so that everyone will know how much his father cares about him, his brothers decide they've had enough of being second best, and decide to get rid of him.  While a slave in Egypt, Joseph gets falsely accused, thrown in prison, and eventually rises though the ranks to become second in command to the Pharaoh, who needs him to interpret his dreams.

This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy; not just the adults or just the kids.  Most of the entries on this blog will be geared toward teens and adults since those are the kinds of movies I choose to watch, however, this is one of the few films that is for everyone.  Full of fun songs such as "Go, Go, Go Joseph," "Benjamin Calypso," and "Any Dream Will Do".

Yes, this production is a bit cheesy, but that's a part of the charm.  Just trust me on this.  So, get some popcorn, a friend, or the whole family, and enjoy this wonderful, energetic film!