Eenie Meenie Miney Movies: July 2011

Here's the lowdown on family-friendly movies premiering or screening in Austin this July.

Zookeeper (in theaters now, PG) -- On a recent visit to the San Antonio Zoo, I saw a marketing team giving away t-shirts to promote this film. Even the promise of a free t-shirt didn't seem to convince the crowd. You can read Mike Saulters' review here. Based on that (he calls it "Pookeeper") I think you'll have more fun actually going to the zoo (even in these temperatures) than you will watching this movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (July 15, PG-13) -- Well, well, well. The Harry Potter series finally (?) comes to its cinematic conclusion here, at least if the posters (proclaiming "It All Ends") are to be believed. You can see it in 3D and 2D versions or a 3D IMAX edition, but this film hardly needs 3D to sell it. You and your kids are either in or you're not and you know which already.

Winnie the Pooh (July 15, G) - The trailer for this movie is intriguing, with its Keane soundtrack and retro animation style; this silly old bear has had a few straight-to-video adventures recently but he's definitely overdue for a big-screen comeback. Hearing that Zooey Deschanel sings a few songs for the film hasn't dampened my enthusiasm one bit; one can only hope that exec producer John Lasseter and the writing/directing crew (responsible for recent solid efforts like The Princess and the Frog) will bring this one home.

Captain America (July 22, PG-13) - Definitely not for the little ones, but ten-year-old boys will love it. There's never been a satisfying live-action version of Captain America, in part because that darn costume just doesn't translate well to the physical world. (Also because such notorious talent as Albert Pyun worked on earlier incarnations.) Comic-book fans around the world will tune in to see if Cap's newest adventure is another satisfying installment of the Marvel movie renaissance or if it's a dud. If it's the latter, even an adamantium shield won't be enough to protect the film's creators from the fanboy backlash.

Cowboys and Aliens (July 29, PG-13) - This batch of movies seems aimed squarely at the older kids, but I'm going to include this one anyway because it's such an unlikely alignment of some major-league talent. If the title doesn't get your attention, maybe the names Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell will. Grab your favorite older kid and get yourself to the cinema. (I'm pleased to note that there doesn't seem to be a 3D version of this film.)

The Smurfs (July 29, PG) - Really? A PG rating for The Smurfs? I guess the fart humor was just too good to pass up. My wife and I are really conflicted about this movie – we know, we know, we know it won't be good, but the trailer makes it look like fun. Neil Patrick Harris? Jayma Mays? Jonathan Winters? All good signs, and our daughter's hilarious insistence on calling them "the S'mores" may make this irresistable.

Other notable local kids' screenings this month include: The Muppet Movie (Alamo Village, July 14), Sound of Music Sing-along at the Paramount on July 30, Journey to the Center of the Earth (Howson Branch Public Library, July 23), and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs in 3D (Alamo, dates vary). Check our guide to free and cheap summer movies in Austin for more screenings.

Notable Home Video Releases

Best of Sesame Spoofs 1 and 2 -- Who doesn't love a good spoof with the Muppets? Communists and animal abusers, that's who. "Monsterpiece Theater," song parodies, "True Mud" -- it's all here.

Shaun the Sheep: Animal Antics -- I've previously gushed over the Shaun the Sheep series of shorts before. There's no bad place to jump on, just grab a DVD and start laughing.

Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure -- If you're going to expose your kids to the Smurfs, you might as well give them some background.

Rango - I was pretty undecided about Rango when the trailers came out, but having seen it I think it's one of the best animated movies in years. Kids can watch it (there are a few scary bits with a rattlesnake) but they won't get all the levels of meaning. It's really more of an homage to Spaghetti Westerns by way of Salvador Dali paintings than it is kids' entertainment. Still: highly recommended.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! 3-pack: Wings/Up/Tales -- The best TV version of a beloved book since Curious George. Solid science in the Dr Seuss tradition.

My Dog Tulip - Whether this is really appropriate for your kids is something you'll need to determine for yourself, but it seems appropriate to include the release of an unusual and highly acclaimed animated film here. Christopher Plummer voices the lonely bachelor who finds happiness with a dog in need.

Netflix Instant Picks

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Part 4 -- See my love for Cat in the Hat above.

Spider-Man: The '67 Collection: Season 2 -- The old Spidey TV series. I grew up on these but only saw them on a black-and-white TV. Maybe it's time to see them in color.

All Dogs Go to Heaven - a cheesy old title from the '80s but people seem to have fond memories of it.