This Mom Can Do It All and Not Break a Sweat . . . Jessica Alba in Spy Kids 4

Since our nearly 8 year old son is just starting to take interest in live action films, Spy Kids 4:  All The Time In The World is the first and only Spy Kids movie he and his younger siblings have ever seen.  That actually goes for me, as well.

Knowing that this movie was made with children in mind, I wondered how much a grown spy movie fan like me would enjoy this DVD.  Well, Spy Kids 4 turned out to be a very entertaining movie for the whole family.  It had three key ingredients that make any spy film successful . . . a strong and beautiful heroine, lots of action scenes, and super-cool spy gadgets that even James Bond would be envious of.  There is one more thing that made this film great for children.  That thing is a set of boy-girl twins who end up effectively fighting bad guys, something most children fantasize about doing at some point.  Now throw in some comic relief from the talking robotic dog Argonaut and the movie is complete.

Although the story is completely unrealistic, I do think that moms can relate to the character of Marissa (played by Jessica Alba) . . . well, not in a being drop-dead gorgeous way.  This character tries to do everything by juggling her family life and her work life, ultimately deciding to give up her work life.  In the end, she proves that she can do both well, something most working mothers hope to achieve.




Something that seemed interesting for existing Spy Kids fans is the return of the previous generation of Spy Kids from the first, second, and third movie . . .

Aside from being entertaining, Spy Kids 4 may also speak to children who are dealing with changes in their families, such as one of their parents remarrying.  It also encourages siblings to work together rather than compete against each other.

Of the four bonus features on the Spy Kids 4 DVD, our children's favorites were the "Deleted Scenes" and the "Spy Gadgets and More!"  I must say that those were my favorite, as well.

You can find Spy Kids 4:  All The Time In The World most places where popular DVDs are sold.  It is also available in a Blu-ray/Combo pack.  To learn more about the Spy Kids films, visit www.SpyKidsMovie.net.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Review: The Spy Next Door (DVD)

On May 18th, The Spy Next Door hit store shelves on both DVD and on a Blu-ray/DVD combo. Since we are huge Jackie Chan fans in our house, we were thrilled to be able to review this movie on DVD.

I watched this DVD with my 6yr old son, but not with his younger brother and sister, who cannot discern the difference between what is acting and what is real. As much as I enjoy Jackie Chan's movies, the martial arts portions of this movie was a huge concern to me when it came to how realistic it would appear to a child. Although the fight scenes would seem realistic to a child, it had a comedic style rather than a fight-to-the-death feel. Also, the villains of the film were not frightening at all.

Chan's character (Bob Ho) is the Clark Kent of spies. Adding George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus to the mix, pretty much guarantees a fun movie for kids. Although my son loved this movie, there was something that seemed to be created more for the adults. This was the montage in the beginning featuring Bob in recreations of famous scenes from past spy and action films. It was highly unlikely that a younger child would recognize any of the films represented.

Beyond all the cool fight scenes and Jackie Chan's physical feats, there was ultimately a lesson to be learned in the end, which was that true family does not have to be blood-related. This film offers opportunities for you to talk to your child about different types of non-traditional families. It would also be a great movie for children belonging to such families to watch.

Like me, one of my 6yr old's favorite parts of this DVD is the outtakes at the end, which is an expected feature for all Jackie Chan films. As for the film, he really laughed the hardest during the scenes where the children fight to defend themselves and their home against the bad guys. Although Bob is no James Bond, he did have some neat spy gadgets that very much impressed my son.

You can purchase The Spy Next Door on DVD, a Blu-ray/DVD combo, or digital download at the Lionsgate Shop, Amazon.com, and other major movie retailers.

Thank you to Lionsgate for sending us a sample DVD free of charge to base this review upon.