A trip to the cinema is a fun and traditional Aussie school holidays activity. It’s the perfect solution for rainy days, or when the kids are bored at home.

But watching kids movies at the cinema can be a bit of a drag for parents sometimes. There’s nothing worse than having to sit through a boring children’s movie that only appeals to the little ones. Yawn!

With even kid’s movies now stretching well over an hour and a half, movie makers are beginning to realise that they need to entertain the parents as well as the kids, or loose their audience.

Here is my line up of school holiday movies to show you which ones are the best for both the kids AND you. And the ones you may like to avoid…

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

We all really enjoyed JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION. This is a world-class, highly entertaining movie that lives up to the hype – and then some!

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION is the conclusion of the Jurassic ‘World’ trilogy. Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum are all back in their iconic Jurassic Park roles, and what a wow moment it is when they are all in the same room with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard!

Definitely put this one at the top of your school holiday movie list (providing your kids are okay with scary themes!).

Best kid ages for this movie: Suitable for high school age-up/teenagers

Teenager movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Movie company: Universal Pictures Australia

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION is now showing in cinemas from June 9th, 2022

Disclaimer: We were invited to the Sydney Premiere of JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

Watch the Jurassic World: Dominion official trailer

Extras:

Watch our JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION blind reaction YouTube video

Want to see more? Watch our video of our pre-movie trailer release blind reaction on our Let’s Go Mum YouTube shorts here.

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

See our JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION Instagram post here

LIGHTYEAR

To infinity and beyond! 🚀 We just loved watching Disney & Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR – it was out of this world!

The fact that we all really loved this movie came as a bit of a surprise, as it’s no easy feat to live up to the beloved Toy Story movie franchise.

A prequel of sorts, LIGHTYEAR is presented as the movie from the original Toy Story movie, for which the toy Buzz Lightyear was produced as merchandise.

As far-fetched as it sounds, this movie works beautifully. LIGHTYEAR will grab you and not let go right until the very end. And don’t get me started about one of the most entertaining side-kicks ever to emerge from Disney – Sox the robot cat!

LIGHTYEAR has raised some controversy internationally, with bans in several Middle East and Asian countries (due to an LGBTQ inclusion – a same-sex kiss scene).

One things for sure – Disney Pixar movies are always a treat, and I think LIGHTYEAR is destined to be one of the greats. This is another school holidays movie winner!

Best kid ages for this movie: suitable for all ages.

Kid movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Movie company: Disney Australia & NZ Official Site

LIGHTYEAR is now showing in cinemas from June 16th, 2022

Disclaimer: We were invited to a Special Preview screening of Lightyear.

See our LIGHTYEAR Instagram post here

Watch the official Lightyear trailer

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU

This is the movie to choose if you want to have a good laugh with your kids.

We emerged from MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU still chuckling, all of us agreeing that it was SO much fun to watch. And really, who can resist laughing at the comical Minions?

One of the funniest movies we’ve seen in a long time, the Minions antics never disappoint in this childhood story of Gru’s rise to evil mastermind fame.

MINIONS: THE RISE IF GRU is a fantastic July school holidays movie choice for the whole family – go have a laugh with the kids!

Best kid ages for this movie: suitable for all ages.

Kid movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Movie company: Universal Pictures Australia

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU is now showing in cinemas from June 23rd, 2022

Disclaimer: We were invited to the Sydney Premiere screening of MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU

See our MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU Instagram post here

Watch the official Minions: The Rise of Gru trailer

HAUTE COUTURE

This French (English subtitled) film is perfect for fashion-minded teens and their mums, or mums (and dads of course!) looking for an indulgent afternoon or morning at the cinema after the kids go back to school.

A beautiful story, Haute Couture dives into the decadent dress making world of the fabulous Dior haute couture studio. The film’s story examines the complicated relationship between the health-failing Dior Head Seamstress Esther and her new apprentice – a young street-thief named Jade.

This film enchants the senses with it’s embellished fabrics, intricate needlework and fine attention to detail – in both dressmaking and otherwise!

Fashion yourself some time to see this elegant intrusion into the Parisian fashion houses secret world of fantastical couture creation.

Teenager movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification:

Best kid ages for this movie: Teenager to Adult

Movie company: Vendetta Films

HAUTE COUTURE is in cinemas from June 30th, 2022

Disclaimer: I was sent a private advance preview screening of this film

Watch the official Haute Couture trailer

PHANTOM OF THE OPEN

Coming in at the tail-end of the school holidays, this is a quiet little beauty of a film.

The huge Sydney Film Festival audience we watched it with in the gorgeous Sydney State Theatre were completely engaged in the unfolding of this surprising movie.

The tales that come out of UK are all the more fascinating when they are true, and the story of Maurice Flitcroft in Phantom of the Open is a ripper.

An incurable optimist and crafty trickster, Maurice’s drive (pardon the golf pun) and blatant antics to enter the British Open Golf Championship as a beginner golfer are both incredible and hilarious.

The Phantom Of The Open is a really fun film to watch, and well-worth the movie ticket.

Teenager movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Best kid ages for this movie: Teenager to Adult

Movie company: Universal Pictures Australia

The Phantom Of The Open is in cinemas from July 14th, 2022

Disclaimer: We were invited to see a special preview screening of Phantom of the Open

Watch the official Phantom Of The Open trailer

ELVIS

The new movie Elvis chronicles the life of the legendary rock and roll singer Elvis Presley.

Already an Elvis fan, I have to admit that this new Elvis movie didn’t quite hit the mark for me. That said this is still a good movie, albeit overly long at nearly three hours.

Elvis was directed by Australia’s Baz Luhrmann who brought us movies such as Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom and Australia.

His approach with Elvis is as grandiose and splinter-edited as ever. Huge, loud and over the top.

Pair this with the talented young Austin Butler playing a very believable Elvis, and Tom Hanks somehow transforming into Elvis’s greedy manager Colonel Tom Parker, and you have a cinematic spectacle to behold.

I would’ve liked the movie to have a bit more focus on Elvis’s private life and a bit less on the business side of things (and for it to be an hour shorter), but the music is wonderful (even featuring a guest track from Doja Cat) and Elvis will always be a fascinating individual to take a magnifying glass to.

For us this wasn’t our top pick of the holiday movies, but if you’re a fan or music enthusiast, it may well be a new favourite.

Teenager movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Best kid ages for this movie: Teenager to Adult

Movie company: Warner Bros

Elvis is now showing in cinemas from June 24th, 2022

We attended Elvis at our own expense

Watch the official Elvis Trailer

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

When Tom Cruise is in a movie you just know it’s going to be good. Huge budgets, special effects, big co-stars (in this case, Jennifer Garner) – it’s a no brainer, really. Top Gun: Maverick is no exception.

Tom is back as Maverick – still daring and skillful in the air, though perhaps a little rougher around the edges. Just as emotionally conflicted as ever – including in the romance department. Surprise appearances from original movie stars are a highlight, and of course who doesn’t love all the thrills of those super-expensive high-powered jets, and the daring young pilots (including a girl this time) flying them?

The producers of Maverick have cleverly found a way to cater to both the loyal Top Gun fans (many of us who have aged right along with Tom) whilst still hooking in the younger generations who may not have even seen the original.

This movie follows a similar theme and plot to the original, which still proves to be a satisfying storyline – right up to the fighter jet showdown conclusion. It’s here the plot departs into it’s own thrilling climax with a great twist leading to an exciting and surprising conclusion.

Whilst this second instalment, set decades after the first movie, still isn’t as good as the first Top Gun movie, this is still a really entertaining movie and definitely worth seeing. Vintage Cruise still pulls A-class star power!

 

Teenager movie rating:

Parent movie rating:

Australian Film Classification: 

Best kid ages for this movie: Teenager to Adult

Movie company: Paramount Pictures

Top Gun is now showing in cinemas from May 27th, 2022

We attended Top Gun: Maverick at our own expense

Watch the official Top Gun Trailer

 

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The post Family Movie Guide for Parents | July School Holidays 2022 appeared first on Let's go Mum.

School Holiday movies can be a bit of a mine field to choose from. All preschoolers, kids and teens have their special favourites of course, but sometimes we parents don’t know what to pick. Is my child going to like it? Am I going to be sat there bored for two hours? Are THEY going to be sat there bored for two hours? Because let’s be selfish here – there’s nothing worse than waiting for a looooong family movie to end!

We’ve taken a sneak peek via the Premieres and Special Preview screenings of the following movies, and found that there’s no fear of boredom!

I’ve used a star system to help guide you on child/teenager/parent enjoyment, plus suitable children’s ages for each movie.

This is my quick guide to the biggest April school holiday movies to see in 2022 – grab your kids, the popcorn, oversized soft drinks and let’s go!

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 movie

A cracker of a film, everyone’s going to love this fast-paced Sonic The Hedgehog romp. Jim Carrey as Eggman is exactly as you would expect him to be – he totally rocks the role – a joy to watch. Older kids and teens are going to love this movies twisting action roller coaster plot. There’s some new (well, new to the movies, not the Sonic games of course) characters – Tails and Knuckles – which make this movie even more fun. Don’t miss the cut scene at the end, which will rock Sonic fans world! The kids in the whole cinema at the Sydney Special Preview were engrossed during the entire film, so you guessed it – this movie is a HIT with the whole family!

Best kid ages for this movie: all ages, but primary and tween aged kids will love it best

Kid rating:

Parent rating:

Rated: PG

Movie company: Paramount Pictures Australia Sonic Australian tickets website

In cinemas: March 31st, 2022

Watch our Sonic 2 movie Sydney Special Preview event YouTube video

Want to see more? Watch our video of the Sydney Special Preview Screening event on YouTube!

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

See our Sonic 2 Instagram post here

The Bad Guys movie

This is another awesome new movie, and not just because the author, Australian Aaron Blabey was at the Sydney Premiere we attended in person to introduce the movie!
I think a lot of children have been waiting for this fantastic book series to come on the big screen, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Dreamworks animations are always epic, and this movie is no exception.
According to my kids, Dreamworks have translated the characters off the page and onto the big screen seamlessly.
This is definitely a school holidays movie must-see – but I’m pretty sure you won’t get any arguments from the kids on that score anyhow!

Best kid ages for this movie: all ages, but primary school and tween aged kids will love it best

Kid rating:

Parent rating:

Rated: PG

Movie company: Universal Pictures Australia

In cinemas: March 31st, 2022

Watch our The Bad Guys Sydney Premiere with author Aaron Blabey event YouTube video

Want to see more? Watch our video of the The Bad Guys Sydney Premiere Screening event on YouTube!

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here 

See our Bad Guys Instagram post here

Rabbit Academy movie

There’s nothing more fun than an Easter movie…well, at Easter! Rabbit Academy is a super-cute animated Easter tale to take the kids to see. Perfect for preschool and primary school aged kids (but my 14 year old really enjoyed it too!), this charming tale is colourful, non-threatening and engaging, which is just what you need for those extra-small movie-goers! Rabbit Academy should be your Easter movie first choice for all little Easter Bunny lovers!

Rated PG – best kid ages for this movie: preschool & primary school aged kids will love it best

Kid rating:

Parent rating:

Rated: PG

Movie company: Icon Film Australia & New Zealand

In cinemas: April 7, 2022

Watch our Rabbit Academy Sydney Preview Instagram Story video

Want to see more? Watch our video of the Sydney Special Preview Screening event on Instagram

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore movie

A fantastic movie, as expected! Return to the Magical spell that only JK Rowling can cast. The 11th film in the Wizarding World franchise and the third installment of the Fantastic Beasts movies, this movie will have all Harry Potter fans (and anyone left) spellbound. That first moment you catch site of Hogwarts sent a genuine excited thrill up my spine. But a gentle warning that due to an early shocking but essential plot moment in the film, I wouldn’t take young or school aged children to see it (hence my child 4 star rating). The film is rated PG 13.
This is a brilliant film, definitely a must see for both adults and teenagers – including, of course, all Potter Heads!

Kid rating: 

Parent rating: 

Rated: PG 13

Best kid ages for this movie: Teenager to Adult

Movie company: Universal Pictures on behalf of Warner Bros. – Warner Bros. Pictures Fantastic Beasts 3 tickets

In cinemas: April 7, 2022

Watch our Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Sydney Premiere event video

Want to see more? Watch our video of the Sydney Premiere event on YouTube here

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here 

Need some more April NSW school holiday ideas? Check out our Sydney School Holiday ideas feature here

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The post April School Holiday Movie Guide for parents | Movie reviews 2022 appeared first on Let's go Mum.