NAKM: June 15, 2025

Check Out My Growth!

Usually, when a dad talks about growth, it's a weird brown thing on his shoulder that needs to be lanced. Instead, I'm referring to a lack of growth in my newsletter. It's due to my having to seek financial compensation through real work and not being able to spend time nurturing the newsletter’s growth.

For Not Another Kid Movie to keep growing, we need to keep sharing. If you enjoy the newsletter, please share it with others. Please don't force them. We only want people in this club who want to be in this club.

And, for the first time, I've opened the archives on my website – not more logging in to read previous editions. I'm looking into making the website more functional as well — which will take time.

So — whom should you share with?

If someone you know has kids, offer the link. If they like movies, offer the link. If they are newsletter fanatics, offer the link. If they are social media influencers who specialize in booze-soaked newsletters about suffering through Mac & Me, OFFER THE LINK!

And since we're talking growth, I'm offering recommendations this week that will force your kids to learn — but don't worry, these documentaries are all engaging and compelling. My Marketing For Dummies book says those two words are "super important" to see growth through content. Whatever that means.

Enjoy!

Brendan

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My Pint-Sized Review of Paddington in Peru

The 2014 film established Paddington’s sticky-sweet marmalade formula — but lacked a little flavor. The 2017 film found that missing ingredient by asking itself What Would Wes Anderson Do? The third film takes that recipe on the road.

Paddington in Peru — as the name suggests — takes us out of London. The beloved bear heads to the Amazon to search for his missing aunt. As the mystery unravels, he (and we) discover where he came from — and where he belongs.

The film keeps you engaged thanks to its little moments. The cut-away gags. The camera shot reveals. The foreshadowing payoffs. They all work, and if you blink, you’ll miss some of the fun.

Paddington in Peru builds to several big payoffs. The story takes you on a journey. Everyone gets a character arc — even Paddington’s lore. There are emotional themes about family and identity. The sweetness gets a little too sticky at times, but it works because the actors sell it.

The emotional anchor of the first two movies, Sally Hawkins, is not present. But Emily Mortimer admirably subs for her. Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman join the cast — and they don’t hold back. Colman is clearly having a blast, dancing and singing and being extra weird, which is fantastic. Banderas is maniacal but charming.

The anchor for these movies, however, is always Paddington. If Ben Wishaw’s voice doesn’t warm you, it doesn’t work. If the FX team can’t make Paddington’s eyes hold you, it doesn’t work. Instead, their collaboration makes you care for this little animated bear — and you cheer for him along his journey of self-discovery.

This review is a little late for the theater. So, while at home on a Saturday, pour yourself a pisco sour, sit back, and enjoy a story that’s tense yet positive, sticky-sweet yet still funny.

Theaters or streaming: On Netflix and in some theaters (we saw in theater)

Rating: PG (Me: 4+)

Director: Dougal Wilson

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman

Run time: 1h 46m

Post-credits scenes: Two — midway and after full credits.

Bathroom breaks: According to RunPee…

• 14:30 when the song and travel montage begins.

• 44:05 when Judy records in her travel-log.

Sequel? Studio Canal is working on a fourth film and a series.

If you liked Paddington in Peru, check out these films:

• Paddington (2014) (4+)

• Paddington 2 (2017) (5+)

• Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) (5+)

• The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002) (4+)

• Rio 2 (2014) (5+)

Fresh Cuts

The latest family films to hit all screens. Not all are winners. Watch at your own risk!

In Theaters 📽️

• (June 20) 28 Days Later 

• (June 20) Elio 

• (June 20) Jaws (1975 re-release) (8+)

• (June 27) F1 the Movie

• (June 27) M3EGAN 2.0

On Disc 📀

• (June 24) A Minecraft Movie (2025) (5+)

• (June 24) Snow White (2025) (5+)

• (June 24) Sneaks (2025) (5+)

News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)

• Superman: For the first time in forever, I’m interested in Superman as a story or character — and studio execs can’t keep their hands off. Then again, maybe they just want us build anticipation toward the eventual director’s cut.

• Gaming: Friend of the show Alex Garland (Ex-Machina, 28 Days Later) will direct a live-action version of the wildly popular video game Elden Ring for A24.

• Theaters: AMC Theatres will increase pre-movie ads, including one immediately preceding the feature you paid for. Good luck with that.

• Academy: Next year, new exhibitions at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles will feature Ponyo and Studio Laika films.

Papa Do Preach!

Let’s Get Rec’d!

Check my list before you wreck yourself next family film night.

Droppin’ Knowledge

There’s a reason ESPN covers the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It’s a compelling competition that gives you a peek at the kids trying to spell “clavecin” or “heleoplankton.” Those are words that send home two children in Spellbound, a documentary that follows eight children competing in the 1999 Spelling Bee. They’re real kids facing real pressure. Unlike the ESPN event, Spellbound takes you deep into their lives. We get a feel for their diverse backgrounds, family cultures, and social lives. They have one thing in common: D-R-I-V-E. These kids are persistent in their pursuit of the championship. A tip: Make sure closed captioning is off so you don’t spoil any big moments. Spellbound is now streaming on Prime and Kanopy.

Droppin’ Knowledge

After watching My Octopus Teacher, I will never <stomach gurgle> eat calamari again. Not after the co-star of the film suctioned her sticky tendrils to my heart. My Octopus Teacher is about a former professional photographer who is burned out by his career, and forms a relationship with an inquisitive octopus. The underwater video he captures over several months is breathtaking. Their first touch. The shark chases. The evasive intuition — which <stomach gurgle> indicates a higher level of intelligence in a creature whose destiny deserves more than to be <stomach gurgle> breaded and dunked in spicy marinara. Shut up stomach! Octopuses have short lives. We see a nearly full circle of life through this photographer’s capable lens. In the end, you see how his relationship with this mollusk helped teach him how to reconnect with people on land. You can stream My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. <gurgle>

Droppin’ Knowledge

Seventeen hundred kids go in. One kid comes out. No, it’s not The Hunger Games. It’s more exciting. Seriously. Kids showing off their science experiments is more exciting than flaming chariots, flaming Stanley Tucci, and flaming tribute fireball explosions. Why? Science Fair is the perfect mixture of underdog likability and escalating suspense. It also gives brilliant, young minds the same bright stage as those who hit balls with sticks. Like the Little League World Series, you feel the emotional rollercoaster these kids go through. The wins. The losses. The love of the game. You will have to rent Science Fair to see who wins, but it’s worth the $4 price tag.

For Your Eyes Only

What to watch after THEY go to bed.

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2009)

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia is like nature photographers tracking a family of Jerry Springer all-stars in their native environment. It’s rowdy, hilarious, and tragic. You cannot look away. The focal point is an Appalachian icon: The Dancing Outlaw. Jesco White is a folk dancer who has already been the subject of an Emmy-winning documentary and appeared on Roseanne as a dancing Elvis impersonator. White has battled substance abuse and run-ins with the law — but he’s hardly the family’s most troubled member. The film is a celebration of the modern outlaw. These hill folks live life fully (in their own way) because they’ve seen generations of their families worked to death in local coal mines. In the face of impending death, a little wonderful wildness is allowed, right? Pour a moonshine. Escape from your reality for a night. You’ll find The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia on Netflix.

The Paddington Pisco Sour

This citrusy cocktail adds a marmalade twist to the Peruvian classic.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz pisco

• 0.75 oz fresh lime juice

• 1tsp orange marmalade

• 1 tsp hot water

• 1 egg white

Garnish:

• Orange twist

Instructions:

1. Make: Mix orange marmalade with the hot water until smooth. Strain if chunky. Cool before using.

2. Combine: Add pisco, lime juice, marmalade syrup, and an egg white to a shaker with ice.

3. Shake: Work that shaker for about 10–15 seconds.

4. Pour: Strain into a chilled coupe or a rocks glass over ice.

5. Garnish: Add the orange twist.

Cheers!

The Man Behind the Mask

Thanks for reading and subscribing!

I am a former television news journalist who now writes about movies, parenting, and tech online (and occasionally on paper). My number one job, though, is making sure my girls grow up with steady heads on their shoulders. I think our shared movie nights have a positive impact on their self-esteem and develop an awareness of the world around them. I relish every night — except for maybe Baby Geniuses. I got through that one with my good friend George Dickel.

Brendan Knapp