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- NAKM: Jan. 1, 2025
Dry January
Every January, I kick the hooch for several weeks. Sometimes, it's the entire month. I always make exceptions for my mid-month anniversary (I am not wasting a rare night out with soda), but I always make an effort.
The point is to rest and recover. Most of us dads turn the holidays into a boozefest, partially to survive, partially to dumb ourselves down so we soak in the nostalgia a little easier. We need a break. The Super Bowl is around the corner, followed by March Madness, Spring Break, backyard barbecues, boozy holidays, river floats, and beer festivals. Suddenly, it's the holidays again.
Dry January is a great way to reset your body (likely one of your resolutions). And it'll help you save money (another likely resolution).
In that spirit, my recommendations for this edition of Not Another Kid Movie include three movies that you don't need booze to suffer through. Though other mind-altering alternatives may be a fun way to experience them, especially the Secret Sauce pick you'll find below.
Brendan
Pint-Sized Review
Flow
There are no words for Flow. Literally no words. The movie conveys its meanings through emotive animals and shifting environments — not dialogue. If you let yourself go with the flow, you’ll be swept away on an exciting, surprising journey that explores the importance of friendships when experiencing and recovering from trauma. Don’t worry; you won’t drown in the messaging.
There are also no people in Flow. You’ll see the remnants of humankind following a somewhat biblical rise in water levels, but the Earthlings (people) behind the water rise are not there to slow down this journey.
At the heart of the story is a cat trying to survive. Food is scarce. Competition is fierce. Home is soon underwater. The cat teams up with some unlikely companions, which include a hoarding lemur and an inclusive-minded capybara. As the group grows, new personalities and new allegiances trigger a rise in tensions. In the end, each animal must figure out what’s important to them: Fighting to survive or working together to thrive.
What makes Flow flow is the animation. Everything moves. The water rises, slowly spreading across surfaces. Trees bristle in the wind. Animal fur, feathers, and fins all navigate the film world as they would the real world. And the animals act as you’d expect. The cat chases a reflected spot of light. Dogs run in packs. Fish swim in schools along shifting currents.
Flow is a timely choice for Dry January. You won’t have to suffer through it. Instead, sip on a CBD water and relax, letting the film’s thematic undertones wash over you.
And see Flow in the theater, if you can. It’s a beautiful film.
In theaters: Currently playing in only the coolest theaters. Digital rentals and purchases available January 7.
Rating: PG (Me: 4+)
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Starring: Fantastic animation and sound.
Run time: 1hr 24m
Post-credits scenes: This isn’t the Avengers.
Bathroom breaks: Anytime in the first half hour. You may miss a bit of the establishing wonder, but the big moments come in the second half.
Sequel? This isn’t the Avengers.
If you liked Flow, check out these films:
Away (2019) (8+)
The Red Turtle (2017) (8+) (scroll down for more)
A Cat in Paris (2012) (5+)
Song of the Sea (2014) (5+)
Fresh Cuts
The latest family films to hit all screens. Not all are winners. Watch at your own risk!
Streaming 🛜
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In Theaters 📽️
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On Disc 📀
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News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)
Industry: Animation Guild members ratify new contract, despite sizable dissent among the ranks. Aside from the usual benefits, the contract includes AI protections and staffing improvements.
Trailer: James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy launches the DC Universe reset. Will the Gunniverse be more family-friendly than the Snyderverse? Here’s a clue: The caped crusader has a canine companion.
Bluey: Coming in 2027. The creator will co-direct. I don’t need a trailer. I’m in.
Spidey: The third installment of the Spider-Verse trilogy will not be in theaters this year. In fact, the actors haven’t even seen a script yet. Not cool, Sony.
Ghostbusters: The director of Arthur Christmas will take on an animated Ghostbusters film. Sure, why not?
Papa Do Preach!
“Movement is life.”
Let’s Get Rec’d!
Check my list before you wreck yourself next family film night.
Keepin’ It Real
The Vast of Night (2020) (7+)
There are no aliens in this movie about a possible alien invasion. And that’s okay. The Vast of Night probes the minimalist style of filmmaking, though it still penetrates your senses. You feel the deft camerawork that creates tension and mood. You feel the setting, which oozes nostalgia. You’ll feel the actors performances as they execute a tight, smart, and fun script. The Vast of Night — a film with a miniscule budget — is an evening abduction you will want to submit to.
Kickin’ It Old School
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) (5+)
That sound. Where do I know that sound? Let me help you. It’s Star Wars. The cyclops in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad makes the same sound as the alarm in Star Wars. There’s a reason George Lucas paid tribute (unofficially) to this classic. It’s everything Star Wars wants to be: A hero goes on an epic fantasy quest to save a princess — but done with so much style and creativity, it becomes iconic. And the film features Ray Harryhausen’s incredible stop-motion creatures, which should be all you need to know.
Secret Sauce
The Red Turtle (2016) (8+)
Much like my Flow, this week’s review, The Red Turtle conveys its themes and emotions through character expression and actions. Unlike Flow, The Red Turtle features a person — and, as you can imagine, a red turtle. The man’s relationship with the turtle becomes fraught, leading to some violence and other odd behaviors that make this one for older kids only. Your child may pepper you with questions after your viewing. Take notes. This one’s a journey during your viewing and after.
For Your Eyes Only
What to watch after THEY go to bed.
Onibaba (1964)
Honor. Redemption. Sacrifice. The themes of medieval Japan in film are as starkly bright as its colorful tea houses, shining katanas, and glossy armor. Now pretend the camera pulls away from the beautiful cherry blossom-lined backdrops and thrusts you into a dark corner of the nation during a dark time. That is where Onibaba draws its themes from.
Deceit. Damnation. Survival. Onibaba pulls you into the muddy, dark reeds we don’t see in samurai films. Two women, a mother and wife, kill stray samurai to survive. When they find out the man they depend on has died, the widow seeks out a new man behind the back of her grieving mother-in-law.
Onibaba is muddy monochromatic grit that’s violent and erotic. The film’s exploitative content angered Japanese critics in the 1960s — always the truest sign a film is perfect to watch when the kids go to bed.
The Iron Mule
It’s Dry January. You don’t have to replace your booze with milk, juice, or echinacea tea. This non-alcoholic take on the Moscow Mule is potent enough to sprout a little hair on your chest.
Ingredients:
4 oz ginger beer (for spice and strength)
1 oz fresh lime juice (sharp and cleansing)
1 oz black tea (strong and grounding)
1/2 oz maple syrup (for depth and a touch of sweetness)
Ice
Lime wedge and a sprig of rosemary
Instructions:
Fill a copper mug (or a sturdy rocks glass) with ice.
Add the lime juice, black tea, and maple syrup. Stir well.
Top with ginger beer and stir gently to combine.
Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of rosemary, lightly bruised to release its piney musk.
Cheers!
The Man Behind the Mask
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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