Not Another Kid Movie

NAKM Expands With A Podcast & Videos!

I launched a podcast version of my newsletter, featuring a few new additions. If you enjoy a voice that sounds like a poorly programmed John Mulaney robot, you'll enjoy it.

I plan to release new episodes four times a month. Here's what’s in the works:

• My pint-sized reviews

• Themed recommendations

• Coming soon previews (theater and streaming)

• Family film news

• A new trailer reaction segment

• Potential: Chat with parents about family films

The cadence of this will likely shift as my life shifts. For now, I have a small window to give it my all.

You can find my podcasts on all major platforms (here’s Apple). Listen now to discover why I spent two decades in TV behind the camera and not in front.

I’m not that bad, really. I hope.

Another launch: YouTube videos. Here’s my channel, currently like my podcast, in its infancy stage.

The first video I rolled out is about one of my favorite film subgenres: Kids on bikes save the day.

Let me know what you think at [email protected]. Or if there’s a subgenre you want me to explore, let me know. I just started writing my next video: Oops, I Summoned a Monster.

Enjoy!

Brendan

My Pint-Sized Review of KPop Demon Hunters

K-pop is not my jam. K-pop with context might be.

Actually, any movie with catchy tunes that drive the story forward will catch my attention. But I was not expecting the biggest streaming movie of the summer — a K-pop musical about popstar monster hunters — to grab hold of me like it did.

I swear I haven’t been ignoring K-Pop Demon Hunters. I’d say it’s more of an evasion. Not a Gods of War-style dodge button mash. More of the eye contact-aversion you do when a person with a clipboard tries to talk with you outside Whole Foods. 

On reflection, though, it’s clear I’ve been neglecting my duties. I should have done this review months ago when K-Pop Demon Hunters first debuted on Netflix. I left you directionless on this one. Is it a minefield of terror? Is it a modern classic? Surprisingly, I’d say it’s closer to classic than minefield.

Maybe it’s the beautiful, frenetic, and playful animation that’s half anime and half Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Maybe it’s the earworm songs that burrow in and scratch the back of your brain like an old radio tune you haven’t heard in years. Maybe it’s the unexpected story depth about identity and the mental health impact of hiding your true self from those you love.

I found my head bobbing frequently. To the music. To the moments of personal breakthrough that resonated with me.

I found myself laughing. To the one-liners. To the absurd bits that often don’t belong in a movie with serious themes.

But they should. For people like me. That’s how I connect with movies.

As characters and stories arched compellingly across this vibrant world, another theme took shape. It’s about the power of artistry. Art can expel demons. It can save lives — because it can make people feel connected to something bigger than themselves.

I’m now a K-Pop Demon Hunters fan. I have no shame in that. It’s who I am. Will I suddenly buy a BTS album? Not likely. K-pop is too bubblegummy for me. 

But in this context, that bubble gum is the sweet sugar that helps the medicine go down. Medicine that tells me it’s okay to be who I am. I know most modern movies have a similar message, but in K-Pop Demon Hunters, it resonates. The theme struck a chord that, unlike the singing, was not autotuned. I felt the soulful pitch of the message.

And I’m sure my girls felt it. They’re now on multiple viewings. Every morning and every evening, they dance off to the album, now on constant repeat.

As I watched, I noticed one other interesting theme about identity and the perception of one’s place in culture. There were references to Korean folk traditions, whose character representatives offered a level of understanding those a generation away did not. It’s saying, no matter how your parents’ or grandparents’ generation connects with you, you are connected to centuries of culture and history before them.

That kind of social grounding is important for those who struggle with identity. Knowing you fit in alleviates some of the social anxiety of feeling like a black sheep or an impostor in the world around you.

Alright, this pint-sized review is now a liter-sized German boot of review. Bottom line is: Sip a THC water and let this explosion of expressionism wash over you. You’ll laugh. You’ll bob your head. You may even have an existential breakthrough.

Streaming On: Netflix

Rating: PG (Me: 6+)

Directors: Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang

Starring: Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-Young Yoo

Run time: 1h 39m

Post-credits scene: A quick behind the scenes of music recording after the animated credits.

Bathroom breaks: You’re at home. Pause it. Refill your drink.

Sequel? Netflix has its lips sealed. The Wrap, however, says two more films are in the works.

If you liked KPop Demon Hunters, check out these films:

• Belle (2022) (8+)

• Monster High: The Movie (2022) (7+)

• Trolls Band Together (2023) (5+)

• Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie (2021) (6+)

• Next Gen (2018) (7+)

• Yobi, the Five-Tailed Fox (2007) (4+)

Fresh Cuts

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

In Theaters 📽️

• (Aug. 15) East of Wall

• (Aug. 17) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 re-release) (5+)

• (Aug. 17) The Boy and the Beast (2015 re-release) (6+)

• (Aug. 29) Grand Prix of Europe (limited U.S. release)

• (Aug. 29) Jaws (1975 re-release) (9+)

On Disc 📀

• (Aug. 26) Lilo & Stitch (2025) (5+)

• (Aug. 26) The King of Kings (2025) (6+)

• (Aug. 26) Karate Kid: Legends (2025) (8+)

News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)

• Streaming: Hulu will shut down its app by 2026, with all of its shows, movies, and live TV folded into Disney+. You’ll still be able to subscribe to Hulu or Disney+ separately, but everything will be accessed through the Disney+ app. If you only care about movies, you won’t need a Hulu subscription. Expect fewer apps, more bundling — and unfortunately, more clutter in what was once a nearly perfect Disney+ interface.

• Sports: ESPN is acquiring the NFL Network, rights to NFL RedZone, and fantasy football from the NFL. In exchange, the NFL will receive a 10% stake in ESPN. RedZone will still be produced by the NFL, but ESPN will handle distribution. How it will impact you: You’ll get RedZone through your cable subscription, ESPN’s new app (launching Aug. 31), or NFL+.

• Industry: Warner Bros. Discovery will split into two companies next year. One for streaming and studios (HBO, Max, TCM), and another for cable networks (CNN, TNT, TBS). David Zaslav stays on as CEO of the streaming side. Nothing says stability like the guy who renamed HBO Max Max — then changed it back. For you, movie channels should look the same for now. Don’t be surprised if priorities shuffle again soon.

• Streaming: Roku just launched Howdy — a new ad‑free streaming service priced at just $3 a month. The streamer will features films from Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, FilmRise, and Roku Originals.

• Spider-Man: Daniel Kaluuya is expected to reprise his Spider-Punk role for a spin-off of the Into the Spider-Verse trilogy. Kaluuya will write the film about the anti-establishment Spider-Man from Earth-138.

• Beer: Judges tasted 284 beers from 22 states entered in the Best of the West National IPA Throwdown — which ranks West Coast IPAs. North Park Beer Co. earned the Grand Prize with its Hop-Fu! Medal winners came from seven states, mostly California (20) and Oregon (12).

Papa Do Preach!

Let’s Get Rec’d!

It’s nearly back to school. Time to polish up on some reading. I’m introducing you to three movies with subtitles are perfect for the dog days of summer.

Secret Summer Sauce with Subtitles

Change is hard. Losing a parent. Leaving the only city you’ve known. It can be a struggle to recover. But summertime has a magic that soothes and eases pain. Especially in the country. Especially spent with family. Summer 1993 is about a girl learning to process her mother’s death. Director Carla Simón's filmmaking style is simple and natural — it often feels improvised. The pacing moves like a slow summer day. And when it ends, you crave more.

Parents will feel a sense of nostalgia as Summer 1993 captures the raw, insecure, and joyful moments of childhood. Children will learn about grief, resilience, and how love can grow in unfamiliar places. It’s a gentle story with lasting warmth. You can rent this modern Spanish classic on Amazon or Apple TV+—or watch it free on Plex.

Secret Summer Sauce with Subtitles

River swimming. Shaved ice. Cicadas singing. Countryside bike rides. The, ahem, dismembering of a mythical creature. Summer Days with Coo is a double-bladed sword. It’s kind of an E.T. clone; about a strange creature filling the void of a missing parent. It’s full of childhood nostalgia as the two become friends. But it doesn’t pull any punches either. A violent death early in the film and some hardcore bullying mean this one is not for the youngest crowd. Which is fine — they’re not ready for subtitles anyway, right? Summer Days with Coo still charms with its summer vibes and delivers an uppercut message about how people treat the creatures around us. The Japanese film is now streaming for free on Kanopy and Hoopla.

Secret Summer Sauce with Subtitles

Summer vacation can feel like a side quest. Then something (or someone) unexpectedly reshuffles your life-quest priorities. That shift often comes from trying to outwit boredom, especially when you’re used to being alone. My Extraordinary Summer with Tess follows a boy who isolates himself out of fear of loneliness — until Tess pulls him out of that rut.

Beachy summer vibes radiate from this one: the beach, the dunes, the quiet coastal town. There’s not a lot going on in the town itself. And sometimes that’s exactly why kids experience so much growth during summer. They’re forced to get creative just to stay entertained. Or someone else like Tess, equally trapped in a seemingly endless summer, yanks them free from that boredom.

You might have to dig to find this Dutch-German coming-of-age dramedy. It’s streaming on the obscure app Darkroom. Hopefully, it sees wider U.S. distribution someday.

For Your Eyes Only

What to watch after THEY go to bed.

Midsommar (2019)

No subtitles here. I want your eyes wide open for this one. Midsommar lures you in with sun-drenched meadows and flower crowns, then leaves you squirming in daylight horror. It's a breakup movie wrapped in folk horror traditions, where grief, manipulation, and codependence hauntingly bloom under an unsettling, unsetting Scandinavian sun. Midsommar is disturbing, hypnotic, and meticulously crafted. It'll hit you with hardcore horror, then crawl under your skin, where it will sit for days after your viewing.

The Cocktail of Summer 2025

I don’t want you wrapping up this summer before you have the cocktail that defines it. The Naked & Famous was first crafted in 2011, but the rise in popularity of mezcal and Aperol mean this cocktail is having a moment. And why not? It’s light and fresh and fun just like Summer 2025 (if you don’t want the news).

The Naked & Famous

Ingredients:

• 3/4 ounce mezcal

• 3/4 ounce Aperol

• 3/4 ounce Yellow Chartreuse

• 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

Garnish:

• Lime twist

Instructions:

1. Combine: Add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

2. Chill: Shake for 15–20 seconds.

3. Double strain: Poor through a fine mesh strainer into a chilled cocktail glass. 

4. Garnish: Add a lime 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