NAKM: August 1, 2025

Cutting America’s Cord

The United States Congress approved a $1.1 billion funding cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a significant source of funding for PBS and NPR.

The cuts should hit PBS Kids especially hard. Programs like Sesame Street, Wild Kratts, and Word Girl teach our kids reading, spelling, math, science, engineering, and history — and, most importantly, offer lessons about social skills and developing self-confidence. You won’t find those lessons on Cocomelon or Unicorn Academy, which are designed to generate views rather than teach.

You can access PBS Kids programming for free — no subscription, no internet — just an antenna. But without federal funding, many stations won’t be able to keep broadcasting, which cuts off access for low-income households.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2021 that approximately 12% of U.S. children (ages 3-18) lived in homes without internet access. More families acquired internet access thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program, but that ended last year when Congress chose not to fund it further.

The cuts also eliminate the Ready-to-Learn grant, which utilizes federal funds to produce research-backed shows that help close learning gaps for low-income children. Because more than 70% of CPB’s budget goes directly to local stations (primarily rural and tribal ones), many small markets may lose service altogether.

What replaces PBS Kids for families without internet? Garbage like Skibidi Toilet, toy unboxing shows, and other brainless content designed to keep your kid watching — not thinking.

PBS costs taxpayers about $1.65 per person each year. Why the hate toward low-cost programming that’s enriched our nation for more than half a century?

Possibly as payback for unbiased reporting from PBS News that certain people in power don’t appreciate. Or perhaps to make it harder for low-income Americans to escape poverty. People are much more manageable when they’re not critical thinkers. Or maybe it’s just to squeeze every dime from our nation’s poorest people to line the pockets of billionaires.

Regardless of the why, you can fight back. Find your local PBS Station and donate $60 a year. Not only will you give a big middle finger to those behind the cuts — you’ll also get access to PBS Passport, which grants you access to PBS Kids shows, PBS News programming, all new PBS shows (some before they air), and a deep archive of classics, including Ken Burns’ documentaries.

Most PBS stations are unlikely to go anywhere. However — new, engaging programming that teaches your child to be a compassionate and critical thinker will disappear.

You’ll wish you had fought back in a decade when you see your child humming “Wheels on the Bus” with dozens of other Cocomelon-raised kids all toiling away in the local regent’s personal rutabaga field.

Brendan

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My Pint-Sized Review of Elio

Pixar films used to wow me. The heartbreak of the first-flirtation-to-funeral montage from Up. The pinpoint relatability of Mr. Incredible not fitting into an office setting in The Incredibles. The shattering glass of understanding in your head when you figure out that sadness is as important as joy in Inside Out.

Elio features almost none of that. Don't get me wrong. It's not a bad movie. It's just not presented with the pedigree of Pixar. One problem could be Disney. Studio insiders told the Hollywood Reporter that Disney execs couldn't keep their hands away from Elio, tearing away the elements that made it personal because they wanted a more masculine character.

The changes led to a new director taking over, which obviously adds to the issues. Adrian Molina (writer and co-director of the amazing Coco) came up with the story because of the isolation he felt as a child. When a filmmaker has a singular vision — and it's personal — they imbue a sense of themselves into the story, characters, and settings. That kind of fearless ownership creates vibrant cinematic experiences.

Instead, Disney comes crashing in, wrestles away control, and knocks off Elio's parents to emulate the kind of empathy that happens when people give themselves over to their art.

Look, the space world is vibrant. There are beautiful elements. It just feels shallow. Pixar's stories are always grounded in the kind of relationship insight we can all relate to: family, friends, our emotions, our neighbors, and (for us famous folks) our audiences.

If you strip away the living toys, lovable robots, colorful emotions, and superpowers, you still have fantastic stories built on a foundation of empathy. Elio tries to do that by killing the parents and creating tension with an aunt. It works. An alien friend's tenuous relationship with his militaristic father also works.

And that's where we're at with Pixar these days. The movies — they work. They're fine. But they don't hit you like classic Pixar. Disney's influence is evident. You see a movie that you struggle to connect with. But you can see how it's cross-promoted to build content across theme parks, cruise lines, and streaming services.

With Disney, a grander vision is at play. It's not about storytelling. It's not about using this artistic format to expose yourself as a filmmaker, which is how you connect with other people. It's about a massive company that sees Pixar as an asset to appease stockholders more than filmgoers.

Don't let me sway you from watching Elio. The formula works. It's clean-cut. It's funny enough. The energy and music are good enough to pull you along to an emotional ending.

You don't need gallons of whiskey to suffer through this solid but not great movie. If you do blackout, don't worry — you weren't going to remember it anyway.

Elio doesn't stick with you. Not like your favorite Pixar films.

In theaters: Now on fewer screens

Rating: PG (Me: 6+)

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly

Run time: 1h 39m

Post-credits scenes: There’s a charming extra scene that follows the first section of credits. After all credits roll, there’s a tease for Pixar’s next project Hopper.

Bathroom breaks: According to Run Pee…

• 33:00 when Aunt Olga says, “I love this song.”

• 48:00 when the liquid supercomputer says, “I’m customizing your membership badge right now.”

• 1:08:50 when Elio and aunt both yell at the clone, “Wait!”

Sequel? Probably not

If you liked Elio, check out these films:

• Mars Needs Moms (2011) (5+)

• Astro Boy (2009) (5+)

• Explorers (1985) (6+)

• Flight of the Navigator (1986) (6+)

• Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) (6+)

Fresh Cuts

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

In Theaters 📽️

• (Aug. 1) The Naked Gun

• (Aug. 1) The Bad Guys 2

• (Aug. 1) Brazil (1985 re-release) (10+)

• (Aug. 6) Sketch 

• (Aug. 8) Freakier Friday

• (Aug. 14) Shin Godzilla (2016 re-release) (10+)

On Disc 📀

• (Aug. 5) Friendship (2024) (10+)

• (Aug. 12) How to Train Your Dragon (2025) (6+)

News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)

• Digital: This is why I preach buying physical copies. Microsoft announces it will stop selling digital movies and TV. The only way to watch ones you’ve already purchased is to use Microsoft’s Movies & TV app. If that goes away — so do your purchases.

• Streaming: Peacock will raise its subscription prices by $3 a month. The service invests heavily in family films, so I’ll keep my subscription going until that changes.

• Disney: The Lilo & Stitch live-action movie topped the billion-dollar milestone. If Disney is looking for more properties to live-o-mate, try the forgotten fantasy classics Sword in the Stone and The Black Cauldron.

• MCU: The X-Men are getting a reboot. Expect the black and yellow spandex-clad team of mutants to get a fresh look during Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase 6 began last week with The Fantastic Four: First Steps — who prefer a less edgy light blue spandex look.

• Pee-wee: Paging Mr. Herman! The iconic red bicycle from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure will soon be on display at the Alamo. Starting in 2027, it’ll have a permanent display — probably not in the <moves finger from top of crystal ball to the bottom> basement.

• Beer: Miller Lite turns 50 this summer. To celebrate, Molson Coors Beverage Company will give away 50,000 cans during the August 1 celebration. Several hundred bars across the country are participating. There will be a NYE-style can drop to count down to the moment.

• Whiskey: Buffalo Trace will convert stillage waste into alternative proteins. The distiller makes so much bourbon the resulting residue has become a burden. the company is building a $40 million facility that can transform it into fish feed or organic fertilizer that can easily be distributed to nearby farms. Why tell you this? Because it’s cool.

Papa Do Preach!

Let’s Get Rec’d!

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

Surprise — It’s Not Terrible!

We all possess the power to make our own lives magical. How do we do it? By using our individual — sometimes meager — bits of skill and knowledge to empower others. That’s the heart of A Little Princess. It’s about a girl who uses her high station in life to benefit herself and her friends. And when she loses that station, we see her true power. The girl’s innate, infectious drive makes magic in the story and on screen. The wonderful acting of Liesel Matthews is front and center — and she holds your attention. Director Alfonso Cuarón and his crew surround her with enchanting sets and creatively conjured costumes. Yes, that’s the Academy Award-nominated Cuarón before his Roma and Y Tu Mamá También days. But you see the pedigree here. No surprise this film earned two Academy nominations and, more impressively, made my Top 95 Best Family Films list at /Film (now bastardized with the addition of five unworthy new entries).

Kickin’ It Old School

There’s nothing complex here — except maybe the photography. The Incredible Shrinking Man is based on one of my favorite books, written by Richard Matheson. The story is simple. A man begins to shrink. The everyday world around him becomes terrifying. His transformation is shown through oversized sets and forced perspective shots. The Incredible Shrinking Man is a fantastic Saturday afternoon popcorn-munching, couch-cuddling matinee with the kiddos. Rent this one — or buy the Criterion Disc, now half off.

Secret Sauce

Simple designs often tell the best stories. They have to if they want to keep your attention. In Boy and the World, the character designs are simple but they’re extremely effective in making you care. The story is about a child who runs away — is actually almost swept away — after his father is forced to leave home. It’s a coming-of-age journey that brings us full circle back to his home and his roots. There’s almost no dialogue but you won’t miss it thanks to the incredible art design that utilizes crayons, colored pencils, paint, and collage. Watch and you’ll understand why this Brazilian-made film earned an Academy Award nomination. Now streaming for free with no commercials on Kanopy.

For Your Eyes Only

What to watch after THEY go to bed.

Rope (1948)

Rope is a Hitchcock classic that’s not as famous as Rear Window or Vertigo but grabs you just the same. It’s about a murderous duo hiding a dead body in a chest used for a buffet during a dinner party. James Stewart plays their professor, who starts to suspect something is amiss. The film is edited to look like a handful of continuous shots — to show events unfolding in real time. Rope is immediately menacing but has funny and light moments that are squeezed out as the tension tightens. Everything unravels under a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline (beautifully hand-painted in a studio). Worth your $4 streaming rental charge.

The Panoramic Manhattan

Keep those lips sealed by taking in the dramatic flair of a classic cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon (something balanced and smooth, like Bulleit or Four Roses)

• 1 oz sweet vermouth (Martini & Rossi or Dolin work great)

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Garnish:

• Maraschino cherry

Instructions:

1. Pour: Add bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.

2. Blend: Steadily stir until chilled.

3. Strain: Pour through a strainer into a coupe or rocks glass.

4. Garnish: Drop in a maraschino cherry.

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