Peace, Love and Misunderstanding: Mothers and daughters always entertain

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:21

As we enter the summer movie season — and big action films and comedies begin to fill theaters — the Reel Dad looks for a more nutritional movie choice. This week’s pick is a new film starring Jane Fonda, Peace, Love and Misunderstanding, showing in theaters and on IFC On Demand on cable.

Your Sister’s Sister: Siblings can be funny

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 21 June 2012 10:24

As we enter the summer movie season — and big action films and comedies begin to fill theaters — the Reel Dad looks for a more nutritional movie choice. This week’s pick is a new comedy starring Emily Blunt, Your Sister’s Sister.

Carnage: Thought-provoking drama for parents

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 31 May 2012 15:18

As we enter the summer movie season — and big action films and comedies flood theaters — the Reel Dad looks for more nutritional movie choices now available on DVD. This week’s pick is a recent film by director Roman Polanski, Carnage.

What’s new on DVD? Take a look

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 24 May 2012 14:42

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help families choose what to watch. This week our family movie critic takes a look at some recent releases on DVD that you may have missed in the theaters.

Elles: Binoche soars in a compelling character study

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 17 May 2012 11:34

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help you choose what to see. This week’s pick is a new film from France, Elles.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Lovely evening with friends

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Friday, 11 May 2012 11:04

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help families choose what to watch. This week's pick is a new film by the director of Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Like a most enjoyable evening with old friends, the new film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel greets us with familiar faces, comforts us with predictable conversation and moves us with a sincerity of spirit. While, at moments, we may feel we have experienced this before, we are touched by the sincerity and humanity of the piece no matter how easily we may guess what happens next.

Tribeca Festival films to look out for

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 03 May 2012 11:10

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help families choose what to watch. This week, our critic looks at highlights of the recent Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan where independent filmmakers revealed new movies for 2012. Take a look.

Of the many delights served on the movie menu at the Tribeca Film Festival are seven films that deserve to be seen by a wide audience. Look out for these movies.

Visiting the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival: Booker's Place

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 26 April 2012 11:17

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help parents choose what to watch. This week, as our critic attends the Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan through April 29, he focuses on a powerful new documentary, Booker’s Place: A Mississippi Story.

The Reel Dad Checks Out New DVD Releases

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 19 April 2012 23:00

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie new or classic to help families choose what to watch. This week our family movie critic takes a look at some recent releases on DVD that you may have missed in the theaters.

The economics of the movie business motivate studios to release films on DVD within months, perhaps weeks, of theatrical release. While popular films may delay home viewing, others that yield disappointing box-office results search for wider audiences on DVD. Check out these new offerings.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home: Quirky and endearing

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 05 April 2012 09:55

Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help families choose what to watch. This week’s pick is a new comedy, Jeff, Who Lives at Home.

No two people discover who they are at the same pace. For some, life may come together easily; for others, struggle seems to follow struggle; most of the rest of us fall somewhere in between. We are all works in progress. And we progress at different speeds.

The new comedy Jeff, Who Lives at Home invites us into the lives of three people who desperately want to adjust their rhythms of life. One is trapped in a drab cubicle in a routine job with little hope for a better tomorrow. Another is imprisoned in a crumbling marriage burdened by excessive spending and disappointments while the third seeks refuge in a basement filled with television, remnants of the past and easy-to-obtain illegal substances. The movie shares how they each try to get it together; the humor emerges because they are members of the same family.