The TV Addict 

KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL
After being unable to find time to watch this together with my niece for an installment of our “My Niece and I” column, I was slightly wary of having to watch KIT KITTREDGE on my own. I shouldn’t have been. Sure, the film is obviously aimed at a younger audience, but aided by a fantastic cast, it’s so full of charm, joy, love and hope (even a little Nancy Drew like mystery) that everyone should be able to enjoy it. What’s more, even if it seems innocuous, it actually tackles the era its set in – the Great Depression – head-on with surprising maturity and emotion. You’ll even find some eerie relevance in it regarding our current economic woes. Admittedly the movie distinctly wears its “family movie” message on its sleeve, yet it never lowers itself to patronizing finger-wagging. Instead it legitimately earns every conveyed moral with good, dramatic filmmaking. It’s clean, wholesome – even important – fun for not just a family, but anyone.
Overall rating: B+

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
From the original article: “It was not that the first one was that bad, it just never felt to me like it was fully realizing the potential of its concept. The story, and all its elements, didn’t feel entirely seamless. HELLBOY II doesn’t have that problem. Everything in it works and is firing on all cylinders, everything flows wonderfully, and you’re never left with a feeling of somehow having wanted more.”
Overall rating: A-