Mr. Popper's Penguins
Dir: Mark Waters
2011
*
After reading up on Richard Atwater's original story it is clear to see it would need updating for a modern retelling. However, any magic Atwater's 1939 novel had was urinated on, frozen and sold to kids as a new flavour of Popsicle. I like Penguins, you like Penguins, we like Penguins and so film producers like Penguins. Penguins equal money at the box office, so you could probably make a badly written film that was loosely based on a much loved kids story, stick the most irritating man in the lead role, make misjudged suggestions on ideology, marriage and the difficulties of parenthood (because Kids just love hearing about how hard it is to have kids, be a grown-up, get divorced etc), include poor quality CGI and a sickeningly sweet (not to mention pointless) sub-plot about a restaurant and you'll probably still make money. If you think that buying a child a Penguin to make up for missing their school performances because you selfishly have to work for a living is fun idea I think you need to recheck the definition of fun. If you think that you have to somehow make it up to your kids for missing their school performances/sporting events etc because you selfishly have to work for a living then you are a fool, this film is all yours!