This story that Sœur Summer Spendlove shared showed ways she heard the voice of the Lord, how she responded, and then the outcome she experienced from heeding the promptings she received.  We don’t always see the outcomes of following the Spirit, but it’s wonderful when we do. I’m so grateful that Sœur Summer Spendlove recognized how she was an instrument in the hand of God as she followed His divine promptings.

Sœur Summer Spendlove and Her Miracle on a Friday

Friday: THIS DAY A MIRACLE HAPPENED!!!! Friday is the day Sœur Simpson and I had our first French lesson. We were both so nervous, excited, and really just wanted to express God’s love for the woman we were teaching.

Before entering the Zoom call, I had said a prayer to really be able to do this and follow the Spirit. Soon after, I got a prompting to open “La Paix en Christ” which is the French version of one of my favorite songs “Peace in Christ.” I didn’t know why it popped into my head, but I followed the prompting anyway.

Then, I was about to open Google Translate to help me during the lesson and I heard a distinct voice in my head asking me, “Don’t you trust Me?”  You guys, I sat up so straight, closed the Google Translate tab, and said, “Uhh, yes, of course.”

The lesson then started and I was sooooo nervous. Cepandant, Dorothée was immediately welcoming and we started some small talk. Then, we started our lesson and began to teach about la foi (faith) in Jesus Christ. She expressed that she has faith and loves God and Jesus Christ.

We were so happy and continued our lesson by reading Moroni 7:32-33. This scripture talks about how we can do anything with faith, so we asked Dorothée what she has done with faith. She replied, “Bonne question,” and sat in silence for a few moments pondering the question.

What Have You Done With Faith?

She began to cry and I immediately felt the Spirit hit me like a bus. In that moment, I felt so much love for this daughter of God and I wanted to do everything I could to express that love for her.

She told us about a difficulty in her life when her mom, still living in France and her moving to the US, got cancer. The story she shared was vulnerable and so powerful. I felt tears starting to come to my eyes as I expressed to her that Heavenly Father loves her and her family and I am grateful for her faith. We started talking more about faith and the power of prayer, and Dorothée explained that she feels like she has been missing the presence of God in her life, but that prayer is kind of difficult for her.

As I was pondering what to say, “La Paix en Christ” popped back into my head and I knew that was the moment that Heavenly Father had planned it for. Discussing this later, Sœur Simpson and I realized the song was able to express our testimonies better than we could in that moment due to our limited French. The song ended and Dorothée thanked us for sharing because it helped her.

Sœur SImpson and I both bore our testimonies and then invited her to say a sincere prayer and ask God for peace and comfort in her life. She agreed and we are so excited to follow up with her. It is very clear that the Lord loves her.

Throughout the lesson, I was able to put words together quicker than normal and I was even given words to say during the song that I wrote and used when the song was over. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways and that entire lesson felt like a miracle to me.

After the lesson, Sœur SImpson and I felt exhausted because we had put ALL of our energy into the lesson and the adrenaline pumping did not help either, haha. We were SO excited with how the lesson went and we were so excited to see the Lord’s hand work through us. The reason that lesson went well was because the Spirit taught and that’s really all we can ask for. I am NEVER getting over how awesome that lesson was and I am so excited to teach again next week.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

As I shared my frustrations, the women I shared with had a lot of suggestions for how things were working for their families. Each one of them was good, but not quite what would work for my son. That night I told the Lord my struggle, and He whispered a few ideas to me that I love. I have since done some thinking and learned a few great things. I want to share them with you in case you are struggling too.

1. You won’t be able to teach your autistic child the same way you teach other children.

I’m sure this is not news logically. But it sure was news emotionally to me. I only have one child. So for me, teaching my son is just the norm. However, I have been trying to teach him the way I would learn, and that is not working for us — so I am grateful the Lord spelled it out for me. This is the first tip I’m sharing because getting my head into the right space has made a huge difference.

2. Use the concepts in the lesson instead of the lesson itself to teach your child.

When my son was young, we had lessons on topics instead of following the lesson plans in the Family Home Evening book. He really seemed to absorb the concepts. The new style uses a lot of scriptures to illustrate and expand on ideas. That works for me and other adults, and it may work for some kids.

However, each time we pull out a book or let go of eye contact, we lose my son’s attention — so my new way will be to read and understand the lesson beforehand. Keeping the books put away allows for better eye contact and interaction. I enjoy hearing my son’s input into the conversation.

3. Use hands-on items to teach.

A few weeks ago in the Primary version of Come Follow Me, they talked about baptism. They suggested using water to show how it removes dirt from something. It was a hands-on illustration of how baptism washes away our sins from our souls.

It reminded me how much I love hands-on lessons. It makes the concepts so easy to absorb, and what could be a boring “forced sit down” can be so fun that you lose track of time. I remember once teaching a lesson about family while making cookies. I don’t think my son ever thought we were doing more than cooking that day.

4. Keep things moving. Pausing loses attention.

Like a lot of kids on the spectrum, my son also has ADD and gets distracted easily, so we make it a point to keep things going. We try not to have long pauses while one of us finds our footing. I find that if I am really prepared for the lesson, I can actually pull the whole thing into a conversation.

I can also follow where my son’s interest goes and still make the lesson’s points even if it is slightly different than I had originally intended. It also helps me pull the conversation back to the lesson when it goes off topic, which it will.

5. Remember to keep it informal.

When I was growing up, my parents had formal family home evenings. We would gather and sit in a row on the couch, and we had a regimented FHE. Every week. My parents were wonderful at doing it every week, even when it was a disaster. For my own family, a formal FHE doesn’t work.

We make sure to have the same basic structure every week, but I have found that we can’t have as many steps as my parents needed to include everyone. We use only three steps for our FHE right now. That may change, but doing a lesson, activity, and dessert seems to get it all in. As we spend more time on activities to teach a concept, or adapt to our son’s attention needs, I can feel that we are doing the right thing.

6. Have a family goal setting meeting.

It was so fun when we made some goals as a family. We sat down in a room without distractions and came up with three things we could work on. We chose these:

• Attending church weekly. (My son really struggles with large groups, so this is a difficult one for him.)
• Weekly FHE. (This one is hard for me, because so much of it falls on my shoulders and we are already a busy family.)
• Weekly scripture study. (My goal is to increase that over time, but we need to start somewhere.)

I took time to print our goals out into a cool sign, and then laminated it. It’s fun to check each one off each week once we accomplish them.

7. Let them teach a lesson/group FHE.

My friends suggested that we try a couple things. They thought that having my son teach the lesson could be beneficial. I agree. But not till he is older. Right now he would probably try to connect the Holy Ghost to Fortnight and I don’t think that is quite the point.

Another friend suggested a group FHE, or having FHE at her house. She is a sweet older woman, and has grandchildren and great grandchildren. I can see that being a lot of fun — but I worry that my son won’t really listen. We will probably try that idea out sometime soon, and I can let you know how it goes. I think for some children, this would make a big difference.

8. Focus on Christ.

I’m sure this tip is no surprise; however, there was a long time where I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to teach my son about the Savior. But each time we talk about Jesus, he lights up! It’s so easy to connect concepts to our lives when I remember how much God loves us and wants us to be happy.

This afternoon I overheard my son talking to a friend as he played computer games. His friend was struggling with something, and my son was telling him how he should pray for help for things that matter to him. It warmed my heart. I knew then that my efforts have not been wasted — and hopefully his friend will also grow closer to God as he prays for the desires of his heart.

9. Prayerfully search for teaching moments.

To read more of Abby’s articles, click here.

That leads me to my last point: prayer. We are not the only ones who love our families beyond reason. God does too. You are a team, and together you will accomplish great things. As we keep our families in our prayers and share our struggles, God will help us. He wants His children back, and He will help us adapt these lessons for our families.

I have prayed for teaching moments, and He has provided them. My son surprises me on a regular basis with his depth of understanding about eternity. Sometimes I think he gets it more than others because he has to work so much harder than other kids to master some things. Prayer is never a mistake — and as we learn to hear God’s voice better, we will recognize more teaching moments. I love knowing that I am not the only one working for my family’s success.

Abby Christianson

Abby is capable and caring. She is learning more about Autism and parenthood every day. Having completed training to be an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for ABA therapy she is beginning to understand her son. And even though she is the first to admit she makes a lot of mistakes, she is so grateful to be on this journey. She comes from a family with many autistic members. She invites us to join her, as she shares her adventures. She wishes to emphasize that Autism is a difference not a defect. If you or a family member have autism, Abby wants you to know that the challenges can be overcome, and there are blessings in autism. You or your loved one are not sick or broken. Together we will teach the world this new language.

Even though these types of things were missing from my home, there were some other very important things that were present. I think it’s a system of checks and balances. My parents were very good at teaching me the power of service and showing me an example of 110% effort in church callings. But my favorite gospel lesson came from my father.

My father was a very busy man. He traveled a lot, both for his work and for his church service. He got tired and he got grumpy. But what I remember most are those special occasions when he would call us around him: sometimes at the kitchen table, sometimes in the living room, sometimes all piled on my parents’ bed. Then my father would smile and say, “Let me tell you what I learned about the gospel today.”

Sometimes it was something deep and profound. Sometimes it was a simple observance. I can’t distinctly remember many of the subjects he sat us down to talk about, but what I do remember is this: his face.

When he would bring us to him to hear about the gospel, his face would shine with happiness. Have you ever been around someone who is talking about a hobby or passion that they love? Did you notice how everything about them began to change as they talked and got excited about what the subject means to them? That was my father. I’d see him more at peace, more content, and more joyful in those moments than any others.

Of all the Family Home Evening lessons I could have had, or any other gospel centered activity, his face was the message I carried with me into my adult years. My father taught me that the gospel of Jesus Christ is about joy.

Because of the look on his face, the change in his whole demeanor, I learned what is possibly the greatest principle: the gospel brings happiness. Even if everything else in my life is in turmoil, if I’m focusing on the gospel, I have a source of peace and joy.

So yes, I may struggle in my own family to consistently have Family Home Evening, but I hope they’ll overlook that and leave my home with the same knowledge I gained in my youth.

Service is important.
Give your all to the Lord.
The gospel brings joy.

I hope that as I try every day to be an active disciple of Jesus Christ, my children can see that same look of happiness and peace on my face.

Alison P

For some it is a somewhat formal experience.  For others- especially those with young children– it is more casual and quick. The important thing is to get together consistently, and share some time together.

The church has suggested that each family set aside Monday night as a dedicated night to spend time together with each other.  They have even has asked Wards (congregations) to keep Mondays open for FHE.  In our family, my husband travels a lot.  So we fit FHE in around his schedule. But it’s wonderful knowing there will always be one night a week that we will all get to be home together.

If you’re interested in having Family Home Evening in your house– no matter what your religious affiliation– here is an outline you could follow as you seek to enjoy this time with your loved ones.  In our family we take turns doing each item, so that each member of the family feels included.

1. Opening Song

Oftentimes families will begin their FHE with a hymn, or a Primary song. Hymns are potent tools to bring the spirit of the Lord into the home. In fact, the more you sing hymns with each other, the more the spirit seems to abide within the home. Thus, it’s a great idea to start every FHE with a hymn.

If you’re not that familiar with the hymns (a common situation for many who do not play a musical instrument), you can visit this site: http://www.lds.org/music?lang=eng. This site is great, because not only does it give you the lyrics to the hymns but you can also hear the hymns played and even sung!

2. Opening Prayer

After beginning with a hymn, ask for a volunteer to offer a prayer to invite the Lord’s spirit. The Lord will bless you and help you as you do so.

3. Lesson

After the Opening Prayer, now comes the time for a brief lesson. There are many options for this part of FHE; all up to you. Some families assign the lesson (in fact, each of the FHE components) to different family members each week. Others have just the parents teach the lessons, depending on the age of the children.

Some weeks families schedule a service project as the lesson itself. Whatever your approach, remember that the purpose of FHE is for the family to enjoy time together. Make sure to leave any criticizing or frustrations outside of the FHE time together. In this crazy world, children are exposed to brashness and unkindness most places they go. The home needs to be an oasis.

4. Activity

This is a chance for you to get to know your family a little better.  We take turns choosing activities that the kids enjoy. And we make sure that each member can participate.  So when we choose board games we gear them toward the youngest member of the family.  I remember even having an activity that was shooting hoops with my brothers when I was a teenager.  Great memories are made from FHE activities.

5. Closing Prayer

Make sure to ask before praying if family members have any concerns they’d like addressed in the prayer. And make sure that each week a different family member has the offer extended to them to pray. Most importantly, though, do not force any member to participate. Just invite. This is the pattern the Lord follows and we want to follow in that pattern!

6. Refreshments

This can be one of the best parts of FHE. The lesson will strengthen each member in spiritual ways; chatting and “chowing” after FHE can bond family members together even further. Nothing is better than creating crazy banana-boat ice-cream splits or snazzily-iced cookie contests.

Families are meant to be enjoyed. It seems so much in this world seeks to destroy that enjoyment. Family Home Evenings, held every Monday night, can do much to patch and repair the damage that comes to most every family at some point along the way. Best of all, if approached properly, FHE is fun!

Cindy B

As we have watched and discussed all 14 films (including Galaxy Quest) there have been highs (Wrath of Khan) and lows (Final Frontier) but always an attempt to try something new and challenge viewers. Star Trek is honestly not like Star Wars at all. Star Wars is about an individual journey to face evil where Star Trek is about a crew exploring the world and facing obstacles as they do.

The most family friendly Star Trek film is the 4th entry called Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. And even though I’m not as in love with it as many fans seem to be I enjoyed it and I think it is a good way to introduce your family to everything that Star Trek has to offer.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a clever premise without a real villain like Wrath of Khan has. A probe has landed around the Earth and it will destroy all around it if its signal is not responded to quickly. The problem is the signal is from a humpback whale, which have gone extinct in that day and age.

The crew uses a slingshot maneuver around the sun to make them go back in time to 1986 where they work to find whales to take back with them. They meet Dr Gillian Taylor played by Catherine Hicks who presides over the whales at a marine wildlife sanctuary in San Francisco. She and Captain Kirk go on a date and the rest of the crew work on finding plastic manufacturers to make an aquarium for the whales.

Honestly I was shocked when I saw this movie at how broad the humor was. It was so different than the serious tone of Wrath of Khan and Search for Spock. A scene at a hospital is particularly nutty and feels like something out of a Marx Brothers routine but it is enjoyable and I think kids will get a kick out of it.

There are also the fish out of water antics that the crew has trying to adjust to 1980s technology and morals. In one of the most famous scenes a punk rocker won’t quiet his music on the train so Spock neck grabs him and knocks him out. Everyone on the train claps. It is these kinds of scenes that should warm up even the most anti-Star Trek viewer.

It is very silly but you get nice moments with the entire cast like when Scotty worries about Chekov getting the medical treatment he needs or when Sulu, McCoy and Scotty all try to win over the plastic factory owner with their slick ways.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

If there is a weakness the romance is kind of lame and it feels very lightweight for Star Trek but it is also a nice breath of fresh air for a series that can take itself very seriously. I think the average family will have a lot of fun watching it together.

I don’t think that every family needs to watch all 14 Star Trek films like I have done but given the 50th Birthday I would recommend watching some of the good ones. There are about 9 that I think are worth watching including Star Trek VI: The Voyage Home. It is funny, charming and an enjoyable watch for the entire family.

Rachel Wagner

I always say that movies are the storytelling device of our age. Sure we still read books but if you really want to get an idea of how we are changing and growing as a culture nothing will show that more than in the movies.  Therefore, it is interesting to look at the differences between Ben-Hur 2016 and Ben-Hur 1959.

Ben-Hur of 1959 may be the greatest epic movie ever made. It needs to be nearly 4 hours with character development that fills up any available space in the story.  It’s of course the classic story of Judah Ben-Hur and his childhood Roman friend Messala who betrays Judah sending him to prison. Judah becomes very bitter at Messala especially when he learns that his mother and sister have died of leprosy. It turns out they are merely hiding from Judah because they don’t want him to see them in their condition, but his anger is still kindled against Messala.

That’s when we get the famous chariot scene which is still awe inspiring today. We end the film with Judah turning to Christ on the cross and a miracle occurring both physically and spiritually for Judah and his family. It’s inspiring and moving and everything you could want for these characters we have come to know after 4 hours.

Ben-Hur 2016 is not a complete train-wreck. The acting is pretty good and it is made with some care. I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it and get something from it. However, they make several changes that I think weaken the narrative and they try to cram 4 hours of storytelling into 2, which doesn’t work. One of the poor choices they make is to have Judah marry Esther. This lessens the tension between him and her when she lies to him about his family dying. The entire leprosy storyline is given way less time and therefore, the miracle at the end feels less earned.

They also change Messala’s choice to turn on Judah. In the 1959 film he fails to defend his friend when an accident occurs knowing it will help secure him greater power. The Jewish people will see that he will turn on an old friend and they will fear him helping secure him a greater position. In the new version Judah harbors a zealot who shoots the guard so when Messala arrests him he has much more cause and there is less reason for Judah to be so angry at his friend. Instead of Messala dying in the chariot race like in the 1959 film they tag on a happy ending that is also really bad.

So back to my earlier point about how do you get kids excited about the classic films? Or even just to watch them period? I think it helps if you make watching classic films part of a tradition. Maybe have a monthly classic movie night and perhaps make it fun or give some kind of reward for whoever notices objects or people in the film. Most importantly make it fun and not a chore and I think they will find they enjoy the older films much more than they are anticipating. Also make any film you watch part of your discussion as a family. Have family home evening or chats about lessons characters learn or situations they face. Even in comedy there are things to talk about or laughs to recall together. Don’t be afraid to ask kids what they think of sets, costumes, cinematography, acting etc and be prepared if they don’t think a classic is very good. Kids should be allowed to have their own opinions and come to their own conclusions about film.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

I think there could be a really interesting experiment using both versions of Ben-Hur. If I had kids I would show them both and ask them to compare and contrast them. You can do that with many films such as Man of Steel and Superman: the Movie. Their insight may challenge and surprise you. I would love to hear your experiences and what you find works with your kids.

Rachel Wagner

This stunning stop motion film tells the story of a little Japanese boy who has a special power of storytelling. He can make origami paper come alive to tell his stories. There is only one problem he can never figure out what the ending are to  his tales. His mother is a sickly woman who seems to be getting some kind of Alzheimers disease and she is very dependent upon Kubo for her survival.

She tells Kubo to never go out at night; however, one day he ends up out late and there are spirits who are calling to him. This starts him on an adventure with a monkey (Charlize Theron) and a beetle (Matthew McConaughey).  

Kubo is looking for his father’s armor which will help protect him from the evil spirits and save his family, but there are forces that want to stop him from gaining more powers. One thing I liked about the story of Kubo and the Two Strings is it didn’t have a classic narrative with a treasure at the end. Even though the armor is the goal it isn’t talked about that much and we don’t have a clear path on how he is going to get there. It’s not like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz who knows she needs to get the broom from the witch to get home. Everything here is more vague which keeps the viewer guessing and continually surprised.

There is also great heart to the story. I loved the character of Kubo because he was so sincere and earnest. He is blind in one eye but he is willing to make some jokes about his condition.  He is serious when he needs to be but I felt such love in his eye and from his smile. There was just something about his character that made me root for him. I wanted him to be happy very badly.

The dialogue is also very well done- particularly between monkey and beetle. They are sarcastic and sassy towards each other and Kubo. This helps keep things from getting too dark and sad.

Speaking of dark, the artistry is spectacular. There really is no other word for it. Simply stunning.  I sat in awe at how paper and water was used to give life and light to the journey.  The character movement is fluid and  you forget for long moments you are watching stop motion. It seems too good to be true, like it must be computer generated but at the end of the film they prove it is not. It is from the hands of master stop motion animators and this does feel like their masterpiece.

The music by Laika composer Dario Marianelli is perfect and it pays homage to the Japanese origins of the story without being too heavy handed. It works for the type of story being told.

Some kids might be a little bit scared by certain scenes particularly with the villain but there were lots of kids in my theater and they seemed fine. If your kids can watch the Wicked Witch of the West than they are probably okay with anything they will see here. Fortunately even the scary moments don’t last that long and are quickly interrupted by peaceful, funny or other emotion.  It makes it a well-rounded, extremely engaging story.

I am still debating with myself whether I like Kubo or Zootopia better. They both have earnest likable protagonists and are both extremely creative. I will have to give it some more thought but right now I would give Kubo the slight edge.

The sad part is only a 1/10th of the people who saw Zootopia will see Kubo and the Two Strings. It’s a real shame because I constantly hear people complain about all the sequels, prequels and remakes. Yet, here is an original work of art and nobody is going to see it.  I hope I am wrong and it does well but early estimates aren’t great.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

I couldn’t encourage you with more vigor to see Kubo and the Two Strings.  It is a truly stunning animated film that will entertain the entire family. It’s one you will want to get on blu-ray and in a very weak summer it is probably the best movie I have seen.

Overall Grade- A+

Rachel Wagner

Released in 2011, Rio is the story of Blu, a macaw voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, who is dependent upon his owner Linda to survive. He doesn’t even know how to fly. To save his species he and Linda head to Rio to try and find a mate for Blu. There he meets a female macaw named Jewel voiced by Anne Hathaway. Unfortunately things get busy when right before Rio Carnival both Blu and Jewel are abducted by thieves after them for their rarity.

The rest of the movie is spent with Blu and Jewel trying to find their way home with the help of a toucan named Fernando and a bulldog named Luiz.  Their owners Linda and Tulio are also looking for them through all the Rio Carnival madness. They are also running from a hilarious cockatoo named Nigel (voiced brilliantly by Jemaine Clement. For years I thought it was Tim Curry’s voice).

It’s not the most original set up for an animated film. It’s basically a cat and mouse chase type story but it’s executed in a charming way, which is obviously the key to any good movie. You can have the greatest idea ever but if it isn’t executed well it will fall flat on its face.

Anyway, one of the most pleasing parts of Rio is the relationships between the characters. I particularly liked the chemistry between Blu and Jewel.  It builds in a semi-realistic way.  Also it is nice to see Blu become braver and gain more confidence as the story commences.

There are also some good jokes and musical numbers. The bright colors, rhythm of the samba comes through every time. Jamie Foxx ends up getting a large hunk of the jokes but they work and there isn’t the innuendo or other tawdry moments you expect in a film like this from Blue Sky.

On the negative side, while I enjoy the music I don’t know if it fit in with the story. Also Eisenberg and Hathaway can get a little annoying in their vocal performances.  Also the vocal performances are a little bit annoying at times but for the most part I was fine with them.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

All in all, Rio is an engaging sweet family movie. There is one scene where Linda, the human character wears a very skimpy outfit for the carnival but it will hopefully go over most kids head.

The animation, like I said, is beautiful in Rio and overall it is a very sweet little animated film. It’s not too cynical or cash grab like the Ice Age movies. It’s just an energetic, happy picture about macaws and how Blu gets renewed confidence.

Is Rio a favorite of yours? What is a movie set in a foreign land that you love? Share in the comments below.

Rachel Wagner

Honorable Mentions-

Sing Street– my favorite movie of the year and it is PG-13 but some of the themes and situations it doesn’t quite feel like a family film for me. If you are a family with teenagers watch it!

Miracles from Heaven– a touching, more nuanced faith-based film about a family going through a medical crisis

Secret Life of Pets– a charming animated film that I think you will enjoy watching with your family. It could have been better but overall I enjoyed it especially Gidget and Chloe

So now on to the top 10!

10. Ghostbusters– don’t listen to the naysayers this is a very enjoyable film geared more towards kids than the somewhat raunchy innuendo of the original. I loved the 4 leading ladies and it made me laugh

9. Only Yesterday– made by master animator Isao Takahata in 1991 it finally got a US release this year. I loved the sections about the little girl and her family. The adult stuff I could live without but still a sweet lovely story about a family and the everyday struggles of growing up

8. The Jungle Book– most would have this much higher on their list but I did enjoy Jungle Book very much. The visuals are stunning and I liked how they fixed some problems in the original such as making the ending better. I liked that Mowgli was more of a proactive character and the voice casting was spot on. The middle drags a bit for me and I didn’t like the portrayal of Louis or the way they used the songs

7. Kung fu Panda 3– I liked this movie a lot more than most. It’s a nice journey for Po going from the student to the teacher. I loved the animation and liked how they combined the humor of the first KFP movie with the action of the second. I also love the adoption message which is important to talk about and celebrate.

6. Eddie the Eagle– the Olympics are coming so this is the perfect time to watch a story about a true underdog- Eddie the Eagle. This movie will make you smile and feel good. There are a few adult moments but overall it will make you cheer.

5. April and the Extraordinary World– a small indie animated film that took my breath away.  It’s an alternate dimension story where steampunk actually exists and the world never progressed beyond steam. I loved the characters and the story really surprised me. Plus, they have a talking cat which is always a good thing right? 😉

4. Captain America: Civil War– I debated about putting this on my list because it can get pretty intense but if your family has seen the rest of the Marvel movies than I think they can handle this one. This movie makes everything that Marvel has done in the preceding films for Tony and Steve come to fruition. It’s a sequel that makes the proceeding films like Age of Ultron much better. I love the dynamic of Tony wanting control and Steve fearing it. There’s tremendous heart, amazing action and funny dialogue from the likes of Spider-Man!

3. Finding Dory- another home run for Pixar. Here we get Dory’s journey to find her family and if you pay attention to the clues there is more going on at the marine life institute than we see at first glance. The film will pull at your heartstrings and it may be Pixar’s funniest film. I love the way it uses light and shadows to convey tone and setting. Great film.

2. Life, Animated- a wonderful documentary about a family that has to deal with a son named Owen with severe autism. It turns out Owen communicates with the world through Disney movies. He literally has all of them memorized and uses the text to convey what he wants or desires. It’s very well done using clips and interviews with the family and should invite good discussions with families on how we treat those that are different and how we each have a unique way of processing the world.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

Number One~ Zootopia- Disney’s modern day fable about a fox and a bunny is utterly delightful. It will make you laugh with background and primary jokes and the world building is amazing. Judy Hopps is a wonderful character that I think we can all relate too and Nick has a depth to his character you don’t expect. The voice acting is perfect and it captures the film noir feel perfectly. Best buddy cop movie in years!

So that is my top 10 family films of 2016. What are your top 10? Share in the comments below. Thank you!

Rachel Wagner

Make no mistake Mary Poppins is, as the title character says, ‘practically perfect in every way’.  I could go on about Julie Andrews and her nuanced and delightful Oscar winning performance.  I could talk about the amazing Sherman Brothers songs and the choreography by Marc Breaux. I could talk about the amazing adaptation from PL Travers rather forgettable novel. The live action/animation hybrid scenes are sublime (I mean we have dancing penguins for goodness sakes).  The list goes on.

Mr Banks

All of those things are perfection but what I want to talk about is what Mary Poppins says about life and particularly work. I have always been fascinated by films about work as aside from sleep it is what occupies most of our time here on earth. How much to work? When are we over-working? How do you balance family and work? These are all issues that modern families face and they are all a critical part of what makes Mary Poppins great.

One of the very first characters we meet in Mary Poppins is Mr Banks played brilliantly by David Tomlinson. He is convinced he is leading the best kind of life, that he has it all figured out. He says “It’s six-o-three and the heirs to my dominion are scrubbed and tubbed and adequately fed. And so I’ll pat them on the head and send them off to bed. Ah lordly is the life I lead.”

The interesting thing is at this very moment the children have run away. This is a good example of how out of touch he truly is with his family. The mother is not much better. She has turned her fervor for the Suffragette movement into a distraction from her children.

This leads us to one of the major themes of Mary Poppins. Something good (hard work and political activism) has become a bad thing when it hurts our children or other loved ones.

Mary Poppins and Burt have an adventure in the park.

When she arrives Mary Poppins see’s this as the major problem at the Banks household. Everything that she does then is meant to cheer up the kids and show them the nobility of their father’s ways while on the other hand showing their father what he is missing in his children. Bert tells Mr Banks when he is grieving over the loss of his seemingly perfect life “you’ve got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone. Though childhood slips like sand through a sieve. All too soon they’ve up and grown and then they’ve flown and it’s too late for you to give”

The two main sequences that allow for this moment to work are when Mary convinces Mr Banks to take the kids to work with him. Then she sings to them about the lady who lives to feed the birds. This is implanting in the children a different way of life than their father leads. She is inviting them to challenge their father, which they then do, causing a run on the bank. I don’t think there was any way to get through to Mr Banks without it coming from his place of employment.

After getting the advice from Bert, Mr Banks makes his pilgrimage back to his employment and he finally gets it.  He finally see’s what is important and that is when we end with the family united all ready to go fly a kite.

This might make the film sound gloomy, which of course it isn’t.  It’s just got such heart and soul to it that the humor is added perfection.  You have Ed Wynn who is so good singing I Love to Laugh. You have Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which is a riot.  You have the great chemistry between Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews singing Jolly Holiday, and the busy choreography of Step in Time.

To see the rest of Rachel’s reviews, click here.

The characters, even the children, are complex and well written. The charm is off the charts.  Everything holds up to me in Mary Poppins. In fact, it’s central themes may be more important now than ever before.  No wonder it was such an important film for Walt Disney himself to get off the ground just a few years before his passing. It is his crowning achievement and one of my all-time favorite movies. I hope you enjoy it with your family and that it is a Spoonful of Sugar for your family!

Rachel Wagner