Spy Kids
Every bit as good as its buzz. Excellent for teens and pre-teens alike--and adults don't need a kid as an excuse to go. The kids aren't ultra cute, the adults aren't stupid, the gadgets and gimmicks are all funny and clever for all ages. While the villains aren't particularly interesting, they aren't fatally dull--but the faceless (ha!) henchmen are a gem. The plot is goofy but it follows through. The visuals are glorious, particularly Antonio.
There has been a trend in kids movies of split-level humor--the movie works on one level for kids, another level for adults. I approve of this, generally, but the SpyKids script rejects that option. The laughs are sent along a single bandwidth, for all ages, and it works extremely well.
Additional detail is unnecessary. Go, go, have fun. Take the kids.
Don't check the IMDB cast list before you go; it will ruin a nice little in-joke at the end. Although the best injoke may be that ultra-violent director Richard Rodriguez is responsible for the best family film in years.
