This week, we feature a whimsical family adventure where a magical tree whisks them off to faraway lands and a Kirk Douglas Western involving range wars and a wandering cowboy.
New Release
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
Polly (Claire Foy) and Tim (Andrew Garfield) move their three children from the big city to the English countryside, where young Fran (Billie Gadsdon) discovers an enormous magical tree. Its branches lead to bizarre new worlds filled with fairies and other eccentric residents.
The fantasy is colorful, playful, and just daft enough for younger kids, while Garfield and Foy give parents something to enjoy too. Its nicest idea is very simple: Phones can wait, and families could use more imagination and time together.
Adventure | Family | Fantasy
Release Date: Aug. 21, 2026
Director: Ben Gregor
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nonso Anozie
Running Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Where to Watch: Theaters
Rated: 4 stars out of 5
Family Pick
‘PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie’
A freak storm strands the PAW Patrol on a dinosaur-filled island, where they meet Rex (Hayden Chemberlen), who’s spent years surviving there. Their old enemy Humdinger (Ron Pardo) starts mining the island and wakes a dormant volcano, leaving the rescue pups scrambling to keep its inhabitants alive.
A few of the action sequences could be scary for small children, but there’s plenty here for older kids and adults, and I loved the emphasis on sticking by your friends during hard times, coming to the aid of others, and never giving up.
Action | Comedy | Family
Release Date: Aug. 14, 2022
Director: Cal Brunker
Starring: Mckenna Grace, Fortune Feimster, Terry Crews
Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Where to Watch: Theaters
Rated: 4 stars out of 5
Romance Interrupts a Career-First Routine
‘Love on Retreat’
Content creator Jenny (Ansley Gordon) goes on a retreat hoping to get her workaholic habits under control and finds herself drawn to Nate (Jonathan Stoddard), the activities coordinator who already knows how to chill. Complications arise as Nate happens to be her boss’s brother.
Gordon and Stoddard are likable together, and there are enough humorous and romantic moments to keep it moving. The work-life balance angle also gives the story a pleasant reminder that careers shouldn’t swallow everything else in people’s lives.
Comedy | Romance
Release Date: Jan 14, 2024
Director: Brittany Underwood
Starring: Ansley Gordon, Jonathan Stoddard, Meg Biddle Smith
Running time: 1 hour, 29 minutes
MPAA Rating: TV-PG
Where to Watch: Tubi TV, Plex, Hoopla
Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
A Range War Tests a Restless Cowboy
‘Man Without a Star’
Drifter Dempsey Rae (Kirk Douglas) finds work on Reed Bowman’s (Jeanne Crain) Wyoming ranch and gets pulled into a conflict between her expanding cattle empire and smaller ranchers.
Douglas gives Rae a dangerous yet redemptive arc that keeps him interesting, while Richard Boone and Claire Trevor help turn a fairly standard Western setup into something much more entertaining.
Western
Release Date: April 27, 1955
Director: King Vidor
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor
Running Time: 1 hour, 29 minutes
Not Rated
Where to Watch: YouTube, Amazon, Apple TV
Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc.
