Doctor Dolittle (1967)

This old classic is a long film at 2 hours and 20 minutes and is a real test of quality to see if it maintains a child's interest. 2 hours in and she noted the time and said it had just flown by. The songs are great, Richard Attenborough was a surprise, the plot preposterous and the oddest thing was the strange love triangle between the three leads. What was best about this was that nobody cared and it didn't matter.

Adult score: 4/5

Child score: 5/5

The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)

There are no surprises in this film but then that's probably what is required from an 'ahhh' fest as we see plenty of shots of baby pandas. The pandas themselves are dubiously robotic but I doubt a child would question it. The acting is appalling throughout, with the father being characteristically obsessed with his work only to have his life turned around by the presence of his son. The son is typically selfish in his american lifestyle but has his eyes opened by rural China and helpless pandas.

Redeeming qualities? None really, but it was a satisfactory experience for the child so it's not all bad.

Adult score: 2/5
Child score: 4/5
First thing the child said when the film finished: Nothing

House Arrest (1996)

This is a film about divorce or rather the attempts of a couple of kids to prevent their parents from getting a divorce. It's not that funny, is slightly unhinged and yet is acceptable enough to pass 90 minutes without too much fuss. There are enough comedy dog moments and antics stolen from Home Alone to amuse the young, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a part early in her career and Jamie Lee Curtis seems to be having enough fun as she pays the rent for another year.

I'm not sure that the conclusion is entirely satisfying or actually does what the characters want you to think but it may tell children that love can prevail even when a marriage is on the rocks. Although I'm not sure the extreme measures engaged here are really to be recommended.

Adult score: 3/5
Child score: 4/5
First thing the child said when the film finished: Nothing