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★★★★ – Guardian. The Horrible Histories team’s hilarious William Shakespeare ‘biopic’ is great family entertainment, and is currently available on BBC iPlayer. Young Bill Shakespeare leaves Stratford for London, to follow his dream of becoming a playwright. Unfortunately, all the theatres are closed due to plague. So what will Bill do now?
★★★★ – Guardian. Relive the magical tale of Studio Ghibli’s loveable young witch, Kiki, complete with flying broomstick, and talking black cat. When Kiki leaves her family to move to the big city and start a courier delivery service, she finds it rather difficult to fit in.
★★★★ – Independent. Struggling to come to terms with his mother’s terminal illness, 12-year-old Conor is woken from a recurring nightmare by a visitor at his bedroom window – the ancient yew tree behind his house which has come to life. On each visit, the tree monster tells Conor a story, but in return Conor must reveal the truth behind his nightmare. Based on the hugely popular book by Patrick Ness.
★★★★ – Telegraph. From the director of Carol comes this touching film telling the intertwined stories of two deaf children, Ben and Rose, living fifty years apart, who set out to change their lives. Todd Haynes brings a typically imaginative, playfully cinematic eye to his adaptation of Brian Selznick’s acclaimed young adult novel, starring Julianne Moore.
★★★★ – Observer. Wallace and Gromit creators Aardman goes prehistoric in this fun ‘claymation’ about plucky caveman Dug and his sidekick Hognob who, facing the loss of their land to scheming Lord Nooth, must unite their tribe against a mighty enemy – the Bronze Age.
When young Maki escapes slave traders in the 19th century, he befriends Zarafa, an orphaned giraffe and the pair embark on an incredible voyage, by sea and air, all the way from Sudan to Paris. A beautifully animated story of adventure and friendship.
★★★★ – Empire. Meet Cruella De Vil before she became a fur-loving, Dalmatian-despising villain. Emma Stone (La La Land) takes the lead, pitted against Emma Thompson’s (Nanny McPhee) Baroness in this punky and refreshing origin story. If you didn’t manage to catch it at Phoenix in July, you’ll be able to stream it on Disney+ later this month.
★★★★ – Guardian. Tomm Moore’s (The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers) Oscar-nominated animation is an evocative tale of Celtic magic and folklore. Ben and his little sister Saoirse – the last Selkie – embark across a fading world of ancient legend in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. An entrancing, enchanting family delight.
“★★★★★ – Brimming with wit, soul and jaw-dropping visuals” – Total Film. The greatest of all the Spider-Man films and one of the best in the superhero genre, Into The Spider-Verse perfectly blends humour, heroism and storytelling as ordinary teenager Miles Morales struggles to fill the shoes- and mask- of Peter Parker as the new Spider-Man.
★★★★ – Empire. Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda shine in this glorious Disney sequel, with Blunt masterfully keeping the nostalgic viewer happy but also making the role her own. Magical nanny Mary Poppins returns to the Banks household to help the family evade grave dangers by taking them on more magical adventures. Also available to rent on Amazon Prime.
★★★★★ – Observer. Officially the greatest film ever made, Paddington 2 is a sheer delight from beginning to end. A deliciously hammy Hugh Grant stars as ageing, cravat-wearing actor Phoenix Buchanan, who steals a book Paddington had intended to give his Aunt Lucy for her birthday and frames our poor hero for the theft. Also available on BFI Player.
★★★★ – Empire. This gorgeous musical animation arrived on Netflix with little fanfare, but has quickly become one of their most popular family films. When Fei Fei loses her mother, she takes heart from a fairytale about a mystical goddess who waits for her beloved on the Moon. Years later, and with her father due to remarry, Fei Fei decides to build a rocket to meet the Moon goddess herself.
“Joyous and courageous” – Paste Magazine. The latest film from Studio Ponoc showcases breathtaking animation and unique storytelling. Modest Heroes is an ambitious anthology of three short stories: two children search for their missing father in a fantastical underwater world, a young boy who is battling against his potentially lethal allergy, and an invisible salesman who is trying to become a hero.
★★★★★ – Independent. Pixar’s Soul is a delight to discover on Disney+. School teacher Joe dreams of getting his big break as a jazz musician, but after an accident he finds himself in the “Great Beyond” – a place for lost souls. Tasked with training a cynical soul, Joe becomes determined to find his way back to his life.
★★★★ – Guardian. Another awesome Lego movie, this time featuring the Caped Crusader himself. Surprise, surprise – the Joker’s planning another hostile takeover of Gotham City. Can Batman save the day? Most likely, but only if he learns the art of teamwork… somewhat tricky for a lone vigilante! Packed with action and gags, it is a “LOL” family favourite.
We’ve got a great range of activities for young people at Phoenix, from filmmaking courses to downloadable activities for children and families
Available online now
Free activities for children, to download and try at home.
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This online filmmaking course for young people is designed to introduce several basic components of filmmaking.
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This free online 3D design course for young people is designed to introduce the basics of digital 3D modelling with a range of different tools.
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This online game design course for young people is designed to introduce the basics of building and publishing storytelling games online
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In this online tutorial, we'll show you how to create amazing '3D' drawings that you can view 360°, just like in virtual reality.
Use your brains to solve these puzzles and your creativity to colour in a new Spider-suit.
Get to know your new favourite movie family with this range of puzzles and colouring in sheets – there’s one for every character, even the family pug Monchi!
The perfect excuse to get some fresh air, these fun and imaginative activities encourage children to explore nature.
Young fans of Soul will enjoy these fun activities, including a template for making a door-hanger.
Stop Joker’s escape, enter into a lobster thermidor cook-off, or help Alfred take pics of Batman and his chums, with these fun online Lego games.
Get busy with your crayons and felt tips to create a colourful Lego Batman masterpiece.