The Unbreakable Boy (2025)

"Feel good" movies don't usually work on me and end up having the opposite intended effect, and this one was no different. Based on a true story, a man with a touch of autism meets a woman with a rare brittle bone disease, and—surprise, surprise—their offspring inherits the worst of both worlds. This story is more about the parents than the poor kid himself, who remains positive and upbeat despite the hand he's been dealt. As with most "inspirational" type stories, they have to slip in an unnecessary churchy message just to drive their point home, which the film definitely could have done without. It ends up being another predictably plotted movie and reason #1109 not to have kids.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the prequel to Unbreakable I was promised.

2 jester hats out of 5

Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)

Harold is a boy who lives inside of a children's book, who uses a purple crayon to create things out of thin air. When he grows up, and the narration has stopped, he decides to leave the storybook world in order to seek out his creator, where his idealistic views bump up against the harsh realities of life.

Zachary Levi seems to get a lot of hate lately, but I've always thought he was one of those comedic actors who deserved meatier roles, like Ryan Reynolds. I'm sure this joke has been made before, but the character of Harold felt very two-dimensional. Library Gary (Jemaine Clement) was the real highlight here as the failed fantasy writer who is jealous of Harold's abilities. 

I thought the film was serviceable; very much a watered-down family film where no one gets hurt and a moral neatly wrapped up in a bow at the end.

2 spider-flies out of 5