Perth: best kids movies these school holidays

IT’s school holiday time and the weather is a little wintry – so why not stay warm inside your local movie theatre?

There’s no shortage of quality kids movies showing, and we’ve put together a guide so you can pick the one that will suit you and your child best.

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Here they are:

FOR THE LITTLIES

Cars 3 (G) Directed by: Brian Fee Starring: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper

Cars 3 leans more on story and dialogue that it’s predecessors. The result is a sluggish film, that might appeal to adults more than the kids it is primarily designed for.

SLIGHTLY OLDER

Despicable Me 3 (PG) Directed by: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, Eric Guillon Starring: Steve Carell, Trey Parker, Kristen Wiig’

Steve Carell brings the laughs, and for those who spent their formative years in the 1980s the soundtrack is amazing. This is one that bridges the generations and will satisfy parents and kids equally.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Directed by: David Bowers Starring: Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott

The fourth in the “Wimpy Kid” series, based on the children’s books by Jeff Kinney, this has all the requisite toilet humour one would expect. A Heffley family road trip to attend Meemaw’s 90th birthday party goes hilariously off course.

FOR TEENS

Wonder Woman Directed by: Patty Jenkins Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright

So far the highlight of what has been a pretty fraught attempt by DC to replicate the success of the Marvel universe, Wonder Woman has generated the most favourable reviews of the franchise so far – thanks in large part to the efforts of star Gadot and the always-superb Robin Wright.

The Mummy Directed by: Alex Kurtzman Starring: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe

A remake of the Brendan Fraser/Rachel Weisz movie from 1999, Cruise’s version is high on energy but low on substance. If you really want to show your kids The Mummy, try streaming the original.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Directed by: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem

Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon while being pursued by an undead sea captain and his crew. Javier Bardem does his best, but there’s a lingering feeling that it might be best if Captain Sparrow walks the plank for good.

Transformers: The Last Knight Directed by: Michael Bay Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel

Derided by all and sundry, Transformers: The Last Knight – depending on who you listen too may be the worst film of all time, or merely one of the worst films of all time. Either way, it’s tough to give it a recommendation – but hey, the kids might like it.

Spiderman: Homecoming Directed by: Jon Watts Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr

Opening Thursday, this looks like being yet another blockbuster for the Marvel team. After being introduced as Spiderman in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland returns in his first stand-alone Spiderman. As usual, expect plenty of cross pollination between the Marvel movies, with Tony Stark expected to feature heavily. Michael Keaton stars as villain Vulture, while Marisa Tomei is sure to give dear old Aunt May a new lease on life.