Family Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Family

Three animated Minion characters standing in front of a yellow school bus, wearing brightly coloured clothing and accessories.
Review

Minions: The Rise of Gru

by David Jenkins

The Minions scarcely feature in this screwball supervillain origin story that’s shamefully short on lols.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
Group of young people in dim lighting, sitting and interacting around a table.
Review

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood

by David Jenkins

This magnificent mid-century memory piece from Richard Linklater is up there with the director’s finest films.

3
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Close-up of a blue cartoon hedgehog character with large eyes and a mischievous expression, clinging to a red aeroplane wing.
Review

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

by David Jenkins

Dashed-off sequel to the 2020 hit which makes the Chipmunks films look like Tarkovsky by comparison.

1
Anticipation
1
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
A man with tattoos and a basketball jersey celebrating in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Review

Space Jam: A New Legacy

by Rógan Graham

This bloated reboot of the hit ​’90s cartoon crossover is little more than a cynical exercise in brand synergy.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
Close-up of a woman with dark, curly hair and red lipstick wearing a black coat with leather panels and studs.
Review

Cruella

by Hannah Strong

Emma Stone plays the fur-loving fashionista in this overlong and largely uninspired origin story.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Animated girl with big eyes and pigtails, wearing a pink top, against a green background.
Review

Earwig and the Witch

by Lillian Crawford

Studio Ghibli’s first computer-animated feature boasts bags of charm and one its most endearing heroines.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A group of women in vibrant, colourful, and patterned vintage fashion attire, centred around a woman wearing a large brimmed hat.
Review

The Witches

by Leila Latif

Roald Dahl’s timeless children’s story is reimagined as a saccharine caper – but at least the cast are having fun.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Stylised illustrations of a young girl and a small creature sitting on a tree branch, surrounded by a round orange background with colourful patterns.
Review

Wolfwalkers

by Kambole Campbell

An ancient Irish folk tale is brought to life in wondrous hand-drawn animation courtesy of Cartoon Saloon.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Three women seated in a room, one wearing a red dress, one a floral dress, and one a black dress. The room has a curved ceiling and a blue and white sky visible through a window.
Review

A Perfectly Normal Family

by Lillian Crawford

Malou Reymann’s feature debut presents a potentially dangerous perspective on the issue of gender identity.

2
Anticipation
1
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
An elderly man with a long white beard, wearing a dark jacket, sitting with a large brown and white dog in a garden setting.
Review

The Call of the Wild

by Elena Lazic

Harrison Ford and a CGI dog make for a pawsome pairing in this charming retelling of Jack London’s short story.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect