On THE MITCHELLS vs THE MACHINES

 I've got a recommendation for you. Do you need some good-natured laughs? Do you like animation? Do you have a knowledge of films made before 1990? Do you get Netflix? If you answered "Yes" to each of those questions, make it a point to block out a couple of hours to sit with Netflix and watch THE MITCHELLS vs THE MACHINES. I had a busy and emotionally bumpy week. Watching that new animated feature on a Friday evening was just the tonic I needed.

 Did you see THE INCREDIBLES? Remember how that family of misfits, each one having a superpower that was kept a secret in the suburbs, came together and worked like finely-tuned unit when their superpowers were needed to save society from villains? Well, the Mitchells are also a group of sweet misfits. But, unlike THE INCREDIBLES, the Mitchells are absolutely clueless. Loving but clueless. Shy, awkward, imaginative, smart Katie makes comedy mini-movies that she posts on YouTube. She's an aspiring filmmaker, a tech geek and a great kid. Her over-protective dad tries to dissuade her from that aspiration because he doesn't want her to be heartbroken if her dreams don't come true. He hates that technology has robbed people of being in the moment and paying attention to each other. At the dinner table, each family member is on a social media device.

Katie gets accepted to college, a college where she can be with others her own age who appreciate her individuality, her talents and give her confidence in pursuing her dreams. Instead of her taking a flight to the college, dad gets the idea of the family taking Katie to the school. It would be a cross-country family bonding trip in their 1993 station wagon. During the trip, there's a robot apocalypse that happens when the presentation of a tech corporation hipster head goes horribly wrong. The robots want to create a new world without humans.

 It's up to the Mitchells to save the human race. In a 1993 station wagon.

This funny and heartwarming animated family feature has touches of JURASSIC PARK, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, STAR WARS, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, ALIENS and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

I loved the Mitchells' family dog. I especially loved how the delightful, wise mom is LGBTQ friendly and accepting. I hope you enjoy THE MITCHELLS vs THE MACHINES as much as I do. It says some very true and touching things about family...about being seen, being yourself and being appreciated for the things that make you benevolently different. All of us who have ever been a Katie will appreciate this original feature.