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Spy Kids

Release Date: 
03/30/2001
MPAA Rating: 
MPAA: PG-13
Star Rating: 
★★★
If you’re a parent or an emotionally stunted guy who likes children’s movies (you know who you are), you’re not likely to find a more entertaining one than Spy Kids. That’s right, as kid flicks go, this one is fun, lightweight, and features two cute kids in the lead roles who shockingly won’t make you want to have yourself sterilized.

How did they pull this off? Well, for one, it comes from a writer-director more known for his badass gunplay than kid-friendliness (Robert “Desperado” Rodriguez), it features Antonio Banderas perfectly spoofing his own suave image and Carla Gugina as hands-down the sexiest spy-turned-mom we’ve ever seen. Along the way there are pot shots taken at children’s programming (witness Alan Cumming as the host of a show that finally answers the question, “What would happen if Willie Wonka took ’shrooms and then directed an episode of Teletubbies?”) and some genuinely funny cameos. And for children, this movie is a dream come true—what kid wouldn’t want to take part in a madcap adventure in a theme park world with tons of cool gadgets? We know we would.