Make plans: 3rd Annual Miami International Children's Film Festival hits town Dec. 26-31

If you're looking for something fun and educational for the kids during that lots-of-free-time week between Christmas and the New Year, search no further: the Third Annual Miami Children's Film Festival should provide just the ticket. One of the things that makes this fest such fun -- and different from certain other kid's film fests -- is its international quality. This year's roster includes films from France, Finland, Norway, Uruguay, South Korea, and of course Hollywood USA.

The line-up should please kids of various ages, too. The Hero of Color City's bright day-glo animation (above) should prove a treat for the younger set, while tales like Belle & Sebastian (below) and Ballet Boys (shown at bottom) will please older kids and probably adults, as well.

Look for live-action thrills, inventive and colorful animation, and fascinating documentaries, too. Most interesting of all, in fact, may be the workshops for kids included in the festival -- one on how to learn stop-motion animation, the other on how to make your own musical instruments.

TrustMovies has seen and covered two of the film showing in the fest -- France's classic The King and The Mockingbird (above) and Hollywood's Hero of Color City (click the link to see the review of each). Both are worth a viewing, with France's effort very nearly a must-see.

One thing to consider with international films is whether or not the version your kids will see is dubbed (as is Mune, from France, shown above) or with subtitles. (Both types are represented in this festival.) You can quickly learn the answer by clicking on the trailer for any film in the series and then easily decide on whether the movie is age-appropriate for your own young readers.

To learn more about this upcoming festival, simply click here and then browse the various films and events. Taking place at the Coral Gables Art Cinema in Coral Gables, FL, the fest runs from December 26 through the 31. Book now to avoid disappointment later.

Joe Swanberg's HAPPY CHRISTMAS: holiday mumblecore & the screen's most adorable baby

After the enormous success (everything's relative, right?) of his Drinking Buddies, Joe Swanberg offers up another surprise with his latest effort, a charming little trinket titled HAPPY CHRISTMAS. Catering to ever starrier casts, the filmmaker toplines Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham and Anna Kendrick (making her second appearance in a Swanberg film) -- plus a newcomer who steals the picture right out from under the rest of the cast. That would be Joe's own kid, little Jude Swanberg, a "natural," if I've ever seen one.

The "plot" has Jeff (Swanberg, at right) and wife Kelly (Lynskey) and baby Jude preparing for the holidays, as Jeff's sister Jenny (Kendrick, below) arrives to move in with them. Somewhat irresponsible, Jenny causes problems big and small as she reunites with old friend Carson (Dunham), romances with new friend Kevin (Webber, below), and helps Kelly write her romance novel. That's pretty much it. But the actors are so nicely attuned to each other that watching and listening to them is great fun. And any and every chance we get to observe adorable little Jude proves beyond pleasurable.

Mr. Swanberg has now moved mumblecore into the hipster mainstream; each new his film of his grows more fun. Here, he keeps his m'core bona fides bright and sharp, while adding mainstream sure-fires like children and dogs.

I am not certain that this is quite the way best-selling books are created, but as shown here -- with Lynskey, Kendrick and Dunham doing pro work -- it sure makes for a lot of fun. (Do stay all the way to the end of the end credits for an extra helping.)

Swanberg himself (shown above, right, with Lynskey) is growing into an actor of surprising charm and low-key sex appeal. He carries this movie as easily as do his better-known co-stars, while drawing completely natural performances from every one of them.

Happy Christmas is a little holiday bauble, bright and assured and silly as can be. And very enjoyable.  The film, from Magnolia Pictures and running just 78 minutes, opens this Friday, July 25, in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, and here in New York City (and elsewhere) the following Friday, August 1 -- after playing VOD since the end of June. You can view all currently scheduled playdates, cities and theaters by clicking here.

Streaming choice: Zach Clark's WHITE REINDEER -- an oddball, deadpan original

Though TrustMovies has seen the actress Anna Margaret Hollyman in a number of movies (generally not in the leading role: Somebody Up There Likes Me and Gayby are two of the most recent), nothing she has given us so far impresses me as much her work in WHITE REINDEER. In this strange and rather deadpan film by writer/director Zach Clark (shown below), Ms Hollyman not only has the leading role but it would be difficult to imagine anyone else quite as distinctive and right for this quirky, unclassifiable little bit of holiday non-cheer.

The movie would seem to have the outline of a melodrama (after all, it includes, robbery, murder, infidelity, pole dancing and more), yet in the playing/telling, it is resolutely unmelodra-matic. You will find yourself laughing off and on, yet White Reindeer is anything but comedy. It is not a drama, either, exactly, though there are also moments of odd tenderness and feeling that make themselves felt without the filmmaker, actress or the rest of the cast "pushing." Among its themes is one that probably stands out most: Even if you think you know who you are and what your life's about (a sometimes tricky proposition to begin with), all this can change in a moment. Oh, yes, and it's a Christmas movie, too, though I think we'd have to place it firmly in the category of "alternative" holiday fare.

Ms Hollyman, above, plays a happily married realtor named Suzanne, whose hubby is a successful businessman about to move the couple to Hawaii. Once fate (or whatever) intervenes, Suzanne finds herself involved with a group of strippers,

one of whom is  named Fantasia (a quite wonderful first performance from Laura Lemar-Goldsborough, above), who has a young child and lives with her mom.

There's a detective (Chris Doubek); a newly married couple played by Lydia Hyslop (above, center) and Joe Swanberg (yes, that Joe Swanberg, above, left, doing a nice acting turn here) who has bought a house via Suzanne; a couple of co-worker real estate ladies; Fantasia's group of strippers (shown below), and some other odd and various characters. But it is Ms Hollyman who holds it all together, as she tries to figure out, well, so many things. And we're right there along with her.

White Reindeer can be streamed now via Netflix, and elsewhere, but apparently it is not yet available on DVD.