5 Reasons to Run to 'Ramona and Beezus'

Alan Markfield/Twentieth Century Fox

In these rough economic times, families must choose wisely when spending money at the movies. Even so, I was so excited to see the film based on Beverly Cleary's series that I'd read as a child, that I paid $25 for my two daughters -- who are also Cleary fans -- and myself to see a matinee of Ramona and Beezus… and it was worth every penny!

Here are five reasons to spend your hard-earned movie allowance on Ramona and Beezus:

1. The Adult Cast: Sex and the City vets John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan shine as the Quimby parents. Corbett is charming as the doting dad and Moynahan is refreshing as the mother of three trying to hold her family together. Throwing in Big Love's Ginnifer Goodwin as Aunt Bea and Josh Duhamel as the hunky neighbor only adds to this fantastic cast and gives grownups some recognizable faces.

2. The Young Cast: Fresh faced Joey King, who plays Ramona, and Disney darling Selena Gomez, who plays Beezus, are completely believable as sisters. The two actually look related and have great on-screen chemistry, making them the perfect choice for the main roles.

3. The Laughs: The movie is really funny. Ramona's adventures and mishaps create nonstop laughs, from her attempt -- and failure -- to maintain a pristine appearance on school picture day to her "show and tell" moment with her face hidden under a construction hat and goggles. The Quimby family and their neighbors contribute their own quirky and humorous moments throughout.

4. The Storyline: Ramona and Beezus stays true to Beverly Cleary's '50s series about an imaginative and rambunctious young girl and her very annoyed older sister, but it also manages to appropriately update the storyline for today's audience. At the start of the film, Mr. Quimby loses his job, which is something that so many of us can relate to these days. The subject of sudden job loss and how it affects children is handled honestly and realistically.

5. The Visuals: Ramona and Beezus does not rely on flashy visual effects in the scenes that expand on Ramona's vivid imagination. Instead, simplistic, relatable childlike images are used – and it works.

My daughters and I loved this movie. We all laughed and cried while at the theater. Ramona and Beezus is able to entertain both adults and children alike, making it the perfect family movie.