Family
Family movie reviews
War Horse Review
Typically one would think of a dog as a man’s best friend, though maybe not for a farmer’s son. This is a story about a teenage boy, Albert, and his horse, Joey. Albert has a remarkable bond with Joey as he teaches his horse to become the best plow horse in town. Unfortunately, Albert’s father is forced to sell the horse to the Army, since he can’t pay the rent. Now we see Joey’s remarkable journey as he travels throughout Europe from owner to owner, hoping to reunite with Albert. War Horse is based on a children’s book, set in England and Europe during World War I.
Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets.
Release Date: December 25, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12 +
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content:Moderate
See a clip of my review here, along with We Bought a Zoo!
Talking Points:
Most of us have seen many war stories. What make’s this film different and what I like about this film is that you see the war from the perspective of a horse. You could feel the horse’s pain and suffering during the war as if he was a soldier fighting for our country.
War Horse was an educational film. I didn’t realize the importance of horses during WWI. I read that,” Britain sent more than 1 million horses to war between 1914 and 1918. Just 62,000 returned.” The war aspect of the film could spark an interesting conversation with kids.
I thought it was interesting to see a German and British soldier come together in No Man’s Land to save Joey, as he was tangled in barbed wire.
As the horse traveled throughout the war it was interesting to meet his various owners, and see them deal with the war, while also hoping to survive.
Though the film is based on a children’s book, this is a war story, and may be a little long and boring for some kids.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Moderate
- Initially we see a field of dead men and horses.
- There are many explosions and gun fire throughout the film.
- We see people with missing limbs and scared faces.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “B-tard” is said, and “h–l,” is said a couple times.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Ted, Albert’s father, drinks regularly throughout the film.
Overall War Horse was a well done film with a wonderful storyline about a boy and his horse. Since it is a war movie, the mature subject matter may not interest many kids.
Up Review
Up is a comedy adventure about a 78 year old widower named Carl, who finally fulfills his life long dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to Paradise Falls in South America. This is a place he and his wife had dreamt of going to since they first met as children, but the everyday life occurrences got in the way, so they never made the trip together. During the flight, he discovers a stowaway; Russell, an enthusiastic 8 year old boy scout. Once they arrive in South America they come across many adventures that change both of their lives.
Rating: Four out of five buckets.
Release Date: November 10, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: Any Age
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
Carl and his wife had a wonderful relationship. He adored her from the minute they met, even though she passes away, he continues to talk to her throughout the movie.
Russell and Carl have a sweet relationship as well. Russell has one badge left to earn as a boy scout, it’s his “assisting the elderly” badge, which he aims to do throughout the movie by caring and respecting Carl.
As Carl struggles with his house and material possessions, it’s Russell who knows what’s really important in life. When Russell is telling a story about he and his dad getting ice cream, he then says “It might sound boring, but I kinda think it’s the boring stuff I remember the most. Carl learns valuable lessons involving family, friendship and materialism.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Mild
- Young kids may get scared. If you’re afraid of dogs you won’t like the movie. There are mean dogs in the movie that have special collars that make them talk, which is also very funny.
- In South America they meet a bad guy, Charles Munz, a longtime adventurer whom Carl had always wanted to meet, though he wasn’t what Carl had expected. When Munz and Carl get into a sword fight, Munz fires a shotgun at Carl, that sets the house on fire. This scared my niece who’s 6 years old.
Crude or Profane Content: Mild
- “Gosh,” “golly” and “darn.” are used.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink wine.
I interviewed kids ages 3 to 12. Younger kids thought it was scary, but ages 7 and up really liked it. Adults will love it. They’ll get the humor and appreciate the relationships that Carl has with his wife and the young boy that he meets.
Overall it’s a heartwarming film about keeping promises, treasuring people, not material possessions, value time with your kids, and to honor and respect elderly people. It’s a good movie for grandparents to take their grandchildren. I give it 4 buckets.
Toy Story 3 Review
August is usually an emotional time for high school graduates and their parents, as the young adults prepare to leave for college. In this final movie of the Toy Story series, we see Andy preparing to depart for college as well. So what do teenagers do with their favorite childhood toys? Some may put them in a box for storage, while others may donate them, and that’s what Andy did. His beloved toys, that were supposed to go in the attic for storage, ended up in the “donate” pile, that went to a local daycare; including Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen). Andy’s gang of toys initially loved their new home, but as they gradually learned more about the daycare, they ended up unhappy with their new environment, so they planned an escape to find their friend and owner Andy.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: November 2, 2010
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: Any age
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
My husband and I have a few years before we have to think of our kids leaving for college, but we have nieces and nephews, and many good friends who have gone through this separation. It’s an emotional time when our children leave for college, and this was equally hard for Andy’s mom and his toys. The audience see’s how Andy’s toys deal with their sense of abandonment. The toys stick together, and help each other, while going through this emotional time…a good lesson for kids.
There’s a sentimental scene that shows Andy and his mom, in Andy’s empty bedroom, saying their goodbye’s to each other. Parents will relate to their sadness.
Kids and adults will love this movie. There are some pop-cultural references that only adults will get.
The movie has some funny parts as well.
- Spanish Buzz Lightyear
- Fashionable Ken and Barbie
Sexual Content: Mild
- Cute flirting with Ken and Barbie.
Violent Content:
- There are some intense action scenes that may scare younger kids. At one point it seems like our favorite toys will all perish.
- As in most movies there are “the bad guys,” these characters may also scare younger kids.
- In the daycare there are some “bully toys” lead by a bear named Lots-o’, and creepy baby doll. My 14 year old daughter said that as a youngster, she would have been scared in some of the intense moments of this movie.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
It’s been eleven years since we last saw Woody, Buzz and the gang. Many of today’s teenagers grew up with the “Toy Story” characters. Like everything, all good things must come to an end, and Pixar did a great job of concluding one of our favorite classic movie series.
This was an entertaining and emotional movie for the whole family to see. I give this movie five out of five buckets.
Toy Story/Toy Story 2 Review
We had Toy Story in 1995, Toy Story 2 in 1999, and now in 2009 they’re back, but this time in 3D. The story is exactly the same. In the first movie we meet a boy named Andy, and his wonderful toys that come to life when no one’s around. Woody(Tom Hanks) the likable cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear(Tim Allen) the fearless space ranger, are Andy’s favorite toys, though they are competitors both vying to be number one in Andy’s eyes. After a fun intermission, which consists of short clips and trivia, then Toy Story 2 begins, which starts off with Andy going to camp, and leaving his toys behind. Woody discovers that he’s a collectible from a 1950 TV show when and obsessive toy collector kidnaps him. Woody also meets the other prized toys from the show, and once again the toys experience many adventures together.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: October 5, 2009
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: Any Age
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
I read that “the re-release is smooth, crisper and more vibrant for the new generation of children.”
It’s great that the new generation of kids will have the chance to see these movies on the big screen before the upcoming release of Toy Story 3, which comes out summer 2010.
These movies are only out for 2 weeks.
We see the first complete trailer, in 3D of Toy Story 3.
Both movies have pleasant messages of helping one another, kindness and humility.
The main theme throughout both movies is about toys rescuing toys.
Toy Story 1 and 2 are good wholesome refreshing movies that everyone will enjoy, both kids and adults.
I interviewed kids after the movies, and they all loved it. Their ages ranged from about 4 to 10. When the first movie was finished, the kids were still quiet and attentive ready for Toy Story 2. The parents said that the 10 minute intermission was very beneficial. I give both movies five buckets.
Touchback Review
What if? People tend to question whether they’ve made the right choices in their lives; and that was a constant concern for Scott Murphy (Brian Presley). Living in a small, blue collar farm town in Ohio, Scott thought he had it all. In high school he was athletic, popular, and very good looking ; he even had a college football scholarship already lined up. However, his life dramatically changed in the football state finals during his senior year. Scott’s leg was crushed in the last seconds of the game. Twenty years later; he’s married with 2 kids, and still limping with a leg brace, and often wondered, what if he hadn’t run that last play? Touchback is a wonderful heartfelt story about hard work, and the true meaning of life.
Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 8, 2013
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
See a clip of my review here, along with reviews of Bully and The Lucky One!
Talking Points:
I couldn’t help but think of It’s a Wonderful Life. Scott, like George Bailey, was going through a very rough time in his life. He was continuously faced with difficult challenges; he even got to the point where he attempted suicide. Scott eventually realized how truly blessed he was with his wonderful family and friends. A lesson which was laced throughout the film: it’s not the “things,” that make you happy, it’s people in your life. Great parent/child conversation.
Scott’s football coach, Coach Hand (Kurt Russell) was a wonderful influence on the team. He encouraged his players to work hard, on and off the field. He even told the players to “Go home, and tell your parents that you love them.” The constant lessons he brought to the team will spark great parent/child conversations as well.
Scott’s wife was very optimistic and loving. When we saw flashbacks of Scott in high school, we learn that his goal was to leave their small town. She was always content with her life, as a teen, and as an adult.
As I mentioned there were some wonderful messages woven throughout the film, however one frustrating thing about the film was the poor acting, (except for Kurt Russell).
The movie was partially filmed in Grand Rapids and Coopersville, Mi, which was fun to see, since I’m from Grand Rapids.
Sexual Content: Mild
- The scenes with Scott in high school show his cute blond girlfriend climbing on his lap, and kissing him…and wanting more. She stated that she wanted to reduce his pre-game stress, and have some fun!
- We see girls wearing low cut shirts and short shorts.
- In one scene characters are shown skinny dipping. We see them from a distance taking off their clothes and jumping in the water, they’re shown from their shoulders up.
Violent Content: Moderate
- We see some rough, hard-hitting football plays.
- We see Scott trying to commit suicide by plugging the tailpipe of his truck, while hoping to get carbon monoxide poisoning.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “H–,” is said about a dozen times, and “d–n,” and “a–,” are said a few times.
Overall this is a wonderful film with inspirational messages for kids to hear. The deep subject matter may be too much for younger kids, so I recommend this for kids ages 12 and up.