Fantasy
Fantasy movie reviews
Thor Review
As parents, when we discipline our children, we typically give them a time out or take certain privileges away from them. That’s not how Thor’s dad disciplines him. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a powerful, but yet arrogant young warrior living on a different world, Asgard. He disobeys and betrays his father (Anthony Hopkins), who is the King of Asgard, by fighting in an unnecessary battle. His father, who believes in preserving the peace with their enemy, is very upset, and banishes Thor down to Earth, so he can live with humans as a punishment. On Earth he has no special privileges, titles or prestige, he’s just a regular guy trying to survive on his own; even his magical hammer is taken away from him. Naturally, he is faced with many challenges and obstacles, though he learns a valuable lesson about humility, and how to be a true leader. This sci/fi, action film, based on Marvel comic books, is an intense, but entertaining movie.
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: May 6, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Profanity: Mild
Violence: Excessive
Sensuality: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild
Talking Points
This movie has a great cast. To name a few; Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins and of course Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
Living in Asgard, Thor is heir to the throne, and he’s very spoiled and selfish. While on Earth, and having lost all his powers, he learns a great lesson about humility. When a small town in New Mexico is threatened by a monster, Thor risks his life to save and protect his human friends. Without spoiling the movie, he makes other sacrifices as well to help the people of Asgard. He is no longer selfish, and realizes the importance of helping others.
In one scene, Thor says, “My father tried to teach me something, but I was too stupid to listen.” He regrets not listening to his father, and he had to pay the consequence. This could spark some great discussions with your kids. After all, parents know what’s best for their children.
Thor’s younger brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), is very jealous of Thor. He wants to be the next King, so he lies and manipulates certain situations to keep Thor away from Asgard. His jealousy gets the best of him, another great conversation subject with your kids.
Sexual Content: Mild
• There is one passionate kiss.
Violent Content: Excessive
• There are a many intense battles and fighting. Some characters are skewered by swords, pounded by hammers, frozen and crushed to death.
• There are many loud explosions, and viscous storms.
• There is a large monster, and some creepy characters, which may scare some kids.
Crude/Profane Language: Mild
• The d-word, a-word and h-word are used, but not a lot.
Next time you punish your child, you obviously can’t banish them to another planet, but you can send them to their room, hoping they’ll learn from their mistake, just like Thor did. If your child likes sci/fi movies, and can handle some of the intense action scenes, I recommend this film. I think it’s appropriate for boys ages 11 and up.
The Hobbit: An Expected Journey Review
He missed his armchair, he missed his books, and he missed his home. That’s how Bilbo Baggins (the hobbit) felt when he expectantly left his home to help thirteen dwarves reclaim their Dwarf Kingdom; which had been attacked by the dragon Smaug. Continue reading
Tale of Desperaux Review
Based on a Newberry Medal winning childrens’ book. It’s about a tiny, brave mouse with oversized ears. He refuses to live the life of a typical mouse; he likes to read, (not eat the books like all the other mice), he’s not afraid of anything, not even cats! So he’s banished from his home for not following the rules that society expects of a mouse. He’s then rescued by another outcast, a rat named Rosco. Later he discovers that he is the only one who can rescue the endangered Princess,(Pea).
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: April 7, 2001
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: Any age
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
No one is limited by physical appearances. Depereaux is smaller than other mice, but more capable.
Mig, a homely peasant girl, who wants to be a princess, finds peace and serenity when she discovers she is a princess in someone’s eyes.
Despereaux learns to read and appreciate books. Through reading he learns a lot about nobility and courage.
Through the various quarrels in the movie, the king hurts the rat, the rat hurts the princess, the princess hurts the peasant girl. A simple apology resolves everything.
I read that the author said, “We’re always underestimating children, but those major themes of how to be brave, how to be courageous, how to love, how to forgive, those things are the constant themes in their lives, too.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Moderate
- Knights/sword fights.
- Viscous cat chases Despereaux.
- Princess is kidnapped.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Name calling, word such as “crazy” and “weird.”
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Overall it’s a wonderful movie for adults and kids. It’s a tale of bravery and forgiveness in which a little mouse can teach a kingdom.
Sorcerer’s Apprentice Review
When I saw the trailer of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, I thought that the movie didn’t look good at all, though I thought I should review it anyway, and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a comedy adventure about a master sorcerer, Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage), and his apprentice, Dave, a twenty year-old nerdy physics student. Together they try to save the world from Balthazar’s arch-nemesis.
Rating:Four out of five buckets
Release Date: November 30, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
This was a funny, action packed movie.
When Dave, the physics student, was a ten year-old boy, he had a brief encounter with Balthazar. This created many psychological issues for Dave, because he was told that he was destined to be a powerful sorcerer. Ten years later we see Dave as the nerdy physic’s student still pursuing the same girl, and finally recovering from his childhood trauma, but then he’s pursued once again by Balthazar, the master sorcerer. Balthazar claims that physics and sorcery have a lot in common.
There are some nice lessons for kids. Balthazar continually says to Dave, “character counts-that to be great, one must be good.”
Sexual Content: Mild
- I loved romantic element of the movie. The nerdy boy, was attracted to a very cute girl, who was a DJ at a radio station. It was very entertaining watching him make his moves, to a girl way out of his league.
Some parts were clever.
As in most action movies, there’s conflict between good vs. evil, which we see in this movie.
Poor character development, I felt like I didn’t get to know the characters very well.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Younger kids may get scared because of the violence and scary creatures.
- Some examples: Electric thunderbolts fly from the wizards hands.
A Chinatown dragon becomes a scary creature that climbs buildings.
There are a lot of battles amongst the sorcerer’s. They’re thrown into ceilings and walls, they constantly push each other into magical mirrors.
Profanity or crude language: Mild
This is a PG movie, which I thought was appropriately rated. I interviewed many kids after the movie. A couple of six year-old girls said they liked it, but were scared in parts. A ten year old boy loved it, as did his mom. Walking out I heard a girl, who looked about ten, say to her dad, “That was the best movie I’ve ever scene, let’s see it again.”
Recommended age: For kids ages eight and up.
Snow White and the Huntsman Review
Well, I would not want to escape into a dark forest from an evil queen, but I would want the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) protecting me. Snow White and the Huntsman is story about the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who desperately wants Snow White (Kristen Stewart) killed when she realizes that the Princess will soon become more beautiful than she. So the Queen recruits a fierce Huntsman to go into the dark forest and kill the fair beauty. Things don’t work out the way the Queen had originally planned; the Huntsman ends up protecting Snow White and helps prepares her to save the kingdom from the evil Queen.
Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: September 11, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 14+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language:Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? No
See a clip of my review here, along with Crooked Arrows!
Talking Points:
This is a modern-day twist to the classic fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, however this film is very dark and creepy, one that young kids should not see. The Twilight fans, which include many tween girls, will want to see this film because of Kristen Stewart (who plays Bella in the Twilight series), however parents need to be aware of the disturbing content of the film.
The classic theme of good vs. evil is portrayed in the film as Snow White convinces man, beast and the dwarfs to do the right thing and set their kingdom free.
Snow risks her life to save the kingdom from the Queen’s control, she even stands in front of a a giant troll to help the Huntsman.
When we first meet the adult Snow White she prays the “Our Father,” while thinking of her deceased parents.
The Queen is very cruel, dark and malicious; she kills anyone she pleases; and enjoys the power and control she has over the people.
Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth were amazing in their roles as the Queen and the Huntsman. Kristen Stewart struggled in her role as Snow White. She acted like Bella from her Twilight movies.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Queen Ravenna wears low cut dresses, showing cleavage.
- We see the Queen’s naked form, from the back side.
- We see the Queen from the waist up naked, though she covers her chest with her arms.
- A couple kiss.
Violent Content: Excessive
- The Queen stabs her husband with a knife in his chest.
- We see battles with sword fights and stabbing, and bloody victims.
- Ravenna is stabbed in the gut by an attacker, she pulls the blade out and is perfectly fine.
- The Queen steps into a fire, we see her skin begin to burn, then she’s magically healed.
- The Queen slaps and attack’s Snow, we see her mouth bleeding.
- Queen Ravenna wears claws on her fingers which she uses to attack people.
- In one scene the Queen scoops out a small birds heart, and eats it.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “H–,” and “d–n,” are said.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- The Huntsman is typically drunk.
- The dwarfs are shown drinking alcohol in several scenes.
Will Kids Like It? No
Overall this is a very dark and disturbing film, not for kids. Having said that, adults may like this film… I did. Mirror Mirror would be more suitable for kids, as it’s targeted to a younger audience. Depending on the child, I feel that Snow White and the Huntsman is appropriate for kids ages 14 and up.