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.
The Three Stooges Review
Moe, Larry and Curly are back, and still up to their old shenanigans. However, this time the three Stooges are on a mission to save their childhood orphanage. The orphanage needs $830,000, or it will have to shut down and send the children to a foster home. The Stooges come across many adventures as they try to fulfill their mission, and save the orphanage. However, because there’s an immoral relationship involving a key character woven throughout the film as well as constant slapstick violence, I do not recommend this for kids.
Rating: 1 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: April 13, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
See a clip of my review here, along with Lockout!
Talking Points:
I felt the Stooges goal of saving the orphanage was admirable. I also admired their friendship and dedication to each other. A nice lesson for kids.
There were a lot of silly, goofy scenes. In one scene the Stooges were in a room full of babies, and proceeded to spray each other with the babies urine. This was disgusting, though I’m sure kids will find it humorous.
Moe ended up on the reality show, Jersey Shore. Once again he had fun poking, boinking and torturing them as well.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Women wear revealing low cut outfits.
- There were immoral sexual relationships and suggestive references however, there were no inappropriate visual scenes.
Violent Content: Excessive
- Where do I begin….There was continuous hitting, poking, slapping and silly violence throughout the whole film.
- We saw a character putting hot irons on another character’s chest.
- A women, who was having an affair, convinced the Stooges to kill her husband. This created a lot more silly violence and mayhem.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “What the…?” was said.
- “Knuckleheads” and “nitwits,” were also said.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s were shown drinking alcohol.
As the film concluded the directors appeared on screen explaining that the tools used in the film were made out of rubber. They told the kids in the audience to “please play safe at home.” With the violence and immoral themes, I don’t recommend this for kids. Instead of The Three Stooges, take your youngsters to see Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.
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.