I don't usually like going to kids' movies because I usually find them to be too simplistic or just plain stupid. My kiddie film low point had to be "Barnyard" though -- after seeing this ridiculous film, I imagined an entire generation of American children who believed that male cattle had udders and produced milk, and that bulls were a different breed of animal all together.
So I've been pleasantly surprised that 4 summer films aimed at kids were nearly equally enjoyable for both kids and adults. I've put these in order of the least to most enjoyable:
Kung Fu Panda -- the story is a little predictable, but the animation is so gorgeous and it contains enough laughs that I felt like I got my money's worth.
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian -- I read all of the Narnia books several times each as a kid and loved them dearly. I've heard the arguments about how "Christian" the Narnia stories are, but I remain blissfully unaware of it in these films or books. This film is (although not bloody or gory) a bit too violent for younger children, but it is very well put together and the story is compelling. Prince Caspian was my least favorite of the Narnia books, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the film version of my favorite (which should be coming next): The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Wall-E -- very sweet story, beautifully done. Also had enough futuristic/sci-fi-ish elements that I was interested in the story throughout the entire film. I also appreciate the reminders of what type of society we could be heading to if we don't wean ourselves off our consumption and corporate driven lifestyles.
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl -- My favorite of the 4. This is usually the type of film I don't like, one based on a toy or product. But the product is a good one, a doll company that teaches girls about history. And there really wasn't any product peddling. The story, set during the depression, was compelling, heart-warming and enjoyable, if a bit innocent. Enjoyable performances by an A list cast. I hope to see more American Girl films of this caliber.
I'm discovering that the Little Princess can be quite emotional. She was in tears at both Wall-E and Kit Kittredge.
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2 comments:
Hm..good to know! I've been reading some good things about Wall-E on the Rotten Tomatoes site. I hadn't heard much about the Narnia movies though which surprised me. Glad to hear it's good. Bruce is a huge fan of all those books so I'll have to see if we can get a chance to go. The boys are still too young to sit through films yet so we rarely go.
The Little Princess is just at the age where she can sit through a movie -- as long as it is engaging. Wall-E kept her thoroughly engrossed, as did Kung Fu Panda. But the other two not quite as well -- with Kit Kittredge I had to explain a few things to her. I still think she got a lot out of it, but she did have trouble sitting still throughout and understanding everything that was going on.
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