Always looking for quality

I get frustrated at what is offered to kids in the form of entertainment. Most movies and TV shows are more about selling other products than providing good quality children's entertainment. Many are thrown together, poorly made, and cater to the lowest common denominator.

After seeing a couple of Sundance screenings this year, I thought how cool it would be if the kind of care and quality that goes into the majority of independent films could also be done with children's film. I see nothing wrong with my kids watching films that challenge them to think, shows things in new ways, that inspires their creativity or compassion. I'm tired of kid flicks that treat children as either consuming machines, simple-minded or both.

Since film festivals like Sundance do not rate the films, it's difficult to know if any are appropriate for my teen or child. And the Broadway and Tower theatres rarely show films below a PG-13 rating, with most probably rated R. I've been studying the offerings at Netflicks in the children and families section, hoping to find good stuff and am having some difficulty.

Ah well . . . the quest continues.