Movie Review – Astro Boy

by Kerry Bennett
October 28, 2009

Editor’s Note: If you have a movie review that you would like to submit on a movie that you have seen.

We would like to know what you think about any reviews that we publish. dan@youngchronicle.com

Based on the TV cartoon series with the same name, Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is a robotic child built by a grieving scientist (voiced by Nicholas Cage) who has lost his son. When he fails to fill the empty place in his human father’s heart, the young robot sets off on a journey of self-discovery.

In-Depth Review

Astro Boy is rated PG: for some action and peril, and brief mild language.

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen a television episode of Astro Boy. Long enough that I didn’t remember much about the individual other than his characteristic cowlick and jet powered boots. Fortunately, my reunion with this undersized and updated superhero was more enjoyable than I anticipated.

In the movie, Dr. Tenma (voice by Nicolas Cage) is working on a highly technical research project that promises to provide a new source of power for Metro City. He and his fellow employee at the Ministry of Science, Dr. Elefun (voice by Bill Nighy), have managed to separate positive and negative aspects of the energy and are ready to test its capabilities.

Unfortunately, General Stone (voice by Donald Sutherland) is up for re-election and wants to make an announcement that will guarantee his success at the polls. Rather than wait for more controlled analysis, he forces the scientists to immediately insert these volatile resources into his new military android known as the Peace Keeper. Not unexpectedly, the experiment goes horribly wrong and Dr. Tenma’s boy is killed.

Heartbroken, the grieving father fashions a robot in the exact likeness of his son and brings him to life using the blue core of positive energy he discovered with Dr. Elefun. But it doesn’t take long for Dr. Tenma to realize this little mechanical child, known as Astro Boy (voice by Freddie Highmore), will never be able to replace the one he lost. Discarded by his “dad” and hiding from General Stone (who wants to recover the energy core for his robotic army), Astro Boy ends up in a decaying part of the planet with a bunch of orphaned children. It is a scenario torn directly from the script of Oliver Twist. These kids work for Ham Egg (voice of Nathan Lane), the only adult around. By day he sends them out to collect bits and pieces of mechanized junk that he refurbishes into functioning machines.

However, Astro soon discovers that robots aren’t particularly popular with these residents, so he opts to keep his true identity secret while he tries to find his place in the world.

Based on the Japanese manga series created in the 1950s, both Astro Boy and the storyline have undergone some dramatic changes that aficionados of the comic will quickly notice. Yet the robot’s desires to fit in and find a purpose in his life are still evident in the plot. Depictions of violent encounters with the gigantic, morphing Peace Keeper, that absorbs and integrates objects around it (including other robots, humans and parts of buildings), might be frightening for young viewers—although many of the portrayals are no more graphic than an after-school cartoon. More disturbing may be the emotional drama that takes place when Dr. Tenma loses his son and later when the human father rejects his creation Astro Boy.

Still, older children will likely be engaged by this high-flying superhero as he discovers his unique set of super powers. And, given his ability to break down barriers between humans and robots as well as burrow through solid rock, Astro Boy is a champion most parents can approve of too.

Studio: 2009 Summit Entertainment. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details:

Robots in this film provide all kinds of help from household chores to soldiering. Some are outfitted with weapons. An evil politician attempts to force the upcoming election in his favor by making scientists use their experiment for military purposes. A research trial results in the death of a child. A father is shown grieving for his son. A robotic character is rejected by his human creator and later runs away from home. Orphaned children are shown living on their own. Robots engage in gladiator-like entertainment for humans. A scientist removes the energy core from a robot, rendering it lifeless. A gigantic android attempts to kill Astro Boy, destroys parts of the city and terrifies the inhabitants. Explosions are shown. Brief, mild profanities are used. A cartoon character is shown with his pants down in a doctor’s office. Astro Boy comments about his derriere.

Discussion Ideas:

Video alternatives…

Other mechanical objects also have emotional and human traits attributed to them in movies with similar themes. In Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, a young budding scientist uses metal, bolts and nuts to fashion a high-tech pet that can play dead as well as fetch. A little android is left to clean up after the humans who’ve destroyed the Earth’s resources in WALL-E. Robin Williams stars as a robot who has developed a love of classical music and a penchant for painting in Bicentennial Man. Another father wishing for a son fashions a boy out of wood, in the classic fairytale Pinocchio.

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

Movie Review – Where the Wild Things Are

By Mariam El Hasan
October 12, 2009

Has there ever been a time when you felt that nobody understood how you felt? Then perhaps you can relate to Max, from the upcoming movie Where the Wild Things Are.

Kids might wonder how a picture book of only about 300 words could be stretched into a feature-length film. Director Spike Jonze took on the challenge, which took him three years to complete. The book’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, was there to help.

In the book, the reader knows that the main character, Max, is a wild, rambunctious boy. In the movie, you soon see that Max is also an angry boy. His parents are divorced, his sister no longer pays any attention to him, and he becomes very uncomfortable and unhappy when his mother begins dating.

In the beginning of the movie, Max gets into an argument with his mother and bites her! As a 9-year-old boy, he certainly ought to know better. He is sent to his room where he decides to run away from his problems.

With the help of an active imagination, Max sets sail for an island where he becomes king of the wild things. You see the movie through Max’s eyes, and feel with him all of the turmoil of reality and the release of escapism just as he experiences it. When Max meets the wild things, we discover with him that they are not simply wild beasts. They have complicated feelings and different personalities.

Overall, Where the Wild Things Are is a terrific movie. Watching it was a unique experience. Like looking through a kaleidoscope, it can be described, but you really have to see it yourself to experience the true beauty.

 

Source: Scholastic News Online

Movie Review – Fame

  

by Kerry Bennett
October 1, 2009

If fame is as fickle as winning a lottery, then maybe the best ticket to the top is acceptance into the New York City High School of Performing Arts. Yet even the group of talented music and dance students lucky enough to have earned that prestigious honor are only beginning to pay the price associated with their lofty goals. This remake of the highly successful 1980’s film follows a new generation of dreamers.

In-Depth Review

Fame is rated PG: for thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language.

Fame—that illusive moment in the spotlight—doesn’t come easy. And that is exactly what the teachers and principal (Debbie Allen) at New York’s Performing Arts High School want their students to know. Discipline, practice, attention to the details of their craft and hard work help, but they can’t guarantee success.

Nearly 30 years after the original Fame movie released, there is a whole new generation of students auditioning in the rundown classrooms at the city’s prestigious public institution. They arrive on the big day, nervous and excited to prove they have the right stuff. Of 10,000 applicants, 200 make the cut as freshmen.

From there the film rushes through four years of high school with a cast so large it is difficult to really get to know any of the kids. Alice (Kherington Payne) is a dancer whose parents have been paving the way for her career from the time she was four or five years old. Her confidence and expectations are evident. Luckily she seems to have the talent to make it happen. Unfortunately things aren’t so rosy for the male dancer (Paul McGill) from Iowa who has to work doubly hard to keep up.

Meanwhile, Denise (Naturi Naughton) is locked away in a classroom practicing her musical pieces to fulfill her father’s dream for her, to become a classical pianist. Neil’s (Paul Iacono) desire to be a filmmaker has him begging his hard-working dad (Howard Gutman) for production money.

Down the hall in theatrical arts, a timid student (Kay Panabaker) stands at the front of the room and performs a faltering rendition of a love song. Then another classmate (Collins Pennie), who is attending the school without his mother’s knowledge, lets his anger spill out in a rap song. Their friend, Marco (Asher Book), who sings in his family’s restaurant, is just happy to show up at school everyday.

Each passing semester sees some students soar while others stumble as they face new experiences. Their abilities are tested when one teacher (Megan Mullally) takes them out of the safety of the high school and pushes them to perform in front of a real audience at a nightclub. Other teenagers learn life lessons after getting drunk, facing unwanted sexual advances, and being repeatedly rejected at cast calls. One performer even contemplates suicide when his dreams for a future career disappear.

The audience I screened this production with (consisting of dancers, their parents and the staff of an elite athletic school) seemed to buy right into the story. I’m sure most of those aspiring young athletes see themselves shining on the stage one day. With a bit of luck and hard work some of them might even succeed. In the meantime, I hope the warning about pushing your children to satisfy parental dreams wasn’t lost on the adults.

Studio: 2009 MGM. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

Students experience anxiety and nervousness as they prepare to audition for entry into this prestigious school. Parents are often portrayed as demanding, unsupportive or uninformed. After a girl gets drunk and throws up, a teacher reprimands her actions. Teens are seen performing in nightclubs and bars but presumably do not drink alcoholic beverages there or at a social gathering. A female student rebuffs the actions of a young adult male who makes sexual advances toward her. Several students exchange kisses. Performers are seen in skimpy dance costumes and execute moves that include crotch-grabbing and pelvic gyrations. A student seriously contemplates suicide after facing a disappointment. A student has his money stolen by a con artist. The script includes mild and moderate profanities, vulgarities, slurs and slang terms.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Video alternatives

Kay Panabaker also stars as a young rider who dreams of competing in an upcoming horse jumping event against some very driven athletes in Moondance Alexander. The father of another talented youngster pushes his son to succeed in Searching For Bobby Fischer.

Other dancers looking for fame strut their stuff in the movies Step Up and Honey. The documentary Mad Hot Ballroom explores the virtue of dance classes as part of the curriculum for fifth graders in the New York City School District.

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Movie Reviews: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

 
by Kerry Bennett
September 18, 2009

It has long been the ambition of Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) to leave his mark on the world by inventing something that will improve life for mankind. When his experiments result in food falling from the sky, he also catches the attention of Sam Sparks (voice of Anna Faris), an aspiring television news reporter who has flown in to cover the event..

 

In-Depth Review

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is rated PG: for brief mild language.

You’ll never look at lunch or the weather forecast the same way after watching Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Personally, the idea of meals just blowing in and raining down appears to be a good one. No stewing over what to make for dinner and no more lengthy trips to the grocery store. However, the best laid plans don’t always pan out.

Flint Lockwood’s (voice by Bill Hader) intentions are good. He’s always been the nerd, the weirdo, the freak with a head full of big ideas. But nothing has ever turned out to be as successful in reality as it looked on paper. Now the small town where Flint lives with his father Tim (voice by James Caan) is in serious trouble. The sardine factory has closed and the citizens on the tiny island are the only ones left to eat the salty seafood. Unfortunately a steady diet of sardines is becoming pretty unappetizing.

Squirreled away in his lab, Flint comes up with a tasty solution to their dilemma. He creates a food-making machine that will turn simple water molecules into yummy entrees. Unfortunately a power surge sends the machine hurtling into the stratosphere. Instead of serving dinner from the safety of his lab, the scrumptious meals begin falling from the sky.

The enterprising mayor (voice by Bruce Campbell) of Swallow Falls sees this new weather phenomenon as a way to rejuvenate business in the faltering town. He, without any input from the rest of the citizens, creates a food-based amusement park and begins promoting it to tourists around the world. But as the demands increase on the food processor, the gentle mealtime showers develop into severe storm patterns. With reporter Sam Sparks (voice by Anna Faris) broadcasting on location, the world watches as the town of Swallow Falls is caught up in the center of some nasty squalls.

This film’s delectable script, a cast of delicious characters and a hearty dash of topical jokes for the adults in the audience make this film entertaining for almost everyone. Very young viewers, however, may be frightened by some moments of peril, especially when a grown-up ‘Baby’ Brent (voice by Andy Samberg) is chased and eaten by a headless roasted turkey. Another man is electrocuted after sneaking into a power sub station. He also has to deal with constant bullying from his peers.

Still these characters discover that everyone has something to offer, particularly when they stay true to who they are. And while too much of any good thing can be bad, the forecast for this family film is sunny with a chance of laughs.

Studio: 2009 Columbia Pictures. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

From the time he is a child, Flint is bullied and teased by his peers in school and even adults on the street. He also deals with his father’s disappointment. After one science experiment goes wrong, Flint is seen hitting his feet, trying to cut something off of them and banging them against the floor. One character is electrocuted in a power substation. An accident causes the total destruction of an amusement park. A man runs with scissors in his hand. An animal appears to be eating excrement. A character throws snowballs at others. A father and son have a disagreement. Characters experience severe weather including tornados. A dam threatens to break and flood the people who live below it. Characters are chased by a flock of headless, roasted turkeys. One man is eaten by one of the turkeys. A girl suffers from the effects of anaphylactic shock after being exposed to peanuts. Characters lie to one another. They also experience moments of peril, including being attacked by giant gummy bears. The script contains some name-calling and brief mild language.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Video alternatives

Food also plays a starring role in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where a young boy finds a golden ticket that allows him access into a magical candy-making plant. In The Absent-minded Professor, a teacher at a small town university discovers a new substance known as flubber. Another young inventor with great ambitions is introduced in Meet The Robinsons.

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Movie Review: G-Force

by Kerry Bennett
August 27, 2009

Guinea pigs finally get their chance to prove they are more than just laboratory test subjects in this live-action/animated tale. Sporting attitude and the latest high-tech equipment, these furry friends are an espionage force to be reckoned with!

In-Depth Review

G-Force is rated PG: for some mild action and rude humor.

Size doesn’t seem to matter to the guinea pigs that make up the covert government agency known as G-Force. Juarez (voice by Penélope Cruz), Darwin (voice by Sam Rockwell) and Blaster (voice by Tracy Morgan) may be small, but they’re still a power to be reckoned with when it comes to military operations.

However, like many other federally funded departments, their backing is about to be cut. Without it, they will be forced to shut down before uncovering the criminal activities behind Leonard Saber’s (Bill Nighy) household appliance empire. On the night prior to their project’s termination, they launch an unauthorized infiltration mission into Saber’s mansion and steal a computer file outlining his plans for world domination. They hope the information will help save their program. But when the guinea pigs’ boss Ben (Zach Galifianakis) tries to open the file for FBI Agents Killian (Will Arnett), Trigstad (Gabriel Casseus) and Carter (Jack Conley), they discover it has been infected with a computer virus.

Without any positive evidence against the suspicious industrialist, officers slap a closed sign on the animal experimentation operation and the rodents soon finds themselves incarcerated in a pet store cage with a hairy, flatulence-plagued pig (voice by Jon Favreau) and psychotic hamster (voice by Steve Buscemi). Refusing to burrow into the wood chips while Saber initiates his villainous plot, the furry agents and their mole friend Speckles (voice by Nicolas Cage) design an escape plan and arrange to rendezvous at Ben’s address.

Their adventures outside of the pet shop though are often too intense for young viewers. Along with scenes straight from an action flick (car chases, breaking plate glass windows and the threat of being crushed), these rodents are attacked by automated machines with whirling blades and other deadly appendages. They are also subjected to actions that could easily be imitated by children. Feigning interest in the pigs, a young customer in the pet store picks up one of the critters and then intentionally throws him into a cage with a hungry snake. Another is put behind the wheel of a remote control car and driven at high speeds through an obstacle course and over a jump. While children aren’t involved with the following depiction, a rodent finds himself locked inside a microwave oven where he is about to be cooked. During their undercover operations, the tiny squad also faces frequent moments of peril involving attack dogs, detonated explosives, exterminators and armed agents intent on hunting down the escapees.

Yet for children comfortable with these types of action-packed escapades, G-Force offers some more thoughtful moments, particularly after the guinea pig project is abandoned. Believing in the importance of their mission and trusting in one another, the beady-eyed critters stay the course despite some disappointing setbacks. And although the script may sometimes grow a little lame, this film’s special 3D effects prove to be engaging from the first frame to the final clip.

Studio: 2009 Walt Disney Pictures / Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Movie Review: Shorts

by Kerry Bennett
August 21, 2009

When Toby Thompson (Jimmy Bennett) finds a rainbow-striped rock capable of granting his every wish, the unpopular boy is sure his prospects are looking up. But when the other neighborhood kids and their parents get their hands on the magic stone, the whole world turns upside-down.

In-Depth Review

Shorts is rated PG: for mild action and some rude humor.

About all filmmaker Robert Rodriguez doesn’t seem to have done during the production of his latest family film was sew costumes and cater lunches. He may have been too busy in his roles as director, producer, writer, cinematographer, music composer, visual effects supervisor and film editor to worry about sandwiches.

He does, however, manage to find time to procure roles for three of his five children. Rocket and his brother Rebel star as schoolyard bullies who carry out the demands of the bossy and cruel Helvetica Black (Jolie Vanier). His son Rebel plays Lug, a young boy who uses the powers of a magical, rainbow-colored rock to conjure up an imposing rock fortress and a float of crocodiles.

But Lug isn’t the only kid to take advantage of the mysterious stone. When Toe Thompson (Jimmy Bennett) finds the rock and discovers its abilities, he believes all his problems at home with his sister (Kat Dennings) and at school are over. The first item on his wish list is friends. Yet before long, the flotilla of tiny alien spaceships that appear to keep him company prove to be more troublesome than friendly.

Tossed around the neighborhood of Black Falls, the polished, multi-striped aggregate grants the innermost desires of other adults and kids as well. Unfortunately most of the residents don’t make particularly wise choices when it comes to having their hopes realized. Their adventures with the rock unfold in a series of non-sequential shorts that take place at school, at the office and in the homes of the unusual residents that inhabit the town.

While the storyline resembles the fanciful undertakings seen in Rodriguez’s early family-oriented films (Spy Kids 1, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over as well as The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3D) where bullied children also live secret, powerful lives, parents may be less comfortable with this script’s amount of mimicable violence. Toe is stuffed into a garbage can headfirst even after trying to talk his way out of trouble with a gaggle of goons. On the way home, the boys pelt him with rocks and he falls from a tree after being knocked out. As a way to taunt Toe, a mean-spirited classmate swallows his pet fish, hits Toe in the head repeatedly and calls him names. Not only do students fall from the roof of the school after falling through an open window, there are also kids who intentionally break the windows of a house to gain access to the inside. Although most of these stunts are played for comedy, they, along with plenty of more fantastical depictions of a destructive robot, a defecating Pterodactyl and a living piece of nasal mucus may be too graphic and/or gross for younger viewers.

Jumping randomly from one mini story to the next like a cartoon on caffeine, this film about making your wishes come true may appeal most to audience members with very short attention spans.

Studio: 2009 Warner Brothers Pictures. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

Bullies, adult and child, molest their employees and classmates with name-calling, threats, physical aggression and yelling. Students hit a boy with rocks. A character is stuffed in a garbage can and later falls from a tree. Students fall off the roof of a school. Characters are attacked by miniature aliens, a giant robot, chased by crocodiles, and carried off by a dinosaur. An explosion occurs in a science class covering the students with an unknown substance. A girl intentionally swallows a live fish. Siblings fight among themselves. A married couple experience stress and alienation because of a shared work project. A boy is swallowed by a crocodile and defecated on by a flying dinosaur. A boy repeatedly picks his nose. A blob of his mucus turns into a living, animated monster. A boy is covered with mucus after meeting up with the monster. Adults attack one another at a house party. Boys break a house window and enter the premise illegally. Characters scuffle with one another. A character is hit in the head and knocked out. Characters ride motorcycles without a helmet and talk on the phone while driving. Characters are frequently in peril. The script includes mild crude humor and a term of Deity.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

How are families portrayed in this film? Which family would you rather live with, the Thompsons, the Noseworthys, the Blacks or Lug and his brothers?

Robert Rodriguez often features bullied children in his films. How can children and teens best deal with bullies? How can adults help intervene? What positive attempts does Toe make to reason with the bullies?

Video alternatives

Although actor Jimmy Bennett is only 13-years-old, he already has an impressive number of credits on his acting resume, including roles as a pint-sized superhero in Daddy Day Care, the son of a shipbuilder in Evan Almighty, and a young James T. Kirk in Star Trek.

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Movie Review – Bandslam

By Kerry Bennett
August 16, 2009

A desire to win their school’s “battle of the bands” competition brings together an unlikely group of teens (played by Vanessa Hudgens, Alyson Michalka and Gaelan Connell). As they practice, the group discovers they may have more in common than just their love of music.

Nerdy guys aren’t what they used to be in the movies. These days they are the ones getting the girl, or in this case the girls.

At his old school, Will Burton (Gaelan Connell) was on the bottom of the pecking order—literally. After suffering another day of humiliation, he slithers down the steps of the school bus to greet his waiting mother. (Note to parents: Meeting your high school student at the bus stop does not help your child’s standing with his or her peers.)

But Karen Burton (Lisa Kudrow) has good news for her unhappy offspring. The conscientious and slightly smothering single mom has a job offer that will allow her son to move to a new school and get a fresh start. Initially, Will only groans about the prospect of being subjected to more torture from a different student body. However when he arrives in New Jersey, he is almost immediately befriended by one of the most popular Senior girls on campus.

After Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka) discovers Will’s vast musical knowledge, she also invites him to manage her fledgling rock band that is aiming for an invitation to the upcoming interstate Bandslam contest. When Will finally hears Charlotte and her backup singers, Bug (Charlie Saxton) and Omar (Tim Jo), he knows he has a lot of work to do, especially if they want to beat the school’s other rival band headed up by Charlotte’s former boyfriend (Scott Porter).

Unfortunately Will’s heady infatuation with his newfound popularity and the band’s lead singer interferes with his ability to complete a group project with his classmate Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens). With a deadline looming, Will finally finds time for his homework assignment with the moody girl. And despite Sa5m’s (pronounced Sam) gloom and doom outlook (which matches his own), Will soon discovers he has feelings for his sober partner as well. Torn between two girls, Will finds himself with an enviable problem—by any nerd’s standards.

However, while the characters in this film represent many of the stereotypical teens seen on screen, they undergo plenty of development as their back-stories and intentions are revealed. Some of these students do the wrong things for the wrong reasons, yet the script allows for personal growth and gives ample justification for their motives. And though these teens are far less perky and prone to bursting into song in the middle of the hallway or basketball court than the cast from High School Musical there are still plenty of musical interludes with above average performances as various groups prepare for the fierce competition.

With more depth than the average adolescent flick, this production acknowledges difficult teen issues and gives credibility to the students who deal with the challenges of growing up.

Studio: 2009 Summit Entertainment. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

This high school tale contains scenes of bullying. A student is knocked down, pushed, hit with a water balloon and called names. Characters trespass in an abandoned building. A girl drives erratically. Students lie about their pasts or motivations. A preschooler eats glue. Death of a parent and divorce are discussed. Teens kiss and a teenager kisses an adult woman. Comments are made about the dangers of drinking and driving. The script contains conversations about teen angst, terms of Christian Deity and brief crude terms.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Although Will’s mom seems anxious for her son to make friends, why is she so unwilling to let him get involved with the kids in the band? What personal fears might she be facing?

How do different characters handle hard times in this story? How do they show compassion to one another in times of difficulty?

Charlotte tells Will to do the things that scare him. Is it important to move beyond our current comfort level? What does Will learn about himself and others when he accepts new challenges?

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Parent Previews

Kids Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

by Lily
age 12

NG Kids
July 30, 2009

Editor’s Note: If you seen a movie that you want others to see or not see. Contact us at dan@youngchronicle.com Photograph courtesy Warner Bros

We would publish your review.

Dumbledore takes Harry to Horace Slughorn’s house. The house looks like it has been robbed. After they find Horace, who has disguised himself as a chair, they ask him to be the new potions professor at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron take his class and Harry ends up with the potion book, “The Half-Blood Prince.” He uses the book to find out how Voldemort came across his dark magic.

In the end, Harry learns all of the secrets that Hogwarts has kept for years.

I liked the unexpected events that happened, including the VERY big one at the end. I won’t tell you what that was, because you have to go see the movie!

I would rate this movie 4 out of 5 cow spots.

How much do you know about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? Quiz Your Noodle and find out!

Source: Kids Blogs National Geographic