Rango (2011) - M7.4/E8

I almost didn't see this movie.  The only reason I ended up seeing it (and so soon) is that it is currently on Nexflix Instant!  I'm glad I saw it too.  Despite the negative reviews from others (including Uncle Orson), I really enjoyed this movie, though would not recommend it for young kids, even though it is an animated PG-rated film (again, no thanks to the MPAA for consistency).

[Slight Tangent: How do movies like Kung Fu Panda, Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, and Tangled get mixed up with movies like Rango and Shrek (1,2,3,4) - all rated PG?  Well, for one, there's never a clear line between one rating and another other than the types of swear words allowed, and that seems to be it. (I know Shrek didn't have much, if any, swearing; but the bathroom humor and off-color jokes were rampant).]

Rango has it's fair share of swearing for a PG-rated animated flick as well as some inappropriate comments for younger kids; but for those of us desensitized or mature enough, there's plenty to enjoy.  The number one thing I loved about Rango was the musical score provided by the mariachi owls.  I just might go out and buy the soundtrack.  It's not filled with popular music, but a vivid latin/mariachi sound that really draws you into the story and brings you right a long for the "riiiiidde".

I struggle with writing about the morality of movies.  People don't go to a movie to be educated or morally uplifted, they go to be entertained.  Hopefully the people that actually read my posts are looking for more than entertainment, but are actually looking for ways to deepen their movie watching experience.

There's a big difference in being entertained by a sporting event or the circus and watching a movie or reading a book.  The latter two have a lot of power to influence our lives for good or bad.  The spectrum of evil and good in these media is so much greater than in any other venue for entertainment.  This spectrum of Good and Evil is necessary to help us learn, it provides a laboratory where our thoughts can see the consequences of good/evil without us actually experiencing the consequences (providing the director/screen writer/author are competent enough to do this).

So, back from another tangent, there were a few quotes that really helped the movie make a lot of sense in my mind and really brought the "ride" to a point.  Of course, it all comes when Rango has hit bottom; he's been revealed for who he really is, just a lonely lizard who never had any real friends and not a gun toting sheriff.  He finally meets the Spirit of the West and is taught some important lessons that are not just trite platitudes, but really bring all the events of the story together.

The alabaster-carriage-driving Spirit says to Rango, "No man can walk out of his own story."  Rango's experience in Dirt wasn't an imaginative experience, even though he was acting the majority of the time he was there.  His actions and confidence touched real people and made real differences, it wasn't just one of his plays he rehearsed back in his lonely terrarium.  He needed to realize that.

Secondly, Rango's told that the people saw what they needed to see.  They needed a hero, so that's what they saw in Rango.  He filled that part well, even if he didn't believe he was a hero from the start.  Sometimes we need to get outside ourselves and be there for people in need.  When we stop lamenting about how pointless our life is and try in some measure to fill the voids in others' lives, we actually become somebody. (I'll have to watch the movie again to figure out exactly what was said and to whom it was said, but I think this covers the gist of it).

Last word, check it out, you might enjoy it.

The Lorax (2012) - M3/E5

I tried to go into this movie with no expectations, though I had read what the general response was from the critics.  I knew it was a movie about caring for the environment, but still remembered loving the story growing up.  After getting through 10 minutes of commercials and 25 minutes of trailers (with my daughter asking me each time a new trailer came up if it was the movie actually starting), the movie finally started, and I was hopeful.

It ended up being far from great, and will more than likely just disappear from my memory as a rather uneventful experience.  The movie was a fun kids show, lots of colors, and fun creatures; but the songs were less than memorable and the characters were not very interesting or deep, and the villain was completely annoying.  Why is it supposed to be funny to cast the villain as a mean, angry, short person? (My kids loved it, so I guess that's what they were going for.)

We are taught the same lesson that the book and the earlier animated feature teach us, that "unless" we take action and defend the trees, no one else can or will.  A much stronger moral (and the one my wife remembered from the book) was that "unless" we do something ourselves, we can't ever expect anything to get done - not only with respect to caring for the environment, but in every aspect of our lives.  Carpe diem!  Act now!

[Spoiler Alert]

The movie ends on a silly, corny, but positive note.  A movie suggesting action, is often better without offering a resolution (like what we're given in the original book/movie); giving the reader/viewer the opportunity to decide for him/herself what actions they need to take.  Instead we're given a crazy chase with the angry, tiny man trying to destroy the last truffula seed and the townsfolk changing their disdain for the boy with the seed to disdain for the tiny, angry man when they see what he's hidden from them (a dark and dreary wasteland).

Wait for this to come out on DVD to see it, and you will probably only enjoy it if you have small kids that you can watch it with.

Puss in Boots (2011) - M9.2/E7

I did not have high hopes for this show, especially not being a fan of the Shrek franchise (I stopped having a desire to watch them after Shrek 2). We got some free passes for a pre-screening and thought it would be fun to go as a family. Oddly enough not all of our kids enjoyed it, but my wife and I really enjoyed it. We were spared of bathroom/juvenile humor rampant in the Shrek movies, and were given a clever, inspirational animated movie, worthy of multiple views.  We saw it in 3-D, but there was nothing spectacular meriting paying extra for glasses, if anything it made our kids want to talk more during the movie.

The moral messages presented were much more complex than is typical in a children's feature. One particular event shows one of the characters being betrayed by a close friend and accused of breaking the law. This character, instead of seeking revenge or running from or fighting his captors, lets justice take its course to potential exoneration through the help and friendship of others. This is a topic I've been trying to comprehend myself. It seems cowardly to not step up and let people know they are in the wrong and that you are right, yet examples are plentiful in the scriptures of prophets (especially Jesus Christ himself) that are restrained by the spirit to not say anything to their captors/betrayers, knowing perhaps that whatever they say would be falling on deaf ears. This is what meekness truly is, it is not weakness by any means.

Beyond the events previously mentioned, we see further betrayal and revenge, beyond the simple "I'm upset at you and am not going to talk to you anymore."  These actions eventually turn into guilt and sorrow and a realization of what true friendship and brotherhood really is.

Megamind (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 4 of 5

Great humor; Will Ferrel did a great job. The story was a lot better than I had anticipated. I thought it would mimic the stale plot of bad guy versus good guy, bad guy never wins, good guy gets girl in the end, with occasional humorous moments. It was not stale at all, and the originality of it (as far as I can think right now, it’s original) was refreshing and engaging; and the humor was great. The music throughout the film rocked, pure classic rock.

Moral Rating: 4 of 5

Great message on the fallacy of fate. Our future is not already written for us. We don’t have to fit the mold people put us in. We need to become whatever it is that will allow us to reach our full potential as children of God. Megamind struggled with this idea of trying to fulfill his destiny, constantly going through the motions because that’s what he thought he was supposed to do. It wasn’t until he realized his potential for good that he actually became free from the bonds of fate.

I couldn't decide which clip to include, so here are a few more:

Rio (2011)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

We had a choice of seeing Rio or Hop. Given the reviews on several websites, Rio was the obvious best choice. The show was fun, but I was a little annoyed at the humans in it. Their characters were weak and detracted from the vividness that Rio had to offer. I loved the music. The music was probably the best part of the show. Otherwise the main plot was to get two rare birds to mate, and get their owners/captors together at the same time. Judging by the critics my opinion lies in the minority. It was fun to see once, but I won’t be adding it to my collection. However, I’m extremely glad we didn’t see Hop.

Moral Rating: 2 of 5

Blu learns to believe in himself and his natural instincts. It’s rather odd that Tulio, the ornithologist, doesn’t recognize Linda until she’s 80% naked, wearing a bikini and some blue feathers...at least that’s the moment we see that he’s really interested in her. I don’t feel like going too much into detail here, there wasn’t a lot to glean from this film.

I will add this positive comment from commonsensemedia.org for those whose opinions might actually better align with the majority of viewers:

“The movie has plenty of positive messages about broadening your horizons, believing in yourself, helping others even when it's dangerous, and caring for the beautiful animals in our midst instead of stealing and selling them for profit. The subplot with Fernando also teaches viewers that no matter how difficult your life is, you can still make good choices and turn your life around.”

Despicable Me (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

This was not as fast paced of a movie as I was expecting. It was rather slow and easy going. The musical score was awesome, it fit the movie to a “T”. The humor was good, but I remember the movie more for Gru’s emotional development than for it’s humor.

Moral Rating: 3 of 5

Gru isn’t your typical heartless villain, and if heartlessness is a measure of villainy success this explains why he does not make a very good “villain.” His own mother doesn’t show her love to him until he’s put the villainy aside and made the effort to learn to love (and she admits she wasn’t as great of a parent as Gru has turned out to be). All in all, this is a fun show, worth sharing with your young kids.

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Trailer #2
The Secret of Kells at MOVIECLIPS.com

Synopsis

"Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the fairy Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him along the way. But with the barbarians closing in, will Brendan's determination and artistic vision illuminate the darkness and show that enlightenment is the best fortification against evil?" - IMDB

Entertainment Rating: 4/5

Great animation, I’ve never seen anything like it: simple, yet beautiful. The story was fun too, though never too clear on what the Book of Iona actually contained (perhaps left up to the viewers imagination). Our pre-schoolers seemed to enjoy it, the scary scenes were definitely watchable (as compared to How to Train Your Dragon where they were quite frightened.)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

Flint's Inventions
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at MOVIECLIPS.com

Entertainment Rating: 5/5

This is one of the best animated comedies I’ve seen in a while. Pixar movies are great, but seldom have you laughing so hard you fall out of your seat (whether or not that’s a good thing is a topic for further discussion - see Doctrine and Covenants 88:69). The comedy is on par with Emperor’s New Groove: constant, intelligent wit. If you’re looking for something kids and adults can fully enjoy, this is it.

Moral Rating: 3/5

Two relationships are portrayed, from which we can learn something of value. The first is the father-son relationship. There is an obvious communication barrier between Flint and his dad. Flint doesn’t understand his dad’s fishing metaphors and his Dad doesn’t understand anything about technology. This communication breakdown causes quite a bit of strain in their familial relationship. By the end we see them both make efforts to communicate with each other out of a need to express their love.

Flint’s relationship with Sam isn’t terribly deep, though Flint does help her understand that it’s important to be who you are and there’s no reason to be ashamed of your intelligence. Otherwise it’s a rather standard, awkward boy/girl relationship that gets better once they each are able to express their feelings.

In addition to better understanding the importance of parent-child communication, kids may learn that eating too much of anything can make you sick.

Ponyo (2009)

Racing the Tsunami
Ponyo at MOVIECLIPS.com

Entertainment Rating: 3/5

I remembered hearing the name of this movie quite a bit around Oscar season and had a small desire to see what it was all about. However, I’ve never really watched any anime films and the premise to this one didn’t sound terribly intriguing: a fish wants to become human (pretty much based on H.C. Andersen’s Little Mermaid). Our kids enjoyed the movie and I almost did. The musical score for the film was excellent and the story did turn out to be interesting enough, but it didn’t really conclude anything. We were left with more questions than answers. (Voices by Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson, Betty White, Frankie Jonas, Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus)

Orson Scott Card gives examples of some of these unanswered questions:

What did the ocean's attack on the shore accomplish? How did a little boy's promise resolve the conflict between humans and the life of the sea? Who are the little fish-girl's parents and what are they trying to accomplish? What are the rules of the magic in this imagined universe?

Moral Rating: 3/5

Sosuke is able to love Ponyo whether she remains human or is turned back into a fish. Sosuke’s family relationship also provides us with some important insights. Their life is not very easy without a father at home; Lisa, Sosuke’s mother, needs her husband’s help and support with taking care of the house and Sosuke; and Sosuke needs a father around to give him a role model to look up to while he’s growing up. The scene with them communicating via light signals was a particularly touching one, very realistic.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sums up the moral messages in the movie quite concisely:

...the underlying moral messages, such as the repeated admonition to judge by substance rather than appearance and a deftly delivered warning against environmental carelessness, are universal.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Synopsis

Andy's toys must try to avoid being thrown out before he goes off too college. When they end up donated to a day care, they then are faced with even more troubles from the head toys there. Through all their adventures and trials, Andy's toys do everything to watch out for each other and stick together.

Entertainment Value

Rating: A

A lot of fun. As good or better than the other 2 movies. The music was good, especially the Gypsy King's rendition of "You've Got a Friend in Me", but was a little over done in some of the intense scenes (one of the scenes was intense enough, it didn't need any further help from the music).

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate?

Rating: 5

[Spoiler Alert]

Constantly throughout the movie the toys refer to each other as family. Though the toys weren't all related, they lived and worked together as a family should, and most importantly they never left anyone behind. Woody had the chance to move on with Andy and leave everyone else behind, but in the end, he just couldn't leave them.

When Andy's toys get to Sunnyside we see how leadership through fear (Lotso) makes life miserable for everyone and only really caters to the stronger and more selfish toys. Once Lotso was gone, the toys at the day care were able to work better together and be happier overall.

One of my favorite parts of the movie was seeing Andy give all his toys to a little girl down the street and watch him show her how special they were to him. I don't know that I ever had any special affinity for any of my toys growing up, but it kind of draws a comparison to familial love again and how important making good memories is for families.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Synopsis

Mr. Fox decides to step back into his old chicken-stealing shoes in order to give his family a "better" life. His ambition, greed, and dishonesty ends up affecting all of the creatures in the forest; he must figure out that his family is what is most important and not their lifestyle.

Entertainment Value - A

Great movie! Kids under 4 or 5 would enjoy it, kids any older may lose interest as a lot of the humor is mature (not offensive, I just think it's a humor that not even all old people would get). The soundtrack is stupendous. We found ourselves laughing quite a bit and I'm pretty sure this show will find it's way into our DVD collection.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 4

[Spoiler Alert]

The father-son relationship is very well setup. We're presented with a neglectful and selfish father at first, but as he sees how much his son wants to be like him, he softens up and gives his son a chance. As the story progresses you see an enormous change in the son when he realizes that his father really loves him. A father must give his children adequate attention, respect, and encouragement to help them with the trials they encounter.

We also see the danger of falling back into old, harmful habits. Dishonesty will never be the solution to any problem. We should be happy no matter our circumstances.

Coraline

Synopsis

A young girl finds a passageway to what seems like an ideal world. She finds a "new" family who wants to do nothing but please her. In order to leave her original world behind she only needs to give up her eyes for a pair of buttons to be sewn on in their place. At this realization her perfect new world seems to rapidly disappear.

Entertainment Value - C

I was rather disappointed with this film. The stop motion animation was great and the music was very good as well, but the story was very dull. We watched it in 3D, which was kind of cool, except for the reddish-green tint the glasses produced. Don't waste your time with this one.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 3

If anything could be gleaned from this, it might be that no matter how dull and busy your family may seem, they really are (should be) the main source for happiness in your life. We all need to be patient and not expect the world to revolve around us. Parents make a lot of sacrifices for us each day; we should try to do our part in supporting them in their endeavors.

The Princess and the Frog

Synopsis

A lazy prince turns into a frog and must get a princess to kiss him before he remains one permanently. When the frog mistakenly kisses a servant girl dressed up as a princess, she too becomes a frog, and together they must find a princess for him to kiss.

Entertainment Value - B

Great jazz music and humor; an all around fun story. Definitely different from all of Disney's other princess stories.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 3

The message presented isn't very strong. We're somewhat shown the importance of a good work ethic and gaining an education. There's quite a contrast between the work ethic of Tiana and Prince Naveen, the former works too hard and the latter plays too much. The two learn that there must be a balance between work and play.

We see a good model for friendship between Tiana and Charlotte. This relationship is important in not only overlooking racial barriers, but also class barriers which can sometimes be hard to overlook without the rich person becoming too condescending or the poorer one too covetous.

Tiana and Prince Naveen fell in love way too quick, even for a fairy tale. In less than a day they go from having nothing in common to falling in love. Maybe some relationships don't need years (or even a year) to mature before feeling ready to take the plunge into marriage, but a day is ridiculous. (This would be a fault in many princess movies - Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Cinderella; but there are some good examples of developed relationships with Beauty and the Beast and Enchanted, to name a few.)

The Shadow man (villain) was a little dark with all the voodoo and communicating with "the other side" (not sure if this meant just those dead, or more likely dealing with the dark, shadowy side with the devil and his minions). Though dark, it did seem rather fitting with the setting being New Orleans, but might be a little scary for kids afraid of shadows.

Up

Rating: 5

The first 15 mintues or so of the movie really draws you into the happiness the Frederickson's had in their lives despite the inability to fulfill their dreams of exploring South America. Their hardships are what really drew them close together in their marriage. Throughout the story you see Mr. Frederickson's continued love for his wife and how her love for him encourages him to love and serve others. Ellie's enduring love for Carl helps him gain the courage to befriend and help Russell and Kevin. These concepts are very applicable to any marriage. Once either partner in the marriage starts trying to figure out "what's in it for them," they lose their focus of loving and serving their spouse and children, putting the relationship at risk.

One of my favorite parts is when the old man is flipping through his wife's scrapbook and discovers that she had filled in the Paradise pages (saved for their dream vacation that they never got to do) with pictures of their life together. To her, life with him was her paradise. *Sigh*

There is a conflict between good and evil in the film, but the real conflict is within the old man. Learning to live with the passing of his wife and living his life to the fullest, not letting his time waste away is what continues to make him happy, even in the absense of his wife. We whole-heartedly encourage you to make an effort to see this if you haven't already.

Simpsons, The

Rating: 3

This movie was pure entertainment, no deep messages and some off color humor. When I saw this clip in the previews I couldn't stop laughing, and everytime that I've seen it since I can't help but laugh again [the clip was "Spider Pig" but it's been disabled. Marvel probably thought it was copyright infringement. You'll have to live with a clip mentioning spider pig]. I wouldn't recommend buying this movie, but if you have ever laughed at an episode or even part of an episode of the Simpson's this movie will be worth some laughs. I would recommend to watching it filtered or edited.

I know a lot of people dislike the way that the Simpson's family is portrayed and how the father of the family is a bumbling idiot, the kids are disrespectful, and the mother is often very out of touch with reality. What are your takes on the show? Is this type of humor harmful to our society? To what extent is satire and cynicism acceptable?

Kung Fu Panda

Rating: 5

Kung Fu Panda is another movie with several good messages.  Seeing as how we viewed this movie a long time ago and didn't write up much, here's a simple breakdown of the good we found in this show: 

• There is no secret ingredient.  "To make something special you just have to believe it's special."  It is important to understand our true potential as children of our Heavenly Father.  He has blessed us each with the capability to return to His presence together with our families.
• "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."  We can't worry about things that are not in our control or within our circle of influence.  We need to be most concerned with our status today, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Are we doing everything today to bring us and those around us closer to God?
  
• "My friend, the panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours until you let go of the illusion of control."  The only people we are able to control is ourselves.  You cannot force or change anyone, that power lies within the self.