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movie review: soul surfer

By Nicole · Comments (1)

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

With Summer comes kids at home and the need for some entertainment. At this stage in my kiddos’ lives, “entertainment” means something very different than what it used to mean. Gone are the days of play dates, parks and naps. Sniff.

When your days reach 110º, you do a whole lot of indoor activties. And one of our favorite places to go is the local “cheap seats” on $1.50 Bargain Tuesdays.

Last week we saw Soul Surfer. I didn’t look into it much before we went so I wasnt sure what to expect.

I really liked this movie…the message was uplifting and positive (a welcome departure from so many “downers”). The cast was packed with some big names (Dennis Quade, Helen Hunt, and Kevin Sorbo). AnnaSophia Robb (also in Bridge to Terabithia) did a phenomenal job playing the lead role.

The story is about Bethany Hamilton, the professional surfer who triumphs over tragedy through her faith and the love of her family. What touched me, personally, was the range of emotions felt by her mother. Fear, pain, loss and ultimately peace were beautifully portrayed by Helen Hunt.

My 10 and 12 year olds really enjoyed it as well (big brother was away at high school camp). I’d highly recommend it for your family…its a great Summer flick!

So tell me…have you seen Soul Surfer? Impressions?

Comments (1)

Movie Review: Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

By Nicole · Comments (3)

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Let me just say right off the bat something you may have heard once or twice before.

“Thebookisbetter!”

But. Having said that, I loved this movie.

Over the past month or so, Hubs and I determined to read each night to our boys a book that we all could get into. My Oldest, thirteen, discovered the Percy Jackson series in language arts class and recommended we start with this one. Just in time, we finished the first book and thought it would be a nice treat to see the movie on opening day.

The theater was packed with school age kids to teenagers, about an equal mix of boys and girls. When the movie ended…applause.

The movie was well worth the matinee admission price (but still…choke!). Even though there was a lot of the book left out of the movie, I really appreciated how the director interpreted the characters, setting and tone. The casting was spot on and there wasn’t unnecessary violence or graphic scenes. The pace was a good balance of action and lingering in the right places.

I’d definitely recommend this movie, especially if you have a tween or teen. But I’d highly recommend reading the book, and then seeing the movie!

(Oh, and if you see it, keep in mind that Grover is several hundred years old…not a teenager. I was a little concerned with some of the mild sexual innuendos until Hubs reminded me. Just the mom in me coming out…)

Comments (3)

Movie Review: Where The Wild Things Are

By Nicole · Comments (6)

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Today I took my kids to see Where The Wild Things Are. I could quickly sum this review up with one phrase: I think I need a couple of Prozac now.

The movie was dark, depressing and extremely slow; sad being a movie based on a children’s book (popular when I was a little girl) and marketed towards children.

I don’t know what the little, little kids in the packed out theater thought of it (though given the squirmy, restless noisiness, I assume not very much), but my own kids were entirely unimpressed. They were disappointed and left feeling down and dreary. They missed the message for the tone.

The characters were certifiable and the themes fatalistic and depressing. A children’s movie that has the obligatory cursing and is too ‘adult’ for them, I’ll never understand, but this was one of them.

Call me Pollyanna, but I pay my hard earned money to be entertained by a movie. Not to be brought down by the worries and problems and negativity of others. Especially children, who have no business worrying about the sun burning out and global warming and loneliness and making other people happy. How about letting kids actually be kids for a while?

The movie ended on a good note. And it was graphically amazing. And if the goal was to convey that life is hard and the grass is never greener on the other side, then I guess it accomplished that goal. But my kids didn’t get it, and I didn’t need to spend $40 to learn that lesson.

In my opinion, either market a movie to kids and make it a kids movie, or market it to adults and deal with adult issues and use real characters, not monsters. But don’t combine the two.

In a word? Not worth the money…