Dec 30 2014

Disney Movie Review – Into The Woods

Off for winter break and in the midst of a snowstorm, my boys and I decided it was time to hit the movies again. This time, we ventured out to the theatre to see the newest Disney release, Into The Woods. As a musical theatre fan, I have been eager to see this film every time I’ve seen the trailer. My boys (ages 11 and 8) were not nearly as enthused about the prospect. They are good sports and knowing that there would be candy, popcorn and nachos didn’t hurt either. Just as was expected, I loved this movie and my boys…well, two resounding thumbs down. Read on for all of the details and don’t worry, there are no spoilers in this review.

Into The Woods is based on the beloved musical by Stephen Sondheim. It follows the story of a baker and his wife who are unable to have children due to a curse upon their home. In desperation, they make an agreement with a witch to reverse the curse in exchange for collecting four items: Jack and The Beanstalk’s cow, Little Red Riding Hood’s cloak, Cinderella’s slipper and Rapunzel’s hair. These four classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales intertwine with the story of the baker and his wife to weave a complicated, emotional and breathtaking film.

I loved this movie! The music was stirring, the lyrics brilliant and the story compelling. It was beautifully acted and although very somber at times still had an uplifting message overall. My oldest son could appreciate why some people would enjoy the film, but said it was not for him. He was very uncomfortable during a scene between the baker’s wife and Prince Charming, felt it was more sad than necessary, and found the entire story strange. My youngest son agreed that is was strange, he didn’t like that they had combined fairy tales and he was not a fan of the story about the baker and his wife since it wasn’t a “real fairy tale.”

Without giving too much away, I would be cautious about taking young children to this movie. The versions of these fairy tales are much more Brothers Grimm than Disney, so many of the images could be terrifying to young children. All of the evils are present including a witch, wolf and giant. Several characters are in peril throughout the film and many die. Most of the violence occurs off screen, but most kids are aware enough to imagine what is going on. My eight year old wasn’t afraid of anything during the movie, but he is one of those kids that really doesn’t scare very easily. I would recommend this film for children at least 11 years old and based on my experience with my boys, you may find that girls enjoy it more. I’ve included the trailer below and for more details, reviews, ratings and for help determining if it might be right for your family, please check out this link.

Have you seen Into The Woods?
Did you enjoy it? Please leave a comment!

Nov 7 2014

Disney Movie Review – Big Hero 6

Last night my boys and I decided it was time to hit the movies again. This time, we ventured out to the theatre to see the newest Disney release, Big Hero 6. We have been seeing the preview for this film for months, and we’ve been eagerly awaiting its release. From the trailers, it looked like we would be in for an action-packed ride with a healthy dose of emotion. It proved to be quite the roller coaster ride and we were not disappointed!

WARNING – SPOILERS FOLLOWING THE PHOTO!!

This film is inspired by the Marvel comic book of the same name and follows the story of 14 year old genius, Hiro Hamada. Hiro enjoys spending his time fighting robots until his brother, Tadashi, shows him the robotics lab at his university. Hiro immediately decides that he would like to be a part of the program and sets out to design an invention to win admission. He creates impressive microbots that can be controlled telepathically and is awarded a place at the university on the spot. Before they can enjoy working together, a fire break outs at the university killing Hiro’s brother, Tadashi. This is just the beginning of what is an hour and a half emotional roller coaster as we watch Hiro and Tadashi’s friends deal with the loss and at the same time battle the evil forces that were responsible for the fire and ultimately the death of Hiro’s beloved brother. Tadishi leaves behind his legacy, Baymax, an adorable personal health companion and the true heart of the film.

Overall, my boys and I truly enjoyed Big Hero 6. This movie was definitely more emotional than most Disney films where you have an isolated death at the beginning of the story like Frozen or Finding Nemo. The film begins with Tadishi and Hiro having already lost their parents, the entire plot of the film is driven by the passing of Tadishi and the peril in which we find another beloved character is gut-wrenching. But as you find with most Disney movies, all of the emotional upheaval is purposeful and creates a meaningful and touching story. I would definitely recommend this film to families with kids of all ages, but you may need to prepare more sensitive children in advance. I’ve included the trailer below and for more details, reviews, ratings and for help determining if it might be right for your family, please check out this link.

Have you seen Big Hero 6?
Did you enjoy it? Please leave a comment!

Oct 24 2014

Missing Disney

Two weeks ago today I was so excited. I was busily packing for a long anticipated Disney World vacation. My two boys were off for Fall Break and the next day we would be heading for a week-long trip to Walt Disney World! Now just two short weeks later our wonderful vacation has come and gone and my kiddos are right back at school working away as I sit here home alone missing them and missing Disney. Does anyone else ever feel this way when returning from a Disney World vacation? I always find Fall Break the hardest vacation to return from. Since my boys are school-age now, our trips are limited to the traditional Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter breaks. We never really travel during winter break, because of the holidays and our unpredictable Colorado weather. When we return from spring break, I know that our weather will be improving in a couple of months and my boys will soon be out of school for the summer. When we return from a summer vacation, we still have lots of beautiful days and fun times planned. But when we return from fall break, a long, cold, snowy winter and several months of school still loom large ahead of us. So what is a person to do to get themselves out of the “Disney Blues?” Well, here’s what I am going to try:

Listen To Disney Music – I have my favorite Disney CD called Four Parks One World in my CD player right now. I also like to listen to MouseWorldRadio.com while I’m writing. Both have music from the parks that make me feel like I’m right back there!
Watch Disney Movies – There’s nothing like watching a funny movie to lift your spirits! This weekend, it’s time for a Disney movie night. I’m thinking a little Monsters University will be perfect!
Look At Photos – Since we returned a few days ago, I’ve been spending a little time each day looking through the hundreds (sorry, boys!) of photos that I took during our trip. It is so much fun remembering all of the great times that we had during our trip.
Make A Disney Treat – Also on the plans for this weekend is making some Disney cupcakes. A sweet treat like Mickey Mouse or Frozen cupcakes is sure to brighten our day!
Plan Another Trip – Getting my mind off the trip that is over and on to planning the next one is always very helpful to me! I’m starting to review menus and think about where to make dining reservations and which parks we will want to visit each day. Not to mention, the countdown for the next trip is already on the refrigerator and my phone!

Do you have any great ways to beat the “Disney Blues?” Please leave a comment!

Oct 10 2014

Disney Movie Review – Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Photo Courtesy of Disney.com

Today my boys and I decided it was time to hit the movies again. This time, we ventured out to the theatre to see the newest Disney release, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We have been seeing the preview for this film for months, and we’ve been eagerly awaiting its release. From the trailers, it looked like it would be a perfect combination of comedy and a meaningful message. We were not disappointed!

WARNING – SPOILERS FOLLOWING THE PHOTO!!

Photo Courtesy of Disney.com

This film is based on a book by the same name and follows the story of Alexander who is about to turn 12 years old. The day before his birthday, he has a particularly bad day while the rest of his family’s lives couldn’t be better. He makes a wish that his family could experience a day like his and the rest, as they say, is history. What follows is the hilarious and heart-warming story of what happens to each member of his family over the course of Alexander’s birthday. The script, characters and acting are all exceptional and there is a little bit of something that everyone can relate to in this film. Seriously, who hasn’t had such a bad day that you just have to laugh?

Overall, my boys and I loved Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day! This is by far one of the best family movies that we have seen this year. I would definitely recommend this film to families with kids of all ages! I’ve included the trailer below and for more details, reviews, ratings and for help determining if it might be right for your family, please check out this link.

Have you seen Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?
Did you enjoy it? Please leave a comment!

Aug 2 2014

Disney Marvel Movie Review – Guardians of the Galaxy

Photo Courtesy of Marvel.com

On Friday, my boys and I decided it was time to hit the movies again. This time, we ventured out to the theatre to see the newest Disney Marvel release, Guardians of the Galaxy. I had a few concerns heading into this movie. First, I am typically not a fan of science fiction or superheroes. To be honest, the first superhero movie I ever saw was The Avengers that came out a couple of years ago. I surprisingly loved The Avengers so I went into this film with an open mind. Secondly, I was a bit concerned about the violence in Guardians of the Galaxy and if it would be suitable for my boys (ages 8 and 11) considering that it had received a PG13 rating. Finally, I wondered just how bad the language in this movie would actually be and would I have a lot of things to explain when we got home. Luckily, my worries were for nothing and we all truly enjoyed it!

WARNING – SPOILERS FOLLOWING THE PHOTO!!

Photo Courtesy of Marvel.com

This film follows the story of Peter Quill who was abducted from earth after his mother’s death. Years later, Quill steals an orb that contains an infinity stone that he plans to sell for an enormous sum. After being arrested, Peter teams up with a unique gang of characters; Rocket, Gamora, Groot and Drax each dealing with their own issues of loss and uncertainty. Together they have to fight against the evil Ronan who plans to use the orb to destroy a planet. The things my boys and I enjoyed the most were the humor and themes of teamwork and friendship that were incorporated throughout the movie. The character of Rocket the Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, stole the show! Things to keep in mind before seeing this film:

This movie begins with the gut wrenching death of Peter’s mother.
This movie is violent. My boys thought the level fell more violent than Star Wars less violent than Lord of the Rings. It was what I would consider sci-fi violence; mostly hand-to-hand fighting, lasers, explosions and similar.
Death is spoken about often in the film. One character talks about avenging the death of his wife and daughter. There are also a lot of death threats made.
There are at least a dozen uses of profanity during the movie and one obscene gesture.
There are some veiled references to Peter being with a lot of women. These would easily go over the heads of younger kids.

Overall, my boys and I really enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy. I would definitely recommend this film to lovers of science fiction and superheroes! I’ve included the trailer below and for more details, reviews, ratings and for help determining if it might be right for your family, please check out this link.