|
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
[Back to index of May/June 2009 articles] Family Films By Judy Russell Earth (Rated PG) In Earth, Disneynature Studio has created an outstandingly beautiful, informative film about a year on our planet. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, who won an Emmy for “Planet Earth,” present a host of animals in settings most people would never be able to experience—up close and natural. Families of polar bears, humpback whales, elephants, migrating birds and many, many other animals—large and small—are filmed in their wild habitats to the delight and amazement of old and young alike. The colors and composition of this film are just—fantastic. The velvet voice of James Earl Jones explains the wonder of our Sun, Earth’s life giving axis tilt, and the new stresses we have placed on animals due to global warming. The “circle of life” is mentioned several times, but no blood is shown. For example, when a lone elephant is attacked by thirty lions, part of the night attack is shown by infrared cameras and later body parts that are left can be seen from a distant aerial view if you really look for them. To enjoy this film to the fullest a theatre setting is needed. See it on the largest screen available. Although it will not lose its educational value, viewing on a small screen will alter the photographic scope and some of the film’s grandeur will be diminished as the view becomes smaller. Plan to stay through the credits where photographers talk about their hopes and fears for filming this movie and some personal dangers are shown. Hannah Montana: The Movie (Rated G) The movie’s tag line says that “She has the best of both worlds … now, she has to pick just one.” Well, maybe … but maybe not. Disney’s extremely popular television sitcom about a teenage rock star, Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus), has come to the big screen. Tweens are ready to rock while watching this predictable but totally G-rated story about a girl who has two lives—rock star, Hannah Montana, and regular teen, Miley Stewart. The movie succeeds in providing an amusing, easy to follow tale complete with several lovely songs by Miley and her father. Hannah, who hides her true identity by wearing a blonde wig when she performs, is a success in her musical career, but she has let her success go to her head. Dad, Bobby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus), takes her back home to Crowley Corners, Tennessee, so she can decompress and get her priorities in order. Of course her irate publicist, Vita (Vanessa Williams) and her best friend, Lilly (Emily Osment), leave the high life of L.A. to accompany her to this small town, but they all find that the town is facing stresses of its own. There is a terrific barn party where everyone dances the “Hoe Down, Throw Down,” which is as cute as the new hen house Miley and her beau (Lucas Till) build on Grandma’s (Margo Martindale) farm, and a save-our-town concert where a big decision is made and then … rethought. 17 Again (Rated PG-13) Director Burr Steers and writer Jason Filardi have created a funny, touching story about a man, Mike O’Donnell (Matthew Perry), who gave up a chance to go to college in order to marry his high school girlfriend, Scarlet (Leslie Mann). After regretting his decision for 20 years, becoming estranged from his two teenage children, Maggie and Alex (Michelle Trachtenberg and Sterling Knight) and facing a pending divorce, he has a chance to revisit teenage years when his “spirit guide,” dressed as a janitor, grants him his wish to be “17 Again.” The newly 17-year-old Mike (Zac Efron) goes to his eccentric, rich and extremely dorky friend, Ned (Thomas Lennon) for help. Ned of course does not recognize him and there is an interesting fight between the two using sci-fi weapon replicas. Mike finally convinces Ned that it is really him—only young again. Ned agrees to help out and becomes the newly-young Mike’s “dad.” As Mike befriends and helps his children, learns to appreciate his wife, and introduces Ned to his first love he figures out that his life choices were good ones, and he needs to get back to his correctly aged self. Fans of Zac Effron, which would be all females 20 and under, will be thrilled by this movie while parents of teens and older adults will enjoy the plot. Oh, to be 17 again? Judy Russell teaches music and performing arts at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School [Back to index of May/June 2009 articles]
|
|
||||||||||
