MOVIE: Monsters University (2013)

by benmweilertNo Comments
Monsters University Year: 2013 Rating: G Length: 104 minutes / 1.73 hours When Pixar made Monsters, Inc. (2001) and created this unique universe full of monsters that use screams as part of their economy, they also brought forth a few questions derived from their world-building. For instance, could monster screams also power their society? If screams are energy like electricity, are all their cars electric? Do you have to go to college to get a job as a scarer? The prequel, Monsters University (2013) answers this last question. Since Pixar films are usually appropriate for children, this movie is likely to be the most family-friendly college film ever made. The core of Monsters University plays off the idea that hard work and grit can lead to success almost as much as natural talent and nepotism can. It’s a little disheartening that the final result of this dichotomy is that sometimes you will still fail after all that hard work. However, this is an important lesson...
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MOVIE: Secondhand Lions (2003)

by benmweilertNo Comments
Secondhand Lions Year: 2003 Rating: PG Length: 109 minutes / 1.82 hours Making a family-friendly film is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks in cinema. Not only does it have to appeal to children, but it also has to avoid plenty of material that might not be appropriate for younger audiences. If families can get a powerful life lesson out of it as well, all the better. While modern fare tends to resort to the crass and focuses on bathroom humor for laughs, there are those rare few films that manage to tell a tight story. With legitimate laughs and a heartfelt conclusion, Secondhand Lions (2003) is just such a movie. The two strengths that make this one of my favorite family-friendly films are its characters and its plot. All three of the main characters show some amount of significant character growth by the time the end credits roll. Besides, with acting talents like Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, and Haley Joel Osment, you really can’t miss...
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