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Reviews
North (1994)
Not a Kids Movie, but...
I know a lot of people who hate the film "North", even some who hate it who have not seen it. I can't say that I ever hated it, exactly, but it made me feel uneasy. Then, years later, I went through the process of attempting to adopt an American child in foster care. Suddenly, I was reminded of the film "North". When I heard stories about children--specifically the child I was attempting to adopt--and their/his experiences with foster homes and being shuffled around and the vastly different people who become foster parents for an array of motives, I thought; "Oh, 'North' was a metaphor for this situation."
If you watch it understanding that I don't know if you will like it, but you will get an idea of what we are putting thousands of children through in this country. If Obama, or any future US President, really wants to change something that is broken the foster/adoption system in the USA is it.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
Best Movie of 2009
I'm not sure why all the hating on "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" by reviewers on this site. It's by far the most entertaining film of 2009.
If you hate wet-your-paints funny humor, good musical harmony, and stories with substance, you will hate this film. If you enjoy being entertained on various levels and perhaps getting something to think about along the way you will LOVE this film.
Part of me thinks it's about a bunch of adults who don't want to admit how dearly they love something from their childhood. After all, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" is on target to be the #1 weekend movie. The kids aren't bringing themselves to the theaters folks.
If you came on this site to see if you should go to this movie, you should go. Apparently most of the other reviewers wouldn't know good entertainment if it had fur and sang.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Space Adventure or Therapy Session?
From the previews I thought "Zathura" would be a kid-friendly, fun space adventure. What I got was two foul mouthed kids and the feeling that someone was trying to provide a cheap therapy session for adults whose parents divorced when they were children. I think divorce is terrible and certainly at an alarming rate in this country, but this movie is not marketed as that and the subject matter seemed to come way out of left field.
I deduced that this must be the intention of the production staff because the children in attendance at my showing didn't laugh or seem to enjoy the film at all. Adults were annoyed by all the screaming, yelling, bickering, and fighting that the three children in the film engage in.
A Step Toward Tomorrow (1996)
A Step Toward Understanding
"A Step Toward Tomorrow" is excellent and certainly should be immediately released to DVD and video! I only recently had the chance to view this film and it is a gem among the hum-drum of most made-for-TV films. Judith Light and Christopher Reeve are the talented professionals we have come to expect and appreciate, and Kendall Cunningham and Tim Redwine--the child actors--are incredible talents that dazzle with moving emotion throughout the feature.
I have read a lot of negative reviews for this film; usually centering on the technical aspects of this film that weren't exactly correct. All films have flaws! The gift of this film is that it does an outstanding job--in the roles of Redwine and Cunningham--of showcases the delimma of anyone who is different--bound to a wheelchair, dyslexic, heart condition, etc.--the appreciation of understanding and help we receive from our family and friends, and the desire to do for ourselves and be our own person. The fact that this telefilm has the ability to capture that very difficult piece of life makes it a top picture in my book. This film should be used in the classroom!