Summer Blockbusters
I was looking at a list of the big summer movies being released this year, and I marveled at the number of potentially exciting blockbusters. I do this every year, but never seem to learn that most of them will end up being duds. When it comes to Hollywood, hope springs eternal.
The big question, though, is which of these movies do I get to see on the big-screen, and which ones do I just wait to see on DVD in the fall? Since we only go to the movie theater with one or both of the kids in tow, I have to seriously consider the content of these films from a child's perspective.
Basically, can my 6-year-old and/or 9-year-old handle it? Both of them can differentiate between real and make-believe. I always show them the "behind the scenes" clips on DVD, so they can see how the special effects are made and that the characters are played by actors. It's more a matter of how intense the storyline and subject matter might be.
My son has already watched all three Indiana Jones films, so the new one is a given for him. Wall-E, Kung Fu Panda, and Space Chimps all look like sure things. Prince Caspian and Speed Racer show some promise, although the extreme action and effects of both films might be too much for my daughter. The Dark Knight is definitely out. The others, I'll just have to read the reviews.
How do you decide whether to let your kids see a popular movie?
Here are the movies that I'm looking forward to seeing this summer. Click on the title to watch the trailer. We won't see all of them, partly because of the content and partly because it would cost a small fortune to take a family of four to every single one.
Speed Racer
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Wall-E
Get Smart
Iron Man
Kung Fu Panda
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
Space Chimps
The Incredible Hulk
The big question, though, is which of these movies do I get to see on the big-screen, and which ones do I just wait to see on DVD in the fall? Since we only go to the movie theater with one or both of the kids in tow, I have to seriously consider the content of these films from a child's perspective.
Basically, can my 6-year-old and/or 9-year-old handle it? Both of them can differentiate between real and make-believe. I always show them the "behind the scenes" clips on DVD, so they can see how the special effects are made and that the characters are played by actors. It's more a matter of how intense the storyline and subject matter might be.
My son has already watched all three Indiana Jones films, so the new one is a given for him. Wall-E, Kung Fu Panda, and Space Chimps all look like sure things. Prince Caspian and Speed Racer show some promise, although the extreme action and effects of both films might be too much for my daughter. The Dark Knight is definitely out. The others, I'll just have to read the reviews.
How do you decide whether to let your kids see a popular movie?
Here are the movies that I'm looking forward to seeing this summer. Click on the title to watch the trailer. We won't see all of them, partly because of the content and partly because it would cost a small fortune to take a family of four to every single one.
Speed Racer
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Wall-E
Get Smart
Iron Man
Kung Fu Panda
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
Space Chimps
The Incredible Hulk
Permalink posted by Phil at 1:33 AM
10 Comments:
Mine are 14 and 12, so if it's PG-13 or PG I just don't worry about it anymore. That said, we tend to wait for DVD for just about every movie. Indiana Jones we will definitely see opening weekend, and Wall-E is a good bet too. The rest will likely wait for Netflix.
For me it's Prince Caspian all the way!! I think it's a must watch for everybody!! I think kid's will enjoy the most!! I can't wait for it myself.
9 days to go...
Can't wait to see it...
I saw the trailer and i found it very promising!
Our definite is Speed Racer. Seth is totally into it. (Thank you, thank you, thank you parenting gods.)
I didn't like the Get Smart trailer at all. Kung Fu Panda might work. Everything else is likely out for my kids, at least.
I'm not sure there's anything this summer that all of us will like. Maybe Wall-E. I tried showing Clare Indiana Jones, but I think there's too much scary stuff going on for her so we didn't even finish the first movie.
I can't wait to see Kung Fu Panda. When I saw the trailer for that I almost spit out my water I was drinking! Unfortunately I'm not sure Emily will actually make it through a movie at a theater yet!
I thought the same thing, Brett. Get Smart seems to have a lot of hitting and slapping. I don't know why, but I'd rather my kids see sword fights or explosions than a bunch of people kicking and hitting each other for laughs.
Obviously we're not Three Stooges fans.
I really want to show my kids the original Get Smart TV series, but the DVDs are expensive to buy and unavailable to rent for some reason.
My kids still pretty much only sit still for animated features, so the question hasn't come up yet. The main concern when we're watching a movie at home right now is language. Our little myna birds pick up new expressions like mad!
I had no idea Get Smart was coming out. I agree it looked "silly" but I'll probably see it anyway just for nostalgic reasons.
I have an 8 and 4 year old. Because they are so far apart developmentally it is a challenge to find movies and tv shows that 1. aren't too stupid and 2. won't be too boring to either one of them. That being said, I think Kung Fu Panda will excite and be (moderately) appropriate for both.
My kids will only sit still for animated films, although I'll probably take the almost 5-year-old to Speed Racer (I'm still not sure it's going to be any good. That's the film that reeks of dud for me).
We'll all go see Wall*E and probably Space Chimps. The rest will most likely be DVD (for them).
We (no kids) saw Iron Man and it's mostly cartoonish in its violence, on par with Indy in that area I'm thinking. We'll be buying that DVD for sure.
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