The Help (2011)

The Help is a postive and upbeat movie. I enjoyed it very much because of the amazing cast, plot, and the time that it took place. I found myself believing that I was actually back in the time during this time, and it changed my views on my daily life to this day.

This movie made me think about what my ancestors went through back then–all of the poor black men and women who had to go through hell everyday of their lives. It really makes you wonder how people could do that to others just because of their skin color. I think that this is something good for all young children to learn and that is why I recommend it to them. However, some scenes might be disturbing for them to watch–as well as confusing.

Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, Skeeter (Emma Stone) is a southern young woman who returns from college determined to become a writer. But her personality and decisions turns her friends’ lives — and the small Mississippi town — upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of southern white families. Aibileen (Davis), Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, is the first to open up — to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter’s life-long friendships, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories — and as it turns out, they have a lot to say. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly — and unwillingly — caught up in the changing times.

This movie is based off of the book by Kathrn Stockett. I personally loved the book to death and I preferred the ending of the book better than the ending of the movie. But, I loved both of the plots–especially the cast in the movie. They are all known before this movie for their excellent acting and this movie only helped show that. I guarantee that someone in this movie will win an Oscar.

I recommend this movie to those who love historical movies. I think that this will show children what it was like back then and help them learn how far we have come from as a nation, but I also think that it might be confusing. To top it off, it is an extremely long movie which left me waiting for the ending–which seemed to be coming five different times throughout the movie.

I loved the movie and I know that you guys will too–so head to your local theater and check it out! I give this movie a four out of five stars! Great job to the director, cast, and the amazing plot which they transferred amazingly from the book to the movie–which isnt very common in most movies!

27 Dresses (2008)

27 Dresses is a funny and romantic comedy. I remember watching it and remember that I was constantly laughing. Now I will admit it–I love romantic comedies–they are probably my favorite. I still remember how much I loved the concept of the movie even though it wasn’t the best movie I have ever seen.

A single woman who has served as a bridesmaid a shocking 27 times wrestles with the prospect of supporting her sister at the altar on number 28, despite having fallen helplessly in love with her smitten sibling’s handsome husband-to-be. Jane (Katherine Heigl) has the kind of altruistic traits that everyone looks for in a friend, yet lately the perennial bridesmaid has begun to feel as if something is missing in her life.

One night, local newspaper reporter Kevin (James Marsden) spots the devoted bridal attendant racing between receptions in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and quickly realizes that her real and sad tale may be just the story to get him off the bridal section of the newspaper and into the big time. Immediately suspicious of the  reporter’s motivations, Jane butts heads with Kevin just as her younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman) shows up in town.

While Jane has always put the needs of friends and family before her own wants and desires, she’s suddenly prompted to reevaluate her priorities when her boss — with whom she is secretly in love — falls for her younger sister Tess. When Tess and Jane’s boss George (Edward Burns) make plans to marry, the smitten younger sibling mistakenly assumes that her older sibling will be happy to take part in the wedding. For as far back as Jane can remember, she has sacrificed her own happiness for the sake of those she holds dearest, but now that her heart has been broken, she’s finally found the courage to be honest with herself. Now, as Jane finally comes to terms with her true feelings, her life begins to change in ways she never expected.

This movie is rated PG13 for a reason. There are scenes that are inappropriate for younger viewers and I believe that you should be a little older than 13 to see this movie. Besides the sexual scenes, drinking, smoking, and cussing, it is a good movie for teenagers and adults. I think that the concept of the movie was very clever and well thought out, but it wasnt as good as I planned it to be.

I recommend this movie to teenagers and adults. There are beautiful scenes that will leave you crying, laughing, smiling, awwing, and happy as you watch this movie. I also mainly recommend this movie to females because this is a chick flick and I doubt that many (if any) guys would like this movie or even see it. I give this movie a three out of five stars!

A Bugs Life (1998)

This week I am writing about my favorite childhood memory movies! When I thought about it, this movie immediately came to my mind. This is probably my favorite movie I watched as a child because of how clever, funny, and entertaining it was and still is.

Every year, a bunch of grasshoppers come to the anthill and eat what the ants have gathered for them. The “offering”, as the ants call the ritual, is a part of their fate. One day in spring, when the offering’s preparation has just been finished, Flik, unliked inventor ant, accidentally drops the whole offered seeds into the river. The grasshoppers come and give the ants a second chance to collect food until fall. Flik sets off to find bugs that are willing to fight the grasshoppers (nobody expects him to succeed anyway) and, due to a double misinterpretation, returns with a circus crew, giving everybody new hope. When the misunderstanding finally gets cleared out, there is only little time left for a new plan, which has to work, or else.

I still watch this movie to this day. In fact, I watched this movie before I wrote about it on here. It is so funny and teaches children great lessons in life. One is that being different is okay. Being different makes you unique and makes you come up with things that will effect people throughout your community. It also teaches that good things can come from anyone, nor matter how old or big you are. If you set your mind to something, you can achieve it. The last thing you learn from this movie is how you need someone to depend on–whether it is a parent, a friend, or someone in your community–it is good to have someone there for you.

I love this movie because of the plot. Pixar continues to amaze me with there creative ideas for movies. This one went above and beyond my expectations and left me with tears in my eyes from both laughing and crying. The ending will leave you teared up and wanting more from this amazing tale of how one ant can make a difference.

I recommend this movie to anyone, any age. It is child friendly, besides a few scenes which might be scary for children. They arent awful, but they can definitely scare them since they are a little bit violent. Besides that, it is a fun and uplifting movie which I give a five out of five stars!

Titanic (1997)

This is a great classical movie by director James Cameron. Not only is it filled with romance, but the action and suspense causes you to feel attracted to the plot line. What makes this movie amazing is the fact that you know that the Titanic is going to sink, yet you have this desire to have the likable characters to live.

After 84 years, a 100-year-old woman named Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story about her life set in April 10th 1912, on a ship called Titanic. Young Rose boards the departing ship with the upper-class passengers and her mother and her fiancé, Caledon ‘Cal’ Hockley. Meanwhile, a drifter and artist named Jack Dawson and his best friend Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets to the ship in a game. During the course of the movie, she explains the whole story from departure until the death of the Titanic on its first and last voyage on April 15th, 1912.

I loved this movie because I found the characters to be likable and relatable. Everyone experiences befriending or loving someone that our friends or family members dislike, so this movie is very relatable dispite this movie taking place in 1912. The characters make decisions that we can relate too and also might find ourselves agreeing with them. Loving someone despite your relationship with another, or marrying someone for money are still problems that go on to this day, which makes many people like this movie, unlike most movies taking place in the 1900’s.

This movie is rated PG13, so I recommend you being at least 13 before watching this movie. The plot might be confusing for younger children and they might be bored throughout the movie, since they might not understand. Also there is alot of alchol use throughout the movie, as well as smoking. Violence isnt too common in the movie, but there are some scenes with knifes and guns which might scare them. Also the sexual scenes might be uncomfortable and confusing for children, with questions thrown left and right. The ending is also very depressing, in my opinion, and is something to consider before coming to the movie.

This movie is obviously old since it came out in 1997, but it is still very popular, helping the main stars start off their major careers. Finding this movie might be a bit challenging, but you can definetely find this movie in WalMart or any movie store.

I recommend this movie to teenage girls because they will love the drama and romance. I personally love to watch this with my friends because we all love the sad ending of the movie, which seems to wander with us throughout the rest of the day. I love this movie and I am sure that you will too! I give this movie a three and a half stars out of five!

Troy (2004)

Troy is an epic battle movie with love and revenge thrown into the air throughout the movie. Troy is based off of the real life Trojan War. Not only did this movie entertain me, but it also helped me ace my Ethic and World Culture’s test!

This movie is great at making you have mixed feelings about the characters. For example, Achilles’ (Brad Pitt) character is always changing. After meeting a beautiful girl, his view on the war and killing changes. Another example is the King of all Kings, Agamemnon. At first the king isnt too greedy and just wants peace with the following country. However, when he has the opputunity to fight the Trojans, he jumps at the idea of more money and power.    

Troy takes place in 1250 B.C. during the late Bronze age. Two of the biggest nations begin to fight after Paris, the Trojan prince, convinces Helen, Queen of Sparta, to leave her husband Menelaus, who is royalty in Sparta, and sail with him back to Troy. After Menelaus finds out that his wife was taken by the Trojans, he asks his brother Agamemnom, King of all Kings, to help him get her back. Agamemnon sees this as an opportunity for power. So they set off with many ships holding almost all the Greeks to Troy. With the help of Achilles, the Greeks are able to fight the never before defeated Trojans. But they come to a stop by Hector, Prince of Troy. This whole movie demonstrates their battle struggles, and the foreshadowing of fate in this remake by Wolfgang Petersen of Homer’s “The Iliad.”

This movie is rated R because of sexual scenes and gore. Some of the battles scenes will definetly disgust younger viewers so I recommend the viewers being older than fourteen. Also some of the sexual scenes are a little too much for younger viewers, so be prepared! Most of the movie is battling so if you dont like seeing blood, swords going through soldier’s stomachs, and bow in arrows spearing people’s head, you might not want to watch it.

I enjoyed this movie because of the drama. It was full of a wonderful cast and a beautiful plot which teaches you alot about Troy’s past history and a little bit about yourself. I recommend this to anyone who is a teenager and loves battle scenes–you will definetly enjoy it! This movie deserved its rating of R, so judge it to the best of your ability and know that the ending is very sad. If you dont deal well with tragedy, blood, gore, and weapons, dont watch this! I gave this movie a four out of five stars!

Ratatouile (2007)

Ratatouile is another wonderful children movie. I have seen this movie multiple times because of how amazing this movie is in both the anamation, plot, and lessons in life for younger generations. I find that it encourages younger generations through the plot, which teaches wonderful lessons in life that you would want your children to know and love for their futures.

A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family’s wishes. The obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession causes problems to arise. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself located beneath a restaurant made famous by his cooking hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the dangers of being an unlikely and unwanted visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy’s passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

I believe that the lessons that are expressed through this movie are that you should never stop yourself from following your dream. If you like and enjoy something, never stop because of what you are or who you are. You should always follow your dream whether it is cooking, playing in the NFL, or going to Yale. This movie also enphasizes on being unique and stepping aside from what others think and believe and making your own opinion. You should never just go with the flow; step outside of your comfort box and make a mark on this world.

I loved this movie because of many things. The humor that went along with it left you laughing with tears in your eyes. Another great thing was the fact that you got to see life from a rats point of view–which has never been done before. It was a unique and creative idea which really made you feel the feelings that rat probably go through. It was a breathtaking experience unless you are like my mother–who cant stand the sight of rats. (Half way through the movie, she left the theater because she couldnt take it anymore.)

While the animation was amazing in this film, overall I felt much of the content was too deep and/or dark for a G rating. There were several incidents involving gun usage and other forms of aggression with knives. Also the characters don’t speak to each other very nicely which might not be a good sight for children to experience. Most disturbing of all was when Remy’s dad takes Remy to a shop whose window is filled with dead rats hanging in traps. It was upsetting to my 4 year old cousins who was nearly crying. I also think that many of the complexities of the message regarding stealing and giving credit, which is clearly to hard for younger children to understand and accept.

I overall loved the movie but due to some scenes in the movie, your young children may not. I believe that it is overall a great message for children, but it may be too scary and complex for them to truly get the real meaning and grasp what is made of it. I would recommend this movie for families with older children because it is a good movie for them to experience. I give this movie a four out of five stars!

Cars (2006)

Cars is another classic Pixar movie which stole the hearts of millions. It became one of 2006’s best summer movies to watch and recieved many awards for its creativity, cleverness, and humor. Whether it is the thought of cars having personalities or how funny Mater is, you can never go wrong with this movie.

Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town’s offbeat characters–including Sally, a snazzy 2002 Porsche, Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past, and Mater, a rusty but trusty tow truck, who help him realize that there are more important things than trophies, fame and sponsorship.

This movie is also great for teaching young children life lessons for their future. They teach you that you should stay grounded because fame can go to your head and you could lose what is close to you–friends, family, and love. Friends, family, and love are all things that you need in life to successed. Young children also learn that being famous isnt as great as it seems on the outside–it brings many problems to your life that affects yourself and your loved ones. You should always stay grounded and do so by finding some place that is special to yourself. For all the “hillbilly cars” Radiator Springs is what is special and means alot to them.

I personally didnt like Cars 2 which came out in the summer of 2011. It was too much for me and didnt do justice to the original. I find that alot of movies sequels dont do as well and sadly Cars 2 fell into that category. There was so much drama and the humor wasnt as funny or even understandable. The once relatiable characters were now much forgotten and distraught. The worse by far was the plot which didnt seem to have a meaning for even a purpose for this second film, and that made it very hard for me to watch.

I loved the original and first film because of the characters, plot, and humor. That is why I recommend it to young children and families. It teahces great lessons in life and also makes it fun with characters like Mator (Larry the Cable Guy). I think that this is a great movie that will leave you in aww of its cleverness and the affect of the enhanced plot.

Monsters Inc (2001)

Monsters Inc is another great childhood memory of mine. This movie is very clever and is a classic right from the beginning. The story plot was well plotted out and makes you realize how great Pixar is as a writing movies for the laughs of both children and adults.

In a land of monsters, James P. Sullivan is king. He and his coworker/ friend Mike Wazowski are two of many monsters that work for Monsters Inc. a utility company that generates power for a very paranoid and nervous city of monsters. This power is generated from the screams of children, which is produced by scaring them in their sleep. One night, however, Sully uncovers a devious plot to rid Monster city of it’s power problems, but in all the wrong ways. Together, Sully and Mike will fight to protect the innocence of the children they scare every night.

This movie might be scary for younger children. When I watched this as a child, I began to worry what was in my closet. I never believed anything was in my closet until I watched the movie and sadly my mom had to suffer and sleep with me for a few weeks because I thought that she could fight off the monsters for me. So, with that being said, I think that you should know that there are some scary scenes for younger children. Be sure to make sure that they are okay with these scenes or else you will have some issues when your child needs to go to bed.

Besides the scary scenes, this movie is very uplifting and will leave you in a happy mood. It is heartwarming and shows how love can transform your views on life. It is a great lesson for young children to pick up early, so watching it is very educational, but in a fun way.

This movie is also very funny. I remember laughing until I had to use the bathroom because of the humor in this Pixar movie. It was easy for children to understand, but funny enough to make adults laugh as well. This is a great movie for families and young teenagers. This is a classic movie and Monster Inc 2 will be coming out in 2014 so you better get ready!

This movie is great for all ages and I recommend this to anyone! Just be sure to know that is a rather scary movie for young children, so it might be for more mature children. I recommend this to families because it is heartwarming and shows the affects of love. I give this movie a four out of five stars!

 

Ice Age (2002)

Ice Age was and still is a classic children’s movie. Even parents will tell you how clever and humorous this movie is for all ages! I remember watching this movie when I was young, and although I didnt full get the meaning, I loved it and watched it over and over and over again. Parents, including my father, are always quoting the movie because the lines are so well thought out and clever that they leave you crying laughing.

Back when the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and animals were scurrying to save themselves from the upcoming Ice Age, a stupid sloth named Sid, a woolly mammoth named Manny, and a saber-toothed tiger named Diego are forced to become unlikely heroes. The three reluctantly come together when they have to return a human child to its father while braving the deadly elements of the impending Ice Age.

One of my favorite characters from the movie is Scrat. Scrat is a prehistoric squirrel/rat that is always in search for its acorn. It is very humorous, especially for children. Another funny character is Sid the sloth. Slid is a stupid character that will leave anyone, any age laughing from his stupidity. I personally love all of the characters and they grow attached to you as the movie goes on.

I love this movie and I know you and your family will too. I recommend buying the movie because you can never just watch this movie once. It is a classic for all ages and will leave you laughing. I give this movie a four out of five stars and recommend it to families!

Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo is a classic children’s movie, which captures any one–nor matter how old you are–heart. The breathtaking animation makes you believe that you are actually in the sea, experiencing the lives of the hilarious characters. The vocal use from the talented actors and actresses are amazingly done, making you believe in what they are saying. All of these key factors, all added in with an amazing and well thought out plot gives you another Pixar hit!

A clown fish named Marlin (Albert Brooks) lives in the Great Barrier Reef when he loses his son, Nemo, after he ventures into the open sea, despite his father’s constant warnings about many of the ocean’s dangers. Nemo is abducted by a boat and is sent to a dentist’s office in Sydney. Marlin, who lost his wife when Nemo was born, ventures off by himself to try to retrieve Nemo. On his adventure, Marlin meets a hilarious fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a blue tang suffering from short-term memory loss. The companions travel a great distance, encountering various dangerous sea creatures such as sharks, anglerfish and jellyfish, in order to rescue Nemo from the dentist’s office, which is situated by Sydney Harbor. While the two are doing this, Nemo and the other sea animals in the dentist’s fish tank plot a way to return to Sydney Harbor to live their lives free again.

I loved this movie because of the humor. When you hear the name Ellen DeGeneres, you know it will be funny. Whether you are an adult or a child, you will be clutching your sides from the laughter you will experience. Even though this movie is eight years old, I still watch it to this day–because it is a classic! You can never go wrong with this movie!

I recommend this movie to anyone, any age! Especially for young children because this amazing movie also teaches great lessons in life. Right now it isnt in movie theaters, but I highly recommend buying it because you will be watching it more than once–I promise. Families will love this movie, so I highly recommend it to them! I gave this movie a four and a half out of five stars!