Charlotte's Web - DVD

Jordan Kerner, Producer. Charlotte’s Web. Walden Media/Nickelodeon Movies/Paramount Pictures, 2007. ISBN 1-4157-2912-3

Plot

A little girl named Fern decides that she will care for the runt of a litter of newborn pigs. She calls him Wilbur. When he grows too large to be a pet, he goes to live at the Zuckerman’s farm. Charlotte, a spider, lives in the barn on the farm. She and Wilbur become friends. When it becomes clear that Wilbur is being fattened up to be eaten, Charlotte decides to show everyone that Wilbur is too special to become bacon. She spells out “some pig” in her web. Wilbur becomes famous, and so he is entered in a fair. Charlotte goes, too, and while she is at the fair she produces her egg sac.

Critical Evaluation

This classic story has been made into a family and child-friendly film. Dakota Fanning is adorable as Fern. The computer animation used to give the animals the ability to talk and do other “human” things is great. It makes the movie fun to watch. More importantly, it gives kids and their families a reason to think about the importance of all living beings. Every living thing is “terrific” like Wilbur and deserves respect.

Annotations

Wilbur is saved from the smokehouse when a friendly spider named Charlotte tells the world that he is “some pig.”

Author

E. B. White wrote the book on which the movie is based. The book is an enduring classic which was published in 1952. He is also the author of Stuart Little.

Genre

Fiction – life on a farm

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – animals as characters

Booktalk Ideas

None.

Viewing Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

Charlotte’s Web is one of my favorite stories. I liked the movie almost as much as the book.

Fantasia 2000 - DVD

Levine, James, conductor. Fantasia 2000. Walt Disney Home Video, 2000. Rated G. 74 minutes. ISBN 0-7888-2117-2

Description

A gorgeous production of Disney animation and film making is built around eight classical music selections. Music is paired with images that may or may not tie to the literal musical themes. Beethoven's Symphony #5 is the accompaniment to a visual contest between light and dark, good and evil. Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is used in the telling of a story about Depression-era New York. Here the allusions to New York and a "blue" period in history are clear. The piece by Saint-Saens shows what happens when a flamingo plays with a yo-yo. It's hilarious. Also included is The Sorcerer's Apprentice which is as much fun to watch now as it was years ago when it first appeared in the original Fantasia movie. Celebrities like Steve Martin, Bette Midler, and Penn and Teller introduce each segment.

Critical Evaluation

I love this movie. I showed it to a group of fourth grade students. They were so thoroughly engaged that when it was over they were shocked. They wanted to it to go on and on. They really got into the last piece, Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. They were cheering and jumping out of their seats as the dramatic ending unfolded.

Annotations

Fantasia is Walt Disney's vision for music and animation. It shows us how music can tell a story, any story.

Composers

Beethoven -- Symphony #5
Respighi -- Pines of Rome
Gershwin -- Rhapsody in Blue
Shostakovich -- Piano Concerto # 2, Allegro, Opus 102
Saint-Saens -- Carnival of the Animals, Finale
Dukas -- The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Elgar -- Pomp and Circumstance
Stravinsky -- Firebird Suite

Genre

Fiction – classical music and animation

Curriculum Ties

Visual arts – animation

Performing arts – music appreciation

Booktalk Ideas

Not applicable.

Viewing Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

The movie makes magic with animation and introduces kids to fabulously famous classical music.

How to Eat Fried Worms - DVD

Mark Johnson, Producer. How to Eat Fried Worms. New Line Cinema and Walden Media, 2006. Rated PG. 84 minutes. ISBN 0-7806-5620-2

Plot

Fifth-grader Billy is the new kid at school. He misses his old friends, and his first day of class is tough. A sweet girl named Erin, who apologizes for being so tall, helps him find his classroom. He stows his lunch box in a cubby in the hallway before going into class. When he gets to the lunch room, he sits alone. He opens his thermos to find that it is full of worms, courtesy of mean Joe and his gang. They taunt him, so Billy flings a worm at Joe and hits him in the face. Joe is visibly frightened. Billy brags about eating worms all the time, so the next day the gang calls him "worm boy." Joe and the gang follow Billy home from school and taunt him. Billy tells them he doesn't care if they call him worm boy because he eats them all the time. Joe bets Billy that he must eat 10 worms on Saturday or come to school on Monday with worms in his pants. On Friday night Billy begins packing to run away from home, but once outside he realizes he has nowhere to go. He goes back to bed. On Saturday, he faces up to the challenge and eats a worm. But he has nine more worms to eat, and things get crazy as the day continues.

Critical Evaluation

The movie is targeted at kids around Billy's age. The child actors look like they are elementary school age kids. They slowly form friendships in a way that feels real. Billy's family is sweet and caring. His little brother, Woody, is annoying as expected. The school he attends looks realistic, while his teacher is cartoonish and goofy. The principle, Mr. Burdock, seriously rules the school. He is not a caricature. The bully, Joe, is frightening, but he is humanized somewhat when we see his older brother bully him at home. The fifth-grader at my house loves this movie.

Annotations

Billy, the new kid at school, brags that he eats worms all the time when Joe, the bully, puts worms in his thermos. Billy and Joe make a worm-eating bet, and the boys know that their reputations are on the line.

Author

Thomas Rockwell wrote the novel on which the movie is based.

Genre

Fiction

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Booktalk Ideas

Discuss the pros and cons of making bets with friends.

Viewing Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 (age 9) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

The movie is based on a classic story about the emotional and social stress of being a fifth-grader.

The Indian in the Cupboard - DVD

Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Jane Startz, producers. The Indian in the Cupboard. Columbia Pictures, 2005. Rated PG. 96 minutes. ISBN 0767848799

Plot

Omri receives a small cupboard as a 9^th birthday present from his older brother. He needs a key to open it. Luckily his mother collects keys and she has one that fits. Omri finds that when he puts his action figures in the cupboard, they come to life. He animates an Indian brave named Little Bear. Omri is happy to have Little Bear as a friend, tries to take good care of him, and hides him from his family. Omri's friend, Patrick, gives him a cowboy figure which comes alive when it is put in the cupboard. The cowboy's name is Boone. Boone and Little Bear are enemies and fight. Omri and Patrick fight about what to do with the cowboy and Indian. Omri wants to keep the secret, but Patrick does not agree. Omri tells Patrick, "You can't use people." Eventually it becomes clear that animating these figures has created more problems than expected. Little Bear shoots Boone with an arrow. He wants to return to his world. Omri feels torn about what to do next.

Critical Evaluation

The movie is very sweet and quietly paced. Omri's home and family are large and interesting to see. Omri really enjoys having Little Bear as a friend, but he eventually understands that Little Bear needs to return to his own place and time. There is a large amount of interaction between Omri, Patrick, Little Bear, and Boone. This is fun to watch since Little Bear and Boone are just a few inches tall. The boys slowly learn that they are interfering with the lives of other real people, and they learn to make hard decisions.

Annotations

A boy and his friend bring their Indian and cowboy action figures to life with a magical cupboard. These miniature people bring with them their own wants and needs which make life exciting and sometimes difficult for the boys.

Author

Lynne Reid Banks, author of the book on which this movie is based, is a best-selling author of books for adults and children.

Genre

Fiction - Fantasy

Curriculum Ties

History – American West in the 19^th century.

Booktalk Ideas

Not applicable.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 (age 9) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Some harsh language is used by Boone. Boone also smokes. There is a brief scene in which Omri and Patrick watch the music video "Girls, Girls, Girls." The PG rating is appropriate for the film.

Why is it here?

My son wanted to see the movie after reading the book.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - DVD

Mark Johnson, producer. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, 2006. Rated PG. 135 minutes. ISBN 0-7888-6071-2

Plot

The Luftwaffe air strikes over London during World War II drive parents to send their children to safer locations in the countryside. The Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, are evacuated to the home of Professor Digory Kirke. There they pass the time playing games and amusing themselves as they are largely left to their own devices. The housekeeper, Mrs. Macready, cautions the children not to bother the professor. They play hide and seek on a rainy day. Lucy hides in the wardrobe and enters the Winter-bound land of Narnia. She spends hours with the faun, Mr. Tumnus, but returns to her siblings in England to find that only a few moments have passed. Nobody believes her tale of Narnia, and Edmund is unkind in his disbelieving tone. Later, Lucy and Edmund, then all of the children find their way into the wardrobe and enter Narnia. Edmund, who met the White Witch on his first visit to Narnia, betrays Mr. Tumnus and is imprisoned by the witch. The three remaining children rescue Edmund and fight the White Witch with the help of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and others. Aslan, the lion king of Narnia, sacrifices himself to save Edmund from his treachery and the witch's claim on him.

Critical Evaluation

This movie version of the classic C. S. Lewis story is an action-packed adventure. The story is mostly intact. The movie is quite long, but the changing scenes in the professor's house and Narnia keep the story interesting. The battle sequences and other frightening sequences at the end of the movie are rather intense, but most tweens will find them riveting. The DVD includes a special commentary for kids.

Annotations

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie enter the magical land of Narnia to find that it is locked in perpetual winter. They fight the White Witch to save one of themselves and rescue Narnia.

Author

C. S. Lewis, British auth, is well-known and loved for The Chronicles of Narnia and his other works of fiction.

Genre

Fiction

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – British authors

Social Sciences – 20^th century history

Booktalk Ideas

Show the book in print with illustrations. Give a synopsis of the first two chapters. Ask listeners what might happen next.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Violence and cruelty are depicted in the movie. PG rating is appropriate and should be considered by viewers and parents before watching.

Why is it here?

I loved the story as a child. I wanted to watch the movie with my own children. Now they are reading the books in the series.

UP - DVD

Jonas Rivera, producer. Up. Walt Disney Pictures, 2009. Rated PG. 96 minutes. ISBN 0-7888-9370-X

Plot

Carl Fredericksen is a retired balloon seller, senior citizen, and a recent widower. He misses his adventurous wife, Ellie. He feels sad that they did not make their dream trip to Paradise Falls in South America before she died. When Russell, a young Wilderness Explorer, comes to his door in hopes of aiding the elderly to earn his last merit badge, Carl sends him off on a snipe hunt. Carl and his home are surrounded by new property development. When a construction vehicle accidentally knocks over his mail box, Carl loses his temper and hits a construction worker on the head with this cane. He ends up in court, is labeled a public menace, and is sentenced to life in a retirement home. Instead of going there, Carl attaches thousands of helium balloons to his house and takes off for South America. Russell accidentally stows away on Carl's porch, and so their adventure together begins. They reach South America just short of Paradise Falls. Carl realizes that he and Russell can tow his house to the falls, so they begin walking. Russell finds a real snipe and names her Kevin. Then they meet a talking dog named Dug. This odd foursome is threatened when the crazed adventurer Charles Muntz realizes that Kevin is the bird he has been seeking for decades. Carl, Russell, and Dug must rescue Kevin and find a way to return home.

Critical Evaluation

The animation in this movie is beautiful. Carl, Ellie, and their home look ready for visitors. I'd like to move right in with them. Russell is adorable in his young enthusiastic approach to life. The animation often tells the story. The characters make their thoughts clear without talking. The music is almost a character in the story as well. A repeated musical theme appears in happy and sad parts of the movie, tying it all together.

Annotations

Carl Fredericksen decides he must leave his hometown but takes his home with him. Young Wilderness Explorer Russell comes along for the ride, they have incredible adventures in South America, and realize that the time they spend with loved ones are the best adventures of all.

Author

Not applicable.

Genre

Fiction - Adventure

Curriculum Ties

Not applicable.

Booktalk Ideas

Not applicable.

Viewing Level/Interest Age

Grade 2 (age 7) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

There are scenes of peril and scary action. The PG rating is appropriate.

Why is it here?

Kids love this popular, recent movie. Adults love it, too.

Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventure - DVD

Park, Nick. Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures. Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment, 2007. ISBN 1-4170-5944-3

Plot

Three short films showcase stop animation and understated humor.

The first movie, A Grand Day Out, tells the story of Wallace and Gromit's trip to the moon. When Wallace realizes there is no more cheese in the house, he decides to go to the moon to get a supply. He and Gromit, his dog, build a rocket in their basement. They manage to launch the rocket and land on the moon, but they find the cheese is not what they hoped for. They encounter an odd-looking machine as they travel across the moon. Wallace puts a coin in the machine and it begins to move around. It seems unhappy that Wallace and Gromit are making a mess of the moon, so it cleans up after them. The machine wants to go back to Earth to go skiing. It cuts a hole in the side of the rocket and tries to stow away. In The Wrong Trousers, an evil penguin uses a pair of techno-trousers, worn by Wallace, to steal a diamond from the town museum. A Close Shave tells the tale of an evil, robot dog intent on stealing sheep and turning them into dog food. In all three stories, Wallace bumbles around while Gromit is calm under pressure and saves the day.

Critical Evaluation

The stop animation used to create these films is fun to watch. The plot in each film is silly. It is entertaining to watch Gromit get Wallace out of trouble over and over again.

Annotations

Wallace and Gromit have adventures that focus on their love of cheese and their devotion to one another.

Author

Nick Park liked to draw cartoons as a child. He made his first movie when he was 13 years old using his mother's video camera.

Genre

Fiction

Curriculum Ties

None

Booktalk Ideas

Not applicable.

Viewing Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

It's good clean fun. Kids enjoy the stop animation special effects.