Summer Flicks Ride Again

In true summer sequel style, continuing on with my "You're a movie snob" thoughts...

I think it's important to be picky when it comes to movies, to TV, to music, to books. And I think part of "training up children in the way they should go" is to help them begin to make those value judgments, too. Not just what's wrong and what's right, what's forbidden and what's okay - but I think parents need to be able to help them discern levels of value, and make choices based on more than the endless commercials and McDonald promotions.

Here are some more films we're looking expecting to be just right for summer:

WAR OF THE WORLDS - The book and the Orson Welles radio piece are of couse classic, and the first movie wasn't too shabby for its day, either. With Speilberg and Cruise, how can this one miss? Value: don't trust aliens who are shooting at you; family trust; good father doing what good fathers do - protecting children from intergalactic annihilation!

CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - The original was one of the first movies to really scare me as a kid (along with The Poseidon Adventure - go figure). We're going to make sure the kids read the book first, get at the creativity and imagination, and then the movie should follow along nicely. Value: don't judge others; self-esteem is based on your character.

SKY HIGH - Another movie that we'll plug into because of the marketing hype, I'm sure, but at least this one looks like it treats the parents as good parents, not as embiciles. Value: heroism, doing the right thing, oeby your parents and don't destroy the city.

THE BROTHERS GRIMM - Looks like an interesting take on the real gentlemen who wrote all the stories that meant something when you were growing up. Value: creativity, imagination, storytelling.

VALIANT - Looks like it'll be funny and well-made. Value: funny & well-made; heroes doing what must be done.

THE ISLAND - Looks like Logan's Run meets Survivor. I'm hoping this suspense thriller will be worth it, finding that stuff is worse than it seems, nothing's for free, etc. Value: looks intelligent, hopefully the story will fall in line.

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA - Yes, I know this one isn't coming out 'til much later in the year, but it's a summer blockbuster waiting to happen! Value: allegorical telling of the Biblical story, complete with cool effects and a British accent.