Rebecca Davis
AFA Journal staff writer
January 2009 – Fox affirms life in Seuss cartoon – Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!
The animated film version of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! is now available as a two-disc special edition DVD.
It’s a colorful story about the value of human life in which the loveable elephant Horton commits himself to preserving a speck that he carries around on a clover. The speck contains the tiny world of Who-ville and the microscopic Whos.
Horton’s belief: “A person is a person no matter how small.” That’s why he is determined to keep this speck safe against the will of his jungle friends, namely a power-hungry Kangaroo who thinks Horton’s insanity is poisoning the minds of children and leading to anarchy.
There are several themes in the film including the importance of love, family, friends, hope, faithfulness and holding firm to one’s convictions.
The movie is rated G. However, it does play on stereotypes and contains some cartoon action violence as well as the use of names such as “moron,” “idiot” and “boob.”
Starfish Cove: Never Trust a Krum! and Da’ Codfather
Grand Design Productions (GDP) presents its new CGI animated series Starfish Cove, now available on DVD. The first volume in the series contains two episodes: Never Trust a Krum!, which teaches children the importance of identifying and avoiding child predators, and Da’ Codfather, a Good Samaritan type tale about doing good deeds.
The series is set in a cove at the bottom of the sea and is full of vibrant colors, catchy songs and loveable characters. The safety tips taught as part of the bonus features are excellent.
However, one of the lessons is questionable in that children are taught to do good so that good will be returned to them – not a Biblical motivation for giving. Plus, words such as “heck” and “what the [implied expletive]” are used.
Hotel for Dogs
Get ready for a pack of canines to take over the big screen when Hotel for Dogs comes to theaters January 16. It’s intended to be the fun-loving story of two siblings in foster care who put the well-being of dogs above their own.
After losing their parents, constantly getting into trouble, and being passed from one foster care couple to another, Andi and Bruce decide to create their own family by turning an abandoned hotel into a safe-haven for the city’s strays.
The film shows the strong family bond that children desire, highlights a social worker who really cares for children, reveals how lying tears a family apart and promotes animal rights.
But even though the dogs’ antics are cute and the children’s intentions are good, the whole premise of the film is wrong. The children are constantly lying and disregarding/disrespecting authority. They are never really reprimanded for their wrongdoing; rather, in the end, they are praised for it because they meant well.
The film contains crude elements intended for humor as well as immodesty, teens kissing and what appears to be alcohol consumption by minors. Bad foster parents are characterized in jest. God’s name is used in vain more than five times, and there are several uses of words such as “crap” and “screwed.”
Hotel for Dogs is rated PG for brief mild thematic elements, language and some crude humor. Unfortunately, Hotel for Dogs barks up the wrong tree.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin, Simon, Theodore and their songwriting companion, Dave, recently made their way onto DVD in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.
The singing chipmunks are harmonizing to a new beat this time as they become overnight music sensations in today’s world of hip-hop and rap. Dave has to step in and rescue his “boys” from a greedy record producer who wants to line his own pockets by sending the trio on a worldwide concert tour.
It should be a fun, upbeat family-oriented film reminiscent of the original Alvin and the Chipmunks. But unfortunately it has been tainted with toilet talk, sexual innuendoes and sexually suggestive lyrics and dancing, as well as several uses of God’s name in vain and other words such as “sucks” and “butt.” It is rated PG for mild rude humor.
