What are we trying to do?

Posted on August 31st, 2009

What are we trying to do here?

We are NOT promoting our products on this blog, though we’d love it if everyone bought them. This is a place to talk and get a sense of where other parents register with the kid’s entertainment marketplace.

What level of violence do you think is OK to show your kids?

What do you think is inappropriate?

What happens in your family when your baby wants to watch something scary with his older brother?

Do you put a TV in the bedroom?

Does your child have any toys unrelated to a TV show or movie?

Bring open minds, sound judgement and compassion to your comments. And btw, guest bloggers are totally welcome. Just drop us a line Guestblog@loloproductionsinc.com

UP!

Posted on June 22nd, 2009

My son and I went to see Up! on opening weekend.

I thought nothing of it. Guy raises his house with a bunch of balloons and goes who knows where. There’s a boy scout and I think a talking dog. I cannot remember seeing a more innocuous ad campaign since “Pooh’s Heffalump Movie”.

Seems our talking dog had friends, and they were mean, fast, and fanged. My son (who is 5) screamed his head off and begged to go home. We left in the middle of the movie (and in Los Angeles, at the Arclight theater, that’s a $26 loss, not including popcorn).

Can you imagine if we had seen it in 3D?

They sold me balloons, blue skies and an old man. They told me there was a talking dog. The previews gave no indication that rabid dogs chased our heroes. The New York Times warned me of the following:

“Up” is rated PG (Parental guidance suggested). A wee bit of gentle action and a climactic fight scene, but nothing inappropriate for any viewer of any age.

Bull-hooey!

There were not only packs of hungry dogs, there was a sense of dread during the dinner scene that practically put my son in my lap. And yes, I’m proud of him for seeing the dread there. I beam a little at my young dramaturge. But he is not alone in his sensitivities. The adults reviewing, previewing and rating these films are looking through the eyes and minds of adults, and desensitized ones at that, when they should be looking through the eyes of a child.

Here is Pixar’s sanitized clip of the dog chase, you tell me.