Kontan’s Place

I watched two movies yesterday…wait, no…I attempted to watch the second one. The first was was Bridge to Terabithia, and I’ll address it in a moment. The second was Little Miss Sunshine. Happynews.com had an article on this movie’s success at the Spirit Awards:

The road comedy ”Little Miss Sunshine” won best picture and three other prizes for independent films at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, one day before competing for Hollywood’s top honors at the Academy Awards.

The hilarious though dark-tinged tale of a deeply dysfunctional family also won the supporting-actor award for Alan Arkin; best director for the husband-and-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and best first screenplay for Michael Arndt.

Arkin won for his role as an obscenity-spewing, heroin-snorting grandfather training his granddaughter (Abigail Breslin) for a saucy dance performance at a children’s beauty pageant.

Hilarious??? uh……. no.

Little Miss Sunshine was recommended by friends of ours…I will no longer be taking movie recommendations from them. We did an On Demand purchase of this film and I want my money back. The F-bomb is dropped all the way through and it just did not hold my attention. After Napoleon Dynamite I vowed that I would no longer give in to my compulsion to finish any movie or book I start. LMS was turned off a little over half way through. Maybe it gets better by the end…I have my doubts. Maybe it is one of those movies that you have to watch a few times before you get it…Why would I want to put myself through that? The f-bomb dropping grandfather was an obnoxious twit. The dad was a jerk. The little girl wasn’t that likable but I think that is because she reminds me of a student or two that I have had in the past. I liked the gay uncle and the silent brother. I felt their frustration.

Now for Bridge to Terabithia…

think My Girl meets Chronicles of Narnia. This is really not a feel good kind of movie. It was done OK and even held the attention of my six year old, although I don’t think it is the best movie for younger children. I took my ten year old and her friend and they liked it.

A few things bothered me about this movie and should could have been left out. The bully who was abused…I hardly think that abuse equates with not having a TV. That was the strangest thing. the other kids were laughing at the bully because they found out she was being hit at home. The girl star of the movie said that she told the bully how she knew what it was like to be laughed at because she was laughed at when everyone found out she didn’t have a TV. I guess in a fifth graders mind it really doesn’t matter why the others are laughing, but still, I found this strange.

The back of the truck scene where the three kids are talking about hell and believing in the Bible. that whole scene was poorly done. I couldn’t decide if writers were taking a swat at Christianity or just didn’t know enough about it to write a good child debate scene. Being a Disney movie I would guess…

Last thing, a teacher of today would never-ever-ever call up a student and invite them on a one-on-one field trip to the art museum. Very strange.

If you are wanting a feel good kids movie, this is not it. Remember how I started the description. I did not feel good when I left this movie, however, it wasn’t a bad movie. It is no where near the same league as Chronicles of Narnia, but it was still OK.

Tags: Reviews and evaluation