Hetzlers Go to Hollywood

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After watching "Toy Story 3" this morning - which came complete with popcorn, a crying wife and a scared 5-year-old - Old Wahoo and the eldest son happened upon the filming of "Real Steel," a movie starring Hugh Jackman, in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Since I was driving, I immediately pulled out my cellphone and gave it to my son. I told him to start shooting pictures so we could post them on the Internet. He said no.
"Isn't that stealing someone's property," the 7-year-old said. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Score one for old media.

Dark Movies for Kids

A.O. Scott wrote an essay in Sunday's The New York Times examining several recent children's movies, including "Where The Wild Things Are" and the upcoming "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Some people have said the movies are too dark for some children, and Scott acknowledges that may be true for some. But Scott argues though some movies indeed tackle tough topics and can be dark, ultimately they are more true to childhood experiences.

How do you feel? Are dark movies OK for kids? Do they need escapism? Or does it depend on the individual child?

Will You Be "Where the Wild Things Are"?

"Where the Wild Things Are," based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak, opens this weekend, and, according to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has received mostly favorable reviews. "Wild Things" has seemed to generate polarizing opinions - some have loved it, while others have hated it.

Judging by the trailer (though maybe just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you shouldn't judge a movie by its trailer), the movie looks stunning. In fact, the trailer makes me want to see the movie, since I was not a huge fan of the book (which sounds blasphemous, I know).

To me, though, there's a bigger question: Will kids get it, or will it resonate more with adults?

What's with "Up"?

Mrs. Wahoo and I took the kids to see "Up" this weekend, and only the Moose sat still for it. Both Rob and Alex thought there were parts that were too scary - in fact, Alex acted as if we had taken him to see "Drag Me to Hell" instead of a Pixar movie. 

At first, I thought the kids over-reacted, and part of me thinks they still did, that though parts of the movie were intense, the kids were just intimidated by a movie theater's surroundings and large, loud sounds. I know I was scared when I saw some movies when I was younger. 

Apparently, though, our kids weren't the only ones who thought "Up" was too frigthening. One woman, who has a 6-year-old and 4-year-old like us, had a similar experience, and she had to take her kids to the lobby. 

Did anyone else see "Up"? What did you think? And what are some ways to help your kids relax and become more comfortable at the movies?