Comments on: Movie Review: Astroboy

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:22:05 +0000

@Francesca – I completely agree with you in the fact that we shelter our children too much sometimes, as parents we just don’t want them to get hurt or suffer. Amanda is right in saying I wasn’t trying to discourage anyone from watching the movie, just wanted to provide more of a warning to let parents know what they would be encountering that way they could prepare themselves for those tough conversations. It’s hard to answer questions like “why doesn’t his daddy want him” without having some time to think of a way to properly explain something like that to a 6 year old.
With such a crazy, hectic life lately, it is hard for our family to fid time to spend fun, quality family moments together. When you are expecting to just go to a movie to relax and enjoy it, and then are faced with tough life situations and questions, it changes the dynamics of that experience. I’m not saying parents should never have those discussions or allow their kids to be placed in situations that are tough, I just would like to know I’m headed in that direction before get there!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:58:11 +0000

@Katie – Astroboy is based off Anime. You are definitely right, some Anime movies are geared towards an older audience.

@Francesca – Thanks for sharing! I think the point of the post was to warn parents that they may have to have those conversations after the movie, if they choose to see it. In this case, my friend was expecting a more family friendly movie. Not one that made her afraid that her daughter’s may have nightmares. We aren’t saying to avoid all conflict, but I like to know what I am getting myself and my child before we see a movie.

By: Francesca Watson

Francesca Watson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:30:57 +0000

I’ll preface my comment by saying that I haven’t seen either movie, but the point made at the end of the review about the “negative path” made me think about some of the stories I read when I was a kid. I was a huge fan of the color-coded Fairy Books – the Grey Fairy Book, the Red Fairy Book, etc. These were compilations of fairy tales from around the world, most of which were pretty tough reading – children turned out by evil stepmothers, trolls under bridges demanding moral compromise, bloodshed and drama, etc. etc. In fact, I was pretty much allowed to read whatever I wanted as a kid, the thinking being that anything I didn’t really understand would bore me enough that I would put it down, and anything that really raised questions would become fodder for discussion around the dinner table. The result for me was a healthy skepticism, an inquisitive analytical mind, and a reinforced sense of the need for justice in the world.

The truth is, I’m not sure we do our kids any favors by limiting their exposure to the world to parables of sunshine and light. It all depends on the age and maturity level of the child, of course, but why not use these movies as teachable moments, especially if good wins out in the end? Let’s face it, our kids may very well encounter manipulative authority figures, “Peacekeepers” who are intent on their destruction (moral or spiritual, if not literal), and friends or siblings who behave inappropriately – why not take these opportunities to lay the groundwork for discernment and good independent judgment?

Just my two cents’ worth!

By: Melissa Warren

Melissa Warren — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:24:35 +0000

Wow. I appreciate the review. It’s a shame they can’t make movies suitable for kids.

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:29:54 +0000

I haven’t seen either movie, but sometimes animated movies are not actually made for children. Anime is very popular in Japan and has made it’s way over to the U.S. Many times it’s really created for adults not for children. I don’t know if that’s the case with Astro Boy. I have heard “Where The Wild Things Are” isn’t meant to be a children’s movie. It’s a movie about kids, and not necessarily appropriate for younger children. For example, I’ve read that the monsters represent parts of the boy’s personality. One monster kicks, bites, and throws awful tantrums when it doesn’t get what it wants. Not exactly behavior you want your toddler or young child emulating.