The Lorax - A Movie with a Message

I always wonder why every sci-fi movie except for the Jetsons depicts the future as bleak and scary? Can’t humans create a world where peace and harmony with each other and the environment is possible? Maybe, we need a constant reminder that caring for our planet is important.  Movies like The Lorax provide that gentle reminder. Do we really want to wake up in a town like Thneedville where everything is colorful and plastic but fresh air is sold in bottles?

Everyone in Thneedville seems quite satisfied with their artificial world until one day, a young lady named Audrey decides she would love to see a real tree. Ted, her twelve-year-old admirer is not quite sure what a tree is but he is determined to grant her wish. Thus sets in motion this Dr. Seuss adventure where colorful gold fish sing, trees look like cotton candy and lots of cuddly creatures roam. Along the way we meet the Lorax, guardian of the trees, a misguided entrepreneur, corporate greed in the form of a financial wiz and a feisty grandmother.

Of course, there are lessons to learn in a Dr. Seuss sort of way with plenty of music and rhyme. Children will feel like they have jumped into a Dr. Seuss’ book, which comes alive in 3-D with all the color and characters of his special world. The Lorax will spark lots of questions and conversation so after the movie; the book, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss first written in 1971 is still available to continue the adventure.

Movie Mania

Last year some of our favorite kid excursions have been to the local movie theater. With four kids that is not really a cheap date but fortunately our local theater gives us a few options. If you come to the first show, early afternoon show or on Tuesdays you can get discounted admission. They also offer some child friendly animation for a few dollars on Saturday. So on rainy days and sometimes when we just needed to get out and do something that becomes our option.

In fact my favorite treat last year was catching the movie Up just before it left the theaters. I did not really know what to expect with this film but it turned out to be a nice surprise. Up was a movie for all ages. The kids loved it. I laughed and cried; and came back a second time with my mother who also enjoyed it. To top it off after the show we headed across the street to Eddies Sweet Shop, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor for milk shakes. This is what a movie theater experience should be about. I am glad this movie won the Academy award if you have not seen it you can now catch it on video or TV.

This spring, however, I was upset to hear that the movie theaters have decided to raise their prices. This seems like bad timing when we are also facing higher transportation and utility expenses. This is an industry that has been making record-breaking numbers in a time of recession. The popularity of 3D flicks like Avatar had sent a message that some people are willing to pay for a novel experience. So does that mean they should squeeze every little bit out of that phenomenon.

I hope they rethink their strategy now that the numbers for the summer have come in below par. The 3-D Explosion and family flicks are the only thing that kept the numbers from really sinking.

For many people who are just trying to survive these stressful times raising prices is just pushing them over the edge. I know for my family raising prices will make us more discriminating in what we go to see. Of course, there are some movies like Up that we will want to see but for now I told the kids we can have our own theater right in the house and just catch up with some of our favorite DVDs. The wonderful thing about young children is that they are very resourceful and can watch the same thing over and over. Now they are looking forward to making popcorn and milkshakes, and choosing their favorite videos.

On a high note I want to applaud the movie houses that offered children free afternoon flicks of some of their old favorites this summer.