Kid's Movies

I'm not a big movie guy. At least I don't like to go out to the movies. In the last 10 years, I've seen two movies, both in the last few months.

The first one was "Hop." An easter movie about a bunny.

Tonight we saw "The Smurf Movie." I guess I'm just an old fart or something. I am blown away by the violence in children's movies.  A guy was tasered in the Smurf movie. Tasered. And it was pretty graphic.  The movie, and all the previews were non-stop collisions and loud noise.  I think both Hop and Smurf could be perfectly entertaining kids movies without all the violence.

It must sell, or it wouldn't be so.

Next up for us is Winnie the Pooh. I can't imagine how they could weave violence into it, but I certainly won't be amazed if they do.

End of rant.

harv, there has always been a ton of violence in kids movies and cartoons.

for example, Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner, Tom and Jerry the list goes on and on. I forgot one of the most depressing and sad and violent cartoon movie of all time, Bambi...

Harvey44 wrote

Next up for us is Winnie the Pooh. I can't imagine how they could weave violence into it, but I certainly won't be amazed if they do.

I went to see Winnie yesterday, it was Ok, it's rated "A" by yahoo moviegoers, but we were bored by the dialog, so I'd give it a B-minus.

JasonWx wrote

I forgot one of the most depressing and sad and violent cartoon movie of all time, Bambi...

Well, there is always the uplifting underground sequel, Bambi Meets Godzilla (warning: if you don't have a warped sense of humour, don't watch this):

Harvey44 wrote

I guess I'm just an old fart or something. I am blown away by the violence in children's movies.  A guy was tasered in the Smurf movie. Tasered. And it was pretty graphic.  The movie, and all the previews were non-stop collisions and loud noise.  I think both Hop and Smurf could be perfectly entertaining kids movies without all the violence.

It must sell, or it wouldn't be so.

Did you ever read Grimm's Fairy Tales or Mother Goose? There seems to be a tradition of scaring children long before last century. The cartoons we grew up with are silly slapstick when compared to Little Red Riding Hood or Hansel and Gretl.

I've seen Bambi vs Godzilla (although it's always worth another look).

All legitimate points made above. Clearly there is a long history of violence in kiddie fare. Hell rock-a-bye baby isn't exactly soothing.

IMO it's the "advancement" in special effects that takes it to the next level.  Both Zelda and I actually remember the same moment as the most brutal example from Smurfs.  The bad wizard get pulverized by a bus. Some how the fact that it's not a cartoon (and that everything is so loud) makes it more disturbing.

And Neve calls movies "real" vs cartoons.

And while Denis didn't exactly say so, I'm assuming Winnie the Pooh's more peaceful approach gets a B- for boring.