the Review Source
Movies can make a fun gift to give as a family gift - pick a good family movie, add some popcorn and you have a great gift! Encourage families to watch movies together and then talk about the characters, choices they made, storyline and what you can learn from it! Do the same with music lyrics - make sure your kids understand the words they sing! Consider some of the following movies and music in our review this year for your gift giving needs!
Big Idea/VeggieTales
Music
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Big
Idea |
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Favorite Features -
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Veggie friends join Matt Redman to sing worship songs - most of which children will recognize
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12 songs including "Better Is One Day" and "Blessed Be Your Name"
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Big
Idea |
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Favorite Features -
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Veggie friends join Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Audio Adrenaline and the Newsboys to sing hits from the years!
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13 songs including, "Big House", "Shine", "Dive", "Baby, Baby" and "Trumpet of Jesus" - an oldie but definite "goodie":^)
My reviewers, Kylee, Gabe and Brienna - covering ages 4 to nearly 9 - loved these songs! They knew most of the praise songs and appreciated the "pep" to the songs allowing them the opportunity to dance! Brienna said she would recommend it because, "It is a great family CD that you can listen to and just relax and it teaches you how God is going to be like one big house!" My reviewer's mom said, "I personally really liked the CD. It has fun songs for me to listen to with the characters the kids liked. We had a lot of fun singing together in the car!" It can be a challenge to find well done songs with strong positive messages for this age - I'm delighted to see Big Idea step forward and release these cds! I'd personally love to see them release the songs on these cds to dvd as well and if a "Christian Hit Music 2" is in the workings anywhere - what about including anything from Petra, particularly, "Seen and Not Heard"?!!:^) At any rate, these songs are ones kids will love and parents will enjoy as well! Definitely tremendously well done, Big Idea! What a fun idea to combine Veggies with praise songs and Christian Hit Music!
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Movies -
Moe and the Big Exit
Produced by - Big Idea
Rated G
Favorite Features -
Continued the story from the Ballad of Little Joe with the "western" setting
Excellent music - I like the quartet "narrating" the story and my preschool and elementary reviewers absolutely loved the new Boyz in the Sink song
Excellent, colorful animation Big Idea is known for
Return of loved "friends" - Larry, Petunia, Bob and more
I really liked how at the end of the story, Larry says Moe was almost like the Bible lesson, Moses and the Red Sea. Thank you Big Idea for taking care to help children know there are differences between VeggieTale stories and Biblical accounts - kids are so literal! I love the humor worked through the story - parents will not mind watching this movie and will more likely than not, enjoy it along with their children. My reviewers especially liked the part where the snow made a way through the desert for Moe and company. They said it reminded them of when they Israelites crossed the Red Sea! I personally found the part where the river turned to "tomata" juice and Bob's reaction is absolutely hilarious! Tremendously well done, Big Idea! I look forward to more quality stories in the future!
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VeggieTales |
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Favorite Features -
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includes four Veggie stores - three old favorites - "Dave and the Giant Pickle", "The Gourds Must be Crazy", "A Snoodle's Tale" and one new story, "Bob's Vacation"
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Strong message throughout each story of how very important we are to God! "God made you special and He loves you very much!"
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bonus with two silly songs - "Belly Button" and "The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps"
Loved Veggie characters combine with colorful animation for a collection of stories children will want to watch over and over again! My reviewer, Brienna, said, "I like how Larry is confessing how he messed up and stuff like that" Brienna would recommend this dvd for her friends because, "It is great for families and it teaches friendship and you shouldn't believe everything they say because they may be talking about something else." Be sure to talk with your children about the important and needed message woven throughout this dvd! Extremely well done, Big Idea!
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VeggieTales - The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's |
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Favorite Features -
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favorite Veggie friends "re-tell" in their own Veggie way, the story of the Prodigal Son
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creative parody of "The Wizard of Oz" - parents will find themselves laughing throughout this movie:^)
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my reviewers, Brienna, Gabe and Kylee especially liked
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important messages about obedience, forgiveness and love
My reviewers really loved this movie! Gabe said, "The ending is my favorite part of the movie when the dad and son hugged!" while Brienna said, "I really like it because it teaches that you should obey your parents and jealousness is not good because you can get yourself in a lot of trouble." Brienna said she would recommend it because, "It tells the story of the runaway son, the lost son from the Bible." I appreciate how amongst the "fun" of Veggie-stories, children really are able to understand the lessons and connect them with Bible truth! This VeggieTale, like others will be enjoyed by children and parents! True family entertainment! Tremendously well done, Veggies!
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Disney
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Pooh's Grand Adventure - the Search for Christopher Robin - Special Edition Rating - G |
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Favorite Features -
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incredible, colorful animation
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bonus features include a game, info on the music and a short - Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
Important messages about friendship, being brave, love and trust all wrapped up in a story about everyone's favorite bear - Pooh! Children will love the suspense, excitement and fun of this movie and parents will love the opportunity to talk with their children about how they will be there for them! Tremendously well done, Disney!
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The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Friendship Edition Rating - G |
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Favorite Features -
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includes three classic "Pooh" stories - Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
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bonus features include music, sing along, games and bonus shorts - My Friends Tigger & Pooh and A Day for Eeyore
These stories are the ones I grew up with! The songs are ones I remember singing when I was just a preschooler - Winnie the Pooh, Up, Down, Touch the Ground, Rumbly In My Tumbly, Little Black Rain Cloud, The Wonderful Think about Tiggers, Heffalumps and Woozles, The Rain, Rain, Rain, Came Down, Down, Down and Hip Hooray for Winnie the Pooh - I'm so happy to see a new generation will have the opportunity to enjoy these stories and songs! Strong messages of love, friendship and faithfulness - what isn't there to love about the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh?!!! Tremendously well done, Disney!
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The Jungle Book - 40th Anniversary Edition Rating - G |
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Favorite Features -
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bonus features include music, games, shorts, info on real animals and seven deleted songs
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loved characters - Mowgli and Baloo journey through the jungle together in this loved, classic from Kipling!
I grew up with the story of Jungle Book as one of my favorites! I'm so pleased to see Disney digitally enhance this classic for a new generation to enjoy! Great story, songs and animation combine for a truly loved movie! Tremendously well done, Disney!
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Meet the Robinsons Rated - G |
Favorite Features -
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bonus features include deleted scenes, games, music videos and more
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colorful, fun animation
Fun new story with fun new characters! The "zombie" scene may be a bit intense for younger children, but otherwise this is a movie children and parents can enjoy together! Excellent important messages about family, friends and helping each other! Extremely well done, Disney!
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Pixar Short Films Collection Rated - G |
Favorite Features -
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featured shorts include The Adventures of Andre' and Wally B., Luxo Jr., Red's Dream, Tin Toy, Knick Knack, Geri's Game, For the Birds, Mike's New Car, Boundin', Jack-Jack Attack, One Man Band, Mater and the Ghostlight and Lifted
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I especially enjoyed Geri's Game and For the Birds - classic shorts
For years Disney has been delighting those who purchase their dvds with "shorts" as a bonus! This dvd is a collection of those shorts - all in one place! Extremely well done, Disney!
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Ratatouille Rated - G |
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Favorite Features -
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bonus features include deleted scenes, two all new animated shorts and more
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Strong messages of doing your best and going for your dreams!
This movie is sure to become a classic along the lines of Jungle Book! Families will enjoy this movie and have important lessons to talk about as well! Ratatouille is a laugh-out-loud enjoyment for everyone!Tremendously well done, Disney!
Touchstone Home Entertainment, Miramax Films and Hollywood Home Entertainment
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Deja Vu Rating - PG-13 |
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Favorite Features -
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quality cast pull it off and make it believable
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excellent combination of real - revenge and terror - and of imagination - time traveling to correct and prevent wrongs from being done
Fast moving, masterful combination of story, suspense and unexpected twists combine to make this a movie you will enjoy! Tremendously well done, Touchstone!
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Neverwas Rating - PG-13 |
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Favorite Features -
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Sir Ian McKellen is absolutely perfect in this role as a patient in a mental hospital!
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powerful questions about how we care about others
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Unexpected story of life, love, caring about others and not giving up. Ending is gripping, moving and surprising! Extremely well done, Miramax!
The Review Source
Copyright © Lynda Freeman
Last Updated Nov. 1, 2007
Web Page by Lynda Freeman
Send an e-mail to Lynda at Lynda@thereviewsource.net
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