Children's Literary Favorite Adapted in "Horton"
by Lisa Rice

Release Date:  March 14, 2008
Rating:  G
Genre:  Kids/Family, Animation and Adaptation
Run Time:  85 min.
Directors:  Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino
Voices of:  Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, Dan Fogler, Isla Fisher, Jonah Hill, Amy Poehler, Jaime Pressly, Charles Osgood

Have you ever been in a theatre where you heard just as many adult chuckles as children’s giggles?  Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! is one of those movies that evokes such a spirit of across-the-board amusement. 

The adults will enjoy the voices of actor favorites such as Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler and Carol Burnett, while kids will enjoy the sweet story of an unlikely hero’s quest to save the world. Well, one world, at least … one teeny, tiny world.

It turns out that the whole world of Whoville has a mayor (Carell), who is completely oblivious to the fact that they live on one speck of dust on one little drifting wildflower.  They might have gone on that way indefinitely if it hadn’t been for Horton (Carrey), who happens to find it and hear some teeny little sounds coming from the teeny world.  (After all, elephants have giant ears for a reason, right?)  Horton is ecstatic and gathers all the little jungle creatures around to hear the story.

Horton finds a way to converse with the mayor and soon proves to him that he and his whole town actually do exist within one little speck.  But not to worry because Horton will take the wildflower up to a cave in the highest spot on the highest mountain in the jungle, where the little world will be safe forever. The mayor isn’t so sure, so he runs to the city council elders and tries to inform them of their precarious predicament, but the elders won’t listen.  After all, nothing bad has ever happened in Whoville, and besides, it’s time to make big plans for the town’s anniversary party.

Meanwhile, Horton’s protection of the flower is slipping.  Mrs. Kangaroo (Burnett), a scary, controlling, fearful, suspicious mother who “pouch schools” her boy has gotten wind of Horton’s wild tale about a world on a speck, and she’s determined to squelch the nonsense.  After all, it’s dangerous to get kids imagining things because “imagination leads to rebellion against authority, and rebellion leads to anarchy!”

Mrs. Kangaroo makes it her quest to destroy the wildflower, and she even riles up the monkeys and a horrible vulture (Will Arnett) to fight on her team.  Horton’s mouse friend warns him that he has many enemies on his trail and must hurry to the high mountain.  Horton tells the mayor the dire news. The mayor goes home to his wife and 96 children, spends a little time with each, and tries to come up with a plan.  The only way that the micro-world will be saved is for the teeny little Who’s to find a way to work together with the largest creature of the “real world’s” jungle.  As the clock ticks, Mrs. Kangaroo’s rage rises and her evil plans escalate.

Based on the charming Dr. Seuss book from 1954, Horton Hears a Who! is a fun movie for all ages.  The animation feels just like the book, and the screenwriting (with all of those in-between lines and side stories) is clever.  At one point, the movie makes fun of anime cartoons as it spins off to Horton’s dream sequence of being a super-hero.  That part got big laughs from the kids.  There are also clever side stories, like the fact that there are two “Vlad’s”—one being a big, scary, multi-toothed vulture and the other being a sweet, fluffy bunny with a plate of cookies.  The jungle creatures keep having to clarify which Vlad they’re talking about.  Really cute.

The acting is superb, and adults will smile as they hear some of their favorite voice-overs in the animals.  There are a few places where the story drags a bit, but it’s not enough to kill the fun.

The only negative is a subtle worldview issue.  The “bad guy” is a homeschooling mother.  The assumption is that it’s dangerous to put your kid in the group because it could eventually lead to anarchy.  As a homeschooling mother, I find the moviemaker’s ignorance laughable.  Thankfully, that’s not a pervasive theme, and the other elements of the movie are quite inspirational.  For example, as people of faith, it’s good to think about how we, too, are just a speck in a world protected by a great big God who fights battles we can’t even see in the realm surrounding us.  We think we’re so in control of our worlds, but one crushing blow from above could level us!  Thank goodness our God is for us!

All in all, Horton Hears a Who! makes for some great family discussion on many levels and some terrific entertainment for kids and kids-at-heart. 

CAUTIONS:

• Language/Profanity:  None.
• Drugs/Alcohol:  None.
• Sex/Nudity:  None.
• Violence:  Cartoon slapstick violence and scary images of a vulture, bad chimps who assemble for battle, and a perilous chase and animal attack.
• Worldview:  Homeschoolers are narrow-minded, fear-based, fun-and-imagination squelchers.

 This article published on Crosswalk.com. For more movie articles, visit http://www.crosswalk.com/movies/

“College Road Trip” Well Worth the Ride
Lisa Rice

Release Date:  March 7, 2008
Rating:  G
Genre:  Comedy/Adventure
Run Time:  94 min.
Director:  Roger Kumble
Actors:  Martin Lawrence, Raven Symone,  Donnie Osmond, Brenda Song, Kym Whitley, Eugene Jones III, Margo Harshman, Lucas Grabeel, Matthew Schlein

It is a rare and beautiful thing when a movie can truly capture the imagination of audiences ages three to seventy-three, but Disney’s new College Road Trip manages to do just that.  The packed screening audience—which included people of all ages and races—howled with laughter as they were thoroughly entertained by the movie’s well-cast, hilariously relatable characters.

Chief James Porter (Martin Lawrence) is a cop … a good cop who prides himself on being up on the latest protective systems and methods.  And his protective nature doesn’t stop at the office.  As a loving, doting father, he does everything in his power to ensure that his baby, Melanie (Raven Symone) remains in a nice cocoon of his love.  Even her college plans fit nicely within his control.

Conveniently, Northwestern University is only a half-hour drive from home, and Daddy has things all arranged.  The problem is, Melanie would actually like to attend Georgetown University, a nine-hour drive from home!  She lands an appointment with the admissions board, and she and her girlfriends plan to take a road trip to the school.  When the chief finds out about it, however, he moves heaven and earth to switch the plans—which now include him!

Much to Melanie’s horror, her father pulls up in his police van, loads up her luggage, and heads out on the road with her.  Melanie has a sick smile on her face.  When the chief starts singing, encouraging her to join in, Melanie insists she doesn’t remember “their song” (which makes Porter sad).  But not to be deterred, he continues to try and engage his daughter in “deep, deep conversation.”

Melanie is doubly ticked off when suddenly Dad pulls off the highway, and into the campus of Northwestern!  He insists they have time for a little campus tour since they don’t have to be at Georgetown for two days.  On the tour, they meet Doug (Donnie Osmond) and his daughter, who are a hyper-excited, huggy, singing, preppy duo.  They also meet a major hunk, Nick (Kristian Kordula), who offers to give Melanie a personal tour of the school.  It takes a surprising turn, however, resulting in some hilarious antics between all the parties, but finally the trip to Georgetown resumes.

The next two days are filled with crazy accidents, the finding of a stowaway in the van, some happenstance meetings with various characters, a wedding crash, a sorority house crash, trouble with the law, and a major test of father-daughter trust.  It will take some serious willingness on both parts to really listen to each other and choose flexibility and trust, in order to ensure the fulfillment of Melanie’s college plans and future dreams.

College Road Trip is a fun and crazy ride in which families will be glad they’re included.  The production value is high, with many special effects, good editing, and clever screenwriting.  The acting is spot on, and Donnie Osmond steals the show as the over-the-top, happy-clappy father.  Martin Lawrence’s character is so relatable to those who are contemplating sending their precious offspring into the world.  The only problem is that the movie makes going away to college look so amazingly fun, that it might be hard to make a connection with those who are taking the stay-at-home or close-to-home higher ed route.  (There really are benefits to that, too!)

What's refreshing is that finally there’s a college movie that’s not gross, crass or wild.  Think about the college-themed movies of the recent past:  Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Old School, Scent of a Woman, Rules of Attraction, etc.  College just lends itself to portrayals of wild, drunken parties and crazy, sexual exploits with very little education happening at all!

In contrast, College Road Trip features Disney darling Raven Symone, who brings her That’s So Raven (The Disney Channel) comedic chops to the big screen in their best form.  It’s all the humor and none of the crassness.  At one point, her character gets to sing and dance and incite a busload of Japanese visitors to sing back-up on a rap song.  Hilarious!  And Donnie Osmond and his character’s daughter get to perform some equally entertaining musical numbers (much to the Porter family’s dismay), as the two families find themselves squished together in the same car for a whole day.

It’s commendable that Disney targets the family so compellingly in this kind of movie.  Even young kids will enjoy the film as it also features a young boy genius, his naughty pig, and their maddening escapades.  The movie is precious, funny, and definitely a film to be supported by families.  With our box-office dollars, we need to show that this is the kind of movie we want lots more of in theaters. 

CAUTIONS:

• Drugs/Alcohol:  None.
• Language:  None.
• Sex:  None.
• Violence:  Comedic slapstick.
• Worldview/Theme:  Even the most loving, protective parents need to give up control, begin to trust, and release their children to become independent.