It's kids' prerogative to change their minds, right?

After explaining we weren't going to see Ice Age 3, we ended up going as we got an invitation, and suddenly when asked by a friend, it became a lot more attractive to Sparky!

It was on the scary end for a preschooler though - lots of bad stuff that almost happens. Everything turns out Ok of course.

Trailer below.

Our Big but Thrifty day out

Sparky and I had our regular holiday movie day yesterday. After the horrors of the Easter Show cost last week, I went looking for bargains....double pass from ebay: c $16. snacks and water from home during movie: $?? not that much. lunch at a food court (Sparky's choice) c$10. train travel c$7. I figure at $17 each we did well.

We saw Monsters vs Aliens. It was PG which we usually avoid, but there were no G movies (in school holidays!) It was a little scary for 4, but he still enjoyed it. It was quite funny too, so something for the parents there. Though, as usual, the funniest lines had been used in the trailer.

Note to self : don't take son for his haircut on your fun day out. Yes, it was convenient. No, it wasn't worth it.

so we bolted....

Sparky and I went and saw the movie Bolt. We both liked it more than the last movie we saw (Beverly Hills Chihuahua).

Pros:
It is a G movie (but see cons below)
Not too long.
It has some good things to say, such as:
loyalty is important
even ordinary people can be heroes
the ordinary pleasures in life are important too - of home, family, friends, enjoyment of creation
It has humour that involves adults, while still being clean. The hamster is hilarious.

Cons:
It does have a few scary scenes - most of these take place as part of a TV show, and so no "real" (in the world of the movie) people or animals get seriously hurt.
There is reasonably frequent popping back and forth between the make believe of tv and the real world. This is confusing for little ones - Sparky is a 4 year old who is pretty good at this distinction, but he struggled with this, and so there was lots of questions on his part as we watched the movie - hopefully not annoying to the other patrons.

Sparky and I have decided to go to a movie every school holidays so if anyone ever wants to join in just say the word.

The black balloon

I saw this film on my birthday. I enjoyed it immensely, despite, or perhaps because, I spent most of the film in tears. It is about a family with 2 sons - one autistic, one not. I gather the director /co writer Elissa Down had 2 autistic brothers. The film shows the difficulties but also the joys as this family not only survives but grows in love. The love of the mother for her 3 children (she has a baby during the movie timeline) is strong and uncomplicated. She is a very capable woman. The father is less so, and yet he still copes and loves. I found it a movie affirming of the worth of all children, and also affirming of the struggle yet triumph of motherhood.

Juno

We finally went out for our anniversary. We saw the movie Juno. It was good - the young actor who plays the title role is, as all are saying, very good. Without giving away the ending, I found myself very strongly wanting her to keep her baby and bring the baby up. Since becoming a mother I find the idea of someone other than myself raising my child one that causes me great distress. not because they woud do a bad job, but because I want to do it. quite apart from other considerations, this feeling is what keeps me from taking on full time work at the moment. I want to be their port in the storm, and the person who lights up their eyes when I enter the room.