Family Movie Review: The Bourne Legacy

Everything has a worldview ingrained in it. Every form of art has a message. And lately I haven't watched a movie without questioning the message it sends.

I watched the forth installment of the popular Bourne series when it came out.  As with the last three Bourne movies, this one did not disappoint with superb acting, action, and wrapping up the story. Jeremy Renner delivered an excellent performance. There were however a few aspects of it I didn't like. 

If you haven't seen the last three, the basic jist of the story line is the CIA has developed agents that are able to kill anyone the CIA desires. The CIA mostly deals in political assassinations. The agents such as Bourne, never questioned this before. It's part of their training. Kill without question. They were trained to be emotionless and to feel nothing about the people they harmed, innocent or not. But Bourne comes to realize that what he's doing is wrong. It's a lifestyle he was forced into by emotion being beaten out of him. He wants to get away from his job and find out who he really is. Bourne asks another agent who is trying to kill him at one point "Do you even know why you're supposed to kill me? Look what they've done to us."  

In the Bourne Legacy, we see a new group of agents, like Bourne, only these guys are black ops, with enhanced physical and mental abilities through medication. The main agent, Aaron Cross is one of nine. But suddenly the agency that employs them is in danger of being exposed and shut down. The agency decides to get rid of all evidence-the nine agents. So Aaron is on the run for his life. In order to get rid of the agents, the CIA must also erase the people who are helping enhance the agents-the scientists. One scientist escapes after a near death experience in which Aaron saves her, because he believes she is his only hope in figuring out what is happening and how to fix it. 

The biggest thing I have is all the killing that goes on in this movie. Obviously death is a large part of this series and it pricks your conscience. Aaron does quite a bit of killing and dealing injuries himself. He also kills a woman, granted she was an assassin trying to kill him but I still have a problem with that. That's almost a whole other discussion. 

So basically Aaron didn't run from the program because he disagreed with it, rather he's just trying to stay alive. Which in the movie it gives the picture that Aaron doesn't even know what he's supposed to be doing. As if he had never been assigned to kill. I want to say that he was still in training because he kept asking "What is it we do?" 

The language was a bit offensive for PG-13. Some strong words used that were offensive. (Spoiler, a slight romance is going on. But any girl would naturally love the guy that saves her life three times:D)  No offensive material involved with the romance though. I do like how Aaron feels a big responsibility in keeping Dr. Marta safe.

Overall, it was pretty good and gave a satisfactory ending. I won't spoil it but there was redemption. But I would say only a mature audience needs to watch it. It well earns the PG-13 rating. 

Language: Moderate

Indecency: Mild

Violence: Heavy

Legend of the Guardians -Family Movie Review

 I was very impressed with this production. The story line was so positive and the closest worldview to Christianity I have ever seen in a child's animation! 
Soren, a young Tyto owl lives on his father's stories of the mythical owls of Ga'Hoole, warriors who fought a battle to save all owlkinds from the evil Pure ones. 

But suddenly, he finds himself and his brother captured by Pure ones and taken to their covert lair! After finding out that the horrid plans of the pure ones is to destroy all owl kingdoms, Soren escapes and sets off with many companions over seas and through mists to find the mythical Great Tree of the owls of Ga'Hoole, relying on his only hope that they exist.

After long weary travel, Soren and his new companions find themselves in danger and are saved by none other than the legendary owls of Ga'Hoole. Taken to the great tree they are given sanctuary and trained in their gifted areas in order to defeat the evil Pure ones. 

There is a very positive message of sacrifice and faith among the characters; a very clear distinction made between the evil pure ones and the Ga'Hoole owls of light and life.

The generational vision of the owls of Ga'Hoole is to: 

"Right all wrongs, to make strong the weak, mend the broken, vanquish the proud and make powerless those who abuse the frail."

The action and battles were quite stunning actually. I was thinking since it is about owls, nothing too exciting would be going on, but I was wrong.  Amazing choreography, with a great soundtrack and visuals.

Language: One use of Hell in description of a place.

Indecency: Very mild flirting

Violence: Quite a lot, though none of it too gory. Many fights ensue but are bloodless. Owls are electrocuted and brainwashed. Some images of the pure ones might frighten children but it didn't affect our kids.

Other:  There is a brief scene with a shaman creature who can foretell the future.

(This movie is Dove Family Approved)

Hugo: Family Movie Review

Based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

This movie is much more imaginative and less cliche than most you find. It's part of what I really liked about it. Hugo is almost a child's fairy tale for adults.

Meet Hugo. An imaginative boy whose intellect surprises for one so young. One day his father discovers an unusual robot-like mechanism and makes it their special project. With his father's gift of clock making and tinkering, Hugo determines to fix the intriguing creation. Although the little mechanism is missing the one thing to make it work...a heart-shaped key. But his father suddenly dies, leaving Hugo to solve the mystery of the robot and keep himself hidden from the outside world.

Left to fend for himself, Hugo lives in a train station clock tower, daily winding the clocks unbeknownst to the stationmaster while trying to avoid being caught by the police.

Lonely Hugo finds an unlikely companion in highly imaginative and bookish Isabelle who brings joy back into his life and tries to help him solve the mystery of the automaton he and his father found. But another mystery and untold secrets still hang above Isabelle's guardian parents, and Hugo holds the key to unlocking it.

I believe this very well done with an entertaining music track and bright and unusual visuals.

"Maybe that's why a broken machine always makes me a little sad, because it isn't able to do what it was meant to do... Maybe it's the same with people. If you lose your purpose... it's like you're broken." Hugo

Indecency: This was a wonderfully clean movie with two minor exceptions. An actress has a costume on and it exposes her legs a bit more than prefered but it's very brief and not too close up. And the second one even took me a minute to catch so I think it will go over 14 and under's heads. It was just a brief moment of mildly spoken innuendo and talk of infidelity. It's meant for light humor but still uncalled for. And as it's said with British accents, some might not even understand the words.

Violence: Minor

Language: None

Interest: Family

Guest Post: Communism in the Cartoon

A knock sounded on the door, “Livy? You in there? I come in?” I opened the door to the biggest grin her little face could hold. “Whatcha doin’?” She questioned as she snuggled her warm, little body closer. “Can we watch a movie? Just a lil’ one!” My mind scrambled, short innocent movie suitable for a 5 year old?? Then it came to me, my favorite cartoon from my childhood, she’ll love it! The Smurfs! Who wouldn’t love the little blue people? I search youtube looking for a 10 minute clip. Finally I find my favorite one, Jokeys’ Funny Bone. I was way more excited about than Mallie was.

About half way through it, I start freaking out. Epiphanies are not calm episodes for me.

Newsflash: THE SMURFS ARE COMMUNIST.

I felt cheated, lied to, gullible. I had been fed a line of garbage as “fun” and “cute”. Poor Mallie didn’t know what was happening, she knows now that everyone should not be the same color and that everyone should not have the same size house. After lecturing the poor 5 year old on why the cartoon was not okay she decided to go play with the other kids.

Think about it; everyone, except Papa Smurf, is the same color and wears the same uniform. A classless society where everyone lives in the same size house and does the work assigned by Papa Smurf.

Anything that is art form, has a bias.

"When art is involved people tend to insert their political views as much as possible. When it comes to entertainment, people let their guard down, they relax in more than the physical sense of the word. Art form (which involves media/entertainment) influences more people, with less effort than any sermon could ever achieve." Olivia @ She Considers

Family Movie Review ~ Dolphin Tale

Inspired by a true story, Dolphin Tale is a wonderful, wholesome, family movie that everyone will enjoy. One day, a ten year old boy named Sawyer, stumbles upon an injured dolphin on the beach tangled in a crab trap and says with it until the local marine rescuers arrive.
Sawyer finds where Winter has been taken and is soon a member of Clearwater staff along with home schooling ten year old Hazel, his new found friend. But Winter' cannot fight the infection from her tale having circulation cut off too long. Eventually it's removed and Winter must learn to swim without the use of a tale.
Sawyer, who has been lonely and reclusive ever since his father left and never returned, has found something in Winter and the staff at the Clearwater hospital that opens him up to being social again, and gives him a desire to help Winter and save the Clearwater hospital which is in danger of being shut down. After word of Winter's unique disability gets out, children and adults alike with major disabilities are anxious to see the dolphin that's "just like them".
Although Winter has learned to swim with her disability, her side to side movement with her stump is damaging the spine, which could lead to paralysis or death.
Dr. Mcarthy (Morgan Freeman) a local prosthetics doctor agrees to help create a new tale for Winter. But the multiple attempts with a tale are proving unsuccessful, and Winter is running out of time as well as Clearwater's money. Will either be saved?

This is one of the best family movies I've seen in a while that is not just rank with objectionable material. Great for family movie night.

(Although this movie has environmentalist undertones, it is not extreme like some movies.)

Indecency:. Brief scene with a woman's strapless dress, shirtless men at swimming competition. Sawyer goes behind his mother's back to do something and talks back to her.

Violence: Glimpse of injured dolphin with a little blood

Language: 1 use of crappy, shoot, and 2 Oh my gosh.

Age Interest: 6-adult

Courageous ~ Family Movie Review

"Honor Begins at Home"

"Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood." -Courageous Synopsis

In Courageous the audience gets a glimpse into five men's lives, each one with a background that was profound, or damaging in father-son relationships.

After a tragedy occurs, each one is awakened by God's calling of what real men, and true fatherhood should be made of. Each man enters into a covenant with God and their fellow brothers in Christ to hold one another accountable in their actions as the head of the household.


The action was really impressive though some might disagree with the amount of content involving drugs. (Mostly why this movie got a PG-13 rating). The audience gets glimpses into backstreet gangs and their dealings with drugs. So some questions might be raised from children about that but it was completely inoffensive and was crystal clear that what they (the gangs) were doing was wrong.

The Kendrick brother's have again created a movie that has a perfect balance of humor, emotion, action, and powerful family morals and inspiration. One moment you're sobbing, the next dying from laughter. Though I cannot do the profound message Courageous portrays justice by this review.

If you have not seen this movie, stop what you're doing and go see it now! :)

Courageous delivers a message our nation needs to hear. I walked away from this film with a prayer that the message reaches out to fathers and they embrace the vision to be Courageous in their calling.

Courageous info

Indecency: None

Violence: Because this film revolves around the police force, naturally it has violence. There are chase scenes, shootouts, drug dealings. A boy is beaten. Nothing gory or over the top.

Language: None (It's so nice to be able to say that)

Age Interest: 10-adult

Amish Grace: Family Movie Review

This movie is based on the true story of the fateful day in October 2006, in the quiet Amish community of Pennsylvania, where a school shooting killed five young Amish girls.

The Amish community of Nickel Mines is a peaceful community bound together by love, labor, and families. But none of them were prepared for the tragedy brought by their trusted milk man Charlie Roberts. Charlie walks into the one room schoolhouse and takes all the Amish girls hostage, shoots ten of them, then takes his own life.

When Gideon and Ida Graber learn what's happened they anxiously await in uncertainty with the rest of the children's parents of whether or not their two daughters were included in the hostages. The panicked school teacher in hysteria tells the authorities who have arrived on the scene what happened.

Meanwhile Gideon Graber and the church elder go to the home of Amy Roberts, Charlie's wife and convey that they do not hold bitterness toward her or her husband for what he did.

The Grabers, after waiting in agony, finally come to learn that their eldest sixteen year old daughter was one of the deceased. Ida crumbles in disbelief and utter despair.

When Amy Roberts attempts to get closer to the Amish community who has shown her so much compassion and grace, Ida Graber is one of the few who cannot forgive Amy for her husband's actions. Can Ida find the strength and grace to give to Amy? Can she trust in God's will for her family?

The movie portrays well the different emotions and reactions of the families in Nickel mines. The story is very emotional and powerful in the message of redemption and grace in the midst of turmoil and facing the unthinkable.

The story was very refreshing in its cleanliness as well.

Indecency: None

Violence: Nothing is shown pertaining to guns, nor is the shooting shown or any injured. You simply see the covered up body of Mary Beth Graber and her mother's reaction to seeing her.

Language: None

Age level: 10-up

Warning! If you are like me and have a tendency to be extremely emotional during movies, don't watch this.

The Grace Card: Family Movie Review

"I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same, and be your friend always."

The Mac McDonald family has long since struggled with love and unity since a tragic accident seventeen years ago and finances and Mac's emotional griefs are quickly disintegrating the already minuscule family bond. Mac constantly struggles with anger towards his wife and wayward son Blake who is teetering on the edge of ruin with his education and social life.
For seventeen years Mac has taken his bitterness and grief and turned it against everyone in his life. Mac's only source of sanity in life is his job on the Memphis Police Force as he tries to make a difference. Much to Mac's dismay he is teamed up with rising star and part time pastor Sergeant Sam Wright.
The exact opposite of Mac, Sam has a fulfilling life as a loving father and husband who serves God with his life and every action. Sam's faith is tested as he tries to show Mac what God is capable of doing if he'll realize that God has not turned His back on Mac and his family.

A very satisfying story of redemption and hope, the Grace Card is a great family movie.

Ages: 12-adult or based on parent's opinion

Violence: Two scenes of action on the force and gun wielding. And in both scenes there is a noticeable amount of blood so some young audiences might be disturbed.

Language: One use of 'freaking' and 'for God's sake'

Other: There is obvious disagreement over racism between the main characters.

This film has producers with similar goals to Sherwood films and most of the actors are not 'real' practicing actors, but surprisingly it wasn't unbearably cheesy.

Overall, a refreshingly clean and powerful film. I would recommend it for a family film night.

You can view the trailer and movie overview at The Grace Card website.

Movie Review: The Young Victoria

I was so excited about this movie! It came out when I was in England in March.

I was very satisfied that they hardly strayed from Queen Victoria's true story. Though I was upset

that they left out the fact that she leaned heavily on God throughout her rule.

Victoria was eleven when she learned she was in line of succession to the throne of England. She was eighteen when she took her place on the throne. Victoria acknowledged she was young and inadequate to fully fill her role, but she was determined to learn and guide her country to her utmost ability.

With no father to guide or protect her, Victoria had to endure the constant badgering of her political 'adviser' Sir John Conroy and mother who constantly attempted to get Victoria to sign over her power as queen because he deemed her too young to know anything about ruling a country. Her mother stood by and allowed and supported Conroy in his badgering Victoria and in her early years of rule, Victoria despised that her mother allowed Conroys treatment.

Meanwhile Victoria's uncle who was King of the Belgians sent Victoria's cousin Prince Albert to England in attempts to make a match between them for political advantages. Victoria and Albert were soon spending lots of time together and and both felt and discussed with one another that they were being used like chess pieces.

I won't give the whole story away but I think you'll be satisfied!

Victoria was the longest reigning monarch in England, her rule going from 1836-1901.

This is not exactly a family film, but would be perfect for a girl's night.

Indecency: It was PG but had some content pertaining to a married couple that girls under thirteen probably shouldn't witness.

Violence: Political turmoil and angry public, a character is shot, some blood shown

Language: One use of D**n

Age interest 13-adult

For details on it you may go HERE to the website