Review By JESSICA ALMY When a mama mouse living in a field must save her family from the plow, including her son who is stricken with pneumonia, she discovers a secret world of super-intelligent rats who have suffered at the hands of vivisectors (at the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH) and are seeking [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Animated Movies'
The Secret of NIMH
January 31st, 2012 · 6 Comments · Movies
Tags:1980s Childrens Movies·Animal Research·animal rights·Animated Movies·Don Bluth·Early Elementary·Female Protagonist·Mice·Older Elementary·Rats
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
November 17th, 2011 · No Comments · Movies
Review By JENNIFER KALI A holiday television classic. Peppermint Patty invites herself and a few friends to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving. Old Chuck is in a pickle because all he knows how to cook is toast and cold cereal. He employs Snoopy and Woodstock to set a Thanksgiving table in the back yard, and the three get [...]
Tags:1970s Childrens Movies·Animated Movies·Charlie Brown·Family Movies·Holiday Movies·Jennifer Kali·Thanksgiving
How to Train Your Dragon
August 19th, 2011 · 3 Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY Last year’s big screen release, “How to Train Your Dragon” has a powerful message about tolerance and respect for animals. Set in a Viking village, the film opens on a scene of terrible violence in which humans and dragons are waging battle. The lead character Hiccup is eager to win his [...]
Tags:Animated·Animated Movies·Depictions of Meat in Film·Dragons·Early Elementary·Family Films·Family Movies·Genesis Awards·Older Elementary
Rio
May 17th, 2011 · 2 Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY The animated movie “Rio” really had me at the first scene, where all the birds of the rainforest ascend into the sky to sing and fly in a huge, showy musical number. Add to the lush animation and the spirited music a storyline that revolves around the evils of the pet [...]
Tags:Animated·Animated Movies·Birds·Brazil·Captive Wildlife·Early Elementary·Family Movies·Humor·Jemaine Clement·Music·Parrots·Pet Stores·Pet Trade·Preschoolers·Rainforest·Wild Animals in Captivity·Wildlife
Open Season
May 5th, 2011 · No Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY You gotta love that kids movies sometimes say what adult films never could. Continuing the tradition of “Bambi” and “The Fox and the Hound,” the 2006 release “Open Season“ depicts hunting from the animals’ perspective, and of course, it isn’t pretty. The main character is a grizzly bear named Boog, who was [...]
Tags:Animated Movies·Anti-Hunting·Bears·Early Elementary·Hunting·Older Elementary·Rabbits·Wildlife·Wildlife Rehabilitation
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
April 17th, 2011 · 1 Comment · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY Don’t let the title put you off too much. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is actually a decent animated flick. While there aren’t strong animal or environmental themes, vegetarians will be interested to know that this movie emphasizes eating in moderation — and that the meatballs in the title don’t [...]
Tags:Animated Movies·Consumption of Meat·Depictions of Meat in Film·Early Elementary·Family Films·Food Choices·Genetically Modified Food·Meteorology·Older Elementary·Science
The Princess and the Frog
January 3rd, 2011 · No Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY I have to admit that a good part of my enchantment with Disney’s 2009 flick “The Princess and the Frog” has to do with its toe-tapping soundtrack, and the role that jazz plays in the New Orleans-based storyline. This retelling of the Frog Prince, now available on DVD, also features beautiful [...]
Tags:Animated Movies·Crocodiles·Disney·Early Elementary·Female Protagonist·Frogs·Jazz·Music·Older Elementary·Princess
Top Holiday Picks 2010
November 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Movies
By JESSICA ALMY If you’re making a list and checking it twice, consider these titles for the kids in your life. They’ve all gotten positive reviews on Vegbooks in the past year. Granny Gomez and Jigsaw by Deborah Underwood and Scott Magoon (ages 3-7). Shop online at Farm Sanctuary and a portion of the purchase [...]
Tags:Animated Movies·ASPCA·Best Books for Vegetarian Kids·Books for Vegetarian Kids·Deborah Underwood·Early Elementary·Environmental Kids Movies·Farm Sanctuary·Melvin Berger·Nancy Furstinger·Natural Resources Defense Council·Oceana·Older Elementary·Parents·PCRM·PETA·Preschoolers·Scott Magoon·Sheryl L. Pipe·Vegan Outreach·Zoe Weil
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
November 2nd, 2010 · No Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY As I’ve previously alluded, I am not a huge fan of the Disney princess franchise. Not only am I concerned that we’re inculcating young girls with stories about privilege and a certain brand of feminine beauty – not particularly important values – but I worry about how the characters are mass [...]
Tags:Animated Movies·Butterflies·Disney·Early Elementary·Fairies·Family·Female Protagonist·Friendship·Preschoolers
The Fox and the Hound
August 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY “The Fox and the Hound” is classic Disney, in the best sense. In this 1980s animated film, the makers of “Bambi” are at it again, taking on hunting from the animals’ perspective. While some scenes are a little scary — the hunting scenes frightened my kiddo, as did a scene with [...]
Tags:1980s Childrens Movies·Animated Movies·Disney·Dogs·Early Elementary·Foxes·Hunting·Older Elementary·Wildlife·Wildlife Rehabilitation
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