Reviews

I feel like putting in a cross-post, so I will. I love the Monkees, always have, always will. I was a kid when they came out, and was glued to the set every Monday night. Thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. While in college, I used to be on the campus radio station, and at that time, you could still program your own music. It was a cross between Carole King, the Monkees, Michael Nesmith and the First National Band, and all the elements that made up the 60's music I grew up with. I still have all the original albums! Anyway, my 7 1/2 year old son is now watching the Naked Brothers Band on Nickelodeon. I admit, it's not as zany as the Monkees, but there is something there that truly reminds me of the show. Maybe it's the innocence, the way the kids act, I don't know. But I really don't mind watching it with my son. The kids are just kids, there's nothing mean or nasty about the things they do, and it reminds me of a more fun time in life. If you have a 1/2 hour, check it out.

Yes, I'm a grownup, and yes, I monitor what my 7 1/2 year old watches. He is IN LOVE with the Naked Brothers Band. He knows it's not reality. On the other hand, I remember watching the Monkees, way back when, as a kid of about his age. I thought it could be real, these 4 guys who "really played" their instruments, lived in this great house, and had all sorts of adventures. They always ended up either running after or from something, fighting a villain, or falling in love. Usually all three! The Naked Brothers Band isn't about acting, it's about the kids. Nat and Rosalina, Jesse and Alex, the rest of the group. Dad is goofy, but not made fun of. I like that. There's enough slick programming for kids out there that use product placement, mean comments, cloaked prejudice and/or racism, and all sorts of other stuff. This is just what it is. Funny, clean, and geared for the 7-14 age group. It ain't rocket science. But who's looking for that on a Saturday night? I know that there are a lot of people out there trashing the Naked Brothers Band, you won't find that in our house!

Actually, when interviewed about this movie, Mel Brooks said it was an homage to Jack Benny. And if you look, the Bronskis live on Kubelsky Street, Benny Kubelsky is Jack Benny's real name. There are many other touches that also show Brooks' love for the original. Anne Bancroft is a true treat. Her comedic talents shine, she was truly a rare actress, and will be missed.

It was well done, with Mel Brooksian flair, and respectful of the original. I won't add comments about the acting, there are so many pros and cons at this point, one more won't make a difference. But if you have some free time, see BOTH of the movies. It's not sacrilege to like them both.

Yes, I was a kid when the show was on. And yes, I got a "special dispensation" to watch it every Wednesday night (it was on after my bedtime). I loved it! My favorite character was Chief Screaming Eagle. My brother and I both used to call out the Heckawi's war cry, "We're the Heckawi!" Of course, one of my uncles taught us the other version, the one that began with an "F" but we still liked the original.

I now have a 7 year old, and would love to have him watch some of the old shows that I grew up with, like Captain Nice (underrated and really a blast), F Troop, and the local hits, like Wonderama and the Sandy Becker Show.

As a mother of a six year old, I was not thrilled with Valiant. It did not hold my son's interest; after the first half hour, he was crying to leave. As a high school history teacher and WWII film buff, the menage of WWII films was entertaining for me. But I didn't go for my own entertainment, if you get my drift. Little kids really don't know old movies, and there wasn't enough comedic element to hold his attention. Now before you say that he's just the kind of kid who doesn't sit through movies, I will tell you that he sat mesmerized through Sky High and March of the Penguins. But Valiant? No way, Jose! I thought the movie caught elements of every feel-good war picture put out during the early 40's. I especially felt there was something "Abbott & Costello-ish" about the entire thing.

I'd recommend it for older kids, or even kids who are studying WWII. They'd find the animation interesting, even though they wouldn't get much of the content unless prodded to do so.

I'm a high school history teacher, and have been using this film to show my students (mostly foreign) how the media portrayed the Great Depression. I also assign term papers about the era, and this movie gives them a good idea of what to choose. So far, I've had students choose to write on dance marathons, the dust storms, hobos,and the building of the Hoover Dam, just to name a few subjects.

At first, they get a kick out of the music and the costumes, but the scenes of homeless people, the breadlines, and the general despair really hit home. Many never realized that America, the land of opportunity, was a land of unemployment, hunger, and fear for nearly a decade.

This movie is a must to all who want to evoke the feel of the Depression and not just have the kids read it out of dry books. It's very hard to get someone in to speak first-hand about the era, this movie speaks for them.

This was my son's first movie. From the moment the film started to the minute the closing credits rolled, he was transfixed. I put my arm around him during the scary parts, it didn't faze him at all (and this is a kid who has NEVER seen anything but PBS).

Maybe it's just a different time. I remember my first movie was 101 Dalmations, and I had nightmares for weeks about the mean lady who was going to kill puppies to make a fur coat!

I found this movie to be entertaining on all levels, and recommend it highly.

One of the best "feel-good" movies I have ever seen. I once heard Gene Wilder say that he got the Rabbi's accent from his grandfather, and I can believe it!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were channel surfing in the middle of the night, and came across the movie, dubbed in Spanish. We ended up staying awake until the wee hours of the morning, just to watch this gem.

A gentle film, not afraid to show a love of religion and of friendship, I wish that more movies were like this.