The boys and I have seen 2 movies in actual movie theaters since Thanksgiving. This streak is unprecedented for us. We generally see a movie in the theater about once every eight months or so, but, somehow, we snuck in 2 within a single month. I shudder to consider what these events say about our individual, developmental phases, but, as you knew I would, I digress…
As a result of this recent cinema insanity, I feel compelled to comment on these 2 films – to somehow justify the ridiculous financial investment that these 2 movies reflect.
First, we saw Arthur Christmas in San Antonio while we waited on Metro Man who tended to important business about feeding hungry people. No, seriously. That’s what he was doing.
Anyway, I found Arthur and his Christmas to be entirely charming. Arthur on the big screen was sweet and touching – and entirely entertaining. The elves and their 007-like ways were captivating, especially to the 2 boys who accompanied me. In truth - and in spite of the odd face moles/blemishes on Arthur’s face – Arthur had a heart; he displayed what the very spirit of Christmas is about – sacrifice and sharing, putting others before self.
I did cringe at the depiction of Mr. and Mrs. Clause, who were, of course, Arthur’s parents. Mrs. Clause was perfectly savvy and saved the day more than once in the movie, but Mr. (a.k.a. Santa) Claus was a doofus – awkward, unthinking, and entirely unaware.
He reminded me of so many other cartoon dads who know nothing and are, at best, unimpressive parents. It entirely irritates me that dads get such a bad rap in the animated realm. Moms are super women who work, take care of everyone, and solve the cartoon problems, but dads are barely human – barely able to manage their own ineptitude, much less address and control the incompetence of their offspring. I won’t even consider the old art-imitating-life/life-imitating-art question. I won’t.
I will add that perhaps the Santa in Arthur’s movie was merely a bad link on the Clause’s genetic chain; his father and his younger son were heart-felt, caring souls who saved Christmas for children, adults, reindeer, and elves alike and presented a perfectly charming flick for all ages.
The second film that we saw was Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. The chipmunks are cute, especially the Chippettes and Theodore. They dance, they sing, and they harmonize unimaginably well. They are fun; I do find myself distracted by their eye color for some reason, but they are enchanting nonetheless. Jason Lee who plays Dave, their dad/owner, is also charming, though I have trouble with him as a middle-class dad after watching him for years as Earl on NBC. He’ll always be the karma-loving ex-con to me.
Regardless, Chipwrecked is cute and includes some delightful parody scenes related to other Hollywood classics, like Tom Hanks’ Shipwrecked and Indiana Jones.
However, I am troubled by the example that this movie sets. Alvin is a petulant, mean, unthinking, selfish character who is not parented at all effectively in the movie. The audience is led to believe that the events of the movie change his character by movie’s end, but, the final vignette proves he is back to his old ways – back to Dave yelling ineffectually at him. In truth, Alvin and his friends are just not cute enough to reinforce the idea that this sort of behavior is okay – that parents don’t really need to intervene to teach children (or chipmunks, as the case may be) that certain behaviors are not appropriate.
Maybe I am overthinking both of these movies. Maybe I have one too many lit crit credits on my transcripts. Maybe, but maybe I can’t afford to be über-passé about the influences that my boys are exposed to.
Maybe.
Definitely.
Merry Christmas!!
