summer camp guide - Orlando Family Magazine

REEL life with JaneMovie reviews for you and your familyBy Jane Louise BoursawCute bunnies, a determined surfer, African cats, and romanticbirds are just a few of the characters heading to theaters andDVDs this month. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s new for April.HOPRated PG for some mild rude humor. In theaters 4/01. Ok for kids 7+Think all those holiday mascots are geeked about their job? Not so. A youngbunny (voiced by Russell Brand) is about to be crowned the new EasterBunny, but he’s not so sure he wants the job. He’s content to just hangout, play his drums, and kick back with some tunes. So he heads off toHollywood to find fame and fortune and, hopefully, land a gig playing in aband. But those plans go awry when he’s hit by a car driven by Fred (JamesMarsden), who agrees to take him in. Blending live action with computeranimation, this movie looks really cute, and also stars Kaley Cuoco, DavidHasselhoff, and Chelsea Handler. It’s directed by Tim Hill, who also helmed2007’s ‘Alvin and the ‘Chipmunks.’ Look for bits of crude humor here andthere, like the bunny pooping jelly beans and rebelling at having to sleepamong his poo.SOUL SURFERRated PG for an intense accident sequence and some thematic material. Intheaters 4/08. Ok for kids 12+Just watching the trailer for ‘Soul Surfer’ gives me goosebumps! It’s a greatstory that signals the return of AnnaSophia Robb to theaters after a shorthiatus. She plays Bethany Hamilton, the real-life teenage surfer who madeheadlines after losing her arm in a shark attack. Bethany is ready to throwin the towel, but decides to surf again after receiving tons of mail from kidsall over the country. Directed by Sean McNamara (‘Raise Your Voice’), thismovie also stars Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid as her parents, and CarrieUnderwood as her youth group leader.BORN TO BE WILDRated G. In theaters 4/08. Ok for kids 7+This 3-D documentary follows the story of orphaned orangutans andelephants, and the people who rescue them, raise them, and then return themto the wild. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this film is not only inspiring, butalso takes us into some gorgeous places around the globe. We journey intothe lush rainforests of Borneo with world-renowned primatologist Dr. BiruteGaldikas, and across the rugged Kenyan savannah with elephant authorityDame Daphne Sheldrick.ATLAS SHRUGGED,PART 1Rated PG-13 for some sexuality.In theaters 04/15. Ok for kids12+Based on Ayn Rand’s 1956 novel,this film stars Taylor Schillingas Dagny Taggart, a woman whoruns the largest railroad company inAmerica with integrity, despite a fewlabor issues. She’s drawn to industrialistHenry Rearden (Grant Bowler); hissuper-strong metal alloy might help torebuild Taggart’s company. It’s a storyabout thinkers, industrialists, scientists,artists, and other innovators during anintriguing time in history. It’s exciting to seehow director Paul Johansson brings the bookto the screen.RIORated PG for mild off color humor. In theaters04/15. Ok for kids 7+I love the tagline for this movie: “One out of every 8Americans is afraid of flying. Most of them don’t havefeathers.” That sums up this cute family movie about Blu(voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), a domesticated macaw fromsmall-town Minnesota who meets the fiercely independentJewel (Anne Hathaway) and takes off to Rio de Janeiro tobe with the bird of his dreams. Of course, it’s not love at firstsight – Blu can’t even fly, for crying out loud! But the twobirds are thrown together in an adventure about friendship,love, courage, and being open to life’s many wonders. Colorfulbackdrops, vivid characters, a heartwarming story, and coolLatin and contemporary music make this a winner.AFRICAN CATSRated G. In theaters 04/15. Ok for kids 7+DisneyNature continues its trend of releasing lovely Earth Daymovies with ‘African Cats,’ a real-life tale of love, humor anddetermination. The story features Mara, an endearing lioncub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit,and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mom to fivemischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of thepride who must defend his family from a once banishedlion. It’s directed by Alastair Fothergill, who also helmedDisneyNature’s ‘Earth’ and ‘Deep Blue.’Movie REVIEWS33