Fun & Responsibility

Here is a delectable summer treat: three family movies that explore our responsibility not only to ourselves but to our friends and our wider community. Since "have the courage to be yourself" is a popular kid-movie theme, it's nice to find some films that go beyond that--although still in a very entertaining fashion. In fact, two of these three movies (one is made-for-TV) are so good that you should go out of your way to see them.

Barnyard

If you've read any previous reviews, you know just how much TAMS (talking animal movies) do for me, which is less than nothing. For this one, I'll get over it.

Steve Oedekerk, the writer and director of "Barnyard," is a well-known nut. He made the wacky "thumb" movies--parodies of famous films, entirely shot using thumbs ("Thumbtanic," "Thumb Wars," "The Blair Thumb Project")--as well as more thoughtful fare such as "Bruce Almighty." Oedekerk also thinks animals often look at him funny, waiting for him to leave so they can get back to their poker game. In fact, the animals in "Barnyard" are looking at humans funny, waiting for them to leave so they can be their "normal" selves.

The good news is that "Barnyard" is funny and touching--and it has much more of a message than kidfare usually does. Party cow Otis is much loved by his adoptive dad, Ben, the patriarch of the farm, but much to Ben's chagrin Otis won't grow up. Ben's big line: "A strong man stands up for himself. A stronger man stands up for others," becomes the movie's central theme. (What is it with these wise movie-Bens? It was Uncle Ben in "Spiderman" who spouted, "With great power comes great responsibility," and Ben Kenobi in "Star Wars," who, well, try making him say something unwise.) Fortunately, it's a message that bears repeating for adults and kids alike.

The CGI animation is crisp and clear, the music is great, and the vocal talent is also top-notch. This is one talking animal film that adults won't mind seeing, while kids will get plenty of laughs. One of my main beefs with TAMs is that many of them feel there's no need for a coherent plotline or internal logic. Fortunately, "Barnyard" has both. In fact, the story is so well-built that my 9-year-old could repeat all the beats to her dad when we got home. "Barnyard" is a keeper--make time to see it--and then, if it's still hot as blazes outside, rent "Thumbtanic" or (depending how old your kids are) "Kung Pow" and just laugh.

Monster House

I admit we didn't see the 3-D version of "Monster House," which might be why it didn't grab me. I know that kids see the world as out to get them, but in "Monster House" the parents were clueless, the babysitter was a sadistic liar, her boyfriend was worse, the cops were idiots, and the house across the street had been eating things, and possibly people, for years, with no one noticing.

At its core, "Monster House" had the same message as "Phantom of the Opera": You can't save someone from being a carnie sideshow attraction without getting them years of therapy and be surprised if they're psychotic. At least, that's the message I got. I think you were supposed to get "friends band together and save the day when no one else believes you," but how stupid and self-absorbed is the entire rest of the world, really?

Continued on page 2: Matthew Perry goes serious. »