Don't
be afraid to follow your heart, even if others may be afraid to do so. This
holds especially true when your head is also saying the same thing. True
friends are very hard to come by, so don't be afraid to let someone in when
they truly want to help. Help them to understand you, and try your best to
understand others who are different before casting judgement upon them.
|
| As the title suggests, this is essentially Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with gnomes. It beautifully expresses the idea that hatred and discrimination accomplish nothing but destruction - both physically and emotionally. It explains to kids in an easy-to-understand way that it is ridiculous to hate someone just because someone else does, or because the come from a "bad neighborhood". |
| Hatred, Discrimination, Judgement |
Brothers
aren't always nice to each other. They can often compete against each other
in an attempt to prove their worth. This doesn't mean that they don't love
each other. If they can learn to work together as a team, playing up to each
other's strengths, they can accomplish anything. But if they ignore the
advice given by the other, they often just create more problems for them
both.
|
| Adjusting to life after a loved one has passed on can be quite difficult. Mr. Fredrickson does not seem to be adjusting very well when he first meets up with Russell. The old man isn't accustomed to the young boy's vibrant energy, and he initially looks upon him with irritation. His own desires are sacrificed when he steps out of his comfort zone to help Russell to protect a rare bird from poaching. He comes to feel that his own goals were petty compared to the needs of those around him that he cared about, and that helping them gave him far more satisfaction than his childhood dream. |
| Love, Loss, Neglect, Nature, Natural Habitat, Species, Mentor |
| Two
infants from a doomed planet come rocketing to earth. One crashes into the
mansion of a wealthy couple; the other lands in a correctional facility. The
end up going to school together, and their very different home lives have
very different receptions at the school. The wealthy boy is loved by all. The
one raised by prison inmates is scorned, no matter what he accomplishes.
Their rivalry turns them into a super hero and super villain. However, the
"good always prevails over evil" that is assumed by all, actually,
does not work the way we all believe that it should. |
| Bullying, Not fitting in, Being Different, Appearances, Rivalry, Privileged, Need for Attention, Responsibility |
| Joy was with baby Riley from the very beginning, but Sadness showed up very shortly after. Since Joy believed that there was nothing more important than Riley's happiness, she did everything she could to keep Sadness at bay. However, not every situation can be looked at from a positive point of view. Joy learns that sometimes, the only way to true happiness, is to allow oneself to grieve. |
| Feelings, Emotions, Depression, Friends, Family, Home |
In
this collection of fairy tales, we all know how each one is SUPPOSED to end. However, just because
people grow to expect something to turn out a certain way, doesn't
necessarily mean that it's the BEST way to turn out. In this story, the
handsome prince isn't much of a prize, the damsel in distress is stronger
than anyone thought she would be, and marrying the dishwasher turns out to be
what's best for the would-have-been princess. Don't live entirely by the book
- write your own ending (or beginning).
|
Ants
are known for their tendency to follow the plan, and do their jobs. They plan
ahead to get the job done. This works very well for them, most of the time.
However, when disaster strikes, sometimes not only do you need to think
outside the box, but you also need to see that you are stronger than you
think. This is especially true when you have friends who support you.
|
This
film was inspired by the true tale of the dolphin, Winter, who loses her tail
after being caught in a crab trap. Eleven year old, Sawyer helps her out of
the trap, and her rescue helps to bring him out of his depression over the
abandonment of his father. She teaches him that the power of family and love
can help you to overcome any obstacle - even the physical loss of part of
your own body. In saving Winter, Sawyer and his new friends at Clearwater Marine Aquarium also save the
spirits of many others who face the challenge of amputation and prosthesis.
|
| Not every family is the stereotypical mom, dad, and 2.5 kids. Many adoptive children have difficulties growing up in a family where they feel out of place - they don't look like other members of their family. Tarzan's mother may not look like him, but she loves him fiercely, and he learns that love and respect are more important than looking alike. After all, the humans who come to his jungle (except for Jane and her father, of course) look more like him, but they only want to hurt him and his family for their own gain. On the opposite side of the coin, Jane and her family reject going back to the "civilized" world from which they came, in order to remain with their newly acquired family. |
| Family, Fitting in, Adoption |
| This classic tale still speaks volumes about the importance of family, and the fact that you don't need to look alike to be a family. Also, you don't need to like each other to love each other. When Stuart, an orphaned mouse, is adopted by a human family with a cat for a pet, he feels as though he will never fit in. But, family sticks together in hard times. This is something that he discovers when the family member who likes him the least (the cat) comes to rescue him when he is in trouble. |
| Family, Adoption, Brothers, Friendship, Growing Up |
| Emperor
Kuzco thought he had it all: he had money, and everyone in his kingdom did
every little thing that he wanted. He wasn't necessarily nice about his
requests, but he didn't care about anyone else's needs or feelings, as long
as his own wishes were fulfilled. When his personal adviser has officially
had it with him and tries to kill him, he is mistakenly changed into a llama.
This bizarre, yet hysterical adventure teaches him about the value of
friendship as well as what it truly means to be a good leader. Money and
power may be nice, but true friendship and loyalty are priceless. |
| Friendship, Power, Leadership |
| Legos have been fascinating children for generations. Many people are very serious about following the instructions to make structures that look exactly as designed. There are also those, however, who prefer to step away from the instructions to create objects from their own imaginations. The Lego Movie's hero, Emmett, artfully lets kids see that there is a time and place for both types of building. Sometimes, it's best to follow the rules and work as a team. But other times, problem solving required the creative use of our minds. These creative talents should definitely be encouraged to grow. But Emmett learns another lesson as well: what you really need to succeed is to simply believe in yourself. Your world doesn't need to be absolutely perfect, as long as you are true to yourself. |
| Feeling special, fitting in, creativity |
| After his wife is killed by humans, Dracula wants a safe place to raise his daughter, Mavis.By building the Hotel Transylvania, he not only protects his daughter, but he also has provided a sanctuary for all monsters.He believes that he has thoroughly hidden his hotel in a place where humans could never find them until Jonathan arrives and throws Drac's perfect little world completely off kilter. Because SOME humans were bad, Drac had assumed that ALL humans were. Jonathan, however, shows Dracula and the other monsters that there actually are some humans worth liking. But, what really throws everyone for a loop is the "zing" that happens between Mavis and Jonathan, proving that you don't have to be exactly alike to find love in one another. |
| Family, Friends Discrimination |
| Growing up, we all have dreams of what we want our life to be like in the future, and we aim ourselves in that direction. Life has a funny way of throwing curve balls into our well laid plans. When Susan is about to marry the man of her dreams, she is hit by a meteor and grows into "Ginormica". Now that she literally no longer fits into the social norm, she discovers that the man of her dreams isn't willing to accept her for better or for worse after all. She also discovers that she is capable of more than just being a supportive housewife as she and her monster friends battle aliens to save the world. |
| Friendship, Relationships, Not filling in |
| This is the story of city boy, Zak, who finds himself being accidentally shrunk by a fairy-in-training, Crysta. During Zak's adventure, he learns to appreciate the beauty of nature, and the importance of trees. When the forest becomes threatened, he and the fairies work together to save the trees. This story is not only wonderful because it stresses the importance of nature, but it is also entertaining and funny. Batty Koda, portrayed by Robin Williams, makes for incredible comic relief as a scatterbrained bat who escaped from a science laboratory. |
| Nature,
Trees, Pollution |
| M.K. has dad who is a bit different from most dads: he believes in a tiny race of people who live in the forest. This movie helps kids to see that the people you may think of as "weird" may just be people we don't know enough about to really understand them. You may think that you know someone well enough, and that you understand them just fine, but you may need to dig even deeper. |
| Family, Fitting in, Nature |
| Family, Brothers, Siblings Adoption, Animals |
| Can a street rat really become a fine Parisian chef? This film really sticks to its motto of "Anyone can cook" as they illustrate that even someone from the most humble of upbringings can be extremely talented in spite of being surrounded by those who tell him his talent is worthless.You may need to think outside the box for an unorthodox method of pursuing your passion, but nothing should be considered impossible just because it hasn't been done before. |
| Friendship, Family, Career, Passion |
Fa
Family, Friendship, Stardom, Career |
| History, Family |
| When your parents are the two greatest superheros in the world, it puts a lot of pressure on a kid to be just as super. When you are trying to perform for all the wrong reasons (parent expectancy, social pressure), the odds of your being great are pretty slim. However, when the people who matter most to you are in jeopardy, suddenly the most ordinary person can do miraculous things. The great, final quote of the show sums up the crazy roller coaster that is high school: "My girlfriend became my arch enemy. My arch enemy became my best friend, and my best friend became my girlfriend. But, hey, that's high school." |
| Family, Friends, Relationships |
| As loved as horses are, many are not aware of their history in America. Seeing the world through the eyes of a wild horse in the Old West gives children a new perspective on the creatures. Kids can also see how to treat animals with respect, and make a friend for life, as opposed to merely seeing them as a piece of property. This heart warming story has a very poignant message, but is still laced with humor that keeps the audience engaged. |
| Nature, Horses, American Indians, Wild West |
| Truly a classic for generations, little Charlie's adventure covers many childhood topics. Shame from poverty, or simply not "keeping up with the Jones'"; having a dream so powerful you feel you'll burst; sever disappointment over a lost dream; and the pull between right and wrong (oh, what to do with the Everlasting Gobstopper). Parents have always loved how this film points out bad behaviors. Kids can see how unattractive the behaviors are: greediness, gluttony, bragging, too much tv, and stealing. Fortunately, they also see that kindness and honesty are the more attractive qualities to have. |
| Growing up, Kindness, Dreams, Brat, Overeatting, Too much TV, Bragging, Poverty |
