The Good Dinosaur {Movie Review}

It is always great when I can take my kids to review a movie with me.
A good incentive to get their school work done (although does not always work).
Even better when I am sitting down waiting with my kids and at the end of the row is one of my girl scouts. I have so many girl scouts that I was bound to run into one of them while previewing movies- it was awesome.

So, as far as the movie goes, it says a lot when a 4 year old is making commentary during the movie making myself and my friends laugh. He would have make a great narrator for this movie. You know it is good when you have kids commenting during the movie.

What would have happened if the asteroid never hit earth and humans existed when dinosaurs did?

It is about Arlo, a dinosaur who is born smaller than every one else and lags behind in terms of his family. He is trying to prove that he can "earn his mark" and yet is scared of everything, even a mosquito (as another 7 year old pointed as we were leaving the theatre). He works very hard to try to prove himself. He is given the task by his dad to catch the critter that is eating their stocked up food for the winter. He accidentally lets him go. When he does, it sends him on a mission to prove to his dad and himself that he is good enough. His dad forces him to go with him to try to catch the critter. A storm hits and he loses his dad. After that he slowly gains strength to try to get the critter in honour of his father who he lost.

Then he meets someone, one of the first Neanderthals, who lost his family as well. At first, Arlo blames this critter for losing his father and wants nothing to do with him. Over time, he learns this critter helped protect him when he almost lost his life. The bond begins and starts to grow.

They bond. They go back and forth saving each other. They learn together through different parts of the world and different challenges they have not encountered before.

I liked it. I thought it was well done. Like many Disney movies, there are tinges of other Disney movies in it. For some reason, it reminded me a little bit of Lion King. You laughed, you cried, at times as a mum you look over at your kid, and then remember you loved the Lion King (and still do). My kids really liked this movie. Here are reviews for you by Kids for Kids:

My 9 year old son:
"The movie was funny and there was a little short at the beginning but the movie was a little violent and the movie was like if the dinosaurs were the advanced species and the humans be the  dumb people. I feel like the producers could do a better  job but it was a pretty good movie. It was in 3-D and to say, the graphics were AMAZING. The movie characters were Arlo and Spot.  Arlo was the weakling in the family and he wanted to prove himself to be useful by killing the critter that kept eating their food. Apparently, the critter was Spot, Spot was a young boy which his supposed family died and he met Arlo. Arlo was mad at him but later Arlo knew he had to follow Spot for his survival. Overall, I give it 4 stars, 2 stars for awesome graphics, 1 star for the complex plot, and 1 star just for humor. For summary, IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!! But seriously, I think they could have done better."

My 7 year old daughter:
"I think the lesson learned from it, I think, is the most important part. The lesson is even though someone does something bad, doesn't mean they are bad. They can help you along the way. What is important about this is because with out that someone you might be lost.I think this is important because this could happen in real life with anyone your family, friends,well you get the picture anyway the movie has a lot of heart I think it is a good movie for kids and it has a good lesson too."
written by Via the 7 year old "thank you"

My 4 year old son:
"The bad thing in the little little but it was so funny. But it was REALLY AWESOME! The animal is a dino and is so cool. I liked the little human, it was his family. He found his mum, his dad, and the kids. He was a little kid. He was like a dog."

My friends' reviews:
(I ran into one of my girl scouts family and also met a new friend named Mindy with boys about the same age as mine. We were both trying to get our sons to do their school work while waiting in line to see it, because you have to wait sometimes quite the while to see it and it is first come. So you get their early, especially with kids).

Mindy F: "Both boys seemed to think it was "just OK" (and they usually love Pixar). However, we all thought the opening cartoon, "Sanjay's Super Heroes" was excellent!"

Alicia/Romi: "It was a lot like Finding Nemo and Lion King. I like the Debbie part with the triceratops guy. It was like Finding Nemo but instead the dad is scared of everything."

Other Posts This Week:

Hands Free Life {Book Review}

In Time for the Holidays: S+S Soap {Product Review}