Mommy Movie Review: Finding Nemo

There are so many lessons that can be learned from different movies.  Finding Nemo is one movie that we use to reinforce obedience.  Kristi is reviewing Bambi over on her blog today, so be sure to stop by over there to see her review of that movie.

Finding Nemo is one of those movies where the lessons are abounding, but we make sure she does not watch this one on her own.  She has gotten to the point where she is starting to shout out the lessons as the different scenes come up. 

Suzette's Positives

• As I have mentioned, obedience is the greatest lesson that we teach with this movie. If Nemo had obeyed his father and not gone near the boat, he would not have been taken away by the dentist.  If Coral (the mommy fish) had listened to Marlin (the daddy fish), she and the hundreds of eggs would not have been killed- or hurt when talking to a two year old.
• The idea of persistence and not giving up regardless of how hard something seems is also a strong lesson.  Despite the difficulty that Marlin went through in order to find Nemo, he never gave up.
• Marlin learns to go outside of his comfort zone.  Marlin is an overly cautious parent (ahem... I am not nearly that bad) who leaves his comfort zone in order to bring his son back home. 
• Children also learn that friendship means sacrifice.  Dory leaves everything to help Marlin go on his search for Nemo.  Marlin rushes back into the school of jellyfish to save Dory.  The aquarium fish band together to help Nemo from being given to Darla (the dentist's niece) as her birthday gift.

Suzette's Negatives

• Nemo is disrespectful to his father and even says that he hates him under his breath.  I usually either mute the TV at this point or talk over him by telling Addie that Nemo is being disobedient.
• I am not a big fan of the ending where when Nemo says he is sorry, Marlin apologizes for being too hard on him. Children are given the idea that they are equals to their parents in authority which is an unbiblical view point.
• There is a brief comment which references evolution.  When Dory and Marlin are racing through the jellyfish, Dory says, "You can't defy evolution. I was built for speed."  We are a Creation believing family, so this is a comment that I always just say, "God made the fish so fast!"  when it comes up. 

Addie has learned quite a bit about obedience from this movie.  I'm sure the original intent of this movie was not to teach children obedience, but it has served us well in this area.  In reality, I love the older Disney movies over the newer ones.  In the older ones, there was a different level of morality, respect for parents and adults, and children and their characters were children not mini-adults.  Needless to say, Pinocchio, Dumbo, and The Fox and the Hound are my preferred movies.

Suzette's Rating: 8

Kristi is review the movie Bambi. I haven't shown this one to Addie yet, but I have ordered it for her as a Christmas present.  It is a darling movie that deals tactfully and tastefully with real issues without stealing childhood innocence. I can't wait to show it to Addie.  I know she will love the animals, and Bambi is such a sweetheart, I know she will have a new favorite animal very soon.