Before The Flood

Climate change. Our legacy for our children. Most likely caused by denial that it truly exists. It is up to this current generation to fix the damage we have caused. Education is the key. Like so many recommendations from this blog, documentaries and movies help us understand a new reality. For this reason, I am reviewing Before The Flood, and strongly encourage families to watch this with their children.

What is Before The Flood? Before The flood is a National Geographic documentary on climate change.  Leonardo DiCaprio is leads the presentation from start to finish.. His presence was actually a stronger part of the movie than I would have expected. I truly believe he accomplished what Al Gore could not. Many years ago, Al Gore had a similar movie known as an Inconvenient Truth. While and excellent movie, it had a feeling of a PowerPoint presentation by the former Vice President. What Leonardo DiCaprio brings to this documentary is the heart lacking from an Inconvenient Truth. It is a stunning look into the science of climate change. It is undeniable, and happening now.

Leo starts the movie with his childhood vision conjured up by a renaissance art painting, "The Garden of Earthly Delights." He discusses how climate change frightened him, and he makes an astonishing connection to this brilliant piece of art. The revelation that humans are at a point in which their is no turning back on the damage fossil fuels have done to our environment.

If we were to show this film to every classroom, we would surely see a change in our culture. However, films like this are optional, which is part of the problem .We allow the Koch brothers and big business to prevent a mass education to our children about climate change. The science is clear, yet there is so much doubt in the United States that climate change is real.

Solutions abound in this movie. Some simple, some complex. Even our diet plays a role in climate change. The most significant solution is people demanding change. However the barriers to change is media manipulation. This is why the movie is so important. We need to get the word out.

Before the flood is available on most platforms. If you never like Leonardo DiCaprio, this documentary may change your mind. He is an ambassador of peace, and I was truly proud of his commitment to future generations.

Quantum Leap

Few shows capture the imagination of science as Quantum Leap did in the 1980s. The show combines science, history, and social commentary as part of a journey for kids to learn that parallel universes allow us to analyze the past.

Parallel universes are nothing new to television viewing. The Twilight Zone captured our attention with time travel. Quantum Leap was an upgrade to the Twilight Zone. It might not have the intelligence of Rod Serling, however for a child, it captures the essence of what Serling was trying to accomplish with an adult audience.

Some episodes may not be appropriate for younger children. However most are great for 8 -13 year olds. Overall, the show uses humor to keep most episodes light hearted. Some however will surely encourage critical thinking for your children, and provide for interesting conversations around the dinner table.

Season 1 episode 7 is probably one of my favorites. Sam does a quantum leap into the body of an African American in the deep south during the 1950s. (The Color Of Truth) One of Sam's most complicated missions, as he struggles being in the deep south with the moral compass of a future generation. Truly an episode worth watching with your children.

Quantum Leap is also a great companion for science and technology discussions. We have barely touched the possibilities of quantum physics, and Quantum Leap stands the test of time, and encourages children to explore the realms of our universe.

You can find Quantum Leap on Netflix, or boxed sets are very reasonable on Amazon or Ebay.

The Truman Show

Truly one of Jim Carey's best films, the Truman Show is worthy for your kids to watch. The Truman Show is a movie about a reality show about an orphan boy, that viewer watched grow up in a fictitious world. As the show develops, some viewers have questioned the worthiness of such a show. The moral questions of such a concept can make for interesting conversations both during and after the movie. Children 10 and above will understand the concept, and ask questions to their parents and guardians. Albeit the questions will be at all levels, the movie will make for great conversations.

The Truman Show has many concepts. One of my favorites is the production of the show. The creator of the show is Christof, which implies of Christ. The voyeurism of Christof drives the show. While implied, Christof's character serves as an example of how power and control can lead us down a path of ruin. Christof protects his world from outside interests. Christof refuses to allow any doubt of Utopia to enter Truman's world. As Truman gets older, Utopia will eventually come to an end.

The Truman Show was made in 1998. Apocalyptic, and shows like Survivor and Big Brother would follow. The world of Truman would be replicated to a certain extent by our modern media. People are given realities that have unintended consequences. Similar to Truman, many people are provided realities for the enjoyment of others.

The Truman Show can help your child navigate the world of social media. Truman questioning his reality may be something that kids can connect to in their life. Too often, screen time provides them realities that are untrue, or exaggerated. Like Truman, maybe they will question what is truth. This is what makes the movie truly special.

The Secret Rules Of Modern Living - Algorithms

The world our children live in is governed by technology and science. Corporations and Government can manipulate their choices in a much more sophisticated manner than ever existed before. Free will is still an option. However, there are ways to manipulate our free will using algorithms. That's right, those pesky math problems we did in high school and college have a purpose that go way beyond what we could have imagined.

Algorithms have been around for thousands of years. The difference today is the use of artificial intelligence to figure out how we make decisions. For this reason, I highly recommend that parents watch this movie with their children. You partake in algorithms as much as your kids do without realizing how they impact your daily life.

Anything that has a choice can be impacted by an algorithm. We just do not see, what is in front of us. Yet we answer countless questions that are intended to complete an algorithm. Many times, we have recommendations given to us without wondering where they come from. For example, on Netflix, watch a few movies and you get a plethora of movie recommendations. That's because your data is being tracked. However, it is being tracked using very sophisticated algorithms.

When I was much younger, people warned about technology taking over our lives. Watching this movie, one can begin to understand the warnings are real. Technology is subtle when it comes to it's impact in our lives. It will not be the Terminator that comes after us as in the sci-fi movies would like us to believe. It is the ability of artificial intelligence to learn through algorithms how we think and learn.

The Secret Rules Of Modern Living is a warning shot for our children's generation. It is important to be aware of the impacts of technology on our lives. Without a common knowledge of how government and corporations will use algorithms, we will be vulnerable to losing our free will to choose.

Author's note: The movie is available on YouTube for free and Netflix

The Monkees - Here They Come....(On You Tube)

One of the things I love about a Smart TV is the access  to You Tube. You can find gems on You Tube from previous generations that kids will love. Recently, I found out that the Monkees are on You Tube. You can view full episodes from their first 2 seasons.

The Monkees, as I remembered provided episodes of laughter for kids. The show provides great examples of the importance of friendships. The Monkees had a concept that was unique for television back in the 60 The show was an early example of a comedy that mocked a cultural phenomenon. The Monkees mocked the British Invasion. while becoming so popular with kids, they earned as much fame. They were on everything back then, including cereal boxes and lunch boxes. They became a huge hit overnight. Shows like Get Smart would use a similar platform for comedy. (Get Smart mocked the James Bond films of the 60s)


The show was a 2 year sensation. In those 2 short years, they had huge music hits, and great comedic episodes. Slapstick and corny jokes that will surely get your kids to laugh out loud. Some fun trivia to share with your kids. The Monkees while not real musicians developed a passion to become musicians. In a sense, the machine that created the Monkees would soon be challenged by the band. They wanted to write their own music and be taken seriously.

Ironically, the Monkees benefitted from working with great talent. Neil Diamond provided some of their greatest songs. They had some of the greatest writers and musicians provide them a foundation. Your children will be introduced to some great music. And this is great time for them to watch the Monkees. They may have released their last record this year. After watching a few episodes, check out their new single She Makes Me Laugh. The new single t is connected to the show, and they will enjoy the magic of the music that has been enjoyed by multiple generations.

If I Had Wings

Movies that provide examples of the values we all share are important to watch. Children today develop empathy and generous thoughts through examples that they can see and touch. Of course family and friends provide the first line of learning. However, social media and cerebral cinema can provide valuable talking points for parents and friends to have with their children.

If I Had Wings is a movie that can provoke some great conversations for families viewing this film. The topics for discussion include children with a disability, bullying, poverty, and overcoming adverse situations due to intolerance. This movie has many conversation starters for families to engage with their children, or in some cases vise versa. As the movie progresses, it may cause kids to question whether their own family does enough to respond to intolerance within their own community.

The  movie is based on a story of a blind young man that wants to run cross country at his high school. The barriers to overcoming his disability provide obstacles that no one imagined. The movie provides examples of intolerance that exists in a school settings across our country. While some scenes are not as genuine as what could happen in tradition school settings, the movie provides us a glimpse of the world our children are growing up in. Some moments are very real. The portrayal of social media and bullying, makes for a great discussion for parents and kids to have about the responsibility of technology. There are some powerful moments in this movie, and due to the content, I would recommend children over 10 view the film and children under ten should be mindful of parental discretion.

If I Had Wings is a genuine portrayal of the world our children know and navigate. It may give us as adults some insight into the barriers our children face every day in school, and life.

Walt Before Mickey

Walt Disney created an empire that we all know is Disney. Walt Disney however did not have an easy road. Many failures and struggles laid the path to his success. There is an independent movie that documents the early years of Disney. Visually stunning and rich in detail, this is a great movie for children to experience.

This is a movie about resilience. Walt's journey was not an easy one. He was held hostage by the cartoon industry that was governed by likes of men who created Felix the Cat. Studios signed contracts that made it virtually impossible for people like Walt to navigate their vision of cartoons. In a sense, artists were indentured servants to the contract holders.

Disney survived numerous financial failures. Artists went without pay and payment for their work was inconsistent. For years, he held on to a dream, while alienating some of his closest friends and family. The path to Mickey was not an easy one. If you want a film, that is a great example how a person has to overcome adversity to achieve a dream, this is a great movie for children to watch. The path for many like Disney is often overlooked by history. Thankfully, this film dedicated itself to reminding us that success is earned through hard work and dedication.

Addicted To Plastic

Movies that promote social responsibility are important for a child to experience. New to our blog, we will begin to review and recommend films that promote social justice that are beneficial for children to watch.

Last year, I went to the coast of Maine with my children. Typical of beachcombers, we went hunting for shells. Part of our search was smell shiny pellets which I thought were shells. We would shift through the water and sand to find these oddly shaped particles. Oddly enough, I did not give them a second thought until I saw the documentary I am writing about today.

Addicted to Plastics is a very detail oriented documentary regarding the impact of plastics on our global and local economy. The documentary is a warning that we need to examine our use of plastics. Plastics today are destroying our oceans and filling our landfills with a toxic mess in exchange for convenience to tote water and consumables.

While watching this documentary, I could not help be find comparisons to the lead problems found in our water, soil, and products from foreign countries. When we fail to recognize environmental dangers, it can have major consequences. One could conclude that a failure to honestly reflect the dangers of plastics in our ecosystem, could compromise our human DNA and abilities by permanently damaging our chance at survival. It is a huge problem that is not garnering the attention it deserves. Children can advocate and be an agent of change. They can demand that their schools reduce their dependency on plastic and encourage their families to do the same. Children so often can be an agent of change through education and advocacy.

The Mummy 1999

Something about Brendan Fraser in the Mummy that makes movies fun for kids. He has a lot to choose from, however for me The Mummy is his best. The movie combines humor and adventure with an extremely fast pace. My kids loved it and it has already become a lost treasure for kids growing up today.

The movie was made in a time when CGI was starting to improve adventure movies. Set largely in Egypt, the use of CGI enhances the viewing experience. The "pop outs" are most effective thanks to this technology. Your kids will jump plenty of times during this movie, and most likely adults will join them.

The movie is loosely based on the classic 1932 horror film starring Boris Karloff. A movie I also strongly recommend. It is set in Egypt, where over 3,000 years ago the high priest Imhotep was given the assignment of preparing the recently dead for their journey into the afterlife. However, the problem he created was that he fell in love with  Anck-Su-Namun, the mistress of the Pharaoh himself. Driven mad by jealousy and love, Imhotep murdered the Pharaoh, and his punishment was to be buried alive and suffer the torment of an eternal life in his wretched tomb.

Along comes Brendan Fraser and a plot that unravels the tomb and chaos. So much fun packed into one movie. I highly recommend the Mummy, and should warn you that your kids will insist on watching the sequel The Mummy Returns.

Batkid Begins

In my opinion, selective viewing of movies with children can help with moral development. Many topics can be learned and discussed with your children by viewing selective cinema versus the overstimulated offerings found on television.

Some movies for kids can tap into a child's higher learning regarding character developemt. For example, empathy is not an easy task to teach to a child. It requires examples within literature or our own lives to enhance the learning experience. Finding a cinema experience with any depth about empathy is much harder for parents than one might think. However, there are stories that can lead to conversations that deepen a child's understanding that the world is much bigger than themselves.

One such movie is Batkid Begins. This is a movie about a make a wish project in the San Francisco area that involved a little boy that wanted to be Batman. The project went viral, and the community rallied to provide such an amazing experience for the child.

The movie is a great example that dreams can come true. It also teaches children that it truly takes a village to help make a wish come true. I heard my own children as they watched it say, "Amazing" about 10 times due to feeling the emotions of what the community did for this child. The movie, for my kids, instilled faith that humans, can inspire amazing events, which is very unique attribute that we have the ability to do every day.

The movie is currently on Netflix and major online video rental services. Spend a night with your child and watch this movie. You will not be disappointed.

What Would You Do?

For older children, moral development can be shaped by many influences including television viewing. Parents can shape conversations using many examples from the media choices found online. There are many shows that children can watch, however one TV show on ABC provides examples for parents and kids to discuss through a show known as "What Would You Do?"

This docudrama cleverly creates scenarios of injustice that ordinary people are confronted with without knowing they are on a TV show. The challenging situations provide reactions that are diverse and sometimes disturbing. You and your child will be exposed to a world of difficult moral challenges.

I have watched the show with my children numerous times. Moral dilemmas have included: discrimination, gender bias, LGBT intolerance, stealing, and many other ethical problems. The show sparks a reaction in children and adults that brings forth discussions. In a sense, it is a self-check on how we would react to similar circumstances if we were confronted with similar injustices. I am amazed at the discussions this has created within my own children and quite proud that we have important discussions about choices we can potentially face every day.

You can view many of the seasons on HULU if you want to check out the archives of this show. Try one with your child, and see what happens. I would recommend previewing some shows for younger children, as some of the subject matter is quite serious.

The Science Of Dr. Who

Netflix has a great documentary exploring the science behind Dr. Who. For those not familiar with the show, Dr. Who is a British Sci-fi series that has been on the BBC since the 1960s. The show is based on time travel, which the documentary explores the plausibility of time travel.

I like the documentary on many levels. First and foremost, it will peak your kids interest to watch Dr. Who. The series itself in my opinion is great for kids, as it taps into their critical thinking skills. Another reason to watch the documentary is the scientific knowledge that will benefit children from watching. (Adults for that matter)

Noted Physicist Brian Cox provides an overview of 6 pioneers of science exploration. He connects the viewer to the works of likes of Einstein, and how they relate to time travel. Time travel may happen one day, and the world of Dr. Who may be a reality.

There are a lot of interesting aspects to this documentary that make for a great viewing experience for parents and children. The science of Dr. Who is more interesting than one might think. You can find this documentary on Netflix and YouTube. Pop the corn and get watching!

The Lego Movie - By Caleb Giardino - (Age 11)

The Lego movie is a great movie for parents and kids to bond. It encourages kids to embrace their creativity. Legos already have been seen in many games sets and in the new Lego dimensions. There are multiple TV, Movie and characters that are part of the Lego universe. In the Lego movie Chris Pratt plays Emmet who as a normal worker follows the instructions of the evil Lord Business played by Will Ferrell. Lord Business is secretly plotting to rule the world and make everything perfect. But Wild Style played by actress Elizabeth Banks is the helper who is a master builder and tries to direct Emmet away from the evil Lord Businesses' instructions.

The surprise of the movie is that the movie enters the "real world." Outside of the Lego world a  child name Finn is responsible for the Lego creations. It takes a complicated leap. The suggestion is that kids use their imaginations to take care of issues that are bothering them. Will Lord Business learn his lesson in the real world? Watch the Lego movie to find out.

Slingshot - A Movie To Inspire Your Kids To Love Science and Technology

Have you kids ever heard of inventor Dean Kamen? If not, they should get to know him. He will inspire the scientist that exists in every child. The name of the movie that will introduce them to Dean Kamen is Slingshot. I highly recommend you pop some popcorn, and watch this movie with your son or daughter.

Slingshot is a movie about Kamen's work to solve the world's water crisis. Kamen has previous inventions. His most noted is the Segway. A technological flop that was going to revolutionize walking.  What you soon learn about Kamen is that he is much more than the Segway. His inventions help people in need and his goal is to lessen suffering. He wants to live in a world that our passion for inventing surpasses the culture of learning that exists in our nation. He wants our children to live in a world that celebrates learning as much as it celebrates sports.

Kamen inspired making learning fun by bringing a sports like environment to Science and Technology. If your child has been a part of a local Legos competition, you will soon learn who inspired the FLL league.

Ultimately,  Slingshot is a study and a look at Kamen's vapor compression distiller from its earliest development through recent trials in rural Ghana and beyond. As I watched the movie, I wondered what is holding back his technological advance for clean water. It would save hundreds of thousands of lives. The technology would also have a dramatic impact on health and wellness around the world.

Children should strongly be encouraged to watch this movie. The movie espouses many characteristics of learning that benefit the world they live in. It opens up the mind to possibilities that children need to ponder, including empathy for the world they live in today. Slingshot is a great movie for families to watch together and can inspire the young inventor that lives inside all of us.