Just got home from the movie - very well done, very disturbing, not for young children by any means. Rated PG, but emotionally very intense for my DS13.

Thanks for posting this. My parents wanted to take DS who is 6. I said "let's wait a few weeks and see what others say." I'm glad I did.

My 6 year old niece came to visit today and she had raving reviews. She thought that was "the best movie ever".

My DS6 and I went to see it on Saturday and he really enjoyed it. I would have to admit that this is not the "typical" kids movie - it has a deeper meaning than the regular shoot them up, adventure, mermaid/fairy cartoons that most kids are used to....this movie will actually make a person think - which is a nice change from all the fluff and stuff that most kids usually see. One person's review on the web summed it up well...."This is a story about the life of a child, which is not always easy and not always happy. It's about the emotions of that." There are no flashy scenes with tons of action/adventure/colors/fluff like what most kids are used to seeing...it really touches on life lessons. My son left stating that he really enjoyed it because it made him see that he wasn't alone when he was feeling mad or frustrated and that he liked seeing "Max" act the same way he does sometimes and that people feel all different things about the way others treat them.

Again - not a toddler movie AT all...it is rated PG so that lets you know this is not for little, little kids

Thanks for the review. It looks very interesting, but I think we will have to hold off for at least couple of years. My DS (almost 6) is very emotional with many movies. We have to be really very careful: DH thought we could watch PG Free Willy couple of weeks ago, and the scene where children are banging on the aquarium glass just made DS so emotional, that we had to stop the movie and he was crying for hours after that, wondering how anybody can be so insensitive.
I am looking forward to see it my self, though.

My DS is the same Niki - plus on a large screen he's even more sensitive to the sounds. We are going to wait as well, even though he's asked to see it.

JJsMom have you heard about the AMC's Sensory Friendly Films...AMC offers a Sensory Friendly Movie once a month at participating AMC theaters where the houselights stay up and they lower the sound down to a normal level...that is the only way I can get my DS6 to a movie because the sound usually is too much for him and he doesn't like sitting in the dark...here is a link to the AMC site....this was started for Autistic children and though DS is not autistic they said it was there to help kids who can't handle the normal movie sounds/lights...the last few months that we have gone we have met many, many kids who are not autistic but who have sensory issues :-)

http://www.amctheatres.com/promos/sensory/

Yes, I have!!!

It amazes me that DS has this issue at a theater b/c he can crank up his own volume or the TV volume waaaaaaaaaay up at home.

DS6 saw it this weekend and loved it. (That being said, I think I got more out of the movie than he did. Our DS is practically Max to a "T"). This was DS's first time seeing a movie in a theater, so it was a whole new experience all around.

I saw *a lot* of younger kids at our theater. At home on the smaller screen I wouldn't have a problem letting our younger child watch it. The theater experience may still be a bit too much though.

Our kids are not overly sensitive when it comes to movies so your mileage may vary.

JB

Thanks for the reviews. It sounds like one of those shows that are good, or not good, depending on a child's perception.

I think I will definitely preview it before letting my sons watch it. My sons don't find the same things scary that other kids do. They have no problem with monsters, but scary music and mean people will freak them out. ... For years we had to skip all scenes with the Dursleys in Harry Potter.

Min-that's "funny". DS doesn't like mean people and scary music either! DS was also "weird" with what he was/is afraid of... he can watch every Star Wars movie, no problems, but up until last year, he was scared of Dory in Finding Nemo.

I showed the WWTA previews to Mr W and then asked him if he wanted to see it. "NO!!" He likes the book.

He is all over Dinosaur Live, though.

Grinity (or anyone!) - how would it compare to Harry Potter movies? Both my kids have seen all of them and have been totally fine with them. This was one of our all time favorite picture books when the kids were smaller, so I'd love to take them to see it. Especially since it got such fabulous reviews. We really thought it would be a dud when we saw the first previews.

The Harry Potter movies have the 'bad guy gets it in the end' resolution that makes it 'all better.' This movie, I think really aimed at grownups who appreciate a work of art crowd, doesn't.
To me, that makes all the difference.

I just want to add one thing about the Harry potter movies... The first one is really nasty. The scene when he(the evil professor) takes off a turban and gets a face on his bald backhead. I'm still put off by it ^^ Definately #1 creepy scene of all Harry Potter. Other people I know don't agree..

TommyH, I have to agree, I forgot about the Quirrell scene at the end. The boys found that just as scary as the Dursleys. lol.

It sounds like I would love it, ds not so much. He is extremely sensitive to movies, especially in a theater. I never thought of sensory issues, but that may be it. He gets overwhelmed and so emotional over even G movies! I've always thought he was just sensitive to the drama of the music and lights and pictures.

My DS has only been to movie theater once, when he was about 4 for summer day time showing of Clifford. We had to leave the theater, it was too loud for him, he did not like the experience at all. I think that it is very much due to the gifted oversensitivity.
I have not brought up going to the movies since, and neither has he.
I do remember, when I was pregnant with DS at about 8 month, I went to movies with DH. Practically the whole movie the little one was kicking so hard (especially at loud scenes), that I thought I would give birth right there and then. LOL

Thanks, CFK.
That is a great idea. I have never though about that. You are right, that it may look a little strange but it would not bother DS, if it would be for a good reason.