Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Dreamworks) – Love Is Not Restricted To Appearances.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Peabody_%26_Sherman

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Dreamworks) – 2014 – PG

Ty Burrell, Max Charles,  Ariel Winter, Lauri Fraser, Allison Janney,  Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Zach Callison, Steve Valentine, Stanley Tucci, Lake Bell,  Patrick Warburton, Tom McGrath,  Mel Brooks,  Jess Harnell

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Summary & Lessons:

Mr . Peabody is not your average dog. He is so super intelligent, that he was unable to be accepted by anyone looking for an ordinary pet. So, he concentrated on his own intellectual pursuits and inventions. When he stumbles upon an abandoned baby boy, he decides to give the child what he was never able to obtain for himself – a family. Even though a dog adopting a boy was highly unusual, he strove to educated his new son, Sherman, to give him the best that he could. He invented a time machine (The WABAC) so that he could show Sherman, first hand, all of the lessons that history has to offer.

All was well until Sherman reached school age. Sherman initially loves school, and is noticed right away for his advanced pool of knowledge, especially in history. One fellow student, however, is not impressed. Penny Peterson begins to mock Sherman for having a dog for a father, and a fight breaks out. In the course of the squabble, Sherman bites Penny, and Mr. Peabody is called to the school office. Ms. Grunion, the social worker, clearly expresses her desire to remove Sherman from Mr. Peabody’s custody since she believes the biting to be the result of a boy being adopted by a dog.

In Mr. Peabody’s ferver to keep his son, he invites the Petersons and Ms. Grunion to their home for a dinner party to smooth things over. The children are left alone in Sherman’s room. As Penny taunts Sherman more regarding the historical facts he spoke about in class, Sherman ends up telling her about their secret WABAC machine, and she insists on seeing it.

Several crazy trips throughout various times in history create massive problems for Mr. Peabody & Sherman… and the space-time continuum.

********************

The most obvious educational aspect of this film is the introduction in to various historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Leonardo Da Vinci and Agamemnon. Although these are a far cry from the true historical stories, they do serve to spark one’s interest in their tales, and can lead to exploration at a local library.

In addition, Mr. Peabody’s adoption of Sherman shows the viewer part of the emotion journey that adoptive families go through when the child does not look like he/she belongs to the parent. Classmates can often be cruel in their teasing, and their victims do not usually possess the maturity to handle the abuse. We see that it is OK to for a child to be different from their parents. 

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Mr. Peabody & Sherman – IMDb)

Sherman: Where are we going today, Mr. Peabody? 

Mr. Peabody: Not “where,” Sherman… “When.” 

********** 

Judge:  Mr. Peabody, you are a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. An advisor to heads of state. A captain of industry. Why would you want to adopt a boy? 

Mr. Peabody: Because, your honor, when I found Sherman, it reminded me of how I started out in life. And now, I want to give him the one thing I always wanted. A home. 

Judge: And you’re sure you’re capable of meeting *all* the challenges of raising a human boy? 

Mr. Peabody: With all due respect, how hard could it be? 

********** 

[from trailer] 

Judge: If a boy can adopt a dog, I see no reason why a dog cannot adopt a boy. 

********** 

[from trailer] 

Mr. Peabody: It seems we’ve ripped a hole in the space-time continuum… 

Sherman: Looks like the past is coming to us! 

********** 

Mr. Peabody: Why can’t children be so simple? 

Leonardo da Vinci: Because children are not machines, Peabody. Believe me, I tried to build one. Oh! It was creepy. 

********** 

Sherman: I love you, Mr. Peabody. 

Mr. Peabody: [after momentarily searching the right answer for him] for I have a deep regard for you as well, Sherman. 

[later on] 

Mr. Peabody: I… I love you, Sherman. 

Sherman: [With a warm understanding smile] I have a deep regard for you as well, Mr. Peabody. 

********** 

Agamemnon: Odysseus, what news do you bring? 

Odysseus: Someone left this for us. 

Agamemnon: A present. Nice. It looks just like *our* horse. 

Odysseus: Should I bring it inside? 

Agamemnon: It’d be rude not to. 

[Odysseus lays down the horse and Peabody pops out] 

Agamemnon: [laughs] I did *not* see that coming! 

********** 

Sherman: Now, can we have some cake? 

Marie Antoinette: Mais, oui. 

Sherman: Oh, yeah, sorry. heh. “May we” have some cake? 

Marie Antoinette: Mais, oui! 

Sherman: Maybe she can’t hear me through the hair. 

********** 

Paul Peterson: So, he’s literally a dog. 

Patty Peterson: Paul! 

Mr. Peabody: No, that’s all right. Although, I prefer the term “literate dog.” 

********** 

Sherman: He calls it the WABAC. 

Penny: So… where have you gone in it? 

Sherman: Not “where”, Penny, “when.” 

********** 

Penny: I’m not Penny anymore. Now, I’m Princess Hatsheput, precious flower of the Nile. 

Mr. Peabody: “Precious,” perhaps, but if you think we’re going to leave you here, you are most definitely in “de-Nile.” 

Sherman: [laughs] I don’t get it. 

********** 

Penny: I’m gonna have a big, fat, Egyptian wedding. 

Mr. Peabody: Spoiler alert, King Tut dies young. Are you sure you’ve thought this through? 

Penny: Oh, trust me, I’ve thought it through. I’m getting everything. 

********** 

Penny: Um, hold up a second. Can you walk me through that, somebody? 

King Tut: What he means, Penny, is that when I die they’ll kill you too. And then they’ll rip out your organs, stuff them in canopic jars, and then mummify whatever’s left. 

Penny: Okay, I’m seeing this now. Thank you. I’m going to go with them. 

********** 

Agamemnon: FYI, a lot of heroes have father issues. My old man is a minotaur. Half man, half bull, all judgement. Ajax, here, strongest guy in the world, but his father never accepted that his real dream was to sing. 

Ajax: [in falsetto] I wanted to be in the Greek Chorus. 

Agamemnon: Uh, yeah, and don’t even get me started about Oedipus. Let’s just say you do *not* want to be at his house over the holidays. It’s awkward. 

********** 

Mona Lisa: Leonardo, tell’a me one thing I have’a to smile about. 

Leonardo da Vinci: The sunshine, the pasta. All of the thing that make Italy such a popular tourist destination! 

Mona Lisa: But, I’a have not’a seen any of them, Leonardo! Because I am sitting here all’a day on my abbondanza! 

Sherman:I don’t think that means “chair” in Italian. 

********** 

George Washington: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men, and some dogs, are created equal. 

********* 

[from trailer] 

Mr. Peabody: You used time-travel improperly… we must rewrite history in order to save the universe! 

********** 

Mr. Peabody: Sherman, don’t you remember why I told you to stay close to me during the French Revolution? 

Sherman: Because after the French Revolution, it was gonna rain? 

Mr. Peabody: Close. I said “After the French Revolution comes… the Reign of Terror!” 

********** 

Mr. Peabody: This is the greatest collection of geniuses ever assembled! Surely we can come up with another way of getting to the past. 

Leonardo da Vinci: I can-a build a catapult. And, we go very fast. 

Albert Einstein: But, remember, as you approach the speed of light, gravity will get too strong. 

Isaac Newton: Oh, indeed. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” 

Agamemnon: How about we just punch that big hole in the face? 

**********

[last lines]

Mr. Peabody: No doubt about it. Every dog should have a boy.

The Incredibles (Disney-Pixar) – Even Supers Need Their Families

The Incredibles (Disney-Pixar) – 2003 – PG

Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Wallace Shawn, Spencer Fox, Sarah Vowell, Lou Romano

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Summary & Lessons:

Mr. Incredible is such an amazing superhero that he is able to get bad guys on the way to his own wedding. In addition, he is even able to save a suicidal man from jumping off a building by grabbing him mid air, and diving with him through a window of another building.

He confidently arrives at his wedding ceremony to superlady, Elastagirl, and they exchange their vows with the promise of a glorious future. Until, the man whose suicide attempt he thwarted files a lawsuit against him for bodily harm done in the process. This begins a domino effect of other lawsuits against superheros, driving them all underground in exchange for amnesty.

Living  normal lives as normal people, Bob Parr (aka Mr. Incredible), along with his wife, Helen (Elastagirl), and their kids, Violet, Dash and Jack Jack, struggle to fit into a society that spurns their unique traits. Bob falls into a deep depression from being unable to openly be a “Super”.

When he receives an unexpected offer to secretly re-enter hero work, his excitement accidentally turns his and his family’s lives upside down. As they all fight side by side against a villain determined to destroy all Supers, they discover how how wrong Mr. Incredible was in the old days with insistence that he “work alone”.

********************

Superheros are not the only ones with unique, personal traits. We all have them. Sometimes, however, these traits are hidden away in the hopes of being “normal” and fitting in. The ability to be oneself is very important for emotional well being. We all want to be appreciated for our own talents, however, find such an audience can often be a challenge. Having supportive family and friends to lean on during these challenging times can help to push us through to success. This can be especially true when individual talents can be used together to accomplish a common goal. No one should have to feel that they always need to work alone. Unfortunately, many people have a tendency to isolate themselves when they are feeling down, in an attempt to go it alone. However, by doing so, they deprive themselves of being lifted up by their loved ones.

The supers’ nemesis, Syndrome, shows us the lasting impact that can affect someone who is unable to find the support and encouragement he needed. When he was unable to find someone to route for him, he decided to route against them.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: The Incredibles – IMDb)

Helen: Dash… this is the third time this year you’ve been sent to the office. We need to find a better outlet. A more… constructive outlet.

Dash: Maybe I could, if you’d let me go out for sports.

Helen: Honey, you know why we can’t do that.

Dash: But I promise I’ll slow up. I’ll only be the best by a tiny bit.

Helen: Dashiell Robert Parr, you are an incredibly competitive boy, and a bit of a show-off. The last thing you need is temptation.

Dash: You always say ‘Do your best’, but you don’t really mean it. Why can’t I do the best that I can do?

Helen: Right now, honey, the world just wants us to fit in, and to fit in, we gotta be like everyone else.

Dash: But Dad always said our powers were nothing to be ashamed of, our powers made us special.

Helen: Everyone’s special, Dash.

Dash: [muttering] Which is another way of saying no one is.

**********

Helen: Now it’s perfectly normal…

Violet: [interrupting] Normal? What do *you* know about normal? What does *anyone* in *this* family know about normal?

Helen: Now wait a minute, young lady…

Violet: We act normal, mom! I want to *be* normal! The only normal one is Jack-Jack, and he’s not even toilet trained!

[Jack-Jack blows a raspberry and bursts out laughing]

Dash: Lucky…

[Violet and Helen look strangely at him]

Dash: Uh, I meant about being normal.

**********

Helen: Tell me you haven’t been listening to the police scanner again.

Bob: Look, I performed a public service. You act like that’s a bad thing.

Helen: It is a bad thing, Bob! Uprooting our family *again* so that you can relive the glory days is a very bad thing!

Bob: [Defensively] Reliving the glory days is better than pretending they never happened!

Helen: Yes! They happened, but this; our family, is what’s happening now, Bob! And you’re missing this! I can’t believe you don’t want to go to your own son’s graduation!

Bob: It’s not a graduation. He is moving from the fourth grade to the fifth grade.

Helen: It’s a ceremony!

Bob: It’s psychotic! People keep coming up with new ways to celebrate mediocrity, but if someone is genuinely exceptional…

Helen: This is not about you, Bob. This is about Dash.

Bob: You want to do something for Dash? Well, let him actually compete! Let him go out for sports!

Helen: I will not be made the enemy here! You *know* why we can’t!

Bob: Because he’d be *GREAT*!

Helen: [Growing in size looming over Bob] This is not – about – YOU!

**********

Lucius: Honey?

Honey: What?

Lucius: Where’s my super suit?

Honey: What?

Lucius: WHERE – IS – MY – SUPER SUIT?

Honey: I, uh, put it away!

[helicopter explodes outside]

Lucius: *Where*?

Honey: *Why* do you *need* to know?

Lucius: I need it!

[Lucius rummages through another room in his condo]

Honey: Uh-uh! Don’t you think about running off doing no derring-do! We’ve been planning this dinner for two months!

Lucius: The public is in danger!

Honey: My evening’s in danger!

Lucius: YOU TELL ME WHERE MY SUIT IS, WOMAN! We are talking about the greater good!

Honey: ‘Greater good?’ I am your wife! I’m the greatest *good* you are ever gonna get!

**********

[Showing Helen the super-suits she designed for Helen’s children]

Edna: I didn’t know the baby’s powers so I covered the basics.

Helen: Jack-Jack doesn’t have any powers.

Edna: No? Well, he’ll look fabulous anyway.

**********

Edna: This is a horrible suit, darling. You can’t be seen in this. I won’t allow it. Fifteen years ago, maybe, but now? Feh!

Bob: Wait, what do you mean? *You* designed it.

Edna: I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now.

**********

Helen: [sobbing] Now I’m losing him! What’ll I do? What’ll I do?

Edna: What are you talking about?

Helen: [stops crying] Huh?

Edna: [shouts] You are Elastigirl! My God…

[swatting Helen with a newspaper, and reprimanding her]

Edna: Pull-yourself-together! “What will you do?” Is this a question? You will show him you remember that he is Mr. Incredible, and you will remind him who *you* are. Well, you know where he is. Go, confront the problem. Fight! Win!

[normal voice]

Edna: And call me when you get back, darling. I enjoy our visits.

**********

[As she begins to design Bob’s new super-hero costume]

Edna: It will be bold! Dramatic!

Bob: Yeah!

Edna: Heroic!

Bob: Yeah. Something classic, like, like Dynaguy. Oh, he had a great look! Oh, the cape and the boots…

Edna: [throws a wadded ball of paper at Bob’s head] No capes!

Bob: Isn’t that my decision?

Edna: Do you remember Thunderhead? Tall, storm powers? Nice man, good with kids.

Bob: Listen, E…

Edna: November 15th of ’58! All was well, another day saved, when… his cape snagged on a missilefin!

Bob: Thunderhead was not the brightest bulb…

Edna: Stratogale! April 23rd, ’57! Cape caught in a jet turbine!

Bob: E, you can’t generalize about these things…

Edna: Metaman, express elevator! Dynaguy, snagged on takeoff! Splashdown, sucked into a vortex!

[shouts]

Edna: No capes!

**********

Mr. Incredible/Bob: I was wrong to treat you that way. I’m sorry…

Syndrome: See? Now you respect me, because I’m a threat. That’s the way it works. Turns out there are lots of people, whole countries, that want respect, and will pay through the nose to get it.

**********

Syndrome: [watching live news footage of the Omnidroid] Huh? Huh? Oh, come on! You gotta admit, this is cool! Just like a movie: the robot will emerge dramatically, do some damage, throw some screaming people. And just when all hope is lost? Syndrome will save the day! I’ll be a bigger hero than you ever were.

Mr. Incredible/Bob:You mean you killed off real heroes so that you could *pretend* to be one?

Syndrome: Oh, I’m real. Real enough to defeat *you*! And I did it without your precious gifts, your oh-so-special powers. I’ll give them heroics. I’ll give them the most spectacular heroics anyone’s ever seen! And when I’m old and I’ve had my fun, I’ll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. *Everyone* can be super! And when everyone’s super…

[laughs maniacally]

Syndrome: …*no one* will be.

**********

[as Helen leaves the cave, Violet runs after her]

Violet: Mom! Mom, what happened on the plane… I-I’m sorry, I wanted to- when you asked me to… I’m sorry…

Helen: Shh… it isn’t your fault. It wasn’t fair for me to suddenly ask so much of you. But things are different now, and doubt is a luxury we can’t afford anymore, sweetie. You have more power than you realize. Don’t think, and don’t worry. If the time comes, you’ll know what to do. It’s in your blood.

Hotel For Dogs (Dreamworks and Nickelodeon) – Understanding Children & Animals In Need of Families

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_for_Dogs_(film)#/media/File:Hotel_for_dogs.jpg

Hotel For Dogs (Dreamworks and Nickelodeon) – 2009 – PG

Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Lisa Kudrow, Don Cheadle, Johnny Simmons, Kyla Pratt, Troy Gentile, Kevin Dillon

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Summary & Lessons:

Andi and Bruce are orphaned sixteen and eleven year old siblings living with their despicable, rock-and-roll playing foster parents, Lois and Carl Scudder. The kids have a dog named Friday who they cannot part with. Yet they know that the Scudders would never have enough kindness in their heart to let them keep him. So, they keep him hidden, with the help of some of Bruce’s ingenious inventions – Friday’s own personal window elevator, and an electric can opener blasting over a bullhorn to call him home. The household pantry is kept locked, and the kids own meals are limited, so they turn to hustling in order to get the money needed for dog food. Their social worker, Bernie, likes the kids a lot, and tries to help them out whenever they get into trouble.

As luck would have it, the siblings end up in the wrong place at the wrong time when burglars are seen running out of a store with alarms blaring. The kids end up running from the cops, themselves, in fear of taking the blame. Friday scoots away from the kids and ducks into an abandoned hotel, with Andi and Bruce close behind, just barely escaping pursuit. There, they find two homeless dogs. Friday seems happy to stay with the new dogs for the night, and the kids decide to find food for the trio of canines. A pet store clerk named Dave, charms Andi into taking in 3 more dogs that the pet store rescue is unable to find homes for. Once he arrives at the hotel with the dog food he promised to supply, Dave realizes the situation of the homeless dogs, and offers his help. They are soon joined by 2 more kids, and the team eventually decides to search the town for stray dogs that the local high-kill shelter would normally dispose of. However, keeping a hotel full of dogs a secret turns out to be an adventurous task, even with all of Bruce’s inventions for feeding, potty-training, exercising and entertaining the pups. Andi and Bruce lay everything on the line for their canine family, even though they know that one more screw up could potentially result in brother and sister being placed in separate foster care situations.

********************

This movie gives the viewer a glimpse into the problems of the foster care system, and the challenges face by older children and siblings to find a permanent home. It also shows that not all foster parents are the loving, nurturing people that are so desperately needed by a child. Likewise, the circumstances of stray pets is shown in a similar light. These animals are just as loving as their pedigree counterparts, yet many are destroyed from lack of homes. Andi and Bruce seem to gravitate towards the dogs in a camaraderie of those seeking a loving home. In addition, different breeds of dogs are introduced, so that the viewer can see their common personality traits. We are also taught that animals have needs, interests, and feelings, just like people.

Teamwork is another thread of this movie. Alone, goals may be difficult to achieve, but when friends band together for a common cause and passion, a great deal can be achieved. Bruce’s inventions definitely show that when a person’s heart is focused on a goal, inspiration and creativity pair with necessity to get the job done, and overcome obstacles. We see that “necessity is the master of invention” and “where there is a will, there is a way”.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Hotel For Dogs – IMDb)

Bernie: Do you know how people react when I tell them I’m trying to place 11- and 16-year-old siblings? It’s not good.

**********

Bernie: You sold a guy a rock in a box for $20.

**********

Andi: [police see them where a store was broken into, the thieves just got away] We can’t get in trouble again!

Bruce: We didn’t do anything.

Andi: You want to tell them that?

**********

Dave: We adopt out dogs here, but we can’t get anyone to take these dogs. They’re not puppies, and everybody wants puppies.

Andi: Tell me about it.

**********

Bruce: If you look at it, dogs have three basic needs. That’s- that’s eating, sleeping, peeing and pooping.

Andi: That’s four.

Bruce: No, I think peeing and pooping is one.

Heather: Uh, I’ve stepped in both and I have to disagree.

**********

Andi: You know, I think we might be in a little over our heads.

Dave: It’s four-six; we’re out dogged.

**********

[Jokingly]

Andi: Why don’t we just wander the streets and rescue every stray dog we see?

[Light bulbs go off in all of her friends’ heads]

**********

Lois Scudder: I’m suing you, I’m suing the state, I’m suing those kids, I’m suing the people who make shrink wrap!

Mulan (Disney) – Love is More Powerful Than Pride

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan_(1998_film)#/media/File:Movie_poster_mulan.JPG

Mulan (Disney) – 1998 – G

Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Fierstein, Freda Foh Shen, June Foray, James Hong, Miriam Margolyes, Pat Morita, Soon-Tek Oh, Donny Osmond, Lea Salonga, James Shigeta, George Takei, Mary Kay Bergman, Corey Burton

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NOTE: This movie is not the true historical account of Mulan.

Summary & Lessons:

The story begins in ancient China, when the Hun army gives their intent to attack the emperor’s domain. The emperor decides to put together a backup army to protect his people, and each family will be required to have one man serve for his country.

In another part of China, Mulan is seen creatively rushing through her chores in an effort to finish before it is her time to see the village matchmaker. She is very nervous about making a good impression as a quiet, dainty, feminine bride, since she is more of a kind, yet outspoken tomboy at heart. As her mother helps her to prepare, her grandmother gives her a “lucky cricket” in a cage to keep hidden in her traditional garb. Mulan’s nerves get the better of her when the cricket escapes it’s cage, and chaos is created as she attempts to recapture it. The matchmaker, feeling humiliated herself, announces that Mulan has disgraced her family, and will never bring her family honor by being a suitable bride.

Devastated, Mulan returns home. Her loving father, Fa Zhou, attempts to make her feel better, but then the emperor’s councilman arrives to collect men for the draft. Mulan’s father, even though his leg is damaged from a previous battle, offers himself as the only male in the family. In a panic that her injured father could die on the battlefield, Mulan begs the councilman to spare him from his duty. Fa Zhou dismisses her in disgrace, and receives his orders.

Since her father is adamant that nothing is more important than honoring the family, and is determined to go into battle, Mulan decides to take matters into her own hands. While her family sleeps, she says a prayer to her ancestors, cuts her hair to look like a boy, then takes her father’s military orders and armor to pretend to be his son in his place. When her parents realize what she has done, they are tempted to go after her, but know that if anyone discovers that she is impersonating a soldier, the punishment would be death.

Meanwhile, her deceased ancestors have heard her prayers, and a dishonored family guardian, the tiny dragon Mushu, is mistaken to be the Great Stone Dragon that they wish to send to help her. Together with the previously troublesome “lucky cricket”, Mushu sets off after her in an effort to restore his own honor among the family’s ancestors.

Through their adventures, the trio learn firsthand the vast differences between life as a man, and that of a woman in ancient China as they find themselves among a misfit group of men who become China’s last hope against the Hun army.

********************

This is a wonderful story illustrating the fact that women are not the frail, weak gender that was once believed. Girls can do just about anything a boy can do. Once upon a time, it was thought that women were too emotional to be rational, but Mulan accomplishes her goals through the power of her intellect as opposed to the brute strength that men can sometimes rely on. The Huns were composed of a fierce army, but Mulan’s quick wit was the cause of their downfall.

This stereotype of women has caused many girls through the ages to try to fit into a preconceived mold of what femininity should be. Rather than being themselves, they were expected to be what society demanded of them. However, this mode of thinking deprives a person of allowing their true talents to blossom.

Another theme in this movie is that of pride and honor. Many people feel the need to sacrifice everything for the sake of their pride, yet by doing so, pride is all they end up with. Mulan’s actions are not fueled by honor, but by love. In the end, it is her love for her family and country that result in the great honor bestowed upon her. She shows great perseverance in standing up for what she believes is the right thing to do, regardless of what is expected of her. By doing so, she is able to discover her sense of self-worth, which she so craved when she was trying to fit into the cookie-cutter image of femininity that her family and village expected her to be.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments below.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Mulan – IMDb)

Mulan: [singing] Look at me… I will never pass for a perfect bride. Or a perfect daughter. Can it be, I’m not meant to play this part? Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family’s heart. Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don’t know? Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I’ve tried. When will my reflection show who I am inside?

 

**********

 

Mulan: You shouldn’t have to go!

Fa Li: Mulan!

Mulan: There are plenty of young men to fight for China!

Fa Zhou: It is an honor to protect my country and my family.

Mulan: So, you’ll die for honor.

Fa Zhou: I will die doing what’s right!

Mulan: But if you…

Fa Zhou: I know my place! It is time you learned yours.

 

**********

 

Fa Li: You must go after her. She could be killed!

Fa Zhou: If I reveal her, she will be.

 

**********

 

The Emperor of China: A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat.

 

**********

 

Mushu: The truth is, we’re both frauds. Your ancestors never sent me, they don’t even like me. But you risked your life to help people you love. I risked your life to help myself. At least you had good intentions.

[Cri-Kee chirps sadly at Mushu]

Mushu:  What? What do you mean you’re not lucky? You *lied* to me?

[Cri-Kee nods sadly]

Mushu:  [to Mulan’s horse] And what are you, a sheep?

 

**********

 

Mulan: No one will listen to me.

Mushu:  Huh? I’m sorry, did you say something?

Mulan: Mushu!

Mushu: Hey, you’re a girl again. Remember?

 

**********

 

Shan-Yu: I tire of your arrogance, old man. Bow to me!

The Emperor of China: No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it.

 

**********

 

The Emperor of China: I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your father’s armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace, and… you have saved us all.

 

**********

 

The Emperor of China: The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.

Shang: Sir?

The Emperor of China: You don’t meet a girl like that every dynasty.

 

**********

 

Fa Zhou: Mulan…

Mulan: [kneels] Father. I brought you the sword of Shan-Yu, and the crest of the Emperor. They’re gifts, to honor the Fa family.

[Fa Zhou drops the sword and crest on the ground and embraces Mulan]

Fa Zhou: The greatest gift and honor… is having you for a daughter.

Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks) – Believe in Yourself

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Panda#/media/File:Kungfupanda.jpg

Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks) – 2008 – PG

Jack Black, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong

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Summary & Lessons:

The giant panda, Po, has always dreamed of what it would be like to be a master of Kung Fu. His idols are the Furious Five: Tigress, Viper, Mantis, Crane and Monkey. In Po’s eyes, they are superheroes, trained by master Shifu. But Po’s dreams are pushed aside by his goose father’s noodle restaurant that he works in, as his father grooms him to take over the business one day, and continue serving his “secret ingredient soup”. Po is large and clumsy amongst the tightly spaced restaurant tables, but he dutifully performs his duties.

Master Shifu and the Furious Five reside in the Jade Palace, under the Grand Master Oogway. When Oogway has a vision that the notoriously dangerous convict Tai Lung would escape from prison to wreak havoc on their Valley of Peace. Shifu sends a messenger to the prison to have the guards doubled. Oogway determines that the time has come for the Dragon Warrior to be chosen and given the dragon Scroll with the secret to ultimate power. Shifu prepares his students for the event that will choose the recipient of the Dragon Scroll.

An unfortunate turn of events brings Master Oogway’s vision to fruition, and an angry and vicious Tai Lung begins to make his way back to the valley, anxious to battle the Dragon Warrior and take what he believes belongs to him: The Dragon Scroll.

At the competition, Po desperately tries to get into the coliseum to watch, but is bogged down with the noodle cart that his father wanted him to bring. In a manic attempt to scale the wall, he straps fireworks to a chair, and blasts himself into the middle of the event, landing right in front of Master Oogway’s finger, as he points to the new Dragon Warrior.

Master Oogway, believing that “there are no accidents”, sticks with the choice of Po as the Dragon Warrior, much to the surprise of Po, and the dismay of Shifu, and the Five. Shifu now has the arduous task of turning the flabby, clumsy Panda into the valley’s savior before Tai Lung arrives with his fury.

********************

We all learn differently. One person’s strength may be another person’s weakness. Everyone learns best if their lessons are structured around things that they enjoy and care about. Some people are driven by approval or acceptance. Others are driven by prospects of wealth or fun. Po is driven by food. The key is to follow what inspires you.

“There is no secret ingredient” to success. There is just you. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Easier said than done, since those around you may not believe in you. There are many people who judge others based on their appearance, even though there are many things a person can do that are not apparent from the outside. Sometimes, finding that ONE person who believes in you is all you need to pull the strength from inside you. And having love and support from someone can give you an even bigger push.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments below.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Kung Fu Panda – IMDb)

Po: The Furious Five! You’re so much bigger than your action figures! Except you, Mantis. You’re about the same.

**********

Shifu: Let us begin.

Po: What? Well, uh, I don’t know if I can do *all* those moves…

Shifu: [chuckles] Well, we’ll never know unless we try, will we?

Po: Well, maybe we could start out with something more at, you know, my level.

Shifu: And what level is that?

Po: Uh, well, I’m not a master but, let’s just say zero, level zero.

Shifu: [chuckles] There is no such thing as level zero.

Po: Well, what about that?

[He indicates a small dummy]

Shifu: That? We use that for training children, and for propping the door open when it’s hot. But, if you insist…

**********

Po: The Sword of Heroes! Said to be so sharp you can get cut just by looking at – Ow!

**********

Po: Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles.

Oogway: Quit, don’t quit… Noodles, don’t noodles… You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.

**********

Oogway: One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.

**********

Shifu: Master! I have… it’s very bad news!

Oogway: Ah, Shifu. There is just news. There is no good or bad.

Shifu: Master, your vision. Your vision was right! Tai-Lung has broken out of prison! He’s on his way!

[pause]

Oogway: That IS bad news.

**********

Oogway: My friend, the panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours, until you let go of the illusion of control.

Shifu: Illusion?

Oogway: Yes.

[points at peach tree]

Oogway: Look at this tree, Shifu. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me, nor make it bear fruit before its time.

Shifu: But there are things we *can* control.

[kicks the tree so that peaches fall]

Shifu: I can control when the fruit will fall!

[he slices a peach and throws the pit to the ground]

Shifu: I can control where to plant the seed! That is no illusion, Master!

Oogway: Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.

Shifu: But a peach cannot defeat Tai Lung!

Oogway: [folding dirt over the peach pit] Maybe it *can*, if you are willing to guide it, to nurture it. To believe in it.

Shifu: But how? How? I need your help, master!

Oogway: No, you just need to believe. Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you will believe.

Shifu: I… I will try.

**********

Shifu: [intercepting Po, who is fleeing the temple after learning he has to face Tai Lung soon] You cannot leave! A real warrior never quits!

Po: Watch me!

[tries to run around Shifu]

Po: Come on! How am I supposed to beat Tai Lung? I can’t even beat you to the stairs!

**********

Shifu: When you focus on kung fu, when you concentrate… you stink.

[Po frowns]

Shifu: But perhaps that is my fault. I cannot train you the way I have trained the Five. I now see that the way to get through to you, is with this.

[pulls out a bowl of dumplings]

Po: Oh great, ’cause I’m *hungry*!

Shifu: [laughs and pulls the bowl away] Good. When you have been trained, you may eat.

[He eats a dumpling]

Shifu: Let us begin.

**********

Tai Lung: Who are you?

Po: Buddy, I… am the Dragon Warrior!

[bows over, panting from the stairs]

Tai Lung: [incredulous] You?

[laughs]

Tai Lung: He’s a panda! You’re a panda! What are you gonna do, big guy? Sit on me?

Po: Don’t tempt me.

**********

Mr. Ping: The secret ingredient is… nothing!

Po: Huh?

Mr. Ping: You heard me. Nothing! There is no secret ingredient.

Po: Wait, wait… it’s just plain old noodle soup? You don’t add some kind of special sauce or something?

Mr. Ping: Don’t have to. To make something special you just have to believe it’s special.

[Po looks at the scroll again, and sees his reflection in it]

Po: There is no secret ingredient…

Moana (Disney) – Others Do Not Determine Who You Are

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moana_Teaser_Poster.jpg

Moana (Disney) – 2017 – PG

Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger

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Summary & Lessons:

Based in Polynesian mythology, Moana is the daughter of the island chief, a beloved leader who wishes to train his only child to one day be his successor. Moana displays great potential in following in his footsteps to one day be a fearless, wise and kind-hearted leader, as her father before her. However, she is often distracted by her love of the ocean surrounding her island home.

Her grandmother, Gramma Tala, is an eccentric woman who tells tales of the goddess Te Fiti, who provides sustenance and life to all. She was known to be a goddess of kindness and love until the shape-shifting demi-god, Maui, stole her heart for himself, in an effort to claim the power of the goddess. His escape was thwarted by the demon Te Ka, whose attack caused Maui to lose his magical fishing hook. Without his hook, Maui lost his power to shapeshift, and he disappeared in disgrace. Meanwhile, a darkness began to ravage the islands, and rob them of their life sources.

As Moana grew up, the call of the ocean became stronger. Their once prosperous island began to decay, and Moana’s grandmother tells her that she was the one destined to find Maui, and restore the heart of Te Fiti to save their home.

********************

Moana’s story is similar to many adolescents: her parents want her to follow the path that they feel is best, but Moana’s heart is telling her to take a completely different one. Parents are usually well meaning in their advice and guidance, but their words tend to come from the way that they, themselves see a situation, as opposed to trying to see through their child’s eyes. Many people end up sacrificing a part of themselves by discarding their own hopes and dreams in an effort to please their loved ones. However, sacrifices that are too large, or too frequent, can result in a life time of regrets. Moana learns to have faith and trust in her own heart and abilities, and to define herself according to what she sees, rather than what others tell her to be.

Maui, the demigod, is not immune from his humanity. He, as well, spent much of his time trying to please others. He hid himself away from the world not only due to his failure to secure the heart of Te Fiti, but also because he came to realize that all of his efforts to please people never seemed to be enough for him to admire himself. He was unable to recover from the fact that he was abandoned by his parents. Since he believed he was unworthy of his parents love, he focused his energy on gaining society’s love in its place. Moana helped him to see that more self worth is gained from following your conscious and fixing your own mistakes than from trying to publicly appear as a “hero”. You are not defined by the things that happen to you, but in how you react to them. In addition, strength does not come from possessions (such as a magical hook or a powerful stone), but from actions guided by your heart telling you the right thing to do.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Moana – IMDb)

[first lines]

Gramma Tala: In the beginning there was only ocean until the Mother Island emerged. Te Fiti. Her heart held the greatest power ever known. It could create life itself. And Te Fiti shared it with the world. But in time, some began to seek Te Fiti’s heart. They believed if they could possess it, the great power of creation would be theirs. And one day, the most daring of them all voyaged across the vast ocean to take it. He was a demi-god of the wind and sea. He was a warrior. A trickster. A shapeshifter who could change form with the power of his magical fishhook. And his name was Maui.

[Maui takes the Heart of Te Fiti, causing the island to crumble as he runs away]

Gramma Tala: But without her heart, Te Fiti began to crumble, giving birth to a terrible darkness.

[Maui jumps off a cliff and shapeshifts into a hawk, flying back to his boat]

Gramma Tala: Maui tried to escape but was confronted by another who sought the Heart. Te Ka! A demon of earth and fire. Maui was struck from the sky, never to be seen again. And his magical fishhook and the Heart of Te Fiti were lost to the sea. Where, even now, a thousand years later, Te Ka and the demons of the deep still hunt for the Heart. Hiding in a darkness that will continue to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from island after island until every one of us is devoured by the bloodthirsty jaws of inescapable death!

[one child screams in fear while another faints as Moana claps]

Gramma Tala: But one day, the Heart will be found by someone who will journey beyond our reef, find Maui, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti’s Heart and save us all.

**********

Villager: [to Moana; about HeiHei, who is pecking at a huge rock in front of him. Pua is watching Heihei, looking concerned] I am curious about that chicken eating the rock. He basically lacks an intelligence required for pretty much… everything. So can we just…

[blinks coyly]

Villager: …Cook him?

Moana: Well, some of our strengths lie beneath the surface, while others…

[Moana sees that Heihei has swallowed the stone, which is causing a bulge in his neck]

Moana: …far beneath…

[hopefully]

Moana: But, I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to HeiHei than meets the eye.

[HeiHei squawks; he regurgitates the rock which plops right infront of him. HeiHei pauses, and then proceeds to pecking the rock, which he was doing earlier. Pua looks away, obviously disturbed]

**********

[after Moana attempts to sail a boat for the first time and crashes it]

Moana: Are you gonna tell Dad?

Gramma Tala: I’m his mom. I don’t have to tell him anything.

**********

Moana: If there’s something you want to tell me, just tell me! Is there something you wanna tell me?

[Gramma Tala looks back at Moana, smirking]

Gramma Tala: Is there something you want to hear?

**********

Moana: [addressing the ocean] Um… *what*? I said help me! And wrecking my boat? Not *helping*!

[She kicks at the water, which recedes, causing her to fall]

Moana: Fish pee in you… all day!

**********

Maui: [Using Heihei’s beak to sign Moana’s oar] When you use a bird to write with, it’s called tweeting.

**********

Moana: [Notices a tattoo of a character with flowing hair throwing a baby into the ocean on Maui’s back] How do you get your tattoos?

Maui: They show up, when I earn ’em.

Moana: How d’you earn that one? What’s that for?

Maui: That, uh, man’s discovery of nun-ya.

Moana: What’s nun-ya?

Maui: Nun-ya business.

**********

Maui: [talking about his past] I wasn’t born a demi-god. I had human parents. They took one look and they decided… that they did not want me. So, they threw me into the ocean like I was nothing. Somehow, I was rescued by the Gods. They gave me the fish hook. They made me…

[exaltant]

Maui: …”Maui”.

[talking normally]

Maui: So… Back to the humans I went. I gave them everything. Islands, fire and coconuts. Heh, everything they can never get enough of.

Moana: You stole the heart… for them. Because you wanted to be loved…

Maui: [solemnly] It was *never* enough.

 

Elf (New Line Home Entertainment) – Being Different is Cool

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf_(film)#/media/File:Elf_movie.jpg

Elf  (New Line Home Entertainment) – 2003 – PG

Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel,  Daniel Tay, Faizon Love, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris

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Summary & Lessons:

As an infant in an orphanage, Buddy crawls into Santa’s toy bag on Christmas Eve, and is accidentally taken to the North Pole. The elves instantly fall for him, and they decide to raise him as an elf. However, his human differences eventually present themselves: He towers over the other elves, and his toy making skills are seriously lacking. Papa Elf decides that it is time to tell him that he was adopted, and that his biological father, Walter Hobbes, lives in New York City. When Buddy excitedly wishes to embark on a journey to find him, Papa Elf warns him that Walter is on Santa’s “Naughty List”.

Once in New York, Buddy’s elfish innocence makes him stand out vibrantly, and Walter, the grouchy workaholic, refuses to believe that this incredibly strange person is mentally healthy, and certainly not his son. Buddy falls into a job at Gimbles, where he blends in with the other workers dressed in elf costumes for the holidays. It is there that he meets the lovely Jovie, whom he initially thinks is just as much an elf as he is.

Buddy has quite the journey from here as he attempts to get to know and charm Walter, his wife, and his half-brother, Michael. In addition, Michael helps him in his attempt to win over Jovie, the girl of his dreams. Through it all, Buddy manages to teach everyone, both human and elf, what the holiday season is really all about.

********************

It’s OK to be different, even if you are different from your own family. This is a common problem. Sometimes, people don’t seem to realize that it’s the differences in people that make life interesting and fun. So, be who you are, and do what you love. Don’t be self-conscious of another person’s acceptance. Those that don’t, aren’t worth impressing, and those who are worth impressing, won’t require it. If you are kind, and true to yourself, good things will come, and probably when you least expect them. Helping friends and family when they need it is the best way to show that you care.

Another common problem in families is having a parent who is constantly working overtime. Parents are often so concentrated on making money to provide well for their kids, that they sometimes don’t realize that kids need your time a lot more than they need the things you can buy them.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of imdb: Elf – imdb)

Ming Ming: It’s alright, Buddy. Just how many Etch-A-Sketches did you get finished?

[Buddy is silent]

Ming Ming: Come on, Buddy, how many?

Buddy: I made, uh… 85.

[elves stop working, stare in surprise]

Ming Ming:  [observes elves, turns back to Buddy] 85? That puts you… 915 off the pace.

[shrugs]

Buddy: Why don’t you just say it? I’m the worst toy-maker in the world. I’m a Cotton-Headed Ninnymuggins!

**********

Foom Foom:  [as Buddy eavesdrops] It was quick thinking yesterday with that “Special Talents” thing.

Ming Ming:  I feel bad for the guy. I just hope he doesn’t get wise.

Foom FoomWell, if he hasn’t figured out he’s a human by now, I don’t think he ever will.

**********

Leon the Snowman: Why the long face, Buddy?

Buddy:  It seems I’m not an elf.

Leon the Snowman: Of course you’re not an elf. You’re six-foot-three and had a beard since you were fifteen.

**********

Santa: I’ve been to New York thousands of times.

Buddy:  Really?

Santa: Mm-hmm.

Buddy:  What’s it like?

Santa: Well, there are some things you should know. First off, you see gum on the street, leave it there. It isn’t free candy.

Buddy: Oh.

Santa: Second, there are, like, thirty Ray’s Pizzas. They all claim to be the original. But the real one’s on 11th. And if you see a sign that says “Peep Show”, that doesn’t mean that they’re letting you look at presents before Christmas.

**********

Buddy: We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.

**********

Gimbel’s Manager: Why are you smiling like that?

Buddy: I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite

**********

Buddy: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

**********

Buddy: …it’s just nice to meet another human who shares my affinity for elf culture

**********

[excitedly enters a shop with neon sign: World’s Best Cup of Coffee]

Buddy: You did it! Congratulations! “World’s Best Cup of Coffee. “Great job, everybody. It’s great to meet you.

**********

Buddy: Reach out in front of you and take a sip. Don’t look.

[Jovie sips the coffee and makes a  face]

Buddy: Well?

Jovie: It tastes like a crappy cup of coffee.

[Buddy chuckles as she removes the blindfold]

Jovie: It IS a crappy cup of coffee.

Buddy: No, it’s the world’s BEST cup of coffee.

**********

[Reading from a list he wrote of things he wants to do that day with his newly-found father]

Buddy: First, we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we’ll snuggle.

**********

Buddy: I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly, twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel.

Ratatouille (Disney/Pixar) – A Great Artist Can Come From Anywhere

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratatouille_(film)#/media/File:RatatouillePoster.jpg

Ratatouille (Disney/Pixar) – 2007 – G

Brad Garrett, Lou Romano, Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Peter O’Toole, Brad Garrett,  Janeane Garofalo,  Will Arnett, Julius Callahan, James Remar, John Ratzenberger

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Summary & Lessons:

Remy is a rather unusual rat. Instead of being a scavenger willing to eat everything and anything, his incredible senses of taste and smell make him a very picky eater. His hero is a famous Parisian chef by the name of Gusteau, who encourages new talent in his book, “Anyone Can Cook.” Remy’s father, Django and his brother, Emile, do not understand Remy’s obsession with the culinary arts since it relies on a dangerously close proximity to humans.

A tragic occurrence separates Remy from his family, and he finds himself hallucinating the image of his recently deceased hero, who leads him to his famous restaurant, much to Remy’s delight. His joy is short lived, though when he is captured and given to the new garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini, to be disposed of. The pair form an odd allegiance: Linguini’s ineptitude in the kitchen is disguised by Remy hiding under his toque (chef’s hat) and using Linguini as a puppet to perform amazing culinary feats. Linguini begins to work under the tutelage of Colette, a tough-as-nails woman who had to fight her way into a virtually all male profession. Meanwhile, Remy’s family has returned, still distrustful of humans, but also hungry and hoping Remy will help with the food he has access to.

The situation escalates to Linguini’s desire to impress Colette with skills he doesn’t possess, Remy being forced to steal food for his family, and the added pressure thrown in of trying to appease the venomously harsh food critic, Anton Ego. All obstacles must be overcome before the health inspector informs anyone that rats are in the kitchen of the most famous restaurant in Paris.

********************

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 many who tell him his talent is worthless because of where they come from. After all, criticizing someone else is easy. Working towards a dream – that’s what is hard. A person’s talents help them to express who they are. This can often be a frightening experience for people. To reject something special about a person is to reject the person. Artistic talents can especially make a person vulnerable to rejection, often causing them to hide behind a persona that really isn’t them.

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. Don’t be afraid to start small. Join a team of people who will encourage and inspire you. Just being on the team is a wonderful first step. As Gusteau points out, every member of a team is important – including both the lead chef and the garbage boy.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Ratatouille – IMDb)

[first lines]
Television Narrator: Although each of the world’s countries would like to dispute this fact, we French know the truth: the best food in the world is made in France. The best food in France is made in Paris. And the best food in Paris, some say, is made by Chef Auguste Gusteau. Gusteau’s restaurant is the toast of Paris, booked five months in advance. And his dazzling ascent to the top of fine French cuisine has made his competitors envious. He is the youngest chef ever to achieve a five-star rating. Chef Gusteau’s cookbook “Anyone Can Cook!” climbed to the top of the bestseller list. But not everyone celebrates its success.
[cutting away to Ego]
Anton Ego: Amusing title, “Anyone Can Cook!”. What’s even more amusing is that Gusteau actually seems to believe it. I, on the other hand, take cooking seriously. And, no, I don’t think anyone can do it.

**********

Django: [to Remy] Food is fuel. You get picky about what you put in the tank, your engine is gonna die. Now shut up and eat your garbage.

**********

Remy: If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.

**********

Gusteau: [on the TV] You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true – anyone can cook… but only the fearless can be great.

**********

Emile: W-w-wait. You… read?
Remy: Well, not… excessively.
Emile: Oh, man. Does dad know?
Remy: You could fill a book – a lot of books – with things Dad doesn’t know. And they have. Which is why I read. Which is also our secret.
Emile: I don’t like secrets. All this cooking and-and reading and TV-watching, while we… read, and… cook. It’s like you’re involving me in crime, and I let you. Why do I let you?

**********

Gusteau: [appears as a hallucination as Remy is about to steal a piece of bread] What are you doing?
Remy: [groans] I’m hungry! I don’t know where I am and I don’t know when I’ll find food again…
Gusteau: Remy, you are better than that. You are a cook! A cook makes! A thief takes. You are not a thief.
Remy: [wistfully] But I *am* hungry.
Gusteau: [chuckles] Food will come, Remy. Food always comes to those who love to cook.
[disappears]

**********

Gusteau: If you focus on what you left behind you will never see what lies ahead!

**********

Remy: I can’t believe it. A real gourmet kitchen, and I get to watch.
Gusteau: You’ve read my book. Let us see how much you know, huh? Which one is the chef?
Remy: Uh… Oh, that guy.
Gusteau: Very good. Who is next in command?
Remy: The sous chef… There. The sous is responsible for the kitchen when the chef’s not around. Saucier, in charge of sauces. Very important. Chef de partie, demi chef de partie, both important. Commis, commis, they’re cooks. Very important.
Gusteau: Ah, you are a clever rat. Now, who is that?
Remy: Oh, him? He’s nobody.
Gusteau: Not nobody, he is part of the kitchen.
Remy: He’s a plongeur or something. He washes dishes or takes out the garbage. He doesn’t cook.
Gusteau: But, he could.
Remy: Uh, no.
Gusteau: How do you know? What do I always say? “Anyone can cook!”

**********

Linguini: Listen, I just want you to know how honored I am to be studying under such a…
Colette: [pins Linguini’s sleeve with a knife] No, you listen! I just want you to know exactly who you are dealing with! How many women do you see in this kitchen?
Linguini: Well, I uh…
Colette: [pins Linguini’s sleeve with another knife] Only me. Why do you think that is? Because haute cuisine is an antiquated hierarchy built upon rules written by stupid, old, *men*. Rules designed to make it impossible for women to enter this world. But still I’m here! How did this happen?
Linguini: Well because, because you…
Colette: [pins Linguini’s sleeve with a third knife] Because I am the toughest cook in this kitchen! I have worked too hard for too long to get here, and I am *not* going to jeopardize it for some garbage boy who got lucky! Got it?
[she sweeps the knives off Linguini’s arm and he falls to the floor]
Linguini: [sitting up, chuckling] Wow!

**********

Django: [showing the exterminator shop to Remy with the dead rats in the window] Take a good long look, Remy. This is what happens when a rat gets a little too comfortable around humans. The world we live in belongs to the enemy. We must live carefully. We look out for our own kind, Remy. When all is said and done, we’re all we’ve got.
[he starts to walk away]
Remy: No.
Django: [turning back] What?
Remy: No. Dad, I don’t believe it. You’re telling me, that the future is – can *only* be – more of *this*?
Django: This is the way things are. You can’t change nature.
Remy: Change *is* nature, Dad. The part that *we* can influence. And it starts when we decide.
[he turns to leave]
Django: Where are you going?
Remy: With luck, forward.

**********

Gusteau: [Remy is locked in a cage] So, we have given up.
Remy: Why do you say that?
Gusteau: We are in a cage, inside a car trunk, awaiting a future in frozen food products.
Remy: No, I’m the one in a cage. I’ve given up. You… are free.
Gusteau: I am only as free as you imagine me to be. As you are.
Remy: Oh, please. I’m sick of pretending. I pretend to be a rat for my father, I pretend to be a *human* for Linguini. I pretend you *exist* so I have someone to talk to! You only tell me stuff I already know! I know who I am! Why do I need you to tell me? Why do I need to pretend?
Gusteau: [chuckles] But you don’t Remy. You never did. [disappears]

**********

Anton Ego: In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s famous motto, “Anyone can cook.” But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau’s, who is, in this critic’s opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon, hungry for more.

ParaNorman (Universal Studios) – “Normal” is Relative

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ParaNorman#/media/File:ParaNorman_poster.jpg

ParaNorman (Universal Studios) – 2012 – PG

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Tucker Albrizzi, Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland, Tempestt Bledsoe, John Goodman

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Summary & Lessons:

(Warning: This movie may be frightening to small children)

 Norman Babcock is a special kid. He can see and talk to ghosts. He not only has conversations with his departed grandmother as they watch TV in the living room, but also those who left life long before his birth. Most people do not believe him, though, and he is ridiculed by his own father as well as the school bully, Alvin. There are a few who believe him. One is Neil, who wants very much to be his friend. The other is the “crazy” Mr. Prendergast, who happens to be his uncle. When Norman begins to have visions involving the witch’s curse on his New England hometown of Blithe Hollow, Mr. Prendergast interprets it as a sign that Norman is to take over his responsibility of protecting the town. Not wanting any more eccentricities in his life, Norman does his best to ignore his uncle’s pleas, until illness takes the man, and his ghost begs him to take the responsibility so that he can move on to the afterlife. He makes it sound simple enough – all he has to do is read from a special book at the witch’s grave on each anniversary of her death. Norman reluctantly agrees. The task proves to be a lot more complicated. In spite of attempting to complete the ritual alone, everyone in the town ends up struggling against the witch’s storm while fighting off zombies. Once Norman discovers that the “witch” was a girl with his same abilities from the 1700’s, he realizes that he is the only one who has what it takes to stop her from destroying the town.

********************

Since this story is centered around a town legend of a local, Pilgrim witch trial, it paves the way as an introduction to the historical Salem witch trials. These trials occurred due to the fears that people often have regarding others who are different from themselves. People fear what they do not understand. It is also common to attempt to destroy what is feared – to eliminate threats of what is perceived to be harmful. This story clearly illustrates how discrimination and prejudice are born, and the cruel, bullying behaviors that result from it.

Interestingly, though, there is a gay character who is not discriminated against. Mitch is so successful at fitting in with other “normal” people, Norman’s sister, Courtney, who has been flirting with him since they met, doesn’t know he is gay until the end of the film. This shows that many of the people who are discriminated against are really not much different from the rest of society.

Even within loving families, fears grow from lack of understanding, although it can be a different kind of fear. Just as Norman’s mother describes his father’s rants, the fear can be directed towards the family member’s well-being, rather than a fear of the family member, themselves. However, if we truly try to see the world from the viewpoint of another, we can often find that a person’s differences are what makes them a special gift to the world, and when we join forces, all of our unique gifts can be joined together to create something wonderful.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: ParaNorman – IMDb)

Norman: I like to be alone.

Neil: So do I! Let’s do it together!

**********

Neil: Can you see my dog, Bub? He was hit by an animal rescue van. Tragic and ironic.

**********

Grandma: There’s nothing wrong with being scared Norman, so long as you don’t let it change who you are.

**********

Norman’s Mom: Sometimes people can say things that seem mean, but it’s just because they’re afraid.

Norman: He’s my father, he shouldn’t be afraid of me.

Norman’s Mom:  He’s not afraid OF you, he’s afraid FOR you.

**********

Neil: Can you see ghosts like, all the time?

Norman: Yeah

Neil: Awwwesome!!!

**********

Norman’s Mom: Norman, I know you and grandma were very close, but we all have to move on. Grandma’s in a better place

Norman: No, she’s not, she’s in the living room.

Norman’s Dad: Your grandmother was old and sick, and she died. That’s all there is to it.

**********
Neil: So, what do we do now?

Norman: Uhh… I… I – I really don’t know.

Courtney: Yes, you do, Norman. You’ve gotta get to that witch’s grave.

Norman: But…

Courtney: But nothing, you listen to me, buster. We didn’t turn away when Daleridge High was slaughtering our volleyball team, did we?

Norman: Yeah, we did.

Courtney: No, we didn’t. I have cheered the un-cheerable, Norman. And I’m not letting you give up now.

**********

Courtney: [to the angry mob] Everyone STOP trying to kill my little brother. You’re adults! Stop it!

**********
Aggie: I burnt the book into dust. Now I don’t have to listen to that stupid story anymore! Leave me alone.

Norman: No. No, I’m not leaving. Just listen to me! Uhh… Once upon a time, long ago, there was a little girl.

Aggie: What?

Norman: A – a little girl who was different… who was different from the other people in her village.

Aggie: I’m not listening! La la la la la…

Norman: She could see and – and do things that no one could understand! And that made them scared of her!

Aggie: I don’t like this story!

Norman: She turned away from everyone and became sad and lonely, and had no one to turn to!

Aggie: STOP IT.

Norman: The more she turned away from people, the more scared they were of her. And they did something terrible! They became so scared that they took her away and they killed her!

Aggie: NO.

Norman: And even – and even though she was dead, something in her came back!

Aggie: STOP.

Norman: And this part of her, wouldn’t go away even after three hundred years!

Aggie: SHUT UP.

Norman: And the longer it stayed, the less there was of the little girl.

Aggie: I’ll make you suffer!

Norman: Why?

Aggie: Because… Because…

Norman: Because you want everyone to hurt just as much as you are. So, whenever you wake up, you play this mean game, but you don’t play fair!

Aggie: They hurt me!

Norman: So, you hurt them back?

Aggie: I wanted everyone to see how rotten they were!

Norman: You’re just like them, Agatha!

Aggie: No, I’m not!

 

Snow Dogs (Disney) – Where You Come From Does Not Dictate Who You Are

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Dogs#/media/File:Snow_dogs.jpg

Snow Dogs (Disney) – 2002- PG

Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn, Sisqó, Nichelle Nichols,  M. Emmet Walsh, Graham Greene, Brian Doyle-Murray,  Joanna Bacalso, Jean Michel Paré, Michael Bolton

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Summary & Lessons:

Happy go lucky Ted Brooks has it all: a thriving dentistry business, money, a doting mother, and Miami sunshine. Suddenly, Ted’s world is turned upside down. Being unaware that he was adopted, he is informed that his birth mother has died, leaving him an inheritance in Alaska. He is financially well off, and not terribly interested in the monetary value of the inheritance, but Ted makes the difficult decision to go to Alaska, to try to discover more about himself, since he is now questioning his identity.

Ted arrives in a small Alaskan town, missing many of the comforts of home that he has always taken for granted. Once the will has been read, he discovers that he has inherited his birth mother’s cabin, as well as a team of champion sled dogs. A fierce-looking local, Thunder Jack, immediately offers to buy the dogs for an unworthy sum, and tries to scare him into selling them to him. However, Barb, a lovely young woman who was a good friend of his late mother, gets Thunder Jack to back off. Barb encourages Ted to stay for a while, to get a feel for who his mother really was. Jack continues to pester Ted for the dogs, but Ted, not liking that the man is trying to cheat him, stubbornly decides to not only keep the dogs, but learn how to race them for the upcoming Arctic Challenge.

Ted is literally and metaphorically out of his element as he goes through great lengths to be the alpha to the dogs, and spite the naysayers of the backwoods Alaska town. Along the way, Ted discovers more than he bargained for about his lineage, and discovers that what he really needs in life cannot be found in the easy life he had in Miami.

********************

Adoption can be a complicated situation. A person can have their view of their life and their identity suddenly changed when they discover that the people who raised them are not the same people who gave them life. They feel their world turning upside down. But the adopted individual isn’t the only one whose life changes with this discovery – it also affects both natural and adoptive parents along with other family and friends. As Ted reevaluates the life he has lived, and learns about the circumstances and environment of his birth, he becomes confused about thing he thought he was sure about.

Having grown up in a crowded city, he arrived in the small Alaskan village, feeling very out of place among the people who lived their lives in a manner much differently than the way he lived his. He also grew up feeling the gaps between people that can often occur from skin color. Ted undergoes a variety of emotions as he experiences his late birth mother’s culture, friends, and the dogs that she loved. He learns that people are people, no matter where they come from, what they look like, or what kinds of emotional masks that they try to hide behind.

(If you have additional ideas on how this film can be used for educational purposes, please let us know in the comments.)

Quotes:

(Quotes Courtesy of IMDb: Snow Dogs – IMDb)

Amelia (Ted’s adoptive mother): [on phone] Hey, honey. How’s Alaska?

Ted: Oh, just great. Everything’s white. Including my father!

**********

George: [reading will] “To Barb, my dear friend and boss, I give my shearling coat, which kept me warmer than any man ever did.”

**********

[Barb describes the dog food]

Barb: Mostly the stuff the butcher can’t sell. Hooves, lips, organs… slump.

Ted: In Miami, we call them hot dogs.

**********

Ernie: Demon’s got it in his head that he’s the alpha dog. You’ve gotta show him who’s boss! Bite him on the ear!

Ted: I am not putting any part of that dog in my mouth!

**********

Barb: Why don’t you try biting him on the ear?

Ted: What is it with you people?

**********

Thunder Jack: I can’t believe you actually bit that dog on the ear.

Ted: But that’s what everyone says you’re supposed to do.

Thunder Jack: Well, sure, but… I never met a man dumb enough to do it!