nitafaye63 Reviews

The Christmas Project (2016)

Middle schoolers loved it

[8/10 · 25 December 2023]

I showed it to my middle school class as a Christmas movie this year. They loved it, because they related so much to the characters.

It is truly a wholesome story about life as a pre-teen boy, with an excellent message about friendship, family, first love, compassion, and forgiveness. I

I loved the family interactions in the Buckley house. And Earl, the bus driver, and Mrs. Honeywell, their teacher, were amazing examples of wisdom and compassion.

The movie had many of the entertaining aspects of A Christmas Story, but portrayed the dad as wise and understanding instead of a barely-likable jerk.

The Call of the Wild (2020)

Great chance to read with your kids

[9/10 · 25 February 2020]

The previews had already given me the impression that this was going to be a "loosely based" movie, and it was. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was well done, and the CGI dogs added to the emotional impact for me. I appreciate that live dogs were not placed in dangerous situations, and where would there be trained-for-acting dogs who can also pull a laden sled? (Preposterous to even contend that real dogs should be used). Anyway, this movie gives parents an excellent opportunity to go home, get a copy of the book, and treat their older children to an excellent story, using the movie as an interest builder.