Whip It

*Whip It. 2010. 20th Century Fox. Directed by Drew Barrymore. Rated PG-13. DVD*

Whip It has a PG-13 rating, and this is one time when I agree with the ratings system. I'd feel uncomfortable recommending this to a viewer younger than 13 (although maybe a 12 year old could handle it). But I also think it's appropriate for middle school audiences.

The film focuses on Bliss Cavendar, a 17-year-old high-school student who lacks direction. Her mother "forces" her to do beauty pageants, since she loved doing beauty pageants when she was younger. Bliss, though, feels out of place in that world. In one of the film's first scenes, Bliss shows up on the pageant stage with blue hair. But while she wants to rebel against her mother's world, Bliss doesn't know where she belongs. ...Until she discovers roller derby.

From here, the film takes off on its predictable but entertaining ride. Bliss tries out for The Girl Scouts roller derby team and makes it, even though she hasn't skated in years and she isn't 21 (the required age for derby girls). She's renamed Babe Ruthless, and becomes the super-fast poster child of Texas Roller Derby. She meets a boy, gets into a fight with her best friend, and must come to terms with her parents' needs and wants, as well as her own needs and wants.

Whip It would have been one of my favorite movies when I was 14. It has a great message of girl power, and is incredibly empowering for any girl who feels lost and isn't quite sure where to go. Viewers should walk away feeling like they can go anywhere, be anybody, and become anything they want. The film deals with some more mature issues, such as sex and underage drinking. But, aside from the token puking-at-the-party scene, Whip It isn't very graphic. I think it would be a great film for middle schoolers to watch with their parents (who can then talk about some of the issues), but it should also be a safe enough movie for them to watch on their own.

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

*Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. Hit Entertainment. 2008*

I've been a huge Wallace and Gromit fan for over 10 years. I couldn't wait to see their new one! While it's enjoyable, though, it's certainly not their best. It's hard to live up to The Wrong Trousers. I get that.

In their newest adventure, Wallace and Gromit have taken up baking. They're the proud proprietors of Top Bun--a bread-baking company that delivers fresh bread to cafes all over the city. Everything is going smoothly (meaning, Wallace is nerdy and Gromit takes care of everything), until Wallace meets and falls in love with the Bake-O-Lite girl. Wallace is so blinded by love, he quickly proposes. Gromit, meanwhile, discovers that Ms. Bake-O-Lite is not all she seems.

I saw my first Wallace and Gromit when I was 15. My sisters, 14 and 18 at the time, also loved the British duo. Considering their success, I must assume that people everywhere, of all ages, love Wallace and Gromit, too. I've seen their short films shelved in the children's department at some libraries, and the stories are certainly appropriate for young viewers. But, like Pixar movies, the Wallace and Gromit films are witty and humorous enough for audiences of all ages. Tweens should definitely enjoy A Matter of Loaf and Death. I'd recommend this film to anyone--but especially to viewers who love animated movies like The Incredibles and Up.

The City of Ember

*The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau. ISBN: 0385736282*

Reading The City of Ember, I could never shake the feeling that I was reading a Giver rip-off. It was a well-done copy, to be sure; but the story seemed pretty redundant. The story begins some time in the future, though we're never told when. It takes place in Ember--a city that seems to be the only human civilization on Earth. At least, no one in Ember has ever been outside the city, and the founders stated that "Ember is the only light in a world of darkness." The city depends completely on an old generator, and it's obviously beginning to break down. The sky is black, and the world is completely dark unless the floodlights are on. If the generator goes out, the lights go out, and the world would end. Or so we're led to believe. No on in Ember knows how to make "a moveable light," so the reader must assume that flashlights and candles don't exist. Whoever created the city 200 years ago (the people known as The Builders) made the city dependent on electricity, and made no stipulations for the electricity failing.

...Or did they?

Thanks to the introduction, readers understand that The Builders left a message for the people of Ember and locked it in a box. It was meant to open 200-or-so years later and provide the people with instructions for leaving the city. Assuming the Earth was still healthy, the people from Ember would be able to start over. Somewhere. But the box got lost, and when it finally opened, the instructions were chewed up by an infant named Poppy. The City of Ember is the story of Poppy's sister Lina, and Lina's friend Doon. The two twelve-year-olds must decipher the instructions and save Ember before the generator completely dies.

Like I said, things about this book reminded me a lot of The Giver. People in Ember decide their careers by pulling jobs out of a hat when they're 12. In the Giver, they're assigned jobs when they turn 12. Family sizes appear limited in both books. Both cities have rituals, but no real religion. Etcetera. But, like I also said, The City of Ember feels like a well-done copy. It made for an enjoyable read. It could be easily read and understood by a smart 9 or 10 year old, and could still be enjoyed by a 15-year-old. Trying to decipher the instructions with Lina and Doon can be frustrating (since I figured them out long before they did), but also kind of fun. There's plenty of suspense to keep the reader intrigued, and the writing is clever and not dumbed-down. I'd recommend this book to smart younger readers, fans of puzzle books (like the first Redwall), and people who enjoyed The Giver.

iCarly

*iCarly. Nickelodeon (2007-)*

In the pilot episode, Carly and her best friend Sam get into trouble at school. Their punishment is filming students' auditions for the talent show. While Sam and Carly run the auditions, Carly's friend Freddie records them. He's supposed to go home and upload the auditions to SplashFace (iCarly's version of YouTube) so their teacher Ms. Briggs can watch them at home. Instead of uploading the auditions, though, Freddie uploads footage of Carly and Sam making jokes. Before Freddie can take the video down, over 28,000 people have watched Carly and Sam. This inspires Carly to create her own web-show, called iCarly, co-hosted by Sam and filmed by Freddie.

Carly's dad is in the military and is stationed in Europe. Her older brother, Spencer, acts as her legal guardian. The 26-year-old artist has an amazing apartment, filled with his crazy creations, an elevator, and other perfect props for a web-show set. It's a perfect Nickelodeon show set up: no parents; cool guardian; attractive 14-year-old girl and her attractive-and-funny best-friend; geeky friend with amazing tech skills and equipment; super cool apartment. Unfortunately, Nickelodeon decided to tack on a laugh-track, which takes away from the show's authenticity. Anyone watching gets bombarded by canned laughter every other minute.

Although it seems ridiculously unlikely to me, iCarly becomes an overnight success, drawing 34,000 viewers to the first show. Carly, Sam and Freddie have to deal with becoming famous. Episodes, then, contain "realistic" problems of 14-year-olds, as well as problems with fame and status. I'm sure it's the right blend of fantasy and I-can-relate for tween audiences.

After watching the show, I thought it seemed kind of forced. Between the over-the-top acting and the bad laugh track, I was pretty turned off. Something about it reminded me of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which I also never liked much. I understood how people could enjoy it, but the humor was so obvious and the acting so fake. But there are also elements of iCarly that remind me of Boy Meets World, which I did really like as a teenager. I can see younger tweens (maybe 9-12 year olds) enjoying iCarly. But after hitting 14, it might feel a little young. I'm not sure that teenagers really watch Nickelodeon after reaching 14. I'm kind of out of touch, there...

A perk of iCarly is the emphasis on technology. These reviews of the show mention kids being inspired to create their own web shows. As long as kids realize they aren't going to have 30,000 fans overnight, making a show like iCarly could be a great (and educational) experience. YouTube and podcasting--and even blogging--are great ways to make public statements and/or art, and kids should be learning how to use this technology in safe, responsible ways. I think they'll also be benefited by learning these tools at a young age. So although I can recommend iCarly to a 9-12 audience for simple entertainment, I recommend it even more for tech inspiration.

Skeleton Key

*Skeleton Key (Alex Rider #3), by Anthony Horowitz. 2006.*

In the first Alex Rider book, Stormbreaker, Alex discovers that his uncle worked as a spy for MI-6. The official story is that Ian Rider died in a car accident. Alex doesn't believe it, though, and sets out to find the truth. Because of his curiosity, Alex finds himself involved with MI-6. But while Alex just wants answers, MI-6 wants to recruit Alex to finish his uncle's last mission.

Skeleton Key finds Alex once again working for MI-6. He hesitantly becomes a ball boy at Wimbeldon in order to investigate a suspicious break-in. Rather than finding a thief, though, Alex discovers a plot to destroy the entire Wimbeldon tournament. He also becomes a target of Big Circle--a large and dangerous criminal gang. In order to escape assassination attempts by Big Circle, Alex is sent out of the country. But it's MI-6's idea of a holiday; not Alex's.

Alex's "vacation" turns out to be a more dangerous mission than anyone admitted. Undercover with the CIA, Alex believed he was helping with an observation. But, once again, things immediately become more complicated. The observation turns into a search for nuclear weapons and a quest to prevent a Russian general from ruling the world.

Anthony Horowitz created another compelling adventure in Skeleton Key. When I read the first Alex Rider book, I wasn't expecting much more than shallow entertainment. I still think some of the plot is incredibly obvious (or unbelievable), but Horowitz makes up for it with good writing. This is the kind of series that can appeal to readers across a wide spectrum. Some of the vocabulary might challenge 9-year-olds, but the story will encourage them to increase their word skills and finish the book. And while 4th graders will enjoy Alex's adventures, 10th graders would probably be happy reading this series, as well. I'd recommend Skeleton Key to an older tween who's reluctant to read. It's suspenseful enough to keep the reader engaged, and Horowitz's writing never feels childish. Alex Rider could also provide a good break for an older tween who typically reads harder literature. Skeleton Key might be a great adventure story during Christmas break or summer holidays.

Ratatouille

*Ratatouille (2007). Pixar/Disney.*

I wanted to see this movie when it first came out, but I never got around to it. Reviewing items for tweens inspired me to finally rent (and watch!) Ratatouille.

Basically, a rat named Remy falls in love with food. He can't understand why his family and friends are okay with eating garbage. Because he can read, he learns about food through the book, Everyone Can Cook. When his colony is destroyed, Remy ends up at a restaurant in Paris. He's happy to watch through the skylight as the chefs create amazing dishes. But when he sees the new garbage boy trying to fix a soup--and realizes he's destroying it--Remy enters the kitchen and puts his skills to the test.

This begins a partnership between the boy, Linguine, and Remy. The rat has the skill, and Linguine has the ability to "appear human." Remy's talent puts Linguine in the spotlight, leading to all kinds of crazy situations. The garbage boy and the rat suddenly become highly important in the Paris food scene.

Chris and I watched this movie with tweens in mind (although we were truly watching it for ourselves). We decided that it's definitely appropriate for tweens, since it's rated G. It's also amusing, smart, and well-animated. While Ratatouille may be marketed as a kids' movie, it's plenty entertaining for people of all ages. Chris thought tweens might be embarrassed to openly enjoy Ratatouille, because it's a kids' movie and tweens are trying to get away from younger media. But when I think of myself in the 6th grade, loving Little Women, I can't help thinking I would have enjoyed Ratatouille and said so. Perhaps it's more suited for younger tweens, though tweens on any end of the spectrum should enjoy this Pixar flick.