New on DVD: Grief, Little People, and Stuttering Kings

Rabbit Hole

The Gist: A mother (Nichole Kidman) and father (Aaron Eckhart) struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives while they are still mired in grief after the accidental death of their son.

The Ups: Amazing acting and a profound script combine to make a real portrait of that foreign country to which we are forcibly removed when we experience profound grief. The world goes on, but the griever is removed, not part of it.

The Downs: Just a tad, wee-bit depressing.

The Verdict: Depends. If you enjoy profound movies and don’t mind shedding a few tears, this film is an excellent meditation on the effects of grief and the supreme courage it takes to move on after the worst has happened.

Be Aware: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, some drug use, and language.

Gulliver’s Travels

The Gist: A man (Jack Black) shipwrecks on a strange country in which all the people are the size of garden gnomes, but aren’t as jolly.

The Ups: It’s a classic story. One that you should probably read to your kids instead of watching this film.

The Downs: Where to begin? If Jonathan Swift had written about 21st century slackers with a moronic sense of humor instead of satirizing his own 18th century culture, then this would be the perfect adaptation. Don’t let your kid think this is what classic literature is all about. It’s not anything that would stand the test of time. Worse, it’s not funny.

The Verdict: Skip it.

Be Aware: Rated PG for brief rude humor, mild language and action.

The King’s Speech

The Gist: England’s second son of the king never imagines he will ever be king himself. He has a terrible stutter and his brother is much more charismatic. But when his brother abdicates, the new King George VI (Colin Firth) must overcome his speech impediment to lead his country through its darkest hour.

The Ups: Fantastic acting and an oddly compelling story won this movie the Oscar for Best Picture. Geoffrey Rush is excellent as the king’s speech coach who becomes a trusted friend. This version is the original R rated one, in which the king learns to overcome his stutter partly by swearing like a sailor.

The Downs: No downs. It’s an enjoyable and delightful movie.

The Verdict: Watch it. If you can handle the kids hearing a few unsavory words that are not spoken in anger, have the kids watch it too. See Nancy’s article on whether it’s appropriate for kids and Tom's ruminations on the role of character in the movie.

Be Aware: Rated R for language. This was a huge controversy in critic circles because the movie does not contain sexual or violent content and the language is more humorous and helpful than angry.