El osito polar

If you are looking for something safe to watch for 3-7 year olds, you have found your movie. Der kleine Eisbär is about as innocent as you can be. Action is quickly followed by moments of rest (some of the best scenes are actually of the bears swimming around the Arctic ocean to absolutely dreamy music). And there is no overt violence. This movie does not exactly show model family relationships with parents who are wimpy and ill discerning and a son who basically deliberately disobeys them. Aside from that, there are subtle messages of interracial tolerance and cooperation scattered throughout, but ultimately the film is a journey experience. The problem is that it is not all that fun to watch except for young children. Curious George (another film made primarily for smaller children) left you grinning from ear to ear during the whole film, despite its many plot holes. Der kleine Eisbär will pretty much leave parents feeling, "Well, at least my kid really likes it." It is too disjointed a movie with payoffs that are too modest to be of much interest to anyone without kids. But, still, if you want a kids' movie...then buy Curious George...and then buy this one if you have some money leftover. ;o)