What Do You Think?
Join our Kids Off The Couch community to share your family’s favorite activities and to talk about how media impacts all of our kids’ lives.
View BlogTell Us Your Favorite Family Films
What do you watch in your house on Family Movie Night? Click here to send us a note.
The Tornado's Hit List
The Pink Panther 2 + What's Priceless in Your City
When Steve Martin took over Peter Seller's signature role as Inspector Clouseau, his bumbling-but-lovable character was embraced by a new generation. Our kids love to replay Martin's first incarnation as Clouseau and giggled their way through an early screening of The Pink Panther 2 (in theaters February 6). In this caper, Closeau assembles an international Dream Team of detectives to track down The Tornado, a nefarious thief who has stolen the world's greatest treasures, including the Magna Carta, the ring off the Pope's fingers and the spectacular Pink Panther itself -- a beautiful pink diamond. His reputation on the line, Clouseau struggles to crack open the case even as the Italian sleuth (Andy Garcia) steals away the one person who actually loves him (Emily Mortimer). Inspector Clouseau never disappoints -- he had our kids laughing from Paris to Rome as he sets restaurants on fire, falls down chimneys and even dangles off the Pope's balcony, all before flushing out the villain, recovering the gem, and winning back the heart of his adorable colleague.
What would a cunning thief steal in your neighborhood? We asked our kids to think about what items might top the Tornado's Hit List and discovered that our city is filled with priceless treasures. We had a hard time choosing between Degas's ballerina sculptures at one museum and a Jackson Pollack at another, but eventually, decided on visiting one of Van Gogh's paintings that topped the most-expensive art work list a few years back. (See Kernels below for our list of priceless art around town). Our kids were awestruck that a single painting would fetch millions. That got us thinking . . . collecting is a highly personal pursuit and what's of value to a buyer -- or, the Tornado -- might not be of value to us. Kids only care about price tags for so long, so when it came to making a list, they were keen to think about the city itself as something to treasure. Their objects of desire ranged from hilarious (their favorite hot dog stand) to sublime (a sign from the most famous street in our city). Our daughter remembered the first place she rode a two-wheeler, our husband chose a basketball jersey from a local NBA star, and soon we were talking about our family's priceless memories. What's on your family's Hit List?
Directed By: Harald Zwart
2009, Rated PG, 96 minutes
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Film:
- Why It's Worth It: Speaking of inestimable value, Steve Martin makes any scene priceless! Introducing kids to Martin's comic genius is a must, and this film fits the bill. Clearly, he's having a blast in scenes with Lily Tomlin, John Cleese, Andy Garcia and other worthy colleagues. The plot is pretty simple, allowing Martin's pratfalls, word games and and french mustache hold center stage. Plus, your kid will learn how to say "Hamburger" with a French accent!
- Red Flags: There is a smidgeon of sexual innuendo in the love triangle between Andy Garcia, Emily Mortimer and Steve Martin, but nothing ouvert. This is a straight PG film, and good for kids over seven.
- Further Viewing: Naturally, you'll want to see Steve Martin's first Pink Panther, as well as tour your kids through the classic Peter Sellers versions. There is an adorable cartoon version of the Pink Panther, as well. Teenagers will love Martin in LA Story and Roxanne and tween girls will gush over Father of the Bride.
Our Tips for Talking with your Kids about this Film:
- Cinema Savvy: The first Pink Panther films were written and directed by Blake Edwards and released by UA (and then MGM) beginning in 1963. The success of the first title spawned many sequels.
- Music Savvy: The iconic theme music was written by Henry Mancini. Just a single foot-tapping line of this memorable score puts us in a good mood. Ask the kids why they think the music has endured.
- What is the Pink Panther? Do the kids know why the diamond is called the Pink Panther? Because the beautiful pink stone in question has a flaw at the center which, when examined closely, looks like a leaping cat.
Collect Treasures for the Tornado
Make a list of your city's priceless art and your family's memorable favorites
Age Recommendation: Five and Up
Time Allocation: A ride in the carOur Tornado's Hit List for LA -- PERSONAL!
There are lots of valuable objects in every city, but sometimes, the most priceless are a family's scrapbook of memories or personal history. Here are some ideas to think about:
- Ethnic Tour: From Internment Camp Barracks at the Japanese American Museum, to Children's Concentration Camp Art at a Holocaust Museum, to memorabilia celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, there is great value on remembering a family's history.
- Family Scrapbook: Ask your kids to come up with their Top Ten Family Hit List of their favorite memories. From where they learned to ride bikes or swim, to a special picnic spot or hike, to the best chocolate chip cookie in town, it's fun to walk down memory lane.
- Jewel Heist: The Pink Panther Diamond is fictional, but most cities have a collection of invaluable gems. We found that our local Natural History Museum had a fantastic gem room, an art museum collected jewelry in its antiquities collection and a crafts museum had a visiting silver exhibit. It's fun to follow in the Tornado's footsteps!
Tornado's Hit List of Priceless Art:
- Boston: Someone has already taken a Rembrandt and other important paintings from the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum. In fact, the walls have been left empty to remind folks what used to be.
- New York: New York is art heaven - click here for Assouline's The Impossible Collection, a fun, $500 book with a list of the most valuable artworks in the world - many are contemporary pieces at MOMA including Picasso's Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guitar, Marc Chagall's Birthday, Magritte's The Treachery of Images, Dali's The Persistence of Memory, and many more.
- San Fransisco: Dorris and Donald Fisher, founders of The Gap, are considered one of the top collectors of contemporary art in the world and is trying to build a museum in the Presidio to house his collection and share it with the city.
- Washington: What could be more priceless, or more highly guarded, than the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights? Otherwise, all the great American works of art are housed in the National Gallery of Art, and anyone can walk in for free. That's priceless for ordinary citizens.
- Kids might have fun with fingerprinting kits or crystal growing kits, if this movie tickles their pink. Click here for ideas.
Click here and visit the Kids Off the Couch store at Amazon.com.
Click here and visit the Kids Off the Couch store at Amazon.com.