Guest Blog: Review of Tale of Despereaux

Hi everyone. This is my first blog ever... That's right, this is Trent, not Megan. Quick, ladies, go get your husbands and brag about how supportive that Trent is to his lovely, beautiful, near Saintly wife Megan. No, really it is me, Trent. Megan has asked me to do a guest blog spot for her on tonight's fun family activity. I certainly hope that I can make her proud. Here it goes.

Tonight we took little K out to her first bar. Okay that's a lie. We actually took her to the movies tonight. We piled into the family truckster about 5:45 for a 6:00 show of Despereaux. Arriving 14 minutes prior to showtime thanks to some magnificant driving by Daddy, we pealed little K off the back windshield and raced inside.

If you have been to the movies recently you will understand that as usual we spent nearly $2000.00 on popcorn, candy and drinks. We then raced into the theater where our timing could not have been better. Front row seats! Just kidding, because I drive like an absolute maniac we were able to sit in the center about half way up. After the obligatory spilling of "popgold" that some used to call "popcorn," (before the price went higher than crude in the summer of 2008) we settled in for the show.

Now anyone who knows me, knows that I love the movies. But you have to be in the right mindset to go see a kids show. For me the preparation starts hours beforehand with a lot of booze and some greasy food. Then a quick nap and a couple of vicaden later, I'm ready for showtime! But, today I was not allowed to take my usual liberty with preparation so I had to go...sober. I know this is scary, especially if any husbands were really hassled into reading this by their wives. How did I pull this off? Easy actually. Don't watch so much of the movie. Take a look at your kid watching the movie. That is where the real entertainment is.

Our seats allowed little K some "wiggle room" that gave her the freedom to rush the screen as Despereaux made a courageous charge. And come screaming back to us as the evil rats chased him around. Little K had some of those big, deep in the belly, laughs, that make the entire outside world seem insignificant in comparison. She always has a good time but tonight was a better than usual time. And truly the movie did put forth several great lessons that we will continue to reinforce.

All in all, is the movie something that I would have taken my most beautiful, smart, nearly saintly wife to go see when we were dating? No. But, it is a great movie for parents to take their kids to. You bet, the world is short on honorable heros. If the movie studios can only bring back honor, chivalry, and otherwise gentlemenly behavior by using a mouse, I'm cool with it. I would love to see a thousand Despereauxs next year for Halloween, but, that is wishful thinking. After all the Watchmen will be out in 2009.

Dads, take your boys to this movie. Teach them well. For your safety as well as theirs.

Until the next naptime...