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Hoodwinked
We all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, right? The big, bad wolf masquerades as a grandmother in order to gobble up the little girl in the red hood. Then again, maybe this simple tale isn't so simple after all. This movie gives a behind-the-scenes look at the real story and answers these burning questions: What was the wolf's true motive? Where WAS Granny anyway? And who exactly IS Little Red Riding Hood?It all begins when an assortment of feathered and furry detectives answer a "domestic disturbance" call at Granny's cottage in the woods. There, they find four suspicious characters. The seemingly innocent Red (voiced by Anne Hathaway) is worldly wise; the Big, Bad Wolf (Patrick Warburton) is terribly misunderstood; Granny (Glenn Close) has a secret life no one could have imagined; and the burly Woodsman (James Belushi) is, in reality, an insecure guy with some surprising ambitions. It appears to be an open-and-shut case with an assortment of criminal charges, including: breaking and entering, intent to eat, and wielding an axe without a license. But looks can be deceiving. As debonair detective Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), hard-nosed Police Chief Grizzly (rapper Xzibit), and police officer Bill Stork (Anthony Anderson) question the slippery suspects, they discover each one has a completely different tale to tell. Not only that, but it seems that this crime has ties to the notorious "Goody Bandit" who has been stealing the valuable recipes that keep the forest in muffins. As a result, snack shacks and goody shops are being forced out of business at an alarming rate. PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): Although little ones will likely be familiar with the classic version of Little Red Riding Hood, they probably won't understand this re-telling of the fairy tale, nor the humor. Also, some scenes are not suitable for kids 5 and younger: the Goody Bandit straps a character to a cable car full of dynamite and enlists the help of some thugs when the law starts to move in; Red resorts to martial arts to scare off The Wolf; some character are attacked on a ski slope by a group of thugs trying to take them out of the competition; Granny uses her rolling pin to fend off an assailant; a high-strung squirrel finds himself bouncing off the trees after he chugs a large mug of coffee; and there's a reference to trafficking, only using muffins instead of drugs. GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6-10): While 6-year-olds may not understand the humor in this movie, older grade-schoolers will get a kick out of this modern version of the tale, which, thankfully, doesn't resort to potty humor or sexual innuendos. This movie also breaks down some common stereotypes, including a granny who clearly doesn't sit in her rocking chair knitting sweaters. TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): This movie gives new life to some well-established characters in the world of fairy tales. It features an interesting storyline and introduces a few new characters, including a yodeling goat and a snitching sheep who can be easily bought. The humor appeals to both kids and adults, making this a fun movie for 7-year-olds on up. Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance writer specializing in the television and movie industry. Her syndicated column, "Reel Life With Jane," is published in papers throughout the country. Email her at jboursaw@charter.net. |
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