This weekend we watched the movie WALL•E. My 7-year old had seen it 3 times at her mom's house. I was thinking that she doesn't really "get" movies so I started asking questions about it. I figured it would be good because she had seen it 3 times already. She didn't know what WALL•E was doing, or what his job was. She didn't understand what EVE was doing on Earth. She didn't know why the people had left Earth. (We rewinded and showed her where it talks about it several times and eventually she figured it out). She didn't realize the people on the ship were FROM Earth, and couldn't guess why they were fat. So in the end, she didn't know why they were happy to be back on Earth. We worked it all out with her, and she did GET what the movie was about after we helped her set it all up. I just want to know if this is something that is average for a 7-year old or if this is something we really need to work on.
My son is 7 and after the first time we watched Wall-E we explained it to him. Unless you have told them all about "being green" it's a hard concept to get at first! Once I explained, asked questions just like you did he did understand and has watched it several times since. I wouldn't worry about it at all. If it makes you feel any better my BIL and SIL took their kids to see it and didn't understand it (I had to explain it to them too) and they are both in their 30s!
Do you read to her? Do you ask her about different things in the story or if she can narrate it back to you? If she can get books/stories, but not movies, it may be that too much visual stimulation does not give her the chance to process the information or that movies simply move too fast. If she doesn't get what you or she reads then having her narrate back a story is a very good exercise to train her. I would start with short, simple, obvious stories first. Maybe even read the same story a few days in a row until she can tell the story back to you herself.
Oooh, good idea! Her reading comprehension is off as well. I will start with those exercises. Thanks!
That's too bad. Wall-E was my favorite movie last year and one of my favorite Disney movies to date. Wall-E is such a cute and lovable character. I thought the message was a good one. A little preachy yes, but not something we all couldn't afford to think a little more about.
we took 5 kids(age3-5-6-7-8yrs.old) with us to watch the movie last summer. None of them understood what the movie was about. I think they got the idea but not throughly. 2 of them asked us to take them home
my kids really sat and watched it. Blushing here but I didn't get it at first. I kept asking why why why. Hubby just shook his head. Anyhoo we watched it a few times but its now collecting dust, the movie. did they get it? don't think so but they did ask lots of questions during the movie.
My oldest saw the movie last year when he was eight years old and he did not understand it either until we talked about it.
I was 13 when ET came out.. I didn't "Get it".. but I didn't really question it either.. II just remember memorizing the scenes and crying like a toddler when ET left on the space ship. Then again, maybe that means I "Got" it...??? I saw the star wars movies when I was a kid, and all I remembered form one of them was the famous EWOK song (Which my kids dance too, now.. hahaha)
My mom didn't get ET, either! She's one of those who cries at the drop of the hat, and I thought she'd bawl her eyes out at ET. NOPE! Not a tear!!!
maybe its time to take a trip to the city dump or land fill. then maybe she will understand the amount of garbage people create. then take her to a second hand store and find some of the things to show her like a rubix cube, a vhs tape, etc.... explain how things would be if we didn't take care of the earth........ plant trees, recycle etc....oh and my kids have seen the orkin commercial about the fact that a cockroach can live 10 days with its head cut off................. thats probably why the only living creature was a cockroach.
Well now I gotta watch it. We own the movie - it was a gift to both girls from dd12's grandma. She took them to the theater to see it and then bought the movie but I have never seen it.
Ds is 6 and doesn't get most movies either. Pooh or Spot type movies sure, nothing beyond that. We don't do a lot of movies though, tons of books in this house! I'm not too worried about it.
I never even thought to ask whether they understood it or not. I'm always very concerned with their reading comprehension. I guess I just don't care much about the movies they watch for fun. I'll have to question them later to see what they thought about it.
Sigh... You and my mom, Becky!!! :love: No "point" per se, but the idea of a being that wanted to be reunited with his family, much similar to "Lassie Come Home".
Well of course I knew he wanted to go home! Plus, I figured it meant something that the boy's family was split up. So that was the point of ET?! Am I the only one that gels out in front of a movie? i don't want messages, sermons or lessons- I want escapism!.
You're not alone Becky! I just want to be entertained, I don't want to have to think about what I'm watching or pay attention for a deeper meaning. I haven't seen Wall E so I can't comment on it, but I did see ET as a kid. I got the whole "ET go home" thing but it never occurred to me that there was some deeper message to the movie.
