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Tannerman
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Steve Tanner - Kidology Web Director
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Big Idea's second theatrical film, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie, debuts January 11, 2008.
Advanced screenings of this film have been showing around the country. Have you had a chance to see it yet? If so, share your thoughts here! Do you plan on picking up a Pirates Ministry Kit for your church?
Mark Your Calendars! - Kidology Forum Q&A with Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki... November 12-16. Don't miss it!
Also... visit the Supporting Materials section to learn more about the film and to prepare for our Q&A.
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Kidjoni
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Joni Lum, Kidology Champion
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Yep saw it...enjoyed it... a little rough but I'm sure they'll have the transitions cleaned up by the time it's released.
Really liked the overall theme of being a Hero and what makes a hero.
Yep, I'm on order for the ministry kit...and the big inflateable larry. J.
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Tannerman
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To provide a little more information about this film (as I know there have been a lot of questions here and here), as well as to provide some background/context for our upcoming Q&A with Phil and Mike, we've put together a handy section on Kidology that pulls all that stuff together. You can even grab a copy of the movie trailer to stick on your personal blog!
Visit the Supporting Materials area!
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wbman
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the trailer looks fun. I just discovered they will be doing a preview in my area in Nov. So I just RSVP'd hopefully I'll get to see this and then do a party at our church.
We have a daycare center and have many unchurched families who bring their children. I'd love to be able to promote something fun and healthy to families.
Can't wait to interact with Phil and Mike, I've had VT soundclips on my computers for years!
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Jeff D. Robb
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I love the veggies and I can't wait to see the movie!
I only have one concern. I am sure that in the movie the pirates are drinking root beer but in the preview it doesn't say that. I am just a little worried that it might be frowned upon. Just a thought.
Jeff
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Tannerman
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Jeff D. Robb wrote:
| I only have one concern. I am sure that in the movie the pirates are drinking root beer but in the preview it doesn't say that. I am just a little worried that it might be frowned upon. Just a thought. |
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Saw an advanced screening tonight with Karl (we'll be posting our thoughts soon on our personal blogs as well as collaborating on a Kidology movie review with other CP Team members).
In the film two beverages are featured: Root Beer and Ginger Ale. 
If anyone has seen this film and already written about it on their own blogs, feel free to post a link and share as well!
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Kidjoni
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Joni Lum, Kidology Champion
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I did not even notice what they were drinking. It was such a minor part of the grand scheme of things. I don't think it would offend anyone.
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Kidologist
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Karl Bastian
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Well, I've finally seen the movie, as I live blogged from it. I also posted a short review this morning... no spoilers!
FOUR THUMBS UP!
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Kidjoni
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My kids loved the movie, from a 9th grade boy down to my 7 y/o girl.
My youngest was scared by the orange things with teeth. They were kinda disturbing...in a weird sort of way. Looked a little too freaky with those enormous teeth. My 8th grader said "they were freaky and not even a little cute." My 7 y/o said they were too scarrrrry. I don't like them."
As a mom and cm I loved some of the character's statements, kept thinking that this would be a great teaching point as the film progressed.
Looking forward to seeing this with my kids from church and also for it coming out on dvd....so I can teach from it at church.
Agree with Karl, big screen is definitely the way to go.
It did not seem too long at all...
Mr. Lunt was a crack up...
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Tannerman
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Steve Tanner - Kidology Web Director
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My thoughts on the film are archived on my personal site here. Note that these thoughts are not necessarily the thoughts of Kidology, etc., blah blah
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Tannerman
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On Phil Vischer's blog, someone asked this question:Since the movie Jonah was so successful, why is Big Idea softening (or in other words taking out) all religious talk in this next movie- The Pirates That Don't Do Anything? And why won't there be a bible story? Seems that the success of the previous movie proves that there is a large number of Americans who want Christian movies. Anyone can put out a movie without bad morals. We need movies with a Christian message not more 'Finding Nemo'. Click to read his reponse
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segullah
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Does anyone know when the DVD will be released? It's not going to show in my area so I would love to get the pirate's kit and have a big movie night/party at the church.
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Tannerman
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Steve Tanner - Kidology Web Director
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segullah wrote:
Does anyone know when the DVD will be released? It's not going to show in my area so I would love to get the pirate's kit and have a big movie night/party at the church. |
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First of all, this isn't DVD. 
It's a theatrical movie release set for January 11. Thus it's most likely going to appear at a movie theater near you... though actual theaters have not yet been announced.
I believe the Pirate's Ministry Kit is designed to support the release of this movie so that your ministry can tap into that.
Of course, after the film release window, it's destined to arrive on DVD eventually.
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Guests
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We are going on Monday night to see it with a few other Pastors and their Kids...I can't wait!!! I am the worst a laughing out loud at kids movies. Usually the rest of the adults spend their evening trying to hush myself and their children so that we aren't disruptive...hehe...again...I can't wait!
Kim Bobb...daughter in law to a real man named LARRY BOBB...hehehe
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Pastor Rick
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Saw the movie tonight - We were told that Columbus OH was the first to see the final cut so it looked and sounded GREAT!
I have to agree with Carl - give it FOUR thumbs up!
Having a preview message from Phil Vischer explaining the premise for the movie and the idea of weaving biblical principles as a new approach made this movie something to enjoy with a sense of getting the message. Keeping the culture in mind as you write, produce and market a film like this can bring them in or keep them away. This one, I believe, will bring them in and they will leave with a great lesson on what real heroes are.
-Rick
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centurybaptist6160
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I have been a Big Idea Ambassador for quite sometime now (I think since the ambassador program began), and I really appreciate the privilege to promote these videos. I also like the fact that the children most likely haven't seen the movie already, so it can be a big "draw" for children's ministry. My last ambassador kit was for The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's. The activity guides contained in these kits used to provide us with ideas for games and crafts, etc, but they no longer do. I'm wondering why this was stopped, and if the Pirate ambassador kits will or will not contain some of these ideas. Any ideas?
Melanie 
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ErinMascot
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I've been telling the kids there are two important things happening on January 11:
#1, it's my birthday! You're invited.
#2, I'm having a party at the movie theater. Make sure you remember your vegetables and eye patches.
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mommyldy13695
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I am having a hard time planing an outing to the movie because they will not release show times until Jan. 9th. So how do you put the word out there for parents without a show time. It is very hard to get a group of 25 or more to commit to going to a movie if you do not know what time the movie will be. What is everyone else doing?
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ErinMascot
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Call the theater office. Of course, our theater doesn't list a number, so I'll be going over tomorrow to get pre-sale tickets.
Trust me, any time a theater can pre-sale 50-100 tickets they jump. throw in a little popcorn and they'll clean the seats for you.
Right now I'm telling the parents it will be the last matinee, probably some time in the 5 o'clock hour.
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eriepastor7638
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D'oh. My timing was off. I wrote a Pirates Backyard Adventure Curriculum last summer.
D'oh.
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PastorEric
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All right, I'm a little concerned. I've heard Phil Visher's explanation and I've read Steve Tanner's review but I'm still concerned. I'm a huge VeggieTales fan (I decorated the nursery of my first child in VeggieTales) but this one seems like a step in the wrong direction.
Concern: It's a secular movie.
Ok, ok there's great potential for discussions and whatnot but it's still a secular movie. It's even a well-done movie but the strictest censorship board available couldn't find a reason to keep it from being shown in a public school. That's not bad or evil but it just isn't a message of Christ.
The message is YOU can be a hero if YOU do what is right. As a parable, it's work-based salvation at best (Yes God gave them everything they needed but it still salvation is equivalent here to being a hero and that was all about what they did. Grace extends only as far as an opportunity to save them.) As a movie, (especially to children, who tend not to have the ability to look for a deeper meaning very well) there's not a message.
We took our VBA team (we're using their VBS curriculum this summer) and they didn't get the point at all until the sermonizing at the end.
I haven't lost all faith in VeggieTales. I'm not redecorating the nursery or changing our summer VBA plans. (VBA is Vacation Bible Adventure by the way - someone always asks) I'm just a little concerned. We've all seen enough Christian artists who quit talking about God in order to "reach more people" who end up turning away from God.
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ErinMascot
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Eric-
"That's not bad or evil but it just isn't a message of Christ. "
What's your take on the Song of Solomon? God isn't mentioned at all in the book. And it's filled with graphic depictions, so much so Jewish boys weren't allowed to read the book until they were 14.
Can I also ask the following questions:
1. Why aren't you concerned about promoting piracy? Pirates looted, burned, were in business for themselves, hardly ever swore allegiance to authority, raped, enslaved, pillaged and plundered. (Did anyone ever notice that one of the men in the Pirates of the Carribean boat ride no longer chases the woman, but she chases him instead?)
2. Why aren't you concerned with the use of magic? Why do we let these characters use an amulet to time travel? Why the use of the golems? Can't they tell a story without fairy dust, especially since witchcraft is condemned in the bible?
3. (in honor of another topic on this board) Why aren't you concerned with the use of fictitious role playing by the characters, especially since they are portraying normally evilly depicted pirates? And why allow the three characters to LIE about their actual lives to fit the story? Isn't that deception?
4. Why aren't you concerned with the use of a song from a decadent, drug-using rock band of the 1980's? Or using allegories from gangster movies?
Did you shoot down the Narnia series or the LOTR series, because of the blatant withdrawl of the name of God, especially in the light of CS Lewis' and JR Tolkein's other adult contributions to Christianity, or are you holding our produce partners to a higher standard?
Concerning your final statement:
"We've all seen enough Christian artists who quit talking about God in order to "reach more people" who end up turning away from God."
Agreed, and we can also be grateful for Christian artists who have been able to use their skills to bring others to Christ by stepping apologetically off their soapbox and getting their hands dirty in the world of the unsaved.
Sorry if this post sounds heated, it's really not meant to be. As an artist I wrestle with creativity and Creator-glorifying all the time. I also wrestle with looking hypocritical to those who would peg me as being too judgmental to be around. And I wrestle with what I want my children to hear, see, and be a part of.
From what I've read we don't have to worry about Phil or Mike turning away from God any time soon, but we definitely have to pray that God will keep them from any temptations to do so.
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elton14652
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wow! that was a lot of writing!
i have not seen the movie yet, i would just like to comment on previous videos i have seen
this is my simple take on vegie tales. i get interupted often, while reading a bible story and children stating a scene from vegie tales. Goliath was not a large pickle, He was an enemy of the Kingdom of God and he was mocking God's people.
if it is true "... a well-done movie but the strictest censorship board available couldn't find a reason to keep it from being shown in a public school"
that is concerning! i don't know what the movie makers purpose was behind the movie, but there is only one hero and that is Jesus Christ and He did not come to be a hero , rather to destroy the works of the devil and submit himself to God the Father and humbly give his life for others.
we must raise a generation that knows the complete truth, lets not water it down. Jesus spoke in stories, but His message brought about Godly change in the lives who heard.
whatever we do must bring glory to the Father,
Paul himself wrote " I preach Christ and Him crucified"
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PastorEric
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Well, I thought I might be opening a can of worms... I'll try to answer some questions but I hesitate to get into what sounds like it will become a heated debate. You gave a very thoughtful response with very good points that deserve further discussion.
ErinMascot wrote:
What's your take on the Song of Solomon? God isn't mentioned at all in the book. And it's filled with graphic depictions, so much so Jewish boys weren't allowed to read the book until they were 14. |
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It's not bad either.  It is, however, interesting to note that this has historically been one of the most challenged books in scripture. It was included as a book to be read during the Feast of Passover which means it was probably understood allegorically and time would have been devoted to explanation. This could be done with VT in a church settings as well but the setting is a movie theater so there's no opportunity for an explanation of the message.
ErinMascot wrote:
1. Why aren't you concerned about promoting piracy?
A contrast is made between the Pirates who don't do anything and the pirates who steal,kill and destroy. Besides, I'm willing to live the cultural disconnect between fantasy pirates who are pretty cool to a little boy and historical pirates who were really bad. |
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ErinMascot wrote:
2. Why aren't you concerned with the use of magic? Why do we let these characters use an amulet to time travel? Why the use of the golems? Can't they tell a story without fairy dust, especially since witchcraft is condemned in the bible? |
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Magic without spell-casting is acceptable to me. I think the "help-seeker" will be viewed as more of a mechanical device (There's a heavy mechanical theme going on) than a magical one.
ErinMascot wrote:
3. (in honor of another topic on this board) Why aren't you concerned with the use of fictitious role playing by the characters, especially since they are portraying normally evilly depicted pirates? And why allow the three characters to LIE about their actual lives to fit the story? Isn't that deception? |
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Role-playing and lying are not the same. It is adults rather than children that make that connection.
ErinMascot wrote:
4. Why aren't you concerned with the use of a song from a decadent, drug-using rock band of the 1980's? Or using allegories from gangster movies? |
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The gangster reference did concern me. In general, however, my concerns are centered around what is being communicated to the CHILDREN watching the film. References that mean nothing communicate nothing. (We'd do well to remember that in the church sometimes [:-D].)
ErinMascot wrote:
Did you shoot down the Narnia series or the LOTR series, because of the blatant withdrawl of the name of God, especially in the light of CS Lewis' and JR Tolkein's other adult contributions to Christianity, or are you holding our produce partners to a higher standard? |
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Basically, I'm holding our "produce partners" to a different standard. The point is that they have changed directions from all of their previous work. I made a point of saying that I didn't think that was bad - just cause for concern. Concern means watching a thing more closely.
ErinMascot wrote:
we can also be grateful for Christian artists who have been able to use their skills to bring others to Christ by stepping apologetically off their soapbox and getting their hands dirty in the world of the unsaved. |
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Agreed as well. Once again, I think VeggieTales intentions are honorable. I want to clarify that, to me at least, concern is not equal to opposition, it's just that - concern.
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Chewy
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I finally saw the movie last week and am going back tomorrow to see with my son and his B-day party attenders. The movie theater in town is offering it at $2.50/person w/ popcorn. Can't beat the deal!!!
My take on the movie was this...
While it did not have a Bible story...The reference was there of how God takes care of us...at the end, there are parallels of God and his care as our father as in the king's return. I realize most kids won't get the underwritten storyline but did they get it w/ Narnia? Most did not unless their parents understood it.
I'm still a fan of Veggies. I will say, prior to seeing the movie, I was a bit worried if it was 'watered down" or not. I feel like they put out a quality movie that is great!
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ErinMascot
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Hey, Eric! Thanks for the great responses!
"The point is that they have changed directions from all of their previous work"
Actually, that's not totally true. When Big Idea decided to enter the television series they chose to filter out the God references, but during that time they were still producing videos which were GPM'd. Maybe this is nit-picking, but it does show that some areas of their productions were targeted towards the lost and some were targeted towards the saved.
Anyway, it sounds like we're in agreement to keep supporting these artists in prayer so they don't fall into temptations that Satan throws at them.
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Tannerman
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PastorEric wrote:
| Basically, I'm holding our "produce partners" to a different standard. The point is that they have changed directions from all of their previous work. I made a point of saying that I didn't think that was bad - just cause for concern. Concern means watching a thing more closely. |
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From the Kidology Forum Q&A Transcript with Phil Vischer & Mike Nawrocki, a response by Mike to a question you actually asked during the event:
PastorEric wrote:
Let me push on the Jesus question a little. I'm familiar with Easter Carol but I notice that even then, the name "Jesus" was never used, only "The hope of Easter" and pictures. Is this intentional? If so why?
There seems to me to have been more of a shift towards parody-based episodes lately. Once again, is that intentional, why? |
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Mike Nawrocki wrote:
"Jesus Question": Definitely not intentional. I can't imagine anyone watching the show and not knowing that we're talking about Jesus; Hope's Song in particular. We've used the name of Jesus in the context of Bible verses on Qwerty. The whole Bible centers around and points to the person and the work of Jesus Christ, we've just always wanted to be very careful about not crossing any sacred lines by depicting Him as a vegetable.
Parody: VeggieTales stories fall into three camps - Bible story, parody, and original story : with a ratio of about 40:40:20. I do think we have had a few more specific parodies of very popular stories lately. "Lord of the Beans" and "Wizard of Has", in particular - but parody has been a big part of VeggieTales from the beginning - Episode 2: The Grapes of Wrath, Larry's Lagoon (Gilligan's Island), Episode 3: The Gourd's Must be Crazy (Star Trek), the LarryBoy Episodes (general super hero genre), Episode 10: Madame Blueberry (Madame Bovary)... |
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Given your post in this thread, I assume you don't buy into Mike's explanation in regards to their direction?
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PastorEric
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Tannerman wrote:
| Given your post in this thread, I assume you don't buy into Mike's explanation in regards to their direction? |
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I think this movie is different from past VTs in that regard. The problem is not that it isn't a Bible story. Mike said he couldn't imagine someone watching and not knowing they were talking about Jesus. I can agree with that for their previous work (although I still think he dodged the question about actually using Jesus' name ). With the new movie, I can absolutely imagine people watching and not knowing that they were talking about Jesus.
BUT just because I have concerns about this does not mean that I think they are doing something bad or [I}necessarily heading the wrong direction, it just raised a red flag. I really liked the movie. I'm in the midst of planning Veggie Tales: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything VBA. And I'm enough of a fan that I feel bad that I'm representing the anti-veggie voice here (hence this disclaimer).
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PastorEric
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All right, since I raised my first concern  , let me raise a second:
Were anyone else's kids afraid of the cheese curls? I have heard from 2 preschoolers and 1 5th grader that they were scary?!? I didn't find them to be scary - perhaps a little on the demented side - but not scary.
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ErinMascot
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PastorEric wrote:
All right, since I raised my first concern , let me raise a second:
Were anyone else's kids afraid of the cheese curls? I have heard from 2 preschoolers and 1 5th grader that they were scary?!? I didn't find them to be scary - perhaps a little on the demented side - but not scary. |
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My two year old didn't have a problem with them, but then again we watched the trailers for a few days before the movie showing. I've heard other little kids were afraid of them, though.
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Kidology Network Forum : Let's Talk Children's Ministry
Topic: VeggieTales Pirates Film
