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Care Bears: Grizzle-ly Adventures (NR, 2008)

common sense media says

Sharing lesson, plus a few scares for the Bears.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this DVD -- which is broken into two episodes -- is appealing to the usual audience for the TV show (ages 4 to 7). But the Grizzle character (think of a Teddy Ruxpin head on a Transformer) and his evil-doer antics -- including kidnapping and threatening to the bears to "crush their specialness" -- could give kids a scare. Also, a robot character turns bad, threatens the bears, and uses his saw hands to wreck a whole park. Emma, a character in the second story, is a positive can-do Latina character ... but unfortunately she looks more like one of the sexualized Bratz girls than Dora.

Positive messages: Share Bear sings a song and learns a lesson about sharing. Grizzle, who steals and plots against the Care Bears, is still a baddie at the end. Emma is a positive Latina character even though she looks like a Bratz doll, while Amigo Bear seems stereotypically placed as the bear who pushes the ice cream cart.
Violence & scariness: The bad robot-bear, Grizzle, threatens the Care Bears a lot. He also kidnaps them, ties them up, puts them in cages, picks them up with a claw machine, and puts them in another machine to figure out why they're so special -- so he can "crush their specialness." Their robot friend Wingnut keeps falling apart, and when Grizzle turns him bad, he uses his saw hands to destroy a park.
Sexy stuff: Emma, the human character in the second story, looks like one of the sexualized Bratz dolls.
Language: Grizzle says once "this really burns my fur," and that's about as bad as it gets.
Consumerism: The Bears are also toys for sale, plus the DVD comes with a large insert with much more to buy.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Care Bears: Grizzle-ly Adventures

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about caring, sharing, and all the Care Bears like to stand for. What's the secret at the end of "Emma's Dilemma" that makes them all special? If you had a CBT (Care Bear Transporter), where would you beam yourself to? Which Belly Badge would you like to wear on your tummy?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In two GRIZZLE-LY ADVENTURES -- "Broken" and "Emma's Dilemma" -- viewers set foot inside the cranky, bizarre-looking Grizzle's lair on another cloud within sight of Care-A-Lot. He always seems to be plotting something sinister. In "Broken," he's asked to fix his old robot pal Wingnut and fits him with an evil switch on the sly. When it turns on, watch out, Care Bears! In "Emma's Dilemma" Grizzle steals the Care Bears' prized possessions in hopes that he can find out how to "crush their specialness." Enter the Care Bears' secret weapon, Emma, who not only helps them find their things but saves them from Grizzle's cages as well.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Naive, happy-smiley pastel bears with some power-filled tummy tattoos are out-there enough. Enter Grizzle. He's the bad guy who looks like Teddy Ruxpin crossed with an overweight, rusting Transformer. And he cackles out his evil plans to a miniature robot who only responds by falling apart; its the same Gargamel/Azrael shtick, only weirder.

If you can get beyond that, the underlying messages that the Bears espouse on their TV show are still the same. There's a peppy sharing song, and Share Bear learns a lesson about sharing -- yes, sharing is even hard for her. They stick by their robot friend Wingnut, even when he does some bad things. And the Bears work together with their new friend Emma to escape Grizzle's clutches. Plus, the two-episode format is better for the attention span of the target age group.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Director: Amy Wolfram
Cast: Ashleigh Ball, Ian James Corlett, Tracey Moore
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 45 minutes
Theatrical release: February 1, 2008
DVD release: February 5, 2008
MPAA Rating: NR
This review was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
 
 

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XxshayminxX
teen, 14 years old
5
 
Fishsticks..
i liked carebears... the original. WHY DID THEY HAVE TO CHANGE :I
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Joeyjo102
kid, 11 years old
5
 
For younger kids
they are so adorable i wanna kick their heads off i would say they don't make sence though
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theguy
parent of 11 , 11 , and 17 , 18 , 25 year old
17
 
bad
too much sexy stuff
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helped me decide (1) | had useful details (1) | read my mind (1)

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