Image courtesy of Sony Pictures
Lenfest Kids: June 2021 Programming
For Lenfest Kids this June, we’re turning our theme of repair to the topic of friendship. How do we make and sustain friendships, particularly as so many of us have been separated for so long? Friendships can help us accomplish things we might not be able to do alone, and friends can support each other in difficult and happy times alike. But friendship is also about the shared memories and stories that we build together, as our films from this month show.
Our classic is the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, in which Dorothy learns how much she can accomplish when she accepts help from friends, whether defeating a wicked witch or finding a mysterious wizard. Our live-action film, for older kids, is Stand By Me (1986), in which a grown man remembers the adventures he had with his friends when they were 12. And in our animated film, Christopher Robin (2005), family man Christopher Robin revisits his long-forgotten childhood friend, Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him remember the happiness of life.
This installment of Lenfest Kids will be our last before summer break. We’ll be returning in the fall, hopefully in-person if University policy allows. In the meantime, thanks for joining us over the past year, and we hope you have lots of fun with friends, old and new, over the summer!
Image courtesy of BBC
The Wizard of Oz
Dir. Victor Fleming, 1939
United States | Not Rated | ages 6+
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward Emerald City to meet the great and powerful Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) who needs a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) without a heart, and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage.
Apple TV | Prime Video | HBO Max | YouTube
Image courtesy of The Guardian
Christopher Robin
Dir. Marc Forster, 2018
United States | PG | ages 8+
Christopher Robin, now a family man living in London, receives a surprise visit from his childhood pal, Winnie-the-Pooh. With Christopher's help, Pooh embarks on a journey to find his friends -- Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. Once reunited, the lovable bear and gang travel to the big city to help Christopher rediscover the joy of life.
Disney+ | Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube
Image courtesy of Film Inquiry
Stand By Me
Dir. Rob Fleischer, 1986
United States | PG | ages 14+
After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body for themselves. On the way, Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O'Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.
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Please note: We provide MPAA ratings and suggested age range ratings from Common Sense Media for your guidance, but as always, parental discretion is advised.