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Video Review: Millions
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Brothers feud over good fortune
It's your kids' fantasy come true — walking back from school they spot two abandoned $20 bills. Your older son spends the cash on items that raise his cool factor—new stickers for his skateboard, and a baseball cap. Your younger boy buys an ice cream cone and leaves a generous tip. Then he heads to the children's library, where he donates the remainder to the construction of the new Harry Potter exhibit. Same amount, different values.
Being generous is the focus of the movie Millions, released on home video November 1. After watching the movie, use our conversation starters below to brainstorm ways your family can make a difference — whether you have $5 or $500. Then cash in on our activity, "Face Value," to bring the big-screen lesson to life!
Set in England, the film follows the fate of two young brothers, Damian (Alex Etel) and Anthony (Lewis Owen McGibbon), whose mother has died. One day Damian is shocked when a big bag of bills falls on his backyard fort. He confides in Anthony about the money miracle. With the United Kingdom one week away from converting pounds to Euros, the boys must quickly figure out what to do with the money.
The brothers clash over how to spend the cash. Still grieving the loss of his mother, Damian believes it's a gift from heaven and feels compelled to share the wealth with the down-and-out. Anthony, meanwhile, starts splurging on cool stuff for himself. When the boys learn the truth about where the bag of bills really came from, they face not only a bad guy, but also a bigger dilemma over what to do with the dough.
Talk Together
Ask your kids to imagine that a big bag of $100 bills fell on their fort. Take turns sharing the first three things you would do with your money. Why would using your money this way make you feel good? Do you think you'd spend your money more like Anthony or like Damian?
Spending money on yourself isn't necessarily bad, but it's important to spend it to help others, too. Ask your kids to think of ways they benefit from others being generous—perhaps an amazing new lion exhibit opened up at the zoo, thanks to hundreds of donors.
As a family, write a list of people or places you'd help if you had an endless supply of money—from adopting all of the kittens at the pet shelter to buying winter coats for needy kids. Brainstorm ways you can still support your cause, even if you don't have a lot of money. Your son might volunteer one hour each week playing with the kittens at the shelter. Or your daughter might organize a coat drive in your neighborhood. Hold onto this list—you'll need it to play "Face Value."
Play Together: Face Value
Make your own funny money that will motivate you to help others!
You will need:
- Green construction paper
- School photo
- Scissors
- Transparent tape
- Markers and crayons
Cut the paper into a rectangle about the size of a dollar bill. Cut a small oval in the center. Tape your school photo on the backside of the oval, so that your face is showing through, like the president's. Repeat so that each family member has his own bill.
Write "$1,000,000" on the corners of the bill. Using the list from the Talk Together section, write key words that will remind you of who you want to help, such as "kitten" or "coats." Decorate the bill with markers and crayons.
Place your million-dollar bills — and ideas - somewhere you'll see them often. That way your kids will learn, just like Damian, that sharing what you have with those in need can make you feel like a million bucks!
Go to cinematters.com for more film fun!
Copyright © CinemattersTM. The information contained on these pages is provided as a courtesy to My ParenTime's visitors. My ParenTime makes no representations or guarantees concerning the effectiveness of such information.
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