Homeschool Happenings: FishFlix ~ Little Boy

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

FishFlix ~ Little Boy

I had the opportunity to review the movie, Little Boy, by FishFlix.com. Little Boy is a film about the special bond between a father and his son. FishFlix is a one stop online source of great Christian movies to inspire as well as entertain.

Little Pepper Flynt Busbee (aka: Little Boy) lives in a small, quaint town in California in the 1940's. Little Pepper and his father have a strong bond and do everything together. When Pepper's brother, London, is rejected by the military because of flat feet his father has to go off to serve instead. Pepper's world falls apart when his father goes off to fight in WWII. Pepper anxiously awaits his father's return when bad news comes. Many twists and turns take place including an encounter with a magician, a Japanese-American man, and a priest. Pepper learns about faith as small as a mustard seed, acceptance, and never giving up. Pepper learns that miracles do happen and that you cannot let anyone tell you something isn't possible.

Grab a box of Kleenex and get ready to experience an intense, heartwarming story. Be prepared to answer some tough questions that you children will ask. Hatred for the Japanese as they are released from the internment camps set up during the war. The bombing of Hiroshima. Reasons for World War II. The power to overcome obstacles. Picking up the pieces and moving on. Befriending those that persecute you. Faith of a mustard seed. Faith in God. Miracles. Bullying.

Pepper is challenged by the priest, Father Oliver to:

Feed the hungry
Shelter the homeless
Visit those in prison
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Bury the dead
Befriend Mr. Hoshimoto

Through Pepper's determination to complete "the list" not only is Pepper changed but he strengthens the faith of the townspeople. Pepper not only befriends Mr. Hoshimoto but the two of they develop a connection and relationship that is truly beautiful. From the beginning, Mr. Hoshimoto, is critical of Father Oliver's idea of "the list". He does not believe in a higher power and is concerned that the priest is just sitting Pepper up for disappointment and failure.

Who watched the movie
I was the first person to watch this movie. Before showing it to my children I wanted to see for myself what the movie was about and preview the content. After watching the movie I decided that it was appropriate to have all of my children to watch the movie. The movie opened the door for some great discussion. My son who is a history buff really got into the history of the movie. My 9 year old said, "I loved everything about the movie." My 12 year old said, "I wasn't sure that I was going to like the movie but I loved it." During breakfast the next day after watching the movie my 9 year old ask why the word "Jap" was so bad. This opened the door for a great discussion about offensive names for different ethnicities. It turned into a great history lesson.

What we thought
I personally really loved the movie. It was intense, heartbreaking, and joyful all in one. This will definitely be a movie that we will watch again. The rest of the family really liked the movie as well.

Final Thoughts
Not only does this movie have a wonderful, heartwarming storyline but the movie deals with the raw truth of the past. I would definitely recommend this movie to EVERYONE.