Larry, Moe, Curly and a few animals to boot

This weekend, I took Twirl and Boy Genius to see Furry Vengeance. Instead of a heart warming story about saving wildlife, it was silly segment after silly segment of Larry, Moe and Curly, along with a few animals wreaking havoc.

Now let me be clear. Larry is a raccoon, Moe is a ferret and Curly is a skunk. The few animals in the movie were all of the Homo sapiens version or quite possibly a link below – the knucklehead neanderthal.

Twirl and Boy Genius were not impressed. But the smaller kids in the audience seemed to get a kick out of the wildlife antics.

The movie is all about eco-friendly developer who thinks he’s green because he tears down a forest to build a shopping center with a forest theme, his on-site lughead who’s convinced the wildlife is out to get him, a teenager who spends his time lamenting his woes on Facebook and Brooke Shields. Okay – that’s not really a role, but I couldn’t get past the fact that she looks so much older. Like my age. Isn’t it a prerequisite that all actors and actresses continue to look exactly the same as when you first saw them on the big screen?

But I digress. Probably because there’s not much to talk about with regards to the movie. Except for the one moment when Mr. Lughead comes to the realization that the animals are just trying to protect their families as they work to protect their habitat from complete destruction. Now there’s the message. And it’s an important one for every man, woman and child to see and hear.

I’m not crazy about the personification of animals, but I am passionate about the fact that we share the planet with others who have just as much right to its abundance and beauty as I have. Every doodle bug my daughter brings home from the school playground, every squirrel my son sees rushing towards my tires, every bird that drops on my windshield has a family, a purpose and a precious, God-given life.

This is about responsibility, people. We’re at the top of the food chain. That doesn’t mean we have the right to destroy habitats for profit. It does mean we have the responsibility to protect habitats. This is a particularly timely soapbox given the spill in the Gulf Coast. Don’t even get me started on that.

Okay, back to the movie. Just watch the clip below. If you like it a lot, and can watch the same theme in all its glorious variations – you’ll love the movie. If not, you’ve got the main message right here.

Now that you’re done…here’s the real heart of the matter. Get your kids involved in doing something to protect wildlife. The National Wildlife Federation teamed up with Participant Media and other non-profits on a campaign in conjunction with the movie, designed to educate children and families about the importance of getting outdoors and protecting wildlife.

Visit the website at http://www.takepart.com/furryvengeance and get out there. Do something to make a difference. Oh, and be sure to check your backseat for any vengeful skunks. Ewwww….