The Paleolithic mammals are back and so is that cute little saber-toothed squirrel Scrat.

It’s the fourth movie of the “Ice Age” franchise, it’s formulaic and exactly what you’ve come to expect from the series. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s entertaining. The writers didn’t need to reinvent the successful box office formula here.

The cast of misfits was last seen saving Sid the sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo) from dinosaurs in “Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” For “Continental Drift,” the land is shifting and splitting apart. Because of this, mammoth Manny (Ray Romano) is separated from his wife Ellie (Queen Latifah) and their 19-year-old daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer).

Manny is adrift with Diego the sabre-toothed cat (Denis Leary), Sid and Sid’s hilarious grandma Granny — voiced perfectly by Wanda Sykes. And the adventure picks up from there.

Calling this fourth iteration “safe” is accurate. Ten years after the first “Ice Age,” it’s funny at times and kids — and some of their parents — will enjoy this 94-minute animated 3-D film.

The level of animation and creativity from 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios still seems to be subpar with DreamWorks Animation and the juggernaut that is Disney/Pixar. BUT there is still some really nice work exhibited in the “Ice Age” series.

The animated short before the movie, “The Longest Daycare,” follows baby Maggie from “The Simpsons” on a day at a daycare facility. It is short and sweet and carries Pixar charm.

At the end of “Continental Drift,” there is a music video with one of the movie’s theme songs, “We Are.” It perfectly sums up the movie. “We are, we are, not your ordinary family … we’re so lucky indeed … we are family.” It describes a bunch of misfits that together form a family.

The “Ice Age” series has this family message at its core. And that’s where it really succeeds.

/ 5

Official trailer:

Rated PG for mild rude humor and action/peril.

Read more: STAR @ the movies

Toledo Free Press Lead Designer and Film Editor James A. Molnar blogs about all things Oscar at TheGoldKnight.com. Watch him discuss movies on “WNWO Today” around 5:50 a.m. on Fridays.

Tags: 20th Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky, Continental Drift, Denis Leary, Family, Film, Ice Age, James A. Molnar, John Leguizamo, Keke Palmer, Movies, Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, review, Scrat, summer movies, The Gold Knight, Wanda Sykes

This entry was posted on Friday, July 13th, 2012 at 3:26 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Film, Star, The Gold Knight.
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On May 23, my daughter Kacee came home from school, raced up the stairs and into my bedroom and was carrying the biggest smile on her face. “Why are you so happy?” I asked, already knowing the answer… “Today’s my birthday” she replied looking almost baffled as to how I could have forgotten. I smiled, kissed her and smirked “I know what today is…what would you like to do for your birthday?” Very few words shock me anymore as a parent, but I was not prepared for the following syllables. “ I want to go to Outback for dinner and I would like to get a Bunny.” The Outback response was not surprising as she loves a fine steak and a baked potato, but the bunny request was hard to swallow. My immediate thought was a firm “no”, but I had yet to buy her anything else, and I had no other ideas. I had to convince myself, if I could raise 4 kids, I can raise a bunny. So after a junior steak and a blooming onion we went bunny shopping and found a beautiful long-haired white rabbit at the Anderson’s.

Kacee Mae turned 9 years old and received the “only thing” she wanted for her birthday, a bunny she named Quinn FurRabbit in honor of her favorite “Glee” character.

Memorial Day weekend was upon us and Kacee instantly proved she could be responsible for her new gift. Kacee did everything that was needed to be done, from cleaning out the cage to refilling food bowls, she made sure Quinn got her exercise by overlooking her roaming time in the house away from her cage. Kacee had become the perfect pet owner … Kacee fell in love with Quinn.

Like many divorced families, I have a 50/50 shared custody agreement with my ex-wife, and Monday is a transitional day, it also happened to be Memorial Day. As I was dropping my children off and saying my goodbyes, Kacee made me promise that I would take care of Quinn until she returned. Idling in the driveway she was giving me a quick to-do list, like she was dropping off a newborn with a babysitter for the first time. Her estimated time away from Quinn was 50 hours. I reassured her that she would be fine, half laughing at our conversation and as my minivan’s sliding door was closing she made me promise one final time that Quinn would be OK. “I promise that she will be fine, I love you, I’ll see you in two days” were my parting words to her.

Wednesday morning came, some 40 hours had went and I mistakenly double-dosed myself with my ADD medicine. That’s the problem with getting up at 2:30 a.m. and having ADD, I occasionally forget if I took my medicine or not, so just to be safe for my work I took another pill. Within an hour my suspicions were confirmed, my brain was working in overdrive, so I must have over-medicated myself. By 7 a.m., I had such clarity that I headed straight away to Lowe’s. I was going to prove that I was beyond a good rabbit-sitter, I was going to embrace this new responsibility. I decided to build an outdoor pen for Quinn, to allow her to feel the grass underneath her paws. I bought fencing and posts and by 8 a.m., Quinn FurRabbit’s life was gong to get incredibly better: She could experience the outside once again.

The pride I had by 10 a.m. was remarkable, even for an occasional narcissist like myself. Quinn the bunny was in her newly built outside pen, loving life. I just had introduced her to my small dog and they were kissing each other through the fencing, it could not be any better, I was taking pictures to document the moment. I called my girlfriend Miss Jenn, I was giving her the play-by-play of my morning and the success of my bunny project while I walked into my house. Seconds later as our conversation continued, I heard a weird long screech almost cry. I hung up the phone, raced outside screaming my dog’s name, and the only thing my eyes could find was an empty pen, the very same I just built … Quinn FurRabbit was gone.

Heartbreak, shock, disbelief, and sadness instantly filled my world. The haunting thought of my last conversation with Kacee filled my heart, I lost her birthday present a week to the day after she received it; I just failed her as a parent. I frantically searched my yard, my neighbor’s yard, my neighborhood … every square inch, no rock left unturned and I did not find her anywhere. My neighbor looked at me like I was insane, so I informed of the situation and asked him to keep an eye out. In my mind, I had two plausible scenarios: Quinn was either hiding, or a hawk had carried her away. I had posted an update on Facebook for a local search party, I later created a missing poster in hopes it might go viral. I was determined by any means necessary not to break Kacee’s heart.

My search shifted from finding Quinn, to finding a secret replacement of Quinn. I found out more information about bunnies over the next couple of hours than I ever needed to know. I discovered Quinn was a rare Lionhead rabbit. I called every pet store, googled every rabbit breeding farm, and spoke to numerous rabbit experts who all tried the very best to help a desperate father in his hour of need. I was able to track down Doug from Kendra’s Rabbitry, who supplies most of the area stores with their bunnies … he felt my pain but could not help. Doug informed me about a special rabbit he just dropped off a few hours before and said it would be a perfect fit for us, just not a replacement one.

The day moved along with my search, at 2:35 the phone rings, the caller ID says it’s Kacee’s school. “Dad, would you bring Quinn up to school for the walk home, so my friends can meet her?” and I could hear the smile in her voice as she asked. My heart sunk and I told her I would be there, mumbled some nonsensical words, hung up the phone, then hung my head. In 20 minutes my children will be informed of the day’s events and subsequent disappearance of Quinn, the birthday bunny.

Kacee knew right away that something was wrong. I decided the truth would set me free. I recapped the previous six plus hours, including my thoughts of secretly replacing the bunny. Her reaction was exactly what you think it would be, disappointment, heartbreak and sadness. My youngest daughter Joeli, took it the hardest; she cried. They walked around the backyard like a scene out of “CSI,” reconstructing the crime scene and retracing the rabbit’s final known steps. I then told them of my earlier conversation with Doug from Kendra’s Rabbitry, that there could be another special bunny we could adopt. I promised to continue the search for Quinn as we piled into the car to go meet this other bunny. If we liked this other bunny, we could get him, and if I found Quinn she could have two. “We can become bunny breeders,” I joked.

Needless to say that Doug’s words could not be any truer, Kacee met and instantly fell in love again with a lop-eared black and white baby boy bunny, whom she named Finn Hutch, another homage to “Glee.”  From Quinn to Finn in exactly one week.

The long day, like any other day had to continue as life does in the suburbs. My son had a baseball game and we were on the move again. Finn was placed in the very same cage that Quinn called home for the previous six nights. I had not eaten a thing that entire day, I did not take my normal nap, this was obvious on our way home from the game. As we were all getting ready for bed, a knock at my front door was heard, and then I heard another unforgettable screech. It was Kacee. My neighbor was holding a familiar white creature in his hands: Quinn the bunny.

Kacee is now the proud owner of two bunnies, Quinn and Finn.

In a millisecond I went from being an over-compensating father to an unintentional bunny breeder.

Happy birthday, Kacee Mae.

To see pictures of Quinn and Finn, or to follow his crazy life, Jeremy Baumhower is on Facebook and Twitter @JeremyTheProduc.

Tags: animals, Family, Jeremy Baumhower

This entry was posted on Friday, June 8th, 2012 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Community, Media Watch.
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We have come around once again to Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each year at this time we pause to remember the children our community has lost to abuse, neglect and senseless violence. We also use the occasion to remind ourselves — and each other — that child abuse can and should be prevented.

We have an obligation to watch out for the parents and children in our lives. By caring for each other and helping parents in need, we create a safety net that protects children from becoming unfortunate victims, whether it’s of conscious abuse or pure neglect.

Of the children we will remember at our agency’s annual Child Memorial on April 29, none were lost to physical abuse. That’s important, and encouraging. However, it’s not realistic to believe we have ended child abuse in our community. Instead, perhaps this is a signal that we are becoming more aware of the price we all pay when we allow child abuse to occur.

In 2010, Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) received nearly 4,500 calls of suspected maltreatment involving 6,500 children. Almost half of the calls were for physical abuse. Of all of the children who were confirmed victims of physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect, nearly half of them were five years old or younger — our most vulnerable victims. While abuse occurred throughout the county, it was most likely to occur in neighborhoods that experience a number of social problems. Our community must support programs and services that help parents be good, safe parents. We need to make sure that quality day care and medical care are accessible to them, and that parenting classes are available for those who need them. But most of all, we have to make sure our young parents are connected to family, friends and neighbors. Those “kin” are the ones that teach young parents to make good decisions and handle tough situations, and when things get rough, wrap their loving arms around them.

Lucas County has been fortunate to have great family resources in our neighborhoods — community centers, Help Me Grow, health clinics and houses of worship. If you know of a parent who is having trouble caring for his or her children or keeping them safe, call us. We can work with that family and connect them with resources that can point them in the right direction. But you must be strong, first, and be willing to make the call.

Our community has experienced tragedy. We lost three children to drowning last year, and two teens died due to senseless street violence. The three drowning victims were very, very young, ranging from less than a year old to just 3 years old. Each of these children drowned under very different circumstances, but their deaths are equally tragic. The two young men who died lived in different parts of town, but both succumbed to random shootings that are part of everyday life for too many residents of our community. Their deaths remind us that we need to keep our children close, no matter how old they are.

Every April, as we remember the children we’ve lost during the past year, I hope and pray that we don’t have to gather together the following year to memorialize even more young victims. Let us all recommit to making Lucas County a safe place for children and a community that supports strong families.

LCCS hosts its annual Child Memorial on April 29 at 11:30 a.m. at its offices, 705 Adams St. in Downtown Toledo. The community is urged to attend. Report child abuse 24/7 at (419) 213-2273. You can remain anonymous.

Dean Sparks is executive director of Lucas County Children Services.

Tags: Dean Sparks, Family, Lucas County Children Services

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 14th, 2011 at 8:25 pm and is filed under Community, Family.
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“Good old-fashioned character development” is the message Dr. Hal Urban will bring to Toledo during a free program hosted by The Knight Academy charter school on Nov. 4.

The school, for boys and girls in fifth through eighth grades, invited the renowned speaker and education to speak to students, parents, teacher and interested community members at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Gladieux Meadows, 4480 Heatherdowns Blvd.

Tom Baker, executive director of The Knight Academy, said Urban is well-known in academic circles as “the guru of character development” and the school wanted to offer this program to the public because the development of strong character in young people is one of the biggest challenges facing parents and educations.

“He really has a special gift for bringing out the best in our youth, and just think it’s a great opportunity for us to to capitalize on what he has been able to build over the years,” Baker said. “My concern is that we are getting generation after generation that are losing our core values in terms of how we behave and how we should have some good work ethics … He’s wonderful, humorous, he’s been around for several years so he has a lot of stories, and he really knows what works.”

Baker said Urban will also speak to The Knight Academy students during the school day and to teachers from across Toledo in an afternoon session on Nov. 4 before the program open to the public that evening.

The program is free, but reservations are required. Contact The Knight Academy at (419) 720-4444 by Nov. 4 for reservations.

Tags: Education, Family, The Knight Academy

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 31st, 2010 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Education.
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Harry Connick, Jr. released albums at certain milestone ages, naming them after the year of his life he was attempting to freeze in time through his music. As each of my adult milestone birthdays has approached, I have thought about doing such a thing but have always let the opportunity pass me by. Unlike childhood birthdays, adult birthdays give us the opportunity to not only anticipate all that is yet to come but also to appreciate all that has come before. The greatest gift we receive each year as we pass “Go” is being able to take pause to reflect on the wisdom we’ve gained from where we’ve already been.

However, with each passing year the list of what I think I know seems to be dwindling. If only I had started my list at sixteen when I still had the whole world figured out. At thirty-five, this is what I have left:

1. Honesty is the best policy. My grandmother passed on the notion that if you always tell what you know to be the truth, you won’t have to remember what you said. I find it is also quite handy in establishing trust.

2. No one is above me and no one is beneath me. Foregoing any feelings of superiority and/or intimidation when interacting with the world at large continually opens up doors around every corner. I have amassed a wonderfully eclectic group of friends and life experiences under this principle and can’t help but think that popularizing it would make the world a better place.

3. Nudity and swearing aren’t quite the potential dreadfulness I was led to believe. After having my uterus pried open in front of a room full of strangers on three occasions, I’ve lost some esteem for the idea of body modesty. With few exceptions, we all have the same parts, so it seems silly to put such emphasis on the relatively small variances that occur from one person to the next. I also wonder if we didn’t place such a taboo on words like the “F” one that shall not be named that certain individuals wouldn’t feel the need to insert it after every other syllable as if they were Smurfs. I take much greater exception to “idiot,” “stupid,” and, frankly, even “ignorant,” which is really just the polite form of “idiot.”

4. As a society we waste a whole lot of time arguing about things that could be solved by recognizing simple semantics. As an example, some people would never be caught meditating, yet live by the power of prayer and vice versa. People who lambaste the traditionally religious among us create their own religion based on disagreement and disdain. Realizing how similarly we all live rather than nitpicking at the subtle differences would do wonders for getting along.

5. Dr. Seuss was right – life’s a great balancing act. We all have our weaknesses and our vices and keeping them in check is often the secret to a happy, healthy life. Many of the world’s ills could be cured with a daily dose of moderation.

6. I have begun to question whether knowledge is really power. After being bombarded my whole life with the idea that an open and educated mind is the only way to go, living with an educated mind is much less comfortable an experience than I had anticipated. The learned ability to absorb, compare, analyze and question the validity of vast amounts of information is anxiety-producing and exhausting. I’m not giving up on the idea entirely, but perhaps ignorance really is bliss.

7. Trying to mentally divide the world into the “haves” and the “have-nots” is a futile and fruitless mission. We are all “haves” in some ways and “have-nots” in others. Material valuables in life are by no means the only ones worth counting up at the end of the day. If I had to choose, I’d personally much prefer to be a “have” in terms of the intangible and incalculable things in life than anything that can be given a price tag.

8. Birthdays are a time to celebrate the fact that you made it another round no matter how many times you’ve done it before. The fear of wrinkles and gray hairs and pining for youth gone by have ruled our culture for too long. Returning to an appreciation for the stability and the wisdom and the substance that comes with growing older is in desperate order. Growing up can be an interesting, insightful and enjoyable time if we let it.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Tags: Family, Family Practice, Shannon Szyperski

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 30th, 2010 at 9:36 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Family Practice.
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There is one phrase that tends to make my skin crawl more than any other. As much as grammatical error begs to confound my senses, I can put linguistic differences aside. The phrase that always gets my teeth clenching is more a point of philosophical deviation: “I’m bored.”

You’re bored? There are literally millions of activities in the world ready to be set in motion at any given moment:  music, sports, technology, reading, thinking. How could you be bored? There’s a little something for everyone; pick a pursuit!

My disdain of the concept of boredom started when my parents’ urging of me not to ever utter the phrase “I’m bored” began to make sense. I realized that with all life has to offer, how could I possibly have the right to think that boredom was an option? Even if I find myself waiting somewhere without so much as a copy of Highlights magazine to read, I can still run old “Seinfeld” episodes through my head or try to recall the names of the people I went to kindergarten with. If prisoners of war can last half a lifetime with nothing but memories and hope, I can certainly last 20 minutes in a doctor’s office counting ceiling tiles.

I consider it my obligation to teach my children how to go through life with a lack of attention to what isn’t, an appreciation for what is and an awareness of what could be. With all of the effort we put into providing our children with all of the good things in life, we need to demand that they learn to revel in their advantages.

One thing I failed to consider is that there is a point at which their reveling begins to cause sleep loss for them and for us. For my family, it started this past Easter morning. A difficult bedtime process, due to excited anticipation for our big, floppy-eared friend, continued sporadically throughout the night and culminated in a 4am wakeup call. I remember displaying such over-exuberance during my own childhood holidays, but experiencing it on the other end so early in the morning is much less enjoyable.

At a time when I am starting to hear my nemesis of a phrase from his friends on occasion, my 6-year-old seems to have shunned any natural propensity for boredom and, instead, discovered the joy of life. In fact, he has already stretched beyond the standard relishing of major holidays. His bursting-with-excitement, early morning wake up calls have spilled over into what most people would consider mundane events.

I recently awoke at 5 a.m. to my son at my bedside relaying a detailed verbal game plan of how he was going to execute the pop and bottled water portion of our garage sale that morning. My attempt to pay attention quickly failed when I nodded back into dream land as he continued to chatter incessantly. What I assume (and hope) to be only a few minutes later, I awoke once again to his nonstop garage sale drink stand soliloquy.

After two very long garage sale days, he was back at it. He woke me in the early hours to inform me of the laundry list of fun activities he was sure to encounter at his cousin’s birthday bash that day. Apparently, I have created some sort of zest-for-life monster. Of course, the positive nature of the beast won’t allow me to liken him to a Dracula or a Frankenstein’s monster. He is more of the in-your-face, isn’t-life-grand Elmo variety, minus the red fur.

My son is not without his down times. I certainly hear complaints and encounter shoulder shrugs from time to time. Seldom are the times, however, that expressing feelings of boredom makes it to the top of his activity list. Bananas and itchy shirt tags excluded, he generally enjoys most of the things he encounters.

I wish I could say the same for my fellow adults. I would have figured that boredom as a state of mind would have been left behind with the generalized ennui that is young adulthood. How someone who has lived so long and experienced so much could still have trouble finding something to pass the time is beyond me. Not having enough hours in the day I understand.  Boredom — not so much.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Tags: Family

This entry was posted on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Family Practice.
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