What to watch with your kids: ‘65’ and more
The quirky buddy comedy celebrates children’s friendships.
“Cuff” is an animated series about the best friend duo of a squirrel and a rabbit. Although there is not a lot of riff content, it is aimed at a more mature audience than preschoolers. There are some brief pushing and shoving and instances of characters expressing negative feelings about each other. Other scenes involve characters feeling mild sadness or fear. Kiff’s best friend Barry’s family includes a few teenage siblings. Sometimes their negative teenage qualities are used to thwart the more innocent intentions of Kiff (voiced by Kimiko Glenn) and Barry (Michael Croner). There are occasional light-hearted jokes (like laughing that it’s called a doctor’s office private exercise). Otherwise, parents can enjoy watching this silly and quirky comedy with their kids. (Six 22-minute episodes)
Available on Disney Plus.
Cartoon slapstick violence without words are poor role models.
“Karate crowd” is a cartoon about a wolf and two sheep engaged in a Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner-style battle. There is constant slapstick violence and cartoonish aggression, but no weapons. Animal characters are often in danger but never sustain lasting wounds. The show has no dialogue, so there are minimal positive messages and role models. (13 episodes of 22 minutes)
Wizard’s Elephant (PG)
A child bravely faces danger in a story based on the book of Hope.
“The magician’s elephantis an animated adaptation of the best-selling author. Kate DiCamillo’s book of the same name. Young boy Peter (voice of Noah Jupp) lacks upbringing, forced to eat “small fish and stale bread” every day. He is told that his sister was killed in a battle, but when a prophecy suggests that she may be alive, he puts himself in harm’s way again and again to find her. It includes a sword fight with a giant soldier and the challenge of flying off the roofs of the tallest buildings. Other characters have also lost or lost family members in the war, and an old woman is injured when an elephant falls on her. The elephant is kept in chains and has nightmares about being separated from his family. The king is happy to see people risking their lives or getting injured. Peter helps his village—shown as a diverse community—show courage and empathy with the characters in regaining hope and a sense of wonder by seeing beauty in possibility. The voice cast includes actors of white, black, British, American, Indian heritage and Chinese heritage. (103 minutes)
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