Cricket in Times Square

YMA recommendation

	Approved as non-violent media, with caution. Slapstick comedy; Accidental harm.
Most suitable age range: 5-7

Availability

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About the movie

Synopsis

Chester the cricket finds himself a long way from his Connecticut home when he arrives in New York’s Times Square in a picnic basket. Mario, who works on his father’s languishing newsstand, finds him and there he befriends Harry the cat and Tucker the mouse. They discover Chester’s unique talent of being able to reproduce music by rubbing his wings, which he uses to attract customers to Mario’s newsstand.

The movie includes the retelling of a Chinese mythology story about the origin of crickets which is much revered in Chinese tradition. The story is that a very wise and honest man was feared by the villagers who plotted to kill him. However the gods wanted to spare the good man’s life and so turned him into a cricket.

Points to consider

Words of caution

Slapstick comedy includes:

• Chester nearly gets trampled underfoot
  

Accidental harm includes:

• Tucker accidentally sets fire to the waste paper basket
  

Positive aspects

• helping others

• letting go of things you love

Questions to ask

• Do you think it was hard for Mario to let Chester go?
• Why did Mario let Chester go back to Connecticut?