G Rated

He calls her Becks and she calls him Dave. He rises politely when she comes to the table and, during a lull in the conversation, looks over and remarks, "You look lovely this morning, dear." She smiles at him demurely. "Thank you," she replies. Their conversation is often in that kind of code married people develop. At one point he comments on one of her observations by saying, "Golly gumdrops."

It's the latest in a long-running series of films based on the work of a beloved British author of children's literature. It involves a close-knit group of friends on a quest. It's coming Friday to a theater near you. But if you're expecting 3-D wizards or boys with magical wands, you are looking in the wrong English woods, you bear of very little brain. In perhaps the biggest David-and-Goliath matchup of the summer box office, Disney is bringing a new but decidedly retro, hand-drawn, 2-D animated "Winnie the Pooh" movie to theaters opposite Warner Bros.' special effects-laden juggernaut, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2. " "Pooh" is Disney's first hand-drawn animated film since 2009's "The Princess and the Frog," and a relative rarity in an era dominated by computer-generated animated films like the "Toy Story" and "Shrek" series.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who's built a career on high-velocity action pictures, was turned off when Disney Studios sent him a script for a movie version of its theme park ride "Pirates of the Caribbean." It was bland, too tame, he told the Disney brass. After all, he's the man who brought the masses "Top Gun," "Armageddon" and "Bad Boys." Still, he was intrigued and brought aboard some like-minded creative types to jazz up the project.

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District will present the animated feature "Balto" today at Oak Canyon Community Park, at Kanan Road and Holly Tree Drive. The 77-minute, G-rated movie about a heroic canine will begin at 8 p.m. It is presented as part of the park district's "Films Under the Stars" series. Viewers should bring their own blankets or chairs. Food and beverages will be available during the showing. A $1 donation is requested. For information, call (818) 865-9304.

I appeal to all sports fans with a simple question: When did the word "suck" become G-rated? I feel it is offensive, debasing and reinforces unsportsmanlike behavior. We gave up our season tickets to the Kings because of raucous behavior and language (and this was tough; I played ice hockey in college and love the sport). Let's keep a clean image and replace foul language and ill spirit from the stands with positives: Go, Dodgers, Go. And bounce those raunchy T-shirts. Suzanne Tanner Meisel Los Angeles