Jackie
Troop Zero-Kids’ Movie Review
Christmas Flynn (McKenna Grace) is not your average girl. She doesn’t have any friends her own age, her mom passed away, and she is obsessed with outer space. Her life dramatically changes the day a representative from NASA goes to Christmas’ hometown. He offers their local Girl Scout group a chance to be one of the voices sent to space on the Voyager’s Golden Record. Christmas is not a Birdie Scout, but she is determined to get on the Golden Record. She eventually finds a group of misfits and forms a new kind of Birdie Scout troop… hoping to fulfill a dream of a lifetime!
Rating: 4. 5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 17, 2020
Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- Christmas is an adorable young girl who is constantly bullied by the mean girls, however she responds in a loving way.
- Message for kids and adults to believe in yourself.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Christmas’s neighbor, Joseph, is very flamboyant. His father wants him to play football and Joseph but he wants to be a hairdresser and hang out with the girls. He’s mocked and ridiculed.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- The town bullies push, shove, and steal kids’ lunch boxes.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “ass,” “damn,” and “s–t.” There’s also name calling such as “pee-girl,” “girl-boy,” and “freak.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink beer.
- A character sneaks alcohol into and iced drink.
- Smoking.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Screened Out-Kids’ Movie Review
Have people become too dependent on their smartphones and technology? Filmmaker Jon Hyatt claims as a young kid he liked to play outside and interact with his family and friends. As an adult he still likes to be outside, though he tends to interact with friends on his smartphone, and his loves his phone. However, he says it pulls him away from his work, his children and his relationships. Screened Out is a documentary exploring how social media, smartphones, tablets…etc. have changed the way we communicate and interact in society.
Rating: 3. 5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: May 26, 2020
Rating: NR
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? No
Talking Points:
- The film has many interesting interviews with experts, and conversations with kids regarding their screen use.
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- There’s talk of cyberbullying, harming oneself, and suicide.
- We see brief footage of an animated video game that shows shooting and blood.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “butt” and “screwed.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- The narrator claims that screen time addiction is similar to drug and alcohol addiction.
- Cell phone use is compared to using cocaine.
- They mention that Blackberries were called “Crackberries,” as they were so addictive.
- They say that checking your phone is compared to smoking a cigarette; they fill a lull in the conversation.
Will Kids Like It? No
Overall Screened Out is an interesting documentary for the whole family. Though kids may not find it as interesting, it will spark some great parent/child conversations!
Scoob-Kids’ Movie Review
The beloved Scooby-Doo character’s have returned in this animated reboot called Scoob! The film initially takes us back to when Shaggy (Will Forte) and Scooby (Frank Welker) first meet, and when they team up with Velma (Gina Rodriguez), Fred (Zac Efron), and Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) to form Mystery, Inc. A decade later we see them trying to solve a mystery, while Scooby and Shaggy get involved in a dangerous mission. Scoob is a wonderful animated film for the whole family.
Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: May 15, 2020
Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Sexual Content: Mild
- Fred is speechless when an attractive cop stops the Mystery machine.
- We hear…”she was pretty hot.”
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- A ghost chases the young Scooby gang.
- A scary dog tries to eat the gang.
- It’s sad when Shaggy is separated from his friends.
- A lot of slapstick violence throughout the film involving the gang with the villain.
- Characters fall from heights, get smashed under rocks, and are spun around in sci-fi device.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- Name calling such as “moron,” “pinheads,” imbecile,” and “stupid.”
- We hear them say “F bombs” (referring to falcon bombs) and “falcon around.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, this is an entertaining movie. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 9 and up.
The Last Dance-Kids Review
Michael Jordan is known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The Last Dance is a documentary series that focuses on the iconic NBA player’s career and what led to his retirement after the 1997–1998 NBA season. Basketball fans of all ages will enjoy the 10-part miniseries.
Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: April 19, 2020
Rating: TV-14
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Mild
- A few conversations about dating.
- A reference was made about a players sexuality.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- There’s discussion regarding Dennis Rodman’s gun possession and suicide attempt.
- Injuries of players.
- Conversations about illegal gambling.
- There’s some footage of players pushing and shoving on the court.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “hell,” “bulls–t,” and the f-word is bleeped.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- We see character’s drinking champagne, beer and hard liquor.
- A reference was made to cocaine use.
- Cigar smoking.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, this is an entertaining family show for basketball fans of all ages.
Space Jam-Kids’ Movie Review
I’m going to play for North Carolina, then I’m going to play in the NBA, then pro baseball. ” That’s what young Michael Jordan says as he’s shooting baskets with his father. After seeing young Mike, the film flash forwards to adult Michael Jordan in his baseball career. We also see a parallel story in an alternate cartoon universe where the beloved Looney Tune cartoon characters desperately need Michael Jordan as they must defeat a group of aliens who are trying to capture them as attractions in their outer space theme park. So Bugs, Porky and Tweety recruit the superstar of basketball to save the day! Space Jam is a live action/animated sports movie which will appeal to young viewers.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 15, 1996
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- Slapstick cartoon violence; explosions and shootings.
- Scary cartoon aliens….”the mean team.”
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a fun movie for kids ages 6 and up.