Jackie

Cars 3-Kids’ Movie Review

Most talented professional athletes have their moments in the spotlight with their fast moves and skillful plays, and then a new generation comes along to take it away. Whether it’s Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant there comes a time when they should end their careers. In Cars 3 the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is surprised when new racers like the arrogant Jackson Storm zooms right past him in a race. Depressed and devastated, #95 is not quite ready to quit. With the help of an eager young race technician and inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, Lightning McQueen tries to get back in the game. This is the third film in Pixar’s popular Cars franchise.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 7, 2017
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

There are some life lessons regarding age and growing older. The film stresses the importance of trying new things no matter how old you are. A character says, “don’t fear failure. Try new things.”

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

We see a couple of intense car crashes where the main characters are demolished to scraps of metal. However, later we see the vehicles in one piece.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Some of the racers meet in a bar and drink oil.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Cars 3 is wonderful action packed film for kids of all ages. Parents will like it too.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie-Kids’ Movie Review

George Beard (voice of Kevin Hart) and Harold Hutchins (voice of Thomas Middleditch) are two fourth grade boys who are best friends and neighbors. They love to have a good time, especially when pulling school pranks. On their spare time, when they should be doing homework, the duo work on the comic books they co-created about a superhero named Captain Underpants; a character who has superpowers. Things get difficult for the boys when Principal Krupp wants to separate them due to their school prank- loving antics. Fear of separation, the boys decide to hypnotize their principal into believing that he’s Captain Underpants. Now chaos ensues as Principal Krupp becomes the superhero Captain Underpants. Based on the popular book series Captain Underpants.

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: September 12, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There’s a lot of slapstick silly violence. The villain (Professor Poopypants) attacks the school with a huge robotic monster. He also creates a huge animated toilet that’s filled with toxic waste. Captain Underpants is thrown into the toilet and swallows some of the muck.
The professor gets hit by passing vehicles. He creates scientific mechanisms that cause a lot of damage.
The professor shoots rays at kids in the school, clearing their thoughts.
Buildings are destroyed.
We see a vision of the future which involves robots zapping people with lasers.
Principal Krupp/Captain Underpants creates a lot of chaos as well. Dressed as Captain Underpants, he jumps off high building thinking he can fly, but he can’t. He gets hit by moving cars, bounces around town on a giant ape balloon, and throws an old lady into a tree after her cat.
Principal Krupp yells a lot and is constantly angry at the students

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

Potty words such as; “fart,” “poopy,” “diarrhea,” and “butt.”
There’s also name calling; “weirdo,” “stupid,” and “dumb.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Elementary school aged kids love the humor of the film.

Overall Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is a fun entertaining film for kids. Parents need to be aware of excessive potty humor throughout the film.

Wonder Woman-Kids’ Movie Review

Diana (Gal Gadot) is not your average young girl. Her mother, the Amazon Queen, created Diana from a hunk of clay. They live on an island populated entirely by women and, since there are no kids on the island, Diana has no playmates. She studies hard, speaks over 150 languages, and on her spare time Diana sneaks off with her aunt who gives her some hard core warrior training. Diana grows into a smart, strong and beautiful woman. Her life dramatically changes the day she rescues Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), an American pilot who crashes his plane in the water. Diana is shocked as she’s never seen a man before. Steve tells her about the horrors of World War I that’s going on outside of her sheltered paradise. Diana is convinced that she can stop the war, and she ultimately discovers her true powers as Wonder Woman! Wonder Woman is based on DC Comics character of the same name.

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: September 19, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Moderate

There is a sexual attraction between Steve and Diana (Wonder Woman). We see them briefly kiss, and it’s implied that they’ve slept together.
In one scene we see Chris Pine naked, though he covers his privates with his hands.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There’s a lot of violence throughout the film. There are bad guys and numerous battles. There are sword fights (someone is impaled by a sword), characters punch and kick each other.
The movie takes place during WWI, so there’s a lot of combat fighting. We see injured soldiers with missing limbs. Numerous characters die from the war, explosions and bullets.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “h—” a few times in the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see characters drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is an entertaining, action pact film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul-Kids’ Movie Review

Summertime is finally here and twelve year-old Greg Heffley (now played by Jason Drucker) is ready to just relax and chill out. However, his mother has a different plan. She forces the family to take a four-day road trip to Granny Meemaw’s 90th birthday party…a tech free car ride too. Initially Greg is upset until he realizes his favorite YouTube gamer will be making a live appearance at a video game convention in Indianapolis, which is close to Granny’s house. Now Greg has to figure out how he can sneak off to the convention…a challenging feat which he’s determined to accomplish. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is the fourth movie in the series based on Jeff Kinney’s popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books; starring an all new cast.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: August 8, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Despite all the potty humor, and kids defying their parents, the boys ultimately realize the importance of family.
Greg and his brother Rodrick lie, steal, and break into a hotel room.

Sexual Content: Mild

Roderick finds a large bra and examines it.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There’s a car chase scene that ends in a accident.
Greg is cornered in a bathtub by a large scary man who’s been chasing him.
Greg and Rodrick lie to their parents and take an Uber to a gaming convention – an hour away.
Greg ends up in a runaway boat down a grassy hill which ends up in a swimming pool.
The family stays in a roach infested hotel room.
There are some gross scenes involving vomit, bowel movements and sounds, and other bodily functions.
Greg pees in a bottle in front of his family on the drive.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

“H-ll,” and name calling such as: “stupid,” “weirdo,” and “loser.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is an entertaining film, however parents need to be aware of potty humor throughout the film.

Everything, Everything-Kids’ Movie Review

Maddy Whittier is an adorable teenage girl, though she’s not your average teen. She doesn’t attend the high school football games, she doesn’t play a sport or musical instrument, and she’s never even been to a high school dance. That’s because Maddy is housebound. She has a severe auto-immune disorder. Maddy lives in a beautiful home with her mother and has a nurse taking care of her in the day. However, Maddy’s life completely changes the day Olly Bright moves next door. Olly’s bedroom window is across from Maddy’s and the two manage to communicate through their windows. As Maddy gradually falls for the boy next door, she desperately wants to meet the boy next door…even if it means risking her life. Everything, Everything is based on a young adult novel.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: August 15, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Moderate

The teenage couple passionately kiss throughout the film.
The couple escapes to Hawaii. It’s implied that they’ve had a sexual relationship.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

We see Olly and his father in a fist fight. They have a violent relationship.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “sh-t,” and “h–l.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

In one scene we see Olly’s father drunk.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall, this is a romantic drama which will appeal to pre-teen girls. Parents need to be aware of the sexual content. Appropriate for kids 12 and up.