Jackie
Onward-Kids Movie Review
Bold. Confident. Popular. Those are the characteristics that teenage elf Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) wants to have. He’s often heard that his deceased father, whom he’s never met, had those qualities, and Ian wants to be just like him. On Ian’s 16 birthday, his mother gives him and his brother Barley (voiced by Chris Pratt), a wizard’s staff and a magical spell that would bring their dad back to life for one day. However, something goes awry and only their father’s bottom half appears. So now the brothers must embark on a journey to find a way to complete the magic and hopefully see their father before time runs out. Onward, is a Pixar fantasy adventure film for the whole family.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 6, 2020
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points
Sexual Content: Mild
- Two characters flirt, kiss and hug one another.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There’s a lot of cartoonish, slapstick violence.
- Mature subject matter of parental death may upset some kids.
- The deceased parent comes back for a day, but only from the waist down.
- A flying monster injures several characters.
- There are some scary and creepy scenes with skeletons, flying arrows and an attack by a deadly gelatinous cube.
- There’s a chase scene in which motorcycle-riding pixies chase the boys.
- A character loses her temper and destroys things while spewing fire.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Name calling such as “screw up,” “lazy,” and “weirdo.” We also hear “what the…,” and “son of a…,”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, this is an entertaining film for kids ages 7 and up. Parents need to be aware of the moderate violence throughout the film.
Love. Wedding. Repeat-Kids Movie Review
It’s wedding day for Hayley (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Roberto (Tiziano Caputo). They’re getting married in a beautiful hotel in Rome, the weather is ideal, and their family and friends are there to help celebrate. Hayley’s big brother Jack (Sam Clafin) will walk her down the aisle, though Jack is a little preoccupied. He discovers that Dina (Olivia Munn), an American reporter who he once had a crush on, is single and is at the wedding. Big bro isn’t the only one preoccupied, Hayley’s old boyfriend crashes the wedding and mayhem ensues. So many things could go awry at the wedding. Interestingly, we see alternate versions of the same wedding, hoping to find the perfect day for Hayley and Roberto.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: April 10, 2020
MPAA Rating: TV-MA
Best Age Group: 15+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Mild
- Silly slapstick violence. A headbutt, and a slap.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- We hear “f–k,” “ass,” “c–k,” “d-ckhead,” “twat,” ‘bastard,” “wan,” “banging.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- A man snorts cocaine.
- Characters drink alcohol, some are drunk at the wedding.
- “Sleep drops” are put in a man’s drink.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a fun and entertaining film for teenagers ages 15 and up.
Greater-Kids Movie Review
Brandon Burlsworth (Chris Severio) is an overweight and awkward 12 year old boy. He loves to sit on the couch with some good snacks and watch TV. Having said that, he has big dreams, a strong faith and dedication to fulfilling his main goal in life…to play football for University of Arkansas! Brandon was raised by a loving single mom, he’s estranged from his alcoholic father and very close to his older brother Marty. With his strong work ethic and dedication he fulfills his goal of becoming a Razorback. Based on a true story, Greater is an inspirational sports drama about one of the most successful “walk-on” players in college football history.
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 20, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- This film could spark some great parent/ child conversations regarding faith, courage, and hard work.
Sexual Content: Mild
- A couple of scenes show players in their underwear.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- Hard hitting during football practice and games.
- Mature subject matter of death.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “ass,” “s–t,” and name calling such as: “fatty, “cheesecake,” and “fat boy.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Brandon’s dad is a chronic alcoholic.
- Characters smoke cigarettes.
- Brandon doesn’t drink alcohol due to his father’s disease. However, in one scene his teammates trick him into drinking two strawberry daiquiris with alcohol.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a wonderful sports drama, parents need to be aware of the mature subject matter of death.
Good Sam-Kids Movie Review
What would you do with $100,000? Many New Yorkers in need got to experience that large sum of money. Good Sam is a story about a mysterious man who anonymously leaves packages filled with $100,000 at the doorsteps of random New Yorkers. The recipients have nothing in common except they are all in need. The film follows the life of Kate Bradley (Tiya Sircar), a news reporter, who follows the story and tries to track down the Good Samaritan, while hoping that someone is doing their good deed without arterial motives.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 16, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Maybe
Talking Points:
- Good Sam may bore young kids but the film could spark some great parent/child conversations about helping people in need. Do people do good deeds for nothing in return?
- Generosity spreads throughout New York City as the Good Sam inspired others to help people in need.
- Themes of hope and love are woven throughout the film.
Sexual Content: Mild
- A man and woman kiss.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- We see a firefighter saving people from a burning building.
- A man who has fallen off a scaffolding was saved by a firefighter.
- We hear about some of Kate’s previous news stories such as manhunts, riots, and bomb scares.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “damn,” and “hell.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- A character mentions that the large sum of money is related to illegal drugs.
Will Kids Like It? Maybe
Overall, this is an inspirational feel good movie appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.
The Peanut Butter Falcon-Kids’ Movie Review
“Choosy mothers choose Jif”, and Zak might too. Zak (Zack Gottsagen) is a 22 year old man with Downs Syndrome. Since he has no family he’s forced to live in a retirement home and cared for by a kind and loving woman named Eleanor (Dakota Johnson). One night Zak escapes from the home and meets Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a North Carolina fisherman who’s on the run from two locals. Since Zak dreams of attending a wrestling school in Florida, the duo makes the trip from North Carolina to Florida while becoming not only friends but family, something they both desperately need.
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: November 12, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
This film says so much without over-using dialogue. Forgiveness, hope and love permeate scene after scene, and I was drawn into the real emotion and vulnerability of each character.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Kissing, flirting.
- A main character is shown in several scenes only wearing boxers.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- A character is beaten up and kicked while on the ground.
- Guns and shooting. A main character is threatened at gunpoint.
- There are violent wrestling scenes with throwing and hitting.
- We see adult characters bullying a kid.
- A knife held to someones throat.
- A character is hit with a crowbar and nearly dies.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “f–k,” “retard/retarded,” “s–t,” “damn,” “bitch,” “goddamn,” hell,” “sucks,” “screwed,” and “stupid.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see characters drinking from a bottle of whiskey.
- There are flashbacks to drinking in a bar and drunk driving.
- Cigarette smoking.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, this is a wonderful family movie. Depending on the child appropriate for kids ages 10 and up.