Jackie

The Intern-Teen Movie Review

The first day at a new can job can be challenging, especially for a 70 year-0ld man who’s been retired. Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is a widower who worked for 40 years manufacturing phone books. He was always known as a dedicated and hard worker. However, after Ben’s retirement he felt he needed more in life; he wasn’t content with his leisurely lifestyle. Eventually, Ben got the opportunity to be a “senior intern” at an online fashion site, and his life dramatically changes. He becomes the younger co-workers role model, and develops a special bond with Jules (Anne Hatahway), the boss and founder of the company. The Intern is a funny and heartwarming, adult oriented, film.

Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 19, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 16+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Teens Like It? No

Sexual Content: Mild

It’s noted that Ben is unexpectedly aroused by a co-worker.
The film implies that Ben and a co-worker sleep together, though we don’t see anything.
A character has an extramarital affair, we see the couple kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: None

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

The f-word is said once. We also hear “b—ch” and “a—” a few times each.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate

We see characters drinking beer, wine and vodka. Also characters are shown doing shots at a bar.
Jules eventually gets drunk and vomits into a trash can.

Will Teens Like It? No

The Intern is a great movie for adults. Due to the subject matter of a “senior intern,” kids may get bored.

Overall this is a very appropriate film, however, as I previously mentioned kids/teens may get bored.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials-Kids’ movie review

In this second movie of The Maze Runner trilogy Thomas and his fellow teenage Gladers are finally rescued from the maze trials. However, now they have a whole new set of challenges. The teenagers get involved with a powerful organization called WCKD, and the teens end up in the Scorch- a desolate wasteland filled with dangerous obstacles and virus infected zombies. Now Thomas and company are on a mission to escape the Scorch and find the group who can help them fight against WCKD. Based on a young adult novel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is an action packed sci-fi movie.

Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 15, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) is a great leading character. He’s a good friend and a great role model. The teens look up to him and appreciate his leadership skills.
The film is dark as it is set in a dystopian society. See violent content below.

Sexual Content: Mild

There’s a nightclub scene where woman are dancing seductively. Music is playing while we see two of the teens under the influence of an unknown liquid; which they were forced to drink.
We see a couple passionately kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

The Cranks, deformed zombie-like creatures, kill and destroy humans.
When victims are infected with a rampant disease called Flare, we see their bloody wounds and their blackened skin covered with the disease.
There are several fights and battles throughout the film. Thomas and the other teens fight the zombie-like creatures, and the zombies fight one another. Teens are beaten, shot, and killed.
We see a man tied up and severely beaten.
Unconscious teens are shown hanging upside down in a laboratory with tubes pumping fluid out of their bodies.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “sh-t,” “a–,” “b–ch,” “d–n,” “h—,” and “b–tard” throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Teens are forced to drink a liquid that leaves them physically and mentally impaired.
Drugs are administered to people to stop the progression of the rampant disease.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed several pre-teens who really liked the movie. They had read the book and loved the book to movie transition.

Overall this is a very dark and violent film. Parents need to be aware of the excess violence throughout the film.

Straight Outta Compton-Teen Movie Review

The streets of Compton, Californa were a dangerous place in the mid 1980’s. Straight Outta Compton is the story of five young men (Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube, DJ Yella and MC Ren) who form a musical rap group, N.W.A. Their music communicates their experiences growing up with police brutality on the streets of Compton. The film highlights the lives of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube, their relationship with music manager Jerry Heller, and their successes and failures of handling fame and fortune. The film’s title is the name of their 1988 debut studio album Straight Outta Compton.

Rating: 1 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 19, 2016
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 18+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Straight Outta Compton demonstrates the injustices and brutal treatment African American’s endured in Compton, California in the mid 1980’s.
The film portrays all police officers as corrupt, racist and violent.
The N.W.A.’s lyrics is their way of communicating racial injustice and it is their way to retaliate. One of their most popular songs is called, “F— the police.”

Sexual Content: Excessive

We see topless women in hotel room parties and swim parties.
A couple have sex on a hotel bed in front of everyone during a party. We see explicit movements; they’re under the covers.
One of the band members tells his brother to bring his “rubbers” if he joins them on tour.
There are crude sexual references and comments made throughout the movie.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are several brutal fist fights; characters are beaten and shot to death throughout the film.
Police are shown treating innocent black people as criminals. The victims are thrown to the ground, threatened, harassed, frisked and handcuffed…while completely innocent.
We see footage of the Rodney King assault by Los Angeles police.
We see a riot in Detroit as the band is arrested.
In a fit of rage, a character uses a baseball bat and breaks everything in a music executive’s office.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

Seemingly every other word is a swear word…every swear word imaginable.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive

We see a crack house with people preparing drugs to sell.
We see characters drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, cigarettes and cigars.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

Teens are talking about the film. They are familiar with the music and storyline.

Overall this is an interesting film, however it is very inappropriate. Parents need to be aware of the excessive sexual, violent and drug contents, and the crude and profane language.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation: Teen Movie Review

The Impossible Mission Force, a.k.a. IMF, has disbanded and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is now on his own. However, a new threat has emerged… called The Syndicate. The Syndicate is a group of highly skilled former agents who are dedicated to establishing new world order through a series of terrorist attacks. Now Ethan gathers his team to stop the terrorist from their evil threats. Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation is the fifth movie in the Mission Impossible Series.

Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 15 , 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

There are no life lessons or messages however the characters, storyline and action are great, making this an entertaining film.

Sexual Content: Mild

A female character takes off her shirt; we see her bare back.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are aggressive fights throughout the film. Characters are shot, stabbed and beaten to death.
The villains strap explosives to one of Ethan’s partners.
We see car and motorcycle chase scenes which involve several casualties.
Ethan is captured by the bad guys. He’s tied down with chains and hit in the gut and face.
A character is shown underwater and nearly drowns; he’s revived.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

“D–n,” “sh-t,” and “h—,” are said a few times each throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see glasses of wine.

Will Teens Like It?

Overall this is a fun action packed film. Having said that parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the film.

Shaun the Sheep Movie- Kids’ Movie Review

All work and no play makes Shaun a dull sheep. Shaun is a sheep who wants to have fun. He’s tired of the day to day grind of working on a farm, so he plans to take a day off. However, things don’t go as he hopes. When Shaun distracts the farmer, so he can sneak away, he accidentally sends the farmer into the city. Shaun quickly realizes that a farm definitely needs a farmer. So now Shaun and the flock must figure out how to get the farmer back where he belongs…Mossy Bottom Farm. Shaun the Sheep Movie is a “clay-mation” comedy, based on Shaun the Sheep television series.

Rating: 5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 24 , 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The sound effects and music are fun and entertaining.
There aren’t any life lessons or inspirational moments, but it’s a cute animated film with comical parts and amazing animation.
There is some potty humor throughout the film. We see a man with his pants down sitting on a toilet, a character falling head first into a large pile of manure, and we hear several farts and burbs.

Sexual Content: Mild

There is some flirting amongst the sheep and even a kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

There is some slapstick violence with hitting, pushing, and tumbling on the ground.
A runaway trailer almost gets hit by a train.
A street lamp falls and hits the farmer on the head which knocks him out.
A character produces a special animal hook that’s connected to a high-voltage battery. He ends up setting a toy on fire.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see a character holding a bottle of champagne.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Young kids were giggling in the theater throughout the film.

Overall this is a wonderful animated film geared towards young kids.