Jackie
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good…Kids movie review
We all have bad days, some worse than others. It’s the day before Alexander’s 12th birthday and it’s not a good day; he slips on a skateboard, gets gum in his hair, a funny picture is taken of him which travels all around the school, and he finds out no one is going to his birthday party because the most popular boy in school is having a big bash. When Alexander comes home, his parents and siblings have all had amazing days, and his baby brother can do no wrong. So at 12:01 AM, Alexander’s 12th birthday, he wishes a bad day upon his family. Now the comedic tragedies begin as we see a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day for the Cooper family…but not Alexander! Based on a popular children’s book, Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a terrific film for the whole family!
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: February 10, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
Talking Points:
- There’s a wonderful message about the importance of family and loved ones. Alexander comes to realize that no matter how bad your day can be, or no matter how bad life can get, if you’re surrounded by family and loved ones, it’s not that bad.
- Steve Carell (the dad) and Jennifer Garner (the mom) are very funny and entertaining. The kids in the film are also likable, fun characters, ones that kids in the audience can relate to.
- There is some potty humor for example, the baby urinates on the kitchen floor and oven, kids in the theater thought that was funny. Also, the daughter vomits on her dad.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- The mom walks in on her teenage son as he’s naked in the bathroom. We don’t see anything, however later she comments saying, “It’s not the first time I’ve seen your penis.”
- There’s a discussion of Anthony and his girlfriend making out.
- The parents hire three “Australian cowboys,” for Alexander’s birthday party, not realizing their strippers.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Alexander accidentally starts a fire in his Chemistry class.
- The dad’s shirt cuffs set fire while eating at a Japanese restaurant.
- The dad gets kicked to the ground by a kangaroo.
- While the teenage son is taking his driver’s test he gets into a car crash, no one is hurt.
- The mom crashes while riding a bike.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “Idiot,” “sucks,” and “crap,” are said.
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Emily, the eight grade daughter, overdoses on cold medicine and acts very silly.
- The dad drinks beer and then slams down another drink while the group he’s with chants his name.
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
- This is a great film for kids of all ages…elementary kids, middle school age kids and teens may find it appealing as well.
Overall this is a great family movie, one I highly recommend!
Gone Girl- Teen Movie Review
Do you really know someone? Are they happily married or are they pretending to be someone they’re not? Gone Girl is the story about Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy (Rosamund Pike), a married couple approaching their fifth wedding anniversary. Initially their marriage is wonderful, Nick fell in love with “cool Amy” and Amy fell in love with a hard working loving husband. However things change when Nick loses his job and stressful times arise. So on the day of their fifth anniversary, Amy disappears. Did Nick kill her? Was she kidnapped? Where is Amy? No one knows as the disappearance of Amy becomes a nation wide media hype. Based on the New York Times Best Seller by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is a suspenseful drama, one that would be disturbing for kids.
Rating: 1 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 13, 2015
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Talking Points:
People of all ages have been very excited for the release of Gone Girl due to the popularity of the book. Reading it is one thing, however there are several graphic violent and sexual scenes (see details below) which are very intense and disturbing and would most likely upset kids; pre-teens and younger.
Sexual Content: Excessive
- There are several graphic sexual scenes showing oral sex, explicit sexual encounters, publicly and privately, breast nudity and full-frontal male nudity.
- There are sexual references regarding oral sex, male/female body parts, incest and masturbation.
Violent Content: Excessive
- We see a couple in a sexual encounter, the woman slits the mans throat, killing him. We see massive amounts of blood pouring from his neck.
- We see a character use a wine bottle (under her nightgown) to fake an injury, she stains her underwear with red wine.
- Amy hits herself in the face with a hammer, bites a lover’s lip drawing blood, and injects a needle in herself and proceeds to spill her blood on the floor.
- Amy and Nick get into an argument, he slams her head against a wall. In another scene we see Nick throwing Amy to the floor.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- The f-word, “sh-t,” “a–,” “b–ch,” “p—,” “h—,” “p—y,” and “c—” are used throughout the film.
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Character’s are shown drinking beer and wine.
- We see characters smoking cigarettes.
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Overall Gone Girl is a disturbing, violent and sexual film, one I do not recommend for kids.
The Boxtrolls-Kids Movie Review
In an underground world lives a group of subterranean trolls who adopted an infant orphan boy named Eggs (voice of Isaac Hempstead Wright). These trolls look fearsome in their card board box attire, however they are very kind-hearted loving creatures. Things get difficult for the trolls as the evil exterminator, Snatcher (voice of Ben Kingsley) wants to eliminate all them, with hopes to to become a high society man. However it’s not that easy for Snatcher. Eggs and his wealthy friend from above, Winnie (Elle Fanning), will do anything to try and save the loving creatures underground. Based on the children’s novel ‘Here Be Monsters’ by Alan Snow, The Boxtrolls is a dark, animated film that will most likely scare young kids.
Rating: 2 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 20, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Talking Points:
Though this is a dark and disturbing film for kids, I did find some redeeming qualities. The importance of a loving father is highlighted as Fish protects and nurtures his adopted orphan son, Egg. The Boxtrolls are kind-hearted creatures who love children.
Egg eventually stands up to Snatcher, saying, “Cheese, hats, boxes they don’t make you who you are. You make you.”
This is an animated film geared towards children. However with the dark and creepy storyline, kids will most likely be frightened by the fact that characters are kidnapped and tortured. See details in violent content below.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Madame Frou Frou has a seductive, manly voice. Her lyrics are sometimes inappropriate as well.
- When it’s revealed that Madame Frou Frou is also Archibald Snatcher, a character blurts out…”Oh my God, I regret so
- much.”
Violent Content: Excessive
- Snatcher is a dark, evil villain, who enjoys inflicting pain on others. He desperately wants to kill the Boxtrolls and eventually kidnaps several of them. He even invades the Boxtrolls’ underground home by using a huge robot.
- Snatcher uses a crushing press to execute all the creatures he’s captured.
- We see Snatcher’s allergic reaction to cheese, his face swells and looks disgusting.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Overall this is a dark and disturbing animated film, one I don’t recommend for kids. See Dolphin Tale 2 or Rio 2 instead!
The Maze Runner-Children’s Movie Review
He woke up confused and in a state of amnesia. That’s how Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) felt when he found himself in a different world. A world governed by a group of teenage boys and surrounded by four walls. If you stay within the walls, and follow the leader’s rules, life is good and you’ll be safe. However when Thomas decides to explore and walk through a large gate, his life changes forever. This gate leads him into a maze, one filled twists and turns and scary creatures. Can this maze take him back home or is there no way out? The Maze Runner is an action packed suspenseful film, based on a young adult novel by James Dashner.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 16, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
Talking Points:
Thomas is a great character. First off, he risks his life to save a suffering boy, while others abandon the boy. Thomas is a good guy, who leads the group to do the right thing.
There are a lot of intense, dark scenes which may scare kids. See details below.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Excessive
- The creatures (named The Grievers) in the maze are large, mechanical, slimy monsters. They attack humans while making loud, growling noises.
- The Grievers inject poison into the humans, which makes the humans go crazy, turning their veins black.
- A woman commits suicide by putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger.
- The boys fight and hit one another. Sometimes it’s an organized fight, other times it’s a chaotic out of control brawl.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “a–,” “sh-t,” “b–ch,” “b–tard,” “d–n,” and “h–,” some words used more than others.
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
- I interviewed an 11 year-0ld boy who loved the action and suspense of the film.
Overall this is an action packed, intense film. Depending on the child I feel it’s appropriate for kids ages 11 and up.
Dolphin Tale 2-Children’s Movie Review
Winter (the dolphin) is back and her story of hope and inspiration is continued. In Dolphin Tale 2 we see Winter, with her state-of-the art prosthetic tail, living in the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Loved and cared for by her human best friend, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble), and the staff at the aquarium, Winter goes through another trying time. When her tankmate dies of old age, Winter is left without a dolphin companion. Showing signs of depression, and the unwillingness to perform, the government threatens to take Winter to an aquarium in Texas, to be with her own kind. This would not only devastate Winter’s human friends, but it would also financially ruin the Clearwater Aquarium. Now Sawyer and the aquarium staff, try to find another female dolphin so Winter can be happy, and be the aquarium’s star attraction once again. Based on a true story, Dolphin Tale 2 is a wonderful movie for the whole family.
Rating: 5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 9, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
Talking Points:
We see a wounded war veteran with a prosthetic leg. He was a fictional character, however at the end of the film we see real people with disabilities visiting Winter, watching him perform with his prosthetic tail. It was very heartwarming to see the young children and adults who were inspired by this dolphin. This will spark some great parent/child conversations.
There is an all-star cast, to name a few; Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, and Nathan Gamble.
Though a very appropriate film, young kids (5 and under) may get bored as it is slow in parts.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Mild
- After Winter’s tankmate dies, Winter is very depressed and lashes out at Sawyer with her beak.
- When Winter gets a new tankmate they had to be separated quickly, to prevent them from hurting one another.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to Kids? Yes
- I interviewed a 7 year-old girl who said she loved the film. Her comment was, “My favorite part was when Winter and the Dolphin Hope bonded.”
Overall this is a very refreshing heartfelt movie, appropriate for the whole family.