DVD New Releases

Pitch Perfect 2

The Barden Bellas, the beloved collegiate a cappella group, are back in this sequel to Pitch Perfect. In this second film the Bellas enter in an international competition in Copenhagen. Initially the girls have a tough time finding “their tune,” and working together; however after a team building retreat they reunite and hope to be the first Americans to win the a cappella championship.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: September 22, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points

The music and choreographed a cappella ensembles are well done and entertaining.
As the girls struggle to rebuild their group they realize how important it is to work as a team.

Sexual Content: Moderate

We see Fat Amy and a male character kiss and roll around on top of each other. It’s implied that they’ve had sexual encounters.
There are sexual jokes and songs regarding male/female body parts, erections and various sexual partners.
A new Bella says her mother and father have a five-octave range they sing out while having sex.
One of the Bellas is a gay girl and comments how she touched one of the other girls’ “goodies” while they were camping out and all sleeping together.

Violent/Disturbing Content: None

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “a–,” “d–n,” “b–ch,” and “h—,” several times throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see characters drinking beer and hard liquor at parties and singing competitions.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

I interviewed several pre-teen girls who loved the movie.

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film. Parents need to be aware of the sexual references throughout the movie.

Hot Pursuit-Teen Movie Review

Rose Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) basically grew up in a cop car. Between sitting in a car seat as a baby to her prom in high school, Rose was always riding along with her dad in the back seat of a police car. Rose idolized her father and wanted to be just like him: a San Antonio police officer. Her work ethic is amazing; she knows the laws and follows every rule in the book. And while she tries to appear intimidating, her petite stature makes it difficult to fulfill the part. However the day she pulls a “Cooper,” tasering and setting the mayor’s teenage son on fire, is the day she becomes the joke of the station. Eventually her reputation changes when Rose is asked to escort Daniella (Sofia Vergara), a mobster’s wife who is obsessed with her glittery high heels and revealing outfits. Daniella needs to get to a safe house in Dallas before a federal trial begins involving the mob. Now the action begins as these two misfits overcome several obstacles while hoping to get to Dallas safely.

Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: August 11, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Most Pre-teens and Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film is comical in parts, but overall pretty silly and very unrealistic!

Sexual Content: Moderate

Daniella (Sofía Vergara) wears tight fitting low-cut outfits throughout the film. In one scene she takes off her dress, exposing her bra.
Rose (Reese Witherspoon) also shows cleavage.
A man is shown naked, we only see see chest and backside.
Rose and Daniella pretend to be lesbians, kissing and fondling one another.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

We see several men shot and killed.
One character accidentally shoots off the end of his finger.
We see character’s hitting and punching one another.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “d–n,” “a–,” “h—” and “b–ch.

Drug and Alcohol Content:

We see character’s drinking at a party.
Daniella drinks small bottles of alcohol from a hotel mini-fridge.
A car, with cocaine in the trunk, is hit by a truck. We see white powder everywhere. Cooper gets a little crazy as she inhales the drug.

Will Most Pre-teens and Teens Like It?

The film may appeal to some kids as it stars Sofía Vergara from the popular TV show Modern Family.
I interviewed three pre-teen girls who thought it was funny. They liked seeing Reese and Sofia in a film together.

Overall this is a silly comedy. For the most part it’s appropriate for pre-teens and teens, however parents need to be aware of the moderate violence and sexual contents.

Hot Pursuit-Teen Movie Review

Avengers: Age of Ultron-Teen Movie Review

“Peace in our time, imagine that.” That’s what Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) says while wondering what it would be like to live in a peaceful world. Tony decides to boost the dormant Ultron project, a peacekeeping program that could fulfill his dream of a safe world. However things don’t go as planned, Ultron (James Spader) believes the only way to peace is human extinction. Now Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers gather together to save the world from Ultron!!

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: October 3, 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 Most Pre-teens and Teens Like It?

Talking Points:

The Avengers are great characters. They believe in working as a team. They trust one another to save the human race.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see couples kiss.
Stark makes a few sexual jokes, saying “You and Banner better not be playing hide the zucchini.”
Referring to Thor’s hammer Stark says…”We won’t hold it against you if you can’t get it up.”

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are several brutal battles involving lasers, hammers, bullets and other violent weapons.
Buildings and vehicles are destroyed as innocent victims suffer and some even die.
We see horrific visions of the Avengers fears which are filled with torture and death.
While Hulk and Iron Man duke it out, they destroy an entire city.
We see robots decapitated and blown up.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

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

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see Avengers drinking alcohol at a party.

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the movie.

The Age of Adaline-Teen Movie Review

A life with no grey hairs, no wrinkles on your face and remaining 29 years of age for decades sounds wonderful, however it wasn’t for Adeline Bowman (Blake Lively). In 1935 Adaline was in a car crash and ended up immersed in a freezing river and her heart stopped. However, shortly after the accident she was struck by a bolt of lightning and miraculously became, “immune to the ravages of time.” Moving every decade and changing her identity lead to a sad and lonely life, however things dramatically changed the day she met Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman). A handsome philanthropist and a man who changed Adaline’s life forever.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: September 8, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Most Pre-teens and Teens Like It? No

Talking Points:

The film highlights the fact that not growing old with your loved ones would be a very lonely life. As one character says, “For all those years you’ve lived, you’ve never had a life.”
The movie is very predicable and somewhat slow in parts.

Sexual Content: Mild

Adaline and Ellis passionately kiss several times throughout the film.
We see Adaline and Ellis in bed together (covered by a sheet).
When Ellis steps out the shower we see him wrapped in a towel.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

We see two car crashes. In the first one (described in the synopsis) Adaline drowns in a freezing lake before she’s shocked by a bolt of lightning. In the second accident a character is shown bleeding by the side of the road, though shocked back to life.
Adaline cut her hand, we see the bleeding wound getting stitched up.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “sh-t,” “h—,” and “d–n.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see character’s drinking hard liquor at parties.
In a flashback scene, character’s are shown smoking.

Will Most Teens Like It? No

As I previously mentioned the film is slow in parts. I interviewed some pre-teen girls after the movie who said liked the main characters, though they thought the film was slow and boring.

Overall this is an appropriate romantic love story. However with the mature subject matter kids and teens may not enjoy the film.

Age of Adaline-Teen Movie Review

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2

“I didn’t choose security, security chose me.” That’s what security officer Paul Blart (Kevin James) says while giving the keynote speech to the Security Officers Trade Association Conference in Las Vegas. Blart is thrilled to attend the conference; he’s been through a lot since his infamous mall cop adventure – his wife left him and his mother passed away. So now it’s time to not only learn about the latest security weapons, but to take his teenage daughter for a relaxing getaway. However things don’t go as planned. Coincidentally, a group of thieves are staying at their hotel, plotting to heist the hotel’s expensive art, including one of Van Gogh’s finest. No rest for Blart…now it’s time for the beloved mall cop to use his unique skills to capture the criminals and save the innocent victims.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: July 14, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Though Blart is very goofy and silly, he’s a great guy. He’s a loving and protective father and a very conscientious security officer who takes his job very seriously.
When Blart gives the keynote speech at the security officers’ conference he highlights the fact that officers do what they do to help people! He says…”If you believe the purpose of life is to serve yourself, then you have no purpose. Help someone today.”

Sexual Content: Mild

Woman wear low cut tops and skimpy bikinis.

Violent Content: Moderate

There is a lot of slapstick violence involving Paul Blart (Kevin James). Blart is kicked and attacked by a giant bird, hit by a car while on his Segway, kicked by a horse, and crashes through a van window. He also stuffs himself in a suitcase which ends up sinking in a pool.
There’s a comedic battle between Blart and the villains. Blart Tases a bad guy and several characters are shot by guns, though no casualties.
Blart’s daughter is kidnapped in the hotel…this may frighten young kids.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “freaking,” “you suck,” and “idiot.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see characters drinking martinis and beer in the hotel bar.
We see young hotel employees drinking from blue plastic cups at a party.

Overall Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is a comedic film, appropriate for kids ages 10 and up. Parents need to be aware of the moderate violence throughout the film.