DVD New Releases

The Secret Life of Pets-Kids’ Movie Review

Max’s favorite part of the day is when his owner Katie comes home at night. Max is an adorable Terrier who loves nothing more than hanging out with his master. He has a great life in their high rise apartment, sometimes he even has the other apartment dwelling animals over. There’s Chloe, his feline friend who will eat anything out of the fridge, and the bulldog Mel who barks at the squirrels all day. Unfortunately, Max’s comfortable life changes the day Katie brings home a large rescue dog named Duke. Max no longer has the place to himself and needs to show Duke who’s the alpha male. The adventure begins as the two dogs end up in the streets of New York, desperately wanting to return to their beloved owner Katie. The Secret Life of Pets is a wonderful film for the whole family.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: December 6, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Initially Max is very jealous of Duke and wants him out of their apartment. The dogs eventually learn to work things out and they develop a wonderful friendship.
There is some potty humor throughout the film. For example… dogs sniff each others backsides while greeting one another, when the dogs sniff the sewer one of them says it smells like “poo poo with a dash of caca.”

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

There are some rough and tumble moments among the animals. Duke, the big rescue dog, initially pushes and bullies Max.
There are several chase scenes, the animals even hijack an Animal Control van and a bus, they drive around very recklessly as mayhem ensues.
Gidget, a Pomeranian dog who has a crush on Max, beats up several animals as she tries to protect Max.
A viper is crushed and dies from a large brick.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

Name calling such as “dummy.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed a 6 year-old girl and her 4 year old brother. They loved the film and did not think it was scary. Her favorite character is Gidget and his is Max.

Overall this is a fun entertaining film for the whole family. Parents need to be aware of the rough and tumble fight scenes and mild potty humor throughout the film.

The BFG-Kids’ Movie Review

Sophie is a ten-year-old girl living in an orphanage in London. Her life dramatically changes the night she’s kidnapped by Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance). Initially she’s terrified of the scary beast and is determined to escape, however as time goes on their friendship grows. The odd couple develops a bond as the giant shows Sophie a magical pond where he catches dreams and then releases them into the minds of the sleeping London residents. Meanwhile, the bad, cannibalistic giants snatch and eat the children of London, and when they smell Sophie’s presence in Giant’s Country, they want to eat her too. Now Sophie is on a mission to get rid of the bad giants forever! The BFG is based on Roald Dahl’s children’s classic novel…The BFG.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 29, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group:
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film starts out with a parent’s worst nightmare…a child getting kidnapped. However, as the movie progresses, we see that the giant is a warmhearted man who simply wants to protect and care for the young girl. Being said, kids that scare easily may be frightened by the bad giants as they kidnap and eat children.
The movie is long, and it is also slow in parts.

Sexual Content: Mild

The audience sees “Liz naked at my wedding,” written on a label of one of BFG’s dream jars.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

A giant kidnapping a little girl definitely has the tone of a scary movie. When BFG initially kidnaps Sophie, he reaches through a window and grabs her. Eventually they have a wonderful relationship and become the best of friends.
BFG gives Sophie a nightmare which involves a bad giant catching her and attempting to eat her.
The mean giants go through BFG’s home looking to eat Sophie.
BFG gets bullied by the big, mean giants.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see a group of drunk men stumbling home from the pub.
BFG loves a green champagne-like drink with bubbles that flow downward. It’s noted that the beverage has an effect on those who drink it – people pass gas and lift off their seat and in the air. Kids in the theater were laughing.

Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed a seven year old girl in the theater who loved the movie. She was aware of the premise of the film and didn’t think it was scary. Her parents liked it as well.

Overall, The BFG is an entertaining sci-fi, fantasy film. Depending on the child, I feel this is appropriate for kids ages 7 and up. The film may be scary for those who are sensitive.

Independence Day: Resurgence-Teen Movie Review

It’s been twenty years and the aliens are back as Fourth of July is quickly approaching. Scientist and alien defense expert David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) investigates a 3,000 mile wide mother ship and discovers that once again, aliens are approaching Earth. With the extraterrestrial technology and massive defense system the scientists and fighter pilots are on a mission to save the planet from another alien attack. Independence Day: Resurgence is the sequel to the 1996 film Independence Day.

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5
Release Date: October 18, 2016
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?

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a couple kiss and hug. The woman jumps on her fiance and wraps her legs around him.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Aliens destroy cities; building collapse and planes, ships and space stations are blown up.
Billions of innocent victims die.
The aliens are big large slimy creatures.
We see humans choked to death by alien tentacles.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

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

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see characters on a boat drinking heavily.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed two teenage boys who liked the action and suspense of the film. They like Independence Day as well.

Overall Independence Day: Resurgence is a dramatic action packed film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violent content throughout the film.

Finding Dory-Kids’ Movie Review

What would Dory do? That’s what Dory’s friends say when they’re in a difficult situation because they admire Dory’s perseverance and courage to never give up. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is a blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss. However there is one thing that Dory remembers…how she became separated from her parents as a child. Now the adventure begins as Dory, Nemo and Marline embark on a journey to find Dory’s beloved parents. Finding Dory is the sequel to the 2003 film Finding Nemo.

Rating: 5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 15, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

This is a story about hope, friendship and love.
There’s some action and adventure though a very simple and heartfelt film.
The importance of family is highlighted throughout the film. In flashbacks we see the interaction of Dory with her parents. Her parents’ love and guidance is wonderfully portrayed.
Dory has short term memory loss. When she gets lost from her parents she never gives up hope and recalls their encouraging words to never give up. In difficult situations Dory’s friends say, What would Dory do?” because they admire how she handles adversity.

Sexual Content: Mild

Dory begins to discuss how babies are born though gets interrupted.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

We see a truck swerve in traffic and then crashes.
A large squid attacks Marlin, Nemo and Dory then a large crate crashes on its head.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

I interviewed kids between the ages of 5 and 10. They loved the film, and were attentive and entertained throughout the movie.

Overall, Finding Dory is a wonderful animated film for the whole family.

Now You See Me 2-Teen Movie Review

Abracadabra… the Four Horseman are back! In this film the infamous illusionists magically find themselves in China. However, the group gets into some trouble as a sneaky tech wizard named Walter (Daniel Radcliffe) forces the magicians to steal a powerful chip that can control all of the worlds computers. Desperately wanting to get home, the group needs to perform their biggest magical act yet. Can they do it? Now You See Me 2 is a fun and entertaining action packed film.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: September 6, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a couple kiss.
Woman wear revealing tops.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

A character is punched-bloodied and bruised. He’s locked in a safe then they dump him into the ocean where he almost drowns.
The Horseman are beaten and thrown out of a airplane.
There are several characters shown on motorcycles. They fall off their bikes and tumble on the road.
One of the magician’s performances is creepy. It appears as though the magician saws off her hand with a meat slicer.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear the f-word once. We also hear “sh-t,” “h—,” “d–n” and “a–.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Characters are shown drinking a glass of champagne.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

Overall, Now You See Me 2 is a wonderful action packed film. Parents need to me aware of the moderate violence and language. Depending the child I recommend this for kids ages 12 and up.