Action
Action Movie reviews
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
Harry Potter has more adventures in his second year at Hogwarts. He is warned by a mysterious house elf not to return to Hogwarts because terrible things will happen to him. However he ignores the warnings, and returns to school with his friends Hermoine and Ron where he is the center of attention because of his 1st year heroics. He falls under suspicion, however, when messages written in blood warn that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and students start getting petrified (literally) in the hallways of Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine work together to discover the Chamber and rescue a student who gets drawn into it. Once again, Harry is confronted by the spirit of the evil wizard Voldemort who is trying to return to the physical world.
This movie is also rated PG for mild violence. As in the first movie the visual images may be disturb some kids. Good for kids ages 7 and up.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: April 11, 2003
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content:Mild
Harry Potter and the Socerer’s Stone Review
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first movie in the Harry Potter series. We meet Harry as a misfit orphan in his Aunt and Uncle’s home. Through an amusing series of events he learns that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There we meet many of the characters who play important roles in subsequent movies, namely his two best friends Ron and Hermione, the game keeper, Hagrid, and the headmaster, Dumbledore. In this movie, Harry learns how his parents were killed and begins his ongoing conflict with their killer, Lord Voldemort. Voldemort was also killed when Harry’s parents died and in this movie his spirit is attempting to return to the physical world through the use of the Sorcerer’s Stone.
The movie is rated PG, mild violence, good for kids ages 7 and up. It is an exciting escape into a clever and well constructed fantasy world. Although I would recommend parents to use their discretion, especially with children who would react negatively to frightening visual images.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: May 28, 2002
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Hannah Montana: The Movie Review
As most kids know from watching the TV show “Hannah Montana,” Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) leads a double life as an average teenager, and as the famous pop singer, Hannah Montana.
In the movie, Miley Stewart is becoming too attached to her pop star alter ego, and is letting her popularity of Hannah Montana take over her life. As Miley’s father, (Billy Ray Cyrus) is noticing her arrogant attitude, (and is not happy with it), he steps in to take her back home to Tennessee, and bring her back to reality. Despite her initial protest, she gradually finds fun and adventure in the small town, and realizes the importance of family and friends.
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: August 18, 2009
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: 4+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
The movie stresses strong family values. Though Miley’s upset with her dad when he wants her to take a break from her career, she ultimately respects her father’s decision, and apologizes.
There is a huge enthusiastic fan base for the TV show- this group will love the movie.
Two girls behind me ( ages 9 and 11) were thrilled with the movie. They were singing and giggly throughout the movie. When I interviewed them after the movie they were ecstatic, they said they were going to see the movie again.
The premise of the movie is similar to “Sweet Home Alabama”: where a big city girl goes back to her home town, and realizes how pleasant and comforting it really is.
Taylor Swift and Rascal Flats sing in the movie, which kids will enjoy.
Older girls and most boys may find it a little corny.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Hannah has a cute relationship with Travis ( a cowboy). He is drawn to Miley, not Hannah’s popularity. They flirt, kiss a little, but nothing inappropriate.
Violent Content: Mild
- Miley trips over fences, falls off chicken coops, and gets hit on the head several times, while trying to escape a nosy reporter. Not too violent, more silly.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Characters say words such as; “geez,” “heck” and “dang.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Overall it’s a fun, entertaining movie, which emphasis the importance of good down to earth values.
Great movie for girls ages 4 and above- I give it 4 buckets.
GI Joe Rise of the Cobra Review
The movie is based on the long time action figure and the 1980’s cartoon, about a special operation unit known as GI JOE. The GI JOE team uses the newest futuristic spy and military equipment to fight the highly advanced crime organization known as Cobra. The GI JOE team must prevent the evil Cobra organization from destroying the world.
Rating: Three out of five buckets
Release Date: November 3, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
I brought four boys ages 9 to 14. They all thought it was an entertaining movie, they liked it.
Adults may think it’s corny and over the top with some of the futuristic scenes.
There’s an odd inconsistency in that it’s unrealistic in the same way that little boys who play with GI Joe action figures are unrealistic but it’s not geared for little boys -It’s a PG 13 movie with a lot of graphic violence.
When the bad guys blow a hole through the polar ice cap, hoping the ice will destroy the GI Joe submarines below, the ice sinks.(That bothered my husband).
I read some fun facts on-line about the movie:
- G.I. JOE is an acronym for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity.
- The term G.I.JOE was a generic term given to the general infantry soldiers of the U.S. Army during WW II.
- Dennis Quaid took the role of General Hawk because his son is a G.I. JOE fan.
- The film-makers enjoyed working with Quaid so much that the screenwriter created 10 to 15 more scenes for him.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Women wear low cut outfits, revealing cleavage.
Violent Content: Excessive
- Younger kids (7 and under) may get scared by the violence and disturbing scenes.
- In a flashback, we see two of the characters as children beating each other up to a pulp, using martial arts.
- In other scenes the characters are shot, sliced, stabbed, poked in the face with needles.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- Swearing throughout the film; the a-word, d-word, s-word and b-word are used.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- One character takes a pain medication.
Overall it’s an action packed, mindless, entertaining movie with well-known characters. Boys that like action packed movies may enjoy it. For boys ages 8 and up, with parental guidance. My kids said to give it 3 1/2 buckets, my husband said to give it 2 buckets, so I decided to give it 3 buckets.
Delgo Review
The movie is an animated fantasy adventure about a teenager, named Delgo, who is from a very friendly, prosperous and peaceful civilization. Then a more war-like civilization attempts to take over and wipe out the Lockni people. So Delgo and his friends try to protect their world.
Rating: One out of five buckets
Release Date: August 4, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
The leader of his peaceful civilization tells Delgo that, “ people cannot change the past, but they can choose what they learn from it.”
“Where one learns vengeance, another learns mercy.”
Through Delgo’s relationship with Kyla(war-like people), the 2 groups of people learn to appreciate each other, and work together. It has a Romeo and Juliet aspect to it.
Plot is somewhat involved for young kids, and very BORING.
I read that,“Delgo’s” computer imaging took more than 6 years to complete. The visuals are colorful and detailed, but not fantastic.
The only redeeming quality of the movie is that if offers a pleasant message of peace and racial equality.
Conflict can be resolved when people forgive and work together.
Good triumphs over evil.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Two characters hold hands and kiss once.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Delgo’s parents are murdered.
- The villain breaks in to someone’s house and uses a glowing green gas to poison the family.
- Many characters are kicked, punched and knocked down.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Words such as “idiot,” “fool,” “pansy” and “wuss” are used.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink wine in one scene.
While the movie might spark a good family conversation, there are better movies that cover that subject. Overall it’s a boring ,dull movie with a lot of violence.