Comedy
Comedy movie reviews
Pitch Perfect-Teen Movie Review
Beca(Anna Kendrick) is a freshman at Barden University; she doesn’t love college, she doesn’t try to fit in, but what she does want to do…is move to Los Angeles!!! However, things change when she’s persuaded to join The Bellas, an all-girls a cappella group. Now Beca takes this traditional, somewhat boring singing group, and adds a contemporary flare, which sets them apart from their rivals. Pitch Perfect is a comedy musical; it’s a fun entertaining movie!!!
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Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 18, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
The a cappella group is filled with a bunch of misfit girls. It was nice to see the girls accept one another and learn how to work together. Great parent/child conversation.
The movie is predictable and sappy, though cute and entertaining.
The music and talent of the young men and women in the film was amazing. They had wonderful voices!!!
Sexual Content: Moderate
- There are some suggestive dance moves as one girl touches her privates while dancing.
- In a singing contest, one group is asked to sing songs about sex.
- Initially Beca was asked to join the group while she was in the shower, the other girl was in the shower too. We only saw their shoulders and backs.
- Three girls were kicked out of the group for sleeping with their rival boys group.
- There were sexual references made throughout the film.
Violent Content: Mild
- After a competition, The Bella’s got into a fight with another singing group. One character is hit in the face and crotch.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- The s-word is said about 6 times, we also hear other words such as; “a–,” “b–ch,” “d–n” and “h–l,” are said.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see college students drinking at a party, it’s obvious that some are drunk.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
- Fans of Glee and other movies of this genre, will enjoy this film.
Overall this is an entertaining film. Parents need to be aware of the moderate sexual content. Depending on the kid, I recommend this film for girls ages 12 and up.
Pink Panther 2- Family Movie Review
Pink Panther 2 is a sequel to the 2006 comedy “Pink Panther.” When the film begins Inspector Clouseau is a parking meter attendant. But when the legendary Pink Panther diamond is stolen, along with artifacts from all over the world, the chief inspector assembles an international dream team to track down the thief and recover the missing artifacts. Clouseau is added to this team as the French detective. With his physical gags, and French accent, he adds excitement and humor to the team.
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Rating: Three out of five buckets
Release Date:
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
Funny, mild entertainment.
I interviewed kids ages 7 to 10. They all loved the movie, and thought it was very funny. My kids loved it as well.
The cast is filled with many talented actors and comedians.
I interviewed a few mom’s who thought it was inappropriate because of the sexual components of the movie.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- A women police dept. therapist meets with Clouseau to discuss proper sexual conduct in the workplace, which then trigers improper conduct. Clouseau makes suggestive statements to the therapist as well as other women. He says to his assistant, “ You’re like a brother to me, a hot sexy brother in a dress”.
- Women wear low cut outfits.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There’s a lot of slapstick, silly violence.
- There is some serious violence. For example, one character is found dead on the floor.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- One character says the a-word.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink wine.
If you like slapstick humor, you will find the movie entertaining.
Good for kids ages 9 to early teens.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop- Family Movie Review
As the title implies, Paul Blart is a mall cop who takes his job very seriously, perhaps a little too seriously. It’s a pretty quiet job until a group of well organized robbers attempt to rob the mall on Black Friday, they also take a group of hostages, including Paul’s daughter, and a mall worker who he has a crush on. So now the mall cop has to become a real cop and rescue his daughter, and love interest, and save the day..
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: May 19, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
It’s an entertaining and funny movie that keeps you interested.
Paul is committed to his family and job, he’s loyal and trustworthy. He also refuses to hit a women, even in self defense.
Strong father-daughter relationship.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Paul flirts with a teenage girl.
- A character comments on a push-up bra.
Violent Content: Mild
- The robbers may scare younger kids. They arrive in the form of tattooed thugs who ride skateboards throughout the mall. They barricade the doors and take hostages, but in a humorous way.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- The a-word, and h-word are used.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Paul drinks socially, he even gets drunk at one point.
I interviewed kids ages 8 to 11 after the movie, who all loved it! Some parents thought it was a little corny, but thought it was exciting for the kids. My husband, 2 boys (ages 9 and 11) and I all enjoyed it.
ParaNorman Review
Norman is a different type of kid; he’s popular, however not with the living. Norman is popular with zombies and ghosts.He not only speaks to dead people and understands them; he’s also very nice to them. The townspeople of Blithe Hollow think that Norman is a strange kid who continuously speaks to himself. His parents don’t understand him, and his teenage sister thinks he’s weird. Then one day Norman is accosted by his smelly, hairy uncle. His uncle tells him that it’s up to Norman to stop a witch’s curse which was conjured up to 300 years ago. If he doesn’t stop this curse, the dead will rise from their graves. Now it’s up to Norman to become a hero and save his town from this ancient curse. ParaNorman is an animated, comedic horror film for kids.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 buckets
Release Date: November 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
The premise of this film is a little creepy; a boy speaking to ghosts and zombies; however it has a very clear and powerful message to be kind to one another. It highlights the fact that if you’re upset and angry with someone you will be miserable – don’t let your anger consume you and get the best of you. The film also focuses on the problems of bullying, acceptance of others, and most importantly forgiveness!!!
Norman’s dead grandpa says to him, “There’s nothing wrong with being scared, Norman, as long as you don’t let it change who you are.”
Norman tells a witch that it’s okay to be different, that differences make us who we are, and gives us the power to help others. Great parent/child conversation.
This film may scare younger kids as Norman has many encounters with ghosts. Having said that, many of the scenes are portrayed as silly rather than gory. Kids were laughing throughout the film.
Norman first sees the ghost of his uncle in a toilet bowl; this was a very strange scene.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Norman’s sister flirts with a big muscular guy.
- Another character tries to impress girls by break dancing; he also talks about an adult video store.
- Norman tells his parents that Courtney (Norman’s sister) hides pictures of the high school quarterback in her underwear drawer.
Violent Content: Excessive
- The zombies are scary looking and rotting away. Ones ear falls off.
- There are battles with the zombies and the living, we see the zombie’s body parts flying all over the place.
- Villagers assault the zombies, and try to burn down city hall.
- Aggie (a witch) has dangerous powers. She caused wooden thorns to pop up from the ground, almost impaling Norman.
- We see Norman watching a movie, in the movie there is a zombie attacking a women.
- As Norman tries to retrieve a book from his uncle’s corpse, he repeatedly knocks the dead man’s head on a table.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- Words such as “a–,” and “sucks,” are said, and one character says “the f-word.”
- Name calling such as, “diarrhea mouth,” “stupid,” “fatty,” and “weirdo,” are used. Character’s also say “boobs.”
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is an entertaining film. Parents need to be aware of the strange premise, which may scare kids, and also the moderate profane language. Depending on the child, I’d say this is appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.
One For The Money Review
Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl) is a newly divorced, unemployed lingerie salesman from Macy’s, who can’t pay the rent, and whose car gets repossessed. Feeling desperate and broke, she calls cousin Vinnie, who employs her as a bounty hunter. Stephanie’s first assignment is to find Joe Morelli, an ex-cop and an ex-lover. Now the excitement and drama begin as Stephanie toughens up, and buys a gun, with hopes of making some money to pay the bills. One for the Money is a comedy,action/adventure movie, based on a novel by Janet Evanovich.
Rating: 2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: May 15, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group:12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content:Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
See a clip of my review here, along with a review of “Man on a Ledge.”
Talking Points:
I liked how Stephanie (Katherine Heigl) was persistent on getting a new job. She needed the money to pay the bills, so she took the initiative and got a job…something that could spark a parent/child conversation.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book series, and I like Katherine Heigl, so I thought this was going to be a good, entertaining movie. Well, there were some funny parts, Katherine Heigl was good, (and so was Jason O’Mara who played Joe Morelli), but overall I didn’t enjoy the movie.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Stephanie and Morelli (the guy she’s assigned to find) are sexually attracted to each other. In one scene, he barges into her apartment while she’s taking a shower. He handcuff’s her to the shower rod, while commenting on how good she looks, naked in the shower.
- Stephanie takes her shirt off, while Morelli attaches an eavesdropping wire to her body.
- Prostitutes are shown, wearing low-cut, revealing outfits.
- There are many sexual references and comments; one regarding oral sex.
- An elderly man is shown naked, we see his back side.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There are many gun shots and deaths. One guy is shot five times in the chest.
- Two characters get into a big fight, punching and shoving each other, we see them injured and bloody.
- A prostitute is thrown out of a car, bloody and bruised.
- An SUV blows up.
Crude and Profane Language: Moderate
- Words such as “a–,” “d–n,” “b-tard,” and “b–ch,” are each used several times throughout the film.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s are shown drinking wine at dinner.
- The bad guys are involved with heroin.
Overall this was a silly movie, with no redeeming qualities. This would be a good rental in which pre-teen and teenage girls may be entertained by,especially if they liked the book. Parents need to be aware of the sexual references and some moderate violence.