Drama

Drama movie reviews

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials-Kids’ movie review

In this second movie of The Maze Runner trilogy Thomas and his fellow teenage Gladers are finally rescued from the maze trials. However, now they have a whole new set of challenges. The teenagers get involved with a powerful organization called WCKD, and the teens end up in the Scorch- a desolate wasteland filled with dangerous obstacles and virus infected zombies. Now Thomas and company are on a mission to escape the Scorch and find the group who can help them fight against WCKD. Based on a young adult novel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is an action packed sci-fi movie.

Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 15, 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 Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) is a great leading character. He’s a good friend and a great role model. The teens look up to him and appreciate his leadership skills.
The film is dark as it is set in a dystopian society. See violent content below.

Sexual Content: Mild

There’s a nightclub scene where woman are dancing seductively. Music is playing while we see two of the teens under the influence of an unknown liquid; which they were forced to drink.
We see a couple passionately kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

The Cranks, deformed zombie-like creatures, kill and destroy humans.
When victims are infected with a rampant disease called Flare, we see their bloody wounds and their blackened skin covered with the disease.
There are several fights and battles throughout the film. Thomas and the other teens fight the zombie-like creatures, and the zombies fight one another. Teens are beaten, shot, and killed.
We see a man tied up and severely beaten.
Unconscious teens are shown hanging upside down in a laboratory with tubes pumping fluid out of their bodies.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

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

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Teens are forced to drink a liquid that leaves them physically and mentally impaired.
Drugs are administered to people to stop the progression of the rampant disease.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed several pre-teens who really liked the movie. They had read the book and loved the book to movie transition.

Overall this is a very dark and violent film. Parents need to be aware of the excess violence throughout the film.

Straight Outta Compton-Teen Movie Review

The streets of Compton, Californa were a dangerous place in the mid 1980’s. Straight Outta Compton is the story of five young men (Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube, DJ Yella and MC Ren) who form a musical rap group, N.W.A. Their music communicates their experiences growing up with police brutality on the streets of Compton. The film highlights the lives of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube, their relationship with music manager Jerry Heller, and their successes and failures of handling fame and fortune. The film’s title is the name of their 1988 debut studio album Straight Outta Compton.

Rating: 1 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 19, 2016
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 18+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Straight Outta Compton demonstrates the injustices and brutal treatment African American’s endured in Compton, California in the mid 1980’s.
The film portrays all police officers as corrupt, racist and violent.
The N.W.A.’s lyrics is their way of communicating racial injustice and it is their way to retaliate. One of their most popular songs is called, “F— the police.”

Sexual Content: Excessive

We see topless women in hotel room parties and swim parties.
A couple have sex on a hotel bed in front of everyone during a party. We see explicit movements; they’re under the covers.
One of the band members tells his brother to bring his “rubbers” if he joins them on tour.
There are crude sexual references and comments made throughout the movie.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are several brutal fist fights; characters are beaten and shot to death throughout the film.
Police are shown treating innocent black people as criminals. The victims are thrown to the ground, threatened, harassed, frisked and handcuffed…while completely innocent.
We see footage of the Rodney King assault by Los Angeles police.
We see a riot in Detroit as the band is arrested.
In a fit of rage, a character uses a baseball bat and breaks everything in a music executive’s office.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

Seemingly every other word is a swear word…every swear word imaginable.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive

We see a crack house with people preparing drugs to sell.
We see characters drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, cigarettes and cigars.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

Teens are talking about the film. They are familiar with the music and storyline.

Overall this is an interesting film, however it is very inappropriate. Parents need to be aware of the excessive sexual, violent and drug contents, and the crude and profane language.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation: Teen Movie Review

The Impossible Mission Force, a.k.a. IMF, has disbanded and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is now on his own. However, a new threat has emerged… called The Syndicate. The Syndicate is a group of highly skilled former agents who are dedicated to establishing new world order through a series of terrorist attacks. Now Ethan gathers his team to stop the terrorist from their evil threats. Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation is the fifth movie in the Mission Impossible Series.

Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 15 , 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

There are no life lessons or messages however the characters, storyline and action are great, making this an entertaining film.

Sexual Content: Mild

A female character takes off her shirt; we see her bare back.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are aggressive fights throughout the film. Characters are shot, stabbed and beaten to death.
The villains strap explosives to one of Ethan’s partners.
We see car and motorcycle chase scenes which involve several casualties.
Ethan is captured by the bad guys. He’s tied down with chains and hit in the gut and face.
A character is shown underwater and nearly drowns; he’s revived.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

“D–n,” “sh-t,” and “h—,” are said a few times each throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see glasses of wine.

Will Teens Like It?

Overall this is a fun action packed film. Having said that parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the film.

Fantastic Four-Kids’ Movie Review

Kids do all sorts of activities growing up whether it be sports, music or kick ball in the back yard. However, Reed Richards (Miles Teller) is not your typical kid; he does scientific experiments in his garage. As Reed becomes a teenager he and three other kids use one of his inventions and teleport to an alternate universe where their physical form changes drastically. Now the four, A.K.A. Fantastic Four, must use their new skills and work together to save the Earth from an evil enemy. Fantastic Four is based on a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics.

Rating: 2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: December 15, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Teens Like It? No

Talking Points:

The film has an all-star cast, to name a few; Miles Teller, Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan (from Friday Night Lights). Having said that the film is slow in parts and somewhat depressing.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a character crawling through an air duct- naked. However, we primarily see him waist up.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Characters are shown on fire, smothered by an avalanche, their flesh burned and blistered, and legs crushed.
As the characters develop their superpowers one of the four turns Hulk-like. He smashes other characters, burns them and destroys them.
We see character’s cut and injured; covered in blood.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

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

Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate

Three of the main character’s are shown drunk while passing a flask around.

Will Teens Like It? No

I interviewed several pre-teens who thought the movie was slow, dark and depressing.

Overall Fantastic Four is an action packed sci/fi film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the movie.

Paper Towns-Teen Movie Review

High school can be challenging and often difficult at times, especially for Quentin (Nat Wolff). Quentin is a shy and somewhat nerdy high school senior. He has never even been to a high school party, or done anything too exciting during his teenage years. However, his life dramatically changes the night that Margo (Cara Delevingne) climbs through his window. Margo, a very cute and popular girl and Quentin’s childhood friend/crush, wants to recruit Quentin to help her seek revenge on her cheating boyfriend. Margo has a list of vandalizing pranks and needs Quentin to drive her around. Initially hesitant, Quentin helps his friend and ends up having a great night. Though when Margo disappears the next day, he and his friends gather clues in hopes to find this mysterious girl that changes Quentin’s life. Based on a young adult novel by John Green, Paper Towns is dramatic romance for pre-teens and teens.

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: October 20, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Quentin, the main character, stresses the importance of not idolizing the pretty and popular people…and to learn to enjoy your life.
Margo and Quentin do some malicious pranks with no consequences involved. Their pranks include breaking and entering, spray painting several walls, and spreading Nair hair removal on a boys’ eyebrows.
A group of teens skip school and take a 24 hour road trip without parental permission…again no consequences.

Sexual Content: Moderate

We see a teenage couple making out on someone’s bed. They are both shirtless, the girl is shown wearing a skimpy bra.
A high school boy climbs out of his girlfriend’s bedroom, and he is naked (his privates are covered). Later, teenagers make several comments about the size of his private parts.
One girl comments that she had chlamydia and proceeds to complain about her sexual reputation.
A teenage boy makes several comments about girls he’s had sex with. He also makes sexual comments about his friend’s mom.
Another teenage couple is shown making out. It’s noted that the boy lost their virginity that night.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

Two children find the corpse of a man who committed suicide. We see blood on his head and shirt.
We see a high school jock slamming a nerdy boy against his locker.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

“Sh-t,” “a–,” “h—,” and “d–n” are said throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate

A high school student has a big party where teens are shown drinking beer and alcohol. One boy gets very drunk- we see him throw up.

Overall this is a film targeting towards pre-teens and teens. Parents need to be aware of the sexual contents, profane language and teenage drinking.