Drama

Drama movie reviews

Into The Woods-Kids Movie Review

Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy) all travel into the woods for one thing or another. Whether it be to sell a cow, going to grandmothers or visiting a mother’s grave… they are all headed into the woods. Into the Woods is a musical that follows the lives all the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Each storyline is tied together by the Baker (James Corden) and his Wife (Emily Blunt), their dream of starting a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep)…who sends them into the woods!

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 24, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The music is fun and entertaining with an all-star cast singing the tunes. However, the film is not the typical sweet Disney movie that we’re familiar with. The Princes cheat and the Wolves seduce little girls.

“Be Careful What You Wish For” is noted throughout the film. Cinderella dreams of meeting a handsome prince, though when she does, he’s not all that great. In fact she even leaves her Prince as he fails to remain faithful.

Sexual Content: Moderate

When Cinderella’s Prince (Chris Pine) meets the Baker’s Wife in the woods, they passionately kiss and he begins to seduce her. The Prince is married and justifies the kiss by saying “Right and wrong don’t matter in the woods, only feelings.”
The Wolf meets Little Red Riding Hood in the woods, he acts like a child molester when he makes inappropriate comments to her.
Cinderella and her Prince passionately kiss, as does Rapunzel and her Prince.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

Little Red and her grandmother are eaten by the Wolf, which we don’t see, however the Baker stabs his knife into the Wolf’s stomach.
Several character’s die; one falls off a cliff, one is punched and hits her head on a s stump, and another is hit in the forehead by a rock.
Cinderella’s stepsisters get their feet sliced by their mother…in hopes that the slipper will fit. The cutting is off camera, while we only see drops of blood.
Jack is repeatedly slapped by his mother.
The witch is evil and scary which may frighten young kids. She steals a little girl to raise as her own, and locks her away in a doorless tower.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is an entertaining musical which may appeal to kids, however parents need to be aware of the somewhat dark storyline and moderate sexual content. This is not your typical Disney PG rated film.

Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies-Kids Movie Review

Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the rest of the dwarves fight the dragon to reclaim their homeland and reclaim the gold treasures found in Lonely Mountain. Ultimately Thorin battles with greed, obsession and five armies of dwarves, elves, orcs, goblins and men. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the third and final film of The Hobbit trilogy.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 24, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
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:

There are many battles woven through the film. Having said that, the main characters are fighting for peace and justice.

The subject of greed and the evil it instills is portrayed as we see Thorin obsessed with his possession of gold. At one point Gandalf tells Bilbo, “Don’t underestimate the evil of gold,” referring to Thorin’s greed.

This film has more violence than the other Hobbit films. Something parents need to be aware of.

Sexual Content: Mild

A character disguising himself as a woman by stuffing his chest with gold.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are numerous battles throughout the film involving not only men but goblins, dwarves, elves, bats, trolls, Orcs and giant worms.
Characters are impaled, beheaded, slashed and brutally beaten.
A female character is shown repeatedly thrown against stone walls and stairs.
Dwarves are stabbed and thrown off cliffs.
We see explosions and character’s burning to death.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

“B-tards” was said once.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

A character drinks wine, and another smokes a pipe.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall the fans of The Hobbit series will enjoy the film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violent scenes throughout the film.

Top Five-Teen Movie Review

“Who’s your top five?” That’s a question that Andre Allen (Chris Rock) typically asks. He’s asking people who their favorite rap artists are. Andre was a New York City stand-up comedian, who also made movies where he dressed as “Hammy the Bear.” Everyone loved Andre, he was a star and made a lot of money. However alcohol and drugs got the best of him and he needed to redirect his life. Eventually becoming clean and sober, Andre didn’t want to be known as “Hammy the Bear” or a comedian, he wanted to be recognized as a serious actor. It took an unexpected interview with Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), a reporter for The New York Times, to change his life and reveal the truth of his sordid past… the past he happily left behind.

Rating: 2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 17, 2015
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content:Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film stresses the fact that people are not always who they seem to be. This message is shown throughout the film with the main character’s, and the image they pretend portray.

Top Five has a interesting storyline and message, however the unnecessary and excessive sexual content takes away from the film. See details below.

Sexual Content:Excessive

Characters are shown in a three-way sexual encounter. The woman are naked, we see their breasts and backsides, and vivid sexual movements.
A woman discovers that her boyfriend is gay. The audience sees clear images of anal sex…this was a disturbing and very graphic scene.
There were sexual references and crude jokes made throughout the whole film referring to masturbation, infidelity and male/female body parts. Basically anything relating to sex.
Several scenes were shown in a strip club where the audience saw female exotic dancing.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild

In a violent rage, Dre throws beer bottles at a display in a grocery store and is taken to jail.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

The f-word, “a–,” “b–ch,” “h—,” and “p—y” are said throughout the whole film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive

Dre is a recovering alcoholic. In flashback scenes we see him drinking heavily .
Character’s are shown drinking beer, wine and mixed drinks throughout the film.
We see character’s smoking pot.
There’s talk about people using cocaine.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

Overall this is a funny and entertaining film with an interesting storyline. However, with the graphic and disturbing sexual scenes I don’t recommend this film for teens.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1: Teen Movie Review

She’s the face of the revolution and a symbol of hope. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a seventeen year old girl from District 12, and a survivor of the of the country’s inhumane Hunger Games. When she awakes in District 13 and discovers that District 12 has been shattered to rubble due to the previous games, she’s panicked and scared. Though her mom and sister are safe, she discovers that Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), her friend and true love, has been captured by the Capitol’s evil President, and is being used to spread propaganda. Now Katniss, with the help of some friends, must not only save Peeta, but save a nation and it’s oppressed people from their corrupt government. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 is the third film in a trilogy, based on a popular novel by Suzanne Collins.

Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 6, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

This movie is not as violent as the previous films in the series. We don’t see children killing children as a source of entertainment. Having said that, this is a dark and somewhat disturbing film. While the nation of Panem is in the midst of a civil war, we see fighting and evil throughout the film.

The movie could spark some interesting parent/child conversations regarding war and propaganda.

Sexual Content: Mild

Katniss and Gale briefly kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There are battles between the rebels and the “peacekeepers.” Character’s are shot to death, beaten and blown up.
We see injured civilians and remnants of hundreds of corpses all over the ground.
A character nearly choked to death.
During a bomb raid, characters of District 13 hide underground. We hear the loud booming noise while the scared victims seek shelter.
A character is injected with venom, and used as a human weapon. We see him struggling as he’s in severe pain.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is an intense drama. Depending on the child, I feel this is appropriate for kids ages 12 and up.

Big Hero 6-Kids Movie Review

When Hiro, an intelligent 14 year old boy, says, “ouch,” Baymax appears. Baymax is a big marshmellow-like inflatable health care robot, that Hiro’s older brother, Tadashi, invented. After a tragic criminal act, which kills Tadashi and threatens the city of San Fransokyo, Hiro is left sad and depressed. However it’s Baymax and Tadashi’s nerdy friends that come together and help Hiro find the villain behind the awful crime. Big Hero 6 is a wonderful animated, action packed film, one for the whole family.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 24, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The theme woven throughout film is about helping one another, whether it’s your family, a friend or someone in need.
There are fun loving and wonderful characters in the film, especially Baymax!!!
Hiro, Baymax and their four geeky friends use their talents and work as a team to solve the crime.
Parents need to be aware of the issue of death in the film. Hiro’s parents passed away when he was three, and his brother dies when he’s fourteen. This may disturb young kids. Having said Hiro is taken care of by his loving Aunt; the movie demonstrates a healthy way of handling grief.

Sexual Content: Mild

There’s a brief explanation of puberty and hormonal changes.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

The villain in the film uses millions of tiny robots to destroy streets, vehicles and buildings.
During a car chase, Hiro and the gang drive off a pier and into an ocean…Baymax rescues them.
When Hiro reprograms Baymax, Baymax becomes scary as he intends to destroy and kill the bad guy.
The Big Hero 6 team uses their defensive skills when trying to capture the villain, which shows some action and fighting scenes.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

Bonehead,” and “Holy Mother of Megazon” are said.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

When Baymax’s battery is low he’s portrayed as silly and drunk.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

I interviewed three kids:

A five year old boy said he loved the film, though he thought the “bad guy” in the mask was scary.
A nine year old boy said he loved it, and his favorite character was Baymax.
A thirteen year old girl said she didn’t like it and thought it was corny

Overall this is a fun action film, one for the whole family.