Drama
Drama movie reviews
When The Game Stands Tall-Kids Movie Review
It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. That’s what legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) truly believed. Bob Ladouceur coached the De La Salle High School football team, from Concordia, California, to win 151 consecutive games, breaking all records for any American sport. Inspired by a true story, When The Game Stands Tall is an inspirational sports drama about a coach who taught his players valuable life lessons about character, conviction, faith and humility.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 9, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Talking Points:
This is a sports movie, but it’s not all about sports. Coach Ladouceur’s goal is to shape his players to be young men of character, with conviction and faith. He wants to be a positive impact on and off the field. Great parent/child conversations.
Coach Lad doesn’t expect his players to play perfect, but to give a perfect effort.
Sexual Content: Mild
- A high school boy and his girlfriend kiss.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Two teammates get into a brawl.
- A character is shot and murdered. We hear four gun shots, then we see his body on the ground.
- A player’s father grabs and shakes his son, he even punches him in the stomach.
- The players visit a VA hospital, we see soldiers without limbs.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- In one scene we see a high school party, where students are drinking alcoholic beverages.
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Overall this is a wonderful sports drama. Depending on the child, I recommend this for kids 10 and up.
If I Stay-Kids Movie Review
It’s up to Mia Hall (Chloe Grace Moretz) whether she wants to live or die, fight or give up. This is the story about an eighteen year old girl who is involved in a tragic car accident killing her entire family. Left in a coma, we see Mia’s out of body life experiences; her romance with her boyfriend, and her life as an amazing musician. Mia must decide if her life’s worth fighting for… and answer the question, should she stay?
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: November 18, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Moderate
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Talking Points:
This is a story about love…love of family, love of music and first loves. Could spark some great parent/child conversations.
Though the story is about love, it’s also about death and the loss loved ones. Parents need to be aware of the premise as it may frighten some kids.
The music is great, Adam and Mia are both musicians; he’s in a rock band and she plays classical music on the cello.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Adam and Mia have a sexual encounter. We see them passionately kiss while starting to undress one another, then we see them naked in bed, covered by a blanket.
- We see Adam and Mia kissing and caressing each other in many scenes.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- The car crash scene is intense and creepy. Depending on the child, the premise of the story may scare kids of any age.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “a–,” “sh-t” “h—,” “d–n,” and “b–ch.”
Drugs and Alcohol: Moderate
- Characters are shown drinking beer and hard liquor in several scenes.
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
- The theater was packed with pre-teen and teenage girls who got all teary eyed but loved the film.
Overall this is a wonderful heartfelt film about loss and love. Depending on your child, this is appropriate for kids ages 11 and up.
The Giver-Kids Movie Reviews
Imagine living in a community where everything’s the same. A life without ups and downs, a life without working on a goal to be the best you can be, and sadly a life without any emotions, even love. That’s where Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) lives, a pre-teen boy in a world where “Sameness” was created and a place controlled by the Elders. Life changes for Jonas the day he is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory, the special person in the community who receives memories from The Giver (Jeff Bridges). When Jonas spends time with The Giver, he begins to feel emotions of joy, happiness, sadness, pain and much more, he comes to realize that this is how life is meant to be. So Jonas decides to do something about his dystopian environment, to change the world of “Sameness” to a world with challenges, goals and more importantly, a world with love.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 24, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Talking Points:
The film is based on a young adult novel, The Giver, and required reading for most middle school aged kids. The subject matter of a place without pain and suffering, without any emotions… good or bad, will spark some interesting parent child conversations.
There is an all-star cast, starring Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges.
Sexual Content:
- A couple passionately kiss.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- We see a man inserting a needle into a baby’s head.
- Jonas hits a guy in the face.
- In Jonas’ memory we see images of war, where characters are shot and killed.
- Elephants are shot and killed for their ivory.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Residents in the community are injected daily with drugs to keep their emotions under control.
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
- I interviewed kids ages 10 and 11, all of whom loved the movie and found it true to the book.
Overall this is a wonderful thought provoking film. Depending on the child, this is appropriate for kids ages 10 and up.
The Hundred Foot Journey-Kids Movie Review
Rivals McDonalds and Burger King can be one hundred feet apart without a problem, Qdoba and Chipolte can also be one hundred feet apart without a problem, however Le Saule Pleureur and Maison Mumbai have their problems being only one hundred feet apart. This is the story about an Indian family, led by the Papa (Om Puri), who are displaced from their native India and end up in a quaint village in the south of France, and their quest to open up an Indian restaurant. Papa is excited to share his Indian cuisine with the French, however when Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), the owner of an elegant French restaurant from across the street stops by, things get complicated. Now the war begins as the two cultures try to make it work being only one hundred feet apart. The Hundred Foot Journey is an entertaining movie with a little comedy, romance and drama…a film for the whole family.
Rating: 5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 2, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Talking Points:
Even though the Indian family and Madame Mallory and friends don’t always get along, they’re ultimately loving people and make kind gestures to make peace with one other.
The Hundred Foot Journey is an great film, however due to the mature storyline, kids under 10 may find it slow and boring.
Sexual Content: Mild
- A couple passionately kiss, then proceed into the bedroom. We don’t see anything, however when they come out of their room they are disheveled.
Violent Content:Mild
- We see rioters invading Papa’s restaurant in Mumbai, pushing tables and setting the place on fire. A loved one dies in the fire.
- In France Papa’s restaurant is also set on fire by invaders, however there is not much damage as Papa puts out the fire.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “H–,” and “sh-t,” are said.
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Characters are shown drinking wine.
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
- I interviewed five kids between the ages 14 and 17 who all loved the movie. They claimed to be “foodies” so I can see why they especially enjoyed a film about restaurants.
Overall this is a very sweet and entertaining film. As I previously mentioned, with the mature storyline, kids under 10 may find it slow and boring. Great for teens and adults!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-Kids Movie Review
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is centered around the lives of four six-foot tall talking turtles…Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo, all of whom are named after famous Renaissance figures. These lovable teenage turtles live in the sewers below New York City, and were properly raised by a man-sized rat named Splinter. The turtles and Splinter have a nice quiet life in their home, however things change when the turtles and rat get involved with a news correspondent named April O’Neil (Megan Fox). As April is trying to break a story about a gang robbery, she eventually comes to realize that there are evil villains trying to destroy New York City. Now it’s up to the four turtles, the rat and the beautiful newscaster to save The Big Apple.
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 16, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
Talking Points:
It’s noted in the film that the turtles were raised to be hardworking and honorable teenage creatures. This could spark a good parent/child conversation.
Kids were at the edge of their seats watching the action and adventure of the lovable turtles.
Sexual Content: Mild
- One of the turtles makes a comment about April saying, “She’s so hot I can feel my shell tightening.”
Violent Content: Excessive
- Character’s are shot, kicked, thrown around, and brutally beaten.
- Villains abuse and torture Splinter and the turtles with jolts of electricity. They’re also beaten, stabbed and shot.
- A character is covered with toxins, we see his burned and oozing skin as he slowly dies.
- As one of the turtles is beaten, his shell is almost cracked open.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “A–,” is said, “stupid,” and “numbnuts.”
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- The turtles are injected with mutagens.
Will it Appeal to kids/teens? Yes
- I interviewed two 9 year old boy who said they loved the action and suspense.
Overall Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a fun action packed film for kids. Having said that, parents need to be aware of the excessive violence in the movie. Depending on the child, this is appropriate for kids 8 and up.