Drama
Drama movie reviews
Creed 2-Kids’ Movie Review
Another boxing movie…more drama, more sweat, and more tears, but that’s okay. Creed II is all about working hard with a fierce desire to win!! Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is a newly crowned heavy weight champion. He’s engaged to his beautiful and supportive girlfriend, and they’re expecting a baby. Adonis’ life gets complicated when Viktor Drago challenges him to fight. Viktor’s father was the man who killed Adonis’ father while fighting in the ring. Now Adonis, and mentor Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), train extremely hard with hopes to defeat their hostile rival. Creed II is the sequel to the 2015 movie- Creed, and is the eighth boxing drama in the Rocky series.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 5, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Moderate
- We see a couple passionately kissing on a hotel bed.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There is violence relating to boxing. There are some very intense fighting scenes. We see character’s bruised and wounded.
- Adonis trains at a desert camp. We seem him training with a big guy who continually punches him in the gut. In another scene Adonis collapses from exhaustion.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “sh-t,” “b–ch,” “d–n, and “h—,” throughout the film.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s are shown drinking at a dinner party.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is an entertaining sports drama. Rocky and Creed fans will most likely enjoy the film. Appropriate for kids ages 13 and up.
Instant Family-Kids’ Movie Review
Pete and Ellie (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) have a very comfortable, good life. They’re in their forty’s, happily married, making a good living flipping housing. However, their life dramatically changes the day they decide to fill their five bedroom home with children. They come across a foster care center and initially plan to foster one young child. Instead they end up with three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl. Though Pete and Ellie have tremendous guidance from their case workers (Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro), nevertheless, their nice and simple life turns into complete chaos. Inspired by screenwriter and director Sean Anders and his wife who have fostered, then adopted, three children of their own.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 5, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Moderate
- A teenage girl is caught trying to take a nude selfie to send to an older boy. We don’t see anything.
- It’s mentioned numerous times how a boy sends “dick pics” to a girl he likes.
- There are references made about in vitro fertilization and fertility.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- One of the kids continually gets hit in the face with a ball which causes a bloody nose.
- A kid drops a nail gun on his foot and the nail goes through his foot.
- Parents beat up a young adult who’s been sending nude photos to their daughter.
- It’s mentioned that foster children suffer physical and mental abuse.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “f–k,” “bitch,” “h–l, “d–k, “goddamn,” “s–t,” “jackass,” and “a–hole.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- In once scene a frustrated mom drinks liquor.
- References are made regarding a birth mother’s drug problem, and a foster child’s addiction.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a wonderful heartfelt movie. Parents need to be aware of the profane language and mature subject matter parenting.
A Star is Born-Kids’ Movie Review
Ally (Lady Gaga) works as a server at a banquet hall and lives with her father as she cooks and cleans for him. Ally is also an extremely good musician. She sings one night a week at a dive drag bar where she paints her hair black, tapes thin eyebrows on her face, and proceeds to fill the room with her magnificent voice! One night while performing Ally’s life dramatically changes. The famous musician, Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), is in the audience, and he is in awe of Ally’s voice. The two meet and instantly connect; personally and professionally. Sadly, Jackson struggles with alcohol and drug abuse which hinders his career, however, he supports and helps Ally pursue her musical dreams, and eventually…a star is born. A Star is Born marks the third remake of the 1937 film: 1954 starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
Rating: 2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 19, 2019
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- {Spoiler Alert} Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matters of suicide and alcohol/drug addiction. This could spark some good parent/child conversations.
- Lady Gaga stars as the lead female which will appeal to pre-teens and teens.
Sexual Content: Excessive
- We see passionate kissing throughout the film.
- Jackson and Ally are shown in a sexual encounter in the bed and in the bathtub.
- Jackson autographs a drag queen’s fake breasts.
- Brief nudity.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- A character punches people a couple of times.
- {Spoiler Alert!} A character hangs himself.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- We hear the f-word a lot throughout the film. We also hear “sh-t,” “a–,” “b–ch,” and “h—.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
- A main character is an alcoholic. He also takes prescription drugs and snorts cocaine.
- We see other characters drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and marijuana.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, I loved this movie, though not appropriate for kids. Parents need to be aware of the excessive profane language, moderate sexual content, and the mature subject matter of alcohol/drug abuse and suicide.
The House with a Clock in its Walls-Kids’ Movie Review
“There’s no bedtimes, no bathtimes or mealtimes in this house,” declares Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) to his nephew Lewis. When Lewis is 10 years-old he is sent to his Uncle Jonathon’s house in New Zebedee, Mi. Sadly, Lewis’ parents had died in a car crash and he had no where else to go. Lewis had never even met this uncle, and quickly realizes that he is a very strange man who lives in a very creepy old mansion. Lewis eventually learns that Uncle Jonathan and his energetic neighbor and best friend, Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), have magical powers and are a warlock and witch. Lewis’ life dramatically changes as a new and scary world becomes part of his day to day life. Based on a classic children’s novel, The House with a Clock in its Walls.
Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: December 18, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- Kids at Lewis’ school talk about a murder at Uncle Jonathon’s house. The house definitely looks haunted as it’s filled with scary toys, dolls, and furniture that comes to life; threatening Lewis and his uncle.
- There’s a devil cuckoo clock, and an ominous ticking sound coming from the walls.
- A witch disguises herself as a sweet person though she ultimately wants to trick someone.
- An evil couple wants to destroy the world.
- The house starts to fight against the good witch and warlock characters.
- Lewis gets punched in the stomach by a bully.
- Lewis is locked in a cage with swords pointed towards him.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “h-ll,” and “d–n.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a action packed drama that may frighten young kids. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 13 and up.
Peppermint-Kids’ Movie Review
An evening out to a carnival and eating peppermint ice cream with the family sounds like a great night, however not for Riley North (Jennifer Garner). Peppermint follows the life of Riley North, a loving and caring wife and mother. Riley’s life dramatically changes when her husband and daughter are shot and killed by members of a drug cartel. Riley witnesses the drive-by shooting and is able to identify the killers. When the corrupt officials are bribed by the cartel, the killers walk away and are never prosecuted. Riley is extremely upset and is determined to seek revenge…which she attempts to do five years after the crime.
Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: December 11, 2018
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 15+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Mild
- We see women wearing only their bra and underwear.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- There is a lot of gory violence such as stabbings, gun shots, and explosions which result in numerous deaths.
- We see a man beaten to a pulp.
- A character has to staple her own wounds.
- A child is threatened, and others are killed.
- A man’s hands are nailed down to a table.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- The f-word is said a lot throughout the film. We also hear “b–ch,” “a–, “d–n,” and “h—.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters are shown drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
- We see a drug dealers’ compound where drugs are sorted and sold.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall Peppermint an action packed, suspenseful and gory drama. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and profane language woven throughout the film.