Kids
The Book Of Life-Kids Movie Review
Who will Maria (voice of Zoe Saldana) marry? Manolo (voice of Diego Luna), a sensitive guitar player whose family wants him to be a ruthless bullfighter, or Joaquin (voice of Channing Tatum) Manolo’s best friend. Both men are madly in love with Maria, however things dramatically change when Manolo is bitten by a poisonous snake. He travels through the underworld on a Mexican holiday called The Day of the Dead. This is a magical day when the spirits of the departed return to earth to receive gifts from living family members. Now Manolo sees a whole new world, but the only thing he really wants is to return to his true love and win her heart. Narrated by a museum tour guide, The Book of Life is an animated film about death, the afterlife and true love.
Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: October 17, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Talking Point:
- The characters are good people who strive to do right thing. One character says that true hero’s are selfless. The story highlights the importance friendship and love.
- The animation is great with cute and colorful characters.
- With the mature and deep subject matter of death and the afterlife of the Mexican culture, kids may get bored. There’s also a romantic element to the story, which may not appeal to kids.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Two couples kiss.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Though this is a story about death, we only see on person die.
- We see characters pounded and beaten.
- We see prayers for the dead, skeletons, afterlife worlds, and a godlike Candle Maker. Though animated, parts may scare young kids.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Characters are shown drinking wine.
- A stumbling character says he was at four different bars.
Will it Appeal to kids? No
- This is an animated film with an adult storyline. Overall I don’t think it will appeal most kids.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good…Kids movie review
We all have bad days, some worse than others. It’s the day before Alexander’s 12th birthday and it’s not a good day; he slips on a skateboard, gets gum in his hair, a funny picture is taken of him which travels all around the school, and he finds out no one is going to his birthday party because the most popular boy in school is having a big bash. When Alexander comes home, his parents and siblings have all had amazing days, and his baby brother can do no wrong. So at 12:01 AM, Alexander’s 12th birthday, he wishes a bad day upon his family. Now the comedic tragedies begin as we see a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day for the Cooper family…but not Alexander! Based on a popular children’s book, Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a terrific film for the whole family!
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: February 10, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
Talking Points:
- There’s a wonderful message about the importance of family and loved ones. Alexander comes to realize that no matter how bad your day can be, or no matter how bad life can get, if you’re surrounded by family and loved ones, it’s not that bad.
- Steve Carell (the dad) and Jennifer Garner (the mom) are very funny and entertaining. The kids in the film are also likable, fun characters, ones that kids in the audience can relate to.
- There is some potty humor for example, the baby urinates on the kitchen floor and oven, kids in the theater thought that was funny. Also, the daughter vomits on her dad.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- The mom walks in on her teenage son as he’s naked in the bathroom. We don’t see anything, however later she comments saying, “It’s not the first time I’ve seen your penis.”
- There’s a discussion of Anthony and his girlfriend making out.
- The parents hire three “Australian cowboys,” for Alexander’s birthday party, not realizing their strippers.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Alexander accidentally starts a fire in his Chemistry class.
- The dad’s shirt cuffs set fire while eating at a Japanese restaurant.
- The dad gets kicked to the ground by a kangaroo.
- While the teenage son is taking his driver’s test he gets into a car crash, no one is hurt.
- The mom crashes while riding a bike.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “Idiot,” “sucks,” and “crap,” are said.
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Emily, the eight grade daughter, overdoses on cold medicine and acts very silly.
- The dad drinks beer and then slams down another drink while the group he’s with chants his name.
Will it Appeal to kids? Yes
- This is a great film for kids of all ages…elementary kids, middle school age kids and teens may find it appealing as well.
Overall this is a great family movie, one I highly recommend!
The Boxtrolls-Kids Movie Review
In an underground world lives a group of subterranean trolls who adopted an infant orphan boy named Eggs (voice of Isaac Hempstead Wright). These trolls look fearsome in their card board box attire, however they are very kind-hearted loving creatures. Things get difficult for the trolls as the evil exterminator, Snatcher (voice of Ben Kingsley) wants to eliminate all them, with hopes to to become a high society man. However it’s not that easy for Snatcher. Eggs and his wealthy friend from above, Winnie (Elle Fanning), will do anything to try and save the loving creatures underground. Based on the children’s novel ‘Here Be Monsters’ by Alan Snow, The Boxtrolls is a dark, animated film that will most likely scare young kids.
Rating: 2 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 20, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Talking Points:
Though this is a dark and disturbing film for kids, I did find some redeeming qualities. The importance of a loving father is highlighted as Fish protects and nurtures his adopted orphan son, Egg. The Boxtrolls are kind-hearted creatures who love children.
Egg eventually stands up to Snatcher, saying, “Cheese, hats, boxes they don’t make you who you are. You make you.”
This is an animated film geared towards children. However with the dark and creepy storyline, kids will most likely be frightened by the fact that characters are kidnapped and tortured. See details in violent content below.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Madame Frou Frou has a seductive, manly voice. Her lyrics are sometimes inappropriate as well.
- When it’s revealed that Madame Frou Frou is also Archibald Snatcher, a character blurts out…”Oh my God, I regret so
- much.”
Violent Content: Excessive
- Snatcher is a dark, evil villain, who enjoys inflicting pain on others. He desperately wants to kill the Boxtrolls and eventually kidnaps several of them. He even invades the Boxtrolls’ underground home by using a huge robot.
- Snatcher uses a crushing press to execute all the creatures he’s captured.
- We see Snatcher’s allergic reaction to cheese, his face swells and looks disgusting.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Will it Appeal to kids? No
Overall this is a dark and disturbing animated film, one I don’t recommend for kids. See Dolphin Tale 2 or Rio 2 instead!
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.
Transformers: Age Of Extinction-Teen Movie Review
Where is Optimus Prime? That’s the big question, as the CIA and Technology tycoon Joshua Joyce (Stanley Tucci) are desperately searching for the leader of the Autobots, a.k.a. the good guy Transformers. However, Cade Yeagar (Mark Wahlberg) knows where the beloved robot is. Cade runs a robotic repair shop in Texas. He was repairing an old truck, hoping to fix it up and give to his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz). Though Tessa never got the truck, the truck started to talk and move, the truck became…Optimus Prime! Now the action and adventure begins for Cade, Tessa and her boyfriend Shane (Jack Reynor) as they become involved in a war of good vs. evil.
Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: September 30, 2014
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Extensive
Crude or Profane Language: Extensive
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Will it Appeal to teens? Yes
Talking Points:
I liked the father/daughter relationship in the film. Initially Tessa gives her boyfriend all the credit for rescuing her, however she eventually comes to realize that her father is the true hero in her life!
The film is action packed, and humorous in parts, having said that it is way too long…165 minutes! I noticed kids in the theater getting fidgety after two hours.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Two characters kiss.
Violent Content: Excessive
- Cade and his daughter Tessa are beaten and thrown to the ground by the black ops team. They also threaten to blow Tessa’s brains out while pointing a gun to her head.
- Characters are beaten, punched, smashed and thrown through windows.
- Robots beat humans.
- There are gun shots, explosions and disasters throughout the film.
- Gigantic Dinobots destroy the town with their spiked tails and long teeth.
- Mechanical dogs attack characters.
- An alien space craft destroys buildings, vehicles and railroad cars.
- Transformers are brutally beaten, decapitated and blown to shreds.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- The f-word is said. We also here “sh-t,” “a–,” “h—,” “b–ch,” “d–n,” and “b-tard.”
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
- Tessa and her high school friends discuss “getting wasted” after graduation.
- We see Cade drinking a beer.
Will it Appeal to kids/ teens? Yes
- I interviewed two boys, 8 and 13 years old. The 8 year old boy liked the film a lot, but thought it was too long. The 13 year old loved the action and the Dinobots. The film held his attention the whole time. Neither boy was scared. I interviewed there father as well, who liked the film but thought there were too many swear words.
Overall this is an action packed, entertaining film…though too long!!! Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and profane language throughout the film. Depending on the child, I recommend this for kids ages 10 and up.