Reviews by Genre
Movie Reviews by Genre
Nanny McPhee Returns Review
This is the story about Isabel Green, (Maggie Gyllenhaal) a mother trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war. Isabel has three mischievous kids of her own, but when her wealthy niece and nephew from London join the family on the farm, that’s when the trouble and chaos begins. Luckily for Mrs. Green, Nanny McPhee(Emma Thompson) appears at their door, ready to take over. Now Mrs. Green can actually have time to herself, and enjoy a cup of tea, while Nanny McPhee teaches the children five valuable lessons.
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: December 10, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: Any Age
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
Nanny McPhee teaches the children to respect others, to have good manners, and to keep things cleaned and picked up. Initially the kids don’t like her at all; they are rude, disrespectful children, but they gradually learn to appreciate the rules and boundaries that are enforced by Nanny McPhee. They become much happier and well adjusted children.
This is a great movie for the whole family, with some valuable lessons for children. Nanny’s five lessons are:
1) Stop fighting, 2) Share nicely, 3) Help each other, 4) Be brave, and 5) Have faith. She doesn’t leave the Green’s farm until the lesson’s are all completed.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content:
- The only violent or disturbing scenes would be when we first meet the children. They are a parents worst nightmare. Punching, kicking, and pulling each others hair was their normal behavior. They would also break things and destroy other people’s property, until Nanny McPhee arrived.
The movie is rated PG. There was some potty humor, which made the kids giggle in the theater, but other than that it was a very wholesome fun movie.
While the movie was fun and entertaining, some parts were a little drawn out, and boring, my ten year old son agreed.
I interviewed a family afterwards that had kids ages six to thirteen. They all loved it, and said they would see it again.
Overall this is a wonderful, feel good movie. With Nanny McPhee’s five lessons, it’s hard not to enjoy, and hope that your kids get something out of it. I read a statement in a movie review that said, “Talk, Make these subjects part of the post-movie ice cream experience for your family.” What a great idea! I give it four out of five buckets.
My Sister’s Keeper Review
“My Sister’s Keeper” is about a family with 2 kids. The daughter is diagnosed with leukemia as a young child and the family is desperate to save her life. When they can’t find a compatible bone marrow donor for their daughter, they go to drastic measures, and the parents conceive another daughter, who is genetically engineered to be the perfect match. Later, as a 7 year old, Anna(the younger child) realizes that she was brought into the world for the sole purpose of saving her sister’s life, and she decides to sue her parents to get out of the procedures that had dominated her life. The decisions that the parents made to save their ill child, raises moral and ethical conflicts that could destroy the whole family.
Rating: Two out of five buckets
Release Date: November 17, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking points:
Though the family faced many trials, they still had family meals, laughed and played together.
Parents in the audience will relate to the unconditional love that Kate’s parents portray, while trying to save their daughters life.
Kate’s mom’s(Cameron Diaz) whole life is consumed with trying to save her ill child. She will do anything to save her daughters life, though she neglects her 2 other kids and husband.
It’s not a feel good movie, my daughter and I left feeling depressed.
I interviewed many teenage girls who thought that the movie was okay. That’s exactly how my daughter and I felt. The book was much better!
Sexual Content: Mild
- In the movie Kate implies that she and her boyfriend had sex. Kate said to her mom “we did it.”
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- The film is very disturbing when Kate vomits blood, and when her nose bleed profusely in many scenes. At the end of the movie she’s really sick, her face and body are covered with bruises.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- The f-word is used once ,and about five s-words. The d-word, h-word and
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink wine and beer. It’s mentioned that someone was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver.
Overall it’s a very heart-wrenching dramatic movie that will make you laugh and cry.
The movie is suitable for girls, 13 and up, who would be interested in the movie’s mature subject matter.
The Roommate Review
This is the story about Sara (Minka Kelly), a young ambitious college freshman, with hopes to be a major fashion designer. Things start out well for Sara in her first year of college; she’s likes her classes, she’s got a nice, cute boyfriend, and a roommate she likes to hang out with. When Sara gradually comes to realize that her roommate is very possessive and creepy, it’s too late. Now Sara and her friends try to survive the evil threats from Rebecca.
Rating: One out of five buckets
Release Date: May 17, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group:
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language:
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Talking Points:
This is a psychotic, disturbing movie, and a situation that could really happen, which makes it even more disturbing.
I interviewed four 16 year old girls at the end of the movie. They thought it was disturbing, but they liked it. They said it was one of the better horror films.
Leighton Meester(from Gossip Girls) who plays Rebecca, the creepy roommate, does an excellent job. I had nightmares about her! Her portrayal of a creepy, possessive teenage girl is amazing. I was impressed, especially after just seeing her in Country Strong, playing a sweet country singer.
Sexual Content: Excessive
Besides the creepy element of this movie, there are a lot of sexual scenes, that parents may feel uncomfortable with. To name a few:
- Sara and her boyfriend take off their clothes, it’s implied they’ve slept together.
- Rebecca (creepy roommate), poses as Sara, and has phone sex with Sara’s ex-boyfriend. This scene is interwoven with Sara and her boyfriend’s first sexual encounter.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
The disturbing element of the movie is what really bothered me. There are many intense, uncomfortable scenes.
- Rebecca attacks a girl in the shower.
- Rebecca stabs Sara’s ex boyfriend to death.
- The part that disturbed me the most was when Rebecca wanted to trick Sara into thinking she had been raped and beaten. So Rebecca punches herself in the face, and cuts her stomach with a knife.
- Rebecca pierces her own ears with Sara’s earrings.
- She kills their cat by putting him in the dryer.
Before seeing this movie I asked some girls, ages 12 to 14 years old, if they wanted to see this movie. They wanted to see it because of the familiar actors such as Leighten Meester from Gossip Girls and Minka Kelly from 500 Days of Summer. This is not a movie for young teens, for that matter it’s not a movie for anyone. Overall this was a very disturbing movie, one that kids should not see. I couldn’t wait for the torture to end.
The Pirates! Band of Misfits Review
Pirate Captain (voice of Hugh Grant) and his misfit crew, are on a mission…to win the ultimate pirate title: “Pirate of the Year.” More determined than ever to defeat his rivals, the Captain realizes he might not have what it takes to win the coveted award. However, things change when a young scientist, Charles Darwin, informs the Captain that his beloved parrot is really a dodo bird, and the last remaining one at that. Darwin convinces the Captain to take the bird to London and show the Queen, where he will receive reward money for the bird; which should be enough to win “Pirate of the Year.” Little did the Captain know that Darwin and the Queen have their own agenda, one that does not bode well for this hapless, carefree Captain. The Pirates!Band of Misfits is an appropriate movie for kids ages 8 and up.
Rating: 1 buckets out of 5
Release Date: April 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Talking Points:
I was not a big fan of this movie, however there was one redeeming quality which was highlighted at the end of the film; the value of friendship and forgiveness. Captain Pirate thought he wanted fame and fortune, though he came to realize that’s not what makes you happy.
The animation and 3D effects were very well done.
I read that the director was asked if this was a kids’ movie; he responded by saying, “we make films just for people.” I felt the film wasn’t geared toward a target audience. There weren’t any cute, fun-loving characters for youngsters, while I think kids ages 10 and up will find it strange and boring.
Sexual Content: Mild
- One character wears low cut shirts and form-fitting outfits.
- One of the pirates is a women, disguised as a man. She has a crush on Pirate Captain.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There was a lot of slapstick, silly violence throughout the film.
- The Queen was cruel and evil.
- Charles Darwin gets tarred and feathered.
- We see a giant whale spitting out a pirate.
- There’s a sword fight scene between the Queen, and several other characters.
- Pirate Captain is almost beheaded by the Queen. This scene may scare young kids.
Crude and Profane Language: Mild
- We hear phrases such as, “hell’s barnacles,” and “banana butt.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Character’s are shown drinking beer and wine in many scenes.
- We see Pirate Captain drunk after a night at a pub.
As I previously stated this was not a cute, fun animated film for kids. Parents need to be aware of some moderate violence. The film is appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green Review
Life brings many surprises, especially for the Greens. Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) are a happily married couple eager to start a family. However their dreams are shattered when the doctor tells them that conceiving a child will be impossible. While grieving their awful news, they fill a small wooden box with notes describing characteristics of what they hoped their child would be like. They dig a hole in their vegetable garden and plant their special wooden box. The next morning a 10-year old boy named Timothy appears at their house calling them “mom,” and “dad;” a true surprise, one they’ve always dreamed of. The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a Disney story about the trials and joys of parenting. This is a heartwarming film for the whole family.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 buckets
Release Date: December 4, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Maybe
Talking Points:
Parents will enjoy this film, and will be able to relate to Timothy’s parents. They wanted to protect him, comfort him and wanted the best for their son! Timothy’s mom (Jennifer Garner) says, “It’s not that we wanted him to be perfect, we wanted it to be perfect. His childhood.”
Timothy is an odd character, though an adorable, loving boy. In the movie they say, “it’s okay to be different.” A good parent/child conversation.
Though Timothy’s parents loved him more than anything, they made mistakes, and struggled with different parenting issues; as we all do at times. When asked what they would do differently, they said they’d make new mistakes, maybe even more of them.
Kids may get bored as the film has a mature subject matter about parenting. Having said that Timothy is cute fun loving boy, which kids will enjoy. There are some funny parts geared towards kids.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Timothy and Joni (a girl he has a crush on) almost kiss. They have a cute relationship.
- Timothy’s parents decide to give him, “The Talk,” however they get distracted by a family emergency.
- Since Timothy came from a garden, younger kids may have questions about where they came from.
Violent Content: Mild
- Timothy gets bullied by his classmates.
- Kids smear food and ice cream on Timothy’s face.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s drink wine.
Will Kids Like It? Maybe
- I interviewed kids ages 6 to 8 who liked the movie. Having said that I feel that this is more of a grown-up film, one especially for parents!
Overall this is a wonderful, endearing story. Because of the mature subject matter, I’m not sure all kids will enjoy the film. However the content is appropriate for kids ages 6 and up.