Reviews by Genre
Movie Reviews by Genre
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms-Kids Movie Review
“Give me that key,” says Clara (Mackenzie Foy) to a creepy little mouse in a beautiful snow filled forest. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is the story of a young girl who is on a mission to find a key to unlock a cherished gift she receives from her recently deceased mother. The gift is an ornate metallic egg that requires a key to open it. The message on the egg says, “To my beautiful Clara: Everything you need is inside. Love, Mother.” Determined to find the key, Clara mysteriously is transported to a magical world called the Four Realms. In this new world she encounters a soldier named Phillip, a gang of mice, and leaders of three of the four Realms. Clara eventually learns that she must go to the scary Fourth Realm, ruled by tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to obtain her key. She also learns that by retrieving the key she could bring peace to the chaotic and war torn Realm world. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is Disney’s live adaptation based on the classic Christmas ballet.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 2, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There is a scary, creepy creature made up of hundreds of moving mice, his name is the Mouse King. He grabs people in the forest and carries them away.
- There’s a battle between living toys.
- Clowns start to attack Clara and her friends.
- Soldiers fall into holes dug by mice.
- A carousel is crushed by a swarm of mice.
- The mature subject matter of death is involved.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “damned.”
Drug and Alcohol Content:None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall, this is a wonderful and magical story. Parents need to be aware of the moderate violence throughout the film. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween-Kids’ Movie Review
Halloween has come to life!!! Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is the story about best friends Sam Quinn (Caleel Harris) and Sonny Carter (Jeremy Ray Taylor). These two boys do everything together from studying to playing video games; they’re even bullied when they’re together. The boys unfortunately face many challenges as their lives dramatically change the day they encounter Slappy. Slappy is a ventriloquist dummy who comes to life. He has special evil powers as he magically makes Halloween decorations come to life. Mayhem ensues as the town is being destroyed by Slappy’s powers. It’s up to Sam, Sonny, and Sonny’s older sister, Sarah (Madison Iseman), to stop the creepy ventriloquist and the monsters he’s created. Based on R. L. Stine’s popular children’s book series…Goosebumps.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: October 12, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content:None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Mild
- A teen couple kiss.
- A character cheats on his girlfriend.
- An adult couple flirt with one another.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- A ventriloquist dummy named Slappy is the villain. He is very creepy as he has special powers.
- Halloween items come to life such as; ghosts, witches, pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, and monsters. Mayhem ensues causing much damage to the neighborhoods.
- A gigantic spider made of balloons grabs people.
- Gummy bears attack humans.
- Three high school boys bully and threaten to beat up some of their peers.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “h–l,” “d–n,” “jerk,” “scumbag,” “losers,” and “idiot.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a fun and entertaining film for kids ages 8 and up. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and moderate profane language.
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.
Night School-Kids’ Movie Reviews
The things we do for love…even sneaking off to night school! That’s what Teddy Walker (Kevin Hart) does when he loses his sales job. He discovers that if he gets his G.E.D. he has a chance for a great career opportunity. After all, his fiancée is the girl of his dreams and he doesn’t want her to know that he never graduated from high school, so he secretly attends night school. Now Teddy, a group of misfit students, an energetic teacher, and a principal who was Teddy’s former high school nemesis, makes Teddy’s school experience very interesting. Night School is written and produced by Kevin Hart.
Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 1, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Moderate
- Female characters wear revealing shirts.
- Conversations regarding anal sex, pubic hair, sexually transmitted diseases, sex in a hotel room, condoms, sperm, porn, and talk of a teenager and a college professor engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct.
- A high school principal turns down a parent’s offer to have sex.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There is a lot of slapstick silly violence. An explosion throws a body out of a building.
- A character falls from a high building and is injured.
- We see a woman whip a man with a belt.
- We see a prison fight that shows inmates attacking, punching, and kicking each other.
- A character vomit’s and it spews over another character’s face.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- There is a lot of profane language. To name a some; we hear “f–k,” s–t,” “a–,” “b–ch,” “a–hole, “damn,” and “h–l.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see character’s drinking champagne.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is an entertaining comedy. Having said that parents need to be aware of the sexual contents and profane language woven throughout the film.
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.