Reviews by Genre
Movie Reviews by Genre
Kubo And The Two Strings-Kids’ Movie Review
Kubo is a young boy who takes care of his mother who is ill. He is very close with his mom and obeys her three rules; always keep a wooden charm of a monkey close by, always wear his father’s robe, and always return home before dark. However, one day when Kubo was at the nearby village where he would often visit, he decided to stay after dark and break his mother’s rule because it seemed very entertaining. Now the action begins as Kubo’s peaceful life comes to an end as he encounters a vengeful spirit from the past.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 22, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group:
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? No
Talking Points:
The animation is wonderful, however the story line may confuse young kids.
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There are sword fights, beast attacks and characters are hit with chains and blades.
- Kubo’s aunts cast spells that kill villagers.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? No
Overall this is a wonderful animated film with beautiful scenery. Having said that the story line may be confusing to young kids.
Pete’s Dragon-Kids’ Movie Review
“What’s a dragon?” asks Pete. Pete is a 10-year-old orphan boy who lives in the woods with his best friend Elliot. Though Elliot truly is a dragon, to Pete he’s a companion and a giant who takes care of him. When a woman named Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) discovers Pete in the woods, she brings him home, hoping to help the young boy. Her father, Meacham (Robert Redford), was known in the community to tell children mysterious dragon stories. After hearing Pete’s story, Grace and her father were curious to see if there really was a dragon in the woods, so they were guided by Pete and a young girl named Natalie into the forest to find the dragon…Pete’s dragon. Pete’s Dragon is a remake of the 1977 Disney film, Pete’s Dragon.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 29, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- Pete’s Dragon is a wonderful film for the whole family. The film highlights the importance of love and family. Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matter of death.
- Though there is a dragon in the film, he is cute and cuddly and most likely will not scare kids.
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- Pete’s parents die in a car accident and Pete is the only survivor. This may scare young kids.
- Pete leaps off cliffs and jumps from the roofs of moving vehicles.
- Two characters fall from high branches of a tree.
- Ropes are thrown around the dragon’s neck as he’s hit with tranquilizer darts.
- There’s a car chase with several cars falling from a large bridge
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
- The theater was packed with kids of all ages. I interviewed two 7 year-old boy and 6 year-old girl who loved it and said, “Pete was cool.”
Overall Pete’s Dragon is a heartfelt and entertaining film for the whole family.
Suicide Squad-Teen Movie Review
“We’re bad guys, it’s what we do,” says Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), one of the Squad members. This is the story about a group of dangerous inmates who have been recruited by a U. S. intelligence officer for a top-secret mission. Armed with government weapons, Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc and the other inmates must unite and figure out a way to work together to try and save the world from the evil villains.
Rating: 2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: December 13, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Maybe
Talking Points:
- Even though the film is filled with bad guys and violence you can find some redeeming qualities in the characters. For example Deadshot (Will Smith) is a loving father to his daughter. There is an endearing scene with the two of them before he leaves for prison. Another Squad member has deep regrets about his past crimes.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- We see a couple kissing in bed together, fully clothed.
- Harley, one of the female Squad members, wears a very tight, revealing shirt and short shorts. Part of her butt is exposed throughout the film. We see her passionately kiss the Joker. She suggestively licks an iron bar.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- This is a very dark and somewhat disturbing film. We see characters beaten, tortured, and shot to death.
- Character’s are sliced in two, we see their heads chopped off-many are incinerated too.
- There are explosions and battles throughout the film.
- An innocent mom and her two children are killed.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “a–,” “b–ch,” “crap,” “p—sy,” “d–n.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see character’s doing a shot of vodka and drinking whiskey.
Will Teens Like It? Maybe
- I interviewed some teenagers. Those that like superhero films liked the movie, others thought it was dark and disturbing.
Overall this is a very dark and strange film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the film.
Nine Lives-Kids’ Movie Review
Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) built a successful business empire from scratch, though he spends more time at work than with the family. He has a beautiful wife, Lara (Jennifer Garner) who struggles with her absent husband as he’s not home much; an adult son, David (Robbie Amell), who works for the family business and wants to make his dad proud; and an 11- year old daughter, Rebecca (Malina Weissman), who absolutely idolizes her father. Tom’s life dramatically changes on his daughter’s 11th birthday when Rebecca asks for a cat. Tom went to a mysterious pet store to buy her a soft cuddly cat. After leaving the store he gets in an accident and wakes up in the body of the cat he had just purchased. Tom is now living at home as his daughter’s pet cat. As a cat he eventually realizes the more important role he has as a husband and father, and observes all he’s missed out on. Tom desperately wants to be a human once again and spend more time with his family, but first he must figure out what he has to do before he can be transformed from the pet cat to the man of the house.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 popcorn buckets out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 1, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- The message highlighted throughout the film is the importance of being around for your family and involved in their lives.
- There is a lot of potty humor throughout the film especially with the cat urinating on a rug and in a woman’s purse.
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- We see two characters fall from a high rise.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “d–n.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- A woman is shown drinking martinis and Scotch throughout the film.
- The cat version of Tom gets into the alcohol as well and ends up drinking a little too much.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a fun entertaining film for the whole family.
Nerve-Teen Movie Review
Nerve is a game like truth or dare minus the truth, you’re either a Player or a Watcher and the game is on the internet! This is a story about Vee (Emma Roberts), a high school senior who’s tired of always being in her best friend, Sydney’s (Emily Meade), shadow. Sydney is well known and popular, while Vee is always on the sidelines watching, she can’t even talk to the boy she has a crush on. However, everything changes the day Vee becomes a Player and accepts a dare on the trendy, yet dangerous, new game called Nerve. Vee gets roped into the game and accepts a series of dares that could potentially ruin her life. Nerve is based on a 2012 young adult novel.
Rating: 2 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: October 11, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- Nerve is a very thought provoking film that highlights the dangers that can be involved with the internet. What people will do behind their screens.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- During a football game a cheerleader lifts up her skirt to reveal that she’s not wearing underwear. We see her back side.
- We see a couple in bed making out.
- Character’s are shown passionately kissing.
- We see a female character only wearing her bra and underwear.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- We see characters doing dangerous things for their dares. To name a few; jumping off cliffs, walking on a ladder suspended between two high rise buildings and riding a motorcycle blindfolded while going 60 mph.
- A guy lays in the middle of railroad tracks as a train travels over him.
- We see a guy punch a girl in the face.
- We see teenagers with handguns as a crowd encourages them to shoot one another.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “h–,” “b–ch,” and “a–.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Teens are shown drinking and smoking at a party. One character is very drunk.
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
Overall this is an action packed and entertaining film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violent/ disturbing content, along with the moderate sexual content. Depending on the child, this is appropriate for kids ages 13 and up.