Reviews by Genre
Movie Reviews by Genre
Wreck it Ralph-Kids Movie Review
Living in an arcade video game isn’t that easy; the characters have their own problems and concerns. Like Ralph, he is so tired of hearing about all the wonderful things regarding Fix-It-Felix. Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has the tough job, he’s supposed to break windows and buildings and tear them down, while Felix makes them good as new. Felix lives in a beautiful building, he’s a hero and he has many friends, while Ralph lives in garbage and has nothing!! Ralph wants to be the hero, and he eventually discovers how to do. He jumps into another game, something they’re told not to do, and that’s when the trouble begins. Wreck It Ralph is a wonderful animated Disney film.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: November 2, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
Deep inside Ralph is a good guy, though he’s very large and quick tempered, he truly wants to have friends and does not want to be the villain. His friend Vanellope wants to be part of the friendships too. She’s seen as the game “glitch” and doesn’t like it.
There are nice messages of friendship and love portrayed throughout the film.
The film features old video games, which will not only entertain kids, but adults as well.
There’s some potty humor. For example, Vanellope invents the word “vurp,” a cross between a burp and vomiting. Kids in the theater thought that was funny.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Character’s kiss.
Violent Content: Moderate
- Creatures, known as Cy-bugs, are shot.
- There’s a rule that characters will die if they’re obliterated outside their own games.
- Character’s hit each other in the face. One character get bruises and a black eye, and loses some teeth.
- A villain rips a zombie’s heart out.
- A group of bully girls break Vanellope’s car before a race.
- Cops hit Ralph with their clubs.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- One character is shown drinking a cocktail.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is a fun entertaining movie for the whole family!
You Again Review
This is the story about a girl named Marni (Kristen Bell), a young and up and coming PR professional, who discovers that her brother is marrying Joanna, her arch nemesis from high school. When Marni’s reunited with Joanna, all the awful high school memories come back to haunt her, so she gradually decides how to seek revenge. Marni also discovers that her mom, and Joanna’s aunt (Sigourney Weaver) also had their own high school issues. Soon they will all be related, but the question is; do people really change from high school?
Rating: Two out of five buckets
Release Date: February 8, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: Any age
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
The movie has an all-star cast. To name a few; Betty White, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver and Kristen Bell.
I read in a review that the movie is “Surprisingly funny and startlingly sweet.” I thought there were some funny parts, but nothing that great.
There are a couple of nice messages:
- This movie is about forgiveness, and giving people a second chance. Even though this girl was awful and mean in high school, doesn’t mean that she’s that way now.
- Marni was tormented in high school, but now she is a beautiful successful women. Her mom says, “That terrible time made you who you are today.” We grow from difficulties in life.
The movie was a little boring. My husband checked his email read the internet and played games on his phone. At one point I closed my eyes.
I thought the PG rating was appropriate.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Very mild, brief kissing in public.
Profanity: None
- There was no profanity that I remember.
Since there’s not much to say about the movie, I wrote down the quotes that my husband and kids said after the movie.
Top quotes coming out of the movie: (Mostly from my husband).
1) “There was more substance to the popcorn than the movie.”
2) “This movie is a guy repellent.”
3) “It was inappropriately boring.”
4) “Mom, you said corny 19 times.”
5) “The Michigan t-shirt the actor was wearing was my favorite part of the movie.”
6) “I didn’t laugh once.”
Even though the movie was corny and predicable, it had some funny parts, and had a sweet message of forgiveness. Appropriate for any age.
We Bought a Zoo Review
Try to find 20 seconds of courage in a frightening situation; that’s what guided Benjamin Mee (Matt Damen) his entire life, and that’s what helped him as an adult, as he faced a family crisis. Benjamin, is a widower with a 14 year old son and a 7 year old daughter. After losing his wife, Benjamin felt that he and the kids needed a new beginning; especially when Dylan (his moody teenage son) was caught stealing, his grades had declined and he continually drew pictures of decapitated men and other horrific drawings. It was time…Benjamin quit his job, took his inheritance, and found the perfect home just outside of town, the only problem is….he bought a house with a zoo. We Bought a Zoo is a heartwarming true story about family, zoo animals, and coping with the loss of a loved one.
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: December 23, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
See a clip of my review here, along with War Horse!
Talking Points:
“When you love somebody that much, that hard, that long, you can’t get away from them.” That’s what Benjamin tells his kids. Though the movie is about animals, it is not a light heart-hearted movie for kids. The film has a mature subject matter; coping with the pain of losing a loved one. This could spark some great family discussions as we see this family handle their crisis. From the teenage son to the young daughter, they both handle it in different ways.
Benjamin and his son Dylan argue throughout the film. When Dylan gets caught stealing his dad says, “You stole, that breaks my heart.” Another parent/child discussion with teenagers.
I liked the characters and the different relationships in the film. From the zookeeper ( Scarlett Johansson) and zoo’s crew member’s to the family who bought the zoo.
Kids and adults who love animals will enjoy this film. You get to know some of the animals and their different behaviors.
I really enjoyed this movie, however my 12 year old son got a little bored, not enough action for him!
Sexual Content: Mild
- Benjamin’s brother Duncan (Thomas Haden Church) wants his brother to date again. Forget the dating part, Duncan really thinks his brother needs to be sexually active again.
- Women flirt with Benjamin.
- Benjamin tells Kelly (Scarlett Johansoon), “I don’t want you to be offended if I don’t hit on you.” She says, “I’d be offended if you did.”
Violent Content: Mild
- Dylan’s draws dark and disturbing pictures.
- A grizzly bear breaks out of his enclosure, Benjamin and the bear come face to face, this may scare young kids.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- The s-word, a-word and d-word are each used several times.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- We see young adults drinking at a party.
- Character’s drink in a bar.
- One of the zoo’s crew member’s drinks a lot and gets drunk.
Overall We Bought a Zoo is a wonderful, heartwarming film. However, parents need to know that the movie highlights the mourning of a family, and the healing process involved.
Where the Wild Things Are-Kids Movie Review
The movie is based on Maurice Sendak’s 1963 children’s book. It’s a story about a rambunctious but lonely boy named Max. After a series of uncomfortable conflicts Max runs away, boards a small boat, and sails into the ocean to an island with a mysterious forest, and that’s where we meet 7 enormous, wild creatures.
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Rating: One out of five buckets
Release Date: March 2, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 18+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
The movie will spark conversations with kids about family relationships.
I enjoyed the music.
While it’s a children’s book, the movie is not for children. The subject matter is way too emotionally involved for kids. Max is a very lonely, sensitive boy looking for attention. The Warner’s Bros. President said, “I would say it’s a movie for adults first and for a certain kind of child second. It doesn’t completely fit your expectation of a pure family film”.
It’s a very depressing movie, when Max is named king of his forest one of the creatures say’s “Will you keep out all the sadness?’ Even the creatures have relationship issues and psychosis, which is fine, but not for a children’s movie. These psychosis and relationship issues create conflict and a kind of evil danger that a small child should not face (either Max or the children viewing the movie).
Max is very disrespectful to his mother, in the movie he yelled, “woman, feed me,” then he bites her shoulder while throwing a temper tantrum.
At one point Max hides in one of the creatures stomachs, and then he comes out of the creatures mouth all slimy and wet.
The previews are misleading, they make the movie look like a light hearted kid’s movie, which it’s not.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Characters kiss.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
In science class the teacher says that the sun will die on day, but that the human race will already have been wiped out by natural disaster and/or disease, well before the sun dies. This may concern kids, and once again, why is this in a children’s movie?
Sendak, the author and one of the producers told the director “Make the story your own, make it personal, make it dangerous.”
Profane or Crude Language: Mild
- The d-word and h-word were used a few times.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters drink wine.
The book, “Where the Wild Things Are,” was my husband’s favorite book as a kid, which then became my kids favorite book. The movie was very disappointing to all of us. Parents should take the PG rating seriously. I give it 1/2 bucket!
When in Rome- Teen Movie Review
“When In Rome” is a romantic comedy about a woman named Beth, played by Kristen Bell. She’s an ambitious young curator at the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan. When Beth attends her sister’s wedding in Rome she has too many glasses of champagne, and ends up taking coins from a fountain of love. When Beth returns to New York, she’s suddenly faced with a number of men, all smitten over her. She’s also pursued by Nick (Josh Duhamel), a charming young sports reporter whom she met at her sisters wedding. Now Beth’s really confused, not knowing if Nick is under the magical spell from the coins she picked up, or if he is truly in love with her.
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Rating: Four out of five buckets.
Release Date: June 15, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
I was delightfully surprised, this is a PG13 movie, ( for some suggestive content), and really there’s nothing inappropriate about it.
This movie is similar to “Leap Year,” in that it’s a cute, lighthearted, entertaining movie that pre-teen and teenage girls will love. Also, parents won’t feel uncomfortable with the kind of sexual scenes that are in most PG13 movies.
Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel are terrific! There characters are very likable and charming. Danny DeVito, has a role, and is also very funny.
Though the movie is very predictable, and a little cheesy, it’s really enjoyable. It is a chick flick, and I don’t think most boys will like it, though LaDainian Tomlinson (running back for the San Diego Chargers) and Shaquille O’neil are briefly in the movie which may appeal to some boys.
Sexual Content: Mild
- There are a few passionate kisses, but for PG13, that’s not much!
Violent Content: None
Crude of Profane Language: Mild
- A few swear words were used.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Some characters were drinking alcohol.
The theatre was packed, and the audience was thoroughly entertained, as I could tell from all laughter in the theater.
The movie didn’t get the best reviews, but everyone I interviewed from ages 13 to 36, all loved it. Even a few boys commented by saying, “even though it’s a chick flick we thought it was funny.” I’m not sure if they were trying to please their dates, or if they truly enjoyed it, but it’s a great date movie, a great chick flick, and a great movie for girls ages 12 and up!!! I give it 4 buckets for it’s audience.