Sci-Fi

Sci-Fi movie reviews

The Jungle Book- Kids’ movie review

Mowgli (Neel Sethi) the man-cub, Baloo (Bill Murray) the bear, and Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) the panther are all back!!! The Jungle Book is a story about an orphan boy named Mowgli who is raised by a pack of wolves. Mowgli loves his life in the jungle however things change when he discovers that the tiger Shere Khan wants to kill him. So now the young boy must leave the beloved jungle and journey to the man-village where he belongs, though things aren’t that easy. On his excursion he comes across a lot of dangerous situations and meets some interesting characters… some good, some evil. Inspired by Disney’s 1967 classic animated film, The Jungle Book is a heartfelt story about a boy on a perilous journey!

Rating: 3 and 1/2 popcorn buckets out of 5
Release Date: August 30, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Possibly

Talking Points:

This is a wonderful heartfelt film about boy and his jungle friends and enemies. The theme of the importance of love, friendship and family is woven throughout the film.
Inspired by the Disney’s classic 1967 animated film, this version of The Jungle Book seems more violent and more real since the animals are brought to life with computer animation. Parents need to be aware that young, sensitive kids will mostly likely be frightened throughout the film.

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

We see intense and vicious animal fights. Shere Khan (the tiger) kills an animal and we see the deceased animal fall from a cliff.
The animal battles are graphic. We see them brutally bite and claw one another.
We see a flashback which shows Shere Khan killing Mowgli’s father-in front of Mowgli as a toddler.
Mowgli and Shere Khan have their own battle. Another dark and scary scene.
Throughout the film Mowgli is in some sort of danger. Whether he’s stung by bees, trampled by a herd of water buffalo or kidnapped by a group of apes, he’s always involved in perilous situations.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see a group of humans laughing and drinking around a fire.

Will Kids/Teens Like It? Maybe

I interviewed kids ages 6 to 9 who were scared and didn’t like the movie. Having said that, depending on the child, I think kids ages 10 and up will enjoy the story and like the suspenseful scenes. Adults will like the film as well.

Overall The Jungle Book is a wonderful and heartfelt film, however parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and intense scenes which may scare sensitive kids.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice-Kids’ Movie Review

Superheroes are known to save innocent victims and conquer evil. In this film, we see two beloved superheroes initially fighting one another. It’s been two years since Superman (Henry Cavill) took down General Zod and partially destroyed the city of Metropolis. Crime-fighting billionaire Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) discovers it’s Superman who was involved in the cities’ devastation, and he’s convinced that Superman is an enemy and a threat to society. Now the adventure begins as Batman wants to end Superman’s reign on Earth, while the evil villain Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) has his own plans to destroy the hero in the red cape.

Rating: 2 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: July 19, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/Teens Like It? No

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

We see Lois Lane taking a bath. We don’t see anything explicit, though Clark Kent steps in the tub with her as he’s fully dressed. It’s noted that they live together and are not married.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Character’s are beaten, stabbed, tortured and shot to death throughout the film.
There are several explosions which kill numerous people.
We see a huge monster who battles with Superman and Batman.
In a flashback we see the major battle in Metropolis between Superman and Zod. We also see Bruce Wayne’s parents shot.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “d–n,” “b–ch,” “h—,” and “sh-t” several times each throughout the film.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Bruce Wayne drinks alcoholic beverages.

Will Kids/Teens Like It? No

Fans of the superhereos will most likely want to see the film, however they might not like the story-line. Two teens told me they didn’t like the idea of their favorite superheroes fighting one another.

Overall, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an action packed adventurous film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and moderate profane language. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 13 and up.

Allegiant-Kids’ Movie Review

Allegiant is the third installment in the Divergent series. Allegiant continues following the lives of teenager Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley), and her boyfriend Four (Theo James). In this film the couple, along with some friends, escape beyond the wall that surrounds Chicago. On the other side of the wall they discover a futuristic city. They are taken to the Bureau of Genetic Welfare where they meet David (Jeff Daniels), the head of the agency. Tris discovers that David has been watching her since the day she was born, and knows everything about her. Eventually Tris and Four decide who they can trust as they try to survive in their dystopian society.

Rating: 2 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: July 12, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids/Teens Like It? No

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

Tris and Four passionately kiss several times.
Tris takes off her clothes to take a shower, though we don’t see anything as her naked body is silhouetted.

Violent Content: Excessive

There are a lot of graphic and extremely violent battles throughout the film. Fights include punching, gunfire, and knives to the gut or neck.
There are explosions with mass chaos. Raiders take children away from their parents. People are attacked and knocked out by tiny drones.
Radiation turns the water and soil red. When it rains the water is red.

Crude and Profane Language: Mild

We hear “sh-t,” “h–l,” “d–n,” and “a–.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate

A truth serum is injected into people.
A gas is administered to characters. The gas has the ability to wipe away their memories.

Will kids/teens like it? No

Fans of the Divergent series will most likely want to see this film just to complete the series, however it’s not nearly as good as the first two movies.

Overall this is an action packed sci-fi film. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the film.

Deadpool-Teen Movie Review

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynold) is a former Special Forces operative. He has an average life living day to day making ends meet.Then he meets Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), the love of his life. Finally he has something to live for! Unfortunately his life drastically changes soon after meeting Vanessa.Wade receives the awful news that he’s been diagnosed with cancer. After much thought, he disappears and signs up to do an experiment with a shady organization that will make him a new man… cancer-free. He goes through this horrendous procedure where an evil man named Ajax (Ed Skrein) tortures and transforms him. Wade Wilson becomes Deadpool, a disfigured man with superpowers. So now Wade and other mutant allies are on a mission to find the man who almost destroyed their lives.

2-bucket-3

Rating: 2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: May 10, 2016
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Read the full review here!

See the trailer here!

Talking Points:

This is a film about the super-hero Deadpool, one that will most likely appeal to kids. However, this is an R rated and very inappropriate film. Deadpool is distributed by 20th Century Fox, not Disney’s Marvel. See full details below.

Sexual Content: Excessive

There are several sexual references regarding masturbation, oral sex and male/female body parts.
We see Wade and Vanessa in a sexual encounter.
Vanessa is an exotic dancer and prostitute. We see women at a strip club dancing. One of the girls is shown fully naked, we see her front side.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Since Wade is a special-ops guy he has killed a lot of people. We see several graphic and bloody scenes throughout the film. Characters are shot and stabbed to death.
In the clinic, we see Ajax torturing Wade; beating him while strapped to a gurney, submerging him in goo, floating in ice, and waterboarding him. He was also locked in a tank for a weekend, where he had a difficult time breathing.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

Profane language was used throughout the film. The f-word, “sh-t,” “h–,” and “b–ch.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see characters drinking alcohol and a bar and smoking a cigarette.
There are references to cocaine.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed two eighteen year old boys who thought the film was hilarious. One guy said that he wants to see it again.

Overall Deadpool is an entertaining comedy though very inappropriate for kids.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies-Teen Movie Review

“A woman is either highly trained or highly refined. One cannot be both in such times,” said Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James). Set in the 19th century England, the film centers around the four Bennet sisters, all who have been highly trained to kill zombies. In the quiet English village where they live, the dead are coming back to life to terrorize the land and it’s people. Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is the determined sister who desperately wants to destroy the zombies, however she is distracted by the arrogant Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley). Between the romances, the sword fights and the zombies, the Bennet sisters and their suitors come together to try and save their country.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: May 31, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

This is a very unique film and interesting film. Though very violent, teens who have read Jane Austen’s book, Pride and Prejudice, and those who also like zombies movies/ TV shows, will be highly entertained by this film.

Sexual Content: Mild

The women where revealing dresses, we see a lot of cleavage.
We see several couples kiss.
As the Bennet girls strap their knives in their boots, we see their lacy undergarments and bare legs.

Violent/Disturbing Content:

We see numerous grotesque battle scenes with the undead zombies. Creatures are stabbed, slaughtered, thrown in ovens to be baked alive, and blown up.
The zombies are scary looking creatures, their faces are bloody and deformed.
Humans fight as well, we see several brutal scenes. Character’s are shown hitting and kicking one other. We see several sword fights.
A man is shown choking a girl, she finally fights back and throws him into a pillar.
We see bodies of soldiers with holes in their heads, as someone stole their brains.
After too much alcohol consumption, Mrs. Bennet bites her daughter.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “b–tard,” and “h–l.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Characters are shown drinking at a ball. Mrs. Bennet drinks too much and gets drunk.

Will kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

I interviewed some teenagers, ages 16 and up, who loved the film. They’re fans of the TV series, The Walking Dead, and loved the zombie aspect of 19th century movie.

Overall Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an entertaining film for those who like zombie movies. Parents need to be aware of the excess violence. Depending on the child, I recommend this for kids ages 13 and up.