Sci-Fi
Sci-Fi movie reviews
Insurgent-Teen Movie Review
Insurgent is the second installment in the very popular Divergent series. As in the first film, Insurgent is set in futuristic Chicago, where people are divided into factions based on human virtues. Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the kind), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). Insurgent continues following the lives of teenagers Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) and her boyfriend Four (Theo James). In this film the young couple are on the run from Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet), the leader of the Erudite faction. Tris and Theo are on a mission to stop the powerful alliance from tearing their society apart, while hoping to figure out the secret to a better future. Based on the best-selling book series, Insurgent is an action packed, suspenseful film.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: August 5, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 14+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will it Appeal to Most Pre-tees/teens? Yes
Talking Point:
- There is an all-star cast, to name a few; Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Octavia Spencer and Miles Teller.
- Tris is a strong character who wants to protect and save everyone. She’s willing to risk her life for the innocent victims whose lives are in jeopardy.
Sexual Content: Mild
- It’s implied that Tris and Four have a sexual encounter. We see them kissing, while sitting on a bed. They remove their shirts, we only see their bare backs.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- The violence is very disturbing especially when subjects are involved in virtual reality simulations. They’re forced into a a room with glass walls. The subjects are attached to cords, which are hanging from the ceiling. They’re injected with strong drugs and we see their memories, fears and special relationships. In one simulation we see someone trapped in a burning building, while flying through the air.
- In the real world, there is a war. We see characters shot and killed, fist fights and stabbings. Many characters are injected with mind-control devices, which causes them to commit suicide.
- Tris and Four are injected with truth serum. We see the needles going into their necks. If the subjects are not telling the truth, the serum causes great pain, which we saw with Tris.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “d–n,” “h–,” and “sh-t.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- We see character’s drinking wine.
- Throughout the film we see character’s injected with powerful drugs. These drugs are very dangerous, causing great pain and even death.
Will it Appeal to Most Kids? Yes
- Pre-teens/teens that have read the books will most likely enjoy the movie.
As I previously mentioned, Insurgent is a very action packed suspenseful movie. Parents need to be aware of the excessive and disturbing violence throughout the film.
Chappie- Teen Movie Review
The concept of being pulled over by a robotic police officer seems very strange, however that’s how it was in Johannesburg, South Africa. Set in 2016, the city of Johannesburg’s police force mainly consisted of robots. The storyline is centered around a particular police robot named Chappie, who’s been programmed to become the first robot who has the ability to think and feel for himself. However when a group of thug’s kidnap Chappie, they teach this innocent robot to become like them…shooting, looting and selling drugs. That’s when the battle begins, and that’s when poor Chappie gets involved in illegal activities…ones he was never built to do. Chappie is a dramatic Sci-Fi movie with a lot of disturbing violence and profane language throughout the film.
Rating: 1/2 bucket out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: June 16, 2015
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will it Appeal to Most Teens? No
Talking Points:
- Deon, Chappie’s maker, encourages him to read, paint and better himself. He tells Chappie he can do whatever he wants to do in life. Deon also makes Chappie promise not to get involved with the thug’s criminal activities. Good parent/child conversations.
- The movie was very disturbing, we saw the gang’s abusive way of living filled with drugs and crime. Chappie seemed like a child, not a robot; he was kidnapped and forced into their evil ways, which was hard to watch.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- We see a brief porno clip on someone’s TV… full frontal female nudity.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- The villains encourage Chappie to do evil and disturbing things to innocent people. Chappie manhandles people, leaving them on the streets covered in blood.
- We see several characters shot and killed.
- There are violent battles between men and robots. A man is shown crushed and torn in half by a metal claw.
- Chappie is beaten and set on fire.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
- The f-word is said numerous times throughout the film. We also hear “sh-t,” “a–,” “h—,” and “b–ch.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
- Characters are shown smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol throughout the film.
- We see one of the thugs counting their drug stash.
Will it Appeal to Most Teens? Yes
- I interviewed some teenage girls who loved Chappie (the robot) but didn’t like the film. One girl said, “I loved Chappie, he was so cute, but I didn’t like seeing him tortured.”
Chappie-Teen Movie Review
Jupiter Ascending-Teen Movie Review
The toilets are spotless, not a speck of dust on the penthouse floors. Jupiter Jones, her mother and aunt are maids for Chicago’s upper class. Jupiter hates her life, it’s boring and she’s broke! However, things dramatically change when a genetically engineered ex-soldier (Channing Tatum) arrives on Earth to inform Jupiter of her destiny as the Queen of the Universe. Now her boring life as a maid suddenly becomes very interesting.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: June 2, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
There aren’t any valuable lessons or inspirational moments, just a lot of sci-fi action.
With Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis as the two main characters, the film will attract pre-teens.
Sexual Content: Mild
- We see a woman only wearing her bra and underwear.
- A couple passionately kiss.
- A woman walks into a pool naked, we see her backside.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
- There are several battles throughout the film involving aliens and humans using various weapons and guns.
- There are big , scary creatures shown throughout the film.
- We see unconscious humans getting stabbed with needles.
- A woman is beaten and choked.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “sh-t,” ‘d–n,” and “b–ch, ” several times each.
Drug and Alcohol Content:Mild
- We see characters drinking beer.
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
- I interviewed two 12 year-old boys who loved the action and suspense of the film.
- I interviewed a 13 year-old girl who said, “The movie was just okay, but Channing Tatum was hot!”
Overall Jupiter Ascending is an action packed sci-fi movie. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violent content.
Jupiter Ascending-Teen Movie Review
Project Almanac-Kids Movie Review
Teenagers tend to have their “dream school” – the college they’ve always wanted to attend. David Raskin ( Jonny Weston), a seventeen year high school senior, plans to attend MIT, and hopes to get a scholarship to help pay for tuition. So when David stumbles across a time machine that his deceased father had developed, he’s convinced that this technological device will win him a grant to MIT. David recruits a group of friends to get this machine going…which they do. Initially things are great, they go back in time to make their lives better, however they eventually come to realize that messing with the space-time continuum can be a very dangerous thing. Now the teens must figure out how to correct the damage they’ve done, and continue their lives as normal high school seniors… still hoping to attend their dream college.
Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: June 9, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
David’s purpose to start the time machine was that he wanted to talk to his deceased father again, and save him from the car accident that took his life. As the teens mess up the space-time continuum, David eventually realizes his huge mistake and tries to correct it.
The action scenes were shown through a video camera, which was very annoying.
Pre-teens and young teens will most likely enjoy the action and adventure of the film while adults may want to stay home.
Sexual: Moderate
Two teenagers (David and Jessie) are shown kissing in David’s bedroom, Jessie is naked, though wrapped in a towel. David asks her to open the towel, hoping to see her naked…and she does. The two get in bed together, it’s implied they’ve had a sexual encounter, though we don’t see anything.
There’s sexual talk about masturbation, lesbians and high school infidelity.
Girls are shown wearing skimpy bath suits, short shorts and many show cleavage.
Violent: Mild
A boy gets hit by a car.
We see clips of a fatal plane crash.
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
The f-word is said once. We also hear “a—,” “b—ch,” “d—n, “ h—-” throughout the film.
Drug and Alcohol: Moderate
We see teenagers drinking out of brown bottles (which look like beer bottles) and also red Solo cups.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
I interviewed two 12 year old girls that loved the film, they thought it was fun and entertaining.
Overall this is a film that pre-teens will most likely enjoy. Parents need to be aware of the sexual content and excessive profane language.
Project Almanac-Kids Movie Review
Into The Woods-Kids Movie Review
Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy) all travel into the woods for one thing or another. Whether it be to sell a cow, going to grandmothers or visiting a mother’s grave… they are all headed into the woods. Into the Woods is a musical that follows the lives all the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Each storyline is tied together by the Baker (James Corden) and his Wife (Emily Blunt), their dream of starting a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep)…who sends them into the woods!
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: March 24, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
The music is fun and entertaining with an all-star cast singing the tunes. However, the film is not the typical sweet Disney movie that we’re familiar with. The Princes cheat and the Wolves seduce little girls.
“Be Careful What You Wish For” is noted throughout the film. Cinderella dreams of meeting a handsome prince, though when she does, he’s not all that great. In fact she even leaves her Prince as he fails to remain faithful.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- When Cinderella’s Prince (Chris Pine) meets the Baker’s Wife in the woods, they passionately kiss and he begins to seduce her. The Prince is married and justifies the kiss by saying “Right and wrong don’t matter in the woods, only feelings.”
- The Wolf meets Little Red Riding Hood in the woods, he acts like a child molester when he makes inappropriate comments to her.
- Cinderella and her Prince passionately kiss, as does Rapunzel and her Prince.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- Little Red and her grandmother are eaten by the Wolf, which we don’t see, however the Baker stabs his knife into the Wolf’s stomach.
- Several character’s die; one falls off a cliff, one is punched and hits her head on a s stump, and another is hit in the forehead by a rock.
- Cinderella’s stepsisters get their feet sliced by their mother…in hopes that the slipper will fit. The cutting is off camera, while we only see drops of blood.
- Jack is repeatedly slapped by his mother.
- The witch is evil and scary which may frighten young kids. She steals a little girl to raise as her own, and locks her away in a doorless tower.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this is an entertaining musical which may appeal to kids, however parents need to be aware of the somewhat dark storyline and moderate sexual content. This is not your typical Disney PG rated film.