Sci-Fi

Sci-Fi movie reviews

Shizam-Kids’ Movie Review

What’s the magic word…it’s Shazam!! Shazam is the story about a 14-year-old boy named Billy Batson (Asher Angel). Billy is a troubled foster child who runs away from various foster homes. However, his life dramaticaly changes the day he meets a dying wizard named Shazam. The wizard tells Billy he’s looking for someone “strong in spirit, pure in heart.” Suddenly the wizard gives Billy the ability to transform into a muscular adult superhero (Zachary Levi) by saying the magic word…Shazam. Shazam is a DC Comics superhero based comedy. Fun movie for the whole family!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: April 4, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

Characters go into a strip club. A kid asks Shazam if he saw any boobs.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

A lot of slapstick, superhero violence.
The villain is scary, he unleashes “The Seven Deadly Sins” monsters that come out of his eyes and they kill people.
Some characters disintegrate, they’re shot with guns, thrown against buildings, walls and concrete.
A character is thrown out of a window, another one’s head is bitten off.
There are a lot of chase scenes and battles.
We see fights with bullies and school kids.
Property is destroyed.
There’s a terrible car crash in the beginning of the movie, we see a guy lying in a puddle of blood.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “ass,” “s–t,” “hell,” “douchebags,” “butt,” “moron.” Middle finger is shown.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Shazam buys beer at a convenience store. He and Freddy take a sip of the beer and spit it out as they don’t like it.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film. Having said that, parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and moderate language.Depending on the child I recommend this for kids ages 11 and up.

The Kid Who Would Be King-Kids’ Movie Review

Could a modern-day English boy ever become king? Alex Elliot (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is an ordinary 12 year old boy who occasionally gets bullied in school. One day as he’s running away from the bullies he ends up falling into a construction site where he finds King Arthur’s famous sword, Excalibur. Alex’s life dramatically changes as he encounters the wizard Merlin (Patrick Stewart) who appears in teen form in Alex’s school. Merlin explains that Alex is the new king and needs to defeat the wicked villain Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). Now Alex gathers a group of friends, and converts his enemies to allies, to form a new round table, and defeat the evil villain. Maybe an ordinary 12 year old boy can become king.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: April 16, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a character briefly walking around naked. His bottom half is blurred out therefore we don’t see his privates.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Kids are bullied in school. One scene shows a bully hanging another kid upside down.
The villain is a scary looking creature with a scary army. The army is filled with mud creatures who have creepy eyes and dangerous weapons. They attack the kids and invade one of the boys’ homes.

Evil trees and skeleton’s attack the kids.
There are numerous battles and chase scenes with the villain, her army vs.the kids.
We see the villain breath fire and destroy part of the school.

Crude or Profane Language:

“We hear “damn,” and “hell.” We also hear; “stupid,” “shut up,” “ignorant buffoon”, “liar,” and “bully.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

There’s talk of a father who drank too much.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is a wonderful family movie for kids ages 10 and up. Parents need to be aware of the violent content throughout the film.

Glass-Kids’ Movie Review

Superheroes are fictional character’s with different strengths and abilities when using their powers. Psychologist, Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), believes that some people actually think they have superpowers, though she claims it’s a result of a dysfunctional childhood. So, Dr. Staple gets an opportunity to work with three special subjects; a murderer with a variety of distinct personalities, a man who was nearly drowned as a boy and now thinks he’s indestructible, and Mr. Glass…a man with a bone disease who is extremely intelligent, but the most dangerous of them all. Glass is the third part of an intense trilogy; Unbreakable, which came out in 2000, and 2016’s sequel, Split.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 18, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 16+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? No

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Teenage girls are kidnapped and chained by their wrists in a creepy, abandoned warehouse.
There are fist fights, punching, and characters shot to death.
A character’s neck is sliced with broken glass, we see lots of blood.
A character takes a bite out of a victim. We don’t see the character taking the bite, but we see and hear him chewing and swallowing part of the victim, with blood all over his mouth.
We see a boy bullied, and nearly drowns to death.
There’s discussion of children being abused by adults.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “s–t,” “b–tard,” “bitch,” “ass,” “goddamn,” and “p—y,”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

Character’s are shown drinking wine.

Will Kids Like It? No Overall, this is a creepy and dark movie. Depending on the child, this is appropriate for mature teens.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse-Kids Movie Review

Could there possibly be more than one Spider-man? Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows the life of Miles Morales. Miles is an adorable 14- year-old boy whose parents enroll him in a prestigious New York City boarding school. Miles would much rather hang out with his friends in Brooklyn, but listens to his parents. Miles’ life dramatically changes the day he gets bitten by a radioactive spider. He notices some weird changes in his behavior, and claims it’s puberty until he discovers that he’s transformed into Spider-Man; and there are four more Spider-people from parallel universes. Initially, they’re confused as to all the Spider-people, but eventually the gang gets together and tries to save the world from the evil villain who is responsible for pulling different versions of Spider-man from other universes, and bringing them into our world.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 19, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

Miles’ uncle coaches his son on flirting with girls and says his nephew has to have “game.”
Miles flirts with a girl he has a crush on, and tries to use the moves he learns from his uncle.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

There is a lot of action and violence. Spider-man is constantly fighting with bad guys.
There are chase scenes, explosions and buildings destroyed.
Super-man uses his superpowers; laser weapons are used to battle as well as guns.
{Spoiler Alert } Two important characters die while fighting.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear, “stupid,” dumb,” “hell,” and “what the…” (not finished).

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

I interviewed two 9 year old boys who thought the movie was so funny. They loved it and want to see it again.

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film for the whole family. Parents need to be aware of the violent content.

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.