Sports
Sports movie reviews
Cars 3-Kids’ Movie Review
Most talented professional athletes have their moments in the spotlight with their fast moves and skillful plays, and then a new generation comes along to take it away. Whether it’s Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant there comes a time when they should end their careers. In Cars 3 the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is surprised when new racers like the arrogant Jackson Storm zooms right past him in a race. Depressed and devastated, #95 is not quite ready to quit. With the help of an eager young race technician and inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, Lightning McQueen tries to get back in the game. This is the third film in Pixar’s popular Cars franchise.
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 7, 2017
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
There are some life lessons regarding age and growing older. The film stresses the importance of trying new things no matter how old you are. A character says, “don’t fear failure. Try new things.”
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- We see a couple of intense car crashes where the main characters are demolished to scraps of metal. However, later we see the vehicles in one piece.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Some of the racers meet in a bar and drink oil.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Cars 3 is wonderful action packed film for kids of all ages. Parents will like it too.
Eddie the Eagle-Kids’ Movie Review
Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton) was a nerdy and awkward British boy. He was not an athlete, something his father repeatedly told him, but he had a life long dream of being an Olympian. After trying several sports throughout his life he finally decides in his early twenty’s that skiing is his sport. However, when he gets cut from the Olympic ski team, he eventually realizes that ski jumping is the only sport category he has chance in. So Eddie travels to Germany where he meets Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), a former ski jumper. Now Eddie has four years to train until the 1988 Olympics, and Bronson has agreed to coach him. All odds are against him as most ski jumpers start training at age 6. Though nothing stops Eddie, he is determined to be in the 1988 Winter Olympics! Based on a true story, Eddie the Eagle is a wonderful and inspirational sports drama, one for the whole family.
Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: June 14, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- The founder of the Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, once said, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” This quote is shown during the credits of the film, and this is something Eddie lived by. Eddie’s whole life people told him that he would never fulfill his dream of being in the Olympics. He was not a natural born athlete, though he was determined to do something that no one thought he could do. This will spark some great parent/child conversations.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- A woman flirts with Eddie, making him a sexual proposition. Though Eddie is not interested.
- Bronson, Eddie’s coach, compares a ski jump to having sex with Bo Derek (Eddie’s favorite actress). Bronson makes sexual noises with moans and groans to make his point.
- We see a group of nude men in a steam room. However, their private parts are covered with towels or other objects.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- Eddie and other skiers crash during their jumps. We see Eddie’s bumps, bruises and open cuts on his face.
- A character punches Bronson in the face, which knocks him out.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- We hear “h—,” and “a–.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Bronson drinks alcohol from his flask throughout the film…morning, noon and night.
- Bronson frequently smokes cigarettes.
- An Olympic team member tricks Eddie into drinking alcohol the night before a jump. Eddie never drinks alcoholic beverages, he loves milk. Needless to say, the next day Eddie wasn’t feeling the best.
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
Overall Eddie the Eagle is a wonderful inspirational sports drama. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 10 and up.
Race-Kids’ Movie Review
“Out there, there ain’t no black and white,” Owens says. “There’s only fast and slow.” Set in the 1930’s in a time of segregation we see the amazing story of a true American athlete…Jesse Owens (Stephan James). Jesse attends Ohio State University where he enrolls to run track, however he is treated as a second class citizen except on the track. With the guidance of his OSU coach, Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), Jesse sets three world records and tying another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten Track meet. Then he proceeds to win four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Overcoming racism at home and in Nazi Germany, Owens shows the world that he is truly the worlds fastest human!
Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: May 31, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Teens Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- Not only is this an exciting sports drama there is an educational element as well. In a time of segregation and the Hitler regime we also get a little history lesson which could spark some great parent/child conversations.
- Jesse and his girlfriend Ruth have a child out of wedlock, they eventually get married.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Jesse has a girlfriend, with whom he has a daughter. However, when Jesse meets a woman at a jazz club, she flirts with him and they end up dancing and kissing. It’s implied that they had a sexual encounter, though we don’t see anything.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Mild
- There are racially motivated threats of violence towards Jesse.
- When Jesse is upset with his coach he forcefully pushes him as they argue about whether Jesse should go to Germany.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “sh-t,” “a–,” “h—,” and “d–n.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Throughout the film we see Jesse and other athletes drinking beer while they’re training.
- Jesse’s coach, Snyder, frequently drinks alcohol from a flask. We see him drinking whiskey in his office as he argues with Jesse.
Will Kid/Teens Like It? Yes
- I interviewed three high school track runners who loved the film. A teen boy said, “Now I’m really motivated for track season.”
Overall Race is a wonderful inspirational story. Parents need to be aware of the moderate profane language.
Creed-Teen Movie Review
Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) loves to fight. As an adolescent he’d get into trouble due unwarranted fighting at school. Even as an adult he felt the urge to throw a punch at someone. Fighting was in his blood due to the fact that Adonis’ father was the boxing champion Apollo Creed (who died before Adonis was born). When Adonis decides to pursue his passion he seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a retired boxing champ and Apollo’s rival, to be his trainer. Now the excitement begins as Rocky is back in the boxing world, however this time he’s on Creed’s side.
Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5
Release Date: March 1, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will kids/ Teens Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- The film highlights a strong work ethic. No matter how difficult things can get, you need to give it your all.
- Also the importance of family and forgiveness is another noteworthy theme. For example..Adonis has a lot of anger towards his father. Rocky encourages him to forgive his father’s past actions.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- We see Adonis and his girlfriend passionately kiss, they caress and fondle one another. It’s implied that they’ve had a sexual encounter.
- It’s noted that Adonis is the product of Apollo Creed’s infidelity.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- There are graphic boxing scenes with men forcefully hitting one another.
- We see open wounds and blood on the fighters faces. We see blood bursting out of cuts after fierce hits.
- We see elementary aged kids punching one another in school.
- Characters are shown unconscious on the ring floor.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “a–,” “b–ch,” and “h–,” several times throughout the film.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see characters drinking beer, wine and hard liquor.
Will Kids/Teens Like It? Yes
- I interviewed boys ages 10 to 15 who loved the film. They were walking out of the theater pretending to be boxers.
Overall Creed is a wonderful sports drama. Depending on the child, this is appropriate for kids ages 10 and up.
My All-American-Kids’ Movie Review
Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) is a football player. He started as a young boy scoring several touchdowns a game. Freddie’s life long dream is to play college football for Notre Dame then go pro and play for the Chicago Bears. The problem is that Freddie is too small, weighing only 145 pounds as a teenager. Though he’s an amazing high school football player, he receives regular rejections to play college football due to his small size. However, his life dramatically changes the day legendary University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart) offers Freddie a scholarship to play for the Texas Longhorns. Freddie, along with his high school teammate Bobby Mitchell, head to Texas to play football. As the Longhorns finish their 1969 season as National Champions, Freddie faces a challenge of his own-his biggest one ever. Based on a true story, My All-American is a wonderful inspirational drama about a true football hero… on and off the field.
Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 23, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
- Freddie is a humble, hard-working athlete. He’s a great role model for kids; he attends Mass everyday, works hard in school and works hard on the football field. Nothing came easy for him, but it was his work ethic and determination that helped him succeed. Great parent/child conversations.
- Fans of Hoosiers and Rudy will most likely love My All-American as it is written and directed by the same filmaker-Angelo Pizzo.
Sexual Content: Mild
- We see Freddie and his girlfriend kiss several times.
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
- We see hard hits during the football practices and games.
- {Spoiler Alert} The subject of death is noted in the film which may frighten young kids. There’s a Brian’s Song element to it.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- We hear “h–,” “d–n,” “a–,” “b–ch” and “b–tard.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- We see characters drinking wine.
- It’s mentioned that a priest serves beer to the football players once a week.
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall My All-American is an amazing heartfelt sports drama. Depending on the child I recommend this for kids ages 10 and up. Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matter of death.