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Instant Family-Kids’ Movie Review

Pete and Ellie (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) have a very comfortable, good life. They’re in their forty’s, happily married, making a good living flipping housing. However, their life dramatically changes the day they decide to fill their five bedroom home with children. They come across a foster care center and initially plan to foster one young child. Instead they end up with three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl. Though Pete and Ellie have tremendous guidance from their case workers (Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro), nevertheless, their nice and simple life turns into complete chaos. Inspired by screenwriter and director Sean Anders and his wife who have fostered, then adopted, three children of their own.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 5, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Moderate

A teenage girl is caught trying to take a nude selfie to send to an older boy. We don’t see anything.
It’s mentioned numerous times how a boy sends “dick pics” to a girl he likes.
There are references made about in vitro fertilization and fertility.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

One of the kids continually gets hit in the face with a ball which causes a bloody nose.
A kid drops a nail gun on his foot and the nail goes through his foot.
Parents beat up a young adult who’s been sending nude photos to their daughter.
It’s mentioned that foster children suffer physical and mental abuse.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “f–k,” “bitch,” “h–l, “d–k, “goddamn,” “s–t,” “jackass,” and “a–hole.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

In once scene a frustrated mom drinks liquor.
References are made regarding a birth mother’s drug problem, and a foster child’s addiction.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is a wonderful heartfelt movie. Parents need to be aware of the profane language and mature subject matter parenting.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch-Kids’ Movie Review

It’s Christmas time and all is good in the town of Whoville. The lights are twinkling bright, the decorations are abundant, and the townsfolk are cheerfully singing their Christmas carols. It’s such a big year that the mayor proclaims Christmas to be three times bigger than previous years. However, there is one problem…the Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch). The Grinch is disgusted with all the happy people and wants to put an end to their Christmas joy. So he pretends to be Santa and steals the town’s presents and decorations. Based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss book How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 5, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film highlights the true meaning of Christmas…love, family and friendship.
{Spoiler Alert} In the end the Grinch realizes that it wasn’t Christmas he hated, it was being alone.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see the Grinch in his underwear.
We see a naked Who, though a cookie covers his privates.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

There is some slapstick silly violence throughout the film. We see Cindy Lou on a sled speeding through the air and crashing down on the Grinch.
The Grinch decapitates a snow man, throws snowballs at kids and pushes them down in the snow.
In one scene the Grinch is in danger and it seems as though he will fall off a mountain.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

Name calling such as “dumb,” and “stupid.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

The film is bright and colorful which will appeal to young kids.

Overall this is a fun and entertaining movie for the whole family. Appropriate for kids ages 5 and up.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms-Kids Movie Review

“Give me that key,” says Clara (Mackenzie Foy) to a creepy little mouse in a beautiful snow filled forest. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is the story of a young girl who is on a mission to find a key to unlock a cherished gift she receives from her recently deceased mother. The gift is an ornate metallic egg that requires a key to open it. The message on the egg says, “To my beautiful Clara: Everything you need is inside. Love, Mother.” Determined to find the key, Clara mysteriously is transported to a magical world called the Four Realms. In this new world she encounters a soldier named Phillip, a gang of mice, and leaders of three of the four Realms. Clara eventually learns that she must go to the scary Fourth Realm, ruled by tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to obtain her key. She also learns that by retrieving the key she could bring peace to the chaotic and war torn Realm world. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is Disney’s live adaptation based on the classic Christmas ballet.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: November 2, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: None
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: None

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

There is a scary, creepy creature made up of hundreds of moving mice, his name is the Mouse King. He grabs people in the forest and carries them away.
There’s a battle between living toys.
Clowns start to attack Clara and her friends.
Soldiers fall into holes dug by mice.
A carousel is crushed by a swarm of mice.
The mature subject matter of death is involved.

Crude or Profane Language: Mild

We hear “damned.”

Drug and Alcohol Content:None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall, this is a wonderful and magical story. Parents need to be aware of the moderate violence throughout the film. Depending on the child this is appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween-Kids’ Movie Review

Halloween has come to life!!! Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is the story about best friends Sam Quinn (Caleel Harris) and Sonny Carter (Jeremy Ray Taylor). These two boys do everything together from studying to playing video games; they’re even bullied when they’re together. The boys unfortunately face many challenges as their lives dramatically change the day they encounter Slappy. Slappy is a ventriloquist dummy who comes to life. He has special evil powers as he magically makes Halloween decorations come to life. Mayhem ensues as the town is being destroyed by Slappy’s powers. It’s up to Sam, Sonny, and Sonny’s older sister, Sarah (Madison Iseman), to stop the creepy ventriloquist and the monsters he’s created. Based on R. L. Stine’s popular children’s book series…Goosebumps.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: October 12, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content:None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Mild

A teen couple kiss.
A character cheats on his girlfriend.
An adult couple flirt with one another.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

A ventriloquist dummy named Slappy is the villain. He is very creepy as he has special powers.
Halloween items come to life such as; ghosts, witches, pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, and monsters. Mayhem ensues causing much damage to the neighborhoods.
A gigantic spider made of balloons grabs people.
Gummy bears attack humans.
Three high school boys bully and threaten to beat up some of their peers.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “h–l,” “d–n,” “jerk,” “scumbag,” “losers,” and “idiot.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film for kids ages 8 and up. Parents need to be aware of the excessive violence and moderate profane language.

A Star is Born-Kids’ Movie Review

Ally (Lady Gaga) works as a server at a banquet hall and lives with her father as she cooks and cleans for him. Ally is also an extremely good musician. She sings one night a week at a dive drag bar where she paints her hair black, tapes thin eyebrows on her face, and proceeds to fill the room with her magnificent voice! One night while performing Ally’s life dramatically changes. The famous musician, Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), is in the audience, and he is in awe of Ally’s voice. The two meet and instantly connect; personally and professionally. Sadly, Jackson struggles with alcohol and drug abuse which hinders his career, however, he supports and helps Ally pursue her musical dreams, and eventually…a star is born. A Star is Born marks the third remake of the 1937 film: 1954 starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.

Rating: 2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 19, 2019
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

{Spoiler Alert} Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matters of suicide and alcohol/drug addiction. This could spark some good parent/child conversations.
Lady Gaga stars as the lead female which will appeal to pre-teens and teens.

Sexual Content: Excessive

We see passionate kissing throughout the film.
Jackson and Ally are shown in a sexual encounter in the bed and in the bathtub.
Jackson autographs a drag queen’s fake breasts.
Brief nudity.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

A character punches people a couple of times.
{Spoiler Alert!} A character hangs himself.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

We hear the f-word a lot throughout the film. We also hear “sh-t,” “a–,” “b–ch,” and “h—.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive

A main character is an alcoholic. He also takes prescription drugs and snorts cocaine.
We see other characters drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and marijuana.

Will Kids Like It? Yes

Overall, I loved this movie, though not appropriate for kids. Parents need to be aware of the excessive profane language, moderate sexual content, and the mature subject matter of alcohol/drug abuse and suicide.