Hotel Transylvania Review
It’s hard for a father to let his little girl go out into the world and start her own life. Dracula (voice of Adam Sandler) had an especially hard time with that; you’d think by the time his daughter turned 118 years old he’d let her go, but that wasn’t the case. It all started after his wife past away and Dracula realized that he was the sole parent of his beautiful baby girl, Mavis (voice of Selena Gomez). He was going to protect her no matter what it took; though he became a little bit too protective. Dracula believed that all humans were evil, so he turned his castle into a high end resort for monsters, hidden away from all humans, which kept his daughter safe and secluded. However, things dramatically changed when a young man discovered the posh resort, and fell madly in love with Dracula’s daughter. Dracula desperately tried to keep the young man away from his little girl, which wasn’t an easy task. Hotel Transylvania is wonderful, hilarious, heartfelt film for the whole family.
Rating: 5 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: January 29, 2013
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Talking Points:
I loved this movie! It’s about parents loving their kids unconditionally and wanting them to have a content life with no difficulties or worries. Dracula eventually came to realize that children need to discover things for themselves and face their own trials that life brings. Dracula said to his daughter, “the worst thing is seeing you unhappy.”
Johnny, the boy who fell in love with Mavis (Dracula’s daughter), respected Dracula and his wishes. This was hard at times because he was so in love with Mavis and wanted to be with her.
The film is very funny and sweet,though also sad in parts. Dracula’s wife died when Mavis was a baby. She left Mavis a note which described the value of love, and that it only happens once in a lifetime.
There was some potty humor as one of the monster’s continuously passed gas; one even urinated on the furniture. Kids in the theater thought that was funny.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Mavis and Johnny kiss.
- We see a pair of bees in bed on their honeymoon.
Violent Content: Mild
- Dracula tried to keep Johnny and Mavis apart, which caused some chaos throughout the film.
- When we hear the story of Mavis’ mom’s death, we see a burning building with men and women holding torches. As I previously mentioned, Dracula and the other monsters felt that humans were evil. They eventually came to realize that wasn’t true.
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drugs and alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Overall this was an entertaining, humorous film, one that parents don’t need to worry about their kids seeing. You can sit back and enjoy the show…you may even shed a tear.
Hotel for Dogs Review
Hotel for Dogs is a comedy adventure about two orphaned siblings, a 16 year old girl, and an 11 year old boy, whose new foster parents won’t let them keep their dog. So they keep it with a couple of other strays in an abandoned hotel, gradually, they get the idea to transform the rundown building into an amazing home for not only their dog, but also all the stray dogs which they rescue, with the help of 2 teens. The little brother sets up elaborate contraptions to entertain the dogs, which will also entertain the children in the audience.
Rating: Three out of five buckets
Release Date: April 28, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 6+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Mild
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
The film’s ideas are about loyalty and family.
The kids will do whatever it takes to save the dogs.
The kids are very clever; they teach the dogs how to use the toilet seat, and eat at the table.
The little brother’s contraptions are cute and clever: He sets up dinner bowls that come out on a conveyor belt. He also develops a car door simulator that lets the dogs pretend they’re riding through the countryside.
Even though the foster parents are mean, and don’t care about the kids, the social worker responsible for the kids provides adult guidance and truly cares for them.
Their devotion to the dogs has some negative effects; they lie, cheat and steal to take care of the dogs.
When we first meet the siblings they’re placing rocks in cell phone boxes and pawning them off to local merchants to get money to feed their dog.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Two dogs hook up at a hotel, it’s implied that they’ve had sex.
- Two characters (humans) kiss.
Violent Content: Mild
- A child kicks a dogcatcher in the groin.
- Dogs wreck a hotel, knocking over furniture and creates mayhem.
- A Doberman barks so loud the dogcatcher locks himself in a cage because he’s so scared.
- The kids break into the dog pound to release hundreds of dogs.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Words such as “poop,” “idiot, and “crap.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Overall it’s an entertaining movie for kids ages 6 to 10. Parents may get bored, even dog lovers! It would have been a good “made for TV movie.”
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Review
High School Musical 3: Senior Year continues the ongoing love story between basketball player Troy Bolten and the smart, beautiful, Gabriella Montez. As they join their friends to plan the spring musical, they’re also lining up prom dates and making college plans. The movie revolves around their hopes and fears as they approach their final days of high school.
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: February 17, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 7+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Talking Points:
Sexual Content: Mild
- While 2 younger teammates are showering after practice, Troy and Chad take their clothes and run around the school. The teammates chase them with a towel wrapped around themselves. The movie made this seem like an acceptable thing to do. It was an unnecessary scene.
- Female characters wear short dresses.
Violent Content: None
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “Moron” that’s the worst word used.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: None
Overall this is a fun and entertaining film for the whole family.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2 Review
All good things must come to an end, and sadly this is the final movie of the Harry Potter series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2 continues right where the first part left off; so if you can’t remember part 1, you may want to refresh your memory before seeing part 2. The movie starts off with Harry, Ron and Hermione continuing their mission of finding and destroying Lord Voldemort’s three remaining Horcruxes; (the magical items that carry pieces of Voldemort’s soul). As they are gradually destroying these mysterious items, Voldemort senses their plan, and is more determined than ever to put and end to Harry Potter. That’s when the final battle begins….the war between good vs. evil. This eighth and final movie is an amazing, adventurous film, one that Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: November 11, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
Without getting too deep, I just want to make note of the biblical references in this film. There are elements of sacrifice, resurrection and redemption as part of the movie. Kids probably won’t get this, but teenagers might. On the way home my daughter and I were discussing the symbolism of the serpent in the movie, comparing it to the serpent in the Book of Genesis from the bible.
As in all the Harry Potter movies there’s a a constant theme of courage, friendship and loyalty. Harry, Ron and Hermione stuck together through many uncomfortable and dangerous situations throughout the series.
Sexual Content: Mild
- There’s a passionate kiss between two characters.
Violent Content: Excessive
- This movie is dark and creepy. There’s a constant battle between Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter, with many intense battle scenes.
- Voldemort may scare kids with his viscous demeanor and evil ways.
- There are monsters and scary creatures which may frighten some kids.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- Maybe a couple of swear words, but not much.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (the first movie in the series) came out November 2001, just two months after 9/11. These movies have been a big part of people’s lives of all ages. Whether you read the books, saw the movies, dressed up as your favorite character for Halloween, or just heard all the talk about wizards and magic, Harry Potter will be missed. Bring a kleenex as you say goodbye.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Review
The main story line of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is the gathering storm. Voldemort and his allies are building their power and Dumbledore, with Harry’s help are trying to turn the tide.
Rating: Five out of five buckets
Release Date: December 8, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
The visual effects are as always, very compelling.
I also read the that this film is the best, most satisfying book-to-film transfer of them all. Though I heard the ending is slightly different.
There are great side stories in this film:
- Harry obtains a potions book that once belonged to the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. Harry is thrilled when he realizes that the Half-Blood Prince’s notes are written along the margins of the pages, which gives Harry great advice on how to improve his spells.
- Malfoy behaves suspiciously during the whole movie, and Harry is determined to find out what Malfoy is up to.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Romance is in the air. I read in a review that this film could’ve been called Harry Potter and the Opera of Soap. Hermoine realizes that she likes Ron, but he starts dating someone else, and she wants to make him jealous. Harry has an admirer, but he likes Ginny. Throughout the movie we see these couples hug, kiss and snuggle in the hallways. These romances are very entertaining, and add a lot of humorous parts to the movie, which I didn’t find as much in 1 -5.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There’s moderate violence, and disturbing parts.
- Ron drinks poison and starts to foam at the mouth.
- Malfoy kicks Harry in the face, and breaks his nose.
- Harry and Dumbledore fight with zombies, and Harry almost drowns.
- Death Eaters destroy a bridge, killing many people.
- Dumbeldore slices his hand with a knife and wipes his blood on a stone to help enter into a cavern. Then once he’s in the cavern he has to drink a special potion which is very painful.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- The d-word and h-word are used.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character drink alcohol and a magical potion.
Overall this movie, like the first 5 movies, is a very clever, and well constructed fantasy movie. These well liked wizards continue to do an amazing job of capturing the hearts of not only children, but adults as well. I give it 5 buckets.