kids movie review

Doctor Strange-Teen Movie Review

Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has a good life. He is a well known and gifted medical doctor. He can fix any brain or spinal injury better than anyone in the world…and he knows it. Strange is a very arrogant and self centered man. However, Strange’s life dramatically changes after a severe car accident. His magical and steady hands will never regain strength to perform his medical miracles. He tries every option available through western medicine and there is no hope. Strange eventually tries something nontraditional, and visits the Ancient One, a mysterious bald headed woman who claims she can heal him. Before long, Strange must decide if he should leave his former life of fame and fortune behind to live as the most powerful sorcerer known to mankind.

Rating: 3 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 28, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film highlights the importance of humility. In the beginning of the film Doctor Strange is very arrogant and selfish, however, he eventually learns humility and realizes that it’s not all about himself; it’s important to help others. The Ancient One tells Strange to, “Serve something greater than yourself.”
Though very violent, there are a lot of funny one liners throughout the film.

Sexual Content: Mild

There is talk of a couple “sleeping together.”

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

Characters are impaled, stabbed, buried alive in rubble from falling buildings.
There are numerous fights. Characters punch, kick and brutally beat up each other.
Strange’s car crash is very violent. We see his face covered in blood and eyes swollen shut.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “sh-t,” “a–,” and “h—.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Teens Like It? Yes

The theater was filled with teenagers. I interviewed three 17 year old boys who loved the film. They said it was, “funny, suspenseful and entertaining.”

Overall this is an entertaining movie, however, parents need to know that there is a lot of violence in the film.

Trolls-Kids Movie Review

“Hug time!!” The trolls love to hug and these cute, little, colorful creatures love life! The trolls live in a perpetual state of happiness. They sing, they dance and they hug all day long! However, life gets a little complicated for the fun loving little guys when the Bergen’s (unhappy goblin-like creatures), discover that can feel happiness if they eat a troll. Now the happy go lucky trolls have their work cut out for them as they try to save their human race from the unhappy creatures.

Rating: 4 and 1/2 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: February 7, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 5 +
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: None
Drug and Alcohol Content: None
Will Kids Like It? Yes

See the trailer here!

Talking Points:

Trolls is a positive and upbeat movie. The film highlights the fact that happiness comes from the heart.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a couple kiss.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

We see the Bergen’s (dwarf-like creatures) grabbing and eating the trolls.
A character shares a story about the death of his grandmother. It’s implied that she was eaten by a Bergen.
A Bergen gets set on fire.
We see two trolls’ choking another troll.
A hopeless Bergen buries himself alive; wanting to die.

Crude or Profane Language: None

Drug and Alcohol Content: None

Will Kids Like It? Yes

I interviewed several young kids (ages 3 to 5) who loved the fun music, and the cute little trolls. They also said they were scared at times because of the “scary monsters.”

Overall Trolls is a fun entertaining film for kids of all ages!

The Girl On The Train-Teen Movie Review

Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) is the girl on the train. When Rachel is on her daily commutes she admires two homes from the window of her train. One of the homes used to be hers. The couple living there is her ex-husband and his new wife, who was once his blond mistress. The home next door seemingly has the perfect couple. The woman is blond and beautiful and is typically seen kissing her handsome husband. However, everything changes when Rachel witnesses something shocking from one of the homes’ backyards. Now Rachel is involved in their lives more than just passing by on the train. Based on a popular fiction novel, The Girl On The Train.”

Rating: 1 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 17, 2017
MPAA Rating: R
Best Age Group: 17+
Sexual Content: Excessive
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film focuses on infidelity, and two unhappily married couples.

Sexual Content: Excessive

We see intimate sexual relationships between married couples and some having affairs. We not only see them in bed, but also in the shower, in front of a window and in the woods.
The girl on the train watches a couple making love in front of a window.
A female character tries to seduce her therapist. She unzips his pants and sucks on his fingers.

Violent/Disturbing Content:

We see a woman tortured and murdered.
A woman falls asleep in the bath tub with her baby on her chest. The baby accidentally drowns.
Character’s are shown breaking mirrors in a fit of rage.
A male character encourages his mistress to have an affair.
A man is stabbed and bleeds to death. We see him covered in blood.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

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

Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive

Rachel, the girl on the train, has a serious drinking problem. We see pour Vodka in her water bottle. She’s constantly drunk. She eventually attends AA.

Will Teens Like It? Yes

Based on a popular novel of which many teens have read.

Overall this is not a movie for kids or pre-teens.

Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life-Kids’ Movie Review

Rafe Khatchadorian (Griffin Gluck) is a very creative middle school age boy. He loves to draw cartoons, aliens and spaceships and keeps them in a special art notebook. Though Rafe doesn’t have many friends, he is very close with his younger sister Georgia. However, he and his family are dealing with a tremendous heartbreak. Rafe’s brother (who was also his best friend) had passed away a year before. His father left the family after their loss so his mom (Lauren Graham) is doing her best to raise the kids on her own, and with the help of her goofy boyfriend. Not only is Rafe trying to cope with his family drama he also has a hard time following rules. After getting kicked out of two schools he’s now in a new middle school. So when his rule driven principal takes his art notebook, Rafe retaliates by setting a goal to break every rule in the principal’s handbook…now the adventures and pranks begin. Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life, is comedy based on James Paterson’s young adult novel, Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 3, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

The film centers around a middle school boy who breaks the school rules. Rafe is questioning all the unnecessary school rules. The principal is more concerned with his rules and the students’ successful standardized test scores than the students’ well being.
This is a fun and entertaining film though parents don’t want their kids getting any rule breaking ideas; to name a few:
- Rafe sneaks out of his window at night and goes to school to vandalize. Some of Rafe’s pranks include covering the school with colored sticky notes with various drawings and messages. He also turns a trophy case into a fish bowl, draws graffiti on the exterior of the school, and puts neon dye in the principal’s hat.
- Rafe steals his mom’s boyfriend’s credit card number and buys supplies for their vandalizing.
Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matter of losing a loved family member.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a couple kiss.
There’s discussion of “Expertly drawn boobs.
A student says, “My mom is really hot,” and the principal agrees.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

A school bully threatens to kick Rafe and knocks his notebook out of his hands.
We see animated characters fighting each other. We see a two-headed alien blowing his heads off with a laser.
Georgia, Rafe’s younger sister who’s not old enough to drive, steals their mom’s boyfriend’s car and intentionally sideswipe’s the car wanting to damage it.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

We hear “sh–,” “F your eye,” “p-ssed,” “sucks,” “butt wipe,” “frickin,’ ” “jerk,” and “stupid.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

We see character’s drinking wine.

Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film. Having said that, parents need to be aware that the story revolves around a rebellious middle school boy who breaks a lot of school rules. Also, the mature subject matter of losing a loved one.

Deepwater Horizon-Teen Movie Review

On April 20, 2010 Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) says goodbye to his wife (Kate Hudson) and daughter for a 21 day shift on an offshore drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon. Mike is the chief electronics technician on the rig. For Mike it’s just another long shift at work, though he eventually learns this one is a little different. The financial bigwigs are anxious due to the delays in Deepwater’s scheduled oil deliveries. They’re even demanding that safety precautions bypassed to expedite deliveries. Then it happened… due to pressure leaks the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico igniting massive explosions; injuring and killing several crew members. Now Mike and his colleagues risk their lives to help as many crew members as possible. Based on a true story Deepwater Horizon is a well done and thrilling action film.

Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 10, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Deepwater Horizon will spark some interesting and educational parent/child conversations.

Sexual Content: Mild

We see a married couple in bed together kissing passionately. He’s only wearing boxers and she’s wearing a T-shirt and skimpy underwear.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Excessive

We see explosions and fires, killing and injuring several crew members.
Men are thrown around and slammed into walls.
While in the shower an explosion erupts and a character is shown covered with blood.
A guy pulls a piece of metal out of his foot.
We see a guy’s leg caught between two rails. Someone snaps his leg to free it.
Someone is impaled by a chunk of debris.
Character’s are bruised, gashed and severley injured.

Crude or Profane Language: Excessive

We hear two f-words, “sh-t,” “h—,” “a–,” “b–ch,” and “b–tard.

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

A character drinks a beer.

Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Overall Deepwater Horizon is a well done film of a tragic accident. Parents need to be aware of the disturbing violence and excessive profane language.