Directed by: Tim Story Starring: Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffud, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some suggestive content. Parental Notes: This is a fairly standard comic-book movie. It’s not too gory, and there’s little in the way of sexually suggestive content. While the action scenes may be too intense for youngsters, it’s mostly harmless.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin Rated: PG-13 for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images. Parental Notes: This is a reasonably strong PG-13 film. Although it isn’t terribly graphic, there are several disturbing scenes including one of mob violence and numerous shots of dead bodies at a distance. Youngsters may find it too intense.
Directed by: George A. Romero Starring: Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento, Eugene Clark, Robert Joy Rated: R for pervasive strong violence and gore, language, brief sexuality and some drug use. Parental Notes: This is a zombie movie. It is packed with unspeakably disgusting images and is suitable only for very mature teenagers.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe Rated: PG-13 for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements. Parental Notes: This film is a pretty heavy PG-13, right on the edge of R. There is quite a bit of violence here and some intensely scary moments as well. This is not a film for kids who are easily spooked by bats or boogiemen. That said, preteens who aren
Directed by: Doug Liman Starring: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn Rated: PG-13 for sequences of violence, intense action, sexual content and brief strong language. Parental Notes: This is a fairly typical action movie; mature preteens and teenagers will probably have a blast watching it.
Directed by: Bruce Campbell Starring: Bruce Campbell, Antoinette Bryon, Vladimir Kolev, Ted Raimi, Stacy Keach, Tamara Gorski Rated: Not Rated, but could be PG-13 for language, mild sexual content, and gross pseudo-science. Parental Notes: There are some mildly disgusting scenes in here, including open-brain surgery, but most preteens will probably be all right. Fans of Bruce Campbell’s other works shouldn’t miss this film. “Man With the Screaming Brain” opens at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Friday, June 17 and will run for one week. Check www.cameracinemas.com for show times. If you miss that, you might be able to catch it at summer film festivals. Or you can wait for the edited-for-TV version that will air on the Sci-Fi Channel on September 25.
Directed by: Ron Howard Starring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko Rated: PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language. Parental Notes: This film is probably fine for preteens and teens, but youngsters may find the boxing scenes too intense for comfort.
Directed by: Ken Kwapis Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Jenna Boyd, Bradley Whitford, Mike Vogel, Michael Rady Rated: PG for thematic elements, some sensuality and language Parental Notes: This is a film aimed squarely at teen and pre-teen girls, and although it has moments to make adults roll their eyes, the girls will almost certainly enjoy it. Fans of the book may be irked by some of the changes but it is largely a spot-on adaptation of the novel.
Directed by: Marilyn Agrelo Starring: The kids and teachers of P.S. 150, P.S. 115, and P.S. 112 in New York. Rated: PG for some thematic elements. Parental Notes: This is a good kids film, provided the kids in question are interested in dancing, New York, or some other element of the film. There’s no action or suspense and nothing objectionable. Indeed, watching how these kids take to ballroom dancing might be an inspiration for kids in the audience to try it. It’s hard to imagine hundreds of New York public school fifth graders learning to ballroom dance every year, but that’s just what has happened since American Ballroom Theater started its Dancing Classrooms program a decade ago. Now, skilled teachers spend ten weeks teaching fifth graders the meringue, the rumba, the tango, the foxtrot, and swing dancing. “Mad Hot Ballroom” follows three schools on their journey from the first weeks of the program through the
Directed by: George Lucas Starring: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Rated: PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images. Parental Notes: This is a much darker film than the previous two episodes, and is not for young children. Anakin’s journey to the dark side is disturbing and the final battle he engages in is graphic and includes dismemberment. This is a strong PG-13 film, so take that into consideration when thinking about taking your kids.