January 04, 2010
Sherlock Holmes
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, Hans Matheson
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.
June 08, 2009
The Hangover
Directed by: Tod Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zack Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham
Rated: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.
Parental Note: This is not a film for kids. It's gleefully vulgar and packed with adults behaving badly.
February 09, 2009
Coraline
Written for the screen and directed by: Henry Selick
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Keith David, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane
Rated: PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor.
Parental Notes: This is essentially a horror movie for kids. Know your child's limitations, there are some seriously creepy themes and images in the film that may be too intense for younger children.
January 12, 2009
Gran Torino
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her
Rated: R for language throughout, and some violence.
Parental Notes: This is not a film aimed at children. Mature teens may enjoy it, but youngsters should stay home. The violence is not glorified and excessive, but it's not comfortably cartoonish either.
January 05, 2009
Doubt
Written and Directed by: John Patrick Shanley
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams
Rated: PG-13 for thematic material.
Parental Notes: Although there's nothing on screen that might be problematic for young viewers, the subject matter (doubts about whether a priest is assaulting schoolboys) and the overall style of the film are inappropriate for youngsters.
December 15, 2008
Frost/Nixon
Directed by: Ron Howard
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Matthew McFayden, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon
Rated: R for some language
Parental Notes: Most youngsters will probably be bored by this talk-heavy film, though there's little objectionable here -- very little violence (some footage of American involvement in Vietnam and Cambodia) and even less sexual content. Teens with interest in politics should definitely check it out, though -- ideally with their parents. This film would make a great starting point for a discussion of the ramifications of Watergate.
November 10, 2008
Changeling
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore
Rated: R for some violent and disturbing content, and language.
Parental Notes: This is a film aimed squarely at adults. There is some nastiness involving missing and murdered children which, while not graphic, renders the film unsuitable for youngsters -- but children of that age would probably find the movie boring anyway.
October 20, 2008
Appaloosa
Directed by: Ed Harris
Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger
Rated: R for some violence and language.
Parental Notes: This is a very mild R, and I suspect it got that rating because of a sequence in which two naked people are seen from a distance, from behind, rather than because of a few instances of swearing and a couple of brief gunfights. Should be fine for mature preteens and teenagers.
July 21, 2008
The Dark Knight
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhardt, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.
Parental Notes: This is a pretty hard PG-13 -- I'd call it a borderline R. The makeup effects, psychotic characters, and thoroughly dark story make the film unsuitable for most youngsters.
May 05, 2008
Iron Man
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges
Rated: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content.
Parental Notes: This is a fairly-rated PG-13 film. The action is intense but not gruesome and the sensuality is there but with less nudity than you'd see at a public pool.
March 17, 2008
In Bruges
Written and Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Clemence Poesy, Jordan Prentice
Rated: Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, and some drug use.
Parental Notes: This is not a film for youngsters. The violence in it is graphic in a realistic way rather than a cartoony one, and thus fairly disturbing.
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October 15, 2007
Michael Clayton
Written and Directed by: Tony Gilroy
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Syndey Pollack, Tilda Swinton
Rated: R for language including some sexual dialogue.
Parental Notes: This is not a movie aimed at kids. Most preteens and teens will probably be fine with the violence and sexual content, but they may not be captivated by the story.
January 22, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
Written and Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Rated: R for graphic violence and some language.
Parental Notes: This is not a kid's movie. The casual, graphic violence will be too extreme for youngsters, and the philosophical content will likely bore them.