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Family movie guide
By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 30, 2002
The Family Movie Guide should be used along with the Motion Picture Association of America rating system for selecting movies suitable for children. Only films rated G, PG or PG-13 are included in this weekly listing, along with occasional R-rated films that may have entertainment or educational value for older children with parental guidance. Compiled by St. Petersburg Times film critic Steve Persall.
RECOMMENDED
The Rookie
(G) -- Fact-based tale of a middle-aged baseball coach making it to the major leagues (or at least the Rays). Nothing objectionable, making this one of the most mature G-rated films since My Dog Skip. Good lessons about reaching for dreams.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
(G) -- Nothing objectionable except animal peril, as a wild horse gallops through the Old West, meets good and bad humans and falls in love with a mare.
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
The Importance of Being Earnest
(PG) -- Students with an interest in theater arts may be interested in this frothy adaptation of Oscar Wilde's stage play. Other children will likely be bored by the romantic entanglements among London's upper crust. The production is too proper to resort to profanity, nudity or violence, with only brief hints of sexual sparks among the aristocrats.
The Scorpion King
(PG-13) -- Parents who don't mind their children watching pro wrestling on TV probably won't be bothered by the bash-about action and scantily clad women of this prequel to The Mummy. WWF's the Rock stars as a warrior destined for royalty, but not before some vicious brawls and sword fights. Not much blood, but loads of fantasy violence. No profanity or nudity; brief sensuality.
Spider-Man
(PG-13) -- Comic book-style violence -- loud, incendiary and occasionally gruesome -- is the main concern for parents, whose children probably won't be deterred from seeing Spidey on the big screen. Some scary images, including Willem Dafoe's villainous Green Goblin makeup, but hardly nightmare material. More like daydreams.
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
(PG) -- Jedi warriors are back in full Force in the next chapter of the Skywalker saga, a more mature, violent movie than the childish fantasy of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Several sustained space battles contain explosive, occasionally gruesome violence, lightsaber fights and scary creatures, and the intrigue behind the birth of the evil Empire may bore young children. Otherwise, it's a cool way to spend a summer matinee.
Ultimate
(PG) -- IMAX-sized account of the Summer X Games for extreme sports, including skateboarding, motocross stunts, BMX biking and street luge competition. The risky nature of these activities should have parents lecturing their children on safety. Daredevil action and a few mild profanities.
NOT RECOMMENDED
About a Boy
(PG-13) -- Hugh Grant plays a womanizer lying to single mothers and convincing a boy (Nicholas Hoult) to pose as his son. Mature themes include suicide, single parenting problems and arrested development. Minor profanity. Despite its young co-star, children won't find much of interest in this comedy made for adults.
Enough
(PG-13) -- Jennifer Lopez has plenty of young fans, but Enough may be too much for them to handle. J.Lo plays a viciously abused wife who retaliates with excessive force. The MPAA rating is due to "intense scenes of domestic violence, some sensuality and language."
Life or Something Like It
(PG-13) -- Angelina Jolie plays an ambitious TV reporter in a film that can't decide if it's a romantic comedy or serious drama. Nothing here to entertain children, just grownup angst. Moderate profanity, sexual situations and brief violence.
The Sum of All Fears
(PG-13) -- Young viewers aren't the target audience for movies based on Tom Clancy's CIA adventure novels. Much of this movie is more political talk than action, and the exciting parts depict the city of Baltimore under nuclear attack by terrorists, hardly a comforting thought for children these days. The disaster images may be troubling to some viewers. Other violence includes strangulation murder. Moderate profanity including one f-word. Mild sensuality.
Undercover Brother
(PG-13) -- Occasionally raunchy spoof of blaxploitation movies from the 1970s, so children won't get some of the best jokes anyway. Much of the humor is sexually charged, plus drug abuse references and campy violence.
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