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Film

Family Movie Guide

By STEVE PERSALL
Published January 27, 2005

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.

SUITABLE FOR FAMILIES

(PG) - A road trip with his girlfriend's children sounds like a nice way to impress, until the guy (Ice Cube) meets them. Crude humor, brief profanity.

(PG) - Bill Cosby's beloved cartoon character and his pals escape from television into modern-day Philadelphia, where changes in social mores create fish-out-of-water comedy. A few rude words and crude jokes won't offend.

(PG) - Fans of the popular children's book series know to expect playfully macabre danger from leeches, snakes and locomotives. A hyperkinetic Jim Carrey plays Count Olaf. Some of the images are scary, with mild child endangerment and briefly rude dialogue.

(PG) - A zebra (speaking with the voice of Frankie Muniz) challenges thoroughbred race horses with the assistance of other critters with celebrity voices (Mandy Moore, David Spade, Dustin Hoffman, etc.) Crude humor, briefly rude language.

SUITABLE, WITH RESERVATIONS

(PG-13) - Martin Scorsese's biography of tycoon Howard Hughes, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role, will appeal to some young viewers. The film includes two violent airplane crashes, several seduction scenes and mature themes, such as Hughes' obsessive-compulsive behavior. It's a decent history lesson but too long and socially quaint to thrill young moviegoers in general.

(PG-13) - The true-life story of a basketball coach (Samuel L. Jackson) who placed academics above athletics should inspire teenagers, but appealing to an MTV audience means some possibly objectionable material: drug dealing, alcohol abuse, profanity, pregnancy, abortion, gun violence and lots of sensuality. For ages 15 and older.

(PG) - Married playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) creates Peter Pan, inspired by his friendship with a widow (Kate Winslet) and her sons. No infidelity and only a hint of the whispers of pedophilia that followed Barrie in real life. Mature themes include a terminally ill parent. For ages 12 and older.

(PG-13) - The genocide of 1-million Africans a decade ago won't be absorbing to young viewers. Teenagers, however, can find inspiration in the Schindler's List-style heroics of hotel manager Paul Ruesabagina (Golden Globe nominee Don Cheadle), who attempts to save lives. Briefly gruesome violence and scary images of corpses, moderate profanity.

(PG-13) - Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular Broadway musical comes to the screen, with more elaborate violence than the stage production allowed. The operatic musical score could turn off young viewers, but teenagers with interest in the theater may be inspired.

(PG-13) - Young moviegoers love Adam Sandler, but this comedy is more mature than usual for him. Sandler plays an unhappily married man getting close to his new housekeeper (Paz Vega) and her daughter. The film includes sexual content and moderate profanity, and children may be disappointed that this isn't The Waterboy II.

NOT SUITABLE

(PG-13) - Jennifer Garner (Alias) reprises her Daredevil role as an acrobatic martial artist and assassin. The MPAA rating is the result of action violence, of which there is plenty.

(PG-13) - Despite the presence of teen favorites Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson, this comedy-drama and its midlife crisis themes won't interest young moviegoers. Moderate profanity, sexual references, one sensual scene and brief violence.

(PG-13) - The sequel to Meet the Parents is even more risque, with loads of jokes about sexual behavior and numerous anatomically correct works of art and invention. Profanity is fairly strong, as is the crude humor.

(PG-13) - Clint Eastwood's mature drama about a female boxer (Hilary Swank) is more about personalities than pugilism, with a tragic turn that may disturb young viewers.

The also contains profanity (including an f-word uttered by a priest) and boxing violence.

(PG-13) - The story of a paralyzed sailor/author (Javier Bardem) who chooses to end his life won't interest many children, especially with English subtitles involved. The film includes profanity, sensuality and mature right-to-die issues.

(PG-13) - A widower (Michael Keaton) hears his dead wife's voice through a radio, and all kinds of creepy paranormal stuff happens. The MPAA rating is the result of "violence, disturbing images and language," although the effects also put the man's children in peril, which could upset young viewers.

[Last modified January 26, 2005, 11:04:12]