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Film

Family Movie Guide

By STEVE PERSALL
Published August 10, 2006

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

The Ant Bully B-

(PG) - A mean child (voice of Zach Tyler) is shrunk to the size of an insect, then gets what he deserves for treating bugs cruelly. Rude humor punctuates the animated comedy's positive lessons.

Barnyard B

(PG) - More animated animals, this time causing a ruckus on a farm. The MPAA rating results from "mild peril and rude humor."

SUITABLE, WITH RESERVATIONS

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest A-

(PG-13) - Scary sea creatures and intense action sequences could cause nightmares in some children. Johnny Depp's portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow has sobered a bit, but there's still plenty of rum abuse.

Monster House B-

(PG) - This animated film's scary images and sounds could cause nightmares. Crude humor and mild violence are typical of the PG rating.

Superman Returns B-

(PG-13) - Just try keeping children away from this one. The Man of Steel still espouses positive values, even in the midst of the action violence that earned the MPAA rating. A few mature themes pass faster than a speeding bullet.

Zoom

(PG) - A retired superhero (Tim Allen) teaches aspiring crime fighters at a private academy, a la Sky High. Brief crude humor, mild action violence.

NOT SUITABLE

The Devil Wears Prada B

(PG-13) - A stylish comedy of ill manners isn't likely to keep children entertained. The film's frequent profanity, brief sensuality and mature, backbiting themes are suitable only for adults.

John Tucker Must Die

(PG-13) - High school girls get revenge on the campus playboy (Jesse Metcalfe) who cheated on them. No violence as the title suggests, but sexual content and profanity that parents may not wish their children to see and hear.

Lady in the Water C-

(PG-13) - M. Night Shyamalan's movie is touted as a "bedtime story," but the frightening images and monster-riddled plot may keep children awake all night.

Little Man F

(PG-13) - A new adoptive father (Shawn Wayans) mistakes an extremely short criminal (Marlon Wayans) for his son. Pervasive crude and sexual humor, profanity and drug references.

Pulse

(PG-13) - College students are murdered by an evil wireless signal sent through cellular telephones and computers. The MPAA rating is the result of intense sequences of sci-fi terror, profanity, sensuality and thematic material.

My Super Ex-Girlfriend C+

A jealous superhero (Uma Thurman) torments her former lover (Luke Wilson) and his new companion (Anna Faris). The MPAA rating is the result of sexual content, crude humor, profanity and brief nudity.

Scoop C+

(PG-13) - Woody Allen's humor typically doesn't appeal to children. But those who try Scoop will find sexual content and profanity in his tale of a journalism student (Scarlett Johansson) investigating a cold-case murder.

Step Up C

(PG-13) - A juvenile delinquent (Channing Tatum) turns his life around with the help of a ballet dancer (Jenna Dewan). Mature themes of teen crime, plus sexual innuendo and brief violence, on the way to positive messages.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby B+

(PG-13) - Will Ferrell is very popular among children and teenagers, so any caution to parents about his new comedy is probably meaningless. Just to be safe, we'll note that the film contains crude and sexual humor, moderate profanity, drug references and brief violence played for laughs.

Who Killed the Electric Car? B+

(PG) - Documentary traces the brief history of the EV1 electric car produced and unceremoniously scrapped by General Motors. Complex themes that most children won't appreciate, brief profanity.

World Trade Center A

(PG-13) - Oliver Stone's harrowing, uplifting version of events surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York. Moderate profanity under duress, disturbing images of injured victims and casualties, mature emotional themes.

You, Me and Dupree C

(PG-13) - Owen Wilson goes from wedding crasher to marriage intruder in a comedy that features sexual content, brief nudity, crude humor, profanity and a drug reference, enough to make parents wary of taking along children.

[Last modified August 8, 2006, 13:41:36]