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Family
Family movie guide
By Steve Persall, Times Film Critic
Published July 19, 2007
Suitable for families Evan Almighty: B
(PG) - Steve Carell is a politician recruited by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark. Nice morals, unless parents have conflicting faith issues. Brief crude humor.
Surf's Up: A-
(PG) - Penguins make this smartly conceived fake documentary one of the summer's best surprises. A few crude gags shouldn't worry parents.
Suitable for families, with reservations
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: C
(PG) - Marvel Comics' superheroes return with action violence, mild sexual innuendo and briefly crude language. Still the tamest of all comic book screen adaptations.
Hairspray: B+
(PG) - The first movie cited for "momentary" teen smoking under the MPAA's new guidelines. This bouncy musical also includes brief profanity and suggestive content in song and dance.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: B
(PG-13) - The fifth film in the series includes more intense fantasy violence and scary supernatural images that won't faze fans of J.K. Rowling's novels.
Ratatouille: C+
(G) - Not the usual Disney/Pixar animated romp for kids. More talk and less humor, and a few disturbing scenes, including a store selling dead rats.
Transformers: B-
(PG-13) - The toys and 'toons from the '80s get a makeover from director Michael Bay (Armageddon). Action violence among warring robots is more intense than before. Sexual suggestiveness and some profanity.
Not suitable
1408: C+
(PG-13) - Stephen King's imagination is no place for impressionable children to play. This supernatural thriller contains disturbing violence and terror, scary images and profanity.
Crazy Love: B
(PG-13) - Children won't enjoy this documentary about a jilted man's terrible revenge and the woman's incredible forgiveness. Profanity, including sexual references, disturbing images.
Evening: C
(PG-13) - Nothing for children to enjoy in this melodrama about a dying woman (Vanessa Redgrave) recalling her past. Mature themes of mortality, sexual situations, profanity and brief disturbing images.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry: C-
(PG-13) - Adam Sandler and Kevin James play firemen posing as gay partners for better work benefits. You can imagine the crude sexual content that ensues, plus profanity, drug abuse and comical nudity.
License to Wed
(PG-13) - Robin Williams as a minister preparing an engaged couple (Mandy Moore, John Krasinski) for marriage leads to sexual jokes, irreverent takes on religion and profanity.
Live Free or Die Hard: B+
(PG-13) - Possibly the highest body count ever in a PG-13 action flick, though not too graphic. Strong profanity.
Sicko: A
(PG-13) - Michael Moore's documentary about health care and insurance issues won't appeal to many children. Strong profanity.
[Last modified July 18, 2007, 10:41:20]
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