‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’

Rating: PG for some rude humor and language.

What it’s about: A boy narrates his comically nightmarish misadventures from his first year in middle school.

The kid attractor factor: The best-selling books come to life, or at least the big screen.

Good lessons/bad lessons: “It’s our choices that make us who we are.”

Violence: Bullies threaten it.

Language: Trips to the toilet using the milder words one uses there.

Sex: Boys stumble toward that age when they notice girls.

Drugs: None.

Parents’ advisory: Funny, irreverent, pretty faithful to the tween-centered books, this is very family friendly, potty breaks notwithstanding.

‘The Bounty Hunter’

Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, including suggestive comments, language and some violence.

What it’s about: A bounty hunter tries to bring in his ex wife, who skipped bail and missed her court date.

The kid attractor factor: Gerard Butler, a once and future Spartan. And Jennifer Aniston.

Good lessons/bad lessons: If the couple is incompatible, handcuffs won’t help.

Violence: Quite a lot of it, actually — shootings and beatings.

Language: Lots of profanity, much of it from Jen Aniston

Sex: Threatened, discussed.

Drugs: Alcohol is consumed.

Parents’ advisory: Too crass and violent for ages 12 and younger, PG-”13” seems right on the mark.

‘Valentine’s Day’

Rating: PG-13 for some sexual material and brief partial nudity.

What it’s about: Assorted couples and would-be couples try to pull it together in time for “the most romantic day of the year.”

The kid attractor factor: An all-star cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates and Julia Roberts.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Fall in love with your friend. It saves time and heartache.

Violence: None.

Language: Quite clean .

Sex: Teens plan it, with near nudity played for laughs. Drugs: None.

Parents’ advisory: A bit risque for ’tweens, but teens might learn something about love.

‘Avatar’

Rating: PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality and language.

What it’s about: A disabled Marine is given an alien body to go live among them to help convince them to leave their land, and comes to take their side against the developers who want to bulldoze their forest.

The kid attractor factor: Aliens, dazzling critter-covered alien world and the best motion-capture animation ever.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Developers and their mercenaries bad, indigenous people good.

Violence: Quite a bit, as there’s a war and a lot of hunting-killing that goes on before that war.

Language: A lot of profanity.

Sex: Alien mating, discrete toplessness, loincloths.

Drugs: Cigarettes.

Parents’ advisory: A dazzling spectacle with a plot any ’tween will recognize. Fairly mild PG-13. OK for 10 and older.

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 value or educational value for older children with parental guidance.