‘African Cats’

Rating: G

What it’s about: Two competing prides of lions and a lone cheetah mom are followed in this nature documentary.

The kid attractor factor: Cute animals struggling with nature in all its harsh, rough-edged glory.

Good lessons/bad lessons: “Never get fresh with an ostrich” and the like

Violence: Lion attacks, a croc attack, hyenas, nothing terribly gruesome.

Language: Disney clean

Sex: None

Drugs: None

Parents’ advisory: Gentler, more entertaining and far prettier than the very similar “The Last Lions,” this is suitable for the whole family.

‘Rio’

Rating: G

What it’s about: A rare blue macaw is sent to Brazil to mate and save his species, only he doesn’t get along with the female macaw, and they’re bird-napped.

The kid attractor factor: Animation, funny birds, slapstick, samba music.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Exotic birds were never meant to be pets because it drives them to extinction in the wild.

Violence: Cartoon slapstick.

Language: Disney clean.

Sex: Brazilian babes on the beach in Rio.

Drugs: Does chloroform count?

Parents’ advisory: Far and away the smartest, sweetest and funniest film from the folks who made those “Ice Age” cartoons, suitable for the whole family.

‘Hop’

Rating: PG for some mild rude humor.

What it’s about: Guy hits the Easter Bunny with his car and must help him recover and realize his rock ’n’ roll dream.

The kid attractor factor: A smart-mouthed, rock-drumming animated bunny, and James Marsden, the goofy prince from “Enchanted.”

Good lessons/bad lessons: Sooner or later, you will meet your destiny.

Violence: A car accident, mild cartoon peril.

Language: Disney clean.

Sex: Nary a hint.

Drugs: Nary a whiff.

Parents’ advisory: Harmless, this blend of animation and live action is aimed at the very youngest filmgoers. Suitable for all ages.

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules’

Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and mischief.

What it’s about: The Wimpy Kid makes his way through seventh grade and a rough-and-tumble relationship with his teenage brother.

The kid attractor factor: It’s the second movie based on the popular and funny Jeff Kinney books, with tweens and teens as its stars.

Good lessons/bad lessons: “Don’t be good at something you don’t want to do” and other teen slacker credos.

Violence: None to speak of.

Language: “Holy moly!” is about as rough as it gets.

Sex: Teen and tween flirtation, an underwear gag.

Drugs: None.

Parents’ advisory: Aimed squarely at the middle school and younger set, it’s perfectly fine for 6 and older.

‘Mars Needs Moms’

Rating: PG for sci-fi action and peril.

What it’s about: A little boy stows away on a spaceship when his mother is abducted by aliens.

The kid attractor factor: Animation by the “Polar Express” folks, based on a Berkeley Breathed kids’ book.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Words can wound, and there is no limit to a mother’s love.

Violence: Alien laser guns and the threat of asphyxiation in the vacuum of space.

Language: Disney clean.

Sex: A little interspecies flirting, and blushing.

Drugs: None.

Parents’ advisory: More plot-heavy than jokey, this one may be tough on the 6-and-younger set but perfectly engrossing for 7 and older.

‘Red Riding Hood’

Rating: PG-13 for violence and creature terror, and some sensuality.

What it’s about: Red Riding Hood’s medieval village is menaced by a big bad WEREwolf.

The kid attractor factor: Young people in lust in a fairy tale from the director of “Twilight.”

Good lessons/bad lessons: “Our methods of pleasing God are sometimes … flawed.”

Violence: Slashings, stabbings and a hand is bitten off.

Language: Fairy-tale friendly.

Sex: Interrupted.

Drugs: Ale and wine.

Parents’ advisory: Aimed at that “Twilight” demographic, this is just as sexual, has a bit more blood plus a little swordplay — OK for 13 and older.

‘Rango’

Rating: PG for rude humor, language, action and smoking.

What it’s about: A pet lizard escapes into a desert town where the other varmints make him the sheriff.

The kid attractor factor: It’s animated — and the voices are provided by Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin and others.

Good lessons/bad lessons : “People have to believe in something. Right now, they believe in you.”

Violence: Animated mayhem, a hawk is dispatched, gunplay.

Language: Some profanity — not much, but more than you’re used to in a children’s cartoon.

Sex: Heavens, no.

Drugs: Cigarettes, cigars and drinks in a saloon.

Parents’ advisory: A bit rougher and more adult-oriented than your typical kids’ toon; suitable for 10 and older.

‘Beastly’

Rating: PG-13 for language including crude comments, brief violence and some thematic material

What it’s about: A spoiled, rich high school student is condemned to look like a beast until he can win the love of someone.

The kid attractor factor: Vanessa Hudgens is the Beauty, Alex Pettyfer is the Beast.

Good lessons/bad lessons: True beauty isn’t skin deep, and “parents do what they do with what they know.”

Violence: A shooting, punches are thrown.

Language: A sprinkling of profanity, leaving out the dirtiest of dirty words.

Sex: A little making out.

Drugs: Drug abuse is a minor subtext; some teen partying.

Parents’ advisory: Surprisingly smart with good messages and a hint of edge. OK for 12 and older.

‘Hall Pass’

Rating: R for crude and sexual humor throughout, language, some graphic nudity and drug use.

What it’s about: A couple of immature husbands are given a week off from marriage by their wives.

The kid attractor factor: Comedies this dirty always draw the “let’s sneak into THIS one” tweens.

Good lessons/bad lessons: When it comes to our romantic glory days, we all remember things through rose-colored glasses.

Violence: Fisticuffs, a shooting spree.

Language: Just filthy.

Sex: Full-frontal nudity, vulgar sexual situations.

Drugs: Booze and brownies.

Parents’ advisory: The nudity and crudity rule this out for anybody younger than 15.

‘Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son’

Rating: PG-13 for some sexual humor and brief violence.

What it’s about: An FBI agent drags his son undercover with him to protect the kid, both of them disguised as women.

The kid attractor factor: Guys in heavily padded dresses pretending to be plus-size women.

Good lessons/bad lessons: “Every day you don’t demand respect, you die a little.”

Violence: A murder, shootouts.

Language: Squeaky clean.

Sex: Women in semi-undressed states.

Drugs: None

Parents’ advisory: Childish enough to appeal to young kids, with content appropriate for 10-and-older.

‘I Am Number Four’

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for language.

What it’s about: Good-looking teens who live among us were the “gifted” on their home planet, and those who destroyed that planet are hunting them here on Earth.

The kid attractor factor: Aliens and ray guns and beasts and Alex Pettyfer and that cute blonde from “Glee”

Good lessons/bad lessons: Don’t take stupid risks with your life because you’re needed “for a higher purpose.”

Violence: Plenty of fistfights and dagger duels but not much blood

Language: Maybe six swear words — not the “big” ones, though

Sex: Hot teens making goo-goo eyes at one another

Drugs: None

Parents’ advisory: This action-adventure is sort of a teen sci-fi “Twilight” without the threat of sex; suitable for 11 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.