Parents’ Guide to Movies
Published 5:00 am Friday, June 23, 2006
* Suitable for families
”Cars,” grade B+
(G) – Disney and Pixar animators turn their imaginations loose on NASCAR culture, resulting in dazzling images and humor a notch below ”Over the Hedge.” A few lightly crude jokes won’t bother parents.
”Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties,” grade B-
(PG) – A few off-color jokes likely won’t offend parents, or corrupt children, in this sequel that blends live actors and animation.
”Nacho Libre,” grade D
(PG) – The creators of Napoleon Dynamite cast wild man Jack Black as a Mexican priest who yearns to become a professional wrestler. That means comical ring violence, plus some crude humor.
”Over the Hedge,” grade A-
(PG) – Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling and Steve Carell lend voices to animated wildlife foraging for food in suburbia. Briefly rude humor and mild peril.
* Suitable, with reservations
”The Lake House,” grade B-
(PG) – Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock play lovers living two years apart in this supernatural drama. Brief profanity and a disturbing image. Children likely won’t be interested in a mature love story.
”X-Men: The Last Stand,” grade B+
(PG-13) – The Marvel Comics superheroes battle humans wishing to ”cure” them, in an allegory that draws comparisons to anti-gay activism. That vague, mature theme, a spate of action violence, a dash of profanity and one sensual scene make this suitable for teenagers but not small children.
* Not suitable
”The Break-Up,” grade C-
(PG-13) – Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn play disbanding lovers fighting a custody battle over the apartment they share. The comedy includes sexual content and humor, a well-publicized partial nude scene for Aniston and profanity.
”Click”
(PG-13) – Adam Sandler’s supernatural comedy contains the crude humor, profanity, sexually charged jokes and drug references that made him a star.
”The Da Vinci Code,” grade C-
(PG-13) – The controversial adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel includes violence, disturbing images, brief drug references and sexual content, but it’s his central theme of revisionist religion that may make some parents wary and ready to discuss it with children if they see it.
”The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” grade C+
(PG-13) – More reckless examples set for future automobile drivers, plus violence, profanity and sexual content.
”Keeping Up with the Steins,” grade B
(PG-13) – Profanity, mature themes of father-son dysfunction and Garry Marshall’s rear nudity make this an adult comedy. The cultural humor surrounding a bar mitzvah may sail over the heads of children who aren’t Jewish.
”Mission: Impossible III,” grade B+
(PG-13) – Tom Cruise’s spy thriller continues the series emphasis on intense action violence, plus a measure of profanity and sensuality.