Which movies are fun for the whole family and which ones are treats just for you? Find out!
In theaters:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Short Story:
Based on the best selling-Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson, this gritty thriller follows disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and tattooed computer hacker Lisabeth Salander (Rooney Mara) as they team up to search for a woman who has been missing for 40 years.
What They're Saying:
" A faithful adaptation that brings the dazzle but shortchanges on the daring." -- Rolling Stone
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo gives off a ripely kinky, menacing glow. It opens with psychedelic music-video credits, scored to Karen O's caterwauling cover of Led Zeppelin's ''Immigrant Song,'' that set a mood of evil dipped in black rubber. That fanfare lets you know that the movie is going to have a sensuality and danger that the 2009 Swedish screen version, dutifully effective as it was, did not." -- Entertainment Weekly
Good for Kids?
This high-profile flick may appeal to teens, but Common Sense Media warns parents that this R-rated film is only intended for the most mature viewers. There are "horrifying rape scenes, torture and highly distrubing crimes scene photos." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
The Adventures of Tintin
Short Story:
Director Steven Spielberg brings this beloved comic strip to the big screen for what's intended to be an animated trilogy. In this first installment, Belgian reporter Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell) and Captain Haddock (voiced by Andy Serkis) embark on a quest to find a treasure lost a sea four centuries ago. Meanwhile, the wicked Red Rackham (voiced by Daniel Craig) is determined to beat them to the chase.
What They're Saying:
"Motion capture, which transforms actors into cartoon characters in a vividly animated landscape, is the technique Spielberg has been waiting for -- the Christmas gift... that he's dreamed of since his movie childhood." -- TIME
"Although I personally still find the rubber-faced, pseudo-human figures produced by this technique unsettling, the work done by Spielberg and (Peter) Jackson's animation teams here is exquisite." -- Salon.com
Good for Kids?
With a PG rating, this adventure flick is perfect for tweens ages 9 and older. Common Sense Media warns that all the non-stop action does include "swashbuckling pirate violence, explosions, kidnapping, and gun shots." Nonetheless, the suspenseful plotline is ideal for middle-schoolers searching for a high-seas adventure. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
We Bought a Zoo
Short Story:
In this based-on-a-true-story film, single dad Benjamin (Matt Damon) decides to give his family a fresh start by moving to the countryside and buying a zoo. With an eclectic staff, including a cute zoo worker (Scarlett Johansson), the family must work together to help restore the zoo to its former glory.
What They're Saying:
"The performances are sincere and Mr. Damon actually seems to be having a ball, giving one of the best and most mature performances of his career." -- New York Observer
"Crowe is back to what he's good at: small stories populated by everyday people." -- Village Voice
Good For Kids?
Jerry Maguire director Cameron Crowe brings this true, dramatic story to the big screen! Common Sense Media says parents need to know this flick may look to be "sweet and heartfelt," but it does deal with grief around losing a loved one to terminal illness. That said, the cast does feature more than 200 animals, and the movie proves to be an "uplifting story for families with older children." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
War Horse
Short Story:
Set in World War I, this story follows a remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man named Albert (Jeremy Irvine). Forcefully torn apart, Albert enlists in the army to try to find Joey, who's been sold into the cavalry.
What They're Saying:
"You may find yourself resisting this sentimental pageant of early-20th-century rural English life, replete with verdant fields, muddy tweeds and damp turnips, but my strong advice is to surrender." -- The New York Times
"When the army buys the horse and takes it to the French front, Spielberg goes into Lean mode, finding in war the greatest landscapes and crowd shots that money can buy." -- Chicago Reader
Good For Kids?
Rated PG-13 for scenes of war, this is a great pick for tweens and teens but probably not for the little ones. Common Sense Media says to "expect both tears and cheers in this story about the extraordinary bonds between humans and animals. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Short Story:
After his father (Tom Hanks) dies in the 9/11 attacks, Oskar (Thomas Horn) is convinced that his dad left him a final message hidden somewhere in New York City. Feeling disconnected from his grieving mother (Sandra Bullock), Oskar goes on a journey throughout the five boroughs searching for the lock that fits a key he discovered in his father's closet.
What They're Saying:
"Here's a tale that compacts the grief of an entire world, country, city, and thousands of loved ones left behind into the pain of one vulnerable, fictional boy." -- Entertainment Weekly
"A cloying exercise in sentimentality, the film also winds up extremely annoying, even infuriating." -- MSN Movies
Good for Kids?
Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, this PG-13 movie revolves around the aftermath of Sept. 11 and losing a family member. Common Sense Media warns parents that this drama could be "heartwrenching" and the subject matter could be "too intense/difficult for young children." Parents should consider discussing the events of 9/11 before taking kids to this holiday film. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
In case you missed:
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Short Story:
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his loyal sidekick Dr. Watson (Jude Law) join forces to bring down criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris).
What They're Saying:
"The thing to do, I suppose, is to set aside your memories of the Conan Doyle stories, save them to savor on a night this winter and enjoy this movie as a high-caliber entertainment." -- Chicago Sun-Times
"What seemed clever and novel the first time around now feels stale and tired; a lot of that has to do with the grimy, gray color scheme, which smothers everything in a dreary, suffocating sameness and saps the film of any real tension or thrills." -- Associated Press
Good for Kids?
This high-octane detective flick may appeal to tweens and teens but Common Sense Media warns parents thats with a PG-13 rating the film includes "several scenes of violence and mayhem... not to mention strong language." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Misson: Impossible - Ghose Protocol
Short Story:
After being fingered in a global terrorist bombing plot, the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) is shut down and its members sought for a reckoning. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the uncaptured remnants of IMF go an another nearly impossible mission to clear their organization's name.
What They're Saying:
"It's a movie of dazzling individual parts that don't come together to fully satisfying effect in the final stretch." -- Variety
"Wall-to-wall action in a spectacular, if repetitive, fourth series entry" -- The Hollywood Reporter
Good for Kids?
Common Sense Media warns that the PG-13-rated fourth installement in this popular action franchise isn't for young kids. Parents should expect "tons of action sequences and take-no-prisoner adventures, some involving violence and plenty of weaponry." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Short Story:
It's time for the Chipmunks and Chipettes to take a vacay! It's all fun and games while they're relaxing/causing trouble on a luxury cruise -- but their vacation takes a turn for the adventurous when they become 'chipwrecked' on a deserted island. But when the cute little pop-music-singing rodents try to find their way home, they soon discover that they're not alone on the island after all.
What They're Saying:
"In between the cutesy musical covers (from the Go-Go's to Lady Gaga), the young rodents engage in harmless slapstick and even learn a bit about themselves." -- Arizona Republic
"87 minutes of high-pitched singing, shenanigans, bad behavior and family bonding, enlivened by a decent Sarah Palin joke." -- Toronto Star
Good For Kids?
Merry chipmunks! Just in time for the holidays, Alvin and his furry companions are back for another likely lucrative film, and Common Sense Media says that this G-rated movie is perfect for the little ones -- despite some "rude jokes, flirting, and loads of pop culture references." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Young Adult
Short Story:
Young-adult novelist Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) decides to return to her small hometown to relive her glory days and reclaim her high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). The only problem? He is happily married. When nothing goes according to plan, Mavis forms an unlikely bond with an old classmate (Patton Oswalt) who hasn't moved past high school either.
What They're Saying:
"Young Adult, like director Jason Reitman's earlier Juno (also written with a sharp, knowing ear by Diablo Cody), fortunately has the dark (sometimes very dark) wit to wear its ambitions lightly." -- New York Post
"In a less acid romp, Mavis would learn life lessons in the final reel, but director Jason Reitman makes it a point not to let her off the hook."-- NPR
Good For Kids?
Rated R for langage and sexual content, Young Adult is not a good pick for young children. Common Sense Media says this raunchy "mean girl story" contains a lot of drinking scenes and one-night stands -- and thus is only appropriate for ages 16 and older. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/girl-dragon-tattoo-adventures-tintin-reviews/1-a-412938
Rachael Leigh Cook Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams
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