One of many re-imaginings of the "tale as old as time," this one replaces the aspects of fairy tale magic with faith-based content. Instead of being a cut-rate Christian film like the dreck that was C Me Dance, however, this one features outstanding production values: great sets, wonderful performances, a good soundtrack...everything you'd hope for from a movie like this. The main theme--that no one is beyond redemption--is as timely as ever. Fans of Christian cinema should definitely check this one out; you're in for a treat.
Content Concerns: I won't do my usual listing, but, I will say that the emotional intensity throughout may be too much for some people, especially one character's flagrant displays of anger at the start.
Score: 4.5/5
Cute and funny, as always, with a great guest appearance by Tiffany Thornton (Sonny With a Chance).
Content Concerns:
Sex: Flirting. 4/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling, at worst. 4/5
Violence: A comedic pratfall or two. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Sequences: A presumed death of a pet. 4/5
Score: 4/5
This was my first Clone Wars episode in a while, but I enjoyed it. The plot kept me hooked, the animation was great, and there was plenty of action. Despite what some people say about it, I like this series.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: Ahsoka's usual bare-midriff outfit. 4/5
Language: Name-calling. 4/5
Violence: Sci-fi action violence throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A mildly scary villain. 4/5
Score: 4/5
This one was also cute and funny, as I've come to expect from this series.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing; a silly version of a honeymoon. 3/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling. 4/5
Violence: A bit of superhero action. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: None. 5/5
Score: 3.5/5
This show is an obvious blend of comedy and superhero action, and this episode was quite fun.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing: 4/5
Nudity: Girl in bare-midriff outfit; girl in low-cut dress; shirtless guy. 3/5
Language: Name-calling, at worst. 4/5
Violence: Cartoony action violence; no blood or gore. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Sequences: The villain is freaky, but only mildly so. 4/5
Score: 4/5
A good intro to the title character.
Content Concerns: A mildly freaky weather forecast.
This series is as cute and charming as ever, but parts of this episode smack of the second season, when it jumped the shark. Hopefully, it'll stay away from that territory as it continues.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Flirting. 4/5
Nudity: Girls in bikinis; girl in low-cut outfit; shirtless guys. 2/5
Language: Name-calling, at worst. 4/5
Violence: A comedic pratfall here and there. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A bit of emotional intensity. 4/5
Score: 4/5
I didn't care for the zombie bits as much, but, overall, this was a good episode; it was cute and funny, and it had great music.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Flirting. 4/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling. 4/5
Violence: None. 5/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The zombies. 3/5
Score: 3.5/5
Before I watched this today, it had been a while since I had seen any episodes of this series; however, I still enjoyed it. It was a bit edgier than I'd expect from such a cartoon, but only in a "PG" way. Fans of the recent DC Comics films should check this series out.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing and flirting; guys make mildly inappropriate comments about a woman. 3/5
Nudity: A woman in a short skirt; a woman in a low-cut outfit; a woman's bare legs and shoulders are seen while she is bathing; women in bare-midriff outfits. All of it is made less sultry due to the animation style. 3/5
Language: One misuse of God's name. 4/5
Violence: Superhero action violence throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Along with the violence, one monster is a bit scary-looking, and there is a bit of emotional intensity. 2/5
Score: 3.5/5
While this is different than usual VeggieTales fare, I mostly enjoyed this one. The animation was very well-done, and the story imparts a moral that kids and even many adults need to hear. However, the "short" at the end about the fly went on too long, and kind of messed up the experience for me. Still, for what it was, it was good.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Slapstick and cartoony action violence throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The villain, and the people getting angry with one another. 3/5
Score: 3.5/5
After a long hiatus from this series, I'm glad to revisit it again. This is full of the usual action, adventure, intensity, and heroism that I've come to expect from series such as this. There's a very good reason why this cartoon is fondly remembered well after its release: it has some great stories. In fact, I prefer this cartoon to the big-screen movies; then again, that's just me.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing. 4/5
Nudity: Shirtless guy, made less sultry thanks to the animation style. 4/5
Language: Mild euphemisms such as "butt". 4/5
Violence: Fantasy violence throughout; no blood or gore, though. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Proteus is a bit scary, especially when he possesses others' bodies. 3/5
Score: 4/5
This show is a wonderful blend of action and comedy, and this episode is a perfect example. The humor is great, the karate action is well-done, and, overall, this show is a winner. If you haven't tried this show, you should check it out!
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Usage of terms such as "butt". 4/5
Violence: Karate action throughout; not bloody or graphic, though intense. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Some emotional intensity. 4/5
Score: 4/5
I loved this series when I was in high school, and I still enjoy it today. This early episode features Yugi going against a fisherman duelist, and it's as fun and exciting as this show usually is. Though you kind of know the ending from the start, it's still cool to see just how Yugi makes it out of these dire situations.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: Shirtless guy, made less sultry thanks to the animation style. 4/5
Language: Nothing worse than name-calling. 4/5
Violence: Monsters battle it out; no blood or gore, though. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Some scary monsters. 4/5
Score: 4/5
Maybe I'm just biased because I adore this show, but this episode was great fun, as usual. If you haven't seen this show, you're missing out!
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Comedic pratfalls. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scene of emotional intensity, which is played for laughs. 4/5
Score: 4.5/5
One of the things I like about superhero cartoons is the action sequences; when done right, they can make an episode a blast to watch! This entry in the adventures of the heroes in a half-shell definitely delivers on that front, since the story was set up in the previous episode. Shredder is his usual utterly despicable self, and the ending is definitely a shocker. However, the intensity may be a bit much for younger kids; proceed with caution.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling and euphemisms such as "butt". 4/5
Violence: Intense--though bloodless--martial arts violence throughout. 1/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Sequences: There's little that isn't intense in this episode, especially the ending, which implies the death of the Turtles. 1/5
Other: A reference to flatulence. 4/5
Score: 4/5
This one went a little too much into occult territory for me; not only did it feature actual demons, but one character even got possessed. If the next episode continues this trend, I may stop watching this series.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing. 4/5
Nudity: Woman in a short skirt. 4/5
Language: Name-calling. 5/5
Violence: Fantasy violence throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Scary monsters and intense sequences throughout. 2/5
Other: Themes of demons; a man is possessed; some mild gross-out humor. 2/5
WOW! This is one of the best Christian movies I've seen in a while! A convoluted plot that kept me wondering what was going to happen next; wonderful performances from all of the actors, especially the female lead; elaborate sets; an ending that made me smile...seriously, this movie was fabulous! The only thing preventing me from giving this the highest possible score is that the ending could have been trimmed a bit; other than that, I really enjoyed it! I hope they make more movies based on the novels of Beverly Lewis in the future!
Content Concerns: I won't do my usual listing, but, I will say that this film is rife with emotional intensity.
Score: 4.5/5
This second Thor movie--and one of the countless Marvel flicks in recent years--is very gripping and features amazing performances, especially from Natalie Portman, whose role is much different than in the Star Wars prequels, and Kat Dennings. Fans of comic book films expect action, adventure, and heroism, and they get plenty of that here. Thor himself is as likable and gentlemanly as ever, and the various villains are utterly despicable, which is kind of the point. The ending knocked my socks off. As superhero fantasies go, this is probably among the best I've seen, not to mention the cleanest; while there's plenty of violence, it isn't graphic, kissing and one stray remark is about as sexual as it gets, and profanity is kept to a minimum...for a "PG-13," anyway. If you enjoyed the first Thor flick and the other films featuring the Avengers, this is for you. Just be sure you stay tuned after the credits.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing, sometimes passionate; a stray remark about infidelity. 3/5
Nudity: A man is seen naked twice in a news broadcast; his private anatomy is pixelated, however. 3/5
Language: Two or three uses each of the d-word and h-word; one usage of the s-word combined with "holy," and another near usage of the same expression. 3/5
Violence: As you'd expect, this movie is rife with battle scenes and action sequences. Several characters are killed or nearly killed by being impaled, squashed, etc. Buildings are destroyed. All of this is done without blood or gore, though. 2/5
Drugs: Alcohol is drank and referenced. 4/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Along with the violence, some of the otherworldly creatures are rather scary, and there is some emotional intensity after two different characters' deaths. 1/5
Other: While not exactly negative, characters speaking in an alien language with English subtitles may cause problems for those with reading disabilities. 4/5
Score: 4/5
iCarly is a fun show; I had forgotten how good it was until I started re-watching it recently. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should; be prepared to laugh and laugh! While I mostly enjoyed this episode, a moment or two of crude humor muddled things a bit.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Several near-kisses; a reference to a padded bra. 3/5
Nudity: Girl in short shorts; girl in hula outfit; some bare midriffs. 3/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Mostly comedic pratfalls, though a character is hospitalized from a fall (played for laughs). 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Arguing; the aforementioned fall. 3/5
Score: 3.5/5
More animated fun from those specter-hunting heroes. Lorenzo Music's voice has actually grown on me. Fans of the movies, or of old-school action/adventure cartoons, should check this out.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing and mild flirting. 4/5
Nudity: Girl in short shorts; woman in short skirt. 4/5
Language: An incomplete "What the...?" 4/5
Violence: Fantasy action violence throughout. 2/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Plenty of scary monsters, including seemingly possessed appliances. 2/5
Other: A reference to demons. 4/5
Score: 4/5
My official return to Doctor Who! I had missed the interdimensional adventures of the mysterious Doctor and his right hand woman, Rose Tyler. While Christmas is months away, that didn't prevent me from enjoying this episode. There was adventure, there was comedy, and not to mention suspense as well, plus plenty of British charm. What's not to like?
Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing; talk of a live-in relationship. 3/5
Nudity: Slight cleavage. 4/5
Language: Three or four h-words; one d-word; four or five misuses of God's name. 2/5
Violence: Sci-fi action violence throughout; a sword fight that leads to someone losing a limb; a spaceship blows up, presumably killing everyone inside; two people are reduced to skeletons. 2/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Along with the violence, the aliens were rather scary, and tons of people nearly jump off buildings to their death. 1/5
Score: 4/5
I've never actually watched UpTV, but I was of the belief that they are a Christian network. While there was nothing offensive in this movie, there was nothing explicitly Christian either. Other than vague references to God and heaven, about the only reference to the Way was a Christian fish on the back of the main character's car. It was still cute and rather family-friendly, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. The best part was the ending when--spoiler alert!--the geeky guy gets the pretty girl.
Content Concerns: Other than the expected emotional intensity, the only negative aspect was the wardrobe of some of the women, particularly Headley and her mother, who often wore low-cut tops and tiny shorts. It's a shame that such a sweet family movie couldn't have also had a dedication to modesty.
Score: 3/5
Cute for what it was. It was a bit repetitive, but I still enjoyed it. The animation, as usual, was fabulous.
Like many kids of my generation, I grew up watching Disney productions on television and VHS tape...but I was always more partial to the live-action flicks. My favorites were George of the Jungle, Flubber, and My Favorite Martian, not Aladdin, The Lion King, or Beauty and the Beast. Lately, the House of Mouse has decided to go back to its roots by recreating their beloved animated classics in live action form, and, I have to say, this one was done very well. The special effects were excellent, the performances outstanding--especially by Helena Bonham Carter, whose role here was much different than in the Harry Potter flicks--and the story kept me interested, even though we all know how it ends. Better yet, an ethnically diverse cast and a stronger heroine made this an improvement on the original. All in all, great stuff.
Content Concerns: I won't do my usual listing; all I'll say is that, as you might expect, the makers kept things pretty clean here. No sex; no profanity, save for one misuse of the Lord's name; violence is limited to comedic pratfalls; all in all, usual Disney fare. The one exception is the wardrobe: Cinderella and other women wear low-cut outfits throughout. That's the only negative aspect of the film, really; it's a shame it had to be included.
Score: 4/5
My Thoughts: While I've never seen the original Ghostbusters movies, I enjoyed this cartoon episode. The animation was great, it was full of action and comedy, and there was plenty of old-school charm. The one rough spot was Lorenzo Music; nothing against the late actor, but the voice he used in this show not only sounded too much like the one he used for Garfield, but didn't seem appropriate for the character. Other than that, I enjoyed this one.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Playful kissing. 4/5
Nudity: Big, baby-like monster wearing only a diaper. 4/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Fantasy action violence and comedic pratfalls throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The ghosts/monsters can be a bit scary. 3/5
Other: A bit of gross-out humor. 4/5
Score: 4/5
My Thoughts: I love this show, and have for a while, but this episode is one of the few that I would call a mixed bag. The story of two teenage girls buying their first bras is of no interest to me, and made me feel a bit creepy watching it. On the other hand, the subplot with Matt, Sam, and Gordo is entertaining, especially with the guest appearance by the now-late David Carradine. Those of the opposite gender may feel differently, but, though this one was still decent, it is by no means the best Lizzie McGuire episode.
Content Concerns:
Sex: The whole episode is about two teenage girls buying bras for the first time. 3/5
Nudity: Underwear-clad models are seen in store advertisements at a distance. 4/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Martial arts action that is exaggerated and played for laughs. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scene of emotional intensity. 4/5
Score: 3.5/5
My Thoughts: This show is one of my favorite Disney Channel sitcoms, and I enjoyed this episode just as much as the others. It's cute, it's funny, and it's clean; what's not to like? I have to hand it to Bradley Steven Perry, who plays Gabe; when he was upset, I really felt his pain. I may have been late to the party when it comes to this show, but I still love it!
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling. 4/5
Violence: Comedic pratfalls. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scene of emotional intensity. 4/5
Other: Someone is insulted because of his weight. 4/5
Score: 4.5/5
My Thoughts: I almost always enjoy the cartoon adventures of the heroes in a half-shell, and this episode is no exception. Plenty of action, and a good dose of fun...what's not to like? I'm almost to the fourth season; I'm curious to see what adventures await the Turtles as the series continues!
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Name-calling. 4/5
Violence: Fantasy action violence throughout. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The insect villain could be a bit scary for some kids, as could a scene that implies a character is eaten by a giant spider. 3/5
Other: A bit of crude humor, i.e., burping. 4/5
Score: 4.5/5
My Thoughts: This isn't my favorite Disney Channel sitcom, but I still enjoyed this episode for what it was. Jessie was likable, and the kids were hilarious. Maybe once I get into this series more, I'll enjoy it better.
Content Concerns:
Sex: A guy wears a tiara for the sake of a little girl; a boy is accused of wearing a dress, when it's actually a battle uniform. 3/5
Nudity: One tiny outfit on a teenage girl. 4/5
Language: A character says "OMG," which is an abbreviation for a misuse of God's name. 4/5
Violence: Kids play paintball; a girl falls down the stairs. 3/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Some bullying. 4/5
Other: References to bodily functions; a lizard burps twice; a scene of revenge which isn't vilified. 2/5
Score: 3.5/5
My Thoughts: This is just the kind of cuteness and humor that you'd expect from a show based on a legendary comic book franchise. Fans of Disney Channel sitcoms who haven't seen this yet should definitely give it a try.
Content Concerns:
Sex: A guy's posterior increases in size via a spell. 4/5
Nudity: Slight cleavage; a woman in a tiny outfit. 3/5
Language: Name-calling; nothing more. 4/5
Violence: None. 5/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: None. 5/5
Other: Usage of magic throughout; themes of revenge. 3/5
Score: 4/5
