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8 Great Movie Review Sites For Parents With Kids In Mind

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You're ready to put The Wolverine into the DVD player, then suddenly you wonder if this movie will be a problem for your 8-year-old. Well, will it?

If you're a parent with a family who loves movies, you've probably realised that you need to be able to get some reliable information on those movies before you show them to the family. But navigating the various movie sites to find child-friendly titles can be a chore.

Today we'll explore a few of the best movie review sites for kids so that you can choose the best go-to site for your family's needs. We'll also show you the best ways to get drip-fed some useful information about new movie releases too. Then you can line up your Netflix list and get watching!

Common Sense Media

The Common Sense Media site has a unique way of showcasing their film reviews. Latest releases are shown in a list just with a poster, quick one-sentence blurb, age rating, and star rating. If you click through, you get to see a short video review of the film, featuring a few short clips from the film with a voice-over review. This really is great, as you can see for yourself the sorts of characters that are in the film. The reviews are also very comprehensive, letting you know if there is any educational value as well as covering the usual parental worries - and they're not afraid to tell you if they just don't like it much! If you can't watch the video for whatever reason, you can usually click through again to a text version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eQ3UqV4cs4

The site is easy to browse with best of lists and the like. They also cover books, games, music, and more. Common Sense Media can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube , or via their mobile apps .

Plugged In is a family review site for movies, TV series, games, books, and music. It is seriously well worth a visit if you want to be certain about the suitability of any given entertainment for your child.

The reviews are very detailed, and categorised into positive elements, violent content, sexual content, and more. Their summary icons are limited in order to be simple to understand. This site is available to follow on Facebook, Twitter, or via their Focus On The Family apps.

Movie Guide

Movie Guide is focused on movies and reviews in general, and doesn't set out to have family-focused reviews. However, it has summary pages with information that families would need to make a decision. Each review page has an easy-to-read chart showing language, violence, sex, and nudity levels. It also starts the review with a very brief paragraph on potential issues families might have with the film content.

Follow Movie Guide reviews via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, RSS, or on YouTube .

Kids In Mind

Kids In Mind have very wordy reviews, focusing on three major areas of concern for parents: Sex & Nudity, Violence & Gore, and Profanity. Each film has an easy-reference chart showing the severity of content in these areas, but the review proper has a lot more information available.

Follow Kids In Mind on Facebook or via their iPhone or iPad app. Also, iPad users should check out our guide to  watching videos on the iPad  and Android users should read up on our list of  tablets you would let your kids use .

Box Office Mom

The Box Office Mom site appeals to parents as it gets straight to the answers you really want to know. In the full review, each of the following points is also elaborated on, so you can find out more detail if you're still unsure.

Each film has entries for:

• Rating (Her star-rating guide)
• Release Date
• MPAA Rating
• Best Age Group
• Sexual Content
• Violent Content
• Crude or Profane Language
• Drugs and Alcohol Content
• Will it Appeal to Kids/Teens?

She seems to cover any and all movies that teenagers will bug their parents about. So, there are a few R rated movies in the mix, some of which get a big NO, while others could possibly be viewed by mature 17-year-olds.

You can also browse the site by genre, box-office favourites, or DVD favourites. If you want updates on her new reviews, you can subscribe using RSS, Facebook, and Twitter.

Kids Pick Flicks

The Kids Pick Flicks site has a good point: Why should kids care what a 50-year-old man has to say about movies? To turn that around, they offer a site full of reviews by kids and teenagers.

This, I feel, is an awesome way to find out for sure if your kids will even be interested in certain films. It's also a good way to get your kids interested in reading about movies -- or maybe even reviewing them themselves. In fact, many of the teenage writers on this site seem to have a real talent for writing movie reviews, and could easily line up a good career in it later, I'm sure.

The site is searchable or browsable by DVD reviews or more recent movie reviews. It's worth adding to your RSS feeds.

Raising Children Movie Reviews

The Raising Children site has a lot more than movie reviews, but their movie review section is definitely worth a mention. When browsing their list of movies, you can see prominent icons which let you know what sort of movie it is and what age groups it is recommended for.

The symbols make it easy to see:

• Frightening scenes
• Inappropriate language
• Disturbing, upsetting or confusing scenes
• Sexual references or sex scenes
• Violence or scary scenes
• Age recommendations: Not recommended for / parental guidance recommended for / or suitable for.

As Raising children is an Australian site, all recommendations have been made in conjunction with the Australian Council on Children and the Media. Obviously, clicking through to the film will give you more information on the story, themes, violence, disturbing scenes, sex scenes, product placement, coarse language and ideas to discuss with your children. The last section could be really valuable as a learning tool for your family.

The Dove Foundation

The Dove Foundation covers both movies and books, aiming to showcase the sorts of things that are good for family viewing. Each review comes with a small graph that shows the severity of each of the major worry points for parents: Sex, language, violence, drugs, nudity or other issues. The reviews themselves are brief and focus on what may be worrisome for the parents. The site looks a little outdated, but the content is still very good!

Movies With Kids

As a parent, I wholeheartedly recommend using all of these sites to make decisions. Some of them will obviously gel more with your family's needs more than others, but each of them offer great information about the films out today. I suggest downloading all of the apps and following all of the Facebook pages, as this way you'll get a drip-feed of useful information about the latest films and will have an app on hand to check when you need it.

If your kids also like to play Roblox, make sure you help them stay away from free Robux scams , too.

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Parents Reviews

rises to a few effective shock moments while offering up a blunt analysis of the American dream. Something original in the horror canon, it isn’t quite as literate as might be expected, but it’s ideal fare for horror fans who want to dine off-menu.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 28, 2024

Parents is rather over-spangled in film technique, and it finally degenerates into a slasher movie. But, again, roughly the first two-thirds are sharply drawn, and Balaban appears to be a true eccentric researching his way to his own personal style.

Full Review | May 9, 2023

Parents is not for the squeamish. Its sound track jostles with novelty tunes of the 1950s-from Chantilly Lace to Purple People Eater-but the humor only enhances the horror.

Full Review | Oct 11, 2019

Parents offers a unique horror-comedy experience that, while disliked by critics after its release in 1989, can now certainly be deemed a cult classic.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Apr 10, 2019

The central idea of alienation may be ever present but Balaban doesn't get the tone quite right with direction that's fine scene to scene but cumulatively doesn't generate the necessary thrills to make Parents one to rush out and adopt.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Feb 19, 2019

The Oedipal conflict that Parents plays out is timeless, but also very much rooted in its times, with a darkly comic nostalgia that looks both backwards to a Paradise lost and forwards to one perhaps never regained.

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Pretty clever thriller that's about half as smart as it thinks it is.

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Because it speaks to a terror that lurks deep within our memories, Parents has the potential to be a great horror film. But it never knows quite what to do with its inspiration.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 27, 1989

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The Forge Movie Review: Authentic Community And Prayer

The faith journey is not for the faint of heart, especially in relationships. Walking in faith requires community and Biblical wisdom in marriage, parenting, and establishing lasting relationships with your extended family or friendship. In this article, I will share my thoughts on The Forge, a movie review.

The Difficult Reality Of Being A Christian Parent

The Forge shows the ups and downs of a single mom trying to launch her young adult son into the world. It also shows the importance of mentorship, friendship, prayer, and discipleship.

You will leave this movie wanting more for your life, faith, marriage, church, and community.

The beginning of The Forge tugged at this mama’s heart. As a mom of three young adults, I could relate to the dialogue. Cynthia Wright is a single mom to 19-year-old Isaiah Wright. In one of the beginning scenes, Cynthia is talking to Isaiah, and her frustration is palpable. I think we can all relate to this when it comes to dealing with the stage of launching your young adult into the world.

Having faith and parenting young adults is a whole new ballgame. I have never prayed more in my life and I have entered a new level of surrender in my walk with Jesus. The Forge portrays the struggle of being a Christian mother to a young adult so well. There is also a lot of guidance on what to do when you don’t know what to do in this highly complex season of life.

It is evident that being a Christian parent to a young adult requires:

• Faith and trust that God has good plans for your child and your family.
• Surrendering your will and control over the life of your child who has the same free will you have.
• Lots of prayer and prayer support from those around you.

God Has Good Plans For You And Me

God is the perfect Father, and his plans might not be ours. In The Forge, Cynthia quickly learns that she doesn’t have to parent her son alone and calls on her prayer partners. Cynthia is surrounded by friends and believers who want what is best for her and her son.

Being surrounded by people who pray for and believe in the best for your family is a blessing.

The Forge shows the viewer that to be a good friend , you need to pray for your friends, believe in your friends, and bless your friends with your words. It is so easy to get lost in the pain of this world, your life, and what you don’t have. However, The Forge shows us the value of wanting more for your life.

Growing Up Is Hard To Do If You Don’t Have Someone To Invest In You

In The Forge, we can see how to make time for mentorship despite life’s demands.  Additionally, we see the fruit the investment of time into someone else’s life will bring—not only in the mentee’s life but also in the mentor’s life.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16 (ESV)

As a Christian, your most extraordinary mission is to share the gospel and be fruitful. Every action you take, and word you speak will bear fruit. Understanding the seeds you are planting and the fruit you will bear from them is essential in determining your next steps in life.

In The Forge , Isaiah has difficulty growing up because he does not have a male role model to whom he can look up. However, as the story unfolds, we can see God working in his life and helping him become the man God created him to be. This is not done through one person or one prayer but through many prayers and many people planting seeds in his life that will bear good fruit.

Overcoming Excuses

The Forge is a movie with many lessons told in a two-hour time frame. One of the biggest lessons that stood out to me was to overcome the excuses in your life.

Overcome the excuses that are:

• Holding you back from serving God with your whole heart.
• Keeping you in a place that you don’t want to be.
• Preventing you from finding the relationships that are good for you.
• Building relationships and authentic community.
• Investing in and serving other people.

Life is undoubtedly busy and difficult, and there are many obstacles and trials to overcome. But the key is to find the purpose in the journey. The Forge shows us Isaiah’s journey to overcoming his excuses. He makes the effort to get rid of all that is holding him back from God’s best for him.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. Everyone who watches The Forge will gain new insight and ideas on living a fruitful life and building an authentic community.

The story was relatable, although there were moments that seemed unrealistic. While I believe in the power of mentorship and the need for discipleship, the viewer needs to keep an open mind on how that may play out in real life. I loved the idea of everyone in The Forge getting a sword; however, I think we can all lower our expectations and realize discipleship can be done in a small group hosted by our church. However, I appreciate the symbolism and the honor the writers of The Forge gave to the beauty of being in an authentic community of believers.

Like most movies, The Forge had drama and action built into every scene, making some of the events unrelatable. However, that does not take away from the fact that discipleship is important and necessary and will help us all become who God created us to be. It is essential to believe in yourself and others. Overall, the story of The Forge encouraged my heart, which will determine the next steps in my faith walk.

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IF Parent Guide

Despite an often somber tone, this is a warm-hearted film that offers a whimsical and rewarding option for family audiences..

Theaters: A young girl begins to see abandoned imaginary friends and look for new buddies for them.

Release date May 17, 2024

Run Time: 104 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by shannon bugg.

Twelve-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming) is going through some tough times. Her mother has passed away, so when her father needs heart surgery, she goes to stay with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw). Anxious about her dad’s health, Bea is fortunate to meet her grandmother’s mysterious neighbor, Cal (Ryan Reynolds). His friends, Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and the gigantic Blue (Steve Carrell) are the first of many Imaginary Friends (IF) Bea will meet in Cal’s company – and they will change her life.

Cal has a unique goal: introducing IFs to new children when the kids who imagined them into existence grow up and forget them. He brings Bea to an IF retirement home where they begin their matchmaking efforts. With a new focus for her energies and emotions, Bea starts to cheer up. However, the matchmaking task isn’t as straightforward as it appears, and much adventure and mayhem ensue.

That said, the film is blessed with an abundance of talent and a positive focus that persists through the movie’s darker moments. I brought my granddaughters to the film (ages 5, 9, and 12) and each enjoyed it at their own level. Even the five-year-old understood what was happening and appreciated the story. The girls admired Bea’s courage and cheered her on, while also picking their favorite IF. They were dancing in their seats to the upbeat music and laughing at all the right places. During the really touching parts, I could see that each girl was engaged in the on-screen action. The ending of the movie is a real tear-jerker, and the nine-year old told me afterwards that she was “crying on the inside, but in a good way.”

IF teaches many lessons along the way, including the power of storytelling, family ties, imagination, and love. I recommend it as a fun night out for the whole family – not only is it an entertaining watch, but you can also enjoy debating which IF would be the most fun!

About author

Shannon bugg, watch the trailer for if.

IF Rating & Content Info

Why is IF rated PG? IF is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic elements and mild language

Violence: A child is deeply concerned about a potentially fatal medical condition of her father’s: her mother died previously. A child wakes up when a man and fairy enter her room and argue with a giant being hiding in the closet. A toasted marshmallow creature catches fire and one of its eyes fall off. There are several chase scenes. A girl is chased by a creature. A child is warned that a creature might explode. Two sword-wielding knights fight a fire-breathing dragon. Sexual Content: None noted. Profanity: The script contains a couple of anatomical terms and three mild profanities. There are some terms of deity and occasional name-calling. Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

Page last updated May 17, 2024

IF Parents' Guide

Have you ever had an imaginary friend? What traits did your IF look like?  If you could pick one of the imaginary friends in the film, which one would you choose? Why?

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New Releases

Wisteria: Belladonna, Book 3

Llama Llama Red Pajama

The First Week of School

Baby Young, Gifted, and Black

Death at Morning House

Just for the Summer

Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus: Life of a Cactus, Book 1

Hook's Daughter: The Untold Tale of a Pirate Princess: The Pirate Princess Chronicles, Book 1

The Grandest Game, Book 1

Hooky: Volume 2

Such Charming Liars

A Is for Activist

The Dictionary Story

Millie Fleur's Poison Garden

On Your Mark, Get Set, Gold!: An Irreverent Guide to the Sports of the Summer Games

How Do You Become an Olympian?: A Book About the Olympics and Olympic Athletes

The House in the Night

A Court of Silver Flames: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Book 5

Love in the Wild

Our editors' top picks, popular with kids, best fantasy books for kids, popular with parents.