MOVIE TITLE
HARD RAIN
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Armored-car drivers Tom (Christian Slater) and Charlie (Ed Asner) find themselves in deep water when they become victims of a heist during a flood.
WILL KIDS WANT TO WATCH IT?
Maybe. Headline fixture Slater and the promise of action might draw them in.
MPAA RATING
R
SEX/NUDITY
None
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
The criminals drink in a bar.
VIOLENCE/SCARINESS
Lots of shooting; a man is electrocuted; a woman (Minnie Driver) stabs a law officer who is attempting to rape her.
OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES
About 90
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT
Not much, although a couple of characters do manage to stay on high moral ground.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD
It can't decide whether to be a disaster movie or an action thriller, so it fails at both.
APPROPRIATE AGES
15 and up
[MOVIE TITLE]
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
[WHAT IT'S ABOUT]
A mysterious benefactor helps poor artist Finn (Ethan Hawke) achieve fame and fortune, but all Finn wants is rich and aloof Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow).
[WILL KIDS WANT TO WATCH IT?]
Perhaps, because of Hawke and Paltrow, but their own expectations will be dashed.
[MPAA RATING]
R
[SEX/NUDITY]
A shadowy glimpse of Estella's breasts and butt
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]
Estella's aunt is an alcoholic.
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]
A man is stabbed to death on the subway.
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES]
About 30
[WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT]
It may make Dickens seem more accessible to kids.
[WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD]
It actually has very little to do with Dickens' novel.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]
13 and up
[MOVIE TITLE]
SLAPPY AND THE STINKERS
[WHAT IT'S ABOUT]
During a class trip to the aquarium, a group of 7-year-olds decide to pull a ''Free Willy'' and set Slappy, an unhappy sea lion, free.
[WILL KIDS WANT TO WATCH IT?]
Yes, they'll give this slap-happy comedy their seal of approval.
[MPAA RATING]
PG
[SEX/NUDITY]
None
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]
None
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]
A trainer pokes Slappy with an electric prod.
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES]
Two
[WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT]
This new generation of little rascals is smart, good-hearted, and charmingly mischievous.
[WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD]
The juvenile humor will appeal only to a very young audience.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]
4 and up
[MOVIE TITLE]
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