that YouTube now offers parents the ability to filter out objectionable content using its new Safety Mode. Safety Mode is an opt-in feature -- meaning you need to enable it on your browser -- that filters both videos and comments. If you ... read more
that this over-the-top comedy features an unlikely partnership between two NYC detectives who are bumbling at best and over-eager at worst. With Will Ferrell as one-half of the duo (Mark Wahlberg is the other), audiences should expect ... read more
that the third installment in the Step Up franchise promises plenty of dance moves and an underlying romance to drive the story. The first dance movie to be shot in 3-D, this teen-focused drama stars a bunch of relatively unknown young ... read more
that this comedy is predicated on a cruel-sounding idea: To advance at his company, executive Tim Wagner (Paul Rudd) must bring someone (in this case, Steve Carrell as an IRS agent named Barry) to a company dinner whom everyone can make ... read more
Crackdown 2 is violent, gory, and bloody. If the picture on the cover of the box -- which depicts one Agent firing down from a building rooftop and another leaping with a concrete block, as if to pounce on someone's head -- doesn't give ... read more
Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a fantasy boat racing game. There is some violence -- boats explode -- but the drivers are never injured, and the high-speed aquatic action is so over-the-top that there is little risk of any players attempting ... read more
StarCraft II has content inappropriate for little kids. This includes plenty of violence (with blood and gore), foul language, and scenes with drinking and smoking. Violence will likely be the big concern, as players are battling rival ... read more
that this somewhat dated Web zine for girls offers articles on health, beauty, fitness, fashion, money, life, and more. There's a strong emphasis on developing a positive body image, and there's nothing on the site you wouldn't want your ... read more
that although the site's "rulz" insist that no swearing, bullying, or personal information is allowed, the site isn't monitored 24-7. But moderators check in from time to time, and violations can be reported to the site. Girls can also ... read more
that this edgy newsmagazine parody offers frank, pointed social commentary about African-American urban popular culture. The show's mock news stories and comedy sketches are full of strong language (including the occasional unbleeped use ... read more
that the biggest concerns in this reality competition series are an obsessive focus on fashionable brands and an overall message that says style trumps substance. Looks are essentially everything, and the show practically serves as a ... read more
that this '90s sitcom looks at life on earth from a unique point of view. There's a bit of racy content -- expect some sexual innuendo (most of which will go over the head of younger viewers), some hugging and kissing, and, in later ... read more
that this follow-up to Shakespeare Bats Cleanup may be written in free verse, but it reads like a
story, with great dialogue, frequent humor, and a little romance. Kevin and his father are still adjusting to the death of Kevin's mother ... read more
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
Parents Need to Know...
that this Twilight Saga spinoff is more horror than romance. There is darker, bloodier violence here than in the rest of the saga, rightfully so, as readers are experiencing life as a vampire. The completely sociopathic bloodlust of even ... read more
The Necromancer: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 4 by Michael Scott
Parents Need to Know...
that the books in the epic Nicholas Flamel series, like the Percy Jackson tales, will get kids immersed in and learning about mythology. Like its predecessors, the fourth tale in the series mixes in some historical figures (Joan of Arc, ... read more
that this soundtrack from the second season of the TV show adheres to the JoBros' classic formula: super-clean tunes that talk mostly about young love and reaching for your dreams. Overall, the album is fine for tweens. read more
that this single is a tame song, including no offensive language or mentions of sex, substance use, or violence. It does reference kissing in one line and has a somewhat bleak theme about broken relationships, but overall, the tune is an ... read more
"D.J. Got Us Fallin' in Love" (CD single) by Usher
Parents Need to Know...
that this single is a lot like other Usher tunes in that it's more subtly suggestive than overtly explicit. The song includes a bleeped-out f-word, talks about dancing close, and makes one mention of "downing drinks" -- but ... read more
