Handpicked by Our Editors

Matilda
Age 8+
5

Matilda

Why We Recommend It

Clever Matilda handles bullying kids and berating adults with fantastical solutions that bend slightly dark and surreal.

Read our full review
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Movies New in Theaters

showing: action/adventure
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Red Cliff (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that director John Woo's rousing battle epic based on Chinese history definitely has plenty of violence (spraying blood, martial arts, etc.) and other war-related themes, as well as one notable sex scene. But there are also strong ... read more

Age 15+
Red Cliff
5
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Gamer (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this mediocre action movie is full of frenetic violence, quick-cut nudity and sexual material, strong language (including lots of uses of "f--k"), and plenty of gore (shootings, stabbings, and more). There's also a general ... read more

No Kids
Gamer
2
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Inglourious Basterds (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that, like all of director Quentin Tarantino's work, while this World War II adventure starring Brad Pitt is full of food for thought, it's also brutally violent, bloody, and full of harsh language. Expect cringe-inducing beatings, ... read more

No Kids
Inglourious Basterds
4
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Call of the Wild (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sweet but predictable film inspired by Jack London's classic novel is squeaky clean -- there's no nudity, drinking, smoking, or swearing. And the message, while conventional, is positive: Sometimes what you want may not be what ... read more

Age 7+
Call of the Wild
2
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Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this follow up to the smash hit Night at the Museum is very similar in content to the original movie -- so if your kids liked that one, they'll get a kick out of this one, too. Expect lots of generally lighthearted, effects-heavy ... read more

Age 7+
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
3

New on DVD

showing: action/adventure
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The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this action-packed remake of the gritty, same-named 1970s thriller is intense and violent and not meant for young kids. The fast-paced story is accompanied by heaping doses of realistic, bloody (expect lots of gunplay ... and ... read more

Age 16+
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
3
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G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this relentless action adventure inspired by the '80s cartoon/toy line is filled with extreme (albeit minimally bloody/gory) violence. Kids will want to see it because they're the ones who play with the toys, but there's no end to ... read more

Age 13+
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
1
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sequel to 2007's Transformers is edgier and less kid-friendly than the first. Kids will want to see it because they're the ones who play with the toys the movie was inspired by, but it's packed with metal-on-metal mayhem and ... read more

Age 13+
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
1
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Land of the Lost (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this big-screen version of the cult-classic 1970s TV show has lots of vulgar language, as well as an extended sequence in which some of the main characters are clearly stoned on a natural narcotic/hallucinogenic substance. There's ... read more

Age 14+
Land of the Lost
3
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Superman Batman: Public Enemies (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this animated action story pits Superman and his pal Batman against almost every other supervillain and hero. Superman is framed for a murder he didn’t commit, but the authorities are determined to bring him in, and the task falls ... read more

Age 13+
Superman Batman: Public Enemies
3
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X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this comic book prequel isn't as tween-friendly as the earlier X-Men movies. Although many of the mutants are pretty indestructible, the action is still bloodier than in the previous films, thanks to the fact that much of it is ... read more

Age 13+
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
2
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Crank: High Voltage (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this gory, envelope-pushing sequel to Crank is packed with grotesque, bloody, how-do-we-top-this? moments of extraordinary violence, conducted with a smirking, smug sense of bad-boy provocation. It ends up feeling a lot like the ... read more

No Kids
Crank: High Voltage
1
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Fighting (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this mediocre action drama about illegal street fighting is (suprise!) quite violent, with lots of brawling and some blood. There's a simmering romantic-sexual subplot, too, but the movie spends a lot more time on characters punching ... read more

Age 14+
Fighting
2
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Donkey X (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that viewers who are unfamiliar with the Don Quixote story may find themselves lost or baffled by the plot at first. Though Don Quixote makes a noble, if loony, effort to be a valiant knight, many characters he meets are sinister and ... read more

Age 8+
Donkey X
3
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Fast & Furious (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this action-packed fourth installment in the Fast and Furious series was heavily marketed to teens. There's plenty of violence, including explosions, shoot outs, fistfights, and lots of car chases -- which end in at least a few ... read more

Age 14+
Fast & Furious
3
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Dragonball Evolution (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this live-action adaptation of the popular anime/comic book/video game series has lots of martial arts action. There's not much blood, but expect plenty of fighting, weapons (throwing stars, staffs, futuristic guns, etc.), and even a ... read more

Age 9+
Dragonball Evolution
2
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Green Lantern: First Flight (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this animated film is a bit darker than most superhero cartoons. The villain, Sinestro, uses violence to intimidate people, tortures suspects, and isn’t above murdering his allies if they no longer fit into his plans. This casual ... read more

Age 14+
Green Lantern: First Flight
4
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Watchmen (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this non-animated adaptation of the beloved cult graphic novel isn't just another superhero story and is absolutely not for kids. Even the director has said that he purposely made the movie intensely gory to make a point about the ... read more

Age 16+
Watchmen
3
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Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a review of the theatrical release and not the "unleashed and unrated" version available on DVD that may include more questionable content. This film is wholly and entirely based on the popular Street Fighter video ... read more

Age 14+
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
1
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12 Rounds (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a review of the theatrical release and not the DVD -- which comes with what's described as "two alternate endings and more action." The original release is packed with action, but it's more about the spectacle than ... read more

Age 13+
12 Rounds
2
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The Spirit (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this update of a 1940s comic book from one of the creative forces behind 300 is overflowing with hyper-stylized and excessive violence -- and suffused with smirking sexuality. There's only one instance of nudity (female buttocks), ... read more

Age 15+
The Spirit
1
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The Day the Earth Stood Still (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this drama/thriller (which is a remake of a 1950s classic that most kids probably haven't seen) has lots of urban destruction, as well as some scenes of science-fiction-style violence perpetrated against people. There's some blood ... read more

Age 13+
The Day the Earth Stood Still
2
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Quantum of Solace (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that the second James Bond adventure starring Daniel Craig is, like 2006's Casino Royale, full of non-stop action sequences and has a darker, grittier tone than earlier Bond films. Unlike his predecessors, who barely broke a sweat while ... read more

Age 14+
Quantum of Solace
4
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Punisher: War Zone (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this over-the-top action movie is unrepentantly violent, with a body count in the dozens and constant extreme, grisly depictions of hand-to-hand combat, gunshot wounds, explosions, industrial accidents, and much more. The movie's ... read more

No Kids
Punisher: War Zone
3
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Return from Witch Mountain (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this live-action Disney classic centers around the theme of mind control. Since Tony and Tia are capable of using their psychic powers to move objects of any size, their talents are invaluable to evil geniuses. A doctor uses an ... read more

Age 7+
Return from Witch Mountain
3
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Transporter 3 (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that, like its predecessors, the third movie in the Transporter franchise features extensive, visceral martial-arts action (not to mention constant violation of any conception of safe driving). There are shootings, explosions, ... read more

Age 14+
Transporter 3
2
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