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
Are your kids looking for children's movies that are a bit more "grown up?"

Movie ratings don't always help you find good family movies. We assume that a G or PG movie rating means a movie is appropriate. But kids this age are changing rapidly socially and emotionally and can be very impressionable and vulnerable.

It's important to choose movies that aren't scary and that have good role models, because your kids will imitate what they see.

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Movies New in Theaters for Kids (ages 5-8)

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Planet 51 (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this animated alien comedy earns its PG rating with a fair bit of sexualized humor -- including jokes about anal probing and penises which may go over younger kids' head (though middle schoolers won't be duped -- in fact, they'll ... read more

Age 7+
Planet 51
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Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that director Wes Anderson's dry, offbeat adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's story Fantastic Mr. Fox is fine for most grade-schoolers but also has some themes and humor that will go over kids' head. The story features a lot of ... read more

Age 7+
Fantastic Mr. Fox
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Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that, unlike The Polar Express, this Robert Zemeckis adaptation of a classic holiday tale is too intense both visually and in content for families with very young children. At its heart, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a ghost ... read more

Age 8+
Disney's A Christmas Carol
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Astro Boy (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this animated robot superhero adventure based on the 1960s anime series Astro Boy is age-appropriate for elementary-schoolers. It has fairly sophisticated themes (grief, loss, and war), as well as plenty of cartoon action violence -- ... read more

Age 7+
Astro Boy
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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this adaptation of the classic children's book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is bound to attract the 10-and-under set. While there's nothing overtly age-inappropriate in the movie, expect a bit of salty language along the lines ... read more

Age 6+
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
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Shorts (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this fantasy adventure from Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez is sure to appeal to kids and tweens. Expect some mild insults -- like "lunkhead" and "this sucks" -- and potty humor, mostly regarding a booger (one ... read more

Age 7+
Shorts
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Ponyo (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this stunning adventure from anime master Hayao Miyazaki is one of his most kid-friendly films to date, with strong characters and positive messages. There's little violence, although a few scenes during and after a climactic storm ... read more

Age 5+
Ponyo
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G-Force (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this 3-D adventure is sure to attract kids who can't resist talking animals, high-stakes action, and a hefty dose of silly gags and potty humor (especially a constantly farting guinea pig). Expect lots of action and some peril; the ... read more

Age 6+
G-Force
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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
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Under the Sea 3D (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that the filmmakers have minimized the predator-prey relationships in this 3D nature documentary: Even though there's vivid evidence of the food chain at work, those few scenes are presented gently, as part of a natural process. ... read more

Age 6+
Under the Sea 3D
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more new in theater
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New on DVD for Kids (ages 5-8)

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Up (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is the second Pixar movie (after The Incredibles) to receive a PG rating, mostly due to a few potentially frightening scenes involving a band of trained talking dogs trying to get rid of the protagonists, some moments where ... read more

Age 6+
Up
5
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A Martian Christmas (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that there are several images of violence that appear throughout this animated holiday movie. Some are distanced by appearing on a watched TV -- such as images of war, hockey fights, and a gun shooting -- and some are enacted by main ... read more

Age 5+
A Martian Christmas
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Aliens in the Attic (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this alien adventure comedy stars Disney Channel and Nickelodeon veterans like Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical) and Austin Robert Butler (Zoey 101),so expect tweens and younger elementary schoolers to be interested.There's a ... read more

Age 8+
Aliens in the Attic
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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that the third installment in the Ice Agefranchise is likely to appeal to kids (even the preschool set) as much as the first two. Thatsaid, it's the first one in 3-D, so some scenes --  especially the ones featuring dinosaurs -- may be a ... read more

Age 6+
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
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Gotta Catch Santa Claus (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this CGI-animated movie ponders the existence of Santa Claus. The bad guys are an ice monster and his three evil snowmen sidekicks, and these characters, while silly and relatively harmless, threaten Santa Claus and make a lot of ... read more

Age 6+
Gotta Catch Santa Claus
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Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sequel to Snow is as family-friendly as the original movie -- and slightly less bland to boot. A former big game hunter plays the meanie. Santa is depicted not only as real but all too human, and his zany antics and pratfalls ... read more

Age 5+
Snow 2: Brain Freeze
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A Christmas Story (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that in one scene, the main character is punished for swearing by having his mouth washed out with soap. He's also bullied and beats up his nemesis, then cries afterward. One child sticks his tongue on a flagpole on a dare and needs the ... read more

Age 8+
A Christmas Story
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that Disney's first animated film does contain a few scenes that might frighten young preschoolers. The scenes with the wicked queen are especially creepy, as are the parts when Snow White runs through the frighteningly enchanted forest, ... read more

Age 5+
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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Imagine That (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this Eddie Murphy father-daughter comedy is aimed squarely at families, so expect your kids to be interested. The good news is that it's mostly tame and family-friendly, except for a few exclamations like "crap" and ... read more

Age 6+
Imagine That
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The Wizard of Oz (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that the 1939 fantasy contains several scenes that may be scary for very young children, almost all of which involve the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West and her band of creepy flying monkeys. Most parents who've seen the movie ... read more

Age 6+
The Wizard of Oz
5
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Monsters vs. Aliens (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that, like The Incredibles, this movie is too violent and intense for the youngest viewers. There's gunfire, explosions, widespread destruction, crowds panicking, and some deaths -- including one in which a good guy picks up a gun and ... read more

Age 7+
Monsters vs. Aliens
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B.O.B.'s Big Break (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this short animated film that comes packaged with the Monsters vs. Aliens DVD combines the same goofy characters with conflict and cartoon violence that might be disturbing to very young children. Two creatures attempt to blow up ... read more

Age 7+
B.O.B.'s Big Break
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Battle for Terra (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that even though it's animated and targeted at kids, this sci-fi adventure deals with some very mature themes, including extinction, colonization, unprovoked war, and even a suicide bombing of sorts (the incident involves a main character ... read more

Age 8+
Battle for Terra
3
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Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that compared to most movies about high school, this entry in the Scooby-Doo oeuvre keeps it pretty tame. The ghouls and ghosts can be scary to the youngest viewers, but the gang has good chemistry, which helps them get through some ... read more

Age 7+
Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins
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Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this British claymation movie delves into some darker themes, but with slapstick humor and even a bit of pathos. One main character gets involved with a deceptive love interest while the other hunts for a serial killer. In an ... read more

Age 7+
Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death
3
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Bionicle: The Legend Reborn (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this animated film, based on a line of popular toys, has a surprising amount of violence for a movie aimed at kids. It takes place on a planet where the main entertainment is watching gladiators battle it out with swords, axes, and ... read more

Age 8+
Bionicle: The Legend Reborn
3
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Barbie and the Three Musketeers (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that Barbie is supposed to be a French "countryside girl" whose dream is to be a Musketeer like her father once was. Some parents might question "girl power" being defined by using weapons. Barbie and her friends fight ... read more

Age 5+
Barbie and the Three Musketeers
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Earth (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this stunning nature documentary portrays how animals around the world are born, live, and, yes, die. Although there aren't any grisly shots of predators ripping apart their prey, there are disturbing scenes in which animals are ... read more

Age 6+
Earth
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Pete's Dragon (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that several characters in this movie get quite drunk. There are some fight scenes (though they are mild) and a scene of a teacher hitting a student. read more

Age 7+
Pete's Dragon
3
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Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that Miley Cyrus' legions of tween fans will be dying to see this big-screen comedy based on Disney's hit TV show. Like the small-screen version, the movie is upbeat and perfectly G rated ... if yet another marketing tool in Hannah's ... read more

Age 8+
Hannah Montana: The Movie
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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
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