 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Little Monsters
- Review Date: October 24, 2010
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1989
Common Sense Media says
Beetlejuice wannabe with potty talk, a bit of heart.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Little Monsters includes some mildly scary and emotional moments, plus some examples of bullying, mean pranks, and some language ("s--t" and "Godammit"). Parents behave poorly, yelling at kids, and eventually the parents separate. The monster world that Brian enters is a place where no rules exist, which means a good deal of immature and chaotic behavior plays out. There are some major gross-out moments, like when Maurice pees into bully's empty apple juice bottle, and the bully later drinks the liquid.
What's the story?
Brian's (Fred Savage) family has just relocated to a new town, where he has no friends and spends his nights trying to drown out the sound of his parents fighting. Things start to go wonky around the house and he is blamed for them. But it's not his fault that the remote control is missing, or that his bike was left out in the driveway -- there is a devilish monster under his bed named Maurice (Howie Mandel) who is eager to bring Brian into his wacked out monster world. Through challenges and chaos, the kid and the monster forge a friendship that proves memorable to them both.
Is it any good?
For a movie about monsters, this flick has a bit of heart. It captures the loneliness of a kid who has moved to a new town and whose parents are in a bad way. But some of the arguments and cursing from the parents beg the question of whether their participation is really necessary to the plot of the film, or just an attempt to anchor it in a gritty reality.
Kids and tweens might appreciate the feisty and juvenile behavior that Howie Mandel's Maurice brings to the screen, but viewers who have seen Beetlejuice will see more than a little resemblance to Michael Keaton's famous ghoul. He does warm up as the movie progresses, but adults might find the characterization little more than an irritant with a penchant for pulling down people's pants. Thanks to the creepy sets, spooky masks, and Fred Savage's candid portrayal of an 11-year-old kid, this movie deserves a small spot in the comedic monster movie pantheon.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about childhood fears. What scares you the most? Something hiding under the bed? What makes the idea of monsters scary? Did you find Maurice scary?
At what age is watching scary movies fun? Have you ever wished you hadn't seen something? How did you get the scary images or thoughts out of your mind?
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AGE
Oh, just another kids movie, nothing to... *sees the head removal scene* Oh my sweet lord... ABORT, ABORT ALL PARENTS!
This movie is what is known as nightmare fuel. I saw this and thought typical kiddie flick. There was no moral, all profanity, scary creatures, and even A KID HAVING HIS HEAD TORN OFF! When I saw that scene, I gasped! I do not gasp that easy... The kid's head was just torn off... To recap, avoid this thing like the black plague, and if you will excuse me, I'm going to try to wash my mind of the horror. Thanks for reading!
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Kid, 12 years old
February 21, 2011
AGE
Good Movie
I love this movie, i have seen it sooo many times. There is a lot of language, but 9 and up shuold be fine with it. As long as they know not to repeat it.
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Kid, 11 years old
June 11, 2011
AGE
Bad and Scary
Moral: Rip kid's heads off and go under your bed to lose body parts.
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Kid, 10 years old
April 27, 2011
AGE
fred savage
my dad really LOVES thi movie.and he loves fred savige.this movie is about brain moves to a new house and the parents act bad.but when a monster comes from under the bed he goes into a
world of fun.there is some swering said by parents and kids.as you can see by the title, there is monsters. a dummy's wax head comes off and mean pranks.also awoman is seen in a binki.and the monster calls woman tomatos.some drinking. and lays chips are seen.over all:ok.
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Kid, 11 years old
July 16, 2011
AGE
Iffy
A fairly good movie other than graphic violence and lots of swearing.
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AGE
THIS MOVIE HAS PROBLEMS YOU NEVER WANT TO ENCOUNTER
THIS IS A HORRIBLE MOVIE! Very inappropriate scenes and talk. Women are used as sex objects, and the main character watches a show dedicated to just that. One scene even includes the monster peeing in a bottle of apple juice as a prank (from the back side though). Bad language is used constantly throughout the movie. This includes p***, b*****, d***, s***, and others. Violent character RIPS KID'S HEAD OFF, after torturing him! Disturbing, violent, crude, inappropriate! Note to parents: Don't ever let your kids see this movie! KEEP THEIR MINDS SAFE. Don't let this horror into them. IT IS JUST COMPLETELY TERRIBLE STUFF!
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AGE
Watch Out! I was snookered by the On for 8+ common sense rating this had.
There is much too much in the way of questionable language, inuendo, and lude references in this movie for preteens to be watching it. We turned it off less than half-way through. The ultimate message may be positive, but you would have to wade through too much garbage to get to it. Different strokes for different folks, but I was shocked at the content based on the On for 8+ that this movie had.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, friendship, monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | MGM/UA |
| Director: | Richard Greenberg |
| Cast: | Daniel Stern, Fred Savage, Howie Mandel |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 105 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 6, 1989 |
| DVD release date: | April 6, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | adult situations/language, violence |
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