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
Is your preteen bugging you to see PG-13 movies?

Preteen movies can be challenging. Tweens want to age up, which is normal. They push boundaries, seek more independence, and want to see PG-13 movies that have subject matter that's just too mature for kids. So how do you find movies that are cool and age-appropriate?

A great place to start: Look for a preteen movie that your kids can learn from. Sometimes an iffy role model can lead to a great family discussion with your kids.

Movie Reviews

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Movies New in Theaters for Preteens (ages 9-11)

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Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this hugely anticipated Michael Jackson concert movie is age-appropriate for King of Pop fans in the older tween range and up. Expect a few of Jackson's standard suggestive dance moves (there's plenty of crotch-grabbing, for ... read more

Age 10+
Michael Jackson's This Is It
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Amelia (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this biopic about iconic female pilot Amelia Earhart (played by Oscar winner Hilary Swank) has a strong female role model for preteen girls and older. Although the film addresses Earhart's tumultuous personal life (including issues ... read more

Age 11+
Amelia
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Where the Wild Things Are (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that director Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are isn't appropriate for younger kids, even those who adore the book (there's a big difference between looking at a beautifully illustrated children's story ... read more

Age 9+
Where the Wild Things Are
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Free Style (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that coming-of-age sports drama Free Style is grittier than what tweens and teens who "met" star Corbin Bleu through the hit High School Musical movies might expect. Although there’s little swearing ("dumba--" is as ... read more

Age 11+
Free Style
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More Than a Game (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that if kids are old enough to love basketball and idolize LeBron James, you couldn't ask for a better documentary than More Than a Game. There's a strong emphasis on teamwork, family, and friendship -- the implication being that James ... read more

Age 10+
More Than a Game
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X Games 3D: The Movie (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sports documentary showcases high-energy, high-risk stunts performed by expert professionals. There's a high degree of danger in these events, and viewers see plenty of high-altitude falls and bone-jarring crashes. Kids will ... read more

Age 11+
X Games 3D: The Movie
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Bandslam (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this music-filled high school flick stars tween favorites Vanessa Hudgens and Aly Michalka, so expect interest from kids familiar with their Disney projects. Although it's rated PG and doesn't have any drinking/smoking, violence, ... read more

Age 10+
Bandslam
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Johnny Tremain (1957) (1957, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that there's abundant gunplay (rifle fire) as the Colonial militias face the British Redcoats, with some extras falling dead in both direct confrontation and sniper-style fire. The young hero burns his hand in molten silver, a vivid ... read more

Age 11+
Johnny Tremain (1957)
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New on DVD for Preteens (ages 9-11)

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Ben 10: Alien Swarm (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this live-action film based on the popular Ben 10 animated series follows the adventures of a secret team that combats evil alien invaders. Hero Ben Tennyson is older here than in the last live-action Ben 10 movie, but Alien Swarm is ... read more

Age 9+
Ben 10: Alien Swarm
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Gone With the Wind (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this epic drama, which is widely considered one of the top movies of all time, would never be rated G by today's standards. The film centers around the Civil War-torn South and includes several scenes of war-related violence, such as ... read more

Age 10+
Gone With the Wind
5
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I'll Believe You (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sci-fi movie contains some mild language like "bastard" and "goddamn," but otherwise has very little iffy content. That said, the movie is not oriented toward kids or teens. read more

Age 9+
I'll Believe You
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Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that the fifth installment in the Bring It On cheerleading comedy franchise covers much the same territory as its predecessors, with the sexual content toned way down. There is some mild sexual innuendo, and some naming of body parts ... read more

Age 11+
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish
2
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Alien Trespass (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this spoof was made as a loving tribute to '50s B-movie sci-fi -- and, as such, has the same squeaky-clean feel and mild peril of those films. There's some sci-fi violence, but since it's being perpetrated by a guy in a rubber suit, ... read more

Age 10+
Alien Trespass
2
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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
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Coraline (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this movie will scare young kids. Slightly less creepy than the book on which it was based, the movie is still quite dark, and the "other" world that Coraline discovers turns into a frightening, dangerous place where she ... read more

Age 9+
Coraline
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Super Capers (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this superhero action comedy, while not particularly thrilling or creative, is age appropriate for tweens. The hero ultimately makes the right choices, and there aren't dark, complex issues like those you'd find in a movie such as ... read more

Age 9+
Super Capers
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Dragon Hunters (Chasseurs de Dragons) (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that although this is an animated adventure story, many of the images are scary and our heroes face great danger in scene after scene. The hunted "dragons" are ugly and vicious, and include a giant skeletal monster with blazing ... read more

Age 11+
Dragon Hunters (Chasseurs de Dragons)
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The Pink Panther 2 (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sequel to 2006's The Pink Panther is very similar to its predecessor. It's full of slapstick scenes involving pratfalls, wine bottles, cakes, fires, karate attacks, etc. There's one glimpse of a dead body, and a climactic scene ... read more

Age 11+
The Pink Panther 2
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Inkheart (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this family-friendly fantasy is based on author Cornelia Funke's best-selling young adult novel. As in the book, there's a dark tone to the story, and the threat of violence seems real (especially the death threats). The ... read more

Age 9+
Inkheart
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Forever Strong (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this bad-boy-makes-good-on-the-team drama includes scenes of alcohol- and drug-fueled partying, and consequences (one fatality) occur because of drunken driving. There is some blood in the roughhouse rugby action. A juvenile prison ... read more

Age 11+
Forever Strong
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A Plumm Summer (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that although the plot revolves around the characters in a little kid's television show, the movie centers on a 13-year-old boy's changing relationship with his family and the world around him, and will work best for that age range. An ... read more

Age 11+
A Plumm Summer
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Legally Blondes (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this direct-to-DVD production is an attempt to skew the Legally Blonde movie's signature of girly smarts to the younger set, and that the girls are lauded not just for beauty but for brains as well. Students on scholarship at a ... read more

Age 10+
Legally Blondes
3
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Howard the Duck (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that though this PG film derives from a Marvel Comics superhero spoof, it's in sort of a no-duck's-land of an audience demographic, with the animal-costumed main character and childish sci-fi (and rock and roll) attitude mixed with ... read more

Age 11+
Howard the Duck
1
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The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that vampires are the subject matter in this addition to the Librarian series, and the fangs and blood sucking could frighten younger viewers. Flynn falls in love with, and sleeps with, a vampire. Know that this edition of the series is ... read more

Age 11+
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
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All Roads Lead Home (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that the heroine's mother is killed (off screen) in a bad car accident in which the girl is a passenger. The girl becomes withdrawn and is sent to live with an apparently alcoholic grandfather because she can no longer stand her ... read more

Age 10+
All Roads Lead Home
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My Girl 2 (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that the main character lost her mother at a young age and her best friend more recently, and her father is an undertaker, so there is a rather large shadow of death over the story. A stepmother is affectionate, understanding, and loving. ... read more

Age 11+
My Girl 2
2
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Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this film reverses the standard "hero" model, by focusing on Dr. Horrible, an evil villain bent on world domination who is hoping to win admission to the Evil League of Evil. Though his plans include stealing rare materials ... read more

Age 10+
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
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Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that some young viewers who watch this made-for-TV holiday movie starring the cast of Nickelodeon's hit series Drake & Josh may need a reality check afterward. Older tweens will understand the fantasy nature of what they see, but ... read more

Age 9+
Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh
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The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sequel to the enormously popular The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has more dark moments than the first movie. It broods on the nature of deceit, greed, and hunger for power. It also has a brutal one-on-one swordfight (some ... read more

Age 10+
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
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About Our Reviews

Common Sense Media's movie reviews and ratings for preteens are based on child development principles. We give you trustworthy information so you can pick what's best for your family. We may know media, but you're the expert on your kids.

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