Which movies are fun for the whole family and which ones are treats just for you? Find out!
In theaters now:
The Debt
Short Story:
Based on the 2007 Israeli film of the same name, this thriller begins in 1997 as retired secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) learn shocking news about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been revered for decades thanks to a mission they undertook in 1966, where the trio (portrayed, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington, respectively) successfully tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. But did they really complete their mission? Jumping back and forth between two time periods, the suspense builds as surprising revelations come to light.
What They're Saying:
"A Nazi-hunting thriller deepens into a meditation on conscience in The Debt, a movie that holds you in its grip." -- Rolling Stone
"It's a wakeup face slap for a medium that has spent too many warm-weather nights dreaming of superheroes and frat boys." -- TIME Magazine
Good for Kids?
Common Sense Media recommends this flick for ages 16 and above only, since it's rated R for violence and language. Parents should expect to see bloody, realistic fight scenes, as well as swearing and drinking. So if you're interested in seeing this intense -- and well-reviewed -- spy movie, leave the little kids at home. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Apollo 18
Short Story:
On Dec. 17, 1972, Apollo 17 was the last manned mission to the moon. Ever wonder why? According to the revisionist history of this "found footage" sci-fi film, it's because just one year later the U.S. Department of Defense sent two astronauts went on a top-secret mission to the moon -- and something very, very, very bad happened. Is the movie's conspiracy theory legit, or just some entertaining conjecture? You be the judge.
What They're Saying:
This film has not yet been screened for critics.
Good for Kids?
Comparable to the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, this science-fiction/horror film is rated PG-13 for some disturbing sequences and language -- so it's probably best left to teenagers and adults looking for a good thrill.
In case you missed:
Our Idiot Brother
Short Story:
After being dumped by his girlfriend, idealistic hippie Ned (Paul Rudd) crashes with -- and hilariously disrupts the lives of -- each of his three sisters: Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), a career-driven journalist on the verge of her big break; Liz (Emily Mortimer), a devoted family woman so caught up in being the perfect mom that she doesn't notice that her marraige is falling apart; and Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), a bisexual hipster whose cheating ways are threatening to ruin her relationship with her girlfriend Cindy (Rashida Jones).
What They're Saying:
"While too overtly modest to be a comedy game-changer, it is almost sufficiently feisty and entertaining to render the term 'a Sundance movie' something less than dread-inspiring." -- MSN Movies
"It's refreshing, this late in the summer, to find a hot weather comedy that doesn't hate its characters and embed them in scatology and sexual impossibilities." -- Chicago Sun-Times
Good for Kids?
This comedy is rated R for sexual content and language, but adults should take time to enjoy one last laugh before the back-to-school mayhem begins.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Short Story:
Co-written by horror maestro Guillermo del Toro and based on the 1973 TV movie of the same name, the film follows architect Alex Hurst (Guy Pearce) his new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) and Alex's daughter Sally (Bailee Madison), who set out to restore a Gothic mansion in the hopes of selling it. But when Sally gives in to voices asking her to free them from the sealed fireplace in the basement, she unleashes a herd of goblin-like monsters intent on destroying her family.
What They're Saying:
"If the grand finale isn't as resonantly scary as the original's, maybe that's just because, try though we might, we're no longer impressionable kids." -- Village Voice
"It's a plodding, derivative gothic potboiler: The Shining meets Coraline, with a touch of Gremlins played (boringly) straight." -- Entertainment Weekly
Good for Kids?
With an R rating, Common Sense Media recommends this horror film for teens ages 16 and above. Although there is far more suspense than actual gore, there are a few sequences of intense violence and death. Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Colombiana
Short Story:
After witnessing the murder of her parents, Catelya (Zoe Saldana) grows up to be an assasin. Working for her uncle as a trained professional killer, she spends her free time on a mission to find -- and kill -- those responsible for her parent's death.
What They're Saying:
"For the most part, it's all big and silly, but at least it's enjoyably staged and crafted." -- Associated Press
"Colombiana may not be the brainiest of actioners, but one of the merits of producer Luc Besson's latest brainchild is that fanboys worldwide will come away with a scrap of horticultural knowledge as well as a pretty good time." -- Variety
Good for Kids?
This revenge-driven action thriller promises to be a bit too violent for little ones. Rated PG-13, Common Sense Media tells parents to expect "plenty of edgy violence, with heavy gun use, physical fighting, and death." Click to read the full Common Sense review!
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/debt-apollo-18-reviews/1-a-378015
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