A letter rating doesn't tell you whether a particular movie is appropriate for your family. Online movie review sites can help you find the best and avoid the rest.
In a 1974 song called "Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott," the Statler Brothers lamented:
Everybody knows when you go to the show you can't take the kids along.
You've gotta read the paper and know the code of G, PG, and R, and X.
And you gotta know what the movie's about before you even go.
Tex Ritter's gone and Disney's dead and the screen is filled with sex.
In the 30 years since their song landed on the country charts, the Statler Brothers may have been surprised to witness an increase in the number of family films produced for the big screen. The ten top-grossing movies of 1974 included The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Blazing Saddles, and The Godfather: Part II. The only family-friendly movie that made the list was The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. By 1994 - the year the Statler Brothers' former hit song "Flowers on the Wall" was resurrected for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack - the five highest grossing movies included Forrest Gump, The Lion King, The Santa Clause, and The Flintstones. True Lies, at #3, was the lone R-rated movie in the top five. (Pulp Fiction made #10.) The trend toward more family films has continued. The top ten movies of 2006 included Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Cars, Night at the Museum, Superman Returns, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Happy Feet, and The Pursuit of Happyness. Not a single R-rated movie made the list.
While it's no longer true that "you can't take the kids along" to the movies, the Statler Brothers are still right about understanding the ratings and learning something about a movie before you buy a ticket. After all, the "family" movies on any year's list aren't suitable for all ages and won't pass muster with all families. So where do you look for family-centered movie reviews? Besides word-of-mouth, you'll find a number of excellent film reviews online.
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is a not-for-profit organization "dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families." Each Common Sense review includes a "Common Sense Note" summarizing what parents need to know and a "Common Sense Review" outlining the movie and comparing it to films with similar content. Reviews also include separate ratings for sexual content, violence, language, and message, with discussions of each element. Site visitors of all ages can submit their own reviews, and parents can search for titles appropriate for their children's ages. Common Sense also reviews TV, games, music, Web sites, and books.
Where they're coming from: Common Sense Media is aligned with the media literacy movement, which equips people to interpret and respond to media messages. The organization advocates "media sanity not censorship" and believes "the price for free and open media is a bit of extra homework for families." You'll find more information about Common Sense Media's mission and beliefs at their About Us page.
The Dove Foundation
The Dove Foundation awards the "Family-Approved" Seal to films deemed appropriate for family viewing based on sexual content, language, violence, drug use, nudity, and "other" (illegal or disrespectful behavior, incidences of witchcraft or sorcery). An approved movie can receive one to five Seals, with five Seals representing the best films for families. The Web site includes reviews for all movies rated by the Dove Foundation, not just the "Family-Approved" Seal. Each review includes a synopsis, a "Dove Worldview" commentary analyzing the film from a Judeo-Christian perspective, and a tally of objectionable content with brief descriptions. The Dove Foundation also sponsors family movie screenings, provides a movie channel for hospitalized children, and campaigns for more family-friendly movie fare.
Where they're coming from: Launched by a group of concerned dads, the Dove Foundation is a not-for-profit organization promoting "Judeo-Christian values, free from the pressure of commercial interests." Their mission is "to encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution, and consumption of wholesome family entertainment." For more information, visit the Dove Foundation's About Dove page.
Kids First!
Unlike the Dove Foundation, the Coalition for Quality Children's Media only posts reviews of "approved" movies (as well as television programming and audio and video recordings) on its Kids First! Web site. The Coalition is a collaboration of more than 10,000 educators, parents, policymakers, media professionals, and child advocates nationwide. To win a Kids First! endorsement, a movie must not have gratuitous violence or abuse; inappropriate sexual content; bias in terms of race, gender, culture, or religion; condescension toward children; or replicable unsafe behavior. Titles are evaluated in terms of appeal, production quality, and developmental benefits and must be approved by adult and kid jurors to receive an endorsement. Online reviews include brief descriptions followed by juror comments. A recommended viewing age and a one-, two-, or three-star rating round out each review. The Coalition also hosts a film festival to showcase new and classic children's media.
Where they're coming from: The Coalition is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to "teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's programs." With board members representing such endeavors as Sesame Workshop and Reading Rainbow, the group is more nurturer than watchdog. For more information, visit the Coalition's About page.
kids-in-mind.com
kids-in-mind.com provides descriptive ratings of movies' content. Reviews are detailed descriptions of movies' sexual content, violence, and profanity, with numerical ratings assigned to each variable. On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 represents the lowest level of a particular type of content and 10 represents the highest. According to the site, the approach is "like a food labeling system." The distinguishing feature of this site is the level of detail in its reviews.
Where they're coming from: kids-in-mind.com is owned by Critics Inc., a for-profit company providing online entertainment content. The company earns revenue from ads posted on the site. Descriptions are intended to be objective, simply describing movies' content. The site is not affiliated with any political, religious, or cultural group. For more information, visit the site's About Us page.
