Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PG-13)
Age 13+
Stand-alone sequel has violence and sympathetic characters.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is a stand-alone sequel to “War for the Planet of the Apes” and set many generations after the death of the ape leader Caesar, whose teachings have begun to unravel. Violence is the biggest issue: Expect deaths (and mourning, with funeral pyres), bloody wounds, spitting blood, characters being stabbed with knives and zapped with electric prods, falls from high places, a cabinet full of guns, a gunshot, pounding, throwing, bashing, trampling, a lethal chokehold, an explosion and more. Ape characters also struggle with rising floodwaters, and human characters are captured in nets and via ropes around the ankles. “S---” is used three times, but there’s not much other language, and there’s no notable sexual content, product placement or substance use. The movie looks great and has sympathetic characters (albeit not a very diverse cast), though it seems less ambitious than its predecessors. (145 minutes)
Available in theaters.
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (TV-PG)
Age 10+
Solid Star Wars miniseries has lots of sci-fi violence.
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“Star Wars: Tales of the Empire” is an animated action miniseries set in the Star Wars universe. It explains how two characters — Barriss Offee (voiced by Meredith Salenger) and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) — converted to the dark side. There’s a lot of fighting with sci-fi weapons like lightsabers, some of which results in (non-gory) deaths. The main characters show some remorse for their actions, but their violence is rewarded with positions of power. Characters are in constant peril, and there’s an ominous tone throughout, but there aren’t any jump scares. Besides the near-constant action scenes, there’s not much other iffy content. (Six episodes)
Available on Disney Plus.
Unfrosted (PG-13)
Share this articleShareAge 13+
All-star comedy has innuendo, language and stereotypes.
The Jerry Seinfeld-directed Pop-Tarts sendup “Unfrosted” is a silly 1960s-set comedy with some swearing, suggestive language, drinking and violence. Men also behave in sexist ways. Violence and intimidating behavior or threats are played for comedy, but people do get blown up, beaten, electrocuted, drugged and kidnapped — and “tortured” with cow flatulence. There are jokes about a man’s privates showing in his pants and references to “eating you,” a wife “coming back for more,” whether “a man’s pleasure is also hers,” the possibility of having sex to close a business deal, a “lewd” dance, sexy advertisements and a U.S. president having affairs. People drink and smoke. Swearing includes “damn,” “goddamn,” “hell,” “a--” and some potty humor and insults. Stereotypes are played for laughs. The all-star cast includes Amy Schumer, Melissa McCarthy and Hugh Grant. (93 minutes)
Available on Netflix.
Prom Dates (Unrated)
Age 16+
Boozy, crass teen comedy has lots of sex, language, drugs.
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“Prom Dates” is a rowdy teen buddy comedy about best friends (played by Antonia Gentry and Julia Lester) on the hunt for escorts to the big dance. Teens drink a lot, smoke joints and cigarettes, snort lines of cocaine, get offered Molly, and pass out. There’s discussion of going “all the way,” using condoms, oral sex and more, and characters engage in various sexual acts. A stripper dances at a frat party. Language includes “f---,” “s---,” “a--hole,” “hell” and “b----,” as well as anatomical slang and insults. Violence — played for comedy — includes cuts, falls, concussions and an attempted human sacrifice. Characters also vomit on one another. Although the film aims for positive representation, the script also plays into stereotypes. (86 minutes)
Available on Hulu.
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