Trap

 Rated: PG-13

 Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

 Release Date: August 2, 2024

 Director: M. Night Shyamalan

 Starring: Josh Hartnett, Hayley Mills, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donoghue

    When a father (Hartnett) takes his daughter to a concert, he realizes that the concert is a trap that was set by the authorities who are looking for a serial killer known as "The Butcher."

     This movie, is good. Although I must warn you, that the ending is VERY intense. I think it pushes the boundaries between PG-13 and R. So Parents, DO NOT take your kids to this film! Especially your young ones! It may frighten them a little. To the general audience, if your a fan of M. Night Shyamalan (the director of the film), you might like it.

Final Grade:

B-

Twisters

 Rated: PG-13

 Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes

 Release Date: July 19, 2024

 Director: Lee Isaac Chung

 Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthomy Ramos

    A Tornado Obsessed Youtuber, teams up with a former storm chaser as Stom Season intensifies, and encounter the windstorm of their dreams, and nightmares in this sequel to the 1996 blockbuster movie Twister. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of Mutiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma. 

This movie, is a WILDLY good movie! Unfortunately, I found little to no reference to it's 1996 predecessor. But it is however, 2 hours of my life that FLEW BY! If your a fan of the original movie, I think you'll like this one. Parents, despite the fact that I found very little cursing, I think the tornadoes might frighten your little ones. But I think your teens will do just fine.

Final Grade:

A

Fly Me to the Moon

 Rated: PG-13

 Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes

 Director: Greg Berlanti

 Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson

    This film is about a marketing maven named Kelly Jones (Johansson), who wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis's (Tatum) already difficult task, and when the White House deems the mission too important to fail, the countdown truly begins.

    This movie, is a good movie with a message. Which is Never Tell a Lie. If your into Sci-Fi movies, or if your an older folk that remembers when Neil Armstrong first landed on the moon, then you'll probably enjoy this film. Parents, if you wanna take your teens to this film, you might wanna click here to check the parents guide on IMDB before going.

Final Grade:

B+

Despicable Me 4

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Release Date: July 3, 2024

Directors: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage

Featuring the voices of: Steve Carrell, Kristin Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King

    In this latest installment of the Despicable Me franchise, Gru faces a new nemesis named Maxime and his girlfriend Valentina. So He and his family are forced to go on the run. This movie is an ok movie. No the best one of the franchise, but not the worst one either. It's just there, between good and bad. Parents, if your kids are into the Despicable me movies, then they're probably gonna like this one, just maybe not as much as the other films.

Final Grade:

C+

A Quiet Place: Day One

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes

Release Date: June 28, 2024

Director: Michael Saronoski

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn

    In this prequel to the 2018 film A Quiet Place, a new york woman named Sam (Nyong'o) is trapped in the big apple during the early days of an alien invasion where the aliens have ultrasonic hearing. This movie is pretty good, If you like the first two Quiet Place movies, you'll probably like this one. Parents, this is a pretty intense film like the first two ones. So if I were you, I'd click here before taking the kids. Now I would however, keep the little ones because they may get a little frightened by it. So if your kids are teens, they shouldn't have too much of a problem with it.

Final Grade:

A-

Inside Out 2

 Rated: PG

 Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes

 Release Date: June 15, 2024

 Director: Kelsey Mann

 Featuring the voices of: Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman

        This anticipated sequel to the 2015 animated film Inside Out, Riley is now a teenager and her mind headquarters is now making room for new emotions. Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear, and disgust aren't sure how they feel when Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy, and Ennui show up. This movie, is a good movie. It's been a long time since I've seen the first movie, so I can't say if this one is better than that one. But judging by it's own merits, I'd say right up there with say IF. There are at least a few good family-friendly movies coming out over the summer, and this is one of them. Parents, there are now at least three movies in theaters right now that I'd take the whole family to. Those movies are: This one, IF, and Garfield. they are all good movies.

Final Grade:

A+

The Watchers

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes 

Release date: June 7, 2024

Director: Ishana Shyamalan 

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell 

    This suspenseful thriller is about a young artist who gets stranded in a immaculate forest in Ireland, and gets trapped with three strangers after finding shelter. Meanwhile, all four of them are stalked each night by mysterious creatures known as The Watchers. This movie, is a fairly good movie. If your into suspenseful movies, and other movies like it, I recommend it. It is a really intense movie, and has a surprising twist toward the end. The only thing that I don't like about the movie, is that it's one of those movies where you expect it to end two or three times. Parents, I don't recommend that you take the kids to this film, click here if you wanna know why.

Final Grade:

B

P.S.,

    This film was directed by Ishana Shyamalan. She's the daughter of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan.

The Garfield Movie

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes

Release date: May 24, 2024

Director: Mark Dindal

Featuring the voices of: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson

    In this latest Family-Friendly adventure, Garfield gets separated from his father early in his life. But after an unexpected reunion, he and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered lives to join his father on a risky heist.

    Lately there have been a string of good movies for the whole family hitting the big screen in my opinion. I'll admit, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is probably more suited for teens, but hey! At least there are movies coming out that'll probably keep the movie theaters busy. Anyway, I think The Garfield Movie Is a good movie to take the whole family to. Although it's not great, but it's not bad either. So, if your looking for something to see in theaters, I recommend it.

Final Grade:

B

IF

 Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

Release Date: May 17, 2024

Director: John Krasinski

Starring: Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski

     This family-friendly adventure is about a young girl who goes through a difficult time, begins to see everyone's imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-life friends have grown up. This movie, is a good movie. I think it'll be a classic someday. Maybe not a timeless classic, but a classic. I think there is a message about the meaning of you have to believe it to see it. Parents, take the whole family to this film! I think there's family-fun for everyone! It's a movie that you have to believe to see!

Final Grade:

A+

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 2 hours 25 minutes

Release Date: May 10, 2024

Director: Wes Ball

Starring: Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Dichen Lachman

     Many years after the reign of Cesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define the future.

    I thought this movie, was a good movie. It's got stunning visual effects, I think the performance capture was good, and it was a good time at the movies. Parents, Other than the "S" word, I found NO foul language in this film! But I think your teens might like it more than your little ones. So in my point of view, It's a good family film if all of your kids are teens.

Final Grade:

A

Tarot

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

Release Date: May 3, 2024

Directors: Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg

Starring: Jacob Batalon, Harriet Slater

     This PG-13 horror flick is about a group of friends who unknowingly violate the sacred rule of Tarot readings, therefore unleashing an unspeakable evil trapped within the cards. As punishment, they come face to face and end up in a race against death.

    I thought that this was a generic PG-13 horror flick. It's not either a good or bad movie, just in between. Parents, this movie will more than like scare your kids so, I'd keep them away from this film. Unless they're teens, and if they like horror movies.

Final Grade:

C