Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

Release Date: September 6, 2024

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Justin Theroux, Catherine O'Hara, Willem Dafoe, Jenna Ortega

    In this highly anticipated sequel to the 1988 classic Beetlejuice, The Deetz family return home to Winter River after a family tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's (Ryder) life is turned upside down when her daughter Astrid (Ortega) accidentally opens a portal to the afterlife. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time before somebody summons Beetlejuice by saying his name three times, to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

    This movie is not a bad movie, Nor is it a bad on either.
I'd say it's mediocre. Although if your a fan of the original, you'll probably like this one. Parents, I'd keep your little kids away from this film, but if you wanna let your teen see it, I'd click here first. 

Final Grade:

C+

AfrAId

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes

Release Date: August 30, 2024

Director: Chris Weitz

Starring: John Cho, Katherine Waterston

    Curtis (Cho) and his family are selected to test a new digital assistant named AIA, who learns their behaviors, and makes sure that nothing, and no one, gets in their way. I thought it was a ok, mediocre movie. Not as intense as other PG-13 horror films, but there are some jump scares in it. Parents, I'd keep your little ones away from this film, but if your teens wanna see it, I'd advise you to click here before letting them.

Final Grade:

B

It Ends with Us

 Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes

Release Date: August 9, 2024

Director: Justin Baldoni

Starring: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate

    Based on the novel of the same name, It Ends with Us about Lily Bloom (Lively), a florist who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life. She meets Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), a neurosurgeon and sparks a connection with him. But, she begins to see sides of him that remind her of her parents relationship.

    This movie, is a good movie. I found a hidden message towards the end about forgiveness, and I think that's a good message even for a movie like this. WARNING: there are some scenes in this film that may trigger some bad memories for you so, I just wanna warn you about that. Parents, I don't think your little kids may be interested in this film, but your teens might.

Final Grade:

A+

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

Release Date: August 2nd, 2024

Director: Carlos Saldana

Starring: Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel

 This movie is about an adventurous man named Harold, who can make anything come to life simply by drawing it with his purple crayon. After he grows up and draws himself into the real world, he finds himself having to learn a lot about real life.

    This movie, isn't a bad movie. I think it's just a typical, generic live-action family movie that may, or may not be of any interest except for small kids. Although they may, or may not like it that much but parents, if they want to see this movie, go ahead and take them.

Final Grade:

C+

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.