Share

       Comment on this story Comment 1

       Add to your saved stories

       Save

       Wonka (PG)

       Age 8+

       Wp Get the full experience.Choose your plan ArrowRight

       Chocolatier prequel is whimsical and sweet, with mild peril, fatphobia.

       “Wonka” is an origin story for author Roald Dahl’s beloved chocolatier/golden-ticket-bestowing candy tycoon Willy Wonka. Written and directed by “Paddington” filmmaker Paul King, it’s set years before the events of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” It introduces a fun, young and free-spirited Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) as he tries to start his first shop, only to experience setbacks that lead to him teaming up with a ragtag group of friends. There’s mild peril involving life-or-death situations in which characters nearly die in explosions or drownings. Two characters are held at gunpoint, and a gun is fired once (not at a person). There are also lots of comedic pratfalls and bonks on the head, Willy mourns his late mother, and his young friend Noodle (Calah Lane) is locked up in a dark, dirty bird coop by one of the villains. On the romance front, there are a couple of kisses between supporting characters, and two mean-spirited characters flirt with each other (one waggles his bottom while wearing lederhosen-style shorts to appeal to the other) and are shown in short silk robes. Language is limited to insults like “brat,” “peasant” and “stupid,” and there’s one “damn.” The cast is somewhat racially diverse, but the representation isn’t part of the storytelling, and there’s a fatphobic running joke. Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Keegan-Michael Key and Paterson Joseph co-star. (116 minutes)

       The Oath (PG-13)

       Age 13+

       Slow-paced action drama based in Mormon history; violence.

       “The Oath” is an action drama based on ancient events described in the Book of Mormon about the long war between the Lamanites and the Nephites. Scenes of peril, tension and violence include a man being chased and hunted through the woods by several other men with weapons, a man smacking a woman across the face with the back of his hand and kicking her out of his house, people getting stabbed and threatened with knives, two men being shot in the back with arrows, and sword fighting (largely bloodless). In one scene, a pregnant woman appears to have been hanged; viewers can see her feet dangling, and blood trickles on them. There are also potentially upsetting images of her fetus’s hand when she’s being buried. Fish are hunted for food, and a wolf is caught in a trap. Humans kill it to get its urine, which they spread around their camp to keep out bears and other animals. Early in the film, two characters playfully fight after one becomes drunk. Two people share a brief kiss and then wake up in bed together. The word “hell” is used in reference to a conversation about heaven and hell. (104 minutes)

       Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (PG)

       Streaming

       Age 7+

       Aardman Animations sequel has cartoon violence, mild threat.

       Advertisement

       Story continues below advertisement

       “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” is the sequel to Aardman Animations’ popular 2000 stop-motion film. This time around, rather than breaking out of a factory, the chickens must break in, after Ginger’s (voice of Thandiwe Newton) daughter, Molly (Bella Ramsey), finds herself trapped. Expect cartoon-style violence, including explosions and a character with an ax. The death of the chickens lingers over the film, with their potential untimely ends creating a sense of threat and danger. Not surprisingly, then, the film is, by its nature, anti-chicken farming. It’s not heavy-handed in its messaging, but it may make you think twice about your decision to eat meat. Language includes name-calling like “toe rag” and “mug.” Ultimately, though, the film is a celebration of the underdog, with unlikely heroes saving the day against seemingly formidable adversaries. And the main characters’ mother-daughter relationship is key to the film, with Ginger having to learn to let Molly explore her independence, while Molly must also learn that sometimes listening to Mom is best. (101 minutes)

       Share this article Share

       Available on Netflix.

       My Life With the Walter Boys (TV-14)

       Streaming

       Age 14+

       Teen-friendly romance in uncomplicated, soapy drama.

       Advertisement

       Story continues below advertisement

       “My Life With the Walter Boys” is a teen soap opera centering on a love triangle. All three of the main characters live together in a family unit, which may give some parents pause, but the romantic couples aren’t related by either marriage or blood. Romantic complications are frequent — pretty much the centerpiece of the show. Expect kissing, dating, flirting and romantic drama. There’s a reference to off-screen sex, with a boy said to “hook up” with girls. Language is infrequent and includes “hell,” “oh s---” (cut off before the end), etc. The action and characters are too soapy to really drive home positive messages, but the main character’s resilience in the face of tragedy is a positive point. (Ten roughly hour-long episodes)

       Available on Netflix.

       Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsense.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites and books.

       Share

       1 Comments

       Loading...

       Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. Choose your plan →