Now Streaming September 2019

Netflix

RANGO

Quality:

****

Content:

-1 Discretion advised for older children.

RANGO is a unique animated movie with a unique hero, a pet chameleon who fancies himself a great actor and must use his talents to save a western desert town full of crazy critters. RANGO is a delightful mix of western adventure, comedy, wit, and general kookiness, but it’s designed for older children, with some brief foul language and some scary villains, so caution is warranted.

Full Review ⇾

OPEN SEASON

Quality:

****

Content:

+1 Discernment required for young children.

OPEN SEASON is a new animated comedy about a big grizzly bear and a mule deer who get into lots of trouble in the human city and in the vast forest. OPEN SEASON is very funny, lively and clever with marvelous animation and positive moral elements, but MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children because of some light off-color humor, strong slapstick violence and brief scary moments.

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TURBO

Quality:

****

Content:

+3 Some minor questionable elements.

TURBO is a super-charged animated comedy about a little garden snail with big dreams, who gets endowed with special powers that enable him to qualify for the Indy 500. TURBO has loads of hi-octane fun for all ages, with a positive redemptive message about being your brother’s keeper.

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS

Quality:

****

Content:

-1 Discretion advised for older children.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS, part two of Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, chronicles the continuing saga of the Hobbit Frodo and his friends, who battle satanic forces that want to ravage all of Middle Earth. THE TWO TOWERS is a highly moral tale of good fighting evil that is spoiled by some New Age elements and strong battle violence.

Full Review ⇾

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

Quality:

****

Content:

-1 Discretion advised for older children.

RETURN OF THE KING, the final chapter of LORD OF THE RINGS, tells what further trials Frodo, Sam, and their friends must face in order to defeat the demonic forces led by Sauron. RETURN OF THE KING is one of the great movie masterpieces that weaves many biblical principles and allegorical Christian metaphors into a magnificent story, but it is too scary and intense for younger children.

Full Review ⇾

MY SISTER'S KEEPER

Quality:

***

Content:

-2 Discretion advised for adults.

MY SISTER’S KEEPER is an ultimately depressing story about a family trying to cope with a situation where one of their daughters is suffering from a deadly strain of leukemia. Despite some positively touching scenes between the family members, the movie suffers from a nihilistic humanist tone that results in a depressing ending.

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Hulu

EMMA

Quality:

***

Content:

+2 Moderately questionable elements.

Starring Gwyneth Paltrow in the title role, it tells of a social young woman who seeks to marry off her contemporaries in early 19th Century England. Emma gets in one muddle after another until she eventually finds a man for herself. Positively demonstrating Christianity and the ministry, it represents a pleasant alternative to the normal summer blockbuster.

Full Review ⇾

FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST

Quality:

***

Content:

-3 Excessive content and/or worldview problems.

FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST depicts a microscopic utopia inhabited by fairies and talking animals, whose lives are threatened by evil, condo-building, land developers. In a confused plea for environmentalism, the movie implies that we create and restore life through magical thinking. In short, this mixed bag of new age, Eastern philosophy, and nominalism is anything but family entertainment.

Full Review ⇾

PINOCCHIO

Quality:

Content:

+1 Discernment required for young children.

PINOCCHIO stars Italian comic actor Roberto Benigni as the mischievous, inquisitive wooden puppet, who wants, more than anything, to be a real boy. Though beautifully photographed, with plenty of moral lessons taught, this version of the beloved fairy tale lacks cohesion, is annoying at times and includes a nominalistic worldview which suggests that lesser supernatural beings and people can manipulate reality.

Full Review ⇾

DR. DOLITTLE

Quality:

Content:

-1 Discretion advised for older children.

DR. DOLITTLE is a fine vehicle for Murphy's talents, but the comedy is uneven and fails to build to a cohesive, hilarious climax. The movie also includes an abundance of crude scatological references and mild scatological obscenities, especially during the movie's first half. For an Eddie Murphy film, DR. DOLITTLE is mild; for a children's movie, it is still too much.

Full Review ⇾

SAVING CHRISTMAS

Quality:

Content:

+4 Biblical worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.

In SAVING CHRISTMAS, Kirk Cameron helps his brother-in-law go through all the familiar icons of the Christmas holiday, with an eye to seeing what’s true and what’s most important. SAVING CHRISTMAS is a Christian movie with an emphasis on proclaiming Jesus at Christmas.

Full Review ⇾

Pureflix

SEA KIDS

Freddy, David, Melissa, and their friends find themselves navigating the rough waters of peer pressure, temptation, fear, dealing with bullies, lack of self-esteem, and so much more. Each episode shows the characters praying to Jesus, and asking Him for guidance and wisdom. This is a great title to watch with your kids!