Using Movie Mom's Guide for Teen Movies
Nell Minow Informs Parents about the Films and DVDs that Kids Watch
Jan 18, 2009
When children are small, parents take them to movies and share reviews with each other. Through that communication, parents learn details that reviewers leave out. Once teenagers start going to the movies independently, parents are out of the review loop. Most parents are not going to sit through a PG-13 movie with their children once a week, and kids base their movie choices by ads, not reviews.
Movie Mom Reviews Compared to Traditional Reviews
Nell Minow, the Movie Mom, reviews movies from a parenting perspective. Her reviews are more concerned with the impact of the movie on children, rather than the cinematic value. A comparison of her style to more classic reviews illustrates this difference.
Across the Universe, a 2007 Columbia Pictures film, is rated PG-13 for what the MPAA calls, "some drug content, nudity, sexuality, violence and language". It is a romance that was popular with teenagers.
Movie Mom says it is better suited for high school students, not middle school students, because, "characters in this movie drink, smoke, and use drugs... They briefly use strong language and there are some emotional confrontations. The movie includes battle violence... police brutality, and an offscreen explosion... Characters are injured and there are sad offscreen deaths."
Compare those details to Roger Ebert of the Chicago Times, who writes, "This isn't one of those druggy 1960s movies, although it has what the MPAA shyly calls "some" drug content. It's not grungy, although it has Joe Cocker in it. It's not political, which means it's political to its core. Most miraculous of all, it's not dated; the stories could be happening now, and in fact, they are." (Across the Universe, 9/14/2007).
Even less specific is Stephen Holden of The New York Times, who says, "Across the Universe captured my heart, and I realized that falling in love with a movie is like falling in love with another person. Imperfections, however glaring, become endearing quirks once you’ve tumbled." (Across the Universe, 9/14/2007)
Movie Mom Provides Conversation Starters and Movie Links
In addition to detailed reviews, Movie Mom offers discussion ideas for parents to bring up with their children who have seen the movie. She also has a suggestion for similar movies. For Last Chance Harvey, a PG-13 from Overture Films, Minnow writes, "Family discussion...What does the experience of Kate's mother and her neighbor add to the movie? If you like this, try: Before Sunset and Two for the Road".
Movie Mom Caveats
Movie Mom does not replace traditional parent monitoring; she does not review every movie, and her reviews tend to be conservative, although open minded. However, once parents know how their views align with those of the Movie Mom, when they see her letter grade, they know how to interpret that for their own teens.
Going to movies with friends is a teenage tradition, and it is a safe, independent activity, and parents should educate themselves with thorough reviews to help their kids find appropriate movies. If a review is not available on Movie Mom, RottenTomatoes has a wide scope of reviewers, although none are as devoted to a parent's perspective as Nell Minow.
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