(MCT) — “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
Rating: PG-13 for intense and frightening sequences of action and violence.
What it’s about: The apes break free from their cages and revolt against humanity.
The kid attractor factor: Action — and lots of it — and the presence of the eternally boyish James Franco.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “It is appropriate to be afraid of chimpanzees.”
Violence: Animal cruelty, shootings, beatings, a little blood.
Language: Pretty clean for an action film.
Sex: None.
Drugs: Beer is consumed.
Parents’ advisory: A violent, thoughtful and somewhat family friendly action film, this one may be too intense for 10 and younger.
“Cowboys & Aliens”
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of Western and sci-fi action and violence, some partial nudity and a brief crude reference.
What it’s about: Cowboys, Indians and outlaws confront an alien invasion in the Old West.
The kid attractor factor: Cowboys and aliens. Horses and spaceships. Six-shooters and ray guns.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “God don’t care who you were, but who you are.”
Violence: Quite a bit, with blood, too.
Language: A smidgen of Western-style swearing.
Sex: Well, Olivia Wilde is in it. That counts.
Drugs: Liquor and a little smoking.
Parents’ advisory: PG-13 seems a little harsh, as there’s not much here that would teach anyone over the age of 12 a new dirty word or a new unclean thought.