Photos Loading
previous next
  • Jeremy Renner in Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

  • Merrick Morton

    Forest Whitaker (Agent John Bannister, left) and Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger, right) in The Last Stand.

  • Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jessica Chastain, Isabelle Nelisse and Megan Charpentier in ' Mama'

0 comments | Print

Family Watch: 'Last Stand,' 'Hansel & Gretel' too violent for youngsters

Published: Friday, Jan. 25, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 22TICKET

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS

Rating: R for strong fantasy horror violence and gore, brief sexuality, nudity and language What it's about: As adults, Hansel and Gretel have parlayed their witch-killing skills into a lucrative business.

The kid attractor factor: Witches exploding, catching fire and losing their heads thanks to the efforts of Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner.

Good lessons, bad lessons: Sibling rivalry's one thing, but when the chips are down and a witch is about to eat you, blood is thicker than water.

Violence: Loads and loads – graphic, some of it.

Language: A scattering of f-bombs.

Sex: Nudity and skinny-dipping.

Drugs: Ale is consumed.

Parents advisory: Too childish for adults, too deserving of an R-rating for kids – OK for 13-16 year olds.


THE LAST STAND

Rating: R for strong bloody violence throughout, and language

What it's about: An escaped drug lord tries to cross the border in a small Arizona town – and only an over-armed sheriff and his pals can stop them.

The kid attractor factor: An old-fashioned shoot-em-up, with wisecracks, catchphrases and sidekicks (Johnny Knoxville) and all manner of ordinance.

Good lessons, bad lessons: "Death doesn't come when you expect it."

Violence: Almost constant, though it does have consequences once or twice.

Language: Plenty of profanity.

Sex: None, but a little flirting here and there.

Drugs: None present, but they are the reason for the violence.

Parents advisory: The constant bloody gunplay – emphasis on "play" – makes this unsuitable to anybody under 16.


MAMA

Rating: PG-13, for violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements

What it's about: A young couple take in two children, raised in the wild. But raised by what?

The kid attractor factor: Kids in jeopardy, ghosts.

Good lessons, bad lessons: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."

Violence: Yes, right on the edge of graphic.

Language: A hint of profanity, but some of it quite harsh.

Sex: Kissing.

Drugs: Suggested.

Parents advisory: A genuinely creepy ghost story, entirely too adult and intense for the very young. Suitable for 12-and-up.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more articles by Roger Moore



About Comments

Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.

What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com

Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)

Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "Report Abuse" link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.

• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.

• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand.

• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.

• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.

• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.

• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

• Don't flag other users' comments just because you don't agree with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.

You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "Report Abuse" link to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

hide comments
Sacramento Bee Job listing powered by Careerbuilder.com
Quick Job Search
Buy
Used Cars
Dealer and private-party ads
Make:

Model:

Price Range:
to
Search within:
miles of ZIP

Advanced Search | 1982 & Older



Find 'n' Save Daily DealGet the Deal!

Local Deals