Family fare: Movie reviews for parents

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Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Hutcherson star in "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island."

Updated: March 11, 2012 8:25AM

Assessments from a parent’s perspective of new and recently released movies:

‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’’

Rated PG for some mild adventure action and brief mild language.

Translation: Characters in peril; minor injuries. Icky and scary-looking animals. Some jump-out-at-you surprises. Some potty humor, brief schoolyard language.

Recommendation: Ages 8 to adults.

Family discussion: How many different styles of parenting were portrayed?

If you like this, try: “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the books by Jules Verne.

‘Safe House’

Rated R for strong violence and some language.

Translation: Brief strong language (s-word, f-word in song lyric). Brief sexual reference. Pervasive brutal and often graphic violence: guns, car chases /crashes, hand-to-hand combat, torture, with many characters injured and killed.

Recommendation: Mature teens to adults.

Family discussion: How were Tobin and Matt alike?

If you like this, try: The “Bourne” movies and “Three Days of the Condor.”

‘W.E.’

Rated R for some domestic violence, nudity and language.

Translation: Brutal domestic violence. Nudity, sexual situations, adultery. Some very strong language.

Recommendation: Mature teens to adults.

Family discussion: What was the point of telling the parallel stories? Was it effective and why?

If you like this, try: More portrayals of the story of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, including the TV movie “The Woman He Loved” and the TV mini-series “Edward and Mrs. Simpson.”

Nell Minow is the film critic for the website beliefnet.com.