I can't tell you how much I love this site and how cool it is for a Dad (and teacher/counselor) like me! I originally found this site and used it just as a site to review movies and TV shows before my kids watched them. As a counselor, I am always amazed at what my middle school students tell me they watch. Sure the R rated movies surprise me, but sometimes PG-13 or TV shows can be pretty bad too. Well, this site breaks every TV show and movie down in multiple categories so you can see just what is so bad or so good about that particular entertainment choice. They even give you a suggested age where this show or movie would be appropriate. And it is not just expert opinions, it combines parent and children opinions too. This is a site that the whole family could visit and discuss before planning what movie to see or what show to watch. I have placed a few examples below of some good and bad shows that students have told me they have seen recently. But please, check out this site and bookmark it.....it is truly an amazing site!
(Oh, I forgot....for every show, if you decide to let your kids watch it, the site gives you talking points on even the bad things the show has. How cool is that?! Now you can discuss things about the show with your children and have a built in cheat sheet on what to ask and talk about!)
Jersey Shore: Guess what? Not a good show and now scientifically proven. No role model or positive messages to be found.
Up All Night: A new favorite show for my wife and I. My kids are too young, but this site actually says this show has some good qualities in comparison to most other shows. Interesting!
Spongebob: Not much for good qualities and even "iffy" for 6 year olds. For middle schoolers, it is probably fine, but if you have little ones, you might want to read up.
Thor: Pretty typical superhero movie. You might think these movies are great for kids and in many cases they are pretty good, but reading about it on a site like this might make you more prepared for talking with your child/teen when before or after they see the movie.
Saw: As we approach Halloween, some kids may want to rent and watch the original "Saw" movie or some of the sequels. This makes my skin crawl. As you can see from the research, this movie doesn't even have a suggested age as the movie is deemed not suitable for any age kid. Yet, I bet nearly 50% of my students have seen it!
The Hangover: This one still baffles me. So many middle school students ask me if I have seen it and want to know what I think. Then they tell me they loved it and have seen it many times. I watched it after it was on DVD and I kept thinking "My students watched this??" Anyway, here is the review.
These are just a few examples but you can really see the detail put into each review and study. Next time you are questioning if a movie or TV show is suitable for your child or family, give this site a try.
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