Movies
KFC Coordinator Guide
All of the following movies have the Rating of A-I and should be appropriate for KFC fellowships. When you watch movies with the KFC, don’t forget to watch the movie with the kids and pick out lessons they can learn. Then talk about the movie with the kids afterwards. (These movies are not endorsed by cfc or kfc, but are to be used as a guide when watching movies with the kids). If you are wondering about the catholic rating of a movie that is not on this list, please check http://www.usccb.org/movies/
The following movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
101 Dalmatians
Puppy parents Pongo and Perdita (voices of Rod Taylor and Cate Bauer) rush to rescue their offspring from the evil Cruella DeVil (voice of Betty Lou Gerson) who has stolen 99 puppies to make a polka-dot fur coat. Walt Disney's animated canine caper, with art direction and production design by Ken Anderson, maintains its appeal as heartwarming family entertainment. (A-I) (G) ( 1961 )
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Charming tale about a kindly puppet carver (Martin Landau) whose enchanted wooden puppet (voice of Jonathan Taylor Thomas) yearns to become a real boy, but who must first learn not to lie and pass through several dangers before he can make his wish come true. Director Steve Barron nicely blends the live cast with the impressively lifelike animatronic puppet for a luminous storybook look, although there are a few scary moments for preschoolers. (A-I) (G) (1996)
Babe
Live-action barnyard charmer in which a kindly Australian farmer (James Cromwell) enters his unusual piglet (voice of Christine Cavanaugh) in a sheepdog competition, unaware that his farm animals can talk to one another as they pull together to make the little pig's dream of herding sheep come true. Director Chris Noonan's enchanting comic fable is filmed entirely from the animals' point-of-view, with delightful visuals and an endearing message of learning to live and work in harmony. (A-I)(G) 1995
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who
Enchanting animated adaptation of the classic children's book about a warmhearted elephant (voice of Jim Carrey) who discovers that a speck of dust is home to the microscopic town of Who-ville, led by a slightly eccentric mayor (Steve Carell), and who must find the particle a safe resting place despite the opposition of a closed-minded kangaroo (Carol Burnett) and a wicked but dim eagle (Will Arnett). The film, co-directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, promotes excellent values and the script, performances and animation all match the high quality of the original source material. A-I -- general patronage. (G) 2008
Bee Movie
Generally delightful animated feature about a scrappy bee (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who decides to sue the human race for stealing the honey manufactured by his hard-working bee brethren with the help of a sympathetic florist (Renee Zellweger). An often very funny script (by Seinfeld and others), terrific voice work from the cast, and ultimately a valuable ecological lesson make this film -- directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner -- above-average family fare. Mild innuendo. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (Paramount Home Entertainment) 2007
Generally delightful animated feature about a scrappy bee (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who decides to sue the human race for stealing the honey manufactured by his hard-working bee brethren with the help of a sympathetic florist (Renee Zellweger). An often very funny script (by Seinfeld and others), terrific voice work from the cast, and ultimately a valuable ecological lesson make this film -- directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner -- above-average family fare. Mild innuendo. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (Paramount Home Entertainment) 2007
Enchanted
Delightful musical romance follows a maiden (the sparkling Amy Adams) from the world of animated fairy tales into contemporary, live-action Manhattan where she falls in love with a lawyer (Patrick Dempsey), despite the entreaties of her princely suitor (James Marsden) and the meddling of an evil queen (Susan Sarandon). With affection and wit, director Kevin Lima and his team gently spoof the cartoon fairy-tale genre on which Disney built its reputation, never losing sight of its traditional values and perennial charms. A few scary images, some sexual innuendo and a brief instance of scatological humor. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (Buena Vista Home Entertainment) 2007
The Game Plan
Endearing, though slightly implausible story of an egotistical football star (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, proving a surprisingly congenial comic) whose party-oriented lifestyle is disrupted by the arrival on his doorstep of the 7-year-old daughter he never knew he had (a remarkably self-assured Madison Pettis). This event complicates his pursuit of the championship and his relationship with his agent (Kyra Sedgwick), as well as with some of his teammates and friends (Morris Chestnut, Hayes MacArthur and Brian White), but may also lead to romance with his daughter's no-nonsense ballet teacher (Roselyn Sanchez). Director Andy Fickman's film has great appeal for kids, though parents may be grateful for the presence of Sedgwick, whose tart character helps to keep the sweetness level from inducing diabetes. One instance of scatological humor and two mildly crass words may combine with scenes of a lost child and an allergic reaction to preclude very young children. The well-packed DVD includes nine deleted scenes, bloopers with sportscaster Marv Albert, a behind-the-scenes featurette and much more. Spanish-language track and titles option. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) 2007
Endearing, though slightly implausible story of an egotistical football star (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, proving a surprisingly congenial comic) whose party-oriented lifestyle is disrupted by the arrival on his doorstep of the 7-year-old daughter he never knew he had (a remarkably self-assured Madison Pettis). This event complicates his pursuit of the championship and his relationship with his agent (Kyra Sedgwick), as well as with some of his teammates and friends (Morris Chestnut, Hayes MacArthur and Brian White), but may also lead to romance with his daughter's no-nonsense ballet teacher (Roselyn Sanchez). Director Andy Fickman's film has great appeal for kids, though parents may be grateful for the presence of Sedgwick, whose tart character helps to keep the sweetness level from inducing diabetes. One instance of scatological humor and two mildly crass words may combine with scenes of a lost child and an allergic reaction to preclude very young children. The well-packed DVD includes nine deleted scenes, bloopers with sportscaster Marv Albert, a behind-the-scenes featurette and much more. Spanish-language track and titles option. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) 2007
Hercules
Buoyantly animated tale about the ancient Greek hero of the title (voice of Tate Donovan) who is kidnapped from Mt. Olympus as a baby and raised as a mere mortal until, with a little help from a wise-cracking teacher (voice of Danny De Vito), he proves himself a true hero by rescuing a damsel (voice of Susan Egan) from the fiery god of the underworld (voice of James Woods). Co-directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the colorful adventure is a music-filled celebration of today's pop culture, using toga-clad figures from a mythological past, but tainting the fun midway is a shamelessly blatant plug for Disney products. A few scenes of menace may frighten toddlers. (A-I) (G) ( 1997 )
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Frisky sequel to the popular 1993 family film has a scrappy bulldog (voice of Michael J. Fox), sassy Himalayan cat (voice of Sally Field) and trusty golden retriever (voice of Ralph Waite) separated from their human family at the San Francisco airport and forced to deal with an urban gang of stray dogs and other misadventures as they wend their way home. Director David R. Ellis' shaggy dogs story incorporates a mushy puppy love subplot to bolster the already familiar plot of talking pets persevering to reunite with their worried owners. (A-I) (G) ( 1996 )
Hoot
Amiable family-friendly drama about an eighth-grader (Logan Lerman) who moves with his parents to small-town Florida, where he is caught up in the crusade of an enigmatic boy (Cody Linley) and his stepsister (Brie Larson) to save a colony of burrowing owls whose habitat is threatened by a real-estate developer hoping to bulldoze the endangered birds' nesting zone to make way for a pancake franchise. Directed by Wil Shriner and based on Carl Hiaasen's award-winning children's book, the film's warm message about friendship, respect for nature and taking a stand for what's right is handicapped somewhat by a weak script and a slow-starting plot, and the saucer-eyed critters get very little screen time. Some schoolyard bullying and a few mildly crass expressions. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2006
Ice Age: The Meltdown
Inferior, but still highly entertaining, sequel to the 2002 computer-animated hit which finds the prehistoric trio -- cranky mammoth Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), sarcastic saber-toothed tiger Diego (voiced by Denis Leary) and wise-cracking sloth Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo) -- joined by a confused she-mammoth (voiced by Queen Latifah) and a tag team of prankster possums (voiced by Seann William Scott and Josh Peck) as they race to escape an impending cataclysmic flood triggered by the warming climate. Directed by Carlos Saldanha, the story and characters have thinned along with the ice, but in the thawing process the laughs and zany charm remain intact along with a gentle message about family and friendship. Some scenes of menace that may be too intense for very young children, a few crass expressions, some innuendo and a mildly crude sight-gag. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) 2006
Inferior, but still highly entertaining, sequel to the 2002 computer-animated hit which finds the prehistoric trio -- cranky mammoth Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), sarcastic saber-toothed tiger Diego (voiced by Denis Leary) and wise-cracking sloth Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo) -- joined by a confused she-mammoth (voiced by Queen Latifah) and a tag team of prankster possums (voiced by Seann William Scott and Josh Peck) as they race to escape an impending cataclysmic flood triggered by the warming climate. Directed by Carlos Saldanha, the story and characters have thinned along with the ice, but in the thawing process the laughs and zany charm remain intact along with a gentle message about family and friendship. Some scenes of menace that may be too intense for very young children, a few crass expressions, some innuendo and a mildly crude sight-gag. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) 2006
Jungle Book, The
Rudyard Kipling's adventure-filled story of Mowgli, a boy-child reared by obliging wolves in the jungles of India, has been freely but nicely adapted in this Disney animated feature directed by Wolfgang Reitherman. Using genial humor and the voices of Phil Harris as Baloo, a lovable bear, George Sanders as Shere Khan, a suave, menacing tiger and Sterling Holloway as an opportunistic python, the movie will amuse everyone in the household. A-I (G) ( 1967 )
King and I, The
Tuneful animated version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical in which the imperious king of 19th-century Siam (voice of Martin Vidnovic) hires a prim English schoolmarm (voice of Miranda Richardson) to teach his many children Western ways but discovers he has much to learn himself. Director Richard Rich's pretty animation is overshadowed by the splendid music and well-known lyrics that should entertain viewers of every age. (A-I) (G) ( 1999 )
Mary Poppins
Walt Disney's musical adaptation of P.L. Travers children's classic about the primly perfect nanny of the title (Julie Andrews) who uses her magical powers and common sense to straighten out the disorderly children and preoccupied parents of a London household at the turn of the century. Director Robert Stevenson fancifully integrates songs, dance numbers, animated characters and marvelous special effects into the live-action story which features a bright performance by Dick Van Dyke as a Cockney worker who also does a comic turn as a bank president. Entertaining family fantasy. (A-I) (G) ( 1964 )
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Wholesome, well-meaning but only moderately charming tale about a magical toy store run by a 243-year-old eccentric (Dustin Hoffman), his young assistant (Natalie Portman), a 9-year-old boy (Zach Mills), and their new stuffy accountant (Jason Bateman). There are too many holes in writer-director Zach Helm's basic premise even for a fantasy, while the death of a major character and the shop's subsequent temporary transformation into funereal black may be too downbeat for the youngest viewers, while the ultimate messages about "believing in yourself" and "finding the magic within" have been done better elsewhere. An ambiguous remark about the afterlife. A-I -- general patronage. (G) (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) 2007
Wholesome, well-meaning but only moderately charming tale about a magical toy store run by a 243-year-old eccentric (Dustin Hoffman), his young assistant (Natalie Portman), a 9-year-old boy (Zach Mills), and their new stuffy accountant (Jason Bateman). There are too many holes in writer-director Zach Helm's basic premise even for a fantasy, while the death of a major character and the shop's subsequent temporary transformation into funereal black may be too downbeat for the youngest viewers, while the ultimate messages about "believing in yourself" and "finding the magic within" have been done better elsewhere. An ambiguous remark about the afterlife. A-I -- general patronage. (G) (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) 2007
Mulan
Boisterous animated tale set in ancient China where a rebellious daughter (voice of Ming-Na Wen) disguises herself as a man to fight invading Huns in place of her sickly father. Directors Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft meld sumptuous visuals with contrived humor (from Eddie Murphy as a sassy dragon) in a musical tale of female empowerment in which romance plays second fiddle to issues of self-identity, honor and patriotism. (A-I) (G) ( 1998 )
Nim's Island
Winning yarn set on a solitary South Pacific island where an 11-year-old girl (Abigail Breslin) e-mails a heroic adventurer for help when her widowed marine biologist father (Gerard Butler) fails to return from a two-day research expedition, not realizing that her hero is actually a highly phobic fiction writer (Jodie Foster in a rare comic turn) living in San Francisco. Directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett deftly combine the adventurous, humorous, sentimental and fantastical aspects of Wendy Orr's novel, and the three stars are engaging, making this recommendable family fare. Mild action violence. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2008
Ratatouille
Delectable animated tale of a cute rat (voiced by Patton Oswalt) who, inspired by the spirit of a famous late chef (Brad Garrett), develops his improbable passion for cooking by becoming the secret adviser to an esteemed Paris restaurant's hapless garbage boy (Lou Romano), turning the latter into a star chef, while the eatery's jealous head chef (Ian Holm) contrives to uncover the secret of the boy's success. Writer-director Brad Bird's gorgeously animated production has a rare sophistication that should entertain adults as much as their children, while the messages of teamwork, honesty and following one's dreams are strongly conveyed. Subtle implication of a character born out of wedlock. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. (G) 2007
The Rugrats Movie
Animated tale based on the children's TV series in which five frisky toddlers get lost in a scary forest while trying to return the crybaby infant brother of one of them to the baby hospital. Directors Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov have the tykes survive assorted dangers and misadventures as they discover the meaning of friendship and helping the helpless. (A-I) (G) ( 1998 )
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Gothic fantasy adventure tale set on an isolated Victorian estate once occupied by an eccentric student of the paranormal (David Strathairn) and now home to his great-niece (Mary-Louise Parker), her twin sons (both played by Freddie Highmore) and daughter (Sarah Bolger), all of whom find themselves caught up in a struggle among normally invisible creatures, some good, others evil, for possession of a book detailing their ancestor's discoveries. Director Mark Waters' lavish film, showcasing first-class special effects, some fine performances, unobjectionable dialogue and estimable lessons about family life, is appropriate for all but the youngest viewers, who might find it too intense. Some fantasy violence, a couple of mild oaths. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2008
Toy Story
Toys come to life when humans aren't looking in this animated fantasy about the rivalry between a cowboy doll (voiced by Tom Hanks) and a flashy plastic spaceman (voiced by Tim Allen) whose subsequent misadventures teach them a lesson in friendship. Director John Lasseter makes good use of computer animation in a slim but imaginative tale featuring the frantic antics of mischievous playthings, though little ones may be frightened by some scenes of a nasty child who enjoys destroying toys. (A-I) (G) ( 1995 )
