Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (PG-13)
Age 11+
Fun (if unnecessary) reboot has heart and explosive action.
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is the seventh film in the popular toy-based franchise. Based on the 1990s television spinoff “Beast Wars,” the story is set in 1994 New York City, where an ancient artifact acts as a beacon to the all-powerful villain, Unicron, leading two young humans (Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback) to team up with the Autobots and animallike Maximals to help save the world. You can expect the usual big, boomy action, with lots of explosions, chases, crashes, intense fights (some of which seem fatal), and large-scale battles that threaten property and individuals. But with the exception of one suggestive comment, this movie is far less crude and crass than previous Transformers films. It also centers on a more diverse human cast and setting (Brooklyn and Manhattan in the 1990s) and has themes of empathy, teamwork, courage and perseverance, as well as the importance of duty to family and community. Language includes “s---,” “a--” and “damn.” There is virtually no romance or substance use. Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, Michelle Yeoh, Ron Perlman, Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and YouTube star Liza Koshy are part of the voice cast. (117 minutes)
Flamin’ Hot (PG-13)
Age 13+
Fun feel-good biopic has language, drugs, mature themes.
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“Flamin’ Hot” is a biopic directed by Eva Longoria about Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), the man who says he created the spicy line of Frito-Lay snacks to celebrate his Mexican heritage and reach his community. Richard’s experiences with poverty, abuse by an alcoholic father and systemic racism are shown. Ultimately, none of them prevent him from becoming a legendary marketing executive and representative of his community. Along the way, he stumbles into crime — selling drugs with gangs, stealing a car — and starts a family with his longtime girlfriend. Scenes of racism and bullying could be emotional for some viewers. The main characters are treated terribly by White characters, and archive footage shows police abuse. There is kissing, and someone says a person could “sell condoms to a nun.” Language includes “s---,” “a--,” “damn,” “hell,” “p---k,” some ethnic slurs and untranslated Spanish slang and insults. The film shows how hard work, perseverance and a positive attitude can pay off. (129 minutes)
Available on Hulu and Disney Plus.
Hailey’s On It (TV-Y7)
Age 8+
Teen girl role model shines in funny action-adventure.
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“Hailey’s On It!” is an animated series about teen Hailey (Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of the title character in “Moana”), who is tasked with saving the world by combating climate change. Expect lots of action and adventure. Tiny evil robots shoot lasers and try to hurt people, and Hailey responds with physical force. Hailey has romantic feelings for her best friend Scott (Manny Jacinto), and a large part of the plot revolves around the “will they or won’t they” question, since Hailey has to kiss Scott to save the world. It is innocent teen crush-type stuff, but it is prevalent throughout the show. Mild language and cursing-adjacent words include “butt,” “heck” and “screw up.” Overall, the show has a great message and laughs for the whole family. (22-minute episodes)
Available on Disney Plus.
Heroes of the Golden Mask (Unrated)
Age 9+
Fantasy action animation has violence, scary monsters.
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“Heroes of the Golden Mask” is an animated fantasy adventure that has violent scenes and monsters. Charlie (voice of Kiefer O’Reilly) is a cocky orphan who is without a home and has found himself working for the mob. He joins a mythical gang of superheroes to defeat their enemy, Kunyi (Ron Perlman), when heroic archer Li (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) enters his dimension. The action is a mixture of relatively harmless magical violence and hard-hitting physical impact, with characters getting punched and kicked throughout. The creatures are closer to horror movie monsters and look like they are meant to scare kids rather than thrill them. Language is infrequent and never goes beyond the likes of “imbecile,” “you suck” and “butt.” Characters demonstrate teamwork, perseverance and gratitude. There is a family theme to the story, but also mixed messages, with characters being rude and sometimes violent over minor disagreements. (82 minutes)
Available on Apple TV Plus, Google Play, Prime Video.
Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsense.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, shows, websites and books.
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