NR
A food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas.
PGsome mild rude humor and language
This 2003 classic “cemented Will Ferrell as a big screen star, and his performance as Buddy the Elf plays up his innocence, his sense of childlike wonder, and his unpredictable energy,” says the Detroit News. "The holidays aren't complete without it.” “Buddy's naive pleasure in the world around him is ultimately almost as endearing to us as it is to (almost) everyone he meets,” cheers Common Sense Media. “Simplicity. Goodness. Sugar-coated. Nostalgic. Maybe a little hokey at times. Endearing. Enchanting,” says Behind the Lens. “Go celebrate Christmas a little early with Elf—a new Christmas classic for the 21st century.”
PGfor some crude humor
In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children's tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen).
PG
It’s a Wonderful Life tops too many holiday film lists to count. “It’s one of those ageless movies, like Casablanca, that improves with age ... (and) can be viewed an indefinite number of times,” says the late critic Roger Ebert. George Bailey was Jimmy Stewart’s favorite role. Who could argue with the Indiana, Pa., hometown boy, combat pilot and Air Force Reserves retired Brigadier General? “It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the best films America has ever made about itself, and that’s why I love it so much,” reveals Vox. “(Capra and Stewart) knew how easy it is to destroy our best qualities. They knew that humanity is only as good as it is kind, and they made a film about just that… Years later, it bobs up to us like a message in a bottle from the past. Do not let cruelty win, it says. Reach out. Hold on. Help.”
PG-13
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation keeps the dream of a perfect holiday alive. "Holiday films are rarely as priceless," raves Matinee Magazine. “Christmas Vacation is a glowingly goofy homage to family holidays,” declares The Hollywood Reporter. “The ultimate family holiday film," remarks Movie Views, "playing on both the heart strings and the horror to capture a genuine Christmas spirit.”
PG-13for thematic material, some strong language, some sexual material and brief drug use.
Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson) form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
PGfor rude humor, some thematic elements, and mild language.
SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom friends set sail in their biggest, all-new, can’t miss cinematic event ever…The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Desperate to be a big guy, SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman – a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate – on a seafaring comedy-adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the deep sea, where no Sponge has gone before.
PGfor action/violence, some suggestive material and thematic material.
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.
PGfor action/violence and rude humor.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2,” detectives Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.