This dark comedy falls into a new class of teen films that ironically take on the teen film genre, a meta exercise that almost goes too far but has some entertaining aspects and a talented cast. Looking like a carbon copy of her mother (Uma Thurman), Maya Hawke stands out among a well-selected group of attractive young actors in Do Revenge. She's believable in her character's various iterations -- awkward outcast, psychotic social climber, vulnerable friend, and lesbian wannabe lover. Likewise for the smarmy Abrams and narcissist Mendes. But no single character comes across as true or even likable, except maybe Talia Ryder as the straight-talking lesbian younger sister. That's because the actors are asked to play out a script purporting wildly excessive behavior among 17- and 18-year-olds, not to mention cynical advising from the sole adult (the headmistress, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar). Of course, it's all purposefully exaggerated, like their exclusive academy's hilarious pastel school uniforms (capes, berets, and bowties, oh my!), but the embellishments undercut attempts at eking out true emotion from the characters or hitting the mark with political subtexts about gender inequality and class injustice. In short, it's hard to take any of this seriously or care very deeply, but it's equally hard to deny some fun -- guilty perhaps -- is had in the process. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

There's a lot to like about this film, and most of it doesn't involve the main plot or action scenes. Sure, it's fun to see Queen Latifah kick a bunch of neo-Nazis' rear ends, but much of the violence in End of the Road feels gratuitous. There are also a whole bunch of loose ends that make the film's ending feel unbelievable. One would like to hope the racism that the family encounters in the Southwest isn't as rampant as the film depicts (there are few redeemable White people), but Ludacris' line that being Black is the "next best thing" to being a criminal is uncomfortably aligned with current events. What's really endearing in this film are the family dynamics -- the authentic ribbing between grown siblings, kids' sarcasm, parents' exasperation, and so on. Latifah and Ludacris are exceptionally appealing actors. She makes the action scenes almost believable and shines in the more authentic interactions, and he puts in as convincing a performance as the script allows for as the ne'er-do-well big kid with aspirations to do right. The film's mood is complemented by some great music (by the likes of Etta Bond and Alicia Keys) and filtered lighting that crafts a vintage feel. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

This concert film seamlessly splices together four different live performances and displays BTS' precision choreography. These talented performers don't miss a beat, though one member bemoans a missed side step during a break in BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage – LA. They admit how tired they are starting about halfway through the concert -- but they don't show it. Concerts have become as much about the theatrics as what's happening on stage, and here there are backup dancers, musicians, confetti, and a giant video screen, not to mention several wardrobe changes. But the film's focus stays on the band, and they deserve it. Even if you're not a particular fan of their music, you have to appreciate the effort they put in. They're mostly not comfortable speaking in English, so their personal comments are a little thin -- until the end, when several give their farewells in Korean. Still, this film isn't intended as a get-to-know-the-band vehicle. Even during the breaks, they're largely silent or just exchanging small talk. But given that it stars one of the world's most successful musical groups, it's sure to find its audience. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Disney+.

This retelling of the classic fairy tale boasts an impressive mix of CGI animation and live actors and settings, but the final product feels a little jumbled. Like its many predecessors, this retelling of Pinocchio looks and feels dark in places and could potentially frighten younger viewers. It could also confuse them at points. A full 15-minute intro of Hanks' old man Geppetto talking to his animals and "oddments" in his studio comes across as theatrical and slightly meandering, and it's very different in tone from much of the rest of the action-packed story. Of course, the scene showcases the character and the actor, who is as genuine as always. When he hesitates to send his wooden boy out into the world, holding tight to his tiny gloved hand and fighting back tears, Hanks is surprisingly moving as an animated co-star. It's always hard to justify setting a film in one country but hiring actors from others to play key roles, as the main cast here has been asked to do in the Italy-set Pinocchio. Accents are all over the place, and some linguistic humor, including use of words like "pedagogy," "flaneur," and "charcuterie," could fly over some heads. Erivo is stunning in her sole scene as the Blue Fairy, starring in one of several memorable musical numbers. Another involves Pinocchio dancing on stage with marionette puppets. Director Zemeckis and team have dropped in some self-congratulatory references, from cuckoo clock characters from other films to inside jokes about actors and agents. These could land differently for different audiences, perhaps like this remake as a whole. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Disney+.

At this rate, the After series could go on with its relentless cycle of break-ups and make-ups for another 20 years. Would fans ever tire of Tessa and Hardin? Just when you've given up -- or Tessa has, like in After Ever Happy -- Hardin redeems himself again. Though it feels repetitive and increasingly difficult to sympathize with their clearly unhealthy relationship, there's always just enough in each film to keep you watching. And once again, this entry ends with a "To be continued." The series is as melodramatic and unbelievable as a soap opera,and it's likely just as addictive for its diehard fans. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Image courtesy of Voltage Pictures.

With adorable stars and inventive visualization of children's imaginations, this adaptation is worthy of the best-selling books that served as inspiration. At just under an hour, Ivy + Bean is the right length for young viewers (and their parents) as well. The two main characters are brought to life by stars Validum and Blalock as genuine little girls whose make-believe worlds feel entirely real to them. They fully believe they can cast spells, hide from adults in plain sight, storm through jungles like khaki-clad adventurers, catch and train bears, and so on. The film helps viewers enter into their imaginary worlds by enacting what the girls are thinking. In that way, it captures the creativity of kids and allows us to feel moments from their perspective, which includes the utter boredom of shopping with family and how large and intimidating an antagonistic adult can feel. While Bean's behavior at the start borders on bratty, the film successfully renders the ingenuity of kids when they're relieved of responsibilities, devoid of screens, and simply left to play. The formula for Netflix’s adaptation of the best-selling book series becomes clearer in the second entry to the series, where the titular dynamic duo confronts an adult baddie and gets into trouble. Jane Lynch plays the mean adult in Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go, and she does it with gusto, staring down her nose and dismissively sending the littles to detention. A funny scene has her trying on a pair from her beloved shoe collection and accidentally farting in the process. The ghost plot feels like a pretense to get the gang together to embark on yet another imaginative adventure, this one involving circumventing parents, cutting a lock of hair from an enemy (big sister Nancy), and unfortunately flooding the school bathroom. The girls are duly punished but stop to make a very sweet oath before they’re sent to their rooms. The series captures childhood energy (cartwheels across the school lawn) and ingenuity. It’s good, innocent fun. The third in the new book-based series from Netflix is the weakest yet, but it’s still good fun. Ivy + Bean: Doomed to Dance trades in Cruella-style baddies for a male nemesis in pretentious ballet instructor “Monsieur Joie.” The character is played with campy joie by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who is priceless when he spins out of frame and ballet-leaps across a parking lot. His cat sweater-sporting mother hilariously revels in her irritating son’s misfortunes. Ivy and Bean’s world is magical and their friendship delightful. May the series live on. Read the full reviews at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Don't expect any major life lessons or philosophical messages from this buddy movie, but it's silly fun and Hart is amusing and good-natured from start to finish. Wahlberg is also in good form in Me Time as the clueless 40-something partier who refuses to grow up. The film sneaks in some messages about valuing stay-at-home parents (in part so they don't look for validation by pressuring their kids to be perfect), and gender-swaps a familiar genre of moms letting loose. Some of the humor here is pretty crass (lots of pooping, farting, and other anatomical references). But the film has a big heart and lands some funny moments, mostly involving Hart getting hurt. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

This film rings false on multiple levels, and the romance at its heart isn't given enough time to develop into a believable relationship worth rooting for. That's Amor feels outdated and contrived, particularly in Sofia's seeming insularity, which allows for her to be wowed by the most basic insights into a foreign country and culture but feels bogus in today's globalized world. The use of Latino actors to play Spaniards further undermines the authenticity of the story. It's difficult for the viewer to believe Sofia was ever in love with a doofus like Richard or that she and Matias are so deeply in love after just a couple of conversations and one night together. Other aspects of the script and direction, including scenes with Sofia's best friend or in her workplace and on a city bus, feel tacked onto the main story but add nothing. The actors do what they can within these confines, with Lenehan standing out as the main character's encouraging and cheerful mother. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Strong performances by this film's teen cast and a moralistic twist ending isn't quite enough to make this tour of cynicism worth your time. Yes, Honor learns her lesson in Honor Society, as you suspect she will once she starts meddling in people's lives ... and it turns out that they like the changes. But her nastiness, arrogance, and sarcasm for the first large chunk of the film is a total turnoff. The fact that she's talking to the camera, an excessively trendy technique that doesn't feel very original or clever anymore, suggests we are "in" on her plans. Unfortunately, the inside of her head isn't a nice place to be. Channeling an Election-era Reese Witherspoon, Australian Rice (Senior Year) hits all the right notes, as does her co-star, Stranger Things' Matarazzo. The problem is that if these characters are believable, we're in trouble. You can't help but wonder what the adult scriptwriter thinks of teens today to craft this film, particularly the female lead's self-serving exploitation of her own sexuality and her willingness to slip drugs into people's drinks. True, the film almost saves itself with an ending that involves a deserved comeuppance, the discovery of genuine friendships (at last!), and a glorious snippet of a musical. You'll leave feeling somewhat cleansed of the earlier nastiness, but it still lingers. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Paramount+.

Summer 2022 felt like the season of FOMO, as other people’s vacation photos filled your social media feeds. If you stayed home this summer while your friends were gallivanting around Europe, here are five shows and movies that will transport you to the continent from the comfort of your own couch. Let them take you on a European tour, from Naples through Basque Country to Paris, from Croatia to Copenhagen. And hey, you can comfort yourself knowing you saw the sights but skipped the customs lines and lost luggage. Read the full article in the Datebook section of the San Francisco Chronicle. Images courtesy of Netflix and Amazon.

This romance capitalizes on audience fascination for both royalty and teenagers, but it does so in a slightly more authentic way than a lot of current teen-targeted fare. The natural, vulnerable lead performances from Hoysaeter Asserson and Storhoi and the Norwegian setting make Royalteen a watchable romantic drama despite its formulaic -- regular girl meets prince -- tale, based on the first book in a popular Norwegian series. Royal-watchers might look for parallels with the real-life Norwegian monarchy. The film also offers a take on defining privacy and overcoming past mistakes for a generation raised online. Hoysaeter Asserson is especially convincing as Lena, a young woman with a past she's ashamed of and a middle-class family with mixed feelings about the monarchy. Most of the characters feel closer to believable bounds of behavior and attitudes than many teen movies today. The ending is questionable and feels a little rushed by comparison, but it does leave the door open to a sequel. Read the full review on Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Though the concept has been done before, this take on the possible parallel lives of one young woman is buoyed by engaging performances from its lead cast. The poster for Look Both Ways is reminiscent of Sliding Doors, the 90s-era Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle with a similar concept. Reinhart has nothing to envy of Paltrow as a leading lady. She holds the camera's attention and captures the rapidly changing emotions and unexpected twists and turns of young adulthood. Supporting actors, including her parents, boyfriends, and best friend, were well-selected for the mostly affable secondary characters. Ramirez and Corenswet make fine leading men. It was a fun twist that the parents were enjoying their empty nest and not so eager for their daughter to move back home. Don't look to this film for a political message: though the father of her baby says he'll respect her "choice" about whether to continue an unplanned pregnancy, Natalie's life turns out just fine with or without the baby. There seems to be a message in here about destiny -- you're going to get where you're meant to be going in life, one way or another. Neither one of Natalie's lives is perfect, but both are pleasant, so the film also suggests success or happiness isn't a straight line. And, Natalie is equally happy with both boyfriends in her parallel lives, so maybe soulmates aren't really a thing either. The movie weaves her stories together in an overlapping way, with characters actually crossing their own paths at points. Read the full review on Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.