What parents need to know about ‘Ballerina,' ‘Wylde Pak' and more
Strong woman anchors fun but violent, bloody Wickian action.
'Ballerina' (also known as 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina') is the fifth movie in the John Wick series. It focuses on a different character, Eve (Ana de Armas), but has similarly over-the-top action. Expect lots of deaths, with blood spatter/sprays; bloody wounds; gore; characters being blown up by explosives; a severed hand; guns and shooting; crossbow bolts to the head and eye; characters getting burned by flamethrowers; intense fighting (with punching, kicking, flipping, slamming, broken limbs, eye gouging, strangling and more); and clashes with swords, axes, knives, mallets, ice skates and other improvised weapons. A character also cauterizes a wound, and someone prepares to die by suicide. Language includes occasional uses of 'f---,' 'motherf----r,' 's---,' 'bulls---,' 'Christ,' 'oh my God,' etc. People smoke cigarettes and cigars, and a character has a martini on his desk. (125 minutes)
Available in theaters.
Age 16+
Bloody, nonstop violence, death in animated alien film.
'Predator: Killer of Killers' is an animated film in the Predator universe based on characters created in the 1980s by Jim and John Thomas. The film is full of the franchise's usual gore, bloody violence and death, including scenes involving children as both witnesses and participants. While characters are driven by revenge, they ultimately learn to sacrifice for others and discover that vengeance doesn't bring satisfaction — nor does it bring back the dead. Gory battle scenes involve death by beheading, sword wounds (including a father who forces his daughter to help wield the fatal blow), falls, near drownings, arrows (including into eyes), amputations (a main character loses an arm, and another is sliced in half in front of a child), plane crashes, fires, explosions, being eaten and more. Entire villages are slain. The film's second half also includes regular use of strong language including 'f---,' 's---,' 'damn,' 'hell,' 'a--,' 'b----,' 'b-----d,' 'sucker' and 'anus.' (90 minutes)
Available on Hulu.
Age 8+
Charming series about blended family; cartoonish violence.
'Wylde Pak' is an animated series about a blended family learning to live together. Half-siblings Lily Pak (voiced by Nikki Castillo) and Jack Wylde (Benjamin Plessala) are thrown together after summer plans go awry, and they're figuring out how to share space at the family home and pet care business, Wylde Pak Groom & Board. This cute comedy has great messages about accepting change and sacrifice, as well as many nods to Korean culture, especially thanks to K-drama-loving grandmother Halmoni (Jean Yoon). There's a lot of chaos and cartoonish violence that may be too intense for younger kids: Characters careen down a dangerous waterfall, a runaway trailer zips across town, and there's lots of physical play fighting between characters. There's also a bit of romance in a K-drama that the characters watch. (26 episodes)
Available on Nickelodeon.
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, TV shows, websites and books.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
5 best new movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock and more (Aug. 2-3)
We're smack dab in the middle of summer, and the best streaming services are keeping things hot with a fresh slate of must-watch movies. If you're looking for what to watch this weekend, you're in the right place. This week marked the streaming premiere of two long-awaited 2000s horror series revivals: "Final Destination: Bloodlines" on HBO Max and "28 Years Later" on paid video-on-demand platforms. Over on Netflix, you can find the streamer's latest romance, "My Oxford Year," which promises to be a familiar escape if you're in the mood for a feel-good watch. Meanwhile, Hulu just got the riveting new historical epic "William Tell," while Peacock has a slept-on sci-fi gem starring Tom Cruise with "Edge of Tomorrow." Not feeling these picks? Check out our round-up of all the best new shows and movies on streaming in August for more recommendations on what to watch. Now, let's dive into the best new movies on streaming this week that deserve a spot on your watchlist. "The Life List" was one of my biggest surprises of the year so far, so Netflix's newest romantic drama, "My Oxford Year," is near the top of my watchlist. Based on the novel of the same name by Julia Whelan, it follows Anna De La Vega (Sofia Carson), a driven American student who earns a coveted Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford. However, her carefully-considered plan falls by the wayside in the face of her witty and charming tutor, Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest). As they get to know each other, sparks fly, forcing Anna to question her ambitions — especially when Jamie's hidden secret threatens to upend everything. Like many entries in this genre, it's bound to be chock-full of coming-of-age lessons about balancing the life you've planned with the one you never saw coming. Watch 'My Oxford Year' now on Netflix Doubling as both a prequel and a sequel, the sixth "Final Destination" film injects some new life into the campy, blood-drenched franchise by taking its premise to a haunting new level. I put it right up there with "Final Destination 2" as one of my favorite entries in the series. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Like every "Final Destination" movie, "Bloodlines" kicks off with a jaw-dropping premonition that catastrophe is about to strike. The difference is that this time it plays out decades ago instead of in the present, when a young Iris (Brec Bassinger) foresees the collapse of a luxurious observation tower and restaurant. Though she manages to save a few people from their grisly fate, it sets off a chain reaction that puts their children, including her granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), in death's crosshairs. Watch 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' on HBO Max now Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland popularized the concept of fast zombies over two decades ago with "28 Days Later," and this year brought a long-awaited third installment to the beloved horror series: "28 Years Later." I like how it nailed the gritty spirit and visual style of the original, but it was too all over the place for me. (Ralph Fiennes showing up, covered in iodine, talking about the "magic of the placenta" is as baffling with context as it is without). Nearly 30 years after the Rage Virus turned Britain into a quarantined wasteland, whatever hope remains has long since rotted. A few survivors have carved out a fragile community walled off from the undead hordes on a remote island off England's coast. When 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) embarks on a rite of passage to the zombie-plagued mainland with his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), they learn the infected have mutated into a terrifying new threat that's more human than they thought possible. Rent or buy now on Amazon or Apple I have to confess I don't know much about William Tell. I vaguely remember a children's story about him shooting an apple off his son's head, but that's where my knowledge begins and ends. Though after watching director-writer Nick Hamm's new historical action epic "William Tell," which reimagines the story of the legendary 14th-century Swiss huntsman with a cinematic flair, I'm keen to learn more. Claes Bang stars as Tell, a disillusioned Crusades soldier turned huntsman, who refuses to submit when the Austrian Empire, led by evil King Albrecht (Ben Kingsley), marches into his country. To fight back, he joins a burgeoning rebellion determined to reclaim Swiss independence. It's a good old-fashioned tale of folk heroism and hardy underdogs, but I can't help but think it would have worked better as a miniseries than a bloated 134-minute film. Watch 'William Tell' on Hulu now Between its star power, action-packed set pieces, and clever premise, "Edge of Tomorrow" had all the ingredients of a box office hit. But for reasons beyond me, it fell flat when it hit theaters over a decade ago, earning less than half of its $370 million budget. Thankfully, it's seen a well-earned revival on streaming platforms, and now Peacock subscribers can check out this slept-on sci-fi gem starring Tom Cruise. Set in a future where Earth is being overrun by alien invaders, a cowardly major (Cruise) is thrust onto the front lines after being demoted. With zero combat experience under his belt, he doesn't last long — but instead of dying, he wakes up to the start of the same day. He realizes he's caught in a time loop that resets with every death, and he sets out to escape his grim fate. With the help of Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a renowned soldier rumored to have gained similar abilities after experimenting with the alien's blood, the two set out to defeat the alien horde and save humanity. Watch 'Edge of Tomorrow' now on Peacock Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
King of the Hill Team Explains Why Hulu's Revival Aged Up Its Characters (and What's Staying the Same)
Hulu is bringing back the animated classic King of the Hill — and it may look a little different than you remember. Unlike The Simpsons, where Bart remains a grade-school prankster forever, King of the Hill decided to age up its characters for Hulu's revival — premiering Monday, Aug. 4 — with Hank and Peggy's son Bobby all grown up and Hank's friend Boomhauer sporting a few new wrinkles. (The original Fox run wrapped up back in 2009.) So why did they decide to bring the good people of Arlen into the future? More from TVLine Kristen Johnston and Chuck Lorre Lament Mom Cancellation, Discuss How Leanne Is Thematically Similar Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Video: Paul Wesley Calls This Week's Shatner-Esque Performance 'A Wink to the True Fans' - Watch The Challenge Premiere: Cara Maria Sorbello Breaks Down That 'Wild' First Challenge, Why [Spoiler] Was Eliminated 'What you always have to answer when you bring something back,' showrunner Saladin Patterson tells TVLine, 'is the 'why now?' question. Why bring it back?' So co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels 'came up with the great idea of: 'Well, if we're going to bring it back, let's do something unique.'' That means we catch up with Hank as he and Peggy return to Arlen after several years living abroad in Saudi Arabia. (They love propane almost as much as Hank does over there.) Bobby is living on his own and working as a chef at a Japanese restaurant, and Hank is forced to contend with new annoyances like Zoom calls and Uber drivers. The characters we know so well are 'experiencing a new phase of life,' Patterson adds, 'and that gave us all a little injection of energy in terms of being excited to revisit these characters.' Now Hank does have some familiarity with the modern world, Patterson emphasizes: 'It's not like he was in a cave. So most modern conveniences and things, he was aware of… It's not as much Hank not knowing how a cell phone works. It's more Hank being frustrated that we use cell phones for things we shouldn't use cell phones for.' Hank and his pals all deal with this new phase of life in their own unique way, Toby Huss (who takes over the voice of Dale for the late Johnny Hardwick) notes: 'Hank is a guy who watches the world change and questions it, and then sometimes steps into that change. And Dale is a guy who sees the change in the world, does not believe the change in the world, and believes that he knows the real reason the world is changing. Everybody has their own take on how the world changes, and how their character fits into it.' But some things never change, as Lauren Tom (who voices Minh and Connie) notes: 'You get to see the characters you know in different situations now, in the modern world. But what has stayed the same is there's a certain sweetness and kindness and authenticity from the original that I think the new one retains.' Best of TVLine Yellowjackets' Tawny Cypress Talks Episode 4's Tai/Van Reunion: 'We're All Worried About Taissa' Vampire Diaries Turns 10: How Real-Life Plot Twists Shaped Everything From the Love Triangle to the Final Death Vampire Diaries' Biggest Twists Revisited (and Explained)
Geek Tyrant
10 hours ago
- Geek Tyrant
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Reboot Reveals The New Slayer's Name... Nova — GeekTyrant
Hulu's upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot just dropped a key piece of information that's sure to get longtime fans of the franchise curious… the name of the new Slayer. According to Deadline, Ryan Kiera Armstrong will play Nova, a quiet high school student with a world-changing destiny. This reveal came alongside the announcement that Kingston Vernes has joined the cast. Vernes will portray Carson, a Junior Olympian and popular student at New Sunnydale Academy. He catches Nova's eye early on, and following a pivotal moment, he starts noticing her too. Sounds like a classic Slayer-meets-boy situation, but with a fresh twist. While the show is still untitled, photos from the table read shared by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the title cleverly hidden, and fans are now speculating that it might go with Nova the Vampire Slayer . For now, Hulu has only ordered a pilot, so the full series isn't officially greenlit yet. The Nova itself is Latin for 'new.' Given that Buffy activated every potential Slayer at the end of the original series, this reboot appears to pass the torch to a next-generation Slayer, one who may carry the weight of this new world. That doesn't mean Nova will be the only Slayer around. The pilot recently added five more cast members including Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott. It wouldn't be surprising to see at least one more Slayer among them, echoing dynamics from the original series with characters like Kendra and Faith. Although this isn't Buffy Summers' show, Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as Buffy in a mentor role. Nova will be front and center, but Buffy's legacy will still play a part. Gellar is also deeply involved behind the scenes, working alongside Eternals director Chloé Zhao, writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and executive producer Gail Berman, who was part of the original series. Joss Whedon, the creator of the original show, is not involved with the reboot. For now, all eyes are on Nova. If Hulu moves forward with the series, this new chapter could take us somewhere completely different while honoring the past.
