Kids movies not always for the kids
<b>PG kids' films? Really?</b>
Have you noticed that the recent movies marketed as kid and family-friendly films are NOT recommended for viewing by young children according to the MPAA's Ratings and Classification Board?
"The Muppets" is rated PG. So is "Hugo." So is "Arthur Christmas." So is "Happy Feet 2." So is the upcoming "We Bought a Zoo."
A PG rating means "parental guidance suggested." In other words, the MPAA board warns parents that "some material may not be suitable for children."
As we sail into the uncharted waters of the holiday movie season, parents of small children should be wary that G-rated movies are in scarce supply and that extra care is needed to be sure non-G movies are appropriate for their kids.
Not like the parents I witnessed who brought their tiny children to see the graphic C-section scene in "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" last Friday at the Streets of Woodfield Theaters in Schaumburg.
What were they thinking?
<b>The greatest romances</b>
You're probably wondering why Dann and Raymond's Movie Club would present "The Greatest Romance Movies Ever Made" in December instead of February, the month with Valentine's Day.
Well, film historian Raymond Benson and I do our annual Academy Award predictions in February. So we're presenting the greatest romances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Schaumburg Library, 130 S. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg. We'll have clips from "The Way We Were," "Dirty Dancing," "Now Voyager" and "Romeo and Juliet," plus oodles of others. Free admission!
Go to schaumburglibrary.org or call (847) 985-4000 for details.
<b>Take 'Higher Ground'</b>
The After Hours Film Society presents Vera Farmiga's directorial feature debut "Higher Ground" at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Tivoli Theater, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Tickets cost $9 ($5 members). "Higher Ground" tells the story of a young mother (Farmiga) who begins to question her faith in a rigidly traditional religious community. Go to afterhoursfilmsociety.com or call (630) 534-4528.
<b>Viewers now pickier?</b>
According to a report this week by Variety, moviegoers will be much choosier about buying tickets this holiday season.
A poll of 800 moviegoers says that most of them prefer established, familiar movies and franchises such as "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" and "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" over original, unfamiliar fare.
That might explain why theaters offer lots more movies with numbers in their titles than fresh, daring and innovative movies that can't easily be classified or marketed.
The big surprise? Family movies aren't as popular as either science-fiction or action films during the Christmas holidays. (Although family movies hang around longer at theaters because of their broader appeal.)
Also, the survey reported that viewers over 25 are more likely to go out to holiday movies than their younger counterparts, traditionally thought to be the target audience for theater attendance.
But the times - and theatergoing habits - are a-changin'.
Another Variety report suggests that movie theaters are losing their traditional under-25 audiences because of the bad economy, plus the ability of viewers to obtain movies through other media.
Does that mean Hollywood might revise its philosophy of concentrating on the under-25 market and opt to make more mature-themed films where things don't have to blow up and actors don't have to doff their clothes?
We shall see.
<i>Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire's column runs Fridays in Time out!</i>