Goodbye, Don Glees! (PG)
Age 10+
Touching coming-of-age friendship tale has a little edge.
“Goodbye, Don Glees!” is an anime coming-of-age adventure from writer-director Atsuko Ishizuka. The film, which is available with both an English dub and subtitles for U.S. release, follows three teenage friends — who dub themselves the Don Glees — who are accused of starting a forest fire and embark on a trip to prove their innocence. The dialogue features occasional insults (“moron,” “dummy,” “lame,” “hick,” etc.), but there’s no swearing stronger than “damn.” Teens make a few suggestive comments in person and on social media about “scoring” with people, dying a virgin and the attractiveness of three characters. Friends dress up as girls by wearing wigs and makeup and using water balloons as exaggeratedly large breasts. The main characters narrowly escape a few dangerous situations, including a fire and an angry bear, as well as unknown forest terrain. The movie is ultimately a testament to the importance of close friendships and seizing the day during the chaos of adolescence. (95 minutes)
In theaters.
See How They Run (PG-13)
Age 13+
Comic mystery keeps you guessing; drinking, violence, peril.
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“See How They Run,” which stars Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan, deconstructs the whodunit by creating a fictional murder mystery while filmmakers work to adapt an actual Agatha Christie play into a movie. It’s a brilliant way of introducing the elements of writing a murder mystery. Expect violent moments: Strangling, shooting and struggles are intense, and there’s some blood. There’s kissing and drinking (sometimes to excess); language includes “goddamn,” “horses---” and references to infidelity. It’s set in the 1950s, and the cast of the play-within-the-film is all White, but filmmakers make nods to diversity in the form of a Black screenwriter, a mother taking on a career in a traditionally male field and the suggestion of a gay relationship. Classic cinema fans will eat this one up like buttery popcorn as the real cast of the 1953 West End production, including the likes of legendary actor Richard Attenborough, are made into characters/suspects. (98 minutes)
In theaters.
The Woman King (PG-13)
Age 14+
Memorable, historic, violent tale of African women warriors.
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“The Woman King” is an empowering historical adventure drama that follows Nanisca (Viola Davis), the general of a 19th-century West African all-female royal guard called the Agojie. The Agojie of the Kingdom of Dahomey (what’s now Benin) — the inspiration for the Dora Milaje in “Black Panther” — fought off hostile tribes from bordering nations. Expect a high body count, with lots of fighting and intense, often bloody warfare. The Agojie use ropes, spears, finely sharpened fingernails and other weapons in scenes that show dead bodies. A few of the deaths are particularly upsetting. There are also flashbacks to sexual assault and one moment when a suitor strikes a young woman he’s courting. Language isn’t frequent but includes “b-----s” in subtitles. Adults drink; a man’s partially nude body (bare behind, back, chest, abs) is visible; and there are scenes that show embracing and imply that characters had sex. The film is a labor of love from critically acclaimed filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Love and Basketball” and “The Old Guard”). Families will want to research the history of the “Dahomey Amazons” to compare what’s been written about the elite army with the film’s plot. (146 minutes)
In theaters.
The Silent Twins (R)
Age 15+
Biopic doesn’t go deep enough; sex, violence, swearing.
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“The Silent Twins” is a drama based on the real story of identical twins Jennifer (Tamara Lawrance) and June (Letitia Wright) Gibbons, who created an insular world for themselves and wouldn’t communicate with anyone else. The film — which is set in 1960s and 1970s Wales — has moments of violence, including fighting, attempted suicide, bullying, arson and more. There’s also strong language (“f---,” “c---,” etc.), sexual situations and partial nudity (from the waist up). Characters smoke and use drugs. (113 minutes)
In theaters.
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