Should You Bring Your Kids to See 'War Horse'?

Steven Spielberg's new film, 'War Horse,' is racking up the accolades and being touted as a movie for the whole family. But given its subject matter -- a boy gives up his beloved horse Joey to the war effort -- is it really okay for small children? The movie is rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of war violence," but that warning from the MPAA doesn't begin to cover the trauma that Joey (not to mention several humans) undergoes. SPOILERS ahead. 1. Heartbreaking goodbyes. Albert (Jeremy Irvine) is forced to sell his horse, Joey, to a soldier headed for the front, but that's just the beginning of a series of wrenching farewells as Joey is handed off from owner to owner, each of whom forms an instant bond with the noble creature. 2. Violence. This is a war film and there are several battle sequences, one of them so intense it might have been taken out of Spielberg's R-rated opus 'Saving Private Ryan.' There are no exploding limbs or extreme gore, but several characters we've grown attached to do meet their demise. 3. Human deaths. Speaking of deaths, the human death toll is mostly rendered off-screen (a companion-in-arms is engulfed by gas, a letter arrives to tell of the death of another), but the war definitely takes its toll. Even younger characters aren't spared, although their deaths are conveyed with some discretion. 4. Animal deaths. We won't spoil you as to whether Joey lives or dies, but he does endure some of the most extreme trauma any screen animal has ever had to suffer. In perhaps the most traumatic, a panic-stricken Joey is entangled in barbed wire and unable to free himself. Bizarrely, this horrific scene leads to a lighthearted exchange in which two soldiers from opposing armies work together to free him. You could argue what's more upsetting: Shots of the bodies of dozens of horses littered on the battlefield or when a soldier is ordered to put Joey out of his misery by shooting him in the head. One prolonged animal death in particular will have you sobbing your eyes out. Bottom line: Even though the film does have its soaring, inspirational moments and lots of glorious horse scenes, it's far too violent and intense for young children. Our advice: Don't bring anyone under 12. [Photo: Disney] The Best Movies of 2011 The Best Movies of 201150. 'Breaking Dawn'49. 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'48. 'The Trip'47. 'Warrior'46. 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams'45. 'The Iron Lady'44. 'We Bought a Zoo'43. 'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol'42. 'Horrible Bosses'41. 'Contagion'40. 'Winnie the Pooh'39. 'Win Win'37. 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'38. 'Hanna'36. 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'35. 'The Interrupters'34. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'33. 'The Guard'32. 'Captain America: The First Avenger'31. 'The Ides of March'30. 'Beginners'29. 'Martha Marcy May Marlene''A Dangerous Method'27. 'The Adventures of Tintin'26. 'Bill Cunningham NY'25. 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'24. 'Young Adult'23. 'My Week With Marilyn'22. 'Margin Call'21. 'X-Men: First Class'20. 'Attack the Block'19. 'Shame'18. 'Super 8'17. 'Melancholia'16. 'The Muppets'15. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'14. 'Tree of Life'13. 'Rango'12. 'The Help'11. 'Moneyball'10. '50/50'9. 'Drive'8. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'7. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II'6. 'Midnight in Paris'5. 'Bridesmaids'4. 'The Descendants'3. 'War Horse'2. 'The Artist'1. 'Hugo' See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'Warrior' on DVD: 8 Reasons You Have To Watch the most effective Movie You didn't Look At This Year

Ultimately, possibly you can test 'Warrior' since the canary inside the coal mine for 2011. The very examined fighting drama about two estranged brothers and sisters, their alcoholic father and ultimate fighting will be a major box-office disappointment upon its release in September, but knowing from how a last three several days have carried out out, that was just componen for your coming course. Movie attendance this season is off by four percent from a year ago, and -- despite some levels this summer season ('Harry Potter,' 'Bridesmaids,' 'Transformers') -- a lot of the fall schedule was undercooked financially ('The Muppets,' 'Sherlock Holmes,' 'New Year's Eve'). In the event you overlooked 'Warrior' like numerous others, however, there's some hope: the film is going on DVD and Blu-ray now, meaning you'll be able to become popular what's the best film you didn't look at this year. Ahead, 8 reasons why you ought to give 'Warrior' an chance within the convenience of your couch. You'll be able to really understand Tom Sturdy for the reason that one! Even Bane confirms. Right, Bane? "Efafsssf asqqqqs fsffsafnnn increases!" Kidding aside, Tom Sturdy is actually good in 'Warrior,' he probably warrants an Oscar nomination ... As Tommy Riordan, a wrestling prodigy who becomes a broken war hero getting a secret, Sturdy is heartbreaking, stoic, visceral and basically fit enough to tear Bane's arms off and beat him unconscious together. Also: tats! ... this is also true Nick Nolte As Tommy and Brendan's (Joel Edgerton) father, Nolte gives among people career-capping performances have a tendency to draw the nice cozy glow of Oscar. Sadly, he completed this performance when Christopher Plummer, Albert Brooks and Max Von Sydow all did similar victory-lap work this year in 'Beginners,' 'Drive' and 'Extremely Noisy and very Close,' correspondingly. Will Nolte get forgotten when the Academy awards nominations are introduced? Hopefully his SAG nom bodes well for a lot of recognition. Joel Edgerton doesn't deserve an Oscar nomination, but he's still excellent. Consider Edgerton -- who was simply poised to experience a breakout 2011 until both 'Warrior' and 'The Thing' were D.O.A. -- since the engine in 'Warrior.' Without his Brendan, an excellent guy pressed to extremes to be able to save his family, 'Warrior' wouldn't run additionally into it will. He's the everyman you root when ever faced with overwhelming negative odds. You'll find two tunes with the National in 'Warrior'! Regardless if you are a bearded hipster or just someone who likes their lead entertainers to own killer baritones, hearing The Country's in 'Warrior' forces you to smile and/or cry. ("Start a War" opens the film "About Today" shuts it.) Frank Grillo offers the most underrated character actor performance of 2011 Become accustomed to seeing Frank Grillo next season. The veteran NY actor (which has came out on from 'Blue Bloods' to 'CSI: NY' to 'Breakout Kings' on television) steals his moments in 'Warrior' as Brendan's trainer, and comes in surprisingly than four films in 2012: 'The Grey,' 'Disconnect,' 'Lay the Favorite' and 'Gangster Squad,' opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. Very good! He's as being a Palookaville version of R-Gos! 'Warrior' forces you to cry Serious the best showdown between Tommy and Brendan might reduce you to definitely certainly a weeping, blubbering mess. Sure, 'War Horse' and 'We Bought a Zoo' -- in addition to 'The Artist' -- have emotional moments, but nothing quite comes even close to the showing of brotherly love within the finish of 'Warrior.' Managed to get happen just get dusty in Moviefone HQ? It's just good 2011 is really a year of "good, but" 'Warrior is just good good. Don't increase the risk for mistake of missing that certain again. [Photo: Lionsgate] The Most Effective Movies of 2011 The Most Effective Movies of 201150. 'Breaking Beginning཭. 'Transformers: Dark in the Moonཬ. 'The Tripཫ. 'Warriorཪ. 'Cave of Forgotten Dreamsཀྵ. 'The Iron Ladyཨ. 'We Bought a Zooཧ. 'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocolས. 'Horrible Bossesཥ. 'Contagionཤ. 'Winnie the Poohལ. 'Win Winཡ. 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyར. 'Hannaའ. 'Extremely Noisy and very Closeཟ. 'The Interruptersཞ. 'Crazy, Stupid, Loveཝ. 'The Guardཛྷ. 'Captain America: The Initial Avengerཛ. 'The Ides of Marchཚ. 'Beginnersཙ. 'Martha Marcy May Marlene''A Dangerous Methodབྷ. 'The Adventures of Tintinབ. 'Bill Cunningham NYཕ. 'We Need to Discuss Kevinཔ. 'Young Adultན. 'My Week With Marilynདྷ. 'Margin Callད. 'X-Males: Top Qualityཐ. 'Attack the Blockཏ. 'Shameཎ. 'Super 8ཌྷ. 'Melancholiaཌ. 'The Muppetsཋ. 'Rise in the Planet in the Apesཊ. 'Tree of Existenceཉ. 'Rango཈. 'The Helpཇ. 'Moneyballཆ. ཮/50Ə. 'DriveƎ. 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattooƍ. 'Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows, Part IIƌ. 'Midnight in ParisƋ. 'BridesmaidsƊ. 'The DescendantsƉ. 'War Equineƈ. 'The ArtistƇ. 'Hugo' See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'Ghost Protocol,' 'Dragon Tattoo' lead holiday frame

'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo''We Bought a Zoo'Paramount's "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" and Sony's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" are expected to lead a crammed holiday frame, with four other wide releases launching between Wednesday and Christmas Day.While the B.O. is in need of holiday cheer, observers predict soft results on Friday and Saturday, as Christmas Eve historically is a moviegoing dead zone.That's why both "Ghost Protocol" and "Dragon Tattoo," along with Par's 3D motion-capture toon "The Adventures of Tintin," debut nationwide Wednesday to fatten up opening totals. In fact, Sony decided to get an even bigger headstart, bowing "Dragon Tattoo" today in most Stateside locations, starting at 7 p.m.Fox's Cameron Crowe family pic "We Bought a Zoo" opens Friday, followed by Disney-DreamWorks' "War Horse" and Summit's sci-fier "The Darkest Hour" on Christmas Day.In 2005 -- the last time Christmas Eve fell on a Saturday -- five films opened wide over the long weekend, though only three bowed at more than 2,000 locations. Holdovers "King Kong" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" jockeyed for top ranking that weekend, with six-day grosses at just north of $40 million. This time around, pundits expect a similarly close race in the $40 millions between "Ghost Protocol" and "Dragon Tattoo," from Wednesday to Monday.Specialty cinemas are also crowded with a mix of debuts and expansions.The Weinstein Co.'s "The Artist" and "My Week With Marilyn" widen significantly, while Angelina Jolie's "In the Land of Blood and Honey," from FilmDistrict, and Warner Bros.' "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" bow in limited release."The Artist," which has cumed $1.4 million domestically as of Dec. 19, adds almost 150 playdates; "Marilyn," with $6.2 million so far, more than doubles its theater count to approximately 600 Stateside runs.Overseas, "Ghost Protocol" should have another solid weekend, after debuting at $69.5 million from about 70% of territories. Pic bows this weekend in 10 new markets, including Brazil and Mexico.Last weekend, Par partnered with Imax and other large-format theaters to bow "Ghost Protocol" exclusively at 425 locations, totaling an impressive $12.8 million domestically, of which $10.5 million came from Imax. The week-early bow should affect the film's perf this weekend, as it expands to more than 3,400 locations. That's because some fanboy auds likely saw the film last weekend, though Par hopes the early launch will boost word-of-mouth.Both "Ghost Protocol" and "Dragon Tattoo" target two of the most avid holiday auds -- adults and action fans (Daily Variety, Nov. 22, 2011).Sony has sold David Fincher's "Dragon Tattoo" -- which should draw auds from fans of the bestselling book trilogy -- as hardcore adult counterprogramming, even going so far as to describe the film as "the feel-bad movie of Christmas."Entering a crowded family market, "The Adventures of Tintin" (Par is handling North American rights) should land somewhere in the high-$20 millions in six days, according to B.O. watchers. Par launched the film two weeks ago in Quebec and plans to incorporate Canadian grosses into the film's U.S. opening tally as previews.But the toon's domestic perf is mostly gravy, since "Tintin" already has cumed $237 million internationally after eight weeks. Par and Sony have divvied up worldwide distrib rights on "Tintin"; both studios will evenly split the global pot.As to the weekend's remaining wide release, Matt Damon starrer "We Bought a Zoo" is expected to hit at around $15 million through Monday, competing in an already-crowded family market. "War Horse" -- Steven Spielberg's second pic this weekend including "Tintin" -- is expected to gross $6 million in two days, and "The Darkest Hour," between $4 million and $5 million.Christmas Day won't see much biz until around mid-afternoon, when observers expect turnstiles to really start spinning. Increased theater traffic should continue throughout next week.Holiday holdovers, meanwhile, led by Warner's "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and Fox's "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," also look to benefit from vacation crowds next week. "Sherlock Holmes" has cumed $44.6 million as of Monday; "Alvin," nearly $26 million. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Cheers & Jeers: SNL's Christmas Reunion

Saturday Night Live Cheers to Saturday Night Live for bringing the family home for the holidays.Want more Cheers & Jeers? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine.Jimmy Fallon - visibly moved to be returning to Studio 8H as a guest host - invited a gaggle of his old pals along with him, beginning with Rachel Dratch, aka Denise, who squabbled and sucked face with her Masshole life partner Sully (Fallon) in the wicked opener. Amy Poehler joined in that sketch as well as an uproarious "Weekend Update" joke-off with Seth Meyers, against Fallon and another former fake anchor, Tina Fey. And Fallon got the old band - Horatio Sanz, Chris Kattan and dancing machine Tracy Morgan - back together for the Yuletide classic, "I Wish It Was Christmas Today."If only the week's other guests had felt the holiday spirit. Jude Law contributed a joyless cameo opposite Andy Samberg's Nicolas Cage, and Michael Bublé marred his smooth renditions of Christmas carols by making bizarre faces. Maybe Bublé took an early taste of the New Year's Eve bubbly?What did you think of SNL's Christmas episode?Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

The Cleveland Show Visits the flicks With Die Hard Parody

The Cleveland Show It's been an energetic year for Cleveland Brown. He's visited the Basketball All-Star Game and Comic-Disadvantage now he'll the flicks. For Your Cleveland Show's holiday episode (airing Sunday at 8:30/7:30c, on Fox), the Stoolbend gang occupies its first movie parody getting a sly homage to Die Hard, the 1988 blockbuster that introduced us to Bruce Willis's scrappy NYPD detective John McClane. Inside the episode - mischievously titled "Die Semi-Hard" - Cleveland (voiced by executive producer Mike Henry) plays the legendary McClane role, spectacularly thwarting a terrorist attack in L.A - while barefoot. Donna (Sanaa Lathan) will get control for Bonnie Bedelia as McClane's wife, and Tim the Bear (professional producer Seth MacFarlane) assumes negligence Alan Rickman's terrorist leader. Huey Lewis guest stars just like a "guy who seems like Huey Lewis," a jerk to one of the film's terrorists who bore an uncanny resemblance for the eighties rocker. (For that vacation element, the terrorists spring their plan within a place of work Party.) "We now have done greater than 60 episodes using these figures which is finally fun for people to carry out a full-length parody," states professional producer Wealthy Appel. "In 22 minutes we tried to gather typically the most popular and also the wedding moments, from [McClane] getting rid of his shoes and achieving his foot chop track of glass, for the moment when the building explodes while using helicopter on top.In . Within the finish in the episode, Cleveland is asked for for a moment see parodies in the Die Hard sequels. His meta response: "Let's wait and discover how a internet responds to that certain first." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Hot Sci-Fi Movie Project 'Rosa' Lands at Fox (Exclusive)

Chuck star Zachary Levi may be the latest celebrity to host Spike TV's Gaming Honours show, which is broadcast survive December 10 at 8pm ET from La. Levi, who's finishing the ultimate season of Chuck, follows within the actions of famous players like Jack Black and Samuel L. Jackson as host from the event.our editor recommends'Chuck' Star Zachary Levi to Host Spike TV's Gaming Honours (Exclusive)'Chuck's' Vik Sahay Systems on Lester: 'Don't Determine If I'll Ever Have the Same Singing Again' Mark Burnett (Survivor), executive producer of the year's ceremony, arrived at to Levi to create a players' sensibility towards the show. The actor discusses the emergence of game titles being an talent and the way forward for interactive entertainment within this exclusive interview. PHOTOS: 10 Broadcast and Cable Television Show Most Viewed By Males The Hollywood Reporter: Why did you choose to host the 2011 VGAs? Zachary Levi: I wish to pay homage and tribute to any or all the designers and gaming firms that have ongoing to mold my very own existence and my entertainment. THR: What role will celebs participate in the VGAs this season? Levi: Personally, i don't would like it to be an honours show where it's nearly putting celebs inside for celebrities' sake. I am wishing the celebs which i get are those who have some type of legitimate love or participation on the planet of gaming, when i do. That's a minimum of where I get up on it. "It may ultimately possess a resonance along with a weight that a few of the various other, I guess, exclusive honours shows have finally.Inch THR: Would you believe the VGAs will ultimately become for games exactly what the Oscars or Emmys are for film and tv? Levi: In my opinion when the VGAs continue doing right through the gaming community, be in keeping with it, focus on players, and also have that awesome, fun, atmosphere, but respect for that genre itself, they will just still gain respect being an honours show. It may ultimately possess a resonance along with a weight that a few of the various other, I guess, exclusive honours shows have finally. THR: How can you begin to see the VGAs evaluating with other honours shows you have been associated with? Levi: A variety of it is simply patting one another around the back, regardless of the market is, be it the Emmys, the Academy awards, or even the Gaming Honours. I believe probably the most essential things is the fact that it's entertaining, fun, and pays tribute to individuals which have been ongoing to guide the charge in whatever that medium is. THR: How perhaps you have seen the significance of story evolve in gaming today? Levi: Getting an excellent narrative is essential because games have become many a lot more like these interactive movies that you simply spend lots of your time and effort with. I believe the Uncharted games did an amazing job at this. The men at Naughty Dog have just ongoing to create a fantastic title. Clearly, Infinity Ward and Treyarch are constantly returning and forth and getting us an enjoyable experience within their first-person world with Cod games. And Bethesda (Softworks) is constantly on the in the ante using the Elder Scrolls games like Oblivion and also the new Skyrim. THR: Since you are overall Chuck, what's next for you personally? Levi: As someone who works in entertainment and it is an enthusiastic gamer, I've got a large amount of ideas. I actually want to begin to make and bridging the space between gaming entertainment and live action entertainment. I wish to begin to make interactive shows where you are watching stars like myself portray figures that, after we get into fight, you may be motivated either to opt-out or opt-directly into manipulating the results of that fight...similar to a choose your adventure. This is where I begin to see the future going. The greater interactive you may make entertainment, as well as providing people with options of passive or active entertainment, the greater. I really like what Kinect does. You do not need a handheld remote control any longer. You may either voice command or wave your hands around and have the ability to make use of whenever and wherever you would like. It's fascinating. THR: Players happen to be streaming content in record amounts online. How can you observe that affecting the way forward for television? Levi: For a long time now, my philosophy continues to be that the television are only a thing for the monitor. It will not be considered a service, always, any longer. Everything will you need to be blocked in, as you are likely to be streaming everything. It is going to open and extremely broaden the field of entertainment for independent entertainment producers to have the ability to basically make whatever they would like to make then sell it straight to their group of followers, which will probably be incredible. If they are making something that's good, people will find it watching it. THR: Exactly what does this suggest for that current prime time television model? Levi: Television will persist within the model that people view it, but increasingly more it is much more about sporting occasions and reality competitions stuff that individuals have to look at live. Being an marketer, increasing numbers of people are DVRing their programming or watching it on the internet, you are not receiving your hard earned money from the advertisement investment, so it is going to alter the model drastically. Related Subjects Jack Black Mark Burnett Samuel L. Jackson Zachary Levi Academy awards Game Titles Chuck Emmys 2011

2012 Academy awards Tap Hendes Zimmer And Pharrell Williams As Music Consultants

EXCLUSIVE: The 2012 Academy awards will get the musical waterfront covered. Oscar-winning composer Hendes Zimmer and Grammy-winning stylish-hop artist and producer Pharrell Williams are actually set to supervise the music activity for your honours show. They'll work as musical consultants, the first time either is doing it. Oscarcast producers John Grazer and Don Mischer were trying to find an opportunity to inject music to the program that touches on Zimmer’s classical flair, as well as the stylish hop, R&B and pop sensibilities that Williams is famous for. Zimmer won a Best Original Score Oscar for your Lion King, and was nominated eight in some cases. His film scores incorporated An Online Detective, Beginning, Gladiator, The Da Vinci Code, the ultimate three Pirates in the Caribbeaan films, and many types of three of Ann Hathaway’s Batfilms, like the approaching The Dark Dark evening Increases. He's won four Grammys and been nominated six in some cases. Williams has won three Grammys becoming an artist and producer, which he written the first score for Wretched Me. His tunes have been getting the soundtracks of films different in the Given Sunday for the 4 decades Old Virgin.

Latest Twitter War: Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick Versus. Teen Mother's Farrah

Farrah Abraham, Kourtney Kardashian It is a war between reality TV moms. After Kourtney Kardashian revealed being pregnant a week ago, Teen Mother star Farrah Abraham tweeted, "Im Shocked Kourtney Kardashian is pregnant again, Did she not learn everything from TEEN Mother? Maybe its an imitation pregnancy like kims wedding. SAD." Kourtney Kardashian Pregnant With Baby No. 2 Kardashian, 32, and her boyfriend Scott Disick, 28, both shot back in the 20-year-old MTV cast member. "Why would I've anything related to teen mother? I am 32 years of age! I might look youthful, honey, try not to have it twisted. :)" authored Kardashian, co-star of Kourtney and Kim Take NY. Disick accompanied by writing: "We are not teens ya [bleep] moron." Teen Mother's Farrah: I am not really a whore - I am a role model Abraham later "clarified" by tweeting, "4 all who misinterpreted: relation to its kourtney K.~ I really hope she takes her relationship w/her boyfriend more severe 4 their kids-takecare." She later added, "caught wind of those dramatic articles, w/ loser scott disick or some boyfriend of kourtneys ... Great father! NOT." Kardashian and Disick already parents will be to 23-month-old boy, Mason.

Report: Real Regular folks of Beverly Hills' Kim Richards Gets into Rehab

Kim Richards The Particular Regular folks of Beverly Slopes star Kim Richards has became a member of rehab, Entertainment Tonight reviews. Real Regular folks of Beverly Slopes season finale: Kim Richards assessments into rehab No particulars were available about when Richards, 47, began rehab or simply what she's seeking technique to. The prior Disney child star was mentioned to own became a member of rehab sometime following a tape in the Bravo series' Season 1 finale, through which she got in the heated argument along with her sister and castmate, Kyle Richards, who referred to as her an alcoholic. This Year's season, new cast member Brandi Glanville accused Richards of employing drugs throughout a game title title evening while using ladies.