If you are going to the cinema with the family, it can sometimes be difficult to pick a film that will suit everyone. You may all like different things or you may be worried about how suitable the film might be for certain family members. There are some things that you can do though to make the choice easier.
Rating
The film rating will allow you to judge what age groups it is deemed appropriate for. A U is unclassified and is suitable for anyone. A PG has some scenes which may be only suitable for older children and the children have to be with parents when watching it. Lately the rating has an explanation of what in the film made it need that rating and it is useful to read that so that you know whether those things matter. If you have a child sensitive to violence then this could be something you look for, for example. The other ratings are ages which children have to be before they are allowed to view a film and they are 12, 15 and 18. These are quite definite categories but some children may be more sensitive than others and a specific rating may still not be suitable for them even if they have reached that age.
Reviews
It is worth looking at reviews to know what to expect from the film with regards to how good it is. Although not everyone is the same and we do not all like the same storylines or features of films it is still worth taking a look. Do not go by the rating so much as looking at the comments to see what people like and dislikes about the film. You can then think about whether those might be things that you will like or dislike too or whether they will be things that you will not be bothered by. Read a selection of reviews so that you can get a more balanced opinion and compare what different reviewers think of it.
Storyline
It is worth getting a grasp of the storyline so you know whether it will be suitable for your family is really important. You will know whether your children prefer stories more suitable for boys or girls or something more general. You will also know whether it needs to have a happy ending or whether they can cope with some emotional plots etc. Understanding what to expect form the storyline will allow you to judge whether you think that it is the sort of thing that your family will enjoy. It used to be that adults had to sit through a children’s film and get pretty bored but more modern films do think of parents and may have things aimed at them as well as at the children. This means that you can look for these sorts of features as well if you feel that there are some members of the family that might need a film which will appear to them as well as to the children.
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