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Beauty and the Beast (PG)

Age 8+

Fantastic but scarier remake of the “tale as old as time.”

"Beauty and the Beast" is Disney's live-action remake of the classic 1991 animated musical, with Emma Watson as book-loving, independent Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Although the movie will appeal to even very young viewers, especially those familiar with the original, the remake's violent sequences can be intense, with a few jump-worthy and upsetting moments (several involving snarling wolves, others guns) that leave characters bloodied, injured and, in one case, dead. As always, the story encourages viewers to look beyond the superficial and to be compassionate, curious, humble and generous. Director Bill Condon took care to make sure that this version had diverse supporting characters, including a gay LeFou (Josh Gad) — Gaston's sidekick — and people of color not represented in the animated version. (129 minutes)

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Tangled: Before Ever After (Unrated)

Streaming/TV

Age 7+

Enjoyable movie follow-up continues spunky Rapunzel’s tale.

"Tangled: Before Ever After" is a movie follow-up to "Tangled" (2010) set months after Rapunzel's reunion with her parents. There's much continuity between the two stories, but for newcomers, this one opens with a quick synopsis of Rapunzel's life up until that point and her relationship with Eugene. This tale follows her struggle to meet her parents' expectations while staying true to herself, and there are some scenes that show her rebelling against what others want for her, which yields consequences she's not entirely prepared to handle. A new villain bent on revenge is introduced and poses a brief threat to the people of Corona. There are some perilous moments and brief concern for a character's fate, as well as a few kisses shared between Rapunzel and Eugene. In addition to following the feature-length film, this movie leads into a Disney series that continues Rapunzel's story. (55 minutes)

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Via the Disney Channel and Amazon video.

If your kids are swept up by March Madness, try one of these basketball films:

Air Bud (PG)

Age 6+

Sweet dog tale has some peril and mature themes.

"Air Bud" (1997), though mostly lighthearted, does show a child dealing with his father's death. It depicts abuse — of animals and the physical abuse of a boy by his coach — although it makes it clear that both are wrong, and perpetrators are punished. There's a little bit of drinking, as well as language along the lines of "sucks" and "hell." But the value of teamwork is stressed, as is the care and responsibility required to have a pet. That said, if you don't have a dog already, be prepared for your kids to want one. (98 minutes)

Via Amazon video, iTunes, Google Play and YouTube.

Hoosiers (PG)

Age 9+

Stirring tale of heroic sportsmanship will inspire families.

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"Hoosiers" (1986) focuses on a tiny farming town's small high school basketball team that becomes an underdog state champion. They achieve this by learning to play as a team, as taught by a new coach (Gene Hackman) who has a past and obstacles of his own to overcome. There's lots of emotional intensity here, of the "Who will win?" variety. The movie also deals with alcoholism but features the redemption of two adult leads. There's some swearing, including "s---" and "Jesus" (as an exclamation). Players get into confrontations during games, including a bench-clearing brawl at the sectional championship. One fight results in a bloody injury that requires stitches. Strong positive messages include not judging a book by its cover, giving people second chances and the importance of hard work, discipline and teamwork. (114 minutes)

Via Amazon Prime video, iTunes, Google Play and YouTube.

Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsensemedia.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, web sites and books.

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