Rampage pushes the PG-13 line

Movie Title:   Rampage

Grade:   B

Rating: PG-13, 
1 hour 47 minutes

In a Nutshell:   My 4 sons used to play the 1997 Midway Rampage video game, so I was curious to see how well director Brad Peyton would adapt the game to a movie for the fans. 

Historically, movies that take video games to the Big Screen are horrible.  Well, yeah.  This movie requires you to turn off your brain and not care.  If you just want to see some monsters destroy a city and watch the ROCK do his thing (he’s awesome), then this movie is for you.  If storytelling and character development is important to you, then you’re going to have trouble watching this.  The monsters look great; it’s the humans in the movie that feel more like they’re in a video game.

                                    

Tips for parents: 

• George , the silverback gorilla, flips the bird several times.
• There is a HUGE body count.  There are a lot of bloody bodies and some of the deaths are almost portrayed as a joke, which was a bit alarming.  Lots of blood splatter.
• Lots and lots of destruction and violence
• Some profanity
• People in perilous situations
• Talk of poachers.  You’ll need to explain to your little ones what poachers are and why they’re so bad.
• Cleavage
• Inappropriate joke at the end.

Uplifting theme: 

• Family
• Friendship
• Loyalty
• Animal protection

                                                  

Things I liked:

• Some humor, although there could have been more since the movie already feels like a cartoon.   
• According to IMDB, an original cabinet of the Rampage arcade game can be seen in Claire Wyden’s office.  That’s a fun Easter egg for fans, but it doesn’t make sense for her to have it. Midway Arcade Origins - Xbox 360
• The movie shows George, the gorilla, living in the San Diego Wildlife Sanctuary.  As far as I know, that doesn’t really exist, but the San Diego zoo is fantastic.  They actually have a really good gorilla habitat there.  About 40 minutes outside San Diego is the awesome Wild Animal Park.  I used to live in San Diego and can highly recommend both!
• I think Malin Akerman’s eyes are so pretty.  I hated her stiff hair that looked like plastic.  Her character, unfortunately, was ridiculous.  If you're a Billions: Season One fan, you'll like that she gets to finally play the boss.
• Well done CGI.  The monsters look really cool.
• You see Dwayne Johnson get out of some zip ties.  First of all, his biceps are soooo massive!  Second, you actually can do it and big biceps aren’t required.  A former CIA agent taught me how.  Make sure the zip lock thing faces up.  Then, lift up your arms above your head and quickly pull them down to your hips, pulling your elbows back as fast as you can.  Ta da!
• SPOILER: Jeffrey Dean Morgan does a bad guy so well.  He was so maniacal in The Walking Dead Season 7 [DVD] that I had to stop watching the show.  Seriously evil.  Luckily, he has a heart in this movie.
• You’ll actually learn a little bit of sign language.  My niece married a deaf man, so I’m always thrilled when sign language is used in movies.  Another movie that uses sign language and is currently in theaters is A Quiet Place.  I thought it was really good!  You can read my movie review of A QUIET PLACE by clicking here.
• I thought it was a respectful nod that the city rampage occurs in Chicago, the headquarters of Midway video games.

Things I didn’t like:

• There were quite a few differences in the movie and game, although George and Ralph keep their names in the movie.  Lizzie’s name is never mentioned as the crocodile.  George was never an albino in the game.  The biggest difference is that the monsters in the video game were mutated humans, not mutated animals.
• The villains are terrible, but not in a good way. 
• Some characters are introduced in the beginning, but completely disappear from the story.
• There are some really dumb details that could have been easily fixed if anyone working on the movie had been paying attention or cared.
• The young male gorilla that is new at the Sanctuary in the beginning of the movie looks totally fake.  George looks much better.
• Naomie Harris doesn’t really do anything, other than run around and rely on the ROCK to come up with a plan.
• The clip in the movie trailer that shows the gorilla crack the crocodile’s jaws open like King Kong does to the dinosaur in his movie didn’t actually make it into this movie.

Funny lines:

• “Of course the wolf flies!” – Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) 
• “You know there are other ways of dealing with people, don’t you?” – Dr. Kate Caldwell (Naomie Harris)

“Of course I do, but that’s no fun.” – Davis

• “That’s a big arm.  Don’t fight it.” – Davis
• “Who are you?  Homeland? CIA?  Justice League?” – Dr. Kate Caldwell  
• “Girls love him.  I should shave my head.” -  Nelson  (P.J. Byrne)

         

  

                                        
                                         @trinaboice

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle offers a classic reboot for the video game generation

Movie Title:  Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Grade:  B+

Rating:  PG-13, 112 minutes

In a Nutshell:   This fun franchise is still alive and entertaining audiences!  Start with a cast of fresh faces and add in a hefty serving of Dwayne, The Rock, Johnson, with a half pint of Kevin Hart and a good dose of Jack Black and you get an entertaining third movie.

It pays respectful tribute to the popular first Jumanji movie, which I loved, and offers a video game twist with a soulful lesson for the young video game generation.  Dwayne Johnson explained that it’s not really a reboot, but a sequel to the original movie and a tribute to the wonderful Robin Williams.  There is a scene where the characters get to Seaplane McDonough’s camp with Robin Williams’ character’s name on it: Alan Parrish.  Sweet.  I sure miss Robin Williams and love that they tried to honor him with this movie.

Tips for parents: 

• Young children won’t understand a lot of the subtle references to other movies, but they’ll still really enjoy this one.
• The bad news is that some of the teens drink alcohol, but the good news is that most of them don’t like it!  Ha ha
• Two of the boys cheat and then lie about it.
• Some profanity.
• A LOT of discussion about male body parts.

 

Uplifting theme: 

• “We only have one life.  Which guy are you going to decide to be?” – Fridge/Kevin Hart
• Sacrifice for others, friendship, loyalty
• Confidence, self-esteem
• “You can’t waste lives.  Each one matters.  Like it or not, we have to do this together.” – Spencer/Dwayne Johnson    (TRUE!)

                             

Things I liked:

• Lots of humor.  The running joke is that these great comedic actors play against type.  Surprisingly, it doesn’t get old and makes for a fun ride.

• Dwayne, the Rock, Johnson.  I love him in everything he does.  Lots of smolder jokes.  I love that he can laugh at himself.
• I always get a kick out of movie references inside movies.  In this film, you’ll hear and see clever nods to classic kid movies like The Breakfast Club, Freaky Friday, and The Goonies   
• While Nick Jonas isn’t a great actor, he was just nominated for a Golden Globe for his song Home in the movie Ferdinand.  Good for him!  His character in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle was going to be played by Tom Holland, but he was already busy filming Spider-Man: Homecoming .
• I LOVE LOVE LOVE Guardians of the Galaxy (Theatrical), but it was nice to see Karen Gillan’s real face instead of her completely covered in make-up as Nebula.  Her skimpy outfit was actually inspired by Lara Croft’s outfit from the original Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition - Xbox One video games.  She makes a joke about how ridiculous it was to wear such an outfit in the jungle.  Ha ha  Some people have been critical of her sexist outfit, yet it’s pretty true to how women are dressed in video games.  By the way, a remake of the Tomb Raider movie hits theaters in 2018!  
• The movie was filmed in beautiful Hawaii.

Things I didn’t like:

• You can’t always understand what Kevin Hart says.  Actually, he rarely “says” anything…he yells everything.  Hart is the personification of caffeine.  Sometimes it’s just too much.
• Funny gross kiss.  Bleh.
• Creepy, crawly bugs go in and out of Van Pelt’s ears and mouth.  Ick.  Van Pelt is the name of the villain in the first movie too, where he is an animal hunter.  In this one, the villain (Bobby Cannavale) has control over animals and insects in the jungle.
• Although necessary to bridge the gap between the last two movies and this one, there is a long expository scene to help you understand what is happening.
• It always bugs me a little bit when the lines in trailers are actually different from what plays in the movie.  Speaking of the trailer, the Guns N Roses song Welcome To The Junglenbsp;plays in it, which is one of the reasons why the film’s subtitle is Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle.
• The original Jumanji is much better and cleaner.

Funny lines:

• “The fact that I’m not Instagramming this right now is insane.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “You don’t get in water with a backpack.  Everybody knows that!” – Fridge/Kevin Hart
• “That was so intense.  I like can’t even with this place!” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “Now sparkle like an anime character!” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “A nibble goes a long way, girlfriend.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “There are so many diseases out here.” – Spencer/Dwayne Johnson
• “You’re aware there are other people in the world, right?” – Teacher (Maribeth Monroe)
• “Are you going to help or are you two pretty?” – Young Martha (Morgan Turner)

“I’m too pretty.” – Young Bethany (Madison Iseman)

                                         

Interesting lines:

• “I’m so focused on myself I don’t see what others are dealing with.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “Board game? Who plays board games?” – Teenager (Mason Guccione)

                                             @trinaboice 

The Fate of the Furious is fast fun for true fans

Movie Title:  The Fate of the Furious

Grade:  B

Rating:  PG-13, 136 minutes

In a Nutshell:  It’s fast.  It’s furious.  The franchise is back.  

I was kind of over the whole The Fast and the Furious saga until…Charlize Theron.  I’ve always thought she was so gorgeous ever since I first saw her in Mighty Joe Young. I was curious how she was going to turn Dom away from his family in this movie's plot.   

Everything about this movie is high octane and ridiculously over-the-top, just the way fans of this franchise like it.  If you’re a fan, you’ll get a kick out of this new addition.  No, it's not going to win any Oscar's, but it's pretty good fun.

Uplifting theme: 

• “You make a deal, you gotta live up to it.” – Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel)
• Family
• Obligation, accountability, respect

Things I liked:

• The chemistry of this “family” is undeniable.  This installment features Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Kurt Russell, Elsa Pataky, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Scott Eastwood.
• The cast's quick one-liners and jabs at each other are entertaining as always.
• You get to take a little trip to Havana, Cuba in the beginning of the movie.
• So funny watching The Rock do the fierce Hakka dance with a bunch of little soccer girls.
• Helen Mirren just made the franchise better.  Rumor has it that she lobbied for a role in the movie because she loves racing so much.  I love her in everything she does.
• It’s fun to watch Scott Eastwood’s career unfold.  You know he’s the legendary Clint Eastwood’s son, right? 
• Tough bald guy banter.  Ha ha
• The set pieces are as gigantic as Dwayne Johnson’s biceps.  
• The stunts are OFF THE CHAIN!
• SPOILER: I never really thought about how self-driving cars could be hacked into to create havoc.  Interesting, right?  There’s an awesomely fun and destructive scene with a bunch of them on New York City streets.
• Some of the action sequences are soooooo impressively long.
• I think it's funny that Kurt Russell's character name is "Mr. Nobody."  His assistant, played by Scott Eastwood, is called "Little Nobody."
• Jason Statham has some absolutely great moments with The Rock, Helen Mirren, and a little baby.  

Things I didn’t like:

• Lots of butt cheeks and scantily clad women.
• Some of the characters talk about being free, with no obligations to anyone, as if that’s the ultimate form of happiness.  Thankfully, the ultimate theme of the movie is that it’s family that gives life meaning.
• The plot is extremely predictable.  There is nothing super surprising about how the story is going to play out, but the ride is pretty doggone fun.
• So many things are just so unrealistic that if you require that in a movie, you'll hate every minute of this.

Funny lines:

• “I will beat you like a Cherokee drum.” – Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson whose arms are ridiculously massive while he holds them up during this line.)
• “We’re gonna need a bigger truck.” – Hobbs
• “Your team is about to go up against the one thing they can’t handle.” – Cipher (Charlize Theron)

“What’s that?” – Dom 

“You.” –  Cipher

• “Manis and pedis later on at the mall.” – Hobbs
• “It’s neon orange.  The U.S. space station could see it coming.” – Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood)
• “Ouch.” – Cipher
• “What’s it gonna be, Rook?  Are you gonna close your eyes on this one too?  Pray that the Apocalypse doesn’t come knocking on your mama’s front door? Or are you gonna saddle up and be a man and save the entire Gxdxxmn world?” – Hobbs
• “Why are you always yelling?” – Hobbs
• “Time to get my young Selfie levels up!” – Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson)

“You realize this is classified, right?” – Little Nobody

“Not today!” -Roman

Interesting lines:

• “See, that’s the funny thing about fate: it’s cunning.  It can bring you beautiful things and it can also bring you moments like this…” –  Cipher  
• “Have you heard of choice theory, Dom?  There’s a bunch of axioms, but only two you really need to concern yourself with: 1) The only person’s behavior we can control is our own, and 2) The only thing we can truly give another person is information…” – Cipher 

Tips for parents: 

• Lots of profanity, including an F-bomb, surprisingly by the lovely Helen Mirren.
• There are some subtitles that you’ll have to read to kids who can’t read fast.
• As expected in a movie designed for men, there are a lot of scantily clad women.
• TONS of explosions and MASSIVE amounts of destruction.
• Tons of violence in many forms, including hand-to-hand combat, shootings, stabbings, and beatings. 

Did you miss some of the previous movies? You can start here: The Fast and the Furious
Fast & Furious (2009)
Fast & Furious 6
2 Fast 2 Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast Five (Extended Version) Furious 7

@trinaboice 

Moana is picture perfect for families

Movie Title:         Moana

  

Grade:  A+

Rating:  PG, 103 minutes

In a Nutshell:   Disney brings us another animated film that is simply gorgeous.  Each frame in the movie could be a postcard.  The animation is stellar and absolutely breathtaking.  The hair, sand, water, feathers, fabric and textures are done so well you feel you could reach out and touch them.

It has everything you want in a family-friendly film: solid characters, adventure, memorable music, a positive lesson for kids to learn, a good role model, comedy, peril, and touching family moments.

Before the movie begins, another Disney short entitled “Inner Workings” plays that reminds us to live our lives with meaning and joy.  Adorable.

Uplifting theme: 

• You need to have heart.
• “Find happiness right where you are.” – lyrics in one of the songs
• “That voice inside is who you are.” – Grandma Tala
• Sometimes our strengths lie beneath the surface.” – Moana
• “The things you have learned will change you.  The people you love will guide you.”  - Grandma Tala
• Your weaknesses don’t define you.

Things I liked:

• Some of the song were written by writer and star of the Broadway smash hit Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [Explicit], Lin Manuel Miranda.  The lyrics are powerful and meaningful.
• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently earned the title as “Sexiest Man Alive”.  Now we get to hear him sing!  He has great comedic and dramatic timing in everything he does.
• Auli’I Cravalho does a fantastic job voicing Moana.  The character even looks like her.
• Hei Hei, the stupid chicken, got lots of laughs from the audience.  I adore Alan Tudyk and was tickled to learn that it was his voice that brings the chicken to life.  Pua, the cute pig, was just that…cute, but didn’t grab the audience’s attention nearly as much.

• Maui’s tattoos interact with Maui and even the audience.
• Clever use of tapa bark cloth prints to set up the story in the beginning.
• I love a good romance in a movie; however, I love that there is no prince or hero in this one...Moana is the hero. Moana’s future is determined by her own efforts and leadership.  She is a strong role model for your daughters. You go, girl!
• This movie will make you want to go on vacation to Hawaii or some other Polynesian destination.  If you’re in Hawaii, be sure to visit the famous Polynesian Cultural Center where you can get a taste of Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand and more!
• Stay seated until the very end of the rolling credits for a funny moment with the crab.
• While watching the credits, you’ll notice a long list of babies who were born during production.  Cute.
• I loved it when baby Moana helps a baby turtle find its way to the ocean.  I got to participate in a turtle release in Cabo San Lucas in November several years ago.  The turtle sanctuary invited us to help them release hundreds of babies. Soooooo cool!
• Cute choreography.
• Who knew coconuts could be so dangerous?  ha ha
• The plot is pretty simple, yet Moana has a lot of interesting and creative adventures along her journey.

Things I didn’t like:

• For some reason, Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison) was the only character with a Polynesian accent.
• You have to listen to the songs a few times to understand the clever lyrics, because sometimes they're sung so fast you can't catch everything the first time around.
• You don't have to see it in 3D to love it.

Funny lines:

•  “Nothing?  Really?  What’s a demigod gotta do?” - Maui
• “Really?  A blow dart in my butt cheek?” – Maui
• “I’m the village crazy lady.  That’s my job.” – Grandma Tala
• “When you use a bird to write with, it’s called Tweeting.” – Maui
• “What’s nunya?” – Moana     “None of ya business.” - Maui

Interesting lines:

•  “The call that calls isn’t out here – it’s inside me.” - Moana

Tips for parents:

• There is a theme of reincarnation you might want to talk to your kids about.  Do you believe in reincarnation?  Resurrection? Talk to your children about where you believe you go after this life.
• There is a fiery lava monster that might scare young children.
• Young children may need to be reminded that they have to be very careful in the ocean when they go to the beach.

Central Intelligence showcases funny chemistry and potty mouths

Movie Title:   Central Intelligence

  

Grade:   B

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 54 minutes

In a Nutshell:    “Saving the world takes a little Hart and a big Johnson…”  The movie tag line is as racy as a lot of the other lines in the movie, but you can’t deny the great chemistry Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have together in this action buddy comedy.

 Uplifting theme: 

• #Blessed
• Overcoming bullies in your life, whatever or whoever they are.
• Be the hero of your own story.
• “In life, the most important thing you can be is yourself.” – Bob Stone

Things I liked:

• It’s so fun seeing Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart as high school students.  The impressive CGI makes them look young and morphs Dwayne Johnson’s face onto another body.  We saw similar effects with Tony Stark in the latest Avenger movie, “Captain America: Civil War.”
• Funny fight scene in Calvin’s office.
• I am a geek who makes random movie references in conversations, so I got a kick out of the shout-outs to “Sixteen Candles”, “Good Fellas”,  “Barber Shop”, “Twilight”, and “Road House.”
• From the trailers, I had no idea that Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, The Office’s Amy Ryan, and funnyman Jason Bateman were in the film.  Another fun surprise was Mellissa McCarthy!
• Fanny packs make so much sense, right?
• I always enjoy funny outtakes at the end of movies.  I thought the joke about “The Rock” being a dumb name was hilarious.  Dwayne Johnson, apparently, thought so too.
• I really enjoyed the fact that I wasn’t completely confident about who the good guys and bad guys were during most of the movie. 
• Director Rawson Marshall Thurber had a challenge with framing to fit both lead actors in the same shot because of their height difference.  Nice job.  By the way, Thurber brought us other raunchy comedies such as "We Are The Millers" and "Dodge Ball."
• It's refreshing to see the two lead actors switch comedic roles.  We're not used to seeing Hart as the straight man and Johnson as the funny man.
• It's set up perfectly for a sequel.  Get your unicorn shirts ready.

Things I didn’t like:

• LOTS of crude jokes about farts, porn, and body parts.
• The plot isn’t exactly original, but it still worked…enough.
• Some racist jokes.

Funny lines:

• “You’re like a chocolate Google.” – Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson)
• “You are Jason Bourne in shorts!” – Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart)
• “What did you do?  One thing? Tell me!” – Calvin

“I worked out 6 hours a day for 20 years straight.” – Bob

• “You look like a black Will Smith or something.” – Bob

“Oh, OK. I don’t know if that’s racist, but I’ll take it as a compliment.” – Calvin

• “I got a plan.  It might get us both killed, but if it works, it’ll be a totally boss story. Cool?” – Bob
• "No!  Not cool!" - Calvin
• “I’m not in.” – Calvin

“But I think you are.” – Bob

“But I’m not.” – Calvin

“It might be a perception vs. reality thing happening right now.” – Bob

• “Well, there’s no coming back from that.” – Principal Kent (Phil Reeves)
• “Black people don’t go to therapy.  They go to barbershops to talk about their problems.  And then they watch “Barbershop.” - Calvin
• “You’re the power couple.  I mean, you’re like Taylor Swift and whoever she’s dating right now.” – Bob
• “Is that from the Twilight movies?” – Calvin
• “Take my gun, Jet.  We may have to kill some people.” – Bob
• “Are you OK?  You kind of sound like Ray Liotta at the end of Good Fellas.” – Maggie (Danielle Nicolet)

Ha ha.  That’s so funny.  That’s such a good reference.” - Calvin

Did you notice?

• Bob Stone likes cinnamon pancakes and unicorns on his Facebook profile?  Bob said “Oh yeah, I’m big time into corns.  They’re so magical.”
• The centaur mascot at the high school assembly?

Tips for parents:   

• You will see the complete naked back side of a fat kid when Bob was in high school and then again as an adult…this time it’s really Dwayne Johnson’s posterior.
• High school bullying is depicted in the first 5 minutes of the film. In the next 5 minutes there is sexual harassment depicted in the work place.
• Kevin Hart flips the bird at someone.
• Lots of profanity, including 1 F-bomb.

Jem and the Holograms preaches be yourself

Movie:    Jem and the Holograms

Rating:    PG, 1 hour 58 minutes

Grade:   B-

In a Nutshell:   If you’re a 7 year old girl, you’ll like this musical fantasy movie.  This live-action girl-power flick is based on the 1980’s cartoon series about the adventures of an all-girl rock band, although it doesn’t have the humor and high adventure as the source material.

The movie poster advertises that the film is “Truly Outrageous”.  Um….no, not really.  More like “Truly Touchy-feely.”   Overall, it is sweet and has a positive message for girls.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Create your own destiny.

·         Use your gifts to inspire people.

·         Never fear the unknown.

·         “We each have music inside us.  It connects us all.” – Jem

·          Jem tells Rio (Ryan Guzman) “It seems like you’re fatally allergic to positivity.”  A running theme throughout the movie is to think positive and hope for the best.

·         “Don’t underestimate yourself.” – Rio

·         “Time with family, the ones you love most…there’s nothing more valuable.” – Jerrica’s Dad

Things I liked:

·         Fun cameos include Jimmy Fallon, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chris Pratt, Alicia Keys, and Jason Kennedy.

·         Synergy is adorable…and designed to evoke girly giggles and “ahhhhhs” from the target audience. 

·         The YouTube generation will eat up all of the supposed real clips of tweens whose lives were changed by #Jem.  The only thing missing was sugary emoticons with glitter.

·         Molly Ringwald, America’s sweetheart teenager from the 1986  Pretty in Pink , is aging well.

·         Cool bird’s eye view of LA.

·         I loved the big wooden doors at the Starlight mansion.

·         Starring Aubrey Peeples as Jem, her girl band does make some pretty harmonies.  The politically correct, multi-racial girls include Stefanie Scott (Kimber), Aurora Perrineau (Shana), and Hayley Kiyoko (Aja).

Things I didn’t like:

·         It’s extremely formulaic and predictable.

·         It’s hard to feel sad for a girl who is young, beautiful, talented, rich and famous.

·         With all of his mixed martial art training, we don’t get to watch Ryan Guzman fight or dance like in his debut role in Step Up All In , but we do get to hear him sing.

·         Stupid slow-motion scene of the girls having a squirt bottle fight in bikinis.

·         Jerrica’s dad completely focuses on her and not the other daughters.  I would feel sad and neglected if I were her sister.

Funny lines:  

·          “If squirrels can waterski, we can do anything, guys!” – security guard at Starlight Studio

·         “Valet of the Damned”.   Ha ha

·         “This is a Tetanus shot waiting to happen.” – Shana  

Lines that are supposed to sound profound:

·         The best answer is the one that’s been with you all along.”  Jem   

·         “Jem is anyone who has something to express.  We’re all Jem!  This is our time!” - Jem

·         “A home is where you’re surrounded by people you love and who love you regardless.” – Kimber 

·         “Did you just quote a Beyonce song?” – Aja  

“Yeah, cuz she got it so right!” – Jem

·         “Your destiny can be as mysterious and vast as any ocean.” – Dad

·         “Where you go now is up to you.” – Dad

·         “Come on, ya gotta jump some time.” - Rio

Tips that Erica Raymond gives to the girls to become stars:

1.       Stand tall

2.       Lean back

3.       Smile, but don’t make faces

4.       Look like you’re having fun, but don’t really have fun.

5.       A bad photo lives longer than vampires.

 Tips for Parents:

·          The PG rating is for some reckless behavior by the girls that you don’t want your own daughters to emulate, kissing, a guy with nothing on but a towel, and some profanity.

·         Parents, be prepared for your daughters to paint their hair and faces lots of different colors.  Expect to see the sale of face and hair glitter to jump.

If you or your daughter can't get enough of the magic of Jem, check out these fun items: