Online Movie Reviews for Parents

There's a wonderful resource on the Internet for parents who are concerned about the content of the movies their children want to watch. It's called "Kids-in-Mind", and goes beyond the traditional PG or R-type ratings to develop its own rating system. Each movie they review (and they don't seem to miss any of the new ones and have most of the old ones as well) has three numbers that rate for sex/nudity, violence/gore, and profanity. Each is given a number from 0 to 10, with ten being the worst.

The reviews explain why a film rates high or low in each category by describing each troubling scene in considerable detail. For example, the newest "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, which is rated as 3.7.2, describes many scenes of graphic violence, with the following being one of the milder examples: "A man shoots a gun into the air in a bar and a fight breaks out with people punching and shoving each other and using swordplay: one man is pushed over a balcony and another is thrown over a balcony. A man is shot at as he runs away, people throw fruits at him, he falls a great distance crashing through several wooden walkways and he then slams into the ground." Other scenes are described in terms that I'd rather not reproduce here.

These reviews allow each parent to decide for themselves whether or not a movie is appropriate for their own child. One family may elect to screen for sex and nudity while another may be more concerned with violent content. Check out reviews for movies you are familiar with and get an idea of what numbers you are comfortable with. You may find that movies with a violence rating of 5 are fine for your kids, but will want to think twice about letting them see something higher. As a parent myself I appreciate being able to learn these details when trying to make a decision about whether or not to let my son see a particular movie.

While on the site you can also check out their links to other movie review sites, including their sister sites critics.com and mediascreen.com, as well as Rotten Tomatoes, FilmForce and IGN. Another terrific site for movie buffs is the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com). And to find out what is playing at area theaters from Saco to Salisbury check out portsmouthnh.com's online movie guide. You can search titles to find out where and when they are playing, or theaters to find out what is playing there and when.

Poetry vs. Philosophy - February 1st

The Lane Memorial Library in conjunction with the NH Humanities Council will present Attorney and former Portsmouth Poet Laureate John Perrault to argue Philosophy’s case against Poetry—and vice-versa—on Thursday, February 1st . The trial begins at 6:30 pm sharp in the Lane Room. The debate is an old one, with each side claiming the right to “tell the truth.” Perrault’s sharp and entertaining lecture provides an enthusiast’s history of the battle, with a witness list that includes Ralph Waldo Emerson, Socrates, Emily Dickinson, Hegel, Wallace Stevens and more. For further information, contact Darrell Eifert at the library: 603-926-3368, or visit John Perrault on the web at http://www.johnperrault.com/ .

Announcements from the Friends of the Library

Friends of Library Seeking books

The Friends of the Lane Memorial Library in Hampton are seeking gently used books for their upcoming book sales. Please drop off your donations to the library on Academy Avenue in Hampton, NH. If you have any questions please call the library at 926-3368.

Friends of Library announce paperback book sale

The Friends of the Lane Memorial Library will be having a paperback book sale on Friday January 26th from 12:30 to 4:30 pm and Saturday January 27th from 9:30 to 3:30 in the foyer outside the children’s room. All proceeds benefit the library.

Friends of Library Announce Sweetheart Tea

The Friends of the Lane Memorial Library in Hampton are pleased to announce that a Sweetheart Tea will be held at the library on Saturday February 10, 2007. There will be two seatings. The first seating will be from 10:30 am to noon and the second will be from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. This is a free program for Hampton residents, boys and girls from ages 3 to 8 along with their parents, grandparents or guardian. The children will be creating crafts, listening to stories and enjoying treats together as well as meeting other Hampton families. Only those signed up can participate. It will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please visit or call the children’s room to register at 926-4729. The sign up deadline is February 8, 2007. These and other programs made possible through the support of the Friends of the Lane Memorial Library benefit all of the library’s patrons. And, the Friends are always seeking to add new members to their numbers. Anyone who is looking to meet new people, get involved in the community, or is willing to help the library is encouraged to contact the Friends. For more information about the Friends, visit http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/library/friends/index.htm , or call (603) 926-3368.