Appropriate Movies by Age on Netflix in November
This month, Netflix released a bunch of new movies. However, not all of them are family friendly. Here is a list of new Netflix movies categorized for kids, teens, and adults.
Most of these shows are PG or PG-13 and some are Documentaries. A few of them are rated TV so I have also included specific scenes that, according to your individual standards, will tip them to one side or the other.
The ratings come from IMDb and the summaries are a combination of my own viewing, IMDb, the movie’s personal website, and Common Sense Media.
Kids
In this section I have included the new releases that are appropriate for kids 0 to 13. Remember that each family has slightly different standards when it comes to movies so adjust these lists accordingly.
Babes in Toyland (1961)
This show is approved for all audiences. It has many of the mother goose characters in it. The story is about Mary Quite Contrary and the children she lives with. It is a love story about Mary and Tom and them saving their sheep and defeating Barnaby.
Barnaby is trying to steal Mary away from Tom. Barnaby sends his henchmen to drown Tom but they don’t go through with it. At the end of the show Barnaby and Tom fight with toys to win Mary’s heart.
Bali: Season 1
This cute TV show is about a puppy and his adventures in the city with his humans. It aired on PBS Kids so it is a great fit for younger kids probably ages 0 to 4 years.
Trading Mom (1994)
In this PG rated family show, three kids banish their mother and go to the “Mommy Market” to pick out a new one. They lost their memory of their mother when they cast the spell and now the only way to get her back is to think of one of their memories with her.
- The oldest girl almost tries smoking but gets caught.
- A bully pushes the youngest boy down and the older brother pushes the bully.
Small Town Santa (2013)
Rick arrests an intruder on Christmas Eve, a rather jolly intruder. Rick has lost the Christmas spirit and it takes Santa and a lovely woman to help him find the Christmas spirit.
> PG for thematic elements and some rude humor
VeggieTales in the House (2014)
Each VeggieTales movie is about a different story or theme in The Bible. They are videos that teach children the importance of kindness and telling the truth and everything in-between. The stories are told by fruits and veggies and they become the characters in their stories.
Teens
I would rate this area as 14 and up.
The Rocketeer (1991)
This less well known Disney movie is rated PG. It is about a pilot who discovers a jetpack and turns into a superhero. He must avoid spies, mobsters, FBI agents and more to save Jenny from evil Sinclare who wants the jetpack at any cost.
> In the show, Sinclare unsuccessfully tries to seduce Jenny and some cleavage is shown. He also comments on her cleavage.
> There are car crashes and lots of gunfire, all of the bad guys die by being shot or are burned up by an exploding jetpack.
> Lastly there is some mild profanity.
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
The second in the series, Royal Engagement is rated G. Princess Mia must marry in a month or she must give up the throne to a different heir. She has to agree to an arranged marriage because that is the only way to get married within a month.
A few things to be aware of:
- There is a small reference that one of the potential suitors is gay.
- Mia hits a guy with a fan and they both fall into a fountain.
- There are two swear words and a few ‘craps.’
Artifact (2012)
Artifact is a film documentary about the band Thirty Seconds to Mars and their war with their record company. Documentaries don’t use the same rating system as movies so I did some digging for all of the documentaries in this list.
> It is listed as provocative or thought-provoking and mentally stimulating.
Not Yet Begun to Fight (2012)
In this documentary about coping after fighting in a war, an old veteran shares his personal way of healing with new returns from the war. Fishing and releasing the fish gave him the avenue he needed to heal from the war. The documentary follows him as he shares it with men who have just returned from the war.
Wolfblood: Season 2
This British TV series is about a teenage girl werewolf. She is the only one at her school until a new boy moves in. Her story is about fitting in, hiding her secret, and coming of age.
Her first obstacle is one of her best friends who is intent on proving that werewolves exist.
Beyond the Edge (2013)
We follow Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary as they attempt the climb of Mt Everest. This is a Documentary about their true story of battling nature and defying the world.
Bill Cosby 77 (2012)
Bill Cosby is a very famous comedian who tends to do sketches around parenting and marriage. Bill Cosby 77 is a Nexflix special comprised of Cosby’s stand up comedy routines.
Adult
I would suggest ages 16 and older for these movies.
Altman (2014)
A documentary on Altman’s journey from WWII fighter pilot to Filmmaker. He had a lot of obstacles in his way as he tried to film movies the way he wanted to and the themes he wanted to show the world.
He created films such as MASH, Popey, Short Cuts, and Gosford Park.
Louder Than Words (2014)
Louder Than Words is rated PG-13. A couple unexpectedly lose their daughter and use their trial to give them drive. They focus their energy in creating a state of the art children’s hospital. Theirs is specifically designed to incorporate the family into the process of healing children.
> Contains brief strong language, thematic materials, and smoking.
Doc Martin: Series 6
This medical drama/comedy TV show follows the story of a Doctor returning to his home town to become their general practitioner. He has no bedside manners and seems to be intolerant of medicine and life. He does start to fall for one of the town members.
- Reference to a marital affair.
- Mentally disturbed characters who are sometimes violent.
- Accidents with lots of blood.
- Depictions of the effects of abusing drugs.
Ida (2014)
In 1962, Ida has decided to take her vows. But, she must get the permission from her last living relative first. Ida, with her aunt, discover her Jewish roots and the tragic story of her past. This show is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some sexuality and smoking.
Some scenes to be aware of.
- It is implied that a character has multiple sex partners.
- There is a sex scene that shows faces and them lying in bed afterwards. Bare back is shown.
- They exhume three graves.
- Jesus is used as an expletive.
- There are scenes of drinking and smoking.
Running From Crazy (2013)
Documentary about Mariel Hemingway and the family history of suicide and mental illness.
Bomb Girls: Season 3
This series is about a group of women who, during the war, build bombs in a factory. It depicts what life was like during WWII for the women who stayed behind.
The series contains sexual innuendos and violent scenes against women. There are also themes of adultery, lesbianism, and pregnancy throughout the series.
It promotes strong and empowering messages about women and their rights.