In 1993, the Clinton administration signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty that extends to children the rights to associate with whom they please and have access to all forms of media, among other head-scratchers. Thankfully, as of March 2023, the U.S. remains the only UN member state to have not...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Tram Nguyen has used restroom floors, the grass at city parks and the back of her van to change her 7-year-old daughter's diapers.

Her daughter, Sadie, who was born with a chromosomal abnormality that limits her mobility, has outgrown the infant changing tables in most public restrooms.

"It's disgusting and undignified to have ...Read more

'SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS'

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and language.

What it’s about: The sequel to 2019's "Shazam!" finds the unlikely kid superhero battling, well, some furious gods.

The kid attractor factor: The superhero genre, young cast and juvenile tone will draw younger audiences.

Good lessons/bad lessons: ...Read more

'SCREAM VI'

Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, and brief drug use.

What it’s about: Ghostface takes Manhattan as he hunts down the Woodsboro crew who have gone off to college.

The kid attractor factor: Teens might be drawn to the well-known slasher movie franchise

Good lessons/bad lessons: Trust no one! Use your ...Read more

'CREED III'

Rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language.

What it’s about: The third film in the "Creed" trilogy finds boxer Adonis Creed reckoning with a figure from his past.

The kid attractor factor: Teens might be drawn to the sports drama genre.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Resist taking on the guilt of the ...Read more

'JESUS REVOLUTION'

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and strong drug content.

What it’s about: Details the rise of the Jesus movement in Southern California in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, surrounding Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie and Lonnie Frisbee.

The kid attractor factor: Might appeal to some Christian teens.

Good lessons/bad ...Read more

An ear thermometer sent Rita Ho-Bezzola's 1-year-old daughter into a crying fit when a nurse tried to take the little girl's temperature.

Afterward, Ho-Bezzola decided to buy a thermometer from a local CVS retailer and play pretend doctor with her child. Through that interaction, she said, her daughter learned how the tool would be used.

When ...Read more

'OF AN AGE'

Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and some drug use.

What it’s about: A touching coming-of-age story about a young gay man discovering kinship with his friend's brother while getting ready to graduate high school in Melbourne, Australia.

The kid attractor factor: This is more of an indie adult drama. The high ...Read more

'MAGIC MIKE'S LAST DANCE'

Rated R for sexual material and language.

What it’s about: It's right there in the title — this is male stripper Magic Mike's last dance, and in it, he's going to put on a cabaret show for the ladies (and gents) of London.

The kid attractor factor: Not much — this is for mature audiences.

Good lessons/bad ...Read more

Remember COVID? A mutated version of the virus that not long ago dominated our lives is still killing more than 500 Americans per day on average — adding to a 1.1 million grim national total. Here in New York City, 13 people are dying on average each day, nothing to sneeze at for those who care about preventing suffering.

The bivalent vaccine...Read more

'KNOCK AT THE CABIN'

Rated R for violence and language.

What it’s about: A home invasion horror thriller with an apocalyptic bent in which a group of fanatical strangers attempts to convince a family to sacrifice one of their own.

The kid attractor factor: This is a heavy thriller with dark themes — not much appeal for kids.

Good lessons...Read more

'FEAR'

Rated R for bloody violence and language.

What it’s about: A group of friends escape the pandemic for a weekend at a spooky lodge in Northern California, where they express their fears and see them come true.

The kid attractor factor: Teens might be interested in this horror thriller, but not kids.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Your ...Read more

A fellow psychologist says I paint with too broad a brush concerning the devastating effect mental health professional advice has had on children. He claims that some changes in parenting practice since the 1960s have been beneficial and gives more involved fathers as an example. Hold that thought.

In the 1960s, American parents turned from ...Read more

'MISSING'

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, language, teen drinking, and thematic material.

What it’s about: A daughter searches for her missing mother in this techno thriller that takes place entirely on a computer screen.

The kid attractor factor: This deals with mature and dark themes — it's not appealing for kids, more for adults....Read more

'PLANE'

Rated R for violence and language.

What it’s about: A scrappy commercial airline pilot is forced to make an emergency crash landing onto a hostile island in the Philippines ruled by a separatist militia.

The kid attractor factor: This taut action thriller should appeal to adults only.

Good lessons/bad lessons: It's always the cost-...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Dustin Gardner has mentored scores of young cooks in the 16 years he's served as executive chef of Casbah, an upscale Mediterranean restaurant in Shadyside. But it's safe to say the budding chef who tugs tightest on his heartstrings is his pint-sized daughter.

Gardner, of White Oak, and his wife, Lindsay — the two met while ...Read more

'M3GAN'

Rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, some strong language and a suggestive reference.

What it’s about: A high-tech doll programmed by an aunt to comfort her grieving niece turns out to have a dark side.

The kid attractor factor: This is a horror movie, but it will appeal to teens and younger horror fans, especially with it's ...Read more