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Hootie & Otis Are On The Job!
Hootie Takes A Lunch Break
You heard of Siskel and Ebert, well meet Hootie and Otis!
These two media critics review all new childrens media on a weekly basis and post their reviews on this page. Of course they have me the psychotherapist doing all the work for them... They can't type!! We review new movies, games and television programs every week, and rate them with Hootie and Otis's trusted trademark rating system: Paws Up = content is appropriate for targeted audience and we approve.
Paws Down = content is inappropriate for targeted audience and we do not approve. Check Out This Weeks Reviews Below!
BET And MTV Television Programing
HOOTIE & OTIS RATING = Paws Down! The Parents Television Council, in partnership with the Enough is Enough Campaign, released shocking new data about BET (Black Entertainment Television) and MTV (Music Television) daytime music video programming. As recently as March 2008, children who watched BET’s Rap City and 106 & Park and MTV’s Sucker Free on MTV were bombarded with adult content - sexual, violent, profane or obscene - once every 38 seconds! Hootie Blocks these Channels from his pal Otis.
Movie Reviews
When MIT astrophysics professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage in one-note mournful mode) looks distracted and thoughtful as he invites his class to debate randomness vs. determinism, you don't have to be much of a determinist to figure out that as inevitably as night follows day, John is about to be hit with some Evidence of a Greater Plan. This isn't determinism, the idea that events that may seem random are a part of some greater pattern. This is just predictable hogwash, and it gets even hogwashier until it arrives at an ending that manages to be inevitable, uninspired, and preposterous. John's son Caleb (a sincere Chandler Canterbury) attends a school that is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The ceremony involves opening a time capsule filled with drawings from children on its opening day. But the envelope Caleb is given to open does not have a drawing of spaceships. It has an apparently random string of numbers. John notices that one string is 09/11/2001 and the number killed that day. A night-long Google search later, he has assigned many of the numbers to known disasters -- and figured out that the final three dates are still in the future. Writer-director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) has produced another sharp, twisty, and very stylish thriller, this time with romance and a bit of stardust. The result is a top-notch date movie for grown-ups. Julia Roberts plays Claire and her Closer co-star Clive Owens is Ray. They meet at an American embassy 4th of July party in Dubai and it is not clear whether their opening exchange is flirtation or something a little more professional. The same can be said of the subsequent encounter, leaving one of them triumphant and the other feeling used and embarrassed. As we go back and forth in time, pieces of the puzzle come together. Once spies for the CIA and MI6, Claire and Ray move on to the more-lucrative career of corporate espionage and perhaps the even-more lucrative career of working for themselves.
Knowing
Hootie and Otis Rating – Paw’s Up!
Suitable For: Mature High Schooler
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language
Release Date: March 20, 2009
Duplicity
Suitable For: High School
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for language and some sexual content
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
Release Date: March 20, 2009
What do Egyptian launch codes and a new frozen pizza topping have in common? They're both secrets that are of value to both those who know it and those who want to know it. Where there are secrets, there must be spies. Where there are spies, there must be counter-spies. And where there is conflict, there must be some sparks.
Twilight
Suitable For: Middle School
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality
Release Date: November 21, 2008
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl - Rated G
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
Families will definitely want to see this movie! It’s an engaging adventure for families and kids with no swearing and very little violent behavior. Children will enjoy this movie and so will mom and dad. It’s entertaining, thought-provoking, and filled with positive messages such as making choices and setting priorities in life.The story is about a young girl who encounters hardships but finds ways to stay positive with the help of supportive, loving parents and friends and her own unwavering trust in mankind. The movie's efforts to educate audiences about the Great Depression are admirable. Good for all ages.
Hootie and Otis Rating – Paw’s Up!
This is a good family film with a heartwarming story that will appeal to grown-ups too. It has underlying positive messages about staying true to who you are. However, it is martial arts-themed, so expect plenty of action packed fighting scenes with kicks, punches, falls, etc. Even though they're animated, there are some scenes that Hootie and Otis feel may be a little too scary for kindergartners and younger. Ages 6+ recommended. The language is fairly free of swearing.
The Sword in the Stone Rated G
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
A story of the early years of King Arthur, this film has positive messages about love and courage to name a few. Language and violence has minimal harshness. This magical movie has great music, messages, humor, and family fun! Ages 5+ recommended.
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
A father daughter comedy!
This movie portrays a good message about parent child relationships, No foul language, violence, or deep issues to explain to the children. It’s a funny family movie that promotes kids to think about college. Ages 8+ recommended.
Current Video Game Reviews
WALL-E for Everyone - (For XBOX 360)
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
This game has minimal shooting with no blood or violent deaths. May be somewhat difficult for ages around 5 years who will watch the movie, but is safe in terms of minimal violence and safe language for ages 5+. Most of the game requires you use logic because it is a puzzle.
Ninja Gaiden II - (For XBOX 360)
Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Down!
This video game is extremely violent that requires the use of swords, knives, chopping off opponents’ arms, heads and legs to say the least and is not appropriate for kids. Blood is everywhere and kids will even witness masses of flesh flying around after killing an opponent. Attacks are extremely gory and the underlying message that Ryu Hayabusa has a goal the he sets out to save the world – he is also looking for revenge for his clan in Japan along the way. The female characters dress inappropriately showing a lot of cleavage. Definitely Paw’s Down. Ages 18+
American Girl Kit: A Tree House of My Own (PC) Hootie and Otis Rating = Paw’s Up!
This is a game which is played on the computer (PC) In this game Kit helps others earn the tools needed to build her tree-house. No sexual content, foul language, or violence. Perfect for the little ones! While mostly about arcade games and not much about Kit herself, the game does include word tasks as one of the six different objectives, which adds an educational value to the game.
Grand Theft Auto Game (All Versions) HOOTIE & OTIS RATING = Paws Down! GTA IV is a world full of crime, drugs and war, where people bemoan the state of the world yet hurl threatening abuse at you if you so much as accidentally pull out on an oncoming car. It is a world gone awry where consumerism, materialism and the need for never-ending ever-increasing physical sensations of all forms outweigh any form of social drive toward a common community. Whilst Niko is clearly a criminal, as he runs around dispatching gang bosses, stealing cars and running people down - he resides in a world of insanity where people have lost all touch with reality, as they are swept away in a torrent of overwhelming media saturation, nihilism, and selfish narcissism. Hootie ate the game after the review he thinks they should all be destroyed. Is this the virtual reality you want your kid to be in
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