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Dune: Part Two (PG-13)

Age 13+

Superior second half of sci-fi epic has violence, fighting.

“Dune: Part Two” is the second half of the sci-fi epic based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel that began in 2021’s “Dune.” Violence is the biggest issue: Expect lots of fighting, shooting (with futuristic guns), battling with knives/blades, slicing and slashing (very little blood shown), a few bloody wounds, many explosions, atomic warheads, head-bashing, neck-snapping, and more. Characters kiss, and there are two suggestions of sex: once when one character lies on top of another, their faces close and both breathing heavily, and the other mentioned in dialogue. Infrequent language includes uses of “s---,” “piss” and “hell.” The story is about a drug known as “spice,” but it’s more of a thing for everyone to fight over than a real drug. Despite some stuffy, draggy parts, this film is more satisfying than the first, with more nuanced themes, and its technical aspects are just as superb. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya co-star. (166 minutes)

Available in theaters.

Spaceman (R)

Age 14+

Man faces existential questions in space; language, peril.

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“Spaceman” is a philosophical, book-based film starring Adam Sandler as an astronaut named Jakub who is losing his grip on reality as he floats alone in space. Jakub learns lessons about himself and mistakes he’s made in how he prioritized his relationships. Aboard the spaceship, he’s lonely and doesn’t sleep well, causing him to age quickly and potentially get delusional. He dreams that a spider is crawling under the skin of his face and reaching tentacles out of his nose and mouth. In flashbacks, he sees a pig bleeding out on a farm, recalls his father’s death, sees a house or barn on fire, recollects nearly drowning in a river, and remembers his wife’s miscarriage (she’s curled over in pain and bleeding down her leg). He realizes that his loneliness is self-inflicted. A creature he has befriended (or imagined) is slowly dying. In one scene, the man and the being are floating in space, and it’s unclear for a while whether they’ll survive. A legend describes a king poking out a man’s eyes. An astronaut drinks what appears to be hard alcohol through a straw. Language includes “f---,” “s---” and “hell.” (109 minutes)

Available on Netflix.

Bea’s Block (TV-G)

Age 2+

Neighborly kindness, empathy shine in fab preschool series.

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“Bea’s Block” is a preschool series from the production company behind “Sesame Street.” It promotes compassion as the main character, Bea (voiced by Everly Carganilla), and her friends go on “kindness adventures” to help others overcome hiccups like disappointing a friend or being nervous about doing something for the first time. Through attentive observation, hypothesis and testing, the characters work together to find solutions that make everyone feel good. The show’s design feels fresh and allows for a neighborhood of characters of different shapes and shades. Families in the Block are diverse and from various ethnic backgrounds. In Bea’s house, for example, the bilingual family members infuse their vocabulary with Spanish words. A musical sequence at the end of each episode reiterates the lesson, and the show never loses sight of the lightness and recreational essence of play.

Available on Max.

The Space Race (NR)

Age 11+

Documentary about Black astronauts has language, peril.

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“The Space Race” is a documentary about pioneering Black astronauts. Images and references address topics including racism, segregation, enslavement, deaths, assassinations, an airplane crash, a spacecraft explosion, and cigarette and pipe smoking. There also is a mention of drinking. Language includes frequent use of “hell” and the n-word. A couple of other slurs are also heard, as well as “a--,” “damn” and “oh my God.” Underlying everything is the positive theme of making efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion to help make the world a better place. (91 minutes)

Available on Disney Plus and Hulu.

Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsense.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites and books.

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