The Star Rating
The star rating shown at the top of each movie, DVD, or TV show review on KidsTVMovies.About.com is based on the following three criteria:
- Artistic Merit: How good is the work artistically? This category includes an evaluation of the story, cinematography, animation, and more.
- Safe for Children: Is the film appropriate for children? In determining if the film is kid safe, the program is evaluated for content such as language, violence, bad behavior, and sexually provocative behavior or scenes.
- Value to Children: Does the film uplift, inspire, or teach children? The morals and messages of movies and shows are examined to determine how much value the film brings to kids.
The star rating is a subjective value from 0-5 stars. Because the work is not being rated on artistic merit alone, we are not opposed to giving 5 stars. High scores in the "Safe for Children" and "Value to Children" categories can compensate for artistic merit.
Kid Safe Grade
The Kid Safe Grade is assigned based on the following criteria:
- A: A movie or TV show will receive an “A” only if the content is appropriate for children of all ages. The movie must generally free from language that would not be good for kids to imitate (words like “jerk” or “idiot”), innuendo, and violence. The themes and ideas conveyed by the show must be safe for kids of all ages.
- B: While the film or show may be intended for all audiences, it contains a few elements that may be considered mildly objectionable. The movie is generally free from profanity and excessively rude language, excessive innuendo, and violence, but some imitative behavior or mild innuendo may be present.
- C: The movie contains elements that are objectionable and behavioral examples that would not be considered appropriate for kids to imitate. Generally, the movie does not contain profanity, sexually provocative scenes, or heavily violent material. While a "C" movie may or may not be ok for older kids, we would not recommend it for children eight or younger.
- D: The show contains obviously objectionable material or mature themes. We would not recommend such a film for children under 13.
- F: Definitely not recommended for children of any age.
* A "+" or "-" may be added to the letter grade if the show is on the border between two grades. The letter grades are designed to be a helpful tool for parents in making decisions about their children's television and movie viewing, as they evaluate the information according to their own family's values and standards.
