Rating: PG-13, for some sci-fi action violence.

Based on the Max Steel games and toys by Mattel, this sci-fi action comedy is aimed at tweens and teens, but it’s borderline incomprehensible regardless of your age. Max McGrath (Ben Winchell) moves back to his father’s hometown with his widowed mother (Maria Bello). There, he begins to piece together the details of the accident in which his scientist father died. But Max finds strange things are happening to him, too – like, he can shoot strings of liquid, blue-tinted energy from his fingertips and cause things to explode. Thankfully, a cheeky, drone-like alien named Steel (voiced by Josh Brener) arrives to explain his newfound powers and show him what the two can achieve when they join forces. When they do, they become a superhero known as … wait for it … Max Steel, complete with head-to-toe body armor, super strength and flying abilities. Essentially, he’s Iron Teen. But if only it were that simple. Max is in constant peril, with armed bad guys chasing after him to capture him and harness his energy. There’s also a giant, evil, tornado-like creature with a mean face and glowing red eyes that might also be an alien. But even without those nuisances, Max is frequently in pain as energy surges through his body, giving him painful headaches and causing him to panic. There are also several intense flashbacks that gradually reveal what really happened to his father. This movie wasn’t screened for critics, and while it’s probably OK for kids around 9 or 10 and up, I’d find something else to do. Anything else.

Rating: PG, for mild rude humor and some action/peril.

This movie is harmless for the whole family. It’s also not very good. The fourth or fifth film in the Ice Age franchise (it’s hard to keep track) finds Scrat landing inside an alien spaceship, where he inadvertently sends a fiery asteroid hurtling toward Earth in his eternal pursuit of an acorn. All the prehistoric creatures down below must scurry about, seeking safety and working together to avoid obliteration. Yes, the characters (voiced by Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Adam Devine and – the rare highlight – Simon Pegg) are in constant danger, but the threat seems far away and cartoonish. There’s a scene in which a bunch of animals luxuriate in a hot tub and flirt with each other. And there is exactly one poop joke. But the antics and action are suitable for all ages, and your kids will probably think Scrat is cute. So there’s that.

Rating: PG-13, for supernatural action and some crude humor.

Viewers around 8 or 9 and older should be fine with this remake of the 1984 comedy-action classic, which was a worldwide box-office hit this summer. This time, four women bust ghosts in New York City rather than men. Comedians Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones star as paranormal investigators who run around town with their makeshift, high-tech gear, wrestling and capturing an ever-increasing number of ghouls who’ve invaded. It’s mostly played for laughs, but younger viewers might be frightened at first by the appearance of the ghosts, which are more detailed than they were 30 years ago. An early scene in particular finds a long-dead woman floating over our heroes menacingly with her wild eyes and sharp teeth – only to shoot projectile green slime all over Wiig’s character. That’s the way a lot of the bits go: They initially may seem scary but they’re ultimately goofy. There’s a bit of language here and there in addition to the complicated scientific jargon, which may confuse younger viewers. But the underlying theme of strong, smart women who stick by each other no matter what is more than worthwhile for both girls and boys to see. I brought my son (who was about 6 ½ at the time) to see it in the theater, and while he felt briefly frightened during the opening sequence in a haunted mansion, he quickly laughed when things turned silly.

Rating: PG-13, sequences of action and violence, some sensuality and brief rude dialogue.

Tweens and older probably will be fine watching this latest telling of the familiar legend, although it is extremely violent. Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) – or, rather, John Clayton III, the fifth Earl of Greystoke – leaves genteel London to revisit the Belgian Congo of his youth with his wife, Jane (Margot Robbie). He’s going as a trade emissary and doesn’t realize he’s being lured into a trap. Along the way, the couple – along with an American diplomat who has tagged along (Samuel L. Jackson) – find themselves the targets of various jungle animals as well as well-armed human mercenaries, led by the greedy and devious right-hand man to the Belgian king (Christoph Waltz). Massive amounts of gunfire and brutal brawls between Tarzan and his former gorilla brethren ensue. Much of the animal action is beautiful and even adorable, but a lot of it is intense and frightening, and it surely will startle younger viewers. Jane also is in peril much of the time – a damsel in need of rescuing, despite her smarts and pluck. There’s also a love scene – or at least the suggestion that Tarzan and Jane are about to have sex, followed by the two snuggling in bed, basking in the afterglow.

This acclaimed horror hybrid from debuting writer-director Babak Anvari is set in war-torn Tehran centers on a mother and daughter who may or may not be suffering under the presence of a Djinn.

Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes

The latest chapter in the Star Trek saga finds the crew of the Enterprise marooned and separated on an unfamiliar planet, where they discover a new foe may have been waiting for them all along.

Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes

Alexander Skarsgård and Margot Robbie star in this new adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs tale, about a man raised by apes who returns to the jungle as a trade emissary and discovers there are evil forces at play.

Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary reprise their voice roles in the latest in the Ice Age franchise, which finds Manny and the gang in peril when Scrat inadvertently sets off a chain of cataclysmic events on Earth in his eternal pursuit of an acorn.

Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes

Mel Gibson stars in this action thriller about an ex-con who takes on a dangerous drug cartel in order to protect his daughter. The release comes with a single behind-the-scenes featurette.

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Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones star in Paul Feig’s contemporary reboot of the popular comedy, about a group of scientists (and one MTA worker) who band together to fight supernatural threats in New York City. This extended edition of the film contains 15 extra minutes of footage (as well as the theatrical cut) and extras like gag reels, deleted and alternate scenes, a handful of featurettes, and more.

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Bryan Cranston stars in this real-life drama about an undercover US Customs agent who enters Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking operation in an effort to build a case and bring down his financial support system. Special features include a commentary with Cranston and director Brad Furman, deleted scenes, and a pair of making-of featurettes.

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Alexander Skarsgård and Margot Robbie star in this new adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs tale, about a man raised by apes who returns to the jungle as a trade emissary and discovers there are evil forces at play. Six featurettes are included.

Get it Here, Stream it Here

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary reprise their voice roles in the latest in the Ice Age franchise, which finds Manny and the gang in peril when Scrat inadvertently sets off a chain of cataclysmic events on Earth in his eternal pursuit of an acorn. Included are seven featurettes and an image gallery.

Get it Here, Stream it Here

Hot off the second presidential debate, we have Dinesh D’Souza’s documentary, which seeks to chronicle the history of the Democratic Party and offer some insights into candidate Hillary Clinton’s political motivations. Extras include extended scenes and interviews, deleted scenes, and breakdown of the visual effects employed.

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This Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning animated series from the Cartoon Network follows the adventures of a boy and his best friend, a talking dog, who live in the surreal, fantastical Land of Ooo. The season six set includes a featurette, song demos, animatics, and galleries.

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The first of two Criterion Collection releases is Richard Linklater’s Oscar-winning drama chronicling the ups and down of a young boy and his family over the course of 12 years. The Blu-ray comes with a new commentary track with Linklater an nine members of the cast and crew, a new doc on the film’s production, a new discussion between Linklater and stars Patricia Arquette and Ellar Coltrane, and more.

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Lastly, Criterion also brings us a new release of Robert Altman’s western starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, about a man who builds a brothel in a budding frontier town with the help of an experienced madame. Extras include a 2002 commentary track with Altman and producer David Foster, a new making-of doc, a featurette from the original 1970 production, and more.

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Rating: PG, for action/peril, some scary moments and brief rude humor.

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel is visually dazzling, with seamless special effects that blend computer-generated giants with real-life actors. Mark Rylance stars as the title character – the Big Friendly Giant – who teams up with a spirited, 10-year-old orphan named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill). Together, they try to stop other giants from eating people with the help of the Queen of England (Penelope Wilton) and the British military. Sophie is in near-constant danger of being smushed, stomped on or outright devoured by the hulking inhabitants of Giant Country. And while the BFG himself is gentle and kind, the other giants – who are much larger than he is – are grotesque and menacing, and might seem scary for the youngest viewers. Also, The BFG’s job is to capture dreams (and sometimes nightmares) to place in Londoners’ heads while they’re sleeping, so some of that imagery might be a bit creepy for little kids. And there’s a running gag involving flatulence that builds to an explosive climax. I brought my 6 1/2-year-old son with me to the screening, though, and he didn’t find anything frightening. I’d say this is suitable for pretty much all ages.

Rating: PG-13, for sequence of action and violence, some sensuality and brief rude dialogue.

In this telling of the familiar legend, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) – or, rather, John Clayton III, the fifth Earl of Greystoke – leaves genteel London to revisit the Belgian Congo of his youth with his wife, Jane (Margot Robbie). He’s going as a trade emissary and doesn’t realize he’s being lured into a trap. Along the way, the couple – along with an American diplomat who has tagged along (Samuel L. Jackson) – find themselves the targets of various jungle animals as well as well-armed human mercenaries, led by the greedy and devious right-hand man to the Belgian king (Christoph Waltz). This movie is extremely violent, between massive amounts of gunfire and brutal brawls between Tarzan and his former gorilla brethren. Much of the animal action is beautiful and even adorable, but a lot of it is intense and frightening, and it surely will startle younger viewers. Jane also is in peril much of the time – a damsel in need of rescuing, despite her smarts and pluck. There’s also a love scene – or at least the suggestion that Tarzan and Jane are about to have sex, followed by the two snuggling in bed, basking in the afterglow. Fine for tweens and older.

Rating: PG, for martial arts action and some mild rude humor.

The third film in the animated Kung Fu Panda franchise should be fine for all ages, even though there’s so much going on visually that it might seem overwhelming. Roly-poly panda Po (voiced by Jack Black) is back for more adventures, and this time the student becomes the teacher. Po must find his inner dragon master — and show other creatures how to find the untapped warriors within themselves. He teams up with his long-lost father (Bryan Cranston), the noodle-making goose who raised him (James Hong), and all their friends (Seth Rogen, David Cross, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu and Dustin Hoffman) to defeat an evil spirit warrior (J.K. Simmons) who’s stealing the chi of kung fu masters across China. It’s a gorgeous film filled with lively battles scenes as well as moments of genuine emotion. The combat scenes aren’t scary, though; they’re actually quite playful. After all, this is a movie in which a panda uses dumplings as weapons.

Few modern filmmakers have been able to capture the conflicting emotions of childhood as successfully as Steven Spielberg, and few authors have crafted young protagonists as gracefully as Roald Dahl — so Spielberg adapting Dahl’s classic The BFG should add up to an automatic home run. This latest cinematic take on the tale of a young girl named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) who embarks on an adventure with a big friendly giant (a mo-capped Mark Rylance) certainly benefits from the latest technology, presenting viewers with a series of visual splendors, yet many critics can’t help wishing for something more. Although overall quite positive, reviews point to a disarmingly sweet film that ignores the darker elements of Dahl’s source material, not to mention the sense of danger that informed Spielberg’s earlier work. All the same, younger viewers — and the young at heart of all ages — will likely be swept up by The BFG just as easily as he scoops up little Sophie.

It’s been quite awhile since a U.S. studio decided to make a big-budget film based on the vine-swinging jungle adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic Tarzan character — and based on the reviews for the David Yates-directed The Legend of Tarzan, it could be years before it happens again. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as the erstwhile ape man and Margot Robbie as Jane, Legend does its level best to grapple with the most problematic elements of the character; unfortunately, critics say those efforts aren’t enough to enliven what is, at bottom, a fairly ordinary action-adventure outing with not enough of either — and an overload of obvious CGI. There may yet be a way to turn Tarzan into a viable 21st-century film franchise, but the reviews point back to the drawing board after The Legend of Tarzan.

When you’re living in the midst of a presidential election year, it can be difficult to imagine ways in which campaign season could possibly become even more of a circus. Well, now there’s The Purge: Election Year, which infuses the franchise’s traditional skull-cracking violence with a shotgun blast of politically timely relevance. Returning audiences to a future in which citizens have an annual 12-hour pass to legally commit all manner of mayhem — including murder — writer-director James DeMonaco’s third installment in the series envisions an election in which one candidate (Elizabeth Mitchell) vows to do away with the Purge if she’s elected. She’s got series protagonist Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) on her side, but shadowy government forces are determined to stop her — and critics say it adds up to a wickedly dark action flick that, while perhaps not quite as lethally effective as its predecessors, is still high-caliber enough to recommend for filmgoers seeking a summer dose of genre thrills.

Thirteen gives a well-worn premise an intriguing facelift with haunting execution and compelling performances across the board.

Queen of the South enlivens an overdone premise with action and narrative vigor — and shows hints of intriguing potential.

Dead of Summer sets a spooky stage for a silly period creepfest, but its lack of actual scares adds up to an altogether underwhelming experience.

Roadies‘ condescending tone, boring and underdeveloped characters, and lack of dramatic intrigue lead to a failure to rock.