By Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

(MCT)

“The Boxtrolls”

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

What it’s about: Whimsical trolls who wear cardboard boxes are hunted by a grasping, venal villain supported by the townspeople who hired him.

The kid attractor factor: Vivid, comical stop-motion animation in 3D from the folks who made “ParaNorman” and “Coraline.”

Good lessons/bad lessons: “You can change your nature” and “Fathers should listen to their children.”

Violence: Attempted murder, biting and bashing.

Language: Disney clean.

Sex: Well, one joke about not scratching your “privates” in public.

Drugs: None at all.

Parents’ advisory: Has a touch of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” about it, might be a bit too scary for the very young — OK for any kid who loves “Coraline.”

“The Equalizer”

Rating: R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, including some sexual references

What it’s about: A seemingly mild-mannered, bookish loner has a secret past that makes him a good person to call when bad guys are threatening your life.

The kid attractor factor: Denzel Washington as an avenging father figure.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Don’t like your life? “Do something about your circumstances.”

Violence: Plentiful, gruesome.

Language: Some profanity

Sex: Sexual situations.

Drugs: Alcohol, cigarettes.

Parents’ advisory: Graphic violence, drugs and “the world’s oldest profession” render this unsuitable for anyone under 16.

Distributed by MCT Information Services