When choosing a good movie for family night or any party or gathering, it's important to know too much. We've all been in those more than awkward moments when the "feel good" film turns a little too frisky and makes everyone uncomfortable. The next time you hear a colorful word fly, you'll be wishing you had run a background check on the PG moviethat you thought would be just fine. As the modern world transforms the media, more doors are opened, and more things are acceptable. Take precautionary steps and visit these websites to help you sleep soundly at night while your kids enjoy a real "feel good" movie in the next room.

1.

http://www.kids-in-mind.com/. Kids in mind provides parents with a color coded and numerical rating scale of profanity, nudity, violence, and other variables. Descriptions of each movie are given, and there are user recommendations. Keep your kids in mind and click away.

2.

http://parentpreviews.com/. Current with all the latest films, parent previews is exactly how it sounds. This website gives a little more information regarding movie length and cast list and also includes a grading scale on more specifics, such as alcohol content. Alternate titles are also given to steer you toward better movies.

3.

http://www.screenit.com/. Even more detailed than parent previews, screenit provides a bar graph of more than 10 different movie variables and ranks them from "light" to "extreme." Check this website out and compare it to a few of your favorites.

4.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/. Less of a parental meter and more of an overall guide, rotten tomatoes is one of the most popular sources for up-to-date information about any movie. Critics review and comment on movies and give each film an overall percentage score. This site is one of my personal favorites when looking for a good movie to see at the theaters.

Before you hand out the popcorn and say goodnight to your kids, make sure you know what the movie is about. Things may surprise you, so it doesn't hurt to hop around to multiple sites and gather a few other opinions. The last thing you want is to walk in on a sensual scene or an expletive earful. Protect your children from those unwanted surprises that are around every corner in the movie world.