Parents need to know that this enchanting fairy tale has some sad and scary scenes that might be disturbing for very young or sensitive kids. Maria loses her father early in the movie, though the audience never actually meets him. Also, one family is portrayed as villainous, and they wear dark clothes and masks, and there are some brief battle scenes with Maria being chased. A magical, protective black dog has red eyes and transforms into a fierce lion when the enemies appear. Maria -- who's selfless and generous -- is a great role model for kids, and the movie has strongly positive messages about achieving your goals