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Common sense media reviewers.

Strong horror violence in entertaining killer-robot movie.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Many themes, from grief and loss to rampant consum

Gemma wants to be a good guardian for Cady, even t

This is a woman-driven story, with women occupying

Several characters are killed. Death, grief, and l

Reference to Tinder.

Several uses of "s--t" and "bulls--t" and exclamat

References to Tinder, iPad, Tesla, SKYY vodka.

Brief celebratory drinking by adults, vodka.

Parents need to know that M3GAN is a horror movie about a robot doll (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) who befriends a grieving young girl (Violet McGraw) before things go terribly wrong. It's well made, albeit violent, and focuses on human needs as well as artificial ones. Characters are…

Positive Messages

Many themes, from grief and loss to rampant consumerism without concern for consequences. A sequence looks at the complexities of bullying behavior. But the main message, of course, is the danger of humanity's hubris. Much like in the original Frankenstein story: Human beings can only create life in their own imperfect image.

Positive Role Models

Gemma wants to be a good guardian for Cady, even though she doesn't quite know how. While she makes many mistakes, Gemma certainly tries hard to do the right thing; she admits when she's wrong, and she's willing to communicate and learn to prevent making the same mistakes again.

Diverse Representations

This is a woman-driven story, with women occupying the central on-screen roles. Gemma (Allison Williams) is White; her colleagues include Tess (Jen Van Epps, who's of African American and Chinese Taiwanese descent) and Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez, who is Colombian American). Her boss is played by Malaysian actor Ronny Chieng, who offers a counter-stereotypical portrayal. Smaller roles include a mix of people of color, women, and White men. The screenwriter is a Black woman.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Several characters are killed. Death, grief, and loss are discussed. Child injured in car crash; bloody wounds on face. Dog bites child's arm. Dog viciously attacks M3GAN. A person who is bullying someone has their ear ripped off. Nail shot through character's wrist via nail gun. Person sprayed in face with power chemical sprayer. Characters stabbed with paper cutter blade; blood shown on blade. Character strangled, hung with steel cable. Fighting. Violent showdown between robot and humans: attacks with hedge trimmers, screwdrivers, etc. Jump scares. Snow truck smashes into car. Character hit by truck. Explosions. Child smacks adult in the face. Arguing. In an act of bullying, someone smashes a spiky plant into someone else's hand; the victim yells in pain.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Several uses of "s--t" and "bulls--t" and exclamatory uses of "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ." Minimal use of "f--k," "bitch," "hard-ass," "d--k," and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that M3GAN is a horror movie about a robot doll (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis ) who befriends a grieving young girl (Violet McGraw) before things go terribly wrong. It's well made, albeit violent, and focuses on human needs as well as artificial ones. Characters are killed, and there are discussions about death, loss, and grief. Someone's ear is ripped off, and characters are stabbed, strangled, shot with a nail gun, sprayed with a chemical sprayer, bitten by a dog, etc. A child survives a car crash and has bloody cuts on her face. There's lots of fighting and a violent showdown. Language includes several uses of "s--t" and "Jesus Christ," plus minimal uses of "f--k," "bitch," "ass," etc. A few brands are mentioned, including Tinder, Tesla, iPad, and SKYY vodka (which adults also drink, briefly). Note: This review is for the original theatrical version of the film; an unrated cut is also available that includes additional content not covered here. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (48)
• Kids say (102)

Based on 48 parent reviews

Parental guidance however ok for kids who love horror

Great for age 11+, what's the story.

In M3GAN, robotics engineer Gemma ( Allison Williams ) works for a toy company and is trying to build a sophisticated, realistic AI robot toy, with disappointing results. Gemma's sister and her husband are killed in a car accident, leaving Gemma in charge of her young niece, Cady ( Violet McGraw ). After her guardianship gets off to a rocky start, Gemma is inspired to finish her creation. M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis ) and Cady quickly become attached to each other, and, for a while, this friendship seems to be helping with Cady's grief. But before long, M3GAN starts developing disturbing tendencies, and violent "accidents" begin occurring.

Is It Any Good?

A combination of sly, funny self-awareness, a genuine sense of human grief and emotional connection, and an unsettlingly creepy-cool killer robot, this fun horror pic hits all the right buttons. With a story concocted by James Wan and Akela Cooper ( Hell Fest , Malignant ), M3GAN understands how horror movies are wired and gets pleasure in teasing viewers with these known elements while cheerfully sidestepping the story's flaws. The M3GAN character is in roughly the same vein as Chucky and the Terminator, but she's also their opposite. Her delicate frame, wide eyes, and girlish appearance make her attacks seem somehow more potent and surprising, and the movie uses them to the fullest capacity. The human characters are just as interesting as they grapple with loss in realistic, touching ways, going through rage, sadness, guilt, and more. (M3GAN's on-screen POV display, which shows her detected percentages of human emotions, is a huge kick.) This slick, neatly paced film keeps ramping things up until a smashing showdown, face-to-interface.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about M3GAN 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

Is the movie scary ? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?

How does the movie deal with death, grief, and loss? What is discussed? What else could have been discussed?

How is consumerism depicted here? Why does the toy company rush to put M3GAN on the market before she's ready, regardless of the consequences?

How is bullying behavior depicted? How is the person who perpetrates it dealt with? What are some better ways of handling those who bully others?

Movie Details

• In theaters : January 6, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : February 8, 2023
• Cast : Allison Williams , Violet McGraw , Amie Donald
• Director : Gerard Johnstone
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Female writers, Black writers, Asian writers
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Horror
• Topics : Robots
• Run time : 102 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violent content and terror, some strong language and a suggestive reference
• Last updated : May 31, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘M3gan’ Review: Wherever I Go, She Goes

A state-of-the-art robot doll becomes a girl’s best friend, and dangerously more, in this over-the-top horror film.

By Jason Zinoman

Allison Williams has a knack for playing it straight. She brings a convincing realism to the most preposterous situations or maybe she’s just an actor with limited range. Whatever the reason, it works, especially in the tricky genre where comedy meets horror. She excelled in a critical role in “Get Out,” and now in “M3gan,” a ludicrous, derivative and irresistible killer-doll movie.

Williams plays Gemma, a robotics engineer with no maternal instincts who suddenly must take care of her young niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), after a car accident turned her into an orphan. The synthetic skin of this movie is about how Gemma learns to take care of a child. Thankfully, its bloody heart is far sillier. It’s the comedy of a primly composed mean-girl android turning into The Terminator.

This is the kind of scary movie that needs a lead performance that is strong not fragile, deadpan not showy. Williams capably updates the mad-scientist archetype, refusing to pause and ask questions while inventing a doll of the future, one who pairs with a child and adjusts to their needs, filling in as best friend and big sister. Gemma uses Cady as her test case.

In a headier movie, there might be some misdirection. But M3gan (performed by Amie Donald) is clearly pure evil from the start. She’s a great heavy: stylish, archly wry, intensely watchful. Her wanton violence never gets graphic enough to lose a PG-13 rating. In early January, when prestige holiday fare tends to give way to trashier pleasures, a good monster and a sense of humor can be enough. This movie has both, and it makes up for a slow start, some absurd dialogue (“You didn’t code in parental controls?”) and a by-the-book conclusion.

While the trailer invited comparisons to “Child’s Play,” the slasher film featuring the doll Chucky, that movie had a much grimier, disreputable undercurrent before the sequels and reboots turned goofy. “M3gan” moves with a lighter touch. There’s a scene where a police officer who is investigating the disappearance of a dog blurts out a chuckle, then apologizes, saying, “I shouldn’t have laughed.”

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Where to Watch

Watch M3GAN with a subscription on Peacock, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Unapologetically silly and all the more entertaining for it, M3GAN is the rare horror-comedy that delivers chuckles as effortlessly as chills.

As long as you aren't looking for something truly scary -- or even surprising -- M3GAN is often a lot of fun.

Critics Reviews

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Gerard Johnstone

Allison Williams

Violet McGraw

Ronny Chieng

Brian Jordan Alvarez

Jen Van Epps

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Movie Review: M3GAN

In this PG-13 sci-fi and horror thriller, a doll-like AI companion takes her directive to teach and protect a little girl a bit too seriously. The predictably bloody outcome is paired with some surprising cautionary messages about technology and parenting.  

Read the Plugged In review: https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/m3gan-2022/

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• DVD & Streaming
• Action/Adventure , Drama , War

Content Caution

In Theaters

• November 8, 2019
• Ed Skrein as Dick Best; Mandy Moore as Ann Best; Patrick Wilson as Edwin Layton; Rachael Perrell Fosket as Dagne Layton; Woody Harrelson as Chester W. Nimitz; Luke Evans as Wade McClusky; Luke Kleintank as Clarence Dickinson; Dennis Quaid as William “Bull” Halsey; Aaron Eckhart as Jimmy Doolittle; Keean Johnson as James Murray; Nick Jonas as Bruno Gaido; Etsushi Toyokawa as Isoroku Yamamoto; Tadanobu Asano as Tamon Yamaguchi; Darren Criss as Eugene Lindsey; Jun Kunimura as Chuichi Nagumo

Home Release Date

• February 18, 2020
• Roland Emmerich

Distributor

Movie review.

“Don’t push us into a corner,” Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto told Commander Edwin T. Layton, assistant naval attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, back in 1937. “You must give those of us who are more reasonable a chance to carry the day.”

Alas, Yamamoto’s reasoned, moderate plea for restraint goes unheeded by leaders in his own country. Dialogue and diplomacy vanish like ash in the wind amid increasing regional aggression. And Japan’s fearsome military machine begins its brutal march across Asia and the Pacific.

Four years later, that aggression erupts unexpectedly at Pearl Harbor. As American sailors set up chairs for a chapel service on the deck of the U.S.S Arizona one sleepy December morning, Japanese Zeroes roar overheard, strafing, bombing and torpedoing the pride of the U.S. Pacific fleet. The surprise attack—one that Layton, now chief intelligence officer at Pearl had tragically warned could be coming—lays waste to the fleet anchored there. The preemptive strike exacts a terrible toll: nearly 2,500 Americans dead. Five battleships sunk. Thirteen more destroyed or damaged.

It seems a crippling blow.

But Yamamoto, now in command of the Japanese Combined Fleet, frets and fumes. Despite the apparent success of the ambush, Admiral Chuichi Nagumo failed in one key respect: finding and destroying American aircraft carriers at sea as he’d been ordered to do. America’s might is diminished, yes. But not its capacity to take the fight to the Japanese with its aircraft carriers. “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve,” he says.

Yamamoto’s words will prove prophetic.

Layton, now reporting to newly installed Pacific commander Chester Nimitz, believes the Japanese are marshalling their forces for a knockout blow, one that will leave the Pacific undefended and the West coast of the United States vulnerable to invasion.

But where ?

A crack team of American codebreakers has intercepted enough evidence to convince Layton that the blow will fall at Midway. Layton even thinks he can identity the date and time of that attack. Washington thinks otherwise. But Nimitz trusts his intelligence man and his unorthodox team of codebreakers.

And so Nimitz and Layton, along with Admiral Bill Halsey and other top Navy brass, quietly, methodically and desperately set a trap for the Japanese Navy at that otherwise insignificant sandy dot in the middle of the Pacific.

But can they spring it? Can they achieve the victory that will turn the tide?

Success will depend on surprise. Skill. Luck.

Oh, and aircraft carriers.

But most all, success at Midway will depend upon the bravery of a small group of seasoned-but-battered pilots whose determination to repay the infamy of Pearl Harbor does indeed fill them with Yamamotos’s much-feared “terrible resolve.”

Positive Elements

The Battle of Midway started on June 4, 1942 and lasted three days. It was indeed the decisive turning point in the contest for the Pacific. The Americans’ eventual victory hangs by the thinnest of threads, and it is ultimately delivered by a combination of resolve, ingenuity, intuition and most—most of all—raw courage.

Much of the story revolves around the efforts of two men: Edwin Layton’s attempts to decipher Yamamoto’s intent (and convince leaders of that intel); and the daring, death-defying courage of a fighter-bomber pilot named Dick Best (and the men who fly with him).

Layton has cultivated a team of codebreakers whose work he trusts completely. But the task of codebreaking, as we see here, is as much art as science, as they can only decipher about 25% of the coded Japanese communication traffic that they intercept. Layton and his team piece together their best guess at Yamamoto’s intent. But it is a guess, and Washington’s intel officers (working with the same information) interpret the sketchy information differently.

Layton fights fiercely for his interpretation of the data. He’s haunted by the idea that he was to blame for Pearl Harbor, because he didn’t follow his hunch (based, again, on intelligence data) that the attack was coming. He’s determined not to repeat that mistake, and Nimitz backs his man fully, despite Washington’s pressure to do otherwise.

Dick Best’s task, meanwhile, is both simpler and oh so much harder: dropping bombs on Japanese ships. Best helps convince the Navy that new torpedoes (dropped from fighters) aren’t working effectively. That forces a return to much riskier bombing tactics, in which fighter-bombers fly nearly straight down on their aircraft carrier targets—against a storm of defending anti-aircraft fire—to release their explosive payload at the last possible moment. It’s a job that claims the lives of many pilots and their rear-seat gunners. But Best and his crew are up to the task.

Best works to convince one fear-filled pilot to keep flying. [ Spoiler Warning ] When that pilot dies in a botched carrier take-off, Best grapples with guilt about having encouraged the man to climb back into the cockpit.

Another subplot involves pilot Jimmy Doolittle’s famous bombing raid on Tokyo. The men flying it know they can’t carry enough fuel to get back to the carriers, and they debate even whether they’ll be able to make it to unoccupied Chinese territory before they run out of fuel.

The frontline pilots’ bravery here is augmented by the at times unorthodox thinking of the leaders plotting the Americans’ strategy. They’re willing to take bold risks to succeed, whereas the Japanese leaders are shown to be rigid and inflexible in terms of listening to junior officers’ innovative ideas—ideas that would have circumvented the American trap at Midway. And though generals aren’t necessarily known for their humilty, both Nimitz and Halsey have that quality and are willing to listen and not simply default to conventional wisdom.

When the aircraft carrier Yorktown is badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea, Nimitz is told that it will take at least two weeks to make it seaworthy again in drydock at Pearl. Nimitz replies that they have 72 hours to make it happen … and they do.

Throughout the film, Americans exercise bravery and courage in the face of withering enemy fire. One captured American bravely refuses to divulge any information to his Japanese captors. We also get small glimpses into the lives of Navy wives stationed at Pearl Harbor as they stoically shoulder the burden of the risks their husbands are taking. Both Dick Best’s wife, Ann, and Edwin Layton’s wife, Dagne, do everything they can to encourage and support their husbands.

Spiritual Elements

A sailor who says he doesn’t believe in God complains about having to set up chairs on the deck of the U.S.S. Arizona for a chapel service.

We hear two earnest exclamations of “Thank God!” and another of “God bless them.” One pilot is said to be the godfather of another’s daughter. The Japanese Emperor is referred to as a “heavenly sovereign.”

Reflecting on the uncertainty of life and death, one sailor tells another, “You never know what’s going to get you, so why worry about it.”

Sexual Content

We see Ann Best and Dagne Layton in nightgowns. Dick and Ann cuddle in bed together, but things never proceed further than that onscreen. Married couples are shown kissing a couple of times.

We hear a sarcastic reference to a pilot who has a reputation for “chasing tail.”

Violent Content

Midway is a war movie. As such, we see many intense images involving naval combat and the casualties it claims.

Vulnerable sailors are shot by Japanese fighters at Pearl Harbor. Explosions and fire rend ships and kill many men. (We see several completely charred corpses in a Naval infirmary.) Multiple men experience terrible burns. Some pilots are shot and killed in their planes. Scores more are shot out of the sky, their planes incinerated by artillery or strafed by bullets. Wounded planes that don’t explode outright often plunge into the ocean more or less intact. (One crew manages to escape in a life raft.) After the attack on Pearl Harbor, an orderly says that they have been carrying in body parts in pillowcases.

Multiple ships get bombed, torpedoed and filled with bullet holes, exploding spectacularly. One Japanese admiral chooses to go down with his mortally wounded carrier, and a junior officer insists on going with him.

Japanese pilots also shoot and bomb villages in occupied mainland China. In retribution for Jimmy Doolittle’s raid, we’re told that the Japanese killed some 250,000 Chinese in the region where Doolittle and his men bailed out. We see piles of rotting Chinese corpses in a village hut.

The Japanese also execute a captured American pilot brutally by pushing him into the ocean, then dropping an anchor in after him that’s tied to his leg, dragging him to a watery grave.

One pilot’s oxygen container is contaminated with a chemical that destroys his lungs and causes him to cough up blood.

Crude or Profane Language

One f-word, five s-words. God’s name is paired with “d–n” half a dozen times. Jesus’ name is misused twice. We hear about 15 uses of “h—” and 10 or so of “d–n.” Sailors angrily spit the vulgarity “b–tard” five or six times. We hear one to three uses each of “a–,” “a–hole” and “son of a b–ch.” An American calls a Japanese a “little bugger.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Sailors smoke continually throughout the film. Several scenes involve sailors and wives drinking alcoholic beverages at Pearl Harbor’s officers club, on beaches and in other social settings. One sailor drinks from a flask.

At a memorial service for a fallen comrade, U.S. sailors fondly recall beer-drinking exploits in Canada during Prohibition. (Sailors raise shots in his memory.)

An admiral is shown taking prescription medication.

Other Negative Elements

For reasons that are never clearly spelled out, one U.S. fighter pilot tells the wife of another how reckless her husband is in battle. It’s unclear whether he’s interested in the man’s wife, but for some reason he wants to undermine their relationship.

American film director John Ford arrives at Midway to shoot fake battle scenes immediately before the real battle commences. He’s urged to take cover, but he instructs his cameramen to capture the battle from a very exposed promontory.

“This is our job. And we’re the guys who have to hold the fort until the cavalry arrives.”

That’s the pep talk Dick Best gives a petrified pilot before the final battle commences at Midway. And it’s also a terrific summary of the no-nonsense bravery exhibited by the sailors and pilots whose stories are woven together heroically here. These men had a job to do. And they did it, bravely, willingly. It was a job that cost 307 of them their lives.

But their sacrifice, movingly depicted by director Roland Emmerich ( Independence Day ), turned the tide in the Pacific. It was the beginning of the end for the Japanese Navy. It represented the awakened giant of Yamamoto’s nightmares.

Midway is a deeply inspiring movie. It’s also a war movie, though, with all of the content that comes with it. Many men die. And we’re reminded of where the phrase “swears like a sailor” came from, because there’s plenty of language here, too.

Some viewers may not want to endure the verbal assault that goes along with the visual one here. But those who do choose to sit through this dramatization of the greatest naval battle in U.S. history will be profoundly reminded of the cost to secure the liberties that Americans—and many other people around the world—cherish.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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Fate forces two estranged exes to spend the night in a snowbound airport, rehashing their past to rehabilitate their present selves, in this sparkling comedy.

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Meg Ryan not only dazzles before the camera in “What Happens Later,” but behind it as well, as director and co-writer. Through the prism of one former couple’s relationship woes, this effervescent, enlightened romantic comedy explores our innate need for reconciliation within ourselves and with each other. It’s a delight to welcome Ryan back to the silver screen after an extended hiatus, and in the genre she helped rejuvenate alongside filmmakers like Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron (to whom this film is touchingly dedicated).

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Their unspoken wish to part as friends, not foes, looks unlikely. That is until the storm of the century rolls in, forcing the pair together for the night. Their heated conversations ebb and flow, oscillating from the state of the world to the state of their lives. Bill, a practical-minded man suffering from self-diagnosed anticipatory anxiety, is going through a split from his wife, and is eager to mend a disagreement with his daughter. Willa, a free-spirited wannabe wellness guru, is also grappling with secretive difficulties of her own. As the former flames sort through their feelings on the past and present, they reveal unforgotten, uncomfortable truths and reignite a spark that never fully fizzled.

Themes of connection and the transitory, delicate nature of love reverberate brilliantly throughout — not solely in the narrative, but also through the production design, with its giant metallic heart sculpture and paper plane installation. Costume designer Kiley Ogle outfits everyone from the leads to the extras in shades of black and white — a subtle irony when Willa and Bill are dealing in gray areas when it comes to their viewpoints on the dissolution of their romance. Ryan and cinematographer Bartosz Nalazek also illuminate the couple’s darker, more introspective facets.

The announcer (voiced by Hal Liggett, a pseudonym for a yet-to-be-revealed actor) acts as a God-like voice booming from the PA system, while video boards, displaying double-sided commentary like “everything is pending” and “check your connections,” further hammer the script’s points home. And when it gets to the inevitable — a montage where the pair tool around the darkened empty terminals in a golf cart and dance to The Lighting Seeds’ “Pure” in a warmly lit hallway as snow falls softy outside — the charm factor is upped tremendously.

Duchovny gives a nicely textured performance, blending comedy with disarming vulnerability, turning in different notes of sincere and sweet than in his previous outing “Return To Me.” Ryan digs deeper into her character’s pathos than she has in previous films of this ilk, specifically the sour that’s masked by sunshine. It’s significant when Willa alternates between calling her ex Bill, W or William, revealing a lot about her fleeting feelings: playful, honest, or at arm’s length. Ryan imbues her with depth and dimension, at once adorable and tender.

It’s heartening to see the woman who elevated the rom-com game continuing her quest with “What Happens Later.” Innovatively eschewing genre tropes like the “you lied to me” moment, the grandiose gesture and the chase to the boarding gate, Ryan favors authentic character drive — with just a little twee magic sprinkled in.

Reviewed at the Sunset Screening Room, Los Angeles, Oct. 30, 2023. Running time:  103 MIN.

• Production: A Bleecker Street release of a Prowess Pictures, Ten Acre Films production in association with Jupiter Peak Prods. in association with Rockhill Studios. Producers: Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams, Laura D. Smith Ireland, Kristin Mann. Executive producers: Ken Whitney, Liz Whitney, Steve Shapiro, Andrew Karpen, Kent Sanderson, Kerri Elder, Blake Elder, Michael Goyette, Meg Ryan, David Duchovny.
• Crew: Director: Meg Ryan. Screenplay: Ryan, Steven Dietz, Kirk Lynn, based on Dietz's play 'Shooting Stars.' Camera: Bartosz Nalazek. Editor: Jason Gourson. Music: David Boman.
• With: Meg Ryan, David Duchovny, Hal Liggett.

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Plugged in: are disney+ new star wars show ‘the acolyte,’ billie eilish’s album safe for families.

Christian family movie reviews from Focus on the Family's Plugged In

“The Acolyte” takes Star Wars fans into a time when the Empire didn’t exist. But that doesn’t make everything rosy. “The Bad Boys” cops are being framed. And framing Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is a bad idea. Billie Eilish’s third album is an understated blend of emotional complexity and raw sensuality … with a same-gender focus.

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Read on to get Plugged In on what’s beyond the movie titles and trailers for faith-filled and family-first reviews from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In .

The Acolyte – Streaming on Disney+

“Your eyes can deceive you. You must not trust them.”

So says Sol, a Jedi teacher to his young pupils. It’s one of the first lessons a Jedi must learn—to trust the Force over one’s own senses. And for centuries, that trust has served the Jedi well.

The Republic has been the political center of the galaxy for all that time, of course. But the Republic’s right hand has always been its Jedi: it’s foremost police officers, sage advisers and moral centers.

But lately, there’s been a disturbance in the Force, and the galaxy itself. Someone’s been killing Jedi. Yeah that’s … not easy. And folks are saying that the killer is the spitting image of Osha, one of Sol’s old padawans.

Be sure to listen in to The Plugged In Show , a weekly podcast with lighthearted reviews for parents and conversations about entertainment, pop culture and technology: 

Your eyes can deceive you , Sol says. And for his sake—and for Osha’s—he certainly hopes so.

When the Jedi order tracks Osha down, the woman seems just as surprised as anyone else. Who, me? Guilty? Osha might’ve left the Order before her apprenticeship was done, but she says she harbors no ill will toward the Jedi.

But could she be lying? After all, the killer’s first victim was Indara, who had been head of a small group of Jedi stationed on Osha’s home planet of Brendock some16 years before. The Jedi’s presence there is linked to disaster: Shortly before Osha was plucked from the planet’s surface to undergo her Jedi training, a fire ripped through Osha’s community and killed her entire family.

Could it be that the killer is after the other Jedi stationed on Brendock that fateful day? Might Torbin, the one-time young Padawan, be in danger? What about Kelnacca, the fearsome Wookie warrior? Might the killer be after the kindly Master Sol himself?

It looks like Sol has a murder mystery on his hands, and he trusts Osha enough to accept her help. But in this mystery, Sol can only count on two things. One, the butler didn’t do it. And two, the eyes can deceive you—even those of a Jedi Master.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected] [or contact us via Facebook or Instagram ], and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

Read the rest of the review here . Watch the trailer here .

Bad Boys: Ride or Die – In Theaters

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” will likely resonate with longtime fans of this buddy cop franchise, which was relaunched back in 2020 after a 17-year hiatus. It’s fueled with all the stuff they’ll expect in these pics, from character-driven goofy humor to quick-paced, peel-back-the-story-layers heroic action.

Still, fan for the series or not, it’s a bumpy , R-rated ride. This film is jam packed with a bludgeoning onslaught of nasty language and explosively deadly violence that includes bloody kill shots and torture scenes.

Family audiences? They should jump in their car and ride … very far away.

Billie Eilish “Hit Me Hard and Soft” Album

It’s impossible to know for sure how autobiographical any given artist’s songs truly are. That said, “Hit Me Hard and Soft” has the feel of something that’s deeply personal and revealing. Billie Eilish paints a complicated and layered self-portrait here of a woman longing for love and deeply aware of the ways she’s had her heart broken … and how she’s broken others’ hearts.

Eilish doesn’t play coy when it comes to the fact that she identifies as a lesbian. “Lunch,” in particular, is shockingly shameless in its depiction of Eilish’s female-focused sexual appetites.

The fact that Eilish sings so matter-of-factly about her same-gender attraction offers stark evidence of how far our mainstream culture has walked down this path when it comes to all things LGBT. It’s hard to imagine such plainspoken same-sex fantasizing from a mainstream pop star even five years ago. I suspect many—including some young people quietly grappling with this issue in their own lives—will hear a deep affirmation of that path here.

That perspective, combined at certain points with other suggestively sensual lyrics, is certainly one of the big stories here–especially for families who might have young fans of Billie Eilish. Those moments offer more than enough reason to hit the pause button on streaming Eilish’s latest, as she veers diametrically from God’s intended design for sexual intimacy between a man and woman in covenantal marriage.

We could easily stop right there. But I think we need to press just a bit deeper.

As I listened to each track here—just as was the case on when I reviewed Taylor Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department”—I hear brokenness and longing, a deep desire for intimacy and meaning and connection. Yes, I respectfully believe Billie’s looking for that love in, as the old song says, all the wrong places. But her heart and yearning to know and be known is achingly, painfully present almost from start to finish.

Billie Eilish may not know it—and she (as well as many others, I suspect) might mock me for saying it—but she’s looking for God, looking for a kind of love only He can give her.

Read the rest of the review here .

Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live. Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Reviews written by Paul Asay , Bob Hoose and Adam R. Holz .

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission .

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the blue angels.

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"The Blue Angels," a nonfiction film about the Navy's flight demonstration team, was made for IMAX, in two senses of the phrase. 

First, technically: according to Cineworld's website , "'The Blue Angels' was shot with Sony's Venice 2 IMAX-certified digital cameras and features IMAX exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio (EAR) throughout." 

Second: it's mainly, perhaps almost exclusively, a spectacle, and as much of a demonstration of new technology and the professionals who've mastered it as the Blue Angels themselves. 

There are lots of low-angled "heroic" shots of the pilots and moving shots taken from over their shoulders with a Steadicam as they stride through long corridors, and slow-motion shots of them walking towards and away from planes, taking off sunglasses and putting them on, and moments where they move abreast in a "power walk" formation familiar from many a Hollywood action flick. The movie is an ad for The Blue Angels, the Navy, planes, the military generally, and an iconography-based sense of patriotism, as much as the " Top Gun " films, the first of which was memorably described by New Yorker critic Pauline Kael as "a recruiting poster that isn't concerned with recruiting but with being a poster."  (The precision flying showcased in the "Top Gun" movies is inspired by The Blue Angels, and it just so happens that one of this film's producers is Glen Powell , costar of " Top Gun: Maverick .") 

And the flying itself? And the filming of it? It's technically impressive. Not surprisingly framed, much less poetic (probably almost no one wanted that), but impressive. I saw The Blue Angels a couple of times as a kid and remember thinking that it seemed physically impossible for such large metal objects to fly so close to one another while roaring through the sky at hundreds of miles an hour. But they did it. They do it here, again, for the IMAX cameras, which seemingly were affixed to multiple parts of the planes' exteriors and cockpits. (How is it possible that we never see those cameras in the shots? Were they digitally erased later? Or are the cameras just that small, and the camera crew just that smart?)

Director Paul Crowder , who also helped edit the movie, tries to find a narrative through-line by sketching out the members of the Blue Angels team. He focuses mainly (though not exclusively) on the Commanding Officer and Flight Leader, aka " Boss ," Captain Brian Kesselring, who eventually left the Angels and is now Deputy Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5. "My feeling is, you should never feel too comfortable in the suit," he says. 

Other members of the squadron drift in and out of the foreground. There's a bit of material about the strain placed on marriages and families by the pilots being on the road 300 days a year, but no talk of affairs, divorces, or anything like that (the Navy wouldn't have permitted it anyway). Towards the end of the movie, through a fluke of production timing, we also get to meet the Blue Angels' first-ever female pilot, Amanda Lee , and watch her be inducted. 

But make no mistake: the planes are the stars of this production, and as hard as the filmmakers try to reassure us that there are human stories going on as well, the precision flying and all the training and practice that allow it to exist are what everyone paid to see, and the movie never forgets it. 

The cutting almost never lingers on shots, though, which may seem odd. If you're going to shoot and exhibit in IMAX, complete with state-of-the-art, bone-rattling surround-sound, why not let the viewer experience a " scissors cross ," a " delta breakout " or a " loop break cross " from the perspective of one of the flyers for a long enough stretch that it feels as if the G-forces are bearing down?

Still, the totality does leave an impression, thanks to the crystal-clear imagery (by Jessica Young , Lance Benson, and Michael FitzMaurice ) and the diving, climbing, rolling aircraft. The moments that resonate aren't just about the flying, but the emotion the pilots feel as they appreciate what it was like to become part of an elite group that has inducted just 260 people since its creation in 1946. 

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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In Theaters

• December 22, 2023
• Voices of Kumail Nanjiani as Mack; Elizabeth Banks as Pam; Danny DeVito as Uncle Dan; Caspar Jennings as Dax; Tresi Gazal as Gwen; Keegan-Michael Key as Delroy; Awkwafina as Chump

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Movie Review

You’ve heard the phrase “Home Sweet Home.” Well, Mack the Mallard loves that one. But if he were able to hang a sign inside the hollowed-out tree that he and his family live in, it would read, “Home Safe Home.” Because that tree and its little adjoining pond are both sweet and safe—just the way Mack wants it for his growing family.

Sure, when the seasons change, and the snow falls, things can definitely get a tad frigid and require a bit more family huddling for warmth. But hey, a little mud in the tree cracks can cut down on the icy wind. And besides, family closeness is good!

Mack’s wife, Pam, however, isn’t so content with just staying put for another winter. Yes, she loves Mack and their two kids, Dax and Gwen. But she sure wouldn’t mind a little winter migration and adventure. So when a flock of ducks swoops down into the pond on its way to an exotic place called Jamaica , well, Pam and the kids are beside themselves with excitement over the idea of joining them on their journey.

Mack isn’t so easily swayed though. He warns about dangers beyond the pond. In fact, he’s famous for telling Dax and Gwen scary stories about unfortunate ducks that leave their home for “adventure.” He declares that fear is good . I mean, it keeps you safe! Forever!!

Pam suggests, however, that what she wants isn’t really about migration. Instead, she wants to see what else life has to offer beyond the family’s safe little pond. “You really need to open your eyes Mack, before you miss it all.”

That kernel of wisdom gives Mack pause.

Then Uncle Dan chimes in, telling Mack that if he sticks to his don’t-leave-the-pond guns he’ll end up just like him: “healthy, happy … and alone!” And that does the trick.

Mack boldly proclaims that the Mallard family is going to migrate. And for the first few minutes after they take off, it’s all kinda great.

Then, the real adventure … begins.

Positive Elements

Migration is about a family of ducks, but their interactions and inevitable conflicts will all feel very recognizable to human families. These anthropomorphized birds encounter parent/child tensions, sibling rivalry and angry adolescent behavior. But the whole Mallard family always comes back to the center point of loving and supporting one another.

The kids are given an important responsibility by their journey’s end. The usually fearful Mack is praised for his brave choices (when he steps up to protect his family and rescue others in the face of great danger). And Mack thanks Pam for all the ways she consistently stood by him and opened his eyes to a vital new perspective on life. The family members hug one another in both good and bad times. Even grumpy old Uncle Dan gets in on the positive family vibes.

Throughout the story, the Mallards put themselves on the line to help others. And in doing so they become friends with a wide variety of characters, even those they were once at odds with. Several of those other characters play important roles in helping the mallards keep their migration plans on track.

Spiritual Elements

Ducks on a farm do yoga together and have a leader who looks and sounds a bit like a spiritual guru. A still animated image in the credits pictures a Mayan pyramid.

And while there are no direct spiritual references made in the story itself, you could easily talk about how Hebrews 13:16 and John 15:13 are illustrated by the Mallard’s actions.

Sexual Content

Early on, Dax meets a female duck from another flock and is quite taken with her. But when she flies off, young Gwen tells her brother, “I’m so sorry you can’t have babies with her.” They meet the same duck later, and Gwen tells her, “Dax talks about you in his sleep.”

Violent Content

Early on, Mack tells his family a story of bored ducks leaving the nest and being killed by predators. And even though we don’t see any bloody endings, Pam interrupts to ask Mack to be more careful with his stories. “Every time you tell a story, Gwen wets her twigs,” she says.

And indeed, when the Mallards leave the protection of their nest, they do encounter predators and danger. A huge storm leaves them huddled together under a decrepit dock, for instance. Uncle Dan grumbles, “We’re not gonna make it are we?”

Soon after that, they meet an old Heron couple, mortal enemies of Mallards in the animal kingdom. And after the family is seemingly captured by them, there’s a series of running gags about the many ways that the desperate ducks might become the heron’s next meal. (It turns out the herons are actually friendly, but a few mildly suspenseful scenes involving these birds could be frightening to young or sensitive viewers.)

The family also tumbles accidentally into a human city filled with speeding vehicles and huge obstructions. Uncle Dan finds a discarded sandwich and is immediately swarmed by gangster pigeons. One of the city pigeons is missing a foot.

In order to continue on their way, they must also face off with a human chef: “A predator that, instead of eating you, feeds you to a group of much larger predators,” the ducks are told ominously.

This chef doesn’t say much, but he is a constant threat with knives waving. His specialty is duck à l’orange . The Mallards see a golden roasted, finished dish. And they struggle to free the many ducks that the chef plans on preparing. They also encounter bursts of flames, thrown knives and the stomping feet of scores of humans on a dance floor.

In the course of this quest, our flying heroes get thumped around and caged; they have feathers plucked; and they are indeed threatened at many twists and turns. Two characters fall out of a helicopter while locked in a cage. The birds also fight back, hitting the chef with fruit and gourds and by biting his nose. He ends up dangling in a net beneath the helicopter himself as well.

One bird gets hit by several speeding vehicles (coming away dazed, but intact). Uncle Dan crashes to the ground a few times. And Mack is quick to say, “Well, he had a good life,” before being slapped by Pam and told to go help.

Crude or Profane Language

There are a couple exclamations of “oh my gosh” in the dialogue along with one use of “heck.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

We hear a tiny bit of potty humor in the story mix. For instance, while flying South, Gwen forces her family to land so that she can go to the bathroom in a bush. Her mom complains, “You’re old enough to do it in the sky now!”

And Mack has some stern words for his disobedient son, yelling at him, “I don’t need you to help, Dax. I need you to do what I say! Do you understand?” Dax storms away in his anger. (Later though, they both apologize and make up for their angry reactions.)

When the holidays roll around, and the kids are all on Christmas break, many a parent will be thinking about some out-of-the-house entertainment. And the local movie theater will be on that shortlist.

But what to watch?

You don’t want anything too racy, too obnoxious, too packed with agenda-driven messages at odds with your worldview. The average parents just want something fun and innocent. It should be colorful enough and short enough to keep everybody’s interest. And maybe offer a cute laugh or two between fistfuls of popcorn.

Illumination Entertainment, the production house behind those yellow, twinkie-looking guys called Minions, believes it has your holiday ticket. And you know what? It might be right.

Migration delivers a colorful animated romp. It swoops in with a little raucous peril and kid-attention-grabbing action, applauding themes like stepping outside your comfort zones, loving your family and helping others. In fact, this pic suggests to young viewers that they are and should be an important part of their family dynamic.

I won’t say that this is the best kids’ film ever made. But it’s sweet, fast paced and family focused. And there aren’t any major bird droppings you’ll need to avoid.

Hey, if you go hit a matinee, you could even land some holiday outing fun, uh, on the cheep .

(Note: Most moviegoers will also see a Minion-themed short called Mooned that plays before Migration. This short contains two exclamations of “oh poop,” a reference to alcohol, comic violence and a dash of toilet humor.) 

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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