With the crude language and some sensuality, your family probably won’t be dashing through the snow to go see “Red One.” Disney+’s Christmas special “An Almost Christmas Story” is a sweet little fable that feels, on its surface, like just a secular confection. But scratch the surface to find deeper meanings beneath. “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” is a spin-off of “Young Sheldon” from “The Big Bang Theory” universe.
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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.
Red One – In Theaters
There are a lot of positive things to take away from “Red One.” The story’s focus on choosing good over evil is admirable. We also have characters who come alongside others to encourage them in that pursuit. Isolated from the rest of the movie, those themes would make this quite a nice family film.
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But if the PG-13 rating means anything, it’s that “Red One” isn’t intended for all families — namely those with younger children. That disappointing reality becomes quickly apparent when Chris Evans’ character drops his first of quite a few s-words. A partially uttered f-word is arguably even more disappointing. And with some spiritual and sensual issues to boot, Red One probably isn’t something you’d want to take your elementary-age children to see.
With those issues, I’m not confident “Red One” will make many families’ nice lists.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
An Almost Christmas Story – Streaming on Disney+
“What makes a Christmas story?” the narrator asks us. “Is it the tree? The snow? The light in the darkness?”
That last bit, of course and, is what Christmas is about. In the darkest time of the year, we’re reminded of, and we celebrate, a light that came into the world — a gift that we were given. Unto us.
“An Almost Christmas Story” is, artistically, beautiful. We’re given a world that seems made of cardboard, where the most fleshed-out characters seem carved from wood. And outside a few moments of peril (and a poor example of behavior by its protagonist owl), the show has very little problematic content that parents need worry over. Sure, it’d be nice if “An Almost Christmas Story” pointed more explicitly to the real Christmas story, but we can’t have everything, right?
But hold on. Let’s pull that last piece of narrative string a little and see where it goes.
The name seems strange, doesn’t it? “An Almost Christmas Story.”
But I wonder if there’s a deeper meaning to that title — a meaning that perhaps was intended by Director David Lowery, or perhaps something that I’m fleshing out myself. Either way, let me offer a few thoughts.
“An Almost Christmas Story” gives us a couple of characters who are literally broken, literally lost. The fact that they find each other is great — even beautiful, perhaps. But it doesn’t fix everything. Luna still misses her legs and her family. Moon still needs to get home somehow. We see how Christmas seems to make things better, but it doesn’t make things better. It helps, but it doesn’t completely heal.
And perhaps we’re reminded of our own disappointments and despairs despite the Christmas season. Disappointments and despairs that can, ironically, feel especially keen at Christmas. We — like Moon, like Luna, like the narrator — are broken. The world is broken. Christmas reminds us (the movie says) of light in the darkness. But the darkness is still there, too.
Yet, think about the names of our two characters: Moon and Luna. Their names actually point to the most familiar light in the darkness we have.
And how does the moon get its light? From the sun.
Perhaps the film — intentionally or no — further uses our two main characters to remind us of where light and warmth and life come from. At our best, we merely reflect the love and beauty and glory of something much greater.
“An Almost Christmas Story?” Perhaps we could argue that most of our Christmas stories are “almost” creations, just reflections of what Christmas really is. Because how can we truly, fully grasp that gift?
We are — even the wisest of us — in many ways like Moon, distracted by the shiny. We see things in our own world glitter and gleam, like tinsel, and we imagine that shiny thing is the source of life. We forget to look above and beyond — beyond the lights, beyond the glass balls, beyond the trappings of Christmas to what gives it all glow, what gives it all meaning.
Sometimes, “An Almost Christmas Story” tells us, we get even closer to the truth. “What’s Christmas?” Moon says to his father. “I don’t actually know. But I think — this is what it is.” And he gives his dad a great, big hug.
That’s pretty sweet, just like this story. It reminds us that Christmas is more than shiny baubles. It’s about love and hope and family and kindness.
But as beautiful as those elements are, they too are reflections of a greater love, hope and mercy. One that, when the dark night turns into day and the sun itself rises, we will all see, understand, and marvel.
Unto us.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage – Series on CBS, Streaming on Paramount+
In 2017, CBS released “Young Sheldon,” a show that depicts the childhood of know-it-all physicist Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory.” The spin-off became almost as big a success as the original: Audiences fell in love with young Sheldon and his East Texas family — including Sheldon’s Christian mother, Mary and older brother, Georgie.
You’d think seven seasons of the “Young Sheldon” spin-off would satisfy audiences’ itch for more “The Big Bang Theory” content, but in 2024 Chuck Lorre released “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” which continues Georgie and Mandy’s relationship where “Young Sheldon” left it.
Like Chuck Lorre’s other shows in this franchise, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” contains content issues that are common in television sitcoms. Characters use mild profanity including “p-ss” and “d–n,” and their humor occasionally relies on ridiculing other individuals. Additionally, some jokes also rely on sexual innuendo, and characters frequently refer to the unconventional aspects of Georgie and Mandy’s relationship, including their 12-year age gap and their pregnancy out of wedlock.
Still, the main story ultimately centers around a family that learns to care for one another, despite their differences. And unlike some other Lorre sitcoms, which sometimes rely heavily on crass humor (“Two and a Half Men” most conspicuously), “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” contains some heartwarming content that might even be approved by Georgie’s Christian mom.
(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 letters@pluggedin.com, 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.
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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, Sarah Rasmussen and Kennedy Unthank.
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