Families who’ve already navigated the waters of “Moana” likely know exactly what to expect in this sea-quel. Between getting “Dear Santa” and coal in your stocking, it’d be better to take the coal. Though not free of content concerns, “A Christmas Story” is a heartfelt ode to family, childhood wonder and the joy of Christmas.
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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.
Moana 2 – In Theaters
If you watched and enjoyed the first “Moana” film in 2016, you won’t find that much has changed in this action-packed, musical sea-quel.
There’s more mythology to contend with, but nothing out of the realm of the first film. What we do get is a broader introduction to other gods and goddesses within the “Moana” universe. (Although we do witness the creation of a new demigod at the hands of Moana’s ancestors and the ocean.)
Some families may choose to give this franchise a pass for that reason, as the worldview here is obviously not a Christian one. Others — again, those who enjoyed the first film — will approach the story’s new characters much the way we might with Greek, Roman or Norse mythological demigods. Along the way, there might even be a chance for some compare-and-contrast conversations about the spiritual ideas we see here.
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“Moana 2” takes this franchise’s young princess — though she’d never call herself that — on another perilous adventure to discover new lands, skies, and seas. And Moana worries not only that she’ll lose herself on the journey but that she’ll fail her mission, too.
However, Moana’s friends never let her doubt herself for long. They’re motivated by the young Windfinder and step up their game to ensure her success. And Maui helps Moana remember who she is: brave, kind, strong, and just stubborn enough to never give up.
Intense moments of peril might frighten some younger kiddos — especially since several characters nearly lose their lives. And if your family doesn’t want to contend with the mythology at play here (loosely based on Hawaiian tradition), then it’s likely a nonstarter.
But families who’ve already navigated the waters of “Moana” likely know exactly what to expect in this sea-quel.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Dear Santa – Streaming on Paramount+
The premise of “Dear Santa” is simple: What if Satan appeared to a child due to a simple spelling mistake and tempted him to sell his soul for worldly gain?
Merry Christmas, I guess?
Of course, “holly” and “jolly” are two words that won’t be used to describe the film’s Satan. He’s merely out to claim a sixth-grader’s soul using whatever tempting means are necessary. And when he’s not doing that, he’s doing that thing every character played by Jack Black does with his eyebrows.
It’s not Black’s first tussle with the devil and theology, of course. Black battled him in “Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny.” He played a faith-adjacent monastery cook-turned-wrestler in “Nacho Libre.” In both cases, the spiritual components were a means to a joke-filled end. And as it concerns “Dear Santa,” let’s just say no one broke out their systematic theology books to write this story into existence.
Sure, we can acknowledge that “Dear Santa” isn’t trying to offer any intentional spiritual comments. The film’s meant to be a comedy, not a theological treatise. The writers would rather play in the kiddie pool of cultural religious caricatures than risk any sort of deep-end plunge.
But despite “Dear Santa’s” superficial intentions, prospective viewers will nevertheless need to grapple with the problematic worldview it puts forth regardless: namely, Satan’s occasional good-will nature and the problematic scope of his supernatural powers (read our spiritual section for more information on those). According to “Dear Santa,” Satan’s a bad dude who does ultimately want to steal a child’s soul, but he’s apparently also got principles and just may go out of his way to fix the issues in your and your family’s lives.
But even if you could disregard all of that, I’d wager most people still wouldn’t care for this one. The PG-13 rating restricts this film from family viewing, and it doesn’t seem to be the type of thing that adults would want to watch without their kids to begin with. The crude language and dark jokes certainly restrict that potential audience even more.
In closing, if it came down to a choice between receiving “Dear Santa” as a present or getting coal in my stocking, I’d choose the coal.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Classic Review: A Christmas Story – Streaming on HBOMax
Full disclosure: “A Christmas Story” was a Christmas-season staple in our house growing up and it still has a direct line to my funny bone. The film’s wit and ridiculous antics always put a goofy grin on my face. But it’s more than that. There’s a beating heart beneath this film’s Yuletide hijinks.
That isn’t to say that all parents will be comfortable showing “A Christmas Story” to their kids, however. There are content issues to consider, mostly notably a fair bit of language for a Christmas family movie. And if you haven’t seen the film for a few years, those moments might catch you and yours uncomfortably by surprise.
And for a Christmas movie, there is no mention of the real reason why we celebrate the season. For as cool as Red Ryder and his BB gun are, he wasn’t the one who came into the world to save it from sin.
But for families that choose to navigate some of this film’s questionable bits, “A Christmas Story” is packed with sweet and frequently hilarious moments. It delivers a heartfelt ode to family, the wonder of childhood, and the joy of Christmas.
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 Bret Eckelberry, Emily Tsaio and Kennedy Unthank.
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