Contributor: Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

Forbidden Fruits

Witchcraft, foul language, suicide, murder, sex and nudity all besmirch this film about women seeking female friendships.

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On the Radar: Do Social Media Bans Work, Energy Drinks and Girls Growing Up

Do social media bans work? Energy drinks could cause heart problems in teens. Girl Scout survey says girls are scared about growing up.

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Sullivan’s Crossing

Based on a series from Virgin River’s author, this Canadian camp has less content than most shows, but some elements may make you a little cross.

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the pout-pout fish

The Pout-Pout Fish

‘The Pout-Pout Fish’ encourages us to help others no matter what the cost—and to always look for the good in a bad situation.

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On the Radar: Social Media Pressure, ‘Nudify’ Apps and Family Meals

Teens feel pressure from peers to join social media. Apple and Google both failed to remove “nudify” apps from their stores. Studies say sharing meals as a family can reduce risk of substance abuse.

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panda plan 2

Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe

‘Panda Plan 2’ has a great message about family. But mystical elements, minor language and suggestive moments might give some families … paws.

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The Testaments

‘The Testaments’ acts as a sequel to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ and it brings back every horrific deed depicted in the process.

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Slanted

‘Slanted’ applies bloody body horror and teenage rebellion to tell a cautionary tale about a teenage girl’s insecurities regarding her racial identity.

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The Faithful: Women of the Bible

Fox’s ‘The Faithful’ explores stories from the Bible through the eyes of biblical matriarchs, highlighting these women’s incredible faith.

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bepresent

BePresent – Screen Time App Review

BePresent promises to help users get control of their screentime habits. We reviewed the app to see how it works.

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the boys

The Boys

Amazon’s dark and cynical homage to superheroes is neither super, nor heroic.

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Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord

‘Maul – Shadow Lord’ is darker than previous animated Star Wars fare. It’s still clean, but it may be best suited for older viewers.

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Wuthering Heights

Sensual sex scenes, foul language, domestic abuse and a graphic miscarriage scene doom this adaptation of Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights.’

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On the Radar: Meta Loses, ‘Auramaxxing’ and Sugary Drinks

Meta and YouTube lost a landmark social media case. What is the “auramaxxing” trend? How are sugary drinks increasing anxiety?

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Reflecting on ‘The AI Doc,’ or How I Didn’t Change My Mind About Apocaloptimism

Daniel Roher’s ‘The AI Doc’ reminds us that we aren’t in control. But really, neither is artificial intelligence.

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