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.

Mom and teen daughter cheer at high school game.

All Together Now

All Together Now packs inspiring messages into a story that takes some hard turns.

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Two teens look at each other.

Chemical Hearts

For all of Chemical Hearts’ lessons about teenage love and heartbreak, it’s not a film that most parents would want their teens to see.

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Four kids sneaking around in costumes, concerned.

The Sleepover

The Sleepover brims with violence and toilet humor that some parents will likely want to steer younger kiddos away from.

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Two teen girls peek through a blind.

Teenage Bounty Hunters

The two Bible-toting, Southern teen belles at the heart of this show secretly embrace some seriously rebellious behavior.

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The High Note

Despite its feel-good messages about friendship and perseverance, The High Note still hits some low notes, too.

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Star Trek: Lower Decks

This cartoon feels more like Futurama than classic Star Trek. And for families, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

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Made in Italy

Made in Italy is rightfully rated R for its harsh language, it also teaches the importance of drawing closer to those you love through the pain of loss.

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Latte and the Magic Waterstone

Latte and the Magic Waterstone is tale of bravery, perseverance and friendship.

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Shameless

This Showtime show may be an Emmy darling, but its name is all too apt.

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The Baby-Sitters Club

The show addresses issues faced by many a middle schooler–but not in ways that their parents might approve of.

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The Alienist

This TNT crime drama is as dirty, messy and brutal as the 19th-century New York streets from which it pulls its story.

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Cursed

Cursed revisits the Arthurian legend from a different—and darker—point of view.

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Ip Man 4: The Finale

Ip Man 4 comes with some content concerns, but it’s also a heartwarming tale about the guy who trained Bruce Lee.

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Radioactive

Marie Curie broke through many barriers for women in science, and Radiation tells her passionate, brave, flawed story.

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The Sunlit Night

This is one of those movies that could have portrayed its meaningful message without all the gratuitous content.

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