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.

Peacemaker

Peacemaker is to superhero as ringworm is to earthworm. It might seem like these two things are related based on their names, but they aren’t.

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My Life with the Walter Boys

This Netflix drama about a teen girl who has moved from NYC to Colorado features enough adolescent angst to electrify a small city.

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On the Radar: ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Sunburn Tattoos’ and Instagram’s Friends Reel

What is the obsession with ‘KPop Demon Hunters?’ TikTok has brought back the harmful “sunburn tattoo.” Instagram’s latest features drive us further apart.

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Sausage Party: Foodtopia

Crude, profane, salacious and offensive, Foodtopia just might make you sick to your stomach.

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Elio

Pixar’s Elio, about a lonely boy who wants to connect with aliens, offers parents a springboard to talk about God’s unfailing love for us—even when we feel alone.

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On the Radar: Kratom Dangers, the ‘Daddy Prank’ and BookTok Romance Obsession

Drinks such as Feel Free contain the opioid-like drug kratom. Teens are cringing over the “Daddy Prank” on social media. And parents might be surprised by the romance novels peddled on BookTok.

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Alien: Earth

FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’ is just the latest graphically violent entry in the already graphically violent ‘Alien’ franchise.

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Shin Godzilla

This 2016 take on Godzilla’s story returns to theaters and returns the franchise to its historical roots as a satirical cultural commentary about bureaucratic red tape.

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Smurfs

Smurfs is a fun flick. But a heavy dependence on euphemisms and some problematic spiritual views might require more parental hand-holding.

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On the Radar: ChatGPT Dangerous for Teens, Teen Suicide Dropping and the Door-Kick Challenge

ChatGPT is still offering dangerous advice to vulnerable adolescents. Suicidal thoughts and attempts are dropping among teens. The “Door-Kick Challenge” could result in a deadly altercation.

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Chief of War

Apple TV+’s ‘Chief of War’ paints an interesting portrait of Hawai’i’s history circa the 18th century. But like many historical dramas, it’s painted in blood.

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Wednesday

Wednesday Addams has always been creepy and kooky. But a killer? In Netflix’s dark take on her, she’d sure like to be.

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Sorry, Baby

Sorry, Baby deals with an important topic in a deeply thoughtful way. But its subject matter and content concerns might make some sorry they watched.

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On the Radar: ‘Chat,’ ‘Clock It’ and Digital Body-Shaming

Why are kids calling each other “Chat?” What does “clock it” mean? And a new study shows how deeply teen girls are affected by digital body-shaming.

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What If…

What if you had the chance to fix the mistakes of your past? What if you could go back and make different decisions? What if you had the chance to follow God’s plan for your life instead of your own? Fifteen years ago, Ben Walker made the wrong choice. …

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