Journey to Bethlehem (PG)
Age 8+
Nativity musical has humor, faith, hope; some peril.
“Journey to Bethlehem” is a musical retelling of the biblical story of Jesus’ birth. Combining classic Christmas songs and original modern pop fare, the film weaves together the perspectives of brave young Mary (Fiona Palomo); her compassionate betrothed, Joseph (Milo Manheim); the jealous and vindictive King Herod (Antonio Banderas); and Herod’s conflicted son, Antipater (Joel Smallbone). There’s some peril and violence, as well as brief moments of shame, betrayal and confusion over Mary’s pregnancy. Joseph and Mary flirt, hold hands, embrace, kiss on the cheek and, in one scene, briefly kiss on the lips. In one musical number, two versions of Joseph fight each other. Herod instructs his son to track down all the pregnant women and newborn babies in Bethlehem and kill them if he can’t find the prophesied future king. Herod’s soldiers threaten and arrest citizens, and he’s known to torture them. The king also drinks wine, and there’s a jokey reference to a donkey’s other name (“a--”). While the movie has themes of compassion, empathy, teamwork and perseverance, it falls short on the representation front, with ancient Middle Eastern people largely portrayed by White European and American actors. (98 minutes)
The Marvels (PG-13)
Age 10+
Teamwork, action violence in fun, woman-centered MCU tale.
“The Marvels” is a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that brings together the heroes of “Captain Marvel,” “Ms. Marvel” and “WandaVision.” Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) must figure out how their powers have gotten entangled so that they can work together to stop the Kree from destroying other planets. Although there’s plenty of action violence and peril, plus a smattering of strong language (mostly “s---” and “damn”), this movie is less intense and bloodily violent than some other MCU films. Expect lots of fights (with weapons including laser guns, spears, knives and more) between the three superheroes and the primary villain and her minions. There are also moments of large-scale devastation when planets are stripped of air, water and more — sometimes before all their inhabitants can be evacuated or saved. This woman-centered story offers positive messages about the strength and power of teamwork and female friendship. Plus, the film’s behind-the-scenes credits include a female director, co-writers, composer and more. (105 minutes)
Lego Marvel Avengers: Code Red (TV-Y7-FV)
Share this articleShareAge 8+
Action-packed special has humor, positive messages.
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“Lego Marvel Avengers: Code Red” is an action-adventure series. It’s got the type of cartoonish battle scenes you’d expect from an animated Avengers series, but also some valuable lessons about communication and perfectionism. That being said, two characters are shown fighting over a toy and then throwing it on the street and walking away at the beginning of the special. Parents should also note that an ongoing joke concerns whether Santa is real, and he actually shows up and gets in on one of the battles near the end of the special. (46 minutes)
Available on Disney Plus.
Peter and the Wolf (TV-PG)
Age 8+
Animated adaptation of classic tale has grief, peril.
“Peter and the Wolf” is an Irish short film offering a new version of the classic fairy tale about a boy dealing with the loss of a parent who confronts a dangerous wolf. The animation is based on original illustrations by the musician Bono. The boy, Peter, puts himself in a dangerous situation by venturing into the woods at night to capture the wolf, who is also being shot at by local hunters. Grandpa is worried about Peter, whose grief manifests itself in feelings of sadness, anger and loneliness. Peter learns about the natural world by watching animals outside his garden. One animal is eaten by the wolf. Peter displays empathy and kindness at the end of the film, which helps him with his grief. (33 minutes)
Available on Max.
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