OPINION:
“The Shift” is the highly anticipated science fiction movie from Angel Studios (behind “Sound of Freedom” and “The Chosen”) and is a reimagined telling of the Book of Job. If you’re looking for something lighter and more family-friendly, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” “Candy Cane Lane” and “Genie” are now streaming too.
Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
These reviews, brought to you by Higher Ground Partner Plugged In, provide a Christian and family-first perspective on the latest movies and shows.
The Shift – In Theaters
“The Shift” is a science-fiction reimagining of Job’s story from the Bible. And like many multiverse stories, the plot can sometimes be tough to follow.
However, if you can get past some of the kitschier aspects of the plot, there are some great themes and lessons here.
Be sure to listen in to The Plugged In Show, a weekly podcast with lighthearted reviews for parents and conversations about entertainment, pop culture and technology:
First and foremost, we learn that God has never and will never abandon us. Kevin is put in a world that is chock full of evil, horror, betrayal and inhumanity. But even during his trials, Kevin is able to recognize goodness, kindness, beauty and hope. And he realizes that those things can only exist—can only be seen—because God is there with them. And that hope in God inspires him to act for the benefit of others instead of being selfish (which the Benefactor labels as true evil).
There’s some violence in this dystopian tale. A single vulgarity is uttered. We hear about the kidnapping and death of a child. And we see how grief and lack of communication can take a toll on a marriage.
Families who’ve navigated the book of Job will find this story easier to follow. Still, despite this sci-fi flick’s biblical source material, some of the violence and disturbing images we see in this story’s dystopian world could be disturbing for younger viewers. So I’d advise caution for families with younger children.
But overall, this is a story where God triumphs over the devil—where He proves He has always triumphed over Satan. Frankly, I can’t think of a better ending than that.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Candy Cane Lane – Streaming on Amazon Prime
Ah, ‘tis the season … for holiday comedies.
We’ve already seen several slide down the chimney during the 2023 Christmas season, with each hoping to be unwrapped by families hither and yon. Most thus far have come with sweet little message, a few laughs and a handful of issues.
And compared to its family-centric peers, “Candy Cane Lane” is both this season’s king and krampus.
“Candy Cane Lane” is funny. Not just funny for the kids, or funny in sort of an obligatory, Christmas charity sort of way. It’s positively laugh-out-loud funny. Give some credit to star Eddie Murphy, and give more to costar Tracee Ellis Ross (familiar to many from the TV show “black-ish”). While not quite the equal of Apple TV+’s “Spirited,” in my opinion, it is a sharp, entertaining diversion.
And I love some of the messages the movie gives us. Chris and Carol Carver’s marriage clearly isn’t perfect, but they know what marriage itself is about. It’s about better or worse, richer or poorer, ‘til death or Christmas curse tear us apart. It’s got some unexpected theological heft to it, as well.
But as nice as all that is, this isn’t a PG-level movie as we typically understand it these days. While it might technically qualify, to call it such is like unwrapping a bicycle-shaped Christmas present and finding an alligator underneath.
This film features curse words and winks at them; it’s got veiled sexual asides and drug-reference nudges. We hear a use of Jesus’ name that will raise many a parental eyebrow—and put the film right out of bounds for some.
And that makes “Candy Cane Lane” a lot like many a Christmas present, right? It’s fun. It’s colorful. It has its merits. But be careful how you handle it, or it might shoot yer eye out.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Velveteen Rabbit – Streaming on Apple TV+
“The Velveteen Rabbit” (or “How Toys Become Real”) is a beloved children’s book written by Margery Williams.
Now, I never read the book myself when I was growing up. But if it’s anything like this short film from Apple TV+, I probably would have been sobbing.
I was shy like William when I was young, so making friends was hard for me. And I often preferred retreating to my room to play with toys instead.
But what makes this story so wonderful are the lessons children can learn from it—lessons about bravery, friendship and love. And more importantly, we can all learn that saying goodbye doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sometimes, it just allows us (like it does for William) to say hello to new things instead.
Parents familiar with the story will already know there are some magical elements to look out for. Toys come to life and a fairy makes an appearance. And some of William’s toys can be quite mean to the Velveteen Rabbit.
However, the film’s strong focus on imagination should make these elements navigable (at least for all but the most sensitive youngsters). And the important lessons that William and Rabbit learn certainly make it worth consideration.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Genie – Streaming on Peacock
It’s probably impossible to say how many Christmas movies are out there. IMDb lists more than 1,000, but my guess is that far more lurk behind the tinsel.
Now we can add one more to the list. But like Santa, plan on checking it twice before watching this one.
Genie feels a little like a nice Christmas sweater wrapped in a refrigerator box, with the empty space filled by all those packing peanuts. The story, such as it is, could be pretty sweet and, ultimately, wholesome.
But it’s worth about 30 minutes of your time, and the movie itself is more than 90. The rest of it is stuffed with dead-end jokes paired with nonsensical decisions and plot turns that make you go, “Huh?” And as likable as stars Melissa McCarthy and Paapa Essiedu are here, they’re hardly enough to warrant too much consideration for regular holiday viewing.
That said, kids, and even families, might enjoy this lightweight Christmas confection—if they can navigate the movie’s PG-level toilet humor, a surprising number of drug references and some rather odd allusions to Jesus. But hey, at least they mentioned Christ in a Christmas movie, right?
That feels pretty apropos for a movie like this. It has some problems, but at least it’s kinda clean. It doesn’t make sense, but at least it winds up in a good place. It could’ve been better, but at least it doesn’t make you want to flush your eyes out with bleach.
This film isn’t a prime present underneath the cinematic tree. But if you can navigate its problems, it makes for an OK stocking stuffer.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
–
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 Paul Asay and Emily Tsaio.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.