Plugged In Entertainment Reviews

Gears 5 propels this long-running franchise in some new directions … and toward some violent old ones, too. (M)

Toy Story 4 is funny, dramatic, kid-friendly and tear-up-in-the-end sweet. (G)

Mandy Moore’s first new music in a decade reflects on the changes in her life over that period of time.

Judy Garland's movies often had happy endings. But there's not much redemption in this biopic about her desperate, addiction-filled later years. That makes Judy hard to watch, even with the gritty details toned to PG-13 levels. (PG-13)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Walking Dead in this animated Netflix kids series aimed at middle schoolers.

Far From Home is a fine, fun, serviceable superhero flick. But like Peter Parker’s European vacation, it contains some unwelcome surprises, too. (PG-13)

Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey team up for a racy single promoting the new Charlie's Angels reboot.

Beneath its standard-issue, kid-flick elements, this pic examines something more serious: the impact of grief on a child. (PG)

When dad steps into mom’s role at home, scatological, child-focused hijinks soon follow.

A new generation of full-motion video games is coming. Erica shows us the game genre’s promise … and peril. (M)

All in all, Yesterday's missteps may leave some viewers pining for the even sweeter movie it could have been. (PG-13)

Post Malone's latest hit sports a sunny sound in sharp contrast to the song's dreary, suggestive lyrics and subject matter.

We’ve been treated to some provocative sci-fi films recently, from Gravity to Interstellar to Arrival. Ad Astra aims for the same orbit, but it’s both darker and dimmer. (PG-13)

This show's real monstrosity is its excessive use of language, sex and gore to tell a tale just as interesting without it.

This gory, M-rated shooter propels players into combat with all manner of ghoulish, supernatural entities. (M)

The second big-screen iteration of Jean Gray's tragic transformation into the Phoenix is a predictably violent, occasionally profane affair. (PG-13)

This gritty drama tells the story of a boy named Theo who’s forced to pick up the pieces of his life after his beloved mother is killed in a terrorist attack in New York City. (R)

This prequel series to Jim Henson's 1982 fantasy classic has many facets—some that shine and others that are quite … dark.

Yu-Gi-Oh! migrates to the Switch, blending classic card battles with its signature brand of manga-inspired mysticism. (T)

MiB: This version of Aladdin isn't "A Whole New World." But that's a good thing. (PG)

Taylor Swift's seventh effort is sweet and sensual in equal measure.

This motocross movie, like the sport itself, gets muddy. But for fans, or for those who like to see nice guys finish first for a change, you could do worse than this unheralded underdog drama. (PG-13)

The dystopian adventure RAD is something called a "roguelike" game. So how roguish does it get? (T)

MiB: International holds true to the film franchise’s light tone. But it sports some extraterrestrial problems, too. (PG-13)

Catchy, yes. But a worthy message about loving yourself is buried in the song's problems.

This feel-good dramedy tells the true story of a Pakastani teen growing up in England in the ‘80s who found hope and inspiration in the music of Bruce Springsteen. (PG-13)

A well-loved book series comes to life ... and brings with it the same problems.

The latest Madden packs in new looks and features, but is it still a high draft choice for your family room? (E)

This angst-filled story's positive themes are drowned out by some harsh profanity, racial slurs and suggestive conversations. (PG-13)

Tori Kelly's third effort mines autobiographical details from her life on an album that's light and heavy, personal and reflective.

The latest movie from the makers of Fireproof, Courageous and War Room focuses on a young runner and a cross-country coach who both have important lessons to learn about their identity in Christ. (PG)

This CW show is bad. Just plain bad. But in terms of its content, it's not as bad as it could be.

The latest installment in this influential and long-running franchise invites a pair of teen girls to unleash M-rated carnage. (M)

This canine sequel is unquestionably of the same breed and straight out of the same litter as the original. (PG)

Skillet has tattooed themes of perseverance and determination across nearly every song on the aptly named Victorious.

Warring birds and pigs are back. This time, a new threat causes these longtime adversaries to team up to stave off destruction. Laughs flow freely. Unfortunately, so does toilet humor and suggestive innuendo. (PG)

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

The latest Fire Emblem game migrates to Nintendo's Switch, bringing some big changes to the franchise along the way. (T)

This finale reminds us of movies gone by, celebrating the heroes we’ve come to know and giving them, I think, a fitting coda. (PG-13)

Madonna's latest careens between yearning for change and embracing naughty behavior as only the Material Girl can do.

The jungle may be scary, but it’s not nearly as frightening as high school--at least not for Dora, who’s sent to Los Angeles to live with cousin Diego. But when bad guys kidnap the now 16-year-old Dora, Diego and a couple of unprepared classmates and ship them back to the rainforest, Dora the Explorer finds herself right at home. (PG)

While the TV landscape has been getting drenched in blood and its inhabitants consumed by lust, this gentle Canadian drama takes us all back to the family ranch, both literally and figuratively.

The movie's wonderfully rendered Pokémon will have young fans of the franchise (mostly) oohing and awing. (PG)

Beyoncé's latest celebrates The Lion King, Africa and finding spiritual hope as we pursue our calling.

Lawman Luke Hobbs and former spy Deckard Shaw race after a killer virus that could destroy the world. The problem? A superhuman bad guy is after the virus, too. The other problem? Hobbs and Shaw can't stand each other. (PG-13)

The 7-year-old YouTube star moves to traditional television with this innocuous, silly show.

As its title suggests, this old-school homage mirrors the latest season of Netflix's hit series. (T)

The movie's wonderfully rendered Pokémon will have young fans of the franchise (mostly) oohing and awing. (PG)

Beyoncé's latest celebrates The Lion King, Africa and finding spiritual hope as we pursue our calling.

Is it ever merciful to tell a lie? That’s the question at the heart of The Farewell, an indie drama in which an aging Chinese woman has been diagnosed with terminal cancer … hard news no one in her family is willing to tell her. (PG)