Common Sense Media’s weekly recommendations

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Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (PG-13)

Faithful Blume adaptation explores puberty and religion.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” is a faithful adaptation of Judy Blume’s beloved 1970 coming-of-age novel about kind, curious 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson), who moves from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs the summer before sixth grade. Brought up in a religion-free home due to her parents’ (Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie) interfaith marriage, Margaret explores her feelings about faith, as well as the many bodily and behavioral changes that come with adolescence. As in the book, there are many references to topics like periods and period products, puberty, breast size, crushes and kissing. Margaret’s circle of friends discusses boys (and looks at a copy of Playboy and a diagram of a penis in an anatomy book) and gossips about a classmate who’s more developed. They believe — and spread — rumors about how experienced she is with boys. Margaret has her first kiss during a Spin the Bottle-like game at a party. Margaret, who’s half-Jewish and half-Christian, has Black, White and Jewish close friends, but it’s really her faith that’s explored. As a result, there’s a lot of discussion, some of it heated, about spirituality and religion. Be prepared for honest depictions of these topics and the potential questions they could lead to. Adults drink wine with dinner, and language includes words like “hell,” “oh my God” and “idiot.” (106 minutes)

Beloved book friends leap to life in charming series.

“Frog and Toad” is a sweet animated series for preschoolers based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved Caldecott and Newbery honor-winning 1970s book series. The pages of Lobel’s classic stories come to life in this understated show, which stars Nat Faxon and Kevin Michael Richardson as the title characters. Each 24-minute episode follows the loyal friends as they embark on two adventures in their neighborhood. Themes include friendship, embracing differences and communication. (Eight 24-minute episodes)

Available on Apple TV Plus.

Captivating, moody adaptation has peril, some scares.

“Peter Pan & Wendy” takes on some of the weightier themes of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale and imbues the adaptation with a dark look and feel. The film delves into the psychological roots of Hook’s anger, Peter Pan’s everlasting childhood and Wendy’s reluctance to face adulthood. The female characters — Wendy (Ever Anderson), Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi, a Black actress of Iranian heritage) and Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatahk, a Bigstone Cree First Nation woman) — wield the magic here. Some of the fight scenes between Hook (Jude Law) and the children of Neverland get serious, and characters die or appear to die. Hook and the kids engage in sword fights, and Hook orders an underling to “execute” a group of small children he’s locked up and sends Wendy to walk the plank. Hook also narrowly escapes a giant crocodile, but another pirate gets eaten alive. A ship is turned upside down in the air, sending pirates sliding into the ocean. (106 minutes)

Available on Disney Plus.

Adventure blends romance, high-octane action; language.

“Ghosted,” starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, is an action film dressed up as a romance or a romance steeped in action, depending on how you look at it. As such, there’s a lot of violence as well as sexual situations including innuendo, kissing and a bedroom scene with no private parts shown. There’s also language throughout, including “f—,” variations on “s—,” “damn,” “b—-,” “hell,” “b——” and more. Action sequences include kidnappings, car chases, crashes, explosions, gun and knife fights, acrobatic fistfights, torture scenes involving poisonous insects, a syringe to the neck, a missing hand, bleeding wounds and dozens of killings. There’s electrocution, a biochemical weapon at risk of falling into the wrong hands, mention of family members and friends dying, reference to Aztec human sacrifice, an asthma inhaler and emigrants fleeing their country by raft. Adults drink alcohol, and a woman gets high on an edible. (116 minutes)

Available on Apple TV Plus.

Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsense.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites and books.

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