Oh, don’t get me wrong: Fathers are often great! Having a dad at home can make a tremendously positive difference in kids’ lives and prepare them for success when they become adults.

But dads don’t always get it right.

We’ve compiled Father’s Day lists before, and those lists often feature inspirational, praiseworthy pops. Last year, Bob Hoose wrote about “Seven Great Dads from the Movies”. In 2021, Emily Tsiao pointed to three movies released that year that featured some outstanding fathers (or father figures). I even got into the act with “Five Films for Father’s Day (For Every Taste)”.  And if you’re searching for an encouraging look at some fantastic dads, those lists offer some terrific examples.

But listen, fatherhood is hard. And as I said, we dads don’t always get it right. Sometimes we struggle to know what to do to help our kids. Sometimes we fail. And, let’s be honest, sometimes we need our own children’s help to put us on a better track.

So here’s a look at those kinds of dads—dads that may not be perfect but are part of some great movies that might even teach us some lessons along the way.

 And, of course, remember the following caveat: Just as these films feature imperfect fathers, many of these films are far from perfect, too. Be sure to check out our full reviews, when they’re available, before watching these movies with your own family.

Fiddler On the Roof (G, 1971)

Tevye is not a rich man. He is, in fact, a Jewish milkman living in Tsarist Russia in the early 20^th century, doing his best to raise and marry off his daughters to suitable gentlemen–and somehow do it without dowries. Alas, his daughters have their own opinions on whom to marry, which sometimes runs headlong into Tevye’s love of tradition.

Though rated G and filled with some pretty fantastic tunes, Fiddler on the Roof is deeper than you might expect from a beloved, old-timey musical. Tevye’s relationship with his daughters stands at its heart, and we see him struggle to do what’s right—by his daughters and by his own sense of heritage. And, for an old movie made about an older time, that makes Fiddler on the Roof surprisingly relevant. When your kids move away from what you believe, and they do things in adulthood that you don’t approve of, what do you do? How do you preserve your relationship while holding true to what you believe? It’s not an easy line to walk, and Tevye doesn’t do it perfectly. But I think many a dad might see a bit of themselves in him.

Interstellar (PG-13, 2014)

Society has way too many absentee dads. But in Interstellar, we see a different dynamic in play: A father who leaves his daughter to save her—and perhaps the world, too. Cooper (the dad) and Murph (the 10-year-old daughter) are living in a world on the brink of environmental collapse. The only hope humanity has is to find a new, more suitable planet to live on—and scientists believe a mysterious wormhole might lead them to one. Coop’s the best man to fly a ship through that wormhole, but that means leaving Murph. And even if all goes well, he won’t be back for decades.

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar has plenty of PG-13 problems, and you’ll read about them all in our review. But at its core lies the relationship between Coop and Murph—a relationship torn apart by countless miles and too many years. Coop decided to accept the mission because he loved his daughter—not to get away from her. And while Murph understands the decision, it hurts all the same. I won’t spoil anything in this twist-filled movie. But the end just might be sweeter, and sadder, than you think.

Leave No Trace (PG, 2018)

If Interstellar chronicles a father leaving his daughter for the best of reasons, Leave No Trace is about a loving dad who won’t leave his daughter—and won’t let anyone else get near. Will is a deeply troubled vet who’s taken his teen girl, Tom, off the grid. They live in the wilderness near Portland, Oregon, eating mushrooms, collecting rainwater and hiding from everyone. And that has suited Tom just fine for the most part: it’s the only life she’s ever known. But when society comes crashing in and forces this tight-knit family to change, Tom feels the pull of that outside world. She longs to talk with other people. And she begins to realize that her dad’s not quite all right.

Leave No Trace is a quiet masterpiece—one that I think should’ve been nominated for an Oscar or five. And in Will, it introduces us to a guy who, in some ways, is a tremendous father. He clearly loves his daughter. He teaches her everything he knows, and he knows plenty. And he’s willing to sacrifice a lot to make her happy. But when Tom needs more than Will can give, what’s a dad to do? Even though Leave No Trace is almost devoid of content, this complex, bittersweet story is probably not great for younger kids.

Minari (PG-13, 2021)

What father wouldn’t want a better life for his children? That’s what drew Jacob to Arkansas in the first place. Sure, this immigrant family had what they needed in California—a thriving Korean community, plenty of friends and, most especially, doctors to take care of his 5-year-old son’s weak heart. But Jacob wants his kids to have more. He wants them to have roots—deep roots in Arkansas’ rich soil. But he’s taking a mighty big chance, and he’s asking his family to make the ride, and take the risks, with him.

Minari has plenty of PG-13 content to be aware of. But it’s also, in some ways, a fable centered on the American dream (and one filled with Christian elements, too). Jacob’s looking for his own version of that dream, a dream that many a father has harbored since the days of the Mayflower. But dreams are scary, and realizing them can be hard—perhaps even impossible. In Jacob, we see the weight of familial leadership pulling at him. But, without giving too much away, Jacob realizes that, while he can dream all he wants, he’s holding another treasure in his hands already: his family.

Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi (PG, 1983)

“Luke, I am your father.” So said Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. And with those five words, what a blow the Empire dealt. This sequel finds Luke as a more mature, powerful Jedi, ready to face his wayward father and force a change at the galactic top. But he’s not so sure that his dad is beyond redemption. “I sense the good in him,” he says. And if he can, Luke hopes to not defeat his father, but redeem him.

Return of the Jedi capped Star Wars’ original trilogy, and it took a mighty big risk as it did so. By that time, Darth Vader had become perhaps pop culture’s most notorious villain. Why take such a powerful, marketable force (pardon the pun) and add depth and complexity to the character? But that’s exactly what George Lucas did. And in so doing, it gave us one of entertainment’s most memorable, and most strained, father-son relationships—one where the son, not the father, must ultimately do the leading. It’s a good reminder that, as much as we try to teach our kids everything we know, there might come a time when they can teach us, too.

No, the fathers on this list aren’t perfect. They don’t always do the right thing. And at least in our last case, they can be, well, kind of jerks. But the bond between father and child is no joke. And even when those bonds are strained, there’s still often room for reconciliation. Redemption. Hope.

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Bad Boys: Ride or Die barreled to the top of the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $56 million in North America. While Ride or Die didn’t quite equal the debut of its most recent predecessor (Bad Boys for Life earned $62.5 million during its opening weekend in 2020), it did earn more than the rest of its cinematic competitors combined. (The other 24 films in theatrical release took in about $47 million, according to Box Office Mojo.)

Ride or Die nabbed another $48.6 million overseas, according to early estimates, pushing its one-weekend total to $104.6 million.

The Garfield Movie finished a distant second to Ride or Die, earning $10 million. That pushes its overall domestic gross to $68.6 million, and its worldwide tally to a very purr-worthy $192.7 million. Not too bad for a nearly 46-year-old tabby.

IF slid into third place with $8 million, while newcomer The Watchers landed in fourth place with $7 million. Which makes its title a bit ironic, no? I mean, it doesn’t seem like a lot of people actually watched The Watchers.

Meanwhile, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes finished fifth with $5.4 million, cementing itself as one of the year’s few relative successes. Kingdom has now earned $149.8 million overall in North America, which makes it just one of five films to crack the $100 million mark. And it’s done even better overseas. Add in the $210 million it’s earned internationally, and Kingdom’s grand total is a gorilla-sized $359.8 million.

Oh—and just because I know there may be a few Lord of the Rings fans out there, rereleases of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers finished eighth and ninth, respectively—the former adding $2.4 million and the latter $1.9 million to its already overstuffed treasuries. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be riding into movie theaters tonight. And all three will be in theaters yet again the next two weekends. Clearly, the folks behind LOTR believe that there must be one franchise to rule them all.

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Back on Episode 233, we talked about the biggest summer blockbusters we can look forward to this year. But this week, we’re doing just the opposite: sharing some of our personal favorite movies released in the summers of yesteryear. If you’ve ever wondered what the Plugged In team enjoys movie-wise when we’re off the clock, this episode will give you a little bit of insight … and give you some ideas for films that might be worth your consideration if Hollywood’s rather thin slate of blockbusters this summer leaves you wanting.

In our second segment, it’s all about Billie Eilish. And we’ll talk about her new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. It’s the influential 22-year-old singer’s third album, and we think you’re going to want to know some of the ideas and messages she’s sorting through on an album full of angst, heartbreak and same-gender romance.

As always, we’d love to hear from you and engage your thoughts on the topics we cover each week. You can connect with us in several different ways. The comments section below is one method. Or shoot us an email at team@thepluggedinshow.com.

And if you head over to our podcast homepage, thepluggedinshow.com, you’ll find a black ribbon on the right-hand side of the page where you can leave us a voicemail with your thoughts—we might even feature your audio message on a future show. And, of course, Facebook and Instagram are options, too. We’re excited to report that we’ve begun hearing from some of you, and we look forward to adding more voices to the show as you leave us your thoughts here.

And if there’s anything else on your mind when it comes to movies and entertainment, pop culture and technology, we’d love to hear what you’re thinking about. We’ll look forward to connecting with you.

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The Garfield Movie settled into the No. 1 slot in North America, gobbling up cash as if ticket sales were tubs of lasagna. Garfield earned $14 million stateside, pushing its total domestic haul to $51.6 million. And it’s been doing almost double that business overseas. Add in its international grosses, and Garfield has earned nearly $152.3 million worldwide. Nothing Odie-ous about that.

Sure, prognosticators will point out that Garfield topped a pretty weak weekend, cinematically speaking. Varietysays that ticket sales were down 65% from the same three-day period last year. But I’d like to point out that the movies holding their own seem to be family friendly fare.

Case in point: IF, the PG film about down-and-out imaginary friends, climbed into second place this weekend, earning $10.8 million. That’s not a lot of money, but here’s the thing: Family movies tend to run longer and stay stronger. IF has now earned $80.4 million in North America (and $138 million worldwide), and it lost just a third of its weekend-over-weekend audience—a sign of strength in the here-today-gone-tomorrow world of entertainment. And while it has plenty of work ahead of it to turn a profit, IF is doing better than some of its peers.

Furiosa, I’m looking at you.

One week after claiming the box-office crown, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga slid to third place, according to early estimates. It collected $10,750,000, about $50,000 less than IF. That pushes its total domestic earnings to about $49.7 million—a sizable disappointment for this hyped Mad Max prequel. And given that it comes with an R rating—locking out families that might want to see the same film again and again—Furiosa’s pathway to profitability is narrower.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes finished fourth with $8.8 million, while The Fall Guy locked down No. 5 with $4.2 million.

What’s that? There’s not a single new movie in the top five, you say? Where did they all go?

Well, I’m glad you asked, dear reader. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is the first new release we can talk about here. It landed in seventh place with $3.5 million. (I’d insert a dumpster joke here, but honestly, $3.5 million probably isn’t too bad for an anime title.)

In a Violent Nature gutted out an eighth-place finish with $2.1 million, while Ezra—a sweet-but-problematic road movie—landed in ninth with $1.2 million. Summer Camp finished 11^th with about $1.1 million, while Young Woman and the Sea—a very nice film with a very narrow release—finished 13^th with $500,000.

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While Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga did ultimately top The Garfield Movie over the long Memorial Day weekend, Garfield held its own. But in a weekend featuring America’s favorite fat cat, maybe the biggest takeaway was the box office’s thin returns.

As mentioned, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga took the top honors over the four-day weekend, earning an estimated $32 million in North America. But that’s far less than the $40-45 million that most experts thought the latest Mad Max movie would collect. Furiosa banked a bit more overseas, but its total grosses still stand at just $65 million. And given that its makers spent an estimated $168 million to make the movie, according to Variety, Furiosa will need to fight a lot more to reach its own Green Place.

Furiosa’s lackluster debut highlights one of the weakest Memorial Day weekends in decades. Just last year, the live-action remake of The Little Mermaidled the pack with a $118 million debut, and you’d have to go all the way back to 1995 to find a Memorial-Day winner that performed worse than Furiosa. (That’d be Casper, which scared up $22 million.) And overall, financially speaking, according to The Wrap, this was the worst Memorial Day weekend at the box office in 26 years.

So maybe it’s only appropriate that Garfield—a cat that was in its heyday back around the time Casper was released, proved to be a cinematic bright spot.

The PG-rated The Garfield Movie scratched up $31.1 million, including $7.1 million on Memorial Day alone. (For a feline that notoriously hates Mondays, this Monday treated the corpulent cat pretty well.) Given that The Garfield Movie cost far less than Furiosa to produce–and that family films tend to do well over the long haul–Garfield could be sitting pretty.

IF, another PG film, slipped from first place to third, earning $21 million over the long holiday weekend. That pushes its total domestic tally to $63.6 million (and $103.6 million globally).

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes finished fourth with $17.2 million, while The Fall Guy rounded out the top five with nearly $7.7 million.

Looking down the charts a bit, you’ll notice Sight, a wide-release Christian film, finished seventh with a respectable $3.6 million. Given that Sight has a 98% “freshness” rating by audiences on Rotten Tomatoes (and a solid 64% freshness rating from secular reviewers), Sight may be looking at a bright future.

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Did the movie’s makers hope for more? Unquestionably. The experts were expecting IF—what with Ryan Reynolds starring and a bevy of A-list voice talents on its roster—to collect at least $40 million stateside. It fell short of that mark. But The Hollywood Reporter noted that it’s performing quite well when compared to other original PG-rated live-action flicks. Moreover, kid-centric films tend to do well over the long haul. We’ll see if this cadre of imaginary friends has legs.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes may have ceded its No. 1 spot on the charts to IF, but the film still proved that it’s not (ahem) monkeying around. Kingdom earned another $26 million domestically, pushing its overall North American haul to $101.2 million. Add in its take overseas, and the latest Planet of the Apes film has banked $237.5 million.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 invaded theaters to the tune of $12 million, which lodged the horror film into bronze medal territory for the weekend. That was more than enough to push The Fall Guy, with its meager $8.5 million, into fourth place. Challengers finished a very distant fifth with $2.9 million—just enough to hold off newcomer Back to Black. The latter, based on the tragic life and career of the late neo-soul singer Amy Winehouse, earned just under $2.9 million domestically to finish sixth. The biopic has done much better internationally, though, raking in around $36.6 million overseas. So no rehab needed yet for Back to Black. No, no, no.

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While Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire continues to rake in the green, another film with a primate protagonist is pounding its chest. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes rumbled to the top of the weekend’s box-office heap, collecting an estimated $56.5 million in North America.

And really, that domestic tally was just a warmup act for Kingdom. The latest from the Planet of the Apes franchise proved to be an 800-pound gorilla overseas, too, banking $72.5 million from international markets. That means that Kingdom has earned $129 million in its first weekend—not spectacular, but about on par with the franchise’s most recent installments. And given the shaky state of the box office in 2024, a little reliability is, for Hollywood, a welcome thing.

Speaking of shaky, The Fall Guy tumbled from first to second place, gathering up another $13.7 million en route. The lightweight romcom adventure has now earned $49.7 million stateside and $103.7 million worldwide.

Challengers, meanwhile, held tight to third place, earning $4.7 million. The PG-13 horror film Tarot dealt itself a fourth-place finish with just under $3.5 million.

For the seventh straight weekend, the aforementioned Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire landed in the top five—albeit barely. It earned $2.5 million this weekend to hold off Unsung Hero ($2.3 million) for fifth place. Godzilla x Kong has now earned $191.8 million in North America, which makes it the year’s second-biggest film (behind Dune: Part Two and its $281.7 million). And worldwide? The monster mashup has banked $558.7 million. No small bananas, that.

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(Each of these films is rated PG, but be sure to check out our full reviews before giving any movie a green light.)

Unsung Hero

Unsung Hero, now in theaters, is the true riches-to-rags-to-riches story of the Smallbone family (which includes Christian artist Rebecca St. James and For King and Country’s Luke and Joel Smallbone). Adam Holz writes of mom Helen Smallbone, “The unsung hero here is, of course, Helen Smallbone. The movie is a tribute to her faith and courage, the glue—the atomic connectivity—that binds the Smallbone family together.” When times got tough, Helen lit a fire under her husband to get him back on track. And she encouraged her kids to keep pushing forward, no matter the circumstances, all while never losing her faith that God would provide. Holz continues, “It’s no wonder that when Helen asks Rebecca what her dreams are, the teen replies, ‘My dream is to be like you. It always has been. You’re my hero, Mom.’”

Mom’s Night Out

Sometimes moms, as much as they love their kids and husbands, just need a night out with the girls. “A little time at a nice restaurant where they can share a good meal together. Talk. Relax. Be pretty. Unwind,” writes Bob Hoose. In 2014’s Mom’s Night Out, Allyson, Izzy, Sondra and Bridget’s night out goes terribly but comically wrong. And what ensues is, Hoose writes, “a pratfall-filled night of calamity that’s a refreshingly clean take on the cinematic chestnut.” But the film also recognizes how God’s presence can make busy lives and stressful moments just a little easier for moms to deal with.

Freaky Friday

“Trading bodies is not a new concept to Hollywood,” writes Bob Waliszewski of the 2003 version of Freaky Friday. “Therefore, most viewers will have the plot nailed within the first 10 minutes: Mother and daughter are growing apart. Abracadabra. Switcheroo. Then they realize the error of their ways. Switch back. Instant bonding.” But what makes this film so momtastic is how teenage daughter Anna really begins to understand what her mom, Tess, does for their family on a daily basis. Anna thought Tess was just a career-driven, rule-making fun-sucker. And while the first two are true, by spending a day in her mom’s shoes, Anna realizes that Tess is also human. Tess is insecure about her body, worried about how her kids will turn out, and (although she’s on the verge of matrimony) still grieving the death of her late husband a bit. But everything Tess does, she does out of love and what she hopes will be best for her family—not out of some secret desire to ruin Anna’s life, as proven by how Tess maintains Anna’s friendships and dream of becoming a rockstar even though those things are counter to what Tess had in mind for Anna’s future.

Mars Needs Moms

Milo has a good mom, but he’s a bit tired of her smothering attention. In fact, after a “heated spat and a subsequent punishment,” according to Bob Hoose’s 2011 review, Milo says his life would be better if he didn’t have a mom at all. Of course, Milo didn’t mean it. And he realizes just how much he loves his mom when Martians arrive to take her away to mother their own alien hatchlings. “Mars Needs Moms is one of those light family flicks that will likely produce a few extra hugs before bedtime,” writes Hoose. “And it’ll remind kids that Mom just might be a bit more useful and cool than they thought a couple of hours earlier.”

Brave

If Rebecca wanted to be just like her mom in Unsung Hero, Merida wants to be anything but in Pixar’s Brave. Another take on body-switching hijinks, Merida is so determined to change her fate of becoming a corset-wearing, bow-and-arrowless lord’s wife that she employs magic to change her mom, Elinor—the one pushing Merida to the altar. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just change Elinor’s mind but her body, too. And the pair are shocked when Elinor transforms into a bear. And unless they can somehow figure out how to see eye-to-eye (further impeded by Elinor’s inability to speak), Elinor’s transformation will become permanent. Writes Paul Asay, “Elinor and Merida wind up risking their lives for each other, and their contentious-but-beautiful bond mimics, in its own surreal way, many a mother-daughter relationship. We see here a mom’s need to prepare her kids for the real world, a daughter’s desire for freedom and the ability to make her own decisions. Those teen years can be difficult in many households. Brave doesn’t tell us otherwise. But it asks us to remember that when you strip away all the differences and all the hurt, the bond between mother and daughter is a thing of transcendent beauty.”

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

Check out these other mom-themed blogs:

• Six Mothers From the Movies
• Moms on TV May Change, But One Thing Stays the Same: Their Love
• How My Mom Inspired My Bibliophilia

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But if nothing strikes your fancy at the theaters, Plugged In still has you covered. We’d like to offer our own list of good, fun and often inspiring films—all released in the last decade’s worth of summers.

This being Plugged In and all, we’ve selected films that are, broadly speaking, family friendly. But not every film here is fit for every family. All of them have some issues, and some of the ones below have significant ones. Most of the films listed lean more toward teens (as blockbusters themselves tend to do). Be sure to check out our full review before queuing one of these up.

So with that caveat out of the way, pour yourself a lemonade, settle into your hammock, and check out some of the last decade’s best summertime blockbusters (listed in alphabetical order).

Ant-Man

(2015, PG-13)

Summer movies tend to be big. But this one? It’s tiny—or at least its titular hero is. Scott Lang is an ex-con looking for a fresh start. And he gets an unexpected one after he breaks into the house of famous inventor Dr. Hank Pym, who promptly offers him a job … and a chance to become a hero. This film has many of the issues we expect from a Marvel superhero film these days, namely superhero violence and some profanity. But it also offers a resonant, redemptive character arc and a really touching father-daughter story. This superhero flick shrinks its stakes down, and in so doing it finds some unexpected heart.

Avengers: Endgame

(2019, PG-13)

What? Back-to-back Marvel movies? Yep. But honestly, you couldn’t expect me to leave Endgame off this list, could you? Avengers: Endgame capped a 22-film saga, and it stuck the landing. And it ends, as the series began, with the imperfect superhero Tony Stark. In 2008’s Iron Man, the hedonistic Stark nearly died in the desert—and that brush with death changed his entire life trajectory. He tells his longsuffering assistant, Pepper Potts, that “I shouldn’t be alive, unless it was for a reason.” That reason culminates here, finishing Stark’s transformation from a me-first playboy to a self-sacrificial hero. Oh, and some other do-gooders get into the action, too, as they confront the intergalactic baddie Thanos one last time.

Dunkirk

(2017, PG-13)

Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-nominated war drama doesn’t neatly fit into the box of light summertime blockbuster. This is a serious war movie. But it’s also thrilling, inspiring and—for a war movie—surprisingly clean. The film centers on what could’ve been (and, in many ways, was) one of the biggest Allied disasters of World War II. Nearly 400,000 men are trapped on a French beach by Nazi soldiers with no clear path of escape. Had they surrendered—as logic seemed to dictate they should—the course of the war, and history, would’ve been irrevocably changed. But they didn’t. And in Nolan’s tale, we see plenty of heroes walk, sail and fly toward a strange sort of victory. While this film contains plenty of violence, crass language and other elements, it never strays past its PG-13 rating. And it reminds us why this retreat was ultimately called “The Miracle of Dunkirk.”

Free Guy

(2021, PG-13)

It’s not easy being an extra in a video game. Just ask Guy, the perpetually helpful bank teller in a violent, chaotic open-world game. But, thanks to a bit of code, Guy develops a sort of sentience and—get this—free will. He can make choices of his own within the game. And with those choices, his whole world changes. Free Guy comes with plenty of problems, yes. But it also reminds us of our own God-given ability to make choices, and how we should be using that priceless gift. As I said in my review, “We’re players, imbued with both free will and purpose—filled with the knowledge that we are loved and valued, and endowed with the ability to call our own shots, to help make our own little corners of the world a little better … or a little worse.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

(2023, PG-13)

Last year was a pretty disappointing one for superhero movies. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3—despite some significant issues—was the exception. The film centers on the character Rocket Raccoon and his backstory. We meet his “creator,” the High Evolutionary. But we come to understand that the High Evolutionary wasn’t solely responsible for Rocket’s makeup: Something far more powerful and potent was at work, too. Christians can watch this film and find a hint of God in there. But even those not so spiritually inclined will find plenty of inspirational messages pointing to the beauty, poignancy and importance of family. And even though this can be a really difficult film to watch in spots—Rocket’s upbringing was truly horrific—those difficulties arguably add to its power.

Incredibles 2

(2018, PG)

The super-endowed Parr family saved the world. But it wasn’t enough to repeal a ban on superheroes or eliminate the prejudice many have. But one PR-savvy businessman would like to change all that. And he wants to hire Helen Parr—one-time Elastigirl who’s now a full-time mom—to be the face of his new campaign. But that means leaving Bob, aka Mr. Incredible himself, home with the kids. Historically, Pixar has had a knack for making boring look beautiful: If most of us had a choice between saving the world with our superpowers and staying home to change diapers, most of us—and the movies we watch—would lean toward the former. But Pixar reminds us of the heroism that comes with being an imperfect, committed parent, even as it praises more traditional superheroism. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, The Incredibles comes with some profound messages about the dangers of technology, too. If that’s not a Plugged In home run, I don’t know what is.

Inside Out

(2015, PG)

Pixar earns a second-straight spot on our list with this hyper-ambitious tale of a girl named Riley and the contentious emotions that live inside her. Riley’s family is moving, see—and Riley’s not at all happy about it, as hard as she tries. And that (her emotion Joy contends) is the way it should be. I mean, isn’t being happy, like, the best thing ever? Who wants to be associated with that dour ol’ killjoy, Sadness? In true Pixar fashion, though, Inside Out reminds us that being allowed to be sad is critical for Riley’s—and our—well-being. Not only is Inside Out a fun, thoughtful movie, but it just might give parents a whole new vocabulary to help talk with their kids about their own emotions.

Minions: The Rise of Gru

(2022, PG)

For being a bad guy, Gru has sure been a part of some pretty great movies. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, we meet the 11-year-old villain-in-the-making, who’s already surrounded by his ever-present, ever-yellow minions. His current goal? To become a member of the Vicious 6. But has he works toward that goal, Gru realizes that maybe that particular brand of villainy—no matter how prestigious—doesn’t hold a candle to having friends you can count on. The Rise of Gru is perhaps a wee bit lighter on its messaging than some of the Despicable Me films, and it has some bathroom humor and other issues to navigate. But it’s ultimately sweet and fun. And it reminds us that a threefold cord is not easily broken, even if some of those strands might be wearing overalls.

Top Gun: Maverick

(2022, PG-13)

We did not need another Top Gun movie—especially since the first one was made 35 years before. Or did we? Tom Cruise’s return to the cockpit proved to be a runaway success at the box office and practically a template for what a summer blockbuster should be: a fun, thrilling story that sends you back out into the world with a smile on your face. The film has some reasonably strong messages, too, with Cruise’s Maverick slowly molding a bunch of selfish hot shots into a team, with each member willing to sacrifice for the others. Though it has some definitely PG-13 issues to navigate, this adrenaline ride exceeds expectations.

Wonder Woman

(2017, PG-13)

Outside the consistently successful Batman, DC superheroes have recently lagged behind their cohorts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, both in terms of quality and box-office bankability. But Wonder Woman changed that for a blip. How? It gave us a real hero. Diana, aka Wonder Woman, doesn’t wallow in darkness or angst. She’s a beacon of hope in the dark world of World War I, and she never lets that dim. And while the film contains plenty of problems (including Diana’s quasi-divinity and one particularly suggestive scene), our titular superhero reminds us that real heroism isn’t about how well you fight; it’s about why. Diana fights for all the right reasons, and that’s great to see.

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Granted, The Fall Guy—the movie that officially launched the summer movie season—did win the weekend’s box-office tourney, earning more than three times that of its nearest competitor. But the film earned just $28.5 million in North America, according to early estimates. That’s significantly less than the $30-40 million prognosticators expected, and it’s way less than the $140 million The Fall Guy reportedly cost to produce (not to mention marketing costs).

The movie did earn a tidy $36.9 million overseas, pushing its worldwide gross to $65.4 million. Still, to break even, The Fall Guy might need to pull off an impressive stunt or two in the weeks to come.

The weekend’s second-place film need not worry about turning a profit. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menacealready did … 25 years ago.

Released in May of 1999, The Phantom Menace earned $430.3 million domestically during its first run through theaters, making it that year’s biggest film by far. But May the Fourth is always a nice excuse to push something related to Star Wars back into theaters, so the franchise’s overseers at Disney must’ve thought, “Hey, why not make a few million more?” And they did. The Phantom Menace added another $8.1 million to its already galactic-sized bottom line. The finances are strong with this one.

Challengers, last week’s champ, slid to No. 3 in the box-office pecking order, serving another $7.6 million.

Tarot, the weekend’s other wide-release newcomer, dealt itself $6.5 million stateside—enough to sidle into fourth place. The film performed just as poorly overseas, gathering in $3.7 million. Its makers, I’m sure, were disappointed, but I’m not surprised. Given that Tarot is predicated on cursed fortune-telling cards, one might’ve predicted that the movie’s own fortunes could be a bit cursed.

Meanwhile, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire continues to stomp inside the top five. The monster movie earned another $4.5 million to push its overall domestic haul to $188.1 million. Add in the $358.8 million it has earned during its run overseas, and Godzilla x Kong has roared to a grand total of $546.9 million. That’s a monstrous fistful of dollars.

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