What to watch with your kids: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ and more

Barbie: Skipper and the Big Babysitting Adventure (TV-Y7)

Mild scares in this animated Skipper summer job adventure.

“Barbie: Skipper and the Big Babysitting Adventure” is an hour-long animated film about plans from Barbie’s sister to run a babysitting business. Some action could frighten very young viewers, like kids getting lost far from their parents, but no characters are hurt, and the tone of the film is light. There is, however, a strange, maniacal clown character who could unsettle some kids. Skipper (voice of Kirsten Day) and friends demonstrate resilience and perseverance in finding and keeping summer jobs despite obstacles, including a mean, vindictive boss and a task involving cleaning out a pool with brown, mucky toilet overflow. The film is about believing in yourself, being brave and independent, dealing with setbacks and disappointments, and forgiving people for their mistakes. (62 minutes)

Fantasy adventure has mythical beasts, peril, life lessons.

“Chupa” is a fantasy adventure set in 1990s Mexico directed by Jonás Cuarón (Alfonso’s son) that focuses on a child of immigrants learning to appreciate his heritage and culture. Expect some violent and potentially frightening scenes, as well as themes of family, love and loss. The main character, Alex (Evan Whitten), lost his father to cancer and is dealing with grief. He is also bullied at school for being “different” (read: Mexican). In Mexico, his grandpa Chava (Demián Bichir) has dementia that the doctor says is progressing rapidly, and sometimes he goes missing. Alex is caught up in an adventure involving the discovery of an abandoned cub of an elusive, if not mythical, creature, the chupacabra. A group of scientists, one of whom is played by Christian Slater, are trying to capture the creature for their own profit and ostensibly to help humanity. They shoot tranquilizer guns at the creatures and chase them and the humans into perilous situations. But the creatures fight back. In one scene, Alex is nearly attacked by a lion and falls off a collapsing bridge into a deep canyon. (98 minutes)

Family-friendly sports drama scores with heartfelt emotions.

“The Crossover” is a drama series about twin basketball-playing brothers, Josh (Jalyn Hall) and Jordan (Amir O’Neil) Bell, who long for success on and off the court. It is based on the novel of the same name by Kwame Alexander, who is also the showrunner. The overall vibe is heartfelt and inspirational. Members of the Bell family support one another deeply, spend lots of time together, and talk frequently about what success means and how hard work and dedication can help the Bell brothers get there. They also emphasize family as a team that sticks together no matter what. Violence and scariness include scenes in which we see that father Chuck (Derek Luke) is in shaky physical health (he falls to the ground clutching his heart) and trash talking between basketball rivals (it does not rise to the level of personal insults). Both Bell brothers are interested in dating, so expect to see flirting and kissing, as well as romantic complications. One character drinks a glass of wine, but no one acts drunk. Characters are diverse in terms of age and race. Most main characters are Black. (Eight episodes each 30 minutes)

Available on Disney Plus.

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