Kids grow up. That’s just a fact. One minute, they’re cute little toddlers stumbling over their R’s and feet: The next, they’re mouthy teens stumbling into theaters filled with questionable content.
You can’t always protect your teens from getting exposed to explicit content. But you can control what sort of films you’ll sit down to watch together as a family.
When you watch movies alongside your teen or tween, you can tell them what you do and don’t like about a certain film. You can ask them what they did or didn’t like. Perhaps you’ll find yourself in a robust discussion about the themes and messages found in movies. Or maybe you’ll just get one-word answers: Teenagers, amirite?
But when it comes to films that engage a teen’s interest without raising a parent’s hackles, the pickings can be pretty slim. You want to find something appropriate so you won’t be sloughing through a slew of s-words (and up to two f-bombs in PG-13 films) or cringing through some nudity and sex scenes. However, you also want the movie to absorb your teenager enough that you might avoid those dreaded single-syllable responses.
We feel like we’ve struck that equilibrium with 2026’s Plugged In Movie Awards nominees for Best Movies for Teens.
This year’s nominees shared compelling messages about the importance of family and taking care of those less fortunate. They unpacked difficult themes surrounding depression, self-doubt and shame. And more than a few even reflected concepts found in the Bible—concepts that moms and dads in the crowd could easily turn into a discussion point.
However, there’s a reason these films were nominated for teens rather than kids. You may find that that content is a little grittier than ideal. Some elements might require a more mature mind to distinguish between godly truths and spiritual mumbo jumbo. And, as always, you’ll still want to check out our full movie reviews, since these films aren’t so much blanket recommendations as they are suggestions to carefully consider.
Vote for your favorite teens’ movies released in 2025 at this link. Voting closes March 1, and we’ll announce winners by March 11.
(Summaries written by Paul Asay, Bret Eckelberry and Kennedy Unthank.)
In 1969, Dr. Audrey Evans accepts a position at the world-renowned Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She arrives full of ideas and optimism, eager to push the bounds of cancer treatment and research. And while she faces many challenges along the way, Audrey perseveres to help those in her care.
Audrey’s Children is an inspiring biopic about many people who changed the lives of sick children and their families for the better. Characters display compassion, selflessness and a tireless pursuit for improved patient care. The movie even holds up the Christian faith in a positive light.
While the subject matter of pediatric cancer can be difficult, the content issues found here should be plenty navigable for teens. This true story might even inspire some to follow in Dr. Evans’ footsteps, seeking out ways to aid those around them.
Everything is going great for the Fantastic Four on Earth 828. They’re the planet’s protectors, universally beloved. What’s more, their fantastic family is growing: Reed Richards and his wife, Sue Storm, are pregnant.
Yes, things are just dandy. That is, until they learn that a giant, cosmic being named Galactus intends to devour their world.
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps,Marvel’s so-called “First Family” joins the official MCU canon in a story that majors in family while dialing down typical Marvel movie content concerns.
The film is not free of the issues you’d expect in a superhero movie, including violence and a bit of foul language. And parents might prefer that one character, the Silver Surfer, put on some more clothes. But the film is cleaner than most superhero flicks.
Families with teens will be able to enjoy a fun movie with strong messages about the beauty—and importance—of family.
KPop Demon Hunters was 2025’s unexpected hit of the year, reaching levels of popularity far beyond what anyone could have possibly anticipated. The film tells the story of three K-pop singers who moonlight as demon slayers. It’s their job to protect the world from those soul-sucking beasties through the power of song.
But lead singer Rumi holds a secret: She’s half demon herself. Her whole life, she’s been told to hide this fact. It’s been a source of constant shame for her, and she’s terrified what will happen if her sins come to light.
We felt that KPop Demon Hunters reflects how the devil uses our own sins and shame to entice us to believe that we cannot be loved. Furthermore, the film reminds us that only when such issues are brought into the light can we grow beyond them.
Of course, the resolution to Rumi’s situation has created quite the divide among Christian audiences: Many are opposed to the film simply due to the demonic foes—and that’s one of the reasons why we felt this movie was more fitting for a teen audience than a kid one. Others debated whether KPop Demon Hunters was trying to justify sin or sanctify it.
But it’s because of those debates that we felt that this was a good contender for our teen category—even if it might also be our most controversial pick. Parents can use this film as a springboard for conversation about guilt, confession, good and evil. And they can use those conversations to root their teens in biblical truths.
For as long as anyone can remember, the residents of the rugged isle of Carpathia have been at odds with the mysterious, ape-like animals known as ochi. That changes when Yuri, a young teen from a broken family, befriends a lost and injured baby ochi.
Yuri decides to reunite the creature with its family, kicking off an adventure that unexpectedly mends her own family as well.
The Legend of Ochi feels like a spiritual successor to the fantastical adventure flicks of the 1980s, with a heartfelt story and some incredible practical effects. Characters show bravery, compassion and, eventually, forgiveness.
For a PG movie, language, though infrequent, can be harsh. And there’s some intense peril found in this flick, too. That’s why we feel this film is best suited for our teen category. But for those who want to navigate those issues, The Legend of Ochi is an endearing adventure that delivers hopeful and hard-won messages on the importance of family.
If The Fantastic Four: First Steps give us heroes that are easy to root for, Thunderbolts* gives us … these folks. A couple of assassins? A sham Captain America? A Soviet-era relic? And these are supposed to be the good guys? Well, no, and that’s the point.
The protagonists in Thunderbolts* are deeply flawed and fallen—and so are we. We, too, can be our own worst enemies. And yet, God loves us anyway.
With all that in mind, it’s fitting that the main enemy here isn’t a planet-eating supervillain, but an embodiment of shame, regret and mental illness. And this adversary isn’t conquered through flashy superpowers, but by love—what the Bible would call the greatest power of all.
Thunderbolts* comes with plenty of content issues—more than your typical superhero movie, in fact. But it also comes equipped with plenty of character. And in an age in which depression and anxiety are an epidemic among teens, its core message feels all the more timely.
Cast your vote for the Plugged In Movie Awards here!
Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments. And check out our nominees for Best Movies for Kids, Best Movies for Adults and Best Christian Movies.
