Biblical perspectives on contemporary cinema
Friday, March 14, 2008
How many times have you been at a movie and cringed at unnecessary bad language? Yeah, me too—too many times to count. There are tons of films where you might expect it—war movies, mobster movies, crime movies, and so on—and frankly, such language doesn't jar me when the story warrants it. But there are plenty of films where it's totally unwarranted—"gratuitous" is an apt adjective in that case. It's especially frustrating when it happens at a PG flick—and you've brought young children along for the ride.
Studios and filmmakers might want to rethink using bad language in PG films—if for no other reason than pure capitalism. The Nielsen Co. recently found that PG films with the least profanity made the most money at the U.S. box office. Sexuality or violence had little to do with success, but language was the big predictor.
"The reality is that profanity, within PG, is the big demarcation between box office winner and box office loser," research and marketing director Dan O'Toole said. "Parents are choosing PG films for their kids that have very, very low levels of profanity."
I'm always reluctant to draw definitive conclusions from such studies; I've seen other pundits make ridiculous deductions from a few statistics—absurd cause-and-effect assumptions that remind me of one of the first books I read as a professional journalist, How to Lie With Statistics. All to say, while stats may indeed show us something, they aren't necessarily telling us everything. Just because there was only one R-rated film in the top 10 at the box office last year doesn't prove anything. But I digress ...
At any rate, I don't need to read the results of a study to conclude that putting gratuitous bad language—and yes, the definition of "gratuitous" varies from person to person—into a PG movie is at least a questionable, if not outright stupid, decision by filmmakers and studios. So here's one vote, at least, for trying to keep the bleep out of PG flicks.
You certainly don't have to worry about that with the G-rated Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who, which is getting positive reviews from critics all around. The film is not only faithful to the classic children's book, but is a terrific discussion fodder for things like having faith in things unseen, listening for the still small voice of God, and finding value in life—all life, because, as Horton says, "a person's a person, no matter how small."
Hilla Medalia, a talented young filmmaker from Israel, also finds value in all life. That's partly why she wanted to make a documentary about two teen girls—one a Palestinian suicide bomber, the other her Jewish victim—that speaks volumes about the value of life of all faiths and ethnicities. In the powerful film To Die in Jerusalem, Medalia not only tells the stories of the two young women, but interviews the grieving mothers of both to try to get more perspective from both sides of the story. Read our interview with Medalia, and try to catch her unforgettable film on HBO or via purchase.
Finally, a new documentary—Expelled, due in April—about the debate between Darwinism and Intelligent Design is already stirring strong reactions, positive and negative, even before it hits theaters. Check out the story in Reel News.
See you at the movies,
Mark Moring
Editor, CT Movies
To reply to this newsletter: ctmovies@christianitytoday.com
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REVIEW
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
An elephant finds himself an object of scorn after insisting that an entire world exists on a single speck—and Hollywood finally gets a Seuss classic mostly right.
by Brandon Fibbs
Rated G
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INTERVIEW
To Die in Jerusalem
When a Palestinian teen girl killed an Israeli teen girl in a suicide bombing, Jewish filmmaker Hilla Medalia told the storyand tried to get the surviving mothers together.
by Carolyn Arends
REEL NEWS
Expelled Under the Microscope
Intelligent design documentary draws praise from conservatives, derision from others; publicity blitz underway. Plus: More honors for Into Great Silence and There Will Be Blood; a Christian response to The Secret; and more.
by Josh Hurst
SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS FROM THE MOVIES
Bourne Identity: Who Am I and Where Am I Going?
from PreachingToday.com
Click here for a complete listing of our recent articles.
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Compared to a decade ago, today's movies are generally:
- Much worse: 37%
- About the same: 25%
- A little better: 13%
- A little worse: 13%
- Much better: 10%
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Facing the Giants, DVD
Created to evangelize non-believers and encourage
believers, this is an inspiring story about a losing high
school football coach with a whole new game plan.
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Jeremy's Egg, DVD
Based on a true story, a terminally ill twelve-year-old
boy is given a school assignment that he responds to in a
way that surprises and inspires everyone around him.
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Flywheel: Director's Cut DVD
A dishonest used car salesman learns to honor God with his
business. Contains new bonus features including an 8-part
Bible study. From the creator's of Facing the Giants.
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Love's Unending Legacy, DVD
The fifth installment from Janette Oke's beloved series.
Two years have passed since Missie's husband died. Can
she let go of the past and embrace the future?
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