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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR26033  (2006), PG [PG*] (1hr 44min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1000 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Spelling Bee Productions Inc., 2929 Productions, Cinema Gypsy Productions, Lions Gate Films, Out of the Blue... Entertainment, Reactor Films, Starbucks Entertainment Distribution (US): Lions Gate Films Director(s): Doug Atchison Producer(s): Jaki Brown, Marc Butan, Mark Cuban, Laurence Fishburne, Sidney Ganis, Nancy Hult, Kent Kubena, Daniel Llewelyn, Michael Paseornek, Michael Romersa, Helen Sugland, Mike Upton, Todd Wagner Written by: Doug Atchison Cinematography/Camera: David Mullen, M. David Mullen Music: Aaron Zigman Film Editing: Glenn Farr Casting: Jaki Brown, Kim Coleman, Aisha Coley Production Design: Warren Alan Young Art Direction: Shelley A. Wallace Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 Akeelah and the Bee is a rather warm, moving and touching film with a lot of good things to say in useful ways, but with a few "misspellings." Notorious "bad guy" (and producer) Lawrence Fishburne III is a softy as UCLA English professor, Dr. Joshua Larabee, thus revealing the expanse of Fishburne's thespian talents -- a long way from Morpheus in The Matrix films (The Matrix While the morality envelope or effect of Akeelah and the Bee is truly equivalent to the PG movies in the comparative baseline database of films, it is rife with matters of Impudence/Hate. Thus is revealed one of the more useful features of the CAP Analysis Model, visible by noting the CAP thermometers and discussed below. The Wanton Violence/Crime (W) investigation area found bullying and tormenting in Akeelah and the Bee, causing the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area score to lose 6 points out of 100, indicating the film content revealed by the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area was still fully equivalent to the G-rated films in the comparative baseline database of films. The Sexual Immorality (S), Offense to God (O) and Murder/Suicide (M) investigation areas found no assaults on morality and decency. The film earned the best possible score of 100 in each investigation area, each finding programming fully equivalent to G-rated films in the comparative baseline database. Drugs/Alcohol (D) found drunkenness, smoking and drinking, giving the film a Drugs/Alcohol investigation area score equivalent to PG films in the comparative baseline database. [Eph. 5:18] But Impudence/Hate (I) found enough assaults on morality and ethics to drag this investigation area score down to zero. That means in comparison to the films in the baseline database, the Impudence/Hate investigation area score for Akeelah and the Bee is equivalent to some R-rated films. Such a low score is due to the multiple uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary [Col. 3:8], mostly by adolescents [Luke 17:2], lying [Rev. 21:8], abusive parenting [Eph. 6:44], adolescent disrespect of fair and responsible authority [Exod. 20:12, Eph. 6:1 - 3, Col. 3:20., Heb. 13:17] and a comparatively lengthy list of other matters of impudence shown in the listing of findings in the Findings/Scoring section. The father (Wolfgang Bodison) of 11 year old Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) of the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles left his imprint on Akeelah. He was big with words. And so is Akeelah. The first to notice something special in Akeelah is one of her teachers, Mrs. Cross (Dalia Phillips). After some, for the lack of a better expression, extortion by the school principal, Mr. Welch (Curtis Armstrong) and unbeknownst to her hospital worker worry-worn and widowed mother, Tanya (Angela Bassett), Akeelah agrees to participate in the middle school's first ever spelling bee. Winning the school's bee hands-down, Dr. Larabee notices the talent and the potential. Dr. Larabee grills Akeelah after she wins the school bee with words clearly above the 6th grade level. Realizing that with some training Akeelah could easily earn a place on the stage of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. Dr. Larabee's daughter Denise died at age nine. As Akeelah's mentor, Dr. Larabee finds Akeelah to be someone to soothe a little of the anguish. Akeelah is shunned by many of her classmates, but soon one of the students of another school, Javier Mendez (J.R. Villarreal) whom she met at a regional bee who also won a seat at the National Bee, befriends Akeelah and even sparks a little puppy love romance. Best of all, Javier is self-sacrificing and is there for Akeelah to the end. Another LA kid who won a seat at the National Bee is Dylan Chiu (Sean Michael). Dylan's father (Tzi Ma) is as mean and contemptible as Dylan, both bent on winning. Nothing but winning. Dylan has been second place in each of the two previous Nationals and daddy with his Marine drill instructor approach is not about to settle for second place this year. But maybe Dylan's heart is not so calloused after all? Akeelah's biggest enemy through it all is ... her mother. What can spelling get you? Will it put food on the table? This is the position Tanya [initially] takes about her daughter taking so much time to train for the National Bee. While Akeelah and the Bee is a well-written but formulaic story with some truly tear-jerking moments and portrayals of self-sacrifice and integrity in the young, please real carefully the listing in the Findings/Scoring section to maybe help you be in a better position to make an informed moral decision on your own whether this film is fit for your little ones. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
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| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our more than eight years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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