 RED does not mean "stop." GREEN does not mean "go." Click on the CAPCon Alert image for explanation |
Reel World Reality 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 MAR2012.034  (2011), G [PG-G*] (83.75min) 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 1300 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
|
  (a PayPal account is NOT required). The CAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian ministry. Donations are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. |
on what Hollywood feeds your kids. SUBSCRIBE (or unsubscribe) to our FREE email version of these reports and our COMING SOON notices. |
  Christian Long Distance |
(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Production (US): Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Regency Entertainment, Dune Entertainment. Characters ©Bagdasarian Productions Distribution (US): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Mike Mithcell Producer(s): Janice Kartman, Ross Bagdasarian, Karen Rosenfelt, Arnon Milchan, Neil Machlis, Steve Waterman Cinematography/Camera: Thomas Ackerman Music: Mark Mothersbaugh Film Editing: Peter Amundson Animation: Kevin Johnson Casting: Allison Jones Production Design: Richard Holland Art Direction: Don Macaulay Viewed on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD This time Alvin and company are on their way by ship to an international music awards performance in Europe when Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Chipettes are blown off the ocean liner on a hang glider due to Alvin's trickery, deceit and dishonesty. Seeing his "kids" fly out to sea on a hang glider, Dave (Jason Lee) seizes another hang glider and tries to rescue them. Dave's old nemesis, Ian (David Cross) latches onto Dave to stop Dave and both are blown off the ship. All parties involved end up in the sea and drift to an isolated island where they meet Zoe (Jenny Slate), a stranded UPS worker who is actually looking for a buried treasure. In such a plot a lot can happen ... and does. Far too much to try to summarize here but I will point out some strong satirical takes from Cast Away with Tom Hanks plus a number of other takes such as from the Rambo™ movies and "the most interesting man in the world" beer commercial As a feature of that for which we are now famous, provided to the left is a scoring comparative of the three installments of the Chipmunks trilogy to-date. As revealed by the comparative, this 2011 version is the most "tame" of the three, not only in final score but in influence density. Some matters in this film are uncomfortable to point out but as parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and others you may want to know about them. They will be discussed below in the individual discussion area for Offense to God (O). Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 64 out of 100 This film is not all that violent but does present the issues of violent nature that would be expected of such a plot, enough of them to lose over one third of the beginning 100 points for this investigation area. The violence comes in the form of action violence of varying intensities but none all that graphic. The assault by Zoe to kidnap Jeanette to fetch the buried treasure from the bowels of the volcano mountain, the kidnapping and Zoe's threat to kill Jeanette plus Zoe's attempt to crush Dave's hold on a branch that was keeping him from falling to his death are the boldest examples of violence in this film. However innocuous or necessary to the plot the examples of violence might be, God has some stern things to say about violence. More than 50 times from the Old Testament to the New Testament God admonishes us against violence. One verse in particular, Proverb 16:29 addresses His point rather well. Proverb 61:29 warns that violence is "catching": that it can lead the observer into a way that is not good. In addition to God "publishing His findings" about violence, man has done likewise by four professional public health agencies warning that violence in and as entertainment can, among other things, lead the viewer, especially the young, into real life violence and into believing violence is an effective means of settling conflict. Impudence/Hate (I) - 64 out of 100 There is only one use of a crude term in the 83.75 minutes of the show, but adolescent mischief, meanness, deceit and disobedience stole a serious number of the starting 100 points of this content investigation area. In addition, there is much song content about partying "out of control." [Rom. 12:18, Gal. 5:21] Sexual Immorality (S) - 80 out of 100 As in the other installments there is a significant amount of attention to the posterior in this installment. Ian admits his is "not wearing anything" under his pelican costume. An innuendo by the Zoe character suggested male anatomy but the longest and most obvious presence of sexually oriented content was the frequent camera attention to and posing of Slate to focus the viewer on her legs and anatomy below her waste. The Zoe character might well have been knick-named "Legs." [James 1:14 - 15] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 92 out of 100 Booze appeared but only during the festivities aboard ship. No drinking of it was noted. And there are no portrayals or references to illegal drugs or tobacco or consumption of them nor any abuse of prescription drugs. Offense to God (O) - 80 out of 100 God's name was used in vain twice [Deut. 5:11] and there is gambling on the ship. As mentioned in the opening of the Summary/Commentary section, there are some probable uncomfortable subliminal less-than-obvious issues about which parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and others might want to know. Song titles include "Born This Way", "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" and "We Have Arrived." In addition, phrases that stood out boldly in song included "I was born this way" and "I'm beautiful in my own way 'cause God makes no mistakes." Since I have spent years researching the means and methods of homosexual practitioners to promote and advance their choice of lifestyle I have heard these phrases many times used in defense of the choice to practice homosexuality. Because of my experience with the use of these phrases, their use in this film immediately caught my attention. In addition, an internet search on those phrases and the authors of them revealed a strong thread of "gay." These phrases and others like them such as "We are the champions" figure prominently in the world of homosexuality. The most notable phrases include "I was born that way" and "God makes no mistakes" to absolve accountability for the personal choice to practice homosexuality which, by His Word, is sinful. "Personal choice!?" Yes. To practice homosexuality (and heterosexuality outside of marriage) is a personal choice since every non-autonomic movement of the human body is a choice. No exceptions, no debate. What broke the camel's back and pushed me over the threshold of speaking up was the manner of and frequent use of "I was born that way." When "God makes no mistakes" was used to defend "I was born that way" I could not ignore the issue. First, there is absolutely no scientific, provable evidence to support that anyone is born "gay." None whatsoever. Even the grad student who years ago claimed to have found a "gay gene" has since been proven not only to be a poor scientist but a liar as well. Again I point out that without exception or debate every single non-autonomic movement of the human body is a choice. One may conjure same-sex attractions -- I don't know and have never had such feelings -- but having same-sex attractions does not make the victim "gay." Acting on them does. Second, it is true that God does not make mistakes. But we do. To try excuse our practice of that which God condemns with "God does not make mistakes" is blasphemous in the highest order. Another phrase somewhat popular in the realm of homosexual practitioners is "It is who I am" which also appears in the film in one form or another. Our race, color, gender and other such immutable facts of humanity are who we are. Choosing to practice homosexuality is not "who we are", it is "what we do." Many of my discussions with practitioners of homosexuality have centered around concepts such as those discussed above. The equation that practitioners of homosexuality seem to try to build using phrases such as those above is practicing homosexuality cannot be a sin since being "gay" is innate ("born that way") and since God makes no mistakes "He made me that way." Again, God makes no mistakes ... but we do. We make mistakes with that which He has made. The danger is the young who hear such embracement of moral aberrations in and as entertainment may suffer corruption of their home-taught and church-taught values against Word-borne wholesome and righteous morals. [1 Cor. 6:9 - 10] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides appear in this film. An attempted murder of Dave by Zoe was noted but attempted murders and suicides and deaths by acts of war and police action are not incorporated into this content investigation area but are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. 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 --> Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts. Children exposed to violence are more likely to assume the acts of violence are acceptable behavior. --> Viewing violence can lead to emotional desensitization towards violence in real life. It can decease the likelihood that one will take action on behalf of a victim when violence occurs. --> Entertainment violence feeds a perception that the world is a violent and mean place. Viewing violence increases fear of becoming a victim of violence, with a resultant increase in self-protective behavior and a mistrust of others. --> Viewing violence may lead to real life violence. Children exposed to violent programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children who are not so exposed. Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.] --> neither fornicators [pornos: a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire, a male prostitute, a man who indulges in immoral sexual intercourse], --> nor idolaters [eidololatres: a worshiper of false gods, even mammom (wealth, riches)], --> nor adulterers, --> nor effeminate [malakos: he who keeps a boy kept for homosexual relations (such as the North American Man-boy Love Association - NAMBLA); a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness; a male prostitute], --> nor abusers of themselves with mankind [arsenokoites: one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual practitioner], --> Nor thieves, nor covetous [pleonektes: one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others], --> nor drunkards, --> nor revilers, --> nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 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. |
 |
(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 64 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 64 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 80 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 92 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 80 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| 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 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. |
|
Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read. In the name of Jesus: Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God. Tom Carder Chaplain and President ChildCare Action Project (CAP): Christian Analysis of American Culture 100% dependent on your tax-deductible financial support |  |
Christian Long Distance |
|
We exist only by your tax-deductible donations. PLEASE  Features PayPal! You do NOT need an account to donate. |
| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
