 RED does not mean "stop." GREEN does not mean "go." Click on the CAPCon Alert image for explanation |
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 MAR25006  (2004), PG-13 [R-13*]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. More than 900 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
"http://www.capalert.com/ now_playing.htm" Target="_Blank"  Click it to try it! |
  You DO NOT have to have a PayPal account. OR by US Mail (preferred - no service charges). |
on what Hollywood feeds your kids. SUBSCRIBE to our FREE text-only email version of these reports and our COMING SOON notices. |
 Christian Long Distance |
(This section may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Warner Bros., Miramax Films, Initial Entertainment Group, Forward Pass, Appian Way, Cappa Productions Distribution (US): Warner Bros., Miramax Films Director(s): Martin Scorsese Producer(s): Chris Brigham, Chris Brigham, Sandy Climan, Colin Cotter, Leonardo DiCaprio, Charles Evans Jr., Graham King, Dan Maag, Michael Mann, Aslan Nadery, Joseph P. Reidy, Volker Schauz, Philip Schulz-Deyle, Rick Schwartz, Martin Scorsese, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Rick Yorn Written by: John Logan Cinematography/Camera: Robert Richardson Music: Howard Shore, Johann Sebastian Bach, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Harry James, Reverend Charles Johnson, Arthur Johnston, Irving Kahal, Jimmy McHugh, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fats Waller Film Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker Casting: Ellen Lewis Production Design: Dante Ferretti Art Direction: Martin Gendron, Robert Guerra, Michele Laliberte, Claude Paré, Réal Proulx, Daniel Ross Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 I am so sorry I could not have much sooner gotten this to you folks who regularly use our service, especially to those who say they will not view a film until they have seen the CAP analysis of it. But until donations reach a reasonable point consistently and long-term, such delays, as well as not being able to analyze many new releases, are likely to continue. This report may be a month late but it is still useful to the thousands who wait until a film makes it to video. PG-13 movies which earn the same final scores that R-rated movies earn, i.e., the "R-13" movies, are getting worse. And Harvard University agrees with us. Harvard made their findings a full four years after we published our finding but Harvard agrees with us nonetheless. The scoring range earned by R-rated movies in the comparative baseline database is 54 and below out of 100. This PG-13 The Aviator earned a final score of 32 while most R-13 films, it seems, earn scores in the lower 50s and the upper 40s out of 100. When adequate funding is provided, we will be able to tell you for sure after compiling the massive data we have been gathering since the last calculations in 2002. Part of that final score of 32 is due to display of adolescent nudity. Yes, adolescent nudity has hit PG-13, fully approved for 13 year olds by the "parents" which comprise the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). How far have we morally sunk, folks? How far indeed? The young Howard Hughes is shown at the beginning of the film nude from the rear, standing in a bathing tub with a little shading and defocusing of his posterior. He is then shown from behind him with his mother washing his front. By hand. With a smile on her face, a downward gaze in her eyes and a downward reach of her arm, using her warnings of a "dirty world" as justification for what appeared to be her immoral interest in her young son. And at the end of the show, the young Howard Hughes is again shown in the same bathing situation but from his front. I beg that this is not a prelude of a growing fetish of Hollywood with adolescent nudity. The adult Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is also shown fully nude prancing about in the middle of the show. PG-13 indeed! And how many Academy Award nominations is it? Five? Rather revealing of the American entertainment diet, eh? Or at least the standards of those who decide which films earn awards. I suppose a lot of people will try to excuse such behavior as "art" because it is in a high powered movie. And because it is the "truth." Such abuse may be true of Hughes' life but that truth does not excuse the demonstration of such "truth" in and as entertainment. By the way, DiCaprio is party to lowering the moral threshold of permitting nudity before your 13 year old kids with Titanic (1997) where his co-star, Kate Winslett gave an exhibition of her ... self ..., front and back. I remember that film well because I was a computer lab teacher at a Christian school for a large church and just about everyone who could navigate his/her own box of popcorn saw it. I got in trouble for even mentioning the display of nudity in and as entertainment was sinful. I left that enlightened, progressive Christian school and two years later the school/church became a vacant lot, certainly not because I left but maybe because "enlightened, progressive" and Jesus do not get along well. Now DiCaprio is party to lowering the threshold of acceptability even further with adolescent nudity in PG-13 movies. Maybe he didn't write the movie but he could have said "No" when asked to star in it. The Aviator is a film about Howard Hughes. And his closets. All of them I suspect, with most of the tedious 2 hours and 25 minutes (without the previews, trailers and credits) of cinematic focus and interest in the contents of the closets as the big screen tries to expose Hughes' obsessions with movies and aviation. And his fear of germs from others. There, I suppose, is the "justification" for the child pornography bathing scenes that opens and concludes this R-13 film. Another case of showing it when it could have instead been told. Hughes' obsession with making a movie named Hell's Angels, a World War I epic in the 1940s about military warplane flyers re-shot to make it a "talkie", cost him an unprecedented $4 million. As a result of rubbing elbows with Hollywood stars and starlets, an immoral relationship developed between Hughes and Kathryn Hepburn (Cate Blanchett). Others such as Eva Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) and Faith Dominique (Kelli Garner) also walked where Hepburn tread ... into Hughes' bed. Granted, there was much more to the performances than the sexual matters, but the purpose of this ministry is to tell you of the immoral content more than any entertainment value so you might be in a better position to make an informed moral decision on your own whether a film is fit for your family or not: a decision that does not depend on the secular reviews which very rarely even mention any sinful demonstrations any more than the say-nothing MPAA. Typically, the secular reviews speak no further than "affair" and speak of if in the same style as the performers -- in a bland and matter-of-fact manner as if nothing wrong is done. [Prov. 30:20] Hughes bought the Trans World Airline and used it as a tool to break into international flights previously under monopoly of the Pan American airlines owned by Juan Trippe (Alec Baldwin). Having interest in PanAm airlines and fearing a severe monetary loss if Hughes was successful, together with Senator Owen Brewster (Alan Alda) Trippe launched a Congressional campaign against Hughes to besmirch him into bankruptcy or at least discredit, anything to prevent Hughes from getting into the international flight market. There is much more to this nearly two-hour film, but I must reduce costs until donations meet the need. The most severe point loss was in Impudence/Hate (I), due to foul lagnuage [Lev. 26:19, Col. 3:8], and in Sexual Immorality (S) [1Ths. 4:1-5]. These two investigaton areas found matieral enough for the film to earn a zero score in each. Likewise Offense to God (O) earned a zero score due to the 55 uses of God's name in vain, 38 with the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11]. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) found material equivalent to most PG-13 films in the comparative baseline database [Prov. 3:31-32, Hab. 2:9] but Murder.Suicide (M) discovered programming equivalent to most G-rated movies. And because of all the smoking, drinking and night club scenery, The Aviator was equivalent to most R-rated films in Drugs/Alcohol (D) in the comparative baseline database. [**] The listing in the Findings/Scoring section, the heart of the CAP analysis model, is what most of you come to our pages to see. 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. |
 |
(The heart of the CAP Analysis Model)  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| 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. |
| In the name of Jesus: Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God. Tom Carder 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. |
