 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 MAR26045  (2006), PG [13-PG*] (1hr 26min) 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. |
"http://www.capalert.com/ now_playing.htm" Target="_Blank"  Click it to try it! |
  (a PayPal account is NOT required) OR (preferred) by Check or Money Order. The CAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian ministry (75-2607488). Donations to us are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE |
on what Hollywood feeds your kids. SUBSCRIBE (or unsubscribe) to our FREE text-only 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.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Black & White Productions Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures Director(s): Jared Hess Producer(s): Jack Black, Ricardo Del Río, David Klawans, Steve Nicolaides, Julia Pistor, Damon Ross, Mike White Written by: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, Mike White Cinematography/Camera: Xavier Pérez Grobet Music: Danny Elfman Film Editing: Billy Weber Casting: Carla Hool, Carol Lewis, Jorge Valdés García, Jory Weitz Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 In Oaxaca, Mexico, Ignacio (Jack Black) is the child of a Scandinavian missionary and a Mexican Deacon. Ignacio works as a monastery cook but has aspirations of making money to provide better food for the orphans. Ignacio decides he is going to do so but wants to do so as a luchador -- a wrestler. Providing better food for the orphans is a noble destination indeed. But a noble destination does not excuse an ignoble path. On a trip into town to fetch some donated nacho chips for the orphans, Ignacio spies an advertisement to wrestle for money. That did it! Ignacio finally decided to become a luchador. After fetching the nacho chips, Ignacio is accosted by hungry "street thug" Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) as Esqueleto tries to steal the nacho chips from Ignacio. It took some verbal coercion but Esqueleto froze in his escape tracks when money came up. At that moment, Esqueleto becomes Ignacio's wrestling partner. Now Ignacio becomes Nacho, the wrestler even though the spark of his heart says wrestling is sin since it is fighting for money and glory. From The Free Dictionary by Farlex, "nacho" means n: "A small, often triangular piece of tortilla topped with cheese or chili-pepper sauce and broiled" and "possibly diminutive of the name Ignacio or alteration of ñato, pug-nosed, ugly, poor." "Libre", the second term in the title of this film, translates to "free" or "freedom" as in to liberate or liberation. Makes sense I guess since Nacho, err, Ignacio, gets nacho chips for the orphans for free, since Nacho's name is Ignacio, since he is poor and since Ignacio will "free" or liberate the orphans from the bonds of hunger. But pug nosed, ugly? Black may or may not be ugly in this show but the lack of moral standards demonstrated is. Especially in Ignacio's attempts to woo the spark of his heart, Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera). Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera) comes into the picture when one of the monastery teachers became unavailable and is replaced by the quite attractive Sister Encarnacion, with whom Ignacio is immediately smitten. "Encarnacion?" Translated that means "incarnation." I wonder if there is intent in using "Encarnacion" since Esqueleto said things like "I don't believe in God. I believe in science" and since another comment was "Maybe in the next life." The filmmaker's use of "Encarnacion" and the anitGod slams may be just more of those slight and almost invisible "attacks" on Christianity by the antiChristian Hollywood. I mentioned above that a noble destination does not excuse an ignoble path. The "ignoble path" refers to the somewhat frequent quiet but morally challenging innuendo and imagery in this film. One in particular is the scene where Black pinches his buttocks together while wearing tights in exhibitionism in front of de la Reguera. Precisely the behavior to be emulated by the elementary and middle school crowd, the likely target of this genre of entertainment. [Matt 25:40] One might say "So what?" Well, such thespian demonstration is just more of drawing attention to the private parts, more lowering of the natural inhibition against such a matter. And making it "acceptable" -- for the "PG" crowd. Which, as with narcotics, will expect more "naughty" as they become the high school crowd ... employees/employers ... leaders ... parents ... rule/law makers ... policy makers ... social engineers ... What goes around comes around. "We have become drugged for so long by the narcotics of extremes in and as entertainment that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible." - TC But God said it best in 1 Cor. 15:33, Eph. 5:4 and other verses. Nacho Libre earned a final score of 67 out of 100. That places this film one point below the scoring range earned by PG films (86 to 68 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database and right at the top of the scoring range earned by PG-13 films (55 to 67 out of 100). While one point out of 100 might be passed off as skewing or "background noise", the issue is that this film earned a score much less than the typical middle-of-the-road PG film. That makes it a "Hard" PG or a "Lite" PG-13. We call it a 13-PG. "13" for the PG-13 equivalent score it earned and "PG" for the MPAA rating. The Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area revealed enough matters of violence to make this film equivalent to some R-rated films in violence/crime. Not at all because of the severity of any examples of violence/crime but because of the sheer numbers of examples. See our CAP Rule of 1000 for more information. As eluded to above, the most severe scoring loss over the six CAP investigation areas (W, I, S, D, O, M) was due to content revealed by the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) investigation area, violence such as wrestling violence [Prov. 3:31-32]. Maybe wrestling violence is not such a big deal ... until one of your kids swings a folding chair at another child. Or a bigger kid holds your child head down and drops him. Or lifts your child up prone and drops him on the knee. One might be thinking "Gimme a break, Kids don't do that." A pair of Denmark parents disagree since their two year old daughter was killed with kicks by older kids pretending to be Power Rangers(tm). Other instances of violence included street fighting, [petty] robbery/theft, threat with a knife and the comedic slapstick violence [Hab. 2:9, Ex. 20:15]. But in one case Ignacio is set aflame and runs. Without any serious consequences of course. The worst of the consequences was the loss of his robe, exposing his turquoise wrestling tights ... and his secret identity. Impudence/Hate investigation area revealed programming to cause the next in line scoring loss, mainly due to lies and deceit to influence a woman [Prov. 19:5]. One nice thing about the film is that there were no uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary (except once in rhyme) or the most foul of the foul words. Not in English anyway. [Prov. 22:11] The Sexual Immorality investigation area revealed programming to lead to the loss of nearly half of the starting 100 area points due to behaviors such as exposure of skin below the navel threatening to expose that which follows, women as toys/ornaments and much attention forcing the viewer on the male posterior and generally drawing attention to typically guarded or hidden areas of the male body, areas not likely permitted to be exposed in the classroom or restaurant. and other public places. Wait! Isn't the big screen public? [James 3:13] Now to my opinion of Nacho Libre. It is quite probably one of the most empty and lame movies I have ever seen and Jack Black is very well suited for it. A complete listing of the findings is provided in the Findings/Scoring section. 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. |
 |
 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
 |
 Christian Educators Association International |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| 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: 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. 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. |
