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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 MAR2012.042  (2011), PG-13 [PG-13*] (112min) 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. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Production (US): Warner Brothers Pictures, New Line Cinema, A Wayne Rice/Karz Entertainment Production Distribution (US): Warner Home Video Director(s): Gary Marshall Producer(s): Marc Karz, Wayne Rice, Gary Marshall, Toby Emmerich, Samuel J. Brown, Michael Disco, Diane Pokorny, Josie Rosen Written by: Katherine Fugate Cinematography/Camera: Charles Minsky Music: John Debney Film Editing: Michael Tronick Casting: Amanda Mackey, Cathy Sandrich Gelfond Production Design: Marc Friedberg Art Direction: Kim Jennings Viewed on Warner Home Video DVD There is an old expression used a ton of years ago - "a star-studded cast." New Year's Eve is a great example of that expression. The setting is New York City and the 2011 New Year's Eve celebration. Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank), Vice President of Times Square Alliance, is in charge of the ball drop on Times Square, a ball drop that fails for the first time since 1905 until previously fired electrical expert Kominski (Hector Elizondo) arrives to save the day. Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker), who annually spends New Year's Eve with her daughter, Hailey (Abigail Breslin), battles with 15 year old Hailey this year about her demand for freedom to wander the streets of NYC with her friends, one of them an intended midnight kiss. Laura (Katherine Heigl), chef for the festivities sponsored by ARI Recording, runs into singing superstar Daniel Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi), who ran out on Laura last New Year's Eve after asking her to marry him, who wants Laura back. Stan Harris (Robert DeNiro), who is Claire's father, lies dying in a hospital bed wanting only to see the ball drop one more time. Stan is tended by Nurse Aimee (Hale Berry) and a doctor played by Cary Elwes. In the same hospital, Tess (Jessica Biel) and Griffin (Seth Meyers) Byrne vie with Grace (Sarah Paulsen) and James (Til Scheiger) Schwab for the $25,000 prize for the "first baby of the new year." Ashton Kutcher plays Randy as a fellow trapped elevator occupant with Jensen back-up singer Elise (Lea Michelle). Almost as a thread to bind all the other subplots together is recording executive assistant Ingrid (Michelle Pfiefer), who just quit her job, and Paul (Zac Effron), a delivery courier, spending the last hours of 2011 trying to fulfill all of Ingrid's New Year's Resolutions. There are a number of other subplots in this 112-minute film but enough is enough, especially since I am not a movie critic. Let me get to the main reason most of our readers visit our pages - the content. 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) - 91 out of 100 The only issues of violence in the entire 112 minutes of the program were Ingrid nearly getting hit by a cab and slaps in Jensen's face by Laura. Impudence/Hate (I) - 11 out of 100 Abigail Breslin plays Hailey, a 15 year old daughter of Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) and delivers round after round of disrespect to her mother since mom will not let Hailey roam the NYC streets alone at midnight. Hailey tried to use her "adult" body to claim she is grown up and should be allowed to do "adult" things. Hailey (Breslin) lifted her shirt to expose her chest to the subway train station commuters (and 200,000,000 moviegoers) and claim "This is not a training bra" and adds "I am an honors student! I don't drink or do drugs!" "But its like you don't trust me!" and walks away from her mother on the last syllable before her mother could reply: a typical unfair argument tactic. A teen girl exposing her chest to the people of a subway train station would not be a good way to garner trust in the girl's level of wisdom and coping skills let alone her inhibitions and self control. [Exod. 20:12. This is one of the Ten Commandments!] Yes, I almost treat what I see in a movie as real since the influence is real. I could not tell you how many times I have actually witnessed youth emulating a behavior because they saw the behavior onscreen ... the behaviors of local teen drivers after The Fast and the Furious being only one example. That behavioral implantation goes especially for language: the 12 uses of profanity plus the single use of the most foul of the foul words [Col. 3:8] and arrogance/rebellion [1 Cor. 15:33]. Additional examples of impudence and/or hatred include deceit, coaching to lie and lying. [Rev 21:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - 23 out of 100 There was no nudity noted except for Kutcher coming out of a door nude at least from the waste up saying to a leaving woman things were just getting warmed up. But the sexually oriented innuendo, crude remarks and physical behaviors were enough to make the magnitude of the content equivalent to the same in many R-rated features. Please look to the listing in the Findings section for a complete accounting of the findings made by this investigation area. [Also Rev. 21:8, 1 John 2:16, Rev. 22:15] And Ps. 12:8 fits as well regarding the desensitization created by embracement of such sexually immoral content in and as entertainment. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 76 out of 100 Oddly enough for a PG-13 movie let alone a PG-13 movie about a New Year's Eve celebration, it is not saturated with drinking and drunkenness and no teen drinking/drunkenness at all. Yes, there is one instance of adult drinking and one instance of adult drunkenness but that is all. No smoking, no illegal drugs and no abuse of prescription drugs. The majority of the alcoholic content of this film is the repeated appearance of booze of one kind or another. Offense to God (O) - 85 out of 100 The loss of points due to content in this investigation area was solely due to abuse of God's name. [Deut. 5:11] Though each of them was without the four letter expletive, leaving off the four letter expletive does not absolve the one who speaks His name in vain. Vain is shav {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, such as in slang or profanity. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or responsible discussion and in praise and prayer is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name or title even if as a euphemism. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking TO God/Jesus when I said that" or "It's just words" or "I was acting" will not work with Him. Nor will "Everybody says that" excuse the sin of using His name in vain. If everyone on the planet who has ever drawn a breath used His name in vain, it would still be a sin to do so. If no one ever did, it would still be a sin to do so. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we like it or not. Whether we care or not. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There were no portrayals of murder or suicide noted in this film. 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 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 91 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 11 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 23 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 76 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 85 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. |
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| 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 |
