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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 MAR2011.141  (YEAR), RATING [CAP RATING*] (1hr 29.8min) 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): CrossShadowProductions.com Distribution (US): Wescott Marketing Director(s): Matt Mitchell Producer(s): April Kruger, Amy Mitchell, Matt Mitchell, Tiaan Kruger Written by: Tiaan Kruger Screenplay by: April Kruger, Amy Mitchell, Matt Mitchell, Tiaan Kruger Cinematography/Camera: Tiaan Kruger Film Editing: Tiaan Kruger, Matt Mitchell Casting: Amy Mitchell Viewed on Cross Shadow Production DVD  Paranormal is akin to the caliber of most Hollywood horror films that use a theme of evil but on a lower budget. It is not a family Saturday night flick. But that is just my opinion. It indeed acknowledges the Gospel and Jesus' power and does so without counterfeiting them to serve a story. And the script is as accurate as I understand regarding demonology but definitely has an evil theme. Though the film is not rated (NR) the label on the DVD claims it is recommended for 14 years old and up but I would not recommend it at all except for parents to evaluate for themselves before deciding whether it is fit for their little ones. By the way, "little ones", as Jesus used it, is mikros, which means younger, less by birth. All of your children are younger than you, they are each "less by birth." By definition, "little ones" then includes at-home teens, the most easily negatively influenced, morally malleable age stratum on the planet. Note also that "less" in "less by birth" does not mean lesser in importance or value. It means less in stature or size and development. As I was viewing the DVD and even as I was entering the findings data into the CAP Analysis Model I thought for sure this was going to be a hard R-equivalent film. But the objectivity of the CAP analysis model (the Findings/Scoring section) could not care less what I think or about my personal feelings about a film. Because of the fewer assaults on morality and decency found by five of the six CAP content investigation areas relative to the unholy content noted by the Offense to God content investigation area, the film content earned a 13-NR final score of 67 out of 100, meaning while it is not rated it presents content equivalent to most PG-13 films in terms of overall assault on morality and decency. Teams of paranormal investigators - the Paranormal Investigations Inc. - investigate the East wing of the Apex County Sanatorium for claims of strange sounds and events. This segment of the film was clearly just a device to incorporate the paranormal investigators into the story because after finding nothing more than a prank perpetrated by team members for the benefit of a new team member, the film jumps to five days earlier to bring into the story Greg Evans (John Rutland), a best-seller author at home trying to come up with another best seller where his Christian wife, Brooke (Regina McKenzie) tries to get Greg to talk to their son, Ryan (Stephen Schaefer) about his experimenting with the supernatural by participating in Ouija Board séances with his friends. Greg decided to go with his son to one of the séances to check it out for himself. Greg's intent was to refute and prove all this paranormal stuff was not real. It was there the first "paranormality" happened. Greg saw the board spell out M-E-G-A-N, the name of his now dead daughter (Addy Miller) and her age. Greg also heard the voice of his now dead daughter. From there the story builds the typical construct of evil and demonology and mixes with it some Truth. Some of the Truth is that demons are real since they are angels cast out of Heaven: that spirits of dead people don't haunt the living like Hollywood spooks do; that a Spiritual war underway; that church attendance is down because people do not want to hear from the pulpit about sin and redemption or anything not happy-happy and shiny. It was encouraging to hear that last part in a Christian film because I remember trying to preach that warning some years ago: that so many men of the pulpit shy away from talking about sin to avoid invading the comfort zone [Ref: Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged and You Make All Christians Look Bad]. I am not going to itemize the story and plot as I sometimes do. I want to hurry into the truth about the content. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 48 out of 100 This film is not all that physically violent (with no criminal activity noted) but presents some material of the violent nature such as fright and horror content; a tale of gore in the slaughter of seven mental hospital patients; a child injury aftermath; the accidental death of a woman (unseen); a near motor vehicle collision; an ominous figure appearing during a fright factor; panic from fear; planning an abortion. Impudence/Hate (I) - 89 out of 100 The only matters of impudence noted in this film include lying and a teen planning to take advantage of a school program that enables teens to get an abortion without parental knowledge. Sexual Immorality (S) - 81 out of 100 Sexually immoral content includes a few matters such as a man in a shower (which means he is nude though the nudity is unseen); camera angle to force the viewer on private parts; talk of sexual favor by two married characters (while the performers are not); teen conversation about immoral sex leading to unwed pregnancy; inappropriate touch of a female by a male. A note about the teen unwed pregnancy, the child is certainly not immoral but the behavioral choice of the parents is. [1 Cor. 7:1-2] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 93 out of 100 The only matter incorporable by this content investigation area was a scene of abuse of prescription or over-the-counter medication. No tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs were noted. Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 This is the investigation area that found a plethora of incorporable items, far too many to even summarize here. Please look to the Findings section for a complete accounting of the findings. I will, however, call attention to Deut. 18:9 - 12. In these verses God warns of communicating with or having anything to do with the dead, making it a sin to do so or try. Murder/Suicide (M) - 89 out of 100 While there are no murders found in this film, the pregnant teen girl appears as talking dead with a gunshot hole in her head - a suicide. 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 -- abomination [to`ebah {to-ay-baw'}: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable; wickedness] -- divination [qecem {keh'-sem}: witchcraft, false prophets] -- observer of times [anan {aw-nan'}: soothsayer, sorceress, enchanter (one who practices divination), to make appear, control weather, conjurer, spiritism, unholy magic] -- witch [kashaph {kaw-shaf'}: sorcerer, soceress, one who practices unholy magic] -- charmer [chabar {khaw-bar'}: to unite, join, bind together with charms (voodoo)] -- consulter with familiar spirits [owb {obe}: necromancer, one who evokes/communicates with the dead; ghost, spirit of a dead one; one who has a familiar spirit] - - wizard [yidd@`oniy {yid-deh-o-nee'}: one who has a familiar spirit; a familiar spirit; soothsayer; necromancer] [God sounds so serious about embracing evil that it seems He would include embracing evil even in and as entertainment since it has been proven in so many ways that entertainment can and does influence deeply and contaminate values. Even God agrees with that. (see 1 Cor. 15:33).] 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) - 48 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 89 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 81 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 93 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 89 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 |
