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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 MAR2012.019  (2011), PG [Lite R-PG*] (80.3min) 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): Dreamwols Animation LLC Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures Director(s): Chris Miller Producer(s): Joe M. Aguilar, Latifa Ouaou, Andrew Adamson, Guillermo del Toro, Michelle Raimo Kouyate, Tom Jacomb, John H. Williams Screenplay by: Tom Wheeler Story by: Brian Lynch, Will Davies, Tom Wheeler Music: Henry Jackman, featuring Rodrigo y Gabriela Film Editing: Eric Dapkewicz Casting: Leslee Feldman Production Design: Gillaume Aretos Art Direction: Christian Schellewald Viewed on DreamWorks Home Entertainment DVD I am going to try to explain how this film, which was labeled PG by the MPAA, earned a R-equivalent final score, making it a lite R-PG. If I sound like a Bible-thumpin' tent preacher then so be it. Puss in Boots is a prime example of an aphorism I coined more than a decade ago: We have become so numbed by the narcotics of progressive moral decay and use of extremes in and as entertainment that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible. - TC Let me first explain that the CAP Analysis Model treats animation behaviors, good or bad, which can reasonably be duplicated by OR subjected to OR attempted by a human child as viable influences on the observing child. Next let me address the increasingly popular technique of loading the content of a film with tons of "lesser" assaults on morality and decency to achieve the feel of more severe content. This film is saturated with the "lesser" matters of assault on morality and decency which creates a magnitude or total envelope of influence comparable or equivalent to fewer but more harsh assaults on morality that typically accompany more severely rated entertainment. Please visit our CAP Rule of 1000 for more information and a more thorough explanation of this content loading technique. Understand also that because ignoble presentations in film are cartoon fantasy does not eliminate the negative influences. When, for example, a cartoon character holds a sword to the throat of another character or murders another character by gunfire (both of which are presented in this film), such content becomes a potential behavioral template implanted in the personal arsenal of behavioral choices of the viewer whether acted upon or not. Another "little straight pin" is now embedded in the couch. Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas) is tricked by Humpty Alexander Dumpty (voice of Zach Galifianakis) into being accessory to robbery of the San Ricardo bank. Puss has dedicated his life to returning the money and clearing his name. Seven years later, or 35 kitty years according to the script (according to the Cat Years Calculator it would be 45 kitty years), one of the ways he figures will enable his goals is to steal the three magic beans from the murderous Jack and Jill (voices of Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris). The magic beans would enable Puss to steal the goose that lays golden eggs which would provide enough money to pay back what Humpty stole from the bank. But, initially, Kitty Softpaws (voice of Selma Hayek) stood in the way of Puss getting the three magic beans. There is little purpose in going into any further detail about the story and plot but I do want to address the content in detail so you might be in a better position to make an informed moral decision as to what age stratum in your judgment, if any, this film is fit. 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) - Zero out of 100 As addressed above, this film is laden with matters of violence and/or crime, most notably violence. There are so many instances of violence that to try to even summarize them here would cheat your grasp the full impact. Please look to the listing in the Findings section for a complete itemization of the findings. It would be wise to remind our readers about God's Word regarding violence. While He speaks darkly of violence more than 50 times from the Old Testament through the New Testament, Proverb 16:29 is a good representative of His total word about violence. In Proverb 16:29 God warns that violence is "catching": that it can lead one "into the way that is not good." About 2000 years after God "published His findings" about violence, man plagiarized God's Word by four professional public health agencies jointly publishing their findings which warn that violence can, among other things, lead the observer, especially youth, into real life violence and can lead him/her to believing violence is an acceptable means of settling conflict. Impudence/Hate (I) - 29 out of 100 While there are no instances of profanity in English, there is one in Spanish. Other matters of impudence are much more significant to the total impudence package. Characters speak things of arrogance and unwarranted absolution such as "What can I say ... I was a bad kitty" to excuse immoral behavior and "I mean it's fun and all, but ..." regarding hijacking and murder. To complicate the impudence content are matters such as taking pride in being a thief, lying repeatedly, tormenting and name-calling, characters wiping their anuses on the floor, bully intimidation, ridicule, treachery to implicate and much more. Because of the extent of content found by this investigation area, rather than take the space to summarize the impudence/hate content here, again I ask that you inspect the listing in the Findings section for a full accounting of the impudent content. Impudence is one of seven behaviors God hates as provided in Prov. 6:16 - 19. In fact, it is "haughty eyes" or "proud look" -- impudence -- which is the first in a list of seven behaviors He hates. In many verses such as Malachi 4:1 God condemns such arrogance. God sums up His admonition about arrogance, impudence and other social frictions in Romans 12:18 where He wishes us to take a positive posture in interpersonal relationships. Sexual Immorality (S) - 58 out of 100 While there is no nudity or intercourse (which are typically of PG-13 or R), there are a large number of sexually oriented matters such as an implied sexual encounter between Puss and a random cat, adult characters in underwear, attention drawn to male privates (though unseen), the comment of Kitty "Humpty, you're not wearing underwear" after she sees him change clothes, a cat licking his privates with a peripheral comment about it being an arousing behavior and other matters of impurity such as grossly exaggerated female anatomy. [Col. 3:5] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 75 out of 100 This film presents a bar with multiple appearances of alcoholic beverage and drinking of it. The American College of Physicians (ACP) found in 2002 that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The report entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was There is nothing to say that viewing smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior implantation applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. Offense to God (O) - 58 out of 100 Twice a character utters God's name in vain though each time without the four letter expletive. How little do most folks know that God will not hold guiltless they who use His name in vain. [Deut. 5:11] Further, Puss steals a man's ring and uses it to pay for a glass of leche (milk). This is a example of using ill-gotten gain. In Habakkuk 2:9 God warns us of woe for s/he who uses ill-gotten gain. Gambling and images of demon hogs top off the content found applicable to this investigation area. Murder/Suicide (M) - 88 out of 100 Believe it or not, this PG flick presents murder. As Jack and Jill enter a hotel with no vacancies, Jill murders by gunfire one of the occupants to make a room available. The only other instance of content applicable to this investigation area is the sacrificial suicide by Humpty. Though a sacrificial suicide might appear to be a noble gesture, such an act carries final and permanent gravity that is beyond the experiential maturity of most youth to weigh. 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.] 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) - Zero out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 25 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 68 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 75 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 58 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 88 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 |
