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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 MAR2011.159  (2011), PG [PG*] (95.75min) 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): Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): Raja Gosnell Producer(s): Jordan Kerner, Ezra Swerdlow, BenHaber, Paul Neesan, Veronique Culliford, Handrik Coysman, Ben Haber Screenplay by: J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick, David Ronn Story by: J. David Stem, David N. Weiss Based on the Characters and Works of Peyo Cinematography/Camera: Phil Méheux Music: Hector Pereira Film Editing: Sabrina Plisco Casting: David Rubin, Richard Hicks Production Design: Bill Boes Art Direction: Chris Shriver, Christian Wintter Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD In this first venture of the Smurfs to the big screen, Clumsy (Anton Yelchin) defies Papa Smurf (Jonathan Winters) and searches for smurfroot too close to the castle of the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria). Once discovered by Gargamel and his familiar, the cat Azrael (Mr. Krinkle), in a panic Clumsy leads Garamel to the Smurf village which resides behind an invisibility shield. Once through the shield, since Gargamel is monstrous in comparison to the Smurfs, he reeks havoc to the village homes. The Smurfs are preparing for a Blue Moon Festival when Papa Smurf has a vision of danger for Clumsy and others. In trying to find the right spell to get and keep Gargamel out of the village, six of the Smurfs are inadvertently transported by a vortex through a waterfall to New York City where they are united with cosmetics marketing executive Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and his pregnant wife Grace (Jayma Mays). The six Smurfs are focused on finding a stargazer (a telescope) so Papa Smurf could predict when the next Blue Moon would appear so he could find the right spell to transport the Smurfs trapped in New York back to their village. A factoid: Neil Patrick Harris is a self proclaimed practitioner of homosexuality. Thus it is no surprise that in the rolling credits one of the Smurfs would repeatedly be stereotypically made to look like Elton John another self-proclaimed practitioner of homosexuality. And as invisible as the Smurf village is the choice of Alan Cumming to also be a practitioner of homosexuality. Though the intended audience of films like The Smurfs are typically unawares of such matters, especially since practicing homosexuality has no bearing on the performer talents of the practitioner, the truth deserves to be known so you may have enough information to make an informed moral decision about your cinematic support. Yes, I said "choice." Every single non-autonomic movement of the human body is a choice. No exceptions. No debate. 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) - 55 out of 100 Violence/crime in this film comes in a variety of forms: talk of killing, chasing to capture/kill, kicking, breaking and entering, kidnapping and action violence repeatedly. Violence and the violent nature of crime can plant aberrant behavioral choices in the observer. God knew this when He "published", among many other verses admonishing us against the influence of violence, Proverb 16:29 in the Bible which warns us that violence can be "catching" and can lead one down a path that is not good. Hundreds of years after God warned us about violence, man published warnings against violence by four professional public health agencies trying to warn us that viewing violence in and as entertainment can lead to real life violence, especially among youth. The public health agencies also published that viewing violence can lead the observer to believe violence is an acceptable means of settling conflict. Yes, the filmmakers are culpable for implanting violent behavioral choices in observers but so are we culpable who embrace violence in and as entertainment. Violence is not a toy to bandy about as if it is innocuous. Impudence/Hate (I) - 62 out of 100 Only one term of profanity was noted in the entire 95.75 minutes of the show, but repeatedly the term "Smurf" was used to replace terms in well-known crude expressions, causing the point of the expression to form in the observer's minds which, in turn, is as sinful as if the actual term is used. Masking profane language does not excuse the sin of using the profane terms since what is communicated is what is sinful as much as use of the actual terms. [Col. 3:8, Eph. 4:29] Other matters of impudence and/or hatred were noted such as a lie, adolescent assault of an adult, a crude term and a tantrum. Sexual Immorality (S) - 93 out of 100 The only matters applicable to this content investigation area are Azrael licking its privates and Smurfette in a satire of Marilyn Monroe's dress blowing upward by an air blast. [Eph. 5:4] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 97 out of 100 Only one display of an alcoholic beverage was noted. No consumption of it was noted nor were any possession or consumption of illegal drugs nor abuse of prescription drugs noted. Neither was any tobacco noted. Offense to God (O) - 23 out of 100 As with terms of profanity, "Smurf" was also used to replace God's name in blasphemous expressions. Also in terms of blasphemy were two abuses of God's name. [Deut. 5:11] In addition to the blasphemy are multiple displays of evil "magic" to do harm and/or to control others. See the listing in the Findings section for more. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No form of murder or suicide or even references to them wee noted. 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) - 55 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 62 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 93 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 97 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 23 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 |
