Below is my philosophy of movie analysis and how to determine what films are appropriate for Christians to watch. All book quotes come from the Christianity and Pop Culture study book published by Christianity Today.
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Movie Analysis
In the book, Through a Screen Darkly, Jeffrey Overstreet writes, “If I think that by withdrawing I can get away from sin’s influence in the world, I forget that sin is active within my own walls and within my own heart” (pp. 14-15). Overstreet is specifically writing in reference to the idea that if a film has any objectionable content it should be avoided; objectionable content including nudity, sex, violence, profanity, and story lines with anti-Christian themes. Overstreet specifically encourages viewers to taste the goodness in film without focusing on things like how many times this or that word was said, and also without exposing oneself to so many negative things in films that they “diminish their ability to taste goodness” (p. 15).
When deciding whether or not one should watch a specific movie or even movies at all, one must first ask, “Why do I want to watch this?”
People watch films for several reasons. Some see movies as works of art. Some see movies as a means of education (most documentary films are intended to educate). Some see movies as a way to be entertained. I have met a number of people that only view movies in this capacity. I have met even more people, however, who view movies as a way to escape. Escapism may be one of the most appealing reasons to watch a movie, or television for that matter. When one turns on the show and stops thinking about his or her world for a while, stops worrying about his or her own troubles, and just checks out—that is escapism. People who are in school or have jobs that require a lot of critical thinking often enjoy watching films to escape and just give the mind a rest.
While it is nice to give the mind a rest from time-to-time, it is important to know that when we watch films or television, we are watching works of art created by writers who not only have a story to tell, but who have a message to “get across” as well. Turning off the mind when the television is turned on is somewhat antithetical to the purpose of watching a film, but more importantly, it is dangerous. We are all affected by culture more than we realize and when we engage culture without using our minds, that culture can slowly cause us to change beliefs.
That being said, when we use our minds, films can still cause us to change beliefs, but only because we are actively engaging them and thinking about their claims and how they stack up to our current beliefs.
I have been impacted greatly by four major works. Most of my beliefs about how Christians are to watch movies, listen to music, etc. come from these books.
They are:
- Art and the Bible by Francis Schaeffer
- Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch
- Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski, and
- The Christianity Today Study – Faith and Pop Culture.
God is a creative God, and that makes him an artist. His universe, he created from nothing, is perhaps the greatest work of art. God also created humans in his image. Since God is a creator, humans desire to create as well. When humans create art, they are bearing God’s image. Because creating art is a reflection of God in humanity, Christians should not abandon art.
“Although we are fallen, God’s image remains in us, providing the basis for our creative gifts and vision.”
What kind of art should Christians embrace?
Francis Schaeffer argues that there are four kinds of artists: artists who know God’s truth and reflect it in their work, artists who know God’s truth but who do not reflect it in their work, artists who do not know God’s truth but still reflect it in their work at least sometimes, and artists who do not know God’s truth or reflect it in their work.
If all truth is God’s truth, then whenever truth appears in art, regardless of whether or not an artist’s knows that it is God’s truth, it should be embraced and encouraged. But when art reflects God’s truth but is done poorly, then it is still not good art.
Art can be judged on a number of levels. I generally look for several things.
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Is this art made well, is it technically excellent?
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Does the art accurately express the artists worldview?
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Is the message of the art clear?
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Does the presentation fit the message?
If the artwork favorably answers these questions, then I consider it to be good art, even if I disagree with the message. However, these questions do not answer for me whether or not Christians should partake of it. Before answering this question, I want to discuss films and television in more detail.
Television
Jennifer Merri Parker wrote an article called “Why You’ll Never Get Me to Turn On TV.” The title is a bit of a play on words, she is not saying her TV will remain off, but rather that she will not turn against it. In the article, she argues that our culture is driven by media and TV-Speak is a common tongue. She states, “I simply believe it is my sacred duty to watch as much TV as I can without neglecting other obligations” (p. 56). Quite a bold statement, but perhaps true for many people. She also states, that just because it is on TV, it is not to be believed just as one does not believe everything he or she reads. She does not argue for escapism, but for active participation and critical thinking.
She states: “I will watch almost anything that tells someone’s story well. Whether the characters are real or fictional, as long as their story feels authentic and can teach me something about the human experience…I am willing to sit for thirty minutes or two hours at a time, letting the story do its work on me. Simultaneously, my mind goes to work on the story, probing for resonance with my own experience, credibility of language and action, similarity to or difference from other stories, humor, applicability, value, meaning, truth. In other words, as I watch I sit in judgment, and this is mental work, as surely as poring over a chapter of Dickens is work” (p. 58).
She condemns the trivialization of serious matters, and the glorification of stupidity. She watches knowing that if she was ignorant of what was on TV, she would only be ignorant temporarily or be putting herself under false protection. Because TV-Speak is a common tongue and because it is so prevalent in our society, it is literally impossible to completely free oneself from its influence.
She does argue that parents should be careful in what the introduce to their children on TV. She goes so far as to claim that not only should parents forbid some shows, they should allow others to watch with their children to teach them how to be critical viewers. She suggests “mining” through the channels to find the best shows, the ones that are truest, purest, and most honest. She concludes by stating that the because good shows and trash come across the TV, Christians have a unique opportunity to practice rightly dividing truth as they choose what to watch.
Her article is fabulous, and her principles for television criticism apply to movies as well. Movie goers should only watch films so long as they are not neglecting other obligations. They should look for authentic films, films to which they can relate, films that are pure, honest, and true. Additionally, I think believers and non-believers alike should learn Movie-speak. Which I would argue is just as much of a common tongue as TV-speak.
Concerning movies, many contain violence, nudity, etc. I do not condone films that glorify vulgarity. Films that portray vulgarity for what it is are in essence, truthful, and I do not have a problem with that. Good art depicts sin for what it is. “An accurate and honest portrayal of the human experience in film will likely include objectionable content; we each must determine how to respond to such portrayals” (p. 82). No art is without flaw, and even Christian art should be judged by God’s standard of truth.
To this end, I will explain my thoughts on several issues below:
Violence
I do not condone films that glorify violence for the sake of violence. Good versus evil scenarios are one thing, but the glorification of killing someone for pleasure is something else entirely. A film that promotes gang violence for example, would not be approved of by me. On the other hand, a film that portrays mass killings in guerilla warfare, or in a military strike, that intend to show humanity for what it is and condemn humanities disregard of the value of human life, I would approve.
One movie that I particularly like is Tears of the Sun. This film is not for the faint of heart. It is very difficult to watch in some places, but the film promotes a strong positive message.
Horror
I am not a big fan of horror films, but I do like some, especially the horror films that are also thrillers, like the first Jaws movie. One time I watched a movie called The Eighteenth Angel. The movie is based on a literal occult group called the Etruscans. The film was about a belief they held where the devil would return and possess a female, who happened to be the 18th angel of a set of cultic rituals they performed. In reality, I am not sure that the film accurately portrays all of the group’s beliefs about this event, but more importantly, when the film ends, evil wins the day. The devil returns and possesses this woman. As the film comes to a close, viewers know she is about to kill her father. I believe this film intentionally glorifies the darker side of horror. It promotes the practices of the cultic group and has no overarching positive ethical themes. These are the kinds of films I do not condone on any level. On the other hand, Frankenstein has a lot to say about the human experience and raises a number of ethical questions.
Sexuality and Nudity
The question here is whether or not it is ok for Christians to watch films with sexuality and/or nudity. I have never watched the show Californication but I know enough about it to know that it is not a show that Christians should engage. The show is about a writer who engages in lots of sexual activity which is a large part of the show, so much so that it tends to overshadow the plot (what little plot there is), according to a number of critics. This kind of show does not represent good art. However, there are times when portraying sexuality on some level is appropriate and necessary for viewers to form a bond with the characters and relate to them. But I do not endorse promoting promiscuity. The film, Up in the Air, is a wonderful movie. It contains some sexuality, but the sexuality makes the characters real, and makes the pain more resonant with viewers when the relationships between characters go south. I do tend to think that movies could often insinuate more than they depict. Anymore it seems like little is left to the imagination of the viewer (especially in horror films). When people ask me if I have ever seen something with nudity where the nudity was justified, I answer yes—The Diary of Anne Frank. This story was remade in 2001, and is very well-done. It also contains a scene with nudity where the Jews are required to disrobe at the concentration camp. Following the disrobing, they are sprayed down like dogs. There is nothing sexual about the scene, but it adds to the film and allows viewers to relate in a way that had not previously been done in a film. So there are times when it is justifiable, but I never condone it when it is meant to be immoral or when it is un-necessary to the story.
Profanity
While I do not choose to use profane words in my speech, I recognize that many people do, and in that sense, profanity in films is often an honest reflection of real life. However, I see profanity most frequently used as a vocabulary supplement for people who do not know how to better express what they are feeling. With that being said, I often do not find the use of profanity to be necessary. In some occasions, I think it actually adds to a film. In Saving Private Ryan, for example, in some very tense situations, soldiers use profanity. In these situations, using secondary curse words like “darn” would really detract for the severity of the situation. Using the actual profane speech in these scenes, makes the situation more real and more relatable. I think that cursing is often over-emphasized and over-used in film and on television, but believe that when profanity is used well, it can actually make for better art. Cursing for the sake of cursing, does not make for good art.
Obscured Ethics
I wasn’t exactly sure what to call this section. It is kind of broad. So let me begin with an example. Many Christians do not like Harry Potter because it is about wizards and witches, which I find odd since many of the same people love Chronicles of Narnia and the tales from Middle Earth (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, etc.). I have been told that the reason Harry Potter is different is that the author is a practicing witch and that she promotes dark witchcraft. Well, that is not true. She is a member of the Anglican Church, and she intends for some of the imagery to reflect Christian principles. So I do not fault Harry Potter on the grounds that wizardry is used. It is called Fantasy, and it is a good genre for helping to develop the imagination. However, I do have one problem with Harry Potter, each film finds the main characters circumventing authority, breaking the rules, and then being rewarded for going against the advice of the elders when young lads and lasses save the day. What this teaches is the idea that the end justifies the means. This ethical concept is something with which I cannot agree. So I am not suggesting we ban Harry Potter, but I am suggesting we be aware of that theme.
It is these kinds of ethical messages that I am concerned about and think it is of utmost importance to look for in film, especially in films our children love. As parents we need to be able to discuss these kinds of issues with our children.
I find this kind of thing especially prevalent on the Disney Channel, where shows like Zach and Cody (Any Version of their show), Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven, and others continually teach that adults are clueless and need to learn from their kids. In reality, adults are usually much wiser than their children and the children would generally benefit by listening to their parents.
Other obscured ethics are found in films teaching that pleasure is the greatest good and that it should be sought after at all costs. Or that lying is justifiable if the end results are good, or that gossiping is an expected—normal—part of life.
The way to recognize these kinds of ethics is simple, watch the film with your mind turned on. If you do that, you can still enjoy a film that does not share your worldview, but you will recognize when the story is promoting a different worldview and that will help you better reflect on the film, interpret it, and relate to it in your own life.
So, back to the question, what films are acceptable for Christians to partake in viewing?
I do not think that sexuality, violence, profanity, or even obscure ethics in and of themselves should keep a Christian adult from seeing a film. But, Christians should not watch smut, and they should ask themselves several questions as they watch.
Christianity Today suggests to do the following when deciding what to watch.
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Test the conscience. Ask, does watching this film convict me that I shouldn’t? If so, don’t watch.
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Ask, does this aggravate my weaknesses, does it drain my faith?
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Does it cause you to “smudge” your view of God? Does it keep you from being able to see God clearly? (p. 66)
I tend to ask several other questions, based on conversations I have had with Dr. David Naugle, one of my mentors.
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How will participating in this affect me as a person?
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How will my participation in this activity affect others?
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How will my participation in this activity affect the cause of Christ?
If these questions can be answered favorably, then I say go for it. Watch the film. If not, you should rethink watching. Different people may see things differently and as a result, what one person is not comfortable watching, someone else may be comfortable. That is ok.
Finally, I want to make one more observation that I learned from Andy Crouch.
Parent must preserve the innocence of their children, they must guide the awareness of their youth, and they must be faithful to their spouses as they engage culture. Just because a film is acceptable for an adult does not mean it is appropriate for a child. As you watch films and as you allow your children to watch films and television, take these things into consideration. As you guide the awareness of your youth and allow them to watch more controversial material, talk with them about what they are experiencing, and talk them through how to understand and critically evaluate what they are watching. That is how we develop culturally astute people who will be given the tools they need to continue evaluating culture and making wise decisions, even after they leave home.
Now that I have explained my basic thoughts on watching movies, I would like to do two more things. First, I want to explain why films with objectionable content are still on my movie list. Second, I want to give a brief critique of both Plugged In Online (The Focus on the Family Movie Critics), and the Christianity Today movie review processes.
To begin, if the overall story is told well, the work is technically excellent (well-acted, well-written, well-produced, it has a good soundtrack, etc.), if the work has a clear message or messages, if it portrays accurately the worldview or intent of the writers, and if it is entertaining, it is fair game for the list. I do not condemn a film just because some content is objectionable, but if the objectionable material outweighs the plot, I will not include it. I don’t think counting curse words is a good standard to judge the artistic contribution of a film, but it might be a good way to determine whether your six-year-old should watch the movie.
So to critique Plugged In and Christianity Today. Plugged In is written for families. Their reviewers take not of everything objectionable in a film. These reviews really help parents, but I have not found them to be so helpful for adults. I think the artistic quality of a film is often lost in their reviews. One of their reviewers wrote an article about his reviews and about the dangers of film. I think the article is actually pretty good, I do not agree with all he says, but I do some of it. It is called “Not Just a Movie” and it is about how watching movies effects viewers. He is correct to assert that seeing content we disagree with does affect us. However, I am not always sure it affects each of us the same way, and conclude that how he is affected may not be how I am affected. Regardless, it is worth a read. (http://www.pluggedin.com/upfront/2009/notjustamovie1-superstorypower.aspx) In summary, Plugged In helps parents know about what their kids want to watch, but it does not do much to help cultivate the arts in their own souls as they read the reviews.
Christianity Today, on the other hand, attempts to look more at the artistic qualities of films. While I appreciate their doing this, they sometimes focus so much on the artistic aspect that they lose sight of the Christian aspect of their reviews.
So I usually look at both teams reviews and then determine that the film probably lies somewhere in the middle.
One other reviewer’s sight that I like to look at is Roger Ebert’s. I think his reviews are very good and that as a film critic, he is exceptional at critiquing films. He looks at the ethics of a film as well as the artistic quality. I do not always agree with him either, but more often than not, I agree with his reviews more than anyone else’s.
If you are working to preserve your child’s innocence, or guide your youth’s awareness, I think Plugged In and Christianity Today are very helpful. If you are looking to find the best movies out there to enjoy artistically or for entertainment Christianity Today and Roger Ebert are both great sites to check out. But whatever you do, don’t turn your mind off, when you turn the TV or DVD player on.
