More on Film

In response to my musings about film, Nicole asks: How do we combat the asinine standards of the public? For example, my being in children's mental health means that my hands are effectively tied when it come to showing R rated movies, no matter how effective a lesson such a film might be. I cannot show such films to clients without parental consent. (Mind you, I can show all sorts of shallow, damaging non R rated films.)...how do we act on this? I think it depends on the situation. Sometimes its best to work from within a system in hopes of making a difference. Sometimes its best to drive out the moneychangers with a whip. In the case of working in a mental health facility, your hands really are tied (unless you want to start your own hospital or lose your job). Likewise, my mother-in-law is a youth pastor. There's a certain set of expectations that comes with that territory. Showing her youth group Requiem for a Dream probably isn't one of them (although, again, it's hypocritical to show The Passion of the Christ, but not other R-rated films). So what to do? My suggestion would be to screen quality G, PG and PG-13 films, instead of shitty G, PG and PG-13 films. There are many such films worth viewing. There are many that contain beauty, grace and truth, and from which young people could learn much. Just off the top of my head there's The Apartment, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Edward Scissorhands, Harold and Maude, The Village, The Incredibles, The Karate Kid, The Prince of Egypt, It's a Wonderful Life, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Remember the Titans, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Monsters, Inc., Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and The Truman Show. Those are the sort of "safe," non-shallow, non-damaging films for which you're looking.