A friend of mine, Steven K. Jones, has compiled The Good List: Using Movies From the Lord’s Side of the Line (download in Word or PDF) and has agreed to share it with others.
The list was compiled considering the following counsel from George Albert Smith: “All safety, all righteousness, all happiness are on the Lord’s side of the line . . . All that enriches our lives and prepares us for eternal joy is on the Lord’s side of the line” (Conference Report, Oct. 1949, 5-6).
Key quotes, ideas, principles, and scriptures are provided for most of the movies on the list. These “keys” unlock the principal messages in the films and provide a basis for discussing the stories together as a family.
The first 2 pages of the list give ideas and guidelines to parents on how to make wise media choices. Steve suggests that parents do the following:
- Hold family councils to decide what your media standards are going to be.
- Spend enough quality time with your children that you are the main influence in their lives.
- Make good media choices yourself and set the example.
- Limit the amount of time your children watch TV or play video games or use the Internet.
- Use Internet filters.
- Locate computers and TVs in much used common rooms.
- Take time to watch appropriate media with your children and discuss with them how to make choices that will uplift and build rather than degrade and destroy.
To find more information about a movie you are considering, you may want to use the following sources:
- Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) By far the most comprehensive database anywhere, including user comments, user ratings, memorable quotes, and external reviews.
- Decent Films (decentfilms.com) Movies reviewed from a moral standpoint. Rates them on recommendability, artistic and entertainment value, moral and spiritual value, and audience.
- Christian Spotlight at the Movies (christiananswers.net/spotlight) Gives helpful reviews and moral guidelines. Occasionally reviews are not in harmony with Church standards.
- Screen It! (screenit.com) Provides detailed reviews and cautions for parents on the content of movies. Some sections are free.
For more information, see Best Positive/Uplifting Movies Ever and Taking Control Back from Hollywood.
Screenit is great, but I would recommend avoiding the content descriptions of Rated R and most PG-13 movies. It describes exactly what happens in the movie so you can visualize it.
I also like kids-in-mind.com. It’s a lot like screenit. but screenit’s content is only free after a week. kids-in-mind is always free.
I like your article Taking Control Back from Hollywood
by DAVID NIELSON on JUNE 16, 2008 states: “I have found that these two solutions (kids-in-mind.com and Clearplay) have helped me to take better control of the media I view and have allowed me to enjoy watching movies once again without worrying so much about what I am going to encounter. If you are aware of other solutions for reviewing or filtering out negative content from movies, I would love to hear about them.”
I found this site http://www.cleanplaydvds.com/conditions.php Has anybody purchase from them? would you recommend them?
“Taking Control Back from Hollywood” is an ironic phrase…considering that many TBMs allow Hollywood to define which movies they should or shouldn’t see.
By faithfully following the film ratings given out by MPAA (a Hollywood political lobyying group), the blanket statement of “all R rated movies are bad!” is giving more and more power to Hollywood. Why are you letting a bunch of movie studio executives define which movies you should see?
The “don’t see R rated movies” line is outdated and not applicable for movies with tremendous merit like “Schindler’s List”, “Saving Private Ryan” and other very worthwhile films. Meanwhile movies of questionable merit that have a nice PG rating get a free pass.
I have also used the website http://kids-in-mind.com/
For good movies, also try http://www.familyvaluescinema.com
Jones’ comment on the 1962 film “The Longest Day” disturbed me:
“The bravery of soldiers portrayed and the tragedy of war documented without resorting to graphic violence and gore.”
It seems to me that war movies that don’t include graphic violence are whitewashing history, and contributing to the general public support for war because it’s seen as a bloodless, noble affair.
Personally, I think “Saving Private Ryan” and “Black Hawk Down” should be required viewing for all teenagers before they enlist in the armed forces. There’s nothing wrong with military service; I just think there needs to be some truth-in-advertising beforehand.
When will NetFlix give people the option to watch a clean version of the movie. I think that would be a very popular feature if they had it. It should be pretty easy to accomplish.