Meadowchik Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 Just finished Blood Diamond, an incredibly devastating film featuring a slave minor, a diamond smuggler and a journalist embroiled in the story of conflict diamonds on Sierra Leone. Plot spoiler ahead: The worst part is not the killing, but the transforming of children into killing machines. The best part is not when the slave reunites his family and testifies before an international commission against blood diamonds, but when he finds his indoctrinated son and tells him, "They made you do bad things, but you are a good boy. You are my son and I will take you home." I know many fellow LDS reject the practice of watching R-rated movies and I can respect that. For me, I don't feel a non-Church commission knows what is worthy of watching or not. I am willing to stop a show or movie that exploits violence, language, sex, to entertain and I make the effort to do so. I suppose I've hoped that is consistent with the spirit of the counsel we've been given against watching inappropriate content including rated-R movies. I feel that sometimes repulsive content may be a legitimate element of a genuine story which needs telling. Maybe I just don't know how to find the very good movies which avoid R content while still speaking importance? I'm open-minded to that idea. So, in the spirit of me re-evaluating my movie habits, what are some of your favorite non-R movies which also tell not-too-varnished, need-to-be told stories of life? Which ones effectively deliver gospel-consistent messages?
gclayjr Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 How about Saints and Soldiers! Regards, George Clay 1
JAHS Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) Actually we are not specifically told to not watch R-rated movies, because some pg-13 movies might be inappropriate. “Don’t attend or participate in any form of entertainment, including concerts, movies, and videocassettes, that is vulgar, immoral, inappropriate, suggestive, or pornographic in any way. Movie ratings do not always accurately reflect offensive content. Don’t be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s standards.” (For the Strength of Youth) Edited March 5, 2016 by JAHS 2
Teancum Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 9 minutes ago, JAHS said: Actually we are not specifically told to not watch R-rated movies, because some pg-13 movies might not be inappropriate. “Don’t attend or participate in any form of entertainment, including concerts, movies, and videocassettes, that is vulgar, immoral, inappropriate, suggestive, or pornographic in any way. Movie ratings do not always accurately reflect offensive content. Don’t be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s standards.” (For the Strength of Youth) Oh hardly. Just search LDS.org and there are a myriad of talks on the evils of R rated movies and some PG 13.
JAHS Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 7 minutes ago, Teancum said: Oh hardly. Just search LDS.org and there are a myriad of talks on the evils of R rated movies and some PG 13. I know about the talks that mention them; I am talking about the general official guidance from the church to members throughout the world. They want to avoid referring to any ratings systems because people might only think that only R-rated movies are the ones to avoid. And rating systems differ throughout the world.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_rating_system 1
Popular Post ALarson Posted March 5, 2016 Popular Post Posted March 5, 2016 1 minute ago, Calm said: In regards to the title: you evil person. you. I know! I actually laughed when I read the title. Regarding R rated movies, I thought I remembered that they tempered that (in the youth standard's booklet or somewhere?) to just state that we are to use good judgement and watch uplifting movies, etc. Did I remember wrong? I personally believe that some R rated movies have been excellent movies. And then, there are many PG-13 movies that are trash and very vulgar. 5
JAHS Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 One of my favorite R rated movies is Air Force One. A lot of patriotic heroism demonstrated in that movie. No sex but some violence which might not be suitable for kids.
Popular Post bluebell Posted March 5, 2016 Popular Post Posted March 5, 2016 I watch rated R movies now and then, the historical ones mostly. More often though i just wait for them to come out on cable. At least that way i don't have to listen to the F word 50 times. 6
Glenn101 Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 I just do not watch movies that have graphic violence, nude or semi nude scenes, vulgar language or anything else that I would not want a nine year old granddaughter to see or hear. That limits my choices rather drastically in this day and age, but I feel I am the better for it. That is just my thing. My wife and I have often started watching a movie with a really good story line only to have a nude scene pop up or vulgar language enter the conversation. The spirit of the Lord flees the scene immediately and if we want it back, we have to get rid of whatever is repelling the Spirit. Not to mention the granddaughter. What anyone else does is between them and the Lord. I just put in my two cents worth. Glenn 2
VideoGameJunkie Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 I love Schindlers List, Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot. 2
mfbukowski Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 OK get that stake ready. Who's got the matches? 1
VideoGameJunkie Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 I also love one flew over the cuckoos nest and Shawshank redemption. 1
Duncan Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 When I was a kid a teacher told us the rating systems are as follows: G=Good movie PG=Pretty good movie PA=Pretty awesome movie R=Really Good movie 2
Storm Rider Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 3 hours ago, Meadowchik said: Just finished Blood Diamond, an incredibly devastating film featuring a slave minor, a diamond smuggler and a journalist embroiled in the story of conflict diamonds on Sierra Leone. Plot spoiler ahead: The worst part is not the killing, but the transforming of children into killing machines. The best part is not when the slave reunites his family and testifies before an international commission against blood diamonds, but when he finds his indoctrinated son and tells him, "They made you do bad things, but you are a good boy. You are my son and I will take you home." I know many fellow LDS reject the practice of watching R-rated movies and I can respect that. For me, I don't feel a non-Church commission knows what is worthy of watching or not. I am willing to stop a show or movie that exploits violence, language, sex, to entertain and I make the effort to do so. I suppose I've hoped that is consistent with the spirit of the counsel we've been given against watching inappropriate content including rated-R movies. I feel that sometimes repulsive content may be a legitimate element of a genuine story which needs telling. Maybe I just don't know how to find the very good movies which avoid R content while still speaking importance? I'm open-minded to that idea. So, in the spirit of me re-evaluating my movie habits, what are some of your favorite non-R movies which also tell not-too-varnished, need-to-be told stories of life? Which ones effectively deliver gospel-consistent messages? I am sorry to inform you, but you are going directly to hell. It is just one of those things you were supposed to do and you failed miserably. Did you, by chance, by fire insurance?
BlueDreams Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Currently I watch very few movies period. TV shows and Documentaries are quicker and informative (the docs, not my TV....well American Crime is pretty good and Hannibal was like watching gory art...both are probably the most extreme of my show watching...Call the Midwife is also really good). That said I have watched Rated R movies. Most don't make it past my searches for content. Sex and nudity usually don't bother me (unless it's excessive or pointless), but Violence and Profanity can when it becomes too much. But honestly, my movie watching for the most part does not fit your parameters. I prefer marvel/DC movies and scifi's. But there's the Boy in the Stripe Pajamas, The Way Back, Philomena, Rabbit Proof Fence, The Butler, Selma, and Hotel Rwanda that I can think of right off the bat and/or looking through my netflix stuff. Of the Documentaries that aren't solely nature ones (I love nature docs and will watch one during sundays): Fed Up, DamNation, On The Way to School (I really really recommend this one, definitely uplifting), Breastmilk, India's Daughter (This is heavy, I still haven't finished it...but it's extremely informative too), the propoganda game, winter on fire, etc. With luv, BD Edited March 5, 2016 by BlueDreams
Garden Girl Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 I, too, will occasionally watch an R-rated movie... Schlindler's List comes to mind... and, I've also turned off a really well reviewed R-rated movie but that contains non-stop violence or sexual content... Black Swan (won best picture of year Oscar several years ago). So I rented it, knowing only that it had a ballet theme. But the sexual content was such that I had to turn it off. I watched the comedy My Cousin Vinny on TV and loved it... so when it was offered in my movie club I sent for it. I remember looking forward to settling down and enjoying watching it... Whoa!! What happened?? Where did that language come from?? So now I'm stuck with a movie I love but can't watch. GG 1
RevTestament Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 An old movie which is not spectacular (except for the music): Local Hero I watched a movie last week which I thought taught some lessons of life - I enjoyed it anyway - but there is a topless tub scene which causes an R rating you may want to skip: The Physician. It is fictionalized tho. One of my favorite movies of all time is The Prince of Egypt.
Storm Rider Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 I tend to ignore ratings systems. If something is questionable to me I wait to read reviews and hear what others have to say. If something is particularly heavy with foul language I don't go - the last one I heard of that interested me was Wolf of Wall Street. I heard that the language was really bad and consequently I have never seen the film. Right now I watch a lot of Netflix - if you like British films, give Foyle's War a try. I have found it outstanding. I appreciate everything about it. This evening I watched a documentary entitled, Plant Pure Nation. I am also watching the Andy Griffith Show and they are still as good as when I saw them as a boy. I don't avoid something because of a rating, but I will avoid it if I think there is gratuitous sex, violence, or foul language. This does not mean I don't use foul language; I just don't like hearing gratuitous utterings as if they did not know how to speak English.
Robert F. Smith Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 6 hours ago, ALarson said: I know! I actually laughed when I read the title. Regarding R rated movies, I thought I remembered that they tempered that (in the youth standard's booklet or somewhere?) to just state that we are to use good judgement and watch uplifting movies, etc. Did I remember wrong? I personally believe that some R rated movies have been excellent movies. And then, there are many PG-13 movies that are trash and very vulgar. "The Passion" is rated R, but deals exclusively with the suffering of Jesus during Passion Week. Huge numbers of evangelicals went to see it (and took their families) without a second thought. "Apocalypto" is also rated R, but is perhaps the best picture of ancient Mesoamerican life just before the Spanish Conquista. The Bible probably needs to be rated R as well. Just too much sex and violence.
The Nehor Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 Watching such movies is a minor son. If you are going to sin I recommend going for one of the big ones instead.
Meadowchik Posted March 5, 2016 Author Posted March 5, 2016 11 hours ago, JAHS said: Actually we are not specifically told to not watch R-rated movies, because some pg-13 movies might not be inappropriate. “Don’t attend or participate in any form of entertainment, including concerts, movies, and videocassettes, that is vulgar, immoral, inappropriate, suggestive, or pornographic in any way. Movie ratings do not always accurately reflect offensive content. Don’t be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s standards.” (For the Strength of Youth) I know that we are told to basically use ratings before R as a maximum, but warned that movies with less-than-R ratings aren't automatically okay.
Meadowchik Posted March 5, 2016 Author Posted March 5, 2016 11 hours ago, JAHS said: I know about the talks that mention them; I am talking about the general official guidance from the church to members throughout the world. They want to avoid referring to any ratings systems because people might only think that only R-rated movies are the ones to avoid. And rating systems differ throughout the world.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_rating_system This is true. Even regular public TV in France can have nudity. It's interesting, in some countries, the ratings are used strictly to decide who can enter the theater, regardless of parental presence. My son was not allowed to go in to see a Harry Potter movie, even with me, because he was too young.
Meadowchik Posted March 5, 2016 Author Posted March 5, 2016 10 hours ago, ALarson said: I know! I actually laughed when I read the title. Regarding R rated movies, I thought I remembered that they tempered that (in the youth standard's booklet or somewhere?) to just state that we are to use good judgement and watch uplifting movies, etc. Did I remember wrong? I personally believe that some R rated movies have been excellent movies. And then, there are many PG-13 movies that are trash and very vulgar. This is true, the lower rating is not sufficient. 1
Hamba Tuhan Posted March 5, 2016 Posted March 5, 2016 You just live in the wrong country. Blood Diamonds was rated MA here. (By the way, I think I may average about one movie per year.) 1
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