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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 MAR27059  (2007), PG [PG*] (1hr 21min) 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 1100 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.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): DreamWorks Animation Distribution (US): DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures Director(s): Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith Producer(s): Jerry Seinfeld, Christina Steinberg, Cameron Stevning Written by: Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, Andy Robin Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams Production Design: Alex McDowell Art Direction: Christophe Lautrette Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 Please note that the CAP analysis model treats any behavior by personified animated characters which can be duplicated by or subjected to children to have the same influence as that performed by live actors and actresses. For example, if a female animated character is dressed sensuously, it is noted. If a character is assaulted in an animated feature it is treated as if the character is assaulted in a live action film. We need to be aware that a bad influence does not have to be real to influence badly. Further, not everyone who sees a Ford Taurus commercial buys one. But some do -- because of the commercial. Likewise with onscreen behavior and imagery. Not all viewers are victimized by the bad influences onscreen. But some are. Maybe many. Especially the morally vulnerable and malleable -- because of the bad influences. With a CAP final score of 79 Bee Movie is fully equivalent the low side of middle-of-the-road PG films. It is a fun film with something to say, but it has teeth. Sharp teeth. Particularly in violence. This film is after all rated PG which means there is something in it the MPAA felt was not appropriate, but their label "PG for mild suggestive humor, and a brief depiction of smoking" says nothing. We say everything. A homosexual reference is included as are a few lite notations of heterosexually oriented behavior, comments and imagery. The homosexual reference is the queen bee is not a female but is a male in "drag", i.e., "drag queen" which is clearly a device used to include homosexuality in the program delivery. Another example is the main bee flying near the feet of a woman dressed in a tennis micro-skirt with the view upward from her knees as she walks. But of a likely more serious matter is a comment by the lead bee character to his human girlfriend "How about a suicide pact?" with a short discussion on how to do it! More assaults on wholesome thinking and behavior are revealed in the individual investigation area discussions below. New York honey bee Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) and buzzing pal Adam Flayman (Matthew Broderick) have graduated the three-day high school and three-day college and are ready to take their places in the business of life. But there was only one career choice - Honex. Honex makes honey. In spite of the vast and quickly changing choices of positions within Honex, Barry decides he wants to get out of the hive. Only the Pollen Jocks are allowed to venture outside the hive. They must. They are the bees which pollinate the flowers that make the nectar the bees collect to make honey. So Barry gets his wish and becomes a Pollen Jock. On his first trip Barry meets a pair of tennis playing humans, Vanessa (Renée Zellweger) and her live-in boyfriend Ken (Patrick Warburton). After a Rube Goldberg series of slapstick shenanigans Barry and Vanessa strike up a romantic relationship in spite Ken's protests. Part of Barry's real world discoveries is that humans eat honey! So, Barry decides to sue mankind. There are other subplots to this rather intricate weaving of a personified insect world with humans and our plethora of bug-endangering activities taken for granted. But the rest are for your discovery should you opt to view this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Above I mention "Rube Goldberg shenanigans." There are a lot of them. A l-o-t. None of which is that particularly violent but the fact that there are so many yields a total violence envelope equivalent to some R-rated films. For more information on this technique of loading a lesser-rated film with lesser examples of violence to get the same effect as more severely rated films, see our publication CAP Rule of 1000. Violence of most significance is Barry inviting Vanessa to enter into a suicide pact. This is not a topic to be taken so lightly it can be flippantly tossed about as humor. In another case, a bee spouts "I'd be better off dead." It is a volatile mixture to combine the desensitization caused by the use of such "humor" in and as entertainment with the general trend of the lowering of coping skills among our youth. These factors stirred in with the already explosive nature of youth [Prov. 22:15] are likely to be multiplicative. [Prov. 16:29] Impudence/Hate (I) The story starts with "adolescent defiance" of parental controls and wishes as Barry defies his father's wisdom for him. [Prov. 29:15] Though Barry's father is portrayed as a bumbling dolt, the imagery of defying parental wisdom is there. [Prov. 4:1] Sexual Immorality (S) Though there is no nudity in this PG film, there certainly are innuendo and suggestive imagery. To show all that is visible from the ground up a woman's micro skirt is certainly "sexual." And it is obviously intended to be that way since there are hundreds of other angles the scene may have been shot portraying a bee's perspective that would have served the perspective just as well. If you doubt that scene was intended to be sexual, remember some old songs in which a man wished he was the sidewalk as the girls go by. As pointed out above, there was one politically correct suggestion of homosexuality in the form of the queen bee being a male bee in "drag." Various homosexuality protagonists are trying to get teaching that the practice of homosexuality is normal, acceptable, natural, etc. into classes as young as kindergarten and preschool. Why not include "little kid" films in the campaign as well? [1Cor. 6:9-10] If you think these "Babylonians" will go away in our lifetime, think again. [Jer. 37:9 - 10] As long as we turn deaf ears to it and stick our heads in the sand about it, it will grow. And grow. And grow. But alas it will never go away completely -- until Jesus finally locks up Satan with a simple rotation of His Hand holding the keys to the gates of Hell. Drugs/Alcohol (D) The only instance of drugs and/or alcohol was the depiction of smoking the MPAA included in their label. Offense to God (O) There are three instances of matters which fit into this investigation area: "You fool" [Matt. 5:22], "Bee Jesus" and mockery of God and His Ways. [Gal. 6:7] Murder/Suicide (M) While there is a great deal of slapstick violence which would kill, there are no murders or suicides noted. Note that this investigation area incorporates only portrayals of the act of murder or suicide. Suggestions of them, references to them and attempts at them and acts of war or police action are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. 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 ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** 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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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D) Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
| 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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