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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 MAR2010.012  (2009), PG [Lite 13-PG*] (1hr 24min) 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 1200 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): Ilion Animation, HandMade Films, Antena 3 Films • Distribution (US): TriStar Pictures • Director(s): Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martínez • Producer(s): Thomas D. Adelman, Guy Collins, Ignacio Pérez Dolset, Mercedes Gamero, Ricardo García Arrojo, Peter D. Graves, Albie Hecht, Stephen Margolis, Albert Martinez Martin, Patrick Meehan, Javier Pérez Dolset, Juan Antonio Pérez Ramírez, Mercedes Rey, Jose A. Rodriguez, Jose A. Rodriguez, Michael Ryan • Written by: Joe Stillman • Cinematography/Camera: James Seymour Brett • Music: James Seymour Brett • Film Editing: Alex Rodríguez • Casting: Ruth Lambert, Karen Lindsay-Stewart, Robert McGee • Production Design: Julian Muñoz Romero • Art Direction: Fernando Juárez • Viewed on Sony Home Entertainment DVD  This analysis is sponsored by the generosity of E&HP. In keeping with their family-friendly posture, the DVD for this analysis was provided by the courtesy of Blockbuster. This DVD is scheduled for release on March 9, 2010. While watching Planet 51 (PG) I really felt it was going to earn a 13-PG (a film rated PG by the MPAA but earning a PG-13 equivalent content score) or worse because of all the violence and issues of violence. For example: during the rolling credits was a drawing of an evil-looking baby ripping its way out of its dead mother's belly; two soldiers were disintegrated to the bones then to ashes toward the beginning of the film; lots of weaponfire to kill; some intense fire danger with flaming debris appearing to crush another soldier. When the number crunching was finished Planet 51 did earn a lite 13-PG after all. It earned a final score of 66, placing it in the scoring range for PG-13 equivalent films (55 to 67 out of 100). It was the score of 100 in each of the Drugs/Alcohol (D), Offense to God (O) and Murder/Suicide (M) investigation areas that saved the final score from plummeting into the R-13 realm. But in my defense my impression was still "accurate" in that Planet 51 earned a Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area score of 1 and an Impudence/Hate area score of 25 placing the violence and impudence/hate (primarily profanity) content numerically equivalent to many R-rated films in the comparative baseline database. Thankfully, the integrity of the CAP analysis model (the Findings/Scoring section) does not rely on my impressions. Indeed the model is insulated from my subjectivity. In the sleepy little town of Glipforg on a far-away planet, teenage Lem (voice of Justin Long) goes about his life with his friends Skiff (voice of Seann William Scott) & Eckle (voice of Freddie Benedict). Part of Lem's life is to become close to Neera (voice of Jessica Biel), Eckle's teenage sister. But as Lem gets a good job at the local museum he begins to find the courage to ask Neera to go out with him. Before now, Lem always asked Eckle to ask Neera for a date. Not 'ny more! And to add to Lem's new found courage Eckle told Lem that every time Lem asks Eckle to ask Neera for a date Neera tells Eckle "Why doesn't he ask for himslef?" Eckle further told Lem that Neera likes Lem. That was all it took! Lem is on his way to see Neera -- to ask for hinself as his chest swells and his head lifts. As Lem prepared to ask Neera for himself for a date for the first time, somehting got in the way.. Aliens invaded Glipforg! Well, it wasn't aliens, it was alien -- Captain Charles T. Baker (voice of Dwayne Johnson) of the US Astronaut program. General Grawl (Gary Oldman) and the military and Professor Kripple (voice of John Cleese) decided the alien was here to make zombies of all the people in their 500-mile universe and eat their brains. Now war was waged! With the alien. At the beginning of the show was a sly insult to people who shout that movies influence our youth. A mom dragged her son out of Humaniacs II, a rather violent movie. But soon the viewer realizes that Planet 51 is one of those violent films if, for no other reason, the targeted violent film is part of Planet 51. Maybe that is an unintended pointed finger at hypocrisy as well. In this case the mother was justified in refusing to let her son watch such entertainment. So sayeth the American Medical Association ... the American Psychological Association ... the American Academy of Pediatrics ... the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry ... God [1 Cor. 15:33 for one of many] ... and myself. At any rate, Planet 51 is indeed a violent film in many parts. Not so much because of the intensity of the violence, which can be rather strong at times, but due to the sheer number of examples of violence and violent issues. With the findings of four professional health agencies about violence in and as entertainment, we all must become more sensitive to the reality that a bad influence does not have to be real to influence badly and that violence in and as entertainment emboldens the viewer into increased aggressiveness, especially the young especially when the demonstrated violence, whether live or fantasy, touches in some way real life violence experienced and tweaks hunger for vengeance [Rom. 12:19]. Evidence that we are becoming numb to the hurt and pain of others because of, in part, so much violence is found in events such as some people will step over a dead man's body to get their fast food is indicative of the creeping and almost imperceptible apathy that has infused us. "We have become so numb, so drugged by the narcotics of sensationalistic extremes in and as entertainment that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible. - TC. The artistry and quality of animation is so good that once one is a few minutes into the film the characters gradually seem to loose their animated posture and seem to take on human stature. This is the way with much of modern animation entertainment that personifies animated characters. It is, to a point, inescapable and the very reason for the degree of influence imparted by the characters. Such is evidence of the finding by the four professional agencies which jointly announced the influence of violence in and as entertainment: that folks who believe that young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy are simply wrong. Indeed, Drs. Karen Nelson, the head of the psychology department of a major university and Larry Gilliam, a practicing counselor agree with me that it would be unusual for even a 16 year old to be able to fully separate fantasy from reality or be able to fully anticipate the consequences of his/her actions: that such abilities typically do not plateau until the early 20s. [1 Cor. 13:11] The filmmakers and writers used a number of clever takes on well-known films and other works of nostalgic noteworthiness. If you watch this film, see if you can spot the takes of or from: It is quaint that the filmmakers used references to material from the 50s and 60s since the theme of includes a "malt shop"flair. Before going into the individual investigation area discussions I will offer one more feature of the CAP analysis model as applied to this film. In the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) content, Planet 51 is equivalent to many R films in the comprative baseline database. In the Impudence/Hate category, the film is also equivalent to many R-rated films. In Sexual Immorality, it is like just about any other "hardcore" PG film. In eac of the Drugs/Alcohol (D), Offense to God (O) and Murder/Suicide (M) investigation areas, Planet 51 is stellar G-equivalent. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 1 out of 100 I've already presented some of the violence content of Planet 51. Other examples of the violence content includes: an order to kill; sequences of sci-fi warfare and aggression; squashing a personified bug; brain removal and more. Maybe all the violence was "needed" for the film to say what the filmmakers wanted it to say. Violence in and as entertainment does seem to creep into our wants and desires [Prov. 16:29], in other words it sells. Be that as it may, it is the policy of the CAP Ministry to let Hollywood create whatever it wants to create. God said sin would be rampant in the end times. But as long as what Hollywood creates teaches and/or causes our youth to sin or leads them to have sinful thoughts and emotions, we will have something to say about it. Boldly. Unashamedly. Impudence/Hate (I) - 25 out of 100 Crude humor such as using a cork to plug the anus to prevent "probes", handling the used cork and sharing it between users. Such programming is clearly intended to viewer direct attention to the anus. If not, the "probe" access could have been by other body orifices such as the mouth or nose. Indeed, this is a hole in the logic of the story, an intentional hole to direct the viewer. It is inane to argue the point in an animated film (as if expecting an animated film to have any logic at all) but such "probing" could have been done vie other body orifice. Why, then, was the anus chosen? Answer: the writers clearly wanted to draw attention to intimate body parts, likely because of some need to use body humor ("coarse joking", maybe even obscenity, as God puts it). That is the point which cannot be argued. [Eph. 5:4] And the use of anus plugs was not the only use of "coarse joking" in this film. Sexual Immorality (S) - 68 out of 100 In one scene the writers had Baker (the human) jump off an examining table while covered only with a sheet. The result was Baker exposing his full frontal nudity to the other characters in the film evidenced by the viewer seeing only his lower legs and the sheet fall to the floor around them. Another character then made a crude comment about his "antenna" That the writers would insert nudity, even if implied or suggested by viewing a towel dropping to a view of the character's bare feet and legs, into a film targeted at youth at all and that the MPAA would approve it for children is a sign of the times, my friends, and another chip away from the wholesome sexual humility with which we are born. Such is another step in the relentless leavings of the sexual revolution of the 60s desensitizing us just a little more ... and a little more ... at younger and younger ages into embracing lowered thresholds of acceptability. (Let me drift for a moment.) And if people knew the criminal deeds of the work of Alfred Kinsey (the touted "father" of the sexual revolution), his criminal deeds especially with children, maybe more people would reject the moral acid he has injected into the sexual standards of modern culture. I wonder how many people know Kinsey performed sexual experiments not only with young children but with babies as well? I also wonder what the guardian angels of those children and babies, angels who behold the very face of God, have to say to God about Kinsey? About those who agree with him? [Matt. 18:10] That might be a little overboard regarding Planet 51 but we need to plant antidote seeds any way we can and any where we can to eventually counteract the moral poison fed to us by Kinsey. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 There were no uses or possessions noted of illegal drugs, of alcohol or of tobacco nor were there any abused of prescription drugs noted. Offense to God (O) - 100 out of 100 No portrayal of satanic or demonic practices nor even any uses of God's name in vain noted. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders nor suicides were noted. The killing of the personified insect character by the robot was incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) investigation area. While the character was personified it did not express any human characteristics as did all the other personified characters. While the killing of that personified bug fit well enough in the realm of violent action, it would have been a stretch to call it murder. 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) - 1 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 25 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 68 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 100 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| 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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