Christian groups slam new Kidman children's movie

[pedroh 21]

Usually when they do that - its just a case of substituting britishisms for the equivalent american ones. Trunk instead of boot, pants instead of trousers etc.

It's better as a radio series, which is what it started as anyway :-)

Interestingly, the 'Hitchhiker' series was first broadcast in the early 70's, who'd have thunk it?

The movie I thought was terrible.

but i wanna read it with the british-isms.. its funnier that way.. besides, it ain't that hard to figure it out.. unless you're plain dumb lolol..

[Caladan 19]

What is the certification on the movie anyway? If it's PG, then P's should G.

Church bods don't need to re-certify the movies for 'adherents' consumption, but if the church bods are comfortable with having an extra layer of certification, then so be it.

You seem to have a problem with the church offering any kind of guidance on this point, and I'm not sure why. The church has its own classification system that takes into account, in addition to all the sex & violence stuff that Hollywood shows, the moral motivations of the characters and whether evil is glorified or shown as bad. It's usually pretty close to the Hollywood lineup (with an extra classification level.) And usually it's actually pretty good criticism.

Your objection seems to be boiling down to 'parents should not be permitted to seek the guidance of their faith when determining what they will let their children view and instead they should rely solely on the guidance of movie critics, because if you don't listen to the movie critics, you will be fostering ignorance.' That's just bizarre to equate the two.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Yeah, the movie wasn't great. The books are ok, but the radio series...I miss Radio 4...I'm sorry, I haven't a clue

We listen to Radio 4 on bbc.co.uk I love "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue", "Just a Minute", "The Now Show"....etc. Good stuff.

Actually you're more likely to hear Hitch-hikers Guide on BBC7 - they pretty much just do reruns of old radio 4 serials.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What is the certification on the movie anyway? If it's PG, then P's should G.

Church bods don't need to re-certify the movies for 'adherents' consumption, but if the church bods are comfortable with having an extra layer of certification, then so be it.

You seem to have a problem with the church offering any kind of guidance on this point, and I'm not sure why. The church has its own classification system that takes into account, in addition to all the sex & violence stuff that Hollywood shows, the moral motivations of the characters and whether evil is glorified or shown as bad. It's usually pretty close to the Hollywood lineup (with an extra classification level.) And usually it's actually pretty good criticism.

Your objection seems to be boiling down to 'parents should not be permitted to seek the guidance of their faith when determining what they will let their children view and instead they should rely solely on the guidance of movie critics, because if you don't listen to the movie critics, you will be fostering ignorance.' That's just bizarre to equate the two.

I guess I find it hard to see why they need to make a public debate about this movie - just because it has subtexts in the story that are critical of organised religion. It seems a little phony to me. For much the same reason I objected to the Church groups who set up camp tables outside movie theatres offering theatre-goers "helpful literature".

I'll grant that Film classifications (from whichever source) serve an "at a glance purpose" to indicate whether a person may or may not like a particular movie, and of course because its not reasonable to expect parents to watch or read every single thing that their children are exposed to. For all that though I like to make my own, individual judgements about these things - rather than see the whole thing turned into some sort of political bandwagon.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I guess I find it hard to see why they need to make a public debate about this movie - just because it has subtexts in the story that are critical of organised religion. It seems a little phony to me. For much the same reason I objected to the Church groups who set up camp tables outside movie theatres offering theatre-goers "helpful literature".

Referring to the Passion of the Christ here - I didn't like the movie, but I felt it was hijacked for questionable purposes.

Edited December 7, 2007 by Number 6

[Peikko 1,575]

Your objection seems to be boiling down to 'parents should not be permitted to seek the guidance of their faith when determining what they will let their children view and instead they should rely solely on the guidance of movie critics, because if you don't listen to the movie critics, you will be fostering ignorance.'

Parents can seek guidance wherever they wish, I don't remember saying, "you must do this, or you mustn't do that". However, I am curious as to why someone would be swayed by 'you should not go and see xxx' when it's a question of fiction as if (and this is my interpretation of what they are saying) there is something really sinister about the movie that could damage young minds. Surely a better route would be to tell the parents to see the movie, or read the books themselves first to determine if it's something that they consider their child can safely view?

However, it is to be noted that I don't care much for censorship per se, so I guess my view is coloured by that as much as anything. I personally think it's a good thing for everyone to make their own decisions rather than seeing things through other people's eyes.

Edited December 7, 2007 by Purple_Hibiscus

[PlatyPius 5]

I don't agree with the whole "we will discuss as a family if this is something we want the children exposed to" #######. Mags is Athiest/Agnostic. I'm Pagan/Athiest. Jordan can watch whatever he wants, as long as it's rated for his age. Hell, he can go to church and be a drooling, raving Xian fundie, if that's his choice. We don't filter what he is "allowed" to see, hear, learn. Electing to not let kids see the movie because it offends your Christian sensibilities seems more likely to (cumulatively) make your kids run far, far away from your religion when they get older. Fostering ignorance is never a good thing.

Well if you're referring to my post (because those are essentially my words in quotes), I will say that I do filter what my young children are exposed to. You may find that ####### and you may mock my "Christian sensibilities" but I don't think anyone here has mocked agnostics or atheists, so I don't see why you find it necessary to make such broad generalizations. I don't think that exposing my children to different viewpoints while fostering our Christian beliefs (and btw, both of my children chose to be baptized, they were not forced into it) is fostering ignorance at all. To lump all Christians together and say that keeping faith alive in our homes is fostering ignorance is, well, ignorant. I would say that most people who are TRULY Christian, or spiritual at all, whatever their beliefs, are open-minded and believe in exposing ourselves and our children to different viewpoints. However, if at the end of the day we choose to uphold our faith, I don't see that as being ignorant. I would never tell my children what to believe or what to see/read (if it's age appropriate) but I do think that it is my duty as a parent to be informed of what they are consuming from mass media. In the end, it's _just_ a book or a movie. If someone is that threatened by it, then their faith isn't as strong as they profess....

I was Baptised too. Now, if I could destroy Xianity, I would.

[Nagishkaw 510]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_%28letter%29

[PlatyPius 5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_%28letter%29

Hence my shorthand of Xianity

[kerewin21 2]

However, back on topic. My take on it is if they don't like the film...don't go see it.

[Nagishkaw 510]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_%28letter%29

Hence my shorthand of Xianity

Hence my shorthand of your post YAY!!!!

[PlatyPius 5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_%28letter%29

Hence my shorthand of Xianity

Hence my shorthand of your post YAY!!!!

lol

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Well, Joe and I went to see The Golden Compass today and it was wonderful! The story ends at the end of the first book in the trilogy so it is a happy and upbeat ending that promises more adventures to come in the sequels.

You know how people often say, well the book was better? Well, in this case, the movie is so faithful to the book it is extremely satisfying. The special effects are very well done and extremely appropriate. Having read the book I would say that they are not there just for the special effects - they are there because that is exactly what happens in the book - nothing is really gratuitous. Visually, the movie is almost exactly like I imagined it in my mind's eye right down to the characters - although Mrs. Coulter is not as evil in the movie as she is in the book and they don't go into a fuller explanation of why the adults REALLY want dust - that it isn't the reason given in the movie - although it may be because the real issue doesn't appear until later in the trilogy. Also, the full horror of separating child from daemon is much stronger in the book.

The only 'problem' and it wasn't really a problem is that the movie is too short. The events in the book have a feeling of epic proportions to them and develop over time. Because the movie doesn't miss a single event from the book there is the feeling that things are happening right on top of each other rather than spread out over a number of days and weeks.

Visually, it is incredibly impressive. Religious critics have nothing to worry about - they probably won't even recognize themselves in the Magisterium. The children who were in the audience loved it as well. Because of the nature of the 'dust' as written in the books, the battle scene violence that occurs is far less than is available any regular day on TV.

It is a good movie, well worth seeing, a delight for fans of the book and for newcomers as well. I think it could have been half an hour longer and that would have evened out the feeling of being so fast paced with everything happening right on top of each other.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Kathryn41

[golias 0]

I think the movie looks quite good...I'll take my 10yr old cousins to see it and let you know if they become atheists

I took my 11 yr old son to see it last night. Strangely enough, after the movie he never mentioned anything about metaphysics, but he thought the bears were way cool.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Looking forward to seeing the movie tomorrow.