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cinemacatechesis

~ Finding faith in the average flick!

cinemacatechesis

Category Archives: Editorial

Movies to Start Pro-Life Discussions…

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Posted by cinemacatechesis in catechesis, Cinema Catechesis, Editorial, movie, Movie Ministry, Random

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abortion, catechesis, Catholic, cinema, Comedy, Conversion, death, death penalty, dignity of life, Drama, ethnic cleansing, Euthanasia, faith, film, Human Dignity, insurance, Love, ministry, movie, movie ministry, pro-life, prolife, Sacrifice

As October barrels down on us, I am reminded that October is Pro-Life month.  My womb to tombmind has bounced all over trying to decide which pro-life movies to review, especially showing the “womb to tomb” aspect…  So, this post may be as much a chance to help me gather these thoughts, but also serve as an overview of several movies that I hope to be able to show in more detail later (and some that have already been done).  They may not all actually portray Pro-Life attitudes, but can still be used for discussion.  Remember in past posts where I’ve said that sometimes the lesson is doing the opposite of what is portrayed in the film.  This list is in no way comprehensive, but it’s a start.

Death penalty:

  • Dead Man Walking (R):  I’ll admit, I haven’t seen this one…  but It’s on my list to watch.  A man has committed unspeakable crimes, but as he sits on death row Sister Prejean works to have his execution stayed and befriends him.
  • The Life of David Gayle (R):  a consensual sexual encounter followed by suicide is staged as a rape and murder to prove that even with video and DNA evidence, an innocent person can be sentenced to the death penalty.

Euthanasia:

  • Million Dollar Baby (PG-13):  **CAUTION**  This one comes down on euthanasia as mercy killing.  When a young boxer who has fought her way into the ring, is injured so badly she is faced with life being bedridden and unable to even care for herself, she asks her manager to end her life.  The film wants the viewer to see euthanasia as good, but a case can definitely be made that considering her fighter spirit that had overcome so much, she gave up way too easily.  So, there’s a lot to discuss here.

Insurance reform / quality care for those in need:

  • John Q (PG-13):  Desperate for a heart transplant for his son and being blocked by red tape at every turn, a man takes the ER hostage until they agree to perform the surgery.  Then, when an organ isn’t available, he sets things in motion to serve as his son’s donor, though it will mean losing his life.  Again, this is a launchpad for discussion…  not something you’ll want to show without talking about it at length.

Dignity of Human Life:

  • Horton Hears a Who (G):  The line repeated over and over in this movie is “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”  Horton the elephant hears talking coming from a flower and is driven to protect it, even though every other animal in the jungle thinks that he has lost his mind.
  • The Incredibles (PG):  “Valuing life is not weakness…and disregarding it is not strength.”  This line from Mr. Incredible, who is accused of weakness because he won’t kill the bad guy’s assistant to get his way shows a profound respect for human life (as the good guys usually do).
  • Ice Age (PG):  Instead of abandoning an orphaned human child, A mammoth, a sloth and a tiger set out on a journey to take the child to someone who can care for him.
  • The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (PG-13):  The story of an unlikely friendship between two boys, one German, one Jew.  Set during the Holocaust, the German boy is being taught all about the inferiority of the Jewish race, but he comes to see that none of it is true.

Abortion:

  • Bella:  A woman set on abortion spends time with a former soccer player who is trying to make amends for a past incident.  He convinces her to choose life by agreeing to raise her child for her while giving her the opportunity to change her mind along the way.
  • Juno:  Juno heads into an abortion clinic, but the small bit of trivia about the baby having finger nails sends her running out.  So she finds adoptive parents in the Penny Saver and continues her high school schooling as a pregnant teen despite ridicule and frustration at her condition.  Juno is crass and full of herself, but is still genuinely concerned for the future of the baby.
  • October Baby:  An abortion survivor sets out on a journey to find her birth mother.  Along the way she finds out more about her birth, too.  She offers her mother the forgiveness she never allowed herself.  See the review I did on this one earlier here.
  • Cider House Rules:  **CAUTION** This one is really pro-abortion.  However, I think that the conversations and situations in the movie can be a good launchpad for discussion, especially in those extreme cases that are thrown out to support abortion agendas.  A boy raised in an orphanage is the assistant to a doctor who performs abortions for women who feel they have no choice.  The boy argues with the doctor about his actions, and maintains a pro-life stance until he encounters a girl who is pregnant by incest.
  • The Way:  It’s a small part of the story, but one of the pilgrims encountered on The Way of St. James admits to having an abortion to prevent her abusive husband from having another woman to beat on.  She goes on to talk about imagining what the child would be doing and the life she never had.  See the review I did on this one earlier here.
  • How to Deal:  A teenager discovers she’s pregnant after her boyfriend dies in a freak incident.  She chooses life, and endures the humiliation of being a pregnant teen with the support of the main character who makes it clear that she would not have made the same decision.  Again, this is a good one for the discussion, but cannot stand on it’s own as pro-life because so many push for abortion.

I know there is NO way this is all of the movies regarding life issues out there.  I mean think about all those military or action flicks where the heroes are trying to save humanity, even if it means a few human lives are lost…  or all those that struggle with a difficult diagnosis, and overcome it all to do more with their lives than they ever thought possible.  All are a part of the battle for life, and all boil down to love of neighbor.  If we all did a better job of that, would the rest even be an issue??

In my search for more ideas about films regarding life issues, I came across two sites listed below with lots of recommendations you might find helpful, especially if you check out the comments.

  • 3 Movies with (accidental) Pro-Life Messages
  • More Pro Life Movies

Hopefully I’ll be able to elaborate more on these as time goes on, but hopefully this will help for now.  Blessings!

What do The Golden Compass, The DaVinci Code and The Exorcist have in common?

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catechesis, Catholic, Catholic Church, children, cinema, controversy, conversation, discussion, film, how to talk to your children about movies, ministry, movie, movie ministry

Since I’m having such a hard time finding time to talk about a movie at the moment, I wanted to take a minute to talk about the issue of controversial movies, especially those aimed at the Catholic Church. Every so often, one of these movies will come out – and some are clamoring to go see it, and others are immediately digging their feet in and trying to convince everyone not to. What’s sad is, all the controversy almost always gives more credit than is due to these type of debates. Now, I’m not talking about pornographic or those that are just downright morally offensive. I’m talking about those that are fiction, but appear to take jabs at the Church.

So, here’s my typical strategy… use these sort of films to open a discussion! If you haven’t seen what all the hype is about, it’s hard to counteract it. Most of these movies are at least moderately entertaining, or no one would watch them. I usually wait until they come to TV or some other inexpensive or free venue, and I watch them. I remind myself (and you) to keep in mind the background of the film. If it’s fiction, remember that! Next, what issues did you have with the film, or what issues have you heard were problematic? Do some research on those things if you can’t answer them outright and proceed from there. Now, when people try to tell you things like “If you wanna know about the history of the Catholic Church, watch The DaVinci Code!” You can answer, with some understanding, what points were true and what points were not. I mean, when even the History Channel debunked The DaVinci Code, there are lots of points to be made. But do it calmly. Try not to let things get heated or flustered. That detracts from your point. Now when you hear about the bad guys, known as the Magisterium in the Golden Compass, you’ll understand why many in the Church saw it as a slam. What about a movie like the original “The Exorcist?” Why did the Church take issue with it? Go through the list.

Offer alternatives when you can. The perfect example is The Exorcism of Emily Rose – which was highly regarded as the best portrayal of an Exorcism that Hollywood has produced versus The Exorcist which deals with a doubting priest. If they see a film that paints a pope, saint or other figure in a negative light, surely if they’re worth arguing over, there is another one out there that is in line with what we understand to be true.

The key is to use them to help educate. They’ve already seen the film, in most cases, so which would you rather, help them understand the right way to see the Church, let them keep thinking that what they saw was true, or worse yet, add fuel to the fire by being hateful and demanding?

So, here’s the next question I get… what about letting your kids see these movies? For example, the Golden Compass was marketed toward kids. I got numerous e-mails about why not to let your kids see them, and many wanting me to send out something to our whole church. I suggested instead that they sit down with their kids, explain why they didn’t want them to see the movie, and if possible – eventually see it together (I do suggest parents screen films first, if possible) and discuss it with their child(ren). Help them to understand that there is a difference between the movie and what we believe – and explain those differences as best you can. That way, you won’t just be Mean Mommy… but you’ve helped them understand another aspect of our faith that they might not have gotten otherwise. And then, you never know… they might not be so fascinated with seeing a sequel! 😉

I hope that helps. God Bless!

 

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