Jump to content
An Old School Catholic Message Board

Tv And Movies Stink These Days...


InHisLove726

Recommended Posts

tinytherese

I miss the good old days when Disney used to come out with better quality work. Sure, it has come out with some good ones that I've liked in more recent years such as Meet the Robinsons and The Incredibles, but remember when classics like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King came out? They don't make movies like those anymore. It seems as if a lot of entertainment in movies and on tv is basically easily disposable, not all that memorable, and turn your brain off and you'll enjoy what you're watching. (I'll admit that I've watched material like this before, but just saying it could be better entertainment.)

Yea, I do find it annoying when inappropriate references are put in movies that are for kids. I mean sure they may not catch on to all of that stuff but why is it in there in the first place? To entertain the parents or older siblings that take them to see these films with them? I remember when kids movies used to be CLEAN. As a kid I didn't have to worry about crude sex humor seeping into the story that doesn't even do anything for the plot. Sure I like Shrek 1 and 2 but some parts of it should have been taken out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I stopped watching television a long time ago. I had a kind of realization (revelation?) while I was watching a popular but assinine comedy -"here I sit staring at colored dots on a piece of glass, concerned with what may happen next in the lives of pretend people... I've got other things I should be doing... better things than this." It wasn't a strongly emotional experience or anything, I just decided that television is stupid. So I started doing the other/better things that I need to do, and I can't say I"ve missed television at all.

About the same for movies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1943175' date='Aug 7 2009, 10:29 PM']I just watched a movie from the 1950s. I was really surprised at how tame the kissing was compared to most current movies.[/quote]
You should actually read into those movies from the 40s and 50s. There was probably a lot more innuendo that you were missing. :mellow:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nihil Obstat

During the school year I almost completely stop watching tv. I'll watch Flames games, House, and Legend of the Seeker (on Saturdays). Other than that, I just have no further interest. I guess it's all a question of priorities, and what you get out of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Disney's movies were the best when they were politically incorrect. Remember Peter Pan? "What Makes the Red Man Red"? Ah, racism... :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archaeology cat

We don't have TV service, which is absolutely cool with me. We only watch/like a couple of current shows (Lost & The Big Bang Theory), and we just get those on iTunes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

princessgianna

This is why I am into the old shows. Yes they get corny but its all in good family friendly fun! :)

Mary Tyler Moore, Gilligans Island, Hogans Heros, ect....

For movies The trouble with Angels, Lilies of the field, Hello Dolly, the last Samurai ect..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1943175' date='Aug 7 2009, 08:29 PM']I just watched a movie from the 1950s. I was really surprised at how tame the kissing was compared to most current movies.[/quote]
Kissing in movies these days is all OM NOM NOM and stuff. Oh yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my kids were little, out tv was from the 70's so we had no remote or possible cable (too expensive anyway). We were lucky we could hook up a VCR. Every so often I would unplug the television (which was in the basement and out of the way) for say 6-9 months. My kids didn't miss it at all. Now we have a much newer television (but still no cable) and the only thing we watch are DVDs. That is total control. We don't turn the tv on much during the week (banned during school weeks) and seldom during the weekend except maybe Friday or Saturday night. My kids know they are not missing much. And seriously, when do others find the time?

I have a hard time listening to other parents who complain about the filth on television, but continue to watch it and let their kids watch it too! One of my daughters used to babysit in a house with 100 channels. She would come home (she'd only watch it after the kids were in bed) and tell us that with 100 channels to choose from, there was nothing on to watch! It was boring or filth. EWTN was the one exception.

If we would stop watching it, they would stop producing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am ambivalent in my feelings toward television/movies. We just got cable after a long time without it (my husband hadn't had it for about 5 years, a little over two for me). There is downtime through the week when it's nice to watch something, and we've taken to recording shows we like on Tivo so we can watch when we want, and not have to watch commercials. There are SO many commercials on these days -- almost 20 minutes in an hour of "programming." Ugh. I almost always do something else when I'm watching TV -- fold laundry, write notes, check PM, etc.

Movies often are a waste of time as well. There are so few good ones being made ... most are cheap and flashy without much substance.

I try not to watch a lot just because I'd rather spend my brainpower elsewhere. But, I am not convinced that the answer is to pull back from it entirely. For one, I think that Christian withdrawal from popular culture has had a negative effect overall. In the 70s and 80s we started seeing more and more Christians step out of mainstream Hollywood and do their own thing -- "Christian" movies geared toward "Christian" audiences that appreciated solid moral teachings in movies/TV etc. I don't think anyone would argue mainstream entertainment has gotten more moral since that time.

And, in my opinion a lot of "Christian" entertainment is, from an aesthetic standpoint, pure cr*p. Just because something depicts upstanding moral behavior doesn't mean it's a well-made piece of art. It's downright embarrassing sometimes. I would rather see more people bringing their faith into the marketplace and making great films and TV shows that are a credit to the medium as well as to their faith.

There are places that does happen. When I lived in Indianapolis, one of my favorite events of the year was the [url="http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/"]Heartland Film Festival[/url]. This is a festival that celebrates movies that present positive, wholesome messages. I have seen some really great movies at this festival. It's run by Christians -- I used to go to church with the CEO before I became Catholic. I know there are other Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, who are involved in the arts in a variety of places, trying to reclaim art as a whole and use these media to communicate something of holiness.

I guess my point is that if things aren't great, simply complaining about it doesn't help it get better. There are ways you can get involved, in big ways and small, to encourage production of better movies and television shows. I'd love to see festivals like Heartland pop up in other cities. Or, see an awards ceremony that celebrates similar things on TV.

[quote name='rachael' post='1943253' date='Aug 8 2009, 12:27 AM']You should actually read into those movies from the 40s and 50s. There was probably a lot more innuendo that you were missing. :mellow:[/quote]
Totally. One of my favorite movies is "North by Northwest" and it contains LOTS of innuendo. I've noticed this in other movies I watched as a kid and re-watched as an adult. "Rear Window," for example. It's not nearly as overt as what we see nowadays but still pretty strong innuendo.

[quote name='Kitty' post='1943327' date='Aug 8 2009, 02:22 AM']I think Disney's movies were the best when they were politically incorrect. Remember Peter Pan? "What Makes the Red Man Red"? Ah, racism... :lol:[/quote]
Yeah, or "Song of the South"? I wonder when that one will get re-released from the Disney vault ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archaeology cat

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1943418' date='Aug 8 2009, 01:15 PM']Yeah, or "Song of the South"? I wonder when that one will get re-released from the Disney vault ...[/quote]
It's impossible to (legally) buy Song of the South in the US. My mother wanted a copy of it, so I was looking for her. The few people that would put it up on eBay had it taken down. Been a few years since I tried to find it, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Totally. One of my favorite movies is "North by Northwest" and it contains LOTS of innuendo. I've noticed this in other movies I watched as a kid and re-watched as an adult. "Rear Window," for example. It's not nearly as overt as what we see nowadays but still pretty strong innuendo.[/quote]


Here's a bit more on the[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Production_Code"] Motion Picture Production Code[/url] that lasted from 1930-1968.

It's kind of interesting what they would not allow...

Edited by rachael
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ash Wednesday

My husband and I do not have a television, and at the moment, we don't miss it for the most part.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1943495' date='Aug 8 2009, 11:12 AM']My husband and I do not have a television, and at the moment, we don't miss it for the most part.[/quote]
I would like to live without a television, but I like to watch sports. That's really the only thing I follow regularly on television.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...