Posted by gforce on Jan 15, 2009 in
Uncategorized Hi guys,
Another review from the kidology children’s pastor network….Enjoy!
Overview
I grew up looking forward to bedtime. I know, most kids dread it, but my father was a great storyteller. He didn’t read them from books. Every night he spun a new tale, and we couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
In Bedtime Stories, Skeeter Bronson has a father who is also a wonderful storyteller, a great dad, but unfortunately not the best businessman. He must sell the family hotel to Barry Nottingham, but he does so with the promise that if Skeeter “grows up smart,” he will one day manage the hotel.
Twenty-years later, the once mom-and-pop hotel is now the lavish Sunny Vista Nottingham. Barry Nottingham is a tycoon, and his daughter, Violet, is very “Paris Hilton.” Skeeter is a handyman at the hotel still awaiting the top job. His dreams are dashed when the position is given to “yes-man” Kendall Duncan.
Skeeter’s sister, Wendy, has problems of her own. Her husband is divorcing her. She is the principal of a school that is closing. She has to go out of state to apply for a job. Her two children need to be cared for….by her friend Jillian by day and Skeeter by night.
Wendy is a staunch environmentalist and vegan. Her house has no television. Skeeter is like a fish out of water in this environment. With no “fun” books to read the children, Skeeter resorts to what he knows….storytelling. Using his own life for plot points, he puts his tales in different settings. One time he is a cowboy. One time he is a knight. One time he is in outer space.
The children get involved embellishing the tales. Somehow, some way, the parts of the stories that they throw in have a way of coming true. Skeeter starts spinning the tales in such a way that their additions will help him be the winner in the end.
Concerns
This is a Disney movie, but it is an Adam Sandler movie. Marry the two and you get a funny, yet slightly crude movie that teaches more bad lessons than good…but in a good-natured way.
Here are just some of the lessons your kids will learn. Your kids will learn that disobeying your mother is okay as long as she is not there. Lying is a good way to get out of trouble; in fact, there is a good bit of very obvious lying in this movie. God’s name is taken “in vain” several times. It is okay to call people unflattering names as long as they fit. It is reasonable, and funny, for a 6-year-old boy to call older girls hot and desire to kiss them. Stealing is okay as long as your motives are good.
You also have to ask the question, what is Violet Nottingham doing in a children’s movie? Her “Paris Hilton” is pretty spot-on. Her reputation is referred to as “loose.” She is called “hot.” It is said, “She likes to have a good time.” The sexual intent is so obvious.
As for violence, it is more the slapstick variety. Bad guys get knocked down with a branch. People get kicked accidentally and on purpose….etc., etc.
I write this review with this disclaimer. This is a well-advertised film and I am sure that many of our children will see it. It is funny and popular, however, I believe that there are enough negative elements, that I would really be concerned about using it as part of a lesson, mainly because that looks like “the church” is endorsing a film that is really not good for children. I revert to the rule that what I may excuse, others may abuse in excess. A child may see this movie at church and because of that watch it at home, and seeing that their church leaders use it as an example, may think the things in the movie are okay to do. I have seen this happen.
Teachable Themes
- Family is Important
The children’s father has left them, but they do have family to support them.
- Good Things Can Come From Bad Things
Even though things can go horribly wrong, they can work out for our good.
- Life Doesn’t Always Turn Out the Way We Plan
Skeeter always thinks he knows how life is going to play out, but it comes out differently in the end….not bad, just differently.
- There are Not Always Happy Endings
Life is not always perfect like a fairy tale. We watch movies and TV and the circumstances work out in 30 minutes to two hours. Life is not like that.
Biblical References
- Obey Your Parents
Colossians 3:20
“Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.” (NLT)
- God Will Take Care of Us.
Psalm 27:10
“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.” (NLT)
- Trust in the Lord for Everything in Your Life
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
Discussion Questions
- What was the best bedtime story you ever heard?
- Who are your heroes?
- Are there always happy endings?
- Do you know everything that is going to happen in your life?
- What are some disappointments that you have faced?
Conclusion
In an interview with Artist Direct, Adam Sandler said this, ” I wanted to do a family movie for a long time. Every Sunday night when I was a kid, we’d watch the Disney movie with Kurt Russell. I was a big fan of Kurt Russell growing up. I wanted to be the modern day Kurt Russell. Now, I live in his old house. I have his old muscles. [Laughs] He has a very Semitic look. [Laughs] I loved Matt Lopez’ script. I thought it was sweet. A lot of the time, kids end up seeing my movies anyway. Some of their mothers yell at me. They tell me I’ve corrupted their children and that I’ve influenced them to pee on walls. I wanted to make sure I did one movie in my career that mothers hugged me for. This could be it.”
I say, it could, but it isn’t. As CP’s we are on a different plane. We are looking for ways to uplift and teach. Spiritually, we are on a very different page. While I enjoyed this movie and laughed along with it, part of me kept saying, “Why did you have to…..?”
This is not a movie for the younger set. Adam Sandler’s young daughter enjoyed it so much that she predicted that their dog would eat it! For the older set, have fun, but get ready to undo all the don’ts that you see after the movie.
Posted by gforce on Jan 15, 2009 in
Uncategorized
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| Hi Folks,
I am a part of a children’s ministry network and they post wonderful movie reviews every so often. Keep in mind these reviews are not coming directly from me but I do believe they are a good source of information for you. They are also a great way to apply the word to “real life” situations..Enjoy!
Overview
If you watched the trailers for this movie, you would think that Marley & Me is a dog-centric movie in the Beethoven genre. Marley is billed as the “world’s worst dog.” When I went to see this film, that’s what I expected, as did the theater full of families with children. Marley & Me is a wonderful movie, but it is a film for grown-ups. The children attending grew restless and bored. There is a great deal of value reviewing it here for those of us involved in family ministry. There are some wonderful life lessons in this movie.
John Grogan is a newspaper writer when this story begins. He marries fellow journalist, Jenny, and they start their life together. When initial conversations about children pop up, even Jenny exclaims, “How am I supposed to take care of a kid if I can’t even keep a plant alive.” John is advised by a friend to get a dog with the thought that a dog would put off any consideration of children for a couple of years. A Labrador retriever is adopted and named Marley after Reggae’s iconic figure Bob Marley, who just happens to be playing on the radio on the way home.
To say that Marley is an unruly dog is an understatement. This dog eats everything from dog food to sofas. He is scared of thunderstorms to the point that he has to be sedated. Marley is energetic and resistant to training. When the couple takes him to obedience training he tramples the trainer, among other things, and is summarily ejected from class. Interesting note: the real John and Jenny Grogan appear in this scene.
The movie follows the Grogans through a miscarriage, the birth of three children, a couple of moves, job changes and the ups and downs of married life. Marley is the thread that ties this all together.
When the going does get tough, the Grogans stick in there. When John’s single friend suggests the alternative John says, “You mend it, don’t end it.” This is a recurring theme through this movie. They openly admit that, “No one tells you how hard it is going to be…marriage, parenting…even if it is harder than I thought, I don’t regret it.” Their mantra is, “We will do it together.”
The ending, well, I won’t give that a way…but bring the tissues. It is warm and poignant.
Concerns
Again, this is not a child’s movie. John Grogan has written a child’s version of the book Marley & Me for young readers entitled simply Marley. There are also two picture books, Bad Dog Marley and A Very Marley Christmas. If you want to expose your child to the wonderful writing of John Grogan, this is what you should share with your kids.
This movie is rated PG. There is some profanity and some misuse of God’s name. There is also some adult humor…implied nudity (you never see it)…implied sex between the married couple (again, you never see it). The dog also does some crude things….which dogs do…and there are some crude references to dog body parts.
One “Christian” review I read took issue with the fact that this movie mentioned that dogs go to heaven, adamantly stating that they don’t. However true this is, one of the best tidbits of advice that I learned in Children’s Ministry in regards to this question is this: when asked if a pet is in heaven you simply state that God’s Word says that we will have everything we need in heaven…and if you need that pet, he will be there. This comforts, but does not crush a child in mourning…without lying to them.
Teachable Themes
- Mend It; Don’t End It
Sometimes it seems so much easier to give up and walk away, but there is so much more value to mend the relationship. (Please note that as I say this I realize that there are some relationships that are so unhealthy due to abuse or other destructive behavior that this does not apply.)
- Marriage Requires Work
Love can get you so far, but faith and determination are also required to keep a relationship healthy. It is a choice.
- We Can Make Our Plans, but We Have to be Flexible
Jenny starts with a Day Planner full of plans for the future. In the end she says, “I’m done making plans.” Life has so many surprises, and sometimes you just have to go with them.
- We Make the Choice in How We Respond to the Things that Happen in Our Lives
There is a great contrast in this movie between John’s life as a family man, and his friend Sebastian’s life as a single man. In the end, you really feel sorry for Sebastian who probably makes more money and has a life that appears more exciting…but empty nonetheless.
Biblical References
- Forgiveness
Colossians 3:13
“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (NLT)
- Trust God to surprise us with the plans for our lives
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
- Choose to do what is right
Deuteronomy 30:19
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (NLT)
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever felt like giving up? What did you do?
- Have you ever felt so tired as a parent that you did not think you could make it? What did you do?
- Discuss the statement, “Don’t end it; mend it.”
- Married life is not always easy, what ways have you found to make it through the ups and downs of life?
- Do you have a family pet? What is the craziest thing your pet has ever done to you?
- In what ways has God surprised you when you were trying to follow your plans for life.
Conclusion
One of the things I appreciated the most in this movie was that no matter how flawed John and Jenny Grogan appeared at times, they found the love and forgiveness necessary to make the right choices.
This is a wonderful movie for adults. It is heartwarming, poignant and it teaches us many things about life.
When it comes out on DVD, plan a family evening. Put the kids in one room with activities for them…and the adults in the other room watching Marley & Me. |
Posted by gforce on Jan 12, 2009 in
Uncategorized I hope everyone enjoys the new website. I want to give a shout-out to Brandy Lundlum who has done an outstanding job building our site. If you know of anyone needing website work or maintenance contact Brandy @ www.convergentsc.com
I will try to post something weekly that will hopefully add to your tool box as parents. Sometimes it may be my own two cents and often it will be articles or portions of articles that you may find relevant to where you are at as a parent. We will also post ministry news and updates as well…so check back weekly if not daily.
Be Blessed!!!!
Pastor Chris